Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday Ryan and I celebrated 5 years of marriage. Though we spent a good chunk of our day in the car with a screaming baby on our way home from Illinois, it was a good day!

A lot has happened in 5 years! We graduated with our Bachelor's degrees, me just 2 weeks before we got married and Ryan 5 months into our marriage. I worked at Great Harvest Bread Company making dough in the wee hours of the morning, as a foster care caseworker at Lutheran Social Services, and as a substitute teacher for Peoria School District 150. Ryan worked as a surgery support specialist at OSF, a carpet cleaner for Bill Hoerr, and as a laboratory TA at Bradley University. We have moved to a new state away from all our family and friends. Ryan has begun medical school, and I have taken on the role of full time wife and mother. We have welcomed two beautiful children into the world. We have experienced crushing disappointment and immense joy. We have been challenged and stretched and blessed.

It's been an amazing 5 years. I am so thankful to have a husband who loves me so relentlessly and unconditionally, both in a gentle, tender way, and at other times, enough to be brutally honest in an effort to help me become the woman God wants me to be. I can't wait to see what the next 5 years hold--I love you so much Ryan Timothy Funk!


The afternoon we announced our engagement, February 2007:

Rehearsal Dinner, December 2007:

Wedding, December 30, 2007:

On our honeymoon in Sedona, Arizona:

Ryan's Graduation Dinner, May 2008:

On a weekend trip to Georgia for Brent and Staci's wedding, June 2008:

Celebrating my birthday at Wildlife Prairie Park, June 2008:

On a weekend trip to Minnesota for Meg and Dale's wedding, August 2008:

Labor Day Weekend Campout, 2008:

At Seth and Ang's Rehearsal Dinner, September 2008:

Fall Costume Party, 2008:

At Tim and Nicole's Wedding, March 2009, 5 Months Pregnant with Abram:

July 27, 2009, just before we went in to be induced:

Now we're 3!

Weekend to Chicago with Ryan's family, November 2009:

On the train to Chicago for our first time away overnight after Abe was born, March 2010:

Abe's 1 Year Photo Shoot, July 2010:

Vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina with my family, August 2010:

Ryan cleaned the Peoria Riverman's coach's carpet, so his wife gave us free tickets! February 2011:

Florida Keys with Ryan's family, March 2011:

At Ryan's White Coat Ceremony, August 2011:

Dean's Reception, January 2012, 8 Months Pregnant with Charlie:

After Charlie was born, February 24, 2012:

Now we're 4!

Our family, Fall 2012:

On our overnight getaway this past weekend, celebrating 5 years, 2012:

He Still Reigns

My heart is heavy today over the tragedy that took place in Connecticut and for all those who have been impacted. I lift up prayers for the families who have lost their children, children who probably already have Christmas presents wrapped under their trees at home. Holiday seasons that will forever be shadowed by the memory of the precious child that was lost today. I will hold my own children a little bit closer.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Ornery Abe

Abe has been incredibly ornery lately. So much so, that I have enough material to dedicate an entire blog post just to him and his ornery-ness! (Some of these are just fun stories too!) Here goes:

1. He has learned after many reprimands that he is not to drag Charlie away, yell at him, knock him over, etc., in an effort to preserve whatever it is he is working on (usually a tower or his train set). This is good! As a result, however, he now shouts numerous times a day, "Mommy, come save him! Come save my brother!" I think what he really means is, "Mommy, come get Charlie away from my toys before I hurt him!"

2. A few weeks ago, we watched Brady for a few hours. When Emily came to pick him up, we were chatting a bit, and Abe walked up and announced that he had put a booger on the wall. I promised Emily this was the first time he had ever done that! Since then, I have discovered other boogers on other walls, and we have had many talks about this. Thankfully, he is no longer doing that! Very good! But, we are still working on the nose picking thing in general--I don't know how he discovered it, but I wish he hadn't!

3. A few days after the above incident, we were at Shayne and Emily's for dinner. As everyone quieted down to prepare for the prayer, Abe proceeded to let out a burp. Bad! He did say excuse me (good!). I apologized to Emily for the poor manners of my child, as she had now witnessed two bouts of poor manners in just a few days time!

4. Depite my best efforts to keep my phone away from Abe, he keeps finding it. It's like he has a built in phone detector! If ever I cannot find Abe, there's a good chance he is hiding under the dining room table with my phone, calling someone. I have apologized to numerous people now over the random, silent calls made by my son from my phone.

