11.30.2012

Beginning to look alot like Christmas!

I'm so excited to be decorating for Christmas this year!!  Last year we went back home for Christmas so didn't decorate and i SO missed it! 
 
Being a military family, we never know from year to year where we'll be but one of my favorite things is that regardless of where we are or what our circumstances are, we ALWAYS put the Christmas tree up together as a family! (we're SO blessed that deployment has never kept daddy away for Christmas...close...but he's always made it home!)  I so look forward to this sweet time each year and its fun that the older boys now look forward to it each year as well!

we put the tree up during the day but waited to do ornaments until littlest was in bed!

i need to buy a bigger tree every few years so i can try to forget how big the boys are getting....;)  he looks so tall by the tree!

our silly boy.  love him!

prepping ornaments for them to hang!

i can literally picture in my mind how they have looked each year....

=)

Growing up we always had a real tree, but Colby has alot of allergy issues so its a fake one for us!  How about you??!  What kind of tree do you have??  Any fun traditions around the Christmas Tree??  I'm loving this holiday season already ~ hope you are too!!


For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
~Proverbs 2:6~

11.27.2012

in-FLU-enza


I've been sick.  Like the sickest i've ever been in my life.  The dreaded flu.....oh.my.word.  I've heard about it just about all of my life.  Flu season this, flu shot that....blah blah blah.  But then??!  8 days ago i went to bootcamp and i ran and worked out and i was fine.  About an hour after i got home, my throat started hurting & i had a headache.  And I've been sick ever since. 


Y'all....i was in bed for 5 days before i even trekked out to the living room to sit up for a little while and have a cup of hot tea.  I lost over 5lbs and completely missed Thanksgiving all together.  I've never felt "aches & pains" like that. EVER.  I killed 3 boxes of tissue. THREE!
 
 
I'm on the mend now, getting stronger everyday but still have alot of head & chest congestion.  I don't know that i have ever appreciated this man of mine more than i do right now.  He did an amazing job of juggling the kids, taking care of me and even managed to pull off a Thanksgiving dinner for him and the boys all by himself!  He ended up taking a few days off of work this week and we are enjoying decorating for Christmas and being together like we had planned to last week!  Hope you are all healthy & well and stay that way!!
 
 
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."
~Jeremiah 33:6~

11.14.2012

Life Lately

What is it about this time of year that makes life seem like its at turbo speed?! Things have just been so busy the last few weeks!! Here's a few snapshots of our life lately!
 
Brayden finally decided he wanted to try learning to ride w/o training wheels. he has been SO reluctant until now!

 
 
the weather has been AWESOME and we've enjoyed being outside alot! dylan's favorite thing to do is color w/ chalk!

 
 
he sat in his crib looking at this magazine for a good 15 minutes after his nap one day!! i wish this sort of thing happened often but it doesn't.  which is probably why i thought to take a picture of it! ;)

 
there is a market downtown each saturday morning so we went to check it out last weekend!  we got some great produce & meat and it was a great way to start the day ~ we're looking forward to going back soon!

As busy as this time of year may get, i truly love it!  I'm doing my best to not let the busyness distract me from really truly being in each moment with my sweet family and enjoying it!  Hope the same for each of you!!
 
 
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
~Psalm 29:11~

11.05.2012

Menu Monday!

I used to regularly post my planned family menu here every Monday and link to recipes and/or recipe blogs that i love!  Something about that accountability of posting here helped me to stay on track w/ my menu planning, so i'm giving it another try!  Monday's here at Miculka Madness will be Menu Monday's!!  This week in the Miculka Home our tummy's will be full on ~

Monday ~ Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken over Rice w/ Broccoli x 2 (i'm making this to take to another family too!)

Tuesday ~ Shake-n-Bake Chicken** w/ Rice Pilaf & Peas

Wednesday ~ Crockpot Spagetti w/ Meat Sauce, Garlic Bread & Salad

Thursday ~ Tacos

Friday ~ Homemade Pizzas (the kids LOVE doing this & its so much healthier than ordering in!)

Saturday ~ Meatloaf, Mash Potatoes, & Roasted Veggies

Sunday ~ Crockpot BBQ Chicken, Croissants, & Corn (i'm varying this a little from the linked recipe ~ i'm not doing sandwiches but i'm cooking the chicken the same way!)

I will also be making a Dr Pepper Bundt Cake & Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes this week!! 

**shake-n-bake is typically so plain and boring to me but its so quick & easy which is what i need most nights so we coat the chicken in either bbq sauce or honey mustard before coating w/ the shake-n-bake and it adds SO much flavor!

Monday thru Thursday evenings i am doing a fitness boot camp which is GREAT!!  I'm so ready to kiss this baby weight (and then some) goodbye.  But i leave the house right at dinner time in our house, so i'm trying to use the crockpot & cook simple meals as much as possible to ease the load on my hubby!  This week all of my links are to my FAVORITE recipe blog!!  Be sure to check out Mix and Match Mama ~ you won't be disappointed!!!
 
 
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet i will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
~Habakkuk 3:17-18~