Go Florida

… it’s your birthday burffday. 

I’m such a small town girl it’s not funny. Driving on those roads makes me crazy, and sick. (motion sickness is my curse I’m afraid.. there’s no avoiding it)  But we did have an amazing, relaxing, time in Florida… and I am so glad to have gone with someone who loves taking pictures as much as me! I have some of the greatest pictures. Now the old ones on the bathroom wall can be replaced. Wade’s been asking me for a year now to put new pictures in those frames. Well, wish granted hunny. Thanks Tina.

I love being your girl. I love when we act like kids. I love jumping in the waves, and kissing you on the beach. That afternoon on the beach was what I waited for when I waited the first 20 years of my life for you. 

We spent every afternoon at the beach, or the pool…

and found somewhere fun (and so yummy) to eat dinner at night. One night while eating out on a pier we see this in the water:

du nah… 

du naaah…

da na, da na, da na………………….. ahhhhhh! 
  Okay just kidding. They were dolphins. :)

 

Treasure Island we will miss you… and your sunsets. Oh the sunsets, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.
1 Chronicles 29:11

 

Although I must add; Dorothy was right.
There’s no place like home.
Enjoy home today...

oh yea, and happy Friday. 

blog-cation

Well I’m feeling much better…thanks to the 4 new prescriptions I scored at the doctor’s office. Normally I’m not all about the medication, but when you’re going on vacation, the last thing you want is to be miserably sick. Apparently, I have some sort of allergy induced asthma… nothing an inhaler, nasal spray, steriod, and allergy medication can’t take care of right?   Well here is my last quick post before we leave.. It’s 10pm, and the packing has only begun, but who needs to sleep?  I’m working on a few new downloads from itunes as I type this.
multitasking.
check. 

This is not only a vacation, this is going to be blog-cation. (Yes I’m aware that is not a real word. The red zigzaggy line shows up under it. But you know exactly what it means!) So I’m out… for a week or so. While I’m gone, enjoy the blizzard spring weather.

For anyone keeping up with my parents and their foster care adventures, they added 1 more 7 pound addition today. (That brings the total tonight to 3 foster kids) I held him an hour ago, when he was just 48 hours old, and so very tiny. Hopefully he’ll be with his forever family before I’m home from Florida.
Today also my Mom’s Birthday, so hopefully she’ll have a little birthday luck and not be up ALL night with 2 babies:)
Good luck Mom, and Happy Birthday!  Thank you for being the most loving & giving person I know. You gave up your birthday to care for 3 little miracles…I’m so proud you’re my mom.

Wordless Wednesday

  Gabby Girl

sickness…and a debrief

When I take a deep breathe is sounds like a squeak of a dog toy. I’d say I’ve moved past allergies into a new realm of sickness. My ears pop when I cough or sneeze, it feels like someone is pushing on my chest all the time making it hard to breathe, and if I laugh even a little bit it induces a minute long coughing attack. Yes… I made a doctor’s appointment… and I can attribute all of these fine symptoms to my 2 nights staying in a dingy cabin at Okoboji.

But I must say, it was worth it. 

(this is the part we at our house like to call the “debrief”)
At our youth group sponsor meeting someone said the week following the retreat we should have a debrief of the retreat; meaning we would talk about what we learned, our favorite parts, etc. Well, my 20 something year old husband burst out laughing. Yes very mature… in his mind, debrief would of course mean, de-pants.

Junior high kids cried out to God to asking him into their lives. It was something there are no words to explain. My small group sat on a little dorm room floor and prayed and cried for half an hour… girls who had only met each other for the first time hours before, pouring out their heart to each other. 
It was so amazing to be a part of it. I feel so blessed to have been a part of it. 

There was plenty of sugary candy, and card games, and late nights…

  
but this was my favorite part…

This is what we prayed for.  They met God. Not just a bible story, or a something their parents believed…they believed. For some kids, for the first time this was all real to them, and they wanted to know Him more. 

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. –1 Corinthians 9:25

Well, I’m off to lunch with a friend,
and then the doctor’s appointment for the squeaky dog toy breathing,
and then the must-have-Florida-preparation-pedicure...
and then the best part; going with my Mom to pick up the new foster girls. Nana baby (8 months) & Gabby Girl (5 years). I so can not wait to meet them, and love on them.