5. Abe has really gotten into art lately. Mainly highlighters and ink pens. So far, he has "decorated" his khaki pants and the Bumbo. He came into the kitchen and proudly proclaimed that he had made them "look really nice for everyone for when we go to Illinois". (He is VERY excited about going to IL next week for Christmas!) How could I punish him for such a sweet thought? I had never expressly told him not to do those things. So, we just talked about how drawing is only for paper and he could make everyone pictures instead. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try to clean the Bumbo. I think rubbing alcohol would do the trick, but it seems like a lot of work to get off all those scribbles!

6. Abe has now tried to sneak treats on 2 separate occasions when we're in the check out lane at stores (you know the ones that are right at a child's eye level??). Very, very bad! He doesn't know what "stealing" is, so I couldn't punish him for that, but he did get punished for trying to hide it from Mommy--he knew what he was doing there! I also explained what stealing was and talked about the 10 Commandments and how God sees even if Mommy doesn't--he really seemed to understand and this was a good teachable moment for us. Very good!

7. Last week, we swung into CVS on our way to Bible study to take advantage of a great deal on Pampers diapers. I told Abe we were going to run into the store first, and he asked if we could get some Cheetos. I have absolutely no idea how he knew anything about Cheetos! I don't know that I have ever even bought them, for sure in my married life, possibly my entire life, nor have I ever given him a snack that was anywhere close to a "Cheeto". Anyway, I told him that we were only going to get the diapers this time and then head to Bible study. After study, I had planned to run to the grocery store on our way home. I usually do this since I have the car and we're already out, so it works out quite well. I told Abe we were headed to the grocery store, and he said, "Oh good! Then we can get some Cheetos!" I just started laughing! He really wanted some Cheetos! When we got inside the store, he politely asked again, and since his normal snacks aren't nearly as exciting as Cheetos, I decided to let him get some. It was a special treat! When we got to the aisle, he ended up selecting "cheese puffs" instead, but he was happy as could be. I may or may not have eaten a couple myself ;)

8. A few weeks ago, he tripped and fell while we were at the store. I don't even know what happened, because one moment he was standing right beside me while I surveyed the "canned tomatoes with green chiles options", and the next he was on the floor crying. He hit pretty hard and had blood all over his mouth and hands. His top lip was extremely swollen, so we kept ice on it for a while after we got home, and he had a hard time eating since any salt or acid was painful on the cut inside. Poor guy! A few days later, he was building a cave at home and hit his mouth against the coffee table. This time, the bottom lip was cut and bleeding! He was much more calm this time, since he knew that the blood and "funny feeling" inside his mouth were just a result of the fall. Still, his bottom lip swelled up too, and the two together made him look like a little duck! It was quite comical, and I wish I had a picture of it! In the end, he was pretty proud of his "battle scars" and how brave he was.

Thankfully, the swelling went down soon afterward, and we were able to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weekend and get some outdoor photos. Here is Ornery Abe--I love him SO much!!

Oatmeal Maple Scones

Back when I worked at Great Harvest Bread Company, we were blessed with an abundance of fresh, healthy bread to eat. I was able to take a loaf home each day I worked, and with just Ryan and myself eating it, it made for the opportunity to share with others too, as we just couldn't go through that much bread! I was also able to take home one "sweet" each shift too, but I didn't always take these, because, well, the calorie content is just a smidge high to indulge in one every day! When I did choose one to take home though, Ryan always requested a cinnamon roll, and me, I always went for the scones. They seriously make the most incredible scones.

I've tried in earnest to replicate some of their recipes here at home, and I haven't been too successful. I just can't quite figure out their secret--their scones were just so dense and rich, never dry and crumbly. When I came across this Oatmeal Maple Scone recipe, I was especially intrigued because Great Harvest also made an oatmeal maple scone. We had them for a late breakfast the day after Thanksgiving, and they were delish! They still don't rival Great Harvest's (sadly), but they were really very good.

The salty, buttery scone was an awesome base for the sweet maple glaze, and I think they could even handle a double dose of the glaze on top! Next time, I plan to double the glaze, allow the first covering to set, and then apply the "second coat". I think if I put it on all at once, I'll only end up with a puddle of glaze on the pan around the scone rather than a nice covering on top. At any rate, they are worth a repeat!

Oatmeal Maple Scones

Scones:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup oats, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Blend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and eggs and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter (I use a drinking glass) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes, and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of glaze. Sprinkle uncooked oats on top for garnish if desired.

**I found halving this recipe to be plenty**

source: Ina Garten

Visitor Week!

