2020 Archives - Page 3 of 7

1 In 2020/ Book Review

Rising Strong by Brene Brown

Rating: 8/10

Review: This was a good book, but I liked Daring Greatly and The Power of Vulnerability better . The Power of Vulnerability was one of the best books I read last year. Click here to read all my favorites of 2019.

Brene recommended the next book I listened to on my Hoopla App:

The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner

Rating: 9/10

Review: Brene Brown recommended this book and wow, it contains SO many Gold Nuggets for relational connection! There were many practical stories, tips, and steps. I listened to this on the free Hoopla App but now want the actual book so that I can re-read it and underline/highlight my favorite parts.

Here are a few points I appreciated:

Honesty is great but spontaneous, uncensored expression of feelings and thoughts is not always a good thing. If it’s unbridled, it can damage motivation for future communication.

Not everything has to be talked about and addressed. So be strategic, have self-restraint and have tact.

We need to rehearse silence more than we need to practice speech. Being quiet and listening is harder than sharing our opinion.

Wish to hear and understand more than you wish to be heard and understood.

We need to muster a huge amount of maturity and discipline to say less when you feel compelled to say more.

If you want to be the sort of person who has connections, always leave open the possibility of connection even if the other person may take a long time to reconnect.

People sometimes stonewall, respond with silence, or minimize the effects of their harmful actions not because they feel no remorse, but because they feel too much guilt or shame to face up to taking accountability. It’s protective self-deception.

When someone critiques you, listen for the bits you can agree with and discuss them. Don’t focus on the bits you want to refute.

Fights are healthy. But fight well, not reactively.

We need to ask ourselves if we are more invested in our anger than we are in changing the relationship.

The author shares STORY after STORY of difficult relationships and how people successfully worked through conflict. Though there were a couple parts of the book that I didn’t completely align with, there was much more to the book that I thought was helpful! It’s a short book and I recommend it to anyone interested in strengthening your communication in marriage and/or with extended family members!!

Motherhood without all the Rules by Maggie Combs

Rating: 8/10

Review: First of all, I loved the title of this book. I’m not good at following lots of rules. Second, the cover is so pretty – I love the water color look of this book.

As far as the content IN the book – it was good, but I didn’t love it as much as her first book, Unsupermommy. I rated that as one my favorite books of 2018, click here to see all my favs that year.

This book did have gold nuggets! Here’s 5 things I pulled from the book:

The safety, health, and happiness of my children doesn’t depend solely on me … they have a Heavenly Father who loves them even more than me!
Our children thrive when they experience the love and care of God.
In our culture of “self-care” we need to make sure we are getting true “soul-care” by spending time with God. He’s the One who truly satisfies.
When we need a quick escape, turn to God’s word first. His word re-orients us to truth.
God didn’t make you a mom because He knew you’d be awesome at it, but to teach you your need for Him and grow you in your knowledge of Him.

Hudson Taylor by Janet Benge

Rating: 8/10

Review: Hudson Taylor was a missionary in China and this book gives an overview of his life. He had an interesting and impacting life, but I don’t think this book captured it well. This has been my least favorite of the Benge biographies.

Abraham Lincoln by Janet Benge

Rating: 10/10

Review: Excellent book for kids and adults alike! Our family loves biographies by Janet & Geoff Benge. They are well written, engaging, and informative. I loved this biography about our 16th president.

Click here to read the best books I read last year.

What are you reading right now? Leave a comment!

All books are affiliate links. That means if you click and decide to buy one, I’ll earn a small commission without any extra charge to you!

November 1, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our Week (Fall 2020)

Here’s what we’ve been up to in September and October:

My boys and a couple of their friends at a local apple orchard.

Luke wakes up and waits at the steps for me to see him, say good morning and give him a hug. I haven’t asked him to wait…it’s just become a tradition.

The boys are in school two days a week, and do school at home three days a week.

Luke in Soccer
Paul in Soccer
Clark in football

This was our first season of FOUR boys in sports! Luke, Paul, and George were in soccer. Clark was in football.

Paul and his friend caught Pike!

Then…it started snowing….

The wonder of snow!
Catching snowflakes

And didn’t stop snowing…

Here the boys are selling hot chocolate to neighbors.

All the snow means SNOW SLUSHEES!

Life Hack: Buy a sweatshirt that makes you look and feel like a teddy bear to get more cuddles!

Rain or shine (or snow) – Paul is ready to fish!

Amazon had a sale on animal crackers. They inspired me to make my favorite childhood treat for my kids – Circus Sundaes! Vanilla Ice Cream, strawberry syrup, animal crackers and whip cream.

Paul asked if he could sleep by Luke. When I checked on them, I found this!

We’ve also made a trip to the Arboretum – read about that by clicking here.

And a trip to Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden – click here to read about that!

October 27, 2020 By Kathryn

2 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota

Exploring Minnesota: Eloise Butler Garden

Last Saturday was a beautiful fall day, so we decided to explore a new spot in the Twin Cities – the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Founded in 1907, the Wildflower Garden is the oldest public native plant garden in the United States!

There is no charge to explore and hike, but there is a minimal parking fee.

Most days the park is staffed by naturalists and volunteers who are happy to tell you what’s blooming, where to explore, and to answer other questions you may have about birds or flowers.

There were ‘scavenger hunt’ sheets available for kids at the entryway, and my boys loved being on a ‘hunt!’

Once inside, there’s a marked out “trail” for you to walk. I was grateful for this because I have a tendency to get lost if I’m allowed to wander aimlessly. The marked trail is less than a mile and even our youngest son walked all the way through without complaint. (There is also a longer trail for you to explore, but we took the short cut.)