The Sunshine State

The plane tickets have been purchased… we’re packing our bags for a few days of sun and sand.

Wade’s brother Brady and his wife Tina decided a few months ago they wanted to go somewhere this spring to get away… Brady is an accountant(as is Wade of course) so he had to wait until after tax season. We were more than happy to chaperone them… and the truth is: We all need to get away.

Tina and I both spent this last fall dreaming of the baby bellies we’d be sporting by spring. I was due mid July, her end of August. This winter hasn’t been what either of us planned. After we both lost our summer due babies, we’ve spent the past months dealing with things neither of us thought much about before we were the ones in that doctor’s office.

But spring has sprung, and we’re off…
”cuz I’m leeeeavin on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again.”
okay…
I’ll be back Wednesday night… for some reason that song gets in your head when you’re packing your swimsuit & rhinestone sandals. 

Five days in Florida are sure to include;
book reading,
beach walking,
wine drinking,
uninterrupted husband conversing,
no TV watching,
laughing,
bare feet living,
swimming pool dwelling,
picture taking,
seafood food eating,
late morning sleeping,
and…relaxing.
I’m also holding out for a little roller coaster riding. Busch Garden’s anyone?
We’re leaving a week from today. I’m secretly hoping the Midwest gets a freak(albeit short lived!) snowstorm about um… next Saturday. Sorry, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. If I’m going to get the whole “I escaped Iowa winter for this beach dwelling” experience, it’s gotta snow here! :)

Oh yea, Wade’s home!! And I’m smiling…  He got home at midnight last night. We’re leaving at 3:00pm today for a Middle School retreat at Okoboji.  Let’s just say, he’s not going to be spending much time at home in the month of April. Oh well… At least from now on, he’s taking me with him!!  :) We could use a little prayer this weekend! Along with 3 other adults, we’re taking 40 13 & 14 year olds away for 2 nights. We love these kids (we spend every Wednesday night with them) Pray that the kids would find God in a real way.

Happy Weekend!

freak out

Today I lost it. Officially lost it.

Because of this…

oh, that picture just makes my skin crawl.

I do not, repeat do NOT handle bugs well. I can handle bugs in the woods, or at the park, or really anywhere that is not near my house, but when they invade my territory, watch out.

If you don’t already know, I have a salon attached to the back of my house. I walk through my laundry room, and poof..  I’m at work. Which also means.. I never get away from work. Like today, one of my employees informs me that she walked through a swarm of wasps to get into the salon this afternoon. Wade is gone remember? Guess whose problem it is. 

mine.

I look out the door of the salon, and yes, they’re all over the deck and flying around the door. Oh that’s safe! Poor people just want their hair cut…not an encounter with a giant yellow & black nasty bug.

okay, no husband… next best thing. Call my mom. She’s not scared of anything.
She says “ you’re a home owner, you can kill them” Thanks mom. While I’m still on the phone with her, she tells me to go to the store and get something that says it’s specifically for wasps.
Okay… I jump in my car (by this time I am seriously sweating), on my way to Bomgaars… I’m telling my mom how awful it is, how there are so many flying around, and I’m so scared I’m gonna get stung…
I lose reception with my mom.
“what the heck is wrong with this stupid cell phone…”
I look at my phone. Oh whoops. I suppose the house phone isn’t going to get reception driving down the road. Forgot about that detail.

Okay this is getting long. I’ll wrap it up, I promise.I have now used 3 cans of Raid Wasp and Hornet spray. It’s pretty easy to go through a can on a 35 mph windy day… most of it ended up back on me. I have killed 9. Yes 9.  I’m not sure if I got them all or not, but I do know one thing.
If any are left living under our deck… they’re very scared little wasps.

the littles

..were here this weekend. Thus encouraging the lack of blogging.

By the littles I mean our nieces and nephew. We had 2 whole days together to do all sorts of fun aunt & uncle stuff. Wade’s sisters were both in town with their families, and we were more than happy to have some family sleeping at our house.

