Sooo much to be thankful for, today and every day.
A hubby who STILL works for Best Buy Corporate in a job he loves. Feeling blessed that he wasn't part of the lay offs this time around.
A church that pushes me to grow in ways I would never be able to on my own.
The Small Group that comes along side me as we grow. Love these friends!
The ability to decorate a cute nursery for our baby boy...final touches were added yesterday!
A cuddly cute puppy that I get to be just a puppy mama to until Baby Christian comes. Love this little guy! Never thought I would be a small dog person, but can't imagine not having him!
Such a character!
What are you thankful for this week?
Stay tuned for a surprise reveal coming soon, a giveaway, and a 'guest post' tomorrow!
Since we spent our "Monday" in Chicago, my week is off to a late start. Monday Madness is on Tuesday this week!
{The Weather} ::: Right now we have sunshine and slightly blue skies! 34 degrees but feels only like 27 degrees. Not quite the 41 degrees we had in Chicago yesterday, but still pretty nice! And it looks like the week ahead is forecasting upper 20s to low 30s all week. And sun! I'll take it! Now, to get out for my walks with Baxman this week!
{Weekly Menu} ::: It seems we never eat from my "weekly menu" choices. This means that we probably end up doing a quick pasta dish or a pizza sometimes, or even eating out. This week, it is my goal to actually cook from my menu list! Although, we do have plans to eat out tonight and on Saturday.
Stir Fry
Broccoli Soup
Spaghetti
Breakfast for dinner! - Pancakes, eggs, bacon
Chicken Spiedis - if you are from the New York area, you probably know what these are. If not, check back later for a recipe!
{My To-Do List} ::: My to-do list this week is a little low key since we were gone for most of the weekend and didn't get back until late last night. I also didn't do so well at accomplishing everything last week...so some catching up is in order.
Patch holes and paint the bathroom
Finish copying recipes onto recipe cards
Finish photo project...the photos came and I ran out of photo book space.
And of course the weekly chores:
Cleaning
Laundry
Couponing
Grocery Shopping
{Weekly Goals} :::
Walk 2-3 times this week
Go to the gym 2 times this week
Follow my 40 days in the Word Devotional every day
{Weekly Words of Wisdom} :::
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." ~Psalm 119:18
As I shared in this post last week, hubby and I headed to Chicago over the weekend and just got back late last night.
It was a sad trip but yet such a blessing. Jim and I were able to spend some time with my mom and grandma. Jim also got to meet some of my extended family which he had yet to meet and my grandma even got to see cousins that she hadn't seen in MANY years! We were in Illinois for my Great Aunt Donna's memorial service on Sunday. It was a very beautiful celebration of her life. I wish that I could have known her more as it has been probably almost at least 12 years since I last saw her.
We decided we better take advantage of the photo opportunity. Here is my grandma and her brother, Bob with 3 of their cousins whom they hadn't seen in quite some time!
Of course we also got a full Bollenbach Family photo. There was a bit of a glare from the sun on the left which we were unable to escape. Hubby and I are the last 2 in the front row on the right :) We were rocking the matching outfits.
We even matched with our coats on!
We got to Bolingbrook, IL Saturday night and spent some time with my mom and grandma catching up at our hotel. Then on Sunday we headed to a church in Naperville which was similar to the church we attend in Minnesota, Hosanna! Then we grabbed some quick lunch before heading to the memorial service. After the service we grabbed a late lunch/snack with family and caught up some more. Then we ran some errands and headed to dinner.
Monday was our last day in Illinois and we made our way to downtown Chicago. On the way, though, we made a stop in Joliet, Illinois at the prison. If any of you are fans of Prison Break, this is where the show was filmed! Along with The Blues Brothers movie. If you haven't followed Prison Break, check out the youtube clip below, but be careful, you may become hooked! Jim has seen all the seasons but I have only seen the first episode of season 1. And I know I'm going to be addicted. It was crazy to be at a real prison (that is no longer open) but was also where a show we watch was filmed! Unfortunately, they don't give tours, so we were only able to see the outside.
After the prison, we made our way to another movie set location...does this house look familiar?
If you guessed the house from Home Alone where the McAllister's lived, you are right! How crazy cool is this!?! If you notice, there is a sign in the lower left hand corner by a tree. This sign states that it's private property so no knocking on the door, etc. People live there there! It was recently on the market for over 1 million dollars and was previously listed for approximately 2.4 million dollars. I wonder if Kevin was home? :)
Finally, before heading to dinner and making our way to the airport to head home, we made the trek into downtown Chicago for one last even more memorable experience....
Here are some pictures from the drive. Not much busier than downtown Minneapolis, but I was still glad to be the passenger and not the driver! Check out those blue skies, too! It was 41 degrees and we had the windows rolled down! Okay, maybe not down down as in all the way down...But the sunroof was open and the windows were cracked. We were loving the fresh air!
Now where was our last stop? Check back later this week to find out! It involves Baby Foote! Any guesses?