A few weeks ago, we were blessed by family visitors! It had been too long since we had been with family! My family came up Sunday to Monday over Veteran's Day, amd Ryan's family came up just a few days later, Friday through Sunday.

Sunday, we met my parents at an orchard 30 minutes south of Milwaukee. Abe didn't seem quite as excited to see everyone as he usually is, and as we browsed our way through the shop, he grew more and more clingy toward me. We ordered some lunch and let Abe pick out a special drink, and I knew something was definitely wrong when he didn't become ecstatic over getting some grape soda pop (he loves soda and we very rarely buy it!). By the time we sat down to eat, he only wanted Mommy and just snuggled up against my chest. He was very hot and refused to eat anything. His illness unfortunately tainted the start of our time together, but after returning home, getting some medicine in his system, and resting for a while, he returned to his normal self for the remainder of the evening. We ordered pizza and just hung out at our place. Abe even got to go back to the hotel with Grandma, Papa, Aubrey, and Andi to swim and spend the night!

The next day, we had arranged to take a family photo, complete with coordinating outfits and neat locations picked out! But when they came back over in the morning, Abe was feeing pretty lousy again. We agreed to just try and take the photo via self-timer in our living room, because a leisurely outdoor shoot just wasn't in the cards for Abe. I can definitely say it was the most hilarious attempt at a family photo that I have ever experienced! Family memories were made for sure! Eventually, Abe just fell asleep upright on my mom's lap, so our photo shoot was offically over. We ended up with some decent shots, though poor Abe looks completely dazed in every picture!

After a late lunch, we spent some time talking and laughing before they headed back home. I was so disappointed that Abe wasn't feeling well, but it was good to be together nonetheless!

A few days later, Ryan's parents and brother Alex came up to visit. Abe was over his flu bug (which lasted just 24 hours), but by then the whole family had gotten nasty colds, myself the worst. What perfect timing! It always amazes me how I forget what a blessing it is to be able to breathe and swallow without discomfort until I'm struck down by a cold. Still, we had a wonderful time with his family as well.

We did some Christmas shopping, ate good food, and just spent time talking with one another. Sunday afternoon, we headed down to the lakefront to take a few pictures, and though it was brisk and windy, it was beautiful! Afterward we had brunch at Mader's, a historic German restaurant in downtown Milwaukee. Eating there is on the "Top 100 Things to do in Milwaukee" list, so I guess we can check that one off! It was very good!

Just a few photos of their stay:

Uncle Alex and Charlie:

Nana and Abe:

At the Wisconsin Cheese Mart:

We are so blessed by our families and love each one so much. Now, just a few more weeks until Christmas when we're reunited again!

Royal Icing

The day is winding down, but it's still Friday, so better late than never! We had a really busy day, are finally home, and my little boys are sleeping (well, the oldest is supposed to be sleeping but is currently singing the "ABC's" in his room!), so I have a chance to sit down and write!

Earlier this week, Abe and I made some cut-out cookies. We had so much fun! Seeking an icing that would set quickly and firmly and look smooth and vibrant, I decided to try Royal Icing this time. It was perfect! As you can see from the photo, I certainly need some practice in using a steady hand in order to achieve a smoother finish, but the recipe itself is a winner. It is very easy to use, sets to a hard and crisp finish, tastes great, and makes decorating fun!

Below I'll list two versions of the recipe, one with egg whites and one with meringue powder. I used the egg whites, as I didn't have any powder, but if you are concerned about using raw egg whites, both versions of the recipe apparently work equally well. If you use the powder, you also have the flexibility of adding an extract of your choice (vanilla, almond, etc.) whereas the raw egg whites required the use of lemon juice which contributes just a hint of lemon taste to the icing.

The recipe is easily adaptable if you have trouble--just add a very small amount of powdered sugar or water to acheive the proper consistency. If icing is difficult to pipe around the edges, it's too thick. Flooding icing should run off the back of a spoon and disappear back into the bowl of frosting within 5 seconds. **When you're ready to frost, I would suggest visiting this post on Annie's Eats for a fabulous tutorial on how to use Royal Icing.**

Royal Icing

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3-4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine egg whites and lemon juice. Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Transfer to an air-tight container immediately as icing hardens when exposed to air.

Color icing as desired and frost cookies.


Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lemon, almond)
1/2 - 3/4 cup warm water

In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water.

Color icing as desired and frost cookies.


recipe source: Joy of Baking

Holiday Time!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here in Wisconsin this year. While we really missed our family in Illinois, it was so nice to just stay at home, keep our boys on normal nap schedules, and try our hand at cooking our own turkey! Ryan had Wednesday through Sunday off, and though he studied all day Wednesday and Saturday, we loved having him home for 5 days.