Sleeping at our house meant there were even 3 little tooshes in my bathtub together. but they might not appreciate that picture being posted for the world to see! :)

this weekends happenings included…

Camp fires

S’mores

Family BBQ

with steaks. And grill asparagus.

chubby cheeks…

and pretty blue eyes

Sunday morning hair fixing…sitting with your feet in the sink
just like I used to do when I was little 
sweet girls

We even went out to my Dad’s farm and rode horse… But the camera was left in the car. Hence no pictures of that activity. The best part of this weekend was the lovin. Kisses and “I wuv you”s, and cuddling.

On a much, um… more lonely note: Wade left early Sunday morning for a work trip to Texas. I’m on my own.. for 5 whole days. Say a little prayer, I’m a big chicken.. chicken who doesn’t like a quiet house remember? Well it’s quiet here, let me tell ya. I hear every insect outside, every car, every creak & thump, and groan of our house. 

I’m missing the littles today. Big time…  but today my mind has also been consumed with some new “littles”. My parents are awaiting possible foster kids. 2 girls… coming around the beginning of next month. Pray for them that they’ll transition smoothly into a new home. We’re so excited to meet them!

Top 10

….things you may or may not already know about me.

1. I love my sister; because she’s weird like me. I have lots of sisters-in-law… and they’re my sisters too, and I love them dearly; but Kelsi and I have a different, um… understanding. She’s my only real sister. We have a “love to fight and trash talk” kind of relationship. Our minds work just a little differently than most people. As we get older, we’re so alike it’s scary. A good scary really. My dad recently told me, “you’re getting weird just like her.” … More on our sisterly weirdness to come in another post.

2. I leave one bite of everything on my plate at the end of a meal. All the time, every meal. I don’t even know I do it… til someone else points it out. No matter how full or hungry I am, there is one little piece of crust, or 1 pea, or nibble left.

3.  I hate a quiet house. Seriously hate it.  There is nothing I love more than a house full of people. I grew up in a busy house where friends & family were always welcome, and I love that our house is starting to feel like that too. 

4. I love birds? Did I just say think that… obviously from recent posts you can see that my bird feeder is quite the topic of discussion at the Kroeze household. Wade comes home from work, and I have to tell him what kind of bird I saw today. Oh my, it sounds even dorkier when I read it again. Oh well… honesty right?

5. Going Green. Recycling, cloth grocery bags & homemade household cleaners are about as far “green” as I have gone to date. Although I do think cloth diapering could be in our future. Wade’s not 100% on board yet, but I’m still working on that… and doing my research. Organic eating will probably never be something we get too into, but I guess ya do what you can right? 
I don’t do it for Al Gore. I wouldn’t even honestly do it just for the environment. It’s kinda fun; it feels domestic and wifey...and old fashion. Like I could step right out of a black & white movie, wearing a white apron and high heels.

6. I hate surprises. I have to read into everything, and try figure everything out so nothing ever surprises me. I think I just don’t like feeling out of control.

7. Music is a language. I love all kinds of music (as long as I can understand the words!) Songs can remind you of a feeling, or an event. It can set the mood. Movies with out music would be pretty boring…and to me, life with out music is very boring. Movie soundtracks are my favorite… It’s sometimes weird, but I love the tone it sets.

8. I cry at almost every wedding I go to. When Wade and I started dating he took me to a wedding of a friend of his from high school. I had never seen either person in my life, didn’t know they existed before that day; but I sat in my white chair and bawled… because they were so in love. After having a wedding of my own it’s worse. I know that feeling that I see in their faces…

9.I have a habitat. Our computer desk is my own little oasis. It’s always a mess…covered in post-its of lists and schedules and things to do. It’s the place I dump everything that falls under the no-where-else-to-keep-it category. And ponytail holders, and bobby pins. And jewelry. A pair of flip flops shoved way underneath from a few nights ago. I end up at the computer every night before bed, and all those things seem to have a magnetic pull to the desk.

10. I took a yoga class once 2 summers ago… and I’m considering doing it again. For some reason in the last few months I’ve been missing my yoga days. Probably because it’s the only form of working out I’ve found that you aren’t ever actually “out of breath”…but you still sweat. I think I might have to research the benefits of yoga… again.