It's Monday!!! Again. But this Monday is a little different. It's President's Day. This means hubby is working from home. So technically its not FULLY a work day, right? :)
{The Weather} Its looking pretty dreary this morning, but not super chilly. Currently 30 degrees but feels like only 25 degrees with a high of 31 degrees. It is looking like the rest of the week might be a bit chilly with highs in the single digits tomorrow and snow on its way... But NEXT week might bring some heat! Highs of 35 degrees by the end of next week! Fingers crossed it comes true!
{Weekend Recap} Where did the weekend go?? What did we do?? Friday night we hung out with some friends from church and played games. Saturday I met up with a friend from high school. Well, I might as well say a friend from Preschool because I have known her that long! Such a joy to catch up and pick up right where we left off. Time with her is always filled with laughter! Then came home to relax a bit until Saturday night church with some more friends and dinner after church at "The Chart House"....can I say YUM! First time there but it was really good! AND I got a free super gorgeous rose that was leftover from Valentine's Day. AWESOME.
{Sad News} On Friday we got the news that my Great Aunt Donna had passed away that morning after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She put up a good fight. We will be heading to be with family for her memorial service in Illinois next Sunday.
{Weekly Menu} So I'm not really sure what we ate last week, I know I cooked and we had a few days of eating leftovers, but many of the things on our menu this week haven't changed from last week:
Broccoli Soup
Stir Fry
Fajitas
Ravioli and cooked carrots
Turkey Burgers and sweet potatoes
Vegetable Soup
{My To-Do List} Looking over my list from last week, I got everything done except for working on our 'Before You Were Here' Book for Baby Christian. However, the pictures I ordered for the book have not gotten here yet, so that project has been delayed.
Here is my list for this week:
Copy my stack of recipes onto recipe cards to file away
Start working on a photo book of our honeymoon
Research how to patch slight holes in your wall so I can start working on getting some painting done
Hopefully finish up my photo organizing once the remaining pictures get here
Plus my regular weekly duties:
Cleaning
Laundry
Couponing
Grocery Shopping
{Weekly Words of Wisdom}
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." ~Colossians 3:16
Our church just started a new series for Lent called "40 Days in the Word" and our small group will be starting the accompanying study and devotional on Thursday this week! Looking forward to it. Check out sermons here
Even as a housewife, I have come to not quite look forward to Mondays. While I don't dread them in the same way as I did when I was working, I do know that Monday means its back to work and getting stuff done around the house...AKA "Getting Ready For Baby" which honestly is a little fun too!
{The Weather} Much less snowy. Traffic seems to be moving along pretty good again. About 23 degrees right now but feels like 8 degrees. Not sure that its going to be warm enough to walk Baxter today. Poor puppy. Still need to shovel off the patio today too.
{Funny Story} My husband is on staff at our church and works in children's ministry part time. Every other weekend he teaches the preschool class during church. Now that my morning sickness has subsided nearly completely and I am feeling much better, I have started to help him out on his weekends. This weekend was my first time helping. As we were playing a game at the end of the time together, one of the little girls looks up at me and says point blank "Why is your belly so big??" Oh from the mouths of babes :) While I could have told her I swallowed a watermelon seed, I explained in all honesty that there is a baby growing inside. She seemed satisfied with that. Definitely kept me laughing for awhile!
{Weekly Menu} Since staying home, I have come to realize that "menu planning" in a structured, detailed way is not for me. I enjoy planning our meals, but don't want to be locked in to having a specific meal on a specific day. So instead, I now may weekly menu lists instead. Each day I decide what I feel like cooking and what sounds good. No pressure to make anything. And when hubby cooks instead, he can look at the list and see what he is up for. So here is what we will be having this week, in no particular order:
Broccoli Soup
Ravioli
Turkey Burgers
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Steak Stir Fry
Fajitas
Steak and Sweet Potatoes for Valentine's Day!
{My To-Do List} My list of things that need to get done before baby gets here is getting shorter by the week, but I still have a lot I would like to accomplish. Here is what I am hoping to get done this week:
Sew our bedroom comforter where it has gotten a few rips
Make a template for our baby shower invites for my dear friend Amy to use
Organize our giant stack of pictures from the past year and a half
Print pictures from the past year and a half to add to our collection of memories
Work on our "Before You Were Here" book that we are making for baby Christian
Of course there will be the weekly things that just always need to get done as well:
Grocery shopping
Couponing
Clean the house
Laundry
{Weekly Words of Wisdom}
"Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." ~ Proverbs 16:3
Thanksgiving is such a great reminder of all the reasons we have to be thankful, something we should really think about every day!
Here are some of the things I am thankful for this year:
My amazing hubby who loves me even when I'm the crabby, hormonal, sick pregnant woman that I have been lately
The baby I have been blessed to carry
The option to stay at home and raise our little one. My last day of work is going to be Monday already. Looking forward to starting some nesting :)
A home to share with my husband
Family- both near and far, blood and God given as friends
Health insurance! As the doctor visit bills come in for baby, I am so glad we have insurance...and good insurance at that!
A great church to grow at and be involved in
Food on our table...even if food doesn't always sound good to me :) I am thankful for options!
For a job that I was able to work at for the past almost year and a half
And on a slightly less serious note, but seriously, I am thankful for Christmas movies! Love them!
Even in the midst of imperfect life, there is plenty we can find to be thankful for.
Ephesians 1:3 ~ "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ."