Our Thanksgiving meal turned out wonderfully. Ryan and Abe collected some leaves in the morning to use for our table centerpiece. During the meal, Abe got to use a goblet, which he was so excited about, and he said he was thankful for Daddy, Mommy, and cornucopias! Charlie gobbled down his 1st Thanksgiving meal and was particularly fond of the whipped cream on the pie!

On Friday we scored a few Black Friday deals, ate cold turkey sandwiches (my absolute favorite way to use leftover turkey), put up our Christmas tree, and watched "Frosty the Snowman" with popcorn and hot cocoa in the evening. It was a fabulous kick-off to holiday season!

Ready to eat!

Both our boys look so thrilled, don't they?! They really did enjoy the meal, I promise!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie!

Abe was really into the decorating this year. In fact, he still asks me almost daily if I "like the tree with the star on top" and if I can "even believe that we have a tree in our house"!! While we were putting up the tree, he kept saying, "Oh, wow! Wow! Wow!"

All done!

P.J. party watching "Frosty the Snowman"!

Ryan's mom gave us this ornament the Christmas right before we got married--5 Years this December! As a side note, this picture was taken with our new camera!! Our old one has been on its last leg for quite some time, oftentimes not even allowing you to take pictures, and when it does, the photos are very grainy. Just take a look at how sharp this photo is in contrast to the previous six, especially the pictures of the Thanksgiving table! We watched Amazon's Black Friday deals like a hawk and ended up getting such a good price--I am so thankful to have this camera to capture special moments of our boys as they grow!

May your Season be Merry and Bright!

I Am Thankful...

This Thanksgiving 2012 morning began in the quiet stillness of the early morning, thanking God for His goodness and for the countless blessings He has given us. Now that the pumpkin pie is cooling and the turkey is roasting, I have a moment to share my thankful list. Today I'm Thankful For:

1. the love of God
2. that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sin and then rose victorious over death
3. the beautiful blue skies outside my window
4. the adorable little boy sitting at my feet, babbling, chewing on a sippy cup, and turning up to me to smile from time to time
5. the blonde-haired little boy sitting across the room from me, who challenges and blesses me daily with his wit, his sharp mind, his humor, his kindness, and his strong will
6. the opportunity to be a mother to these two and understand even in part how deep is the love of God
7. the brilliant, ruggedly handsome :) man I am blessed to call my husband and who loves and serves our family so well
8. how God is using these 3 boys, among other things, to refine me and make me more Christlike, as hard as it is sometimes to be made aware of my sin and selfishness
9. our dear families who love us and our boys so much, and who we love so much too
10. our precious friendships, so many that have spanned time and distance
11. the new friends we've made here in WI, who we never would have met had God not brought us to this place, at this time
12. clean water
13. plentiful food
14. clothing
15. a warm, comfortable dwelling place
16. good health
17. the warmth, thrill, joy, and sparkle of the Christmas season that is now upon us
18. Christmas songs: I look forward to them all year and never get sick of them!
19. the technology that allows me to communicate this list with all of you!
20. that though I don't know the future, I know Who holds it all in His hand, and He is Good, He is True, He is Faithful, and He is Love

And on it goes.

May you rest in God's Love today--Happy Thanksgiving!

Odds and Ends

A brief photo recap of life these days:

I LOVE his little padded bottom up in the air! It's oh-so-sweet when he sleeps like this:

One day, I couldn't find Abe. Soon I heard some rustling around in the closet...unsure as to what I would find, I grabbed the camera, and when I opened the door, I found him digging around in the diaper bag for some gum! I died laughing, but we did have a talk afterward about how he doesn't need to be sneaky, rather, just ask!

Another day, I thought I had put Charlie in a safe place (since he's started crawling, he tends to knock down Abe's towers, tear apart his train tracks, etc.), and Abe often retaliates a bit too roughly (we're working on this!!). Soon I heard, "Mommy, I'm in here!" and I walked into their room to find this:

He adores bath time:

Abe has been assigned a chore that I felt was age-appropriate-making his bed! I think he does a pretty good job!

One day I found an awesome, one-day-only deal on photo Christmas cards, so naturally, I attempted to get a few decent pictures of the boys. The photo-shoot was largely a major fail, but I did get a great one of Abe SMILING!!!! Usually, he is quick to say "cheese" but does it totally straight-faced, so this was a huge accomplishment!

And one of Charlie:

Well, I guess that's all for this blog post. Thanks for reading!