Oh yea, and I wanted to sing a little “happy birthday” to the ole blog today. One year ago you were first created. ahh… how things have changed. I can say I love blogging as much as I hoped I would…
But I love someone much more! …someone that I started dating 3 years ago TODAY as well.
Click  HERE to go back…

Wordless Wednesday

The little things

This was the greatest weekend. One of those just regular, at home, no plans til the day comes kinda weekends. One of those weekend where you realize, my life kinda rocks. All the little things that make up a great hour, and a great day… woven together to make our real life, a beautiful life.

Baby lovin
We had the greatest spur-of-the-moment-night-out with friends…and their “mini-me’s”. This is the life. I tell you.  My best friends, and their best girls. Passing around the babies for lovin from all of their “aunties”. We played MASH at the table of the restaurant we went to. Yes MASH is just as fun as an adult. Maybe even better...You’ll be happy to know my future entails:
a House
a shaggin wagon
11 kids
and the lucky husband? My friend Nikki’s actual husband Dave. No offense Dave, but I think I’ll pass on that life.

I’ll keep my real one instead.

Easter egg hunts
Nieces wearing furry bunny ears at Easter egg hunts

Furry bunny ears over winter hats.

 

Sunday morning breakfast
Wade makes me a real breakfast every Sunday. By real, I mean eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast.  It’s usually almost done by the time I get my toosh out of bed. Last week I got to eat in bed, because he got it all made without waking me. :) It was so beautiful outside this morning I sat out on our deck, and ate breakfast and did devotions. Just me and God. And a baby robin in our freshly blooming lilac bush. The perfect start to my Easter.

Getting together with family…
…when we haven’t all been in one house since Christmas.

Busted. 
But I watched them stick their fingers in the frosting anyway. And took pictures of it instead of stop them. What are cousins for?

Miss Ava and her eggs  Yes, I climbed out a window. Walked across the roof, and hung over the edge to carefully balance this yellow egg on the light. My sister-in-law was right behind me.. holding my legs. Thank you Grandma for giving me Wade’s egg to hide :)

Love
Someone once told me a long time ago, “Jesus would have still gone to the cross to save you from your sins, even if you were the only person in the whole world.” Just for you. One person. He didn’t suffer and die for the world to be saved. He did it for you. And me. What an overwhelming thought.
Thank you Jesus for loving me that much.

Happy Easter.

 

maybe Barack is right

“Now these questions are not new. War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man. (or animal) At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease -- the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.” –Barack Obama
I got your attention on that one didn’t I. Saying Obama was right about something? :) Okay, relax this is in no way a blog about politics. I don’t think I’m informed enough to be stating my political opinions for others… but this quote about war seems true enough.

I should know. There is a war going on in my own back yard.

 

He is a talented young squirrel. He’s being doing a lot of tricks hanging from my bird feeder. I think he was trying to impress the ladies. And let me tell you……it worked.
Mr. Squirrel now has a friend. Mrs. Squirrel. And they are evil together. Stealing all those poor birds food. and it was going well for them until… …Blue Jay came back a week ago, and gave him a run for his money.

They squawk and fight and fly around like b52 bombers. It is seriously entertaining. Hence the fact that I took pictures of this. You can sit in our living room, and look out the back window and watch the battle unfold.  I’m going to have to fill that dang feeder every other day this summer I think… because we now have more allies.

Yep it’s a zoo around here. The irony in this? I bought this bird feeder because it’s called “The Squirrel Stopper” HA. I should ask for my money back!

Now for the best part; let Daisee outside, and watch them all freak out at once.

not as easy as it looks

I’m working on a future post about my favorite hair products/tools/tricks…things I do actually know something about! So yesterday while I was getting ready for work, and admiring my 2” Hot Tools curling iron… I thought, I need to take a picture of my hair after using it. (before I cut my hair next week that is)  
hmm… home alone. Okay, I can take a picture of myself in the mirror. Sure. I’ve seen cute artistic mirror self-portrait pictures before… I can do that. ha. 

serious? smile? eyes open? eyes closed… one eye or two? hmm… camera up or down?… failed attempt

disclaimer: I try be as real as possible, and bluntly honest on my blog… but this it taking it to a whole new level. Only for the sake of everyone getting a good laugh today, I’m sharing this unphotogenic-dorkiness. :)

Happy Thursday.
Happy April.