There were so many things to enjoy – different trees, small animals, lots of birds and so many plants. The signs throughout the gardens teach you about the various wildlife.

Eloise Butler Garden and Bird Sanctuary is beautiful and I look forward to exploring it in the spring when the flowers are blooming!

It’s open April though October – but click here for more information on this spot!

The Walker Sculpture Garden is close by, so I recommend you visit that place next.

If you want to read about another beautiful place to explore, read this post about the Minnesota Arboretum.

Click here for my Minnesota Bucket list.

October 24, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020

Favorite Family Photos through the Years

2024

Photos taken at Millennium Garden in Plymouth, MN

2023

Photos taken in Plymouth, MN on trails behind Wayzata High School

2022

Photos taken in Wayzata, MN.

2021

Photos taken at the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis, MN. Photos by Emma Peterson.

;

2020

Photos taken in Lyndale Park in Minneapolis, MN by Emma Peterson

2019

Photos taken at the James J. Hill Mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota by Emma

2018

We now live in Minnesota!

Photos taken by Emma at Ritter Farm in Lakeville, MN

2017

Photos taken by Ashlee Kay Photography at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado

2016

Photos taken by Ashlee Kay in Colorado Springs

2015

We moved to Colorado Springs, CO!

2014

The year we became: Egly party of 6

Photos taken by a friend – aren’t these boys precious!

2013

Photo taken by Ted 🙂

2012

The year we became:

Egly party of 5

Photo taken by Christina Michelle Photography in Naperville, IL

2011

2010

2009

We became: Egly party of 4

2008

2007

We became: Egly party of 3

We moved to Illinois and had our first baby!

2001

Egly Party of 2

Just the two of us. We were so well-rested.

Our life began in Tulsa, Oklahoma

October 20, 2020 By Kathryn

4 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week

The Magnificent Minnesota Arboretum

Since the world seems to be enveloped in ugly unrest, we could all benefit from getting outside and surrounding ourselves in nature. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is the PERFECT place to go. The Arboretum is made up of 1,200 acres of natural beauty, professionally-maintained gardens, rare plant collections, and accessible trails.

When I told my boys that we were going to the Arboretum, they weren’t as excited as I was, especially since the most kid-friendly parts of the park (the hedge maze and the giant willow tree fort) are closed due to Covid. So how did I get them excited about going? I came up with a contest…

Whoever could take the most beautiful picture would win one dollar.

My competitive boys were all in!

When we arrived, I was thrilled to see that there is a paved, 3-mile loop around the Arboretum, with parking spaces every half mile or so. We drove the loop, and when the boys or I would spot something we wanted to see up close, we’d park and get out to explore.

The fact that my boys were on a hunt for something pretty and unique, made this visit so much fun! They were pointing out and capturing the most fascinating things! (See pictures below)

I appreciate that the Arboretum has something special in every season. Currently, the fall colors are in full bloom and they are breathtaking (our pictures don’t even do it justice). If you come in the winter, you can enjoy the light display. The spring and summer are full of floral beauty.

Below are a few of my favorite photos.

We let the neighbor kids vote on who should win the photo contest. Read the captions in each picture to find out which kid won. Leave a comment to tell us which picture YOU think is the best.

Pictures I captured:

Clark enjoying the view from the slanted tree — Clark enjoying the view while he rests on this slanted tree.

My boys thought the Flintstones vehicle was pretty cool!

Luke was intrigued by this stone harp in the Sculpture Garden

A fort made of willow tree branches — My boys wanted to play in this amazing fort made of willow tree branches. It’s currently closed due to COVID.

Clark and two friends under a beautiful Gingko tree

Paul was on the hunt for flowers – he found some! Unfortunately, the lighting in this picture isn’t ideal.

Pictures by Clark, my 11 year old:

The boys spotted this wasp nest and asked me to stop.

Clark asked me to stop the car so he could take this picture –
and it’s the one that WON the contest!

Pictures by Paul, age 8:

Mushrooms

I love the reflections in the water (This is my vote for best picture)

Paul pointed out this amazing curved tree

Paul was on the hunt for flowers and found some!

Pictures taken by Luke, age 6:

Since I asked him to smile for a picture, he asked me to smile for one too!

This ‘contest’ made me realize what good photographers my boys are! I’m especially intrigued by Paul’s pictures.

This is one of 25 Minnesota “bucket list”…click here to read the other 24!

Interested in other Minnesota adventures?

Click here for 10 Things to do in Lakeville, MN
Here’s a peek into the Mill City Museum

Which is YOUR favorite picture of all the ones I’ve posted above? Leave a comment and let us know!

October 8, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2020/ Book Review

September Reads

Here are the four books I finished in September!

The Happiness Hypothesis

Rating: 7/10

Review: I enjoyed the book, but thought it was a little too wordy. Ted recommended I read just the parts he highlighted. I couldn’t do that, but I did skim through some of the book.

The book uses ancient wisdom to discover the source of Happiness. I’m all about finding sources of happiness in 2020!!! Here are a couple points and quotes that I enjoyed most from the book:

Activities connect us to others, objects often separate us. Work less, earn less, and “consume” more family time, vacation, and other enjoyable activities.
Children need plenty of failure to learn that success takes hard work and persistence.
Work more on your strengths than your weaknesses.
Something about the vastness and beauty of nature makes the self feel small and insignificant. Anything that shrinks the self, creates an opportunity for a spiritual experience.
Just like plants need water, sun and good soil to thrive, people need love, work, and a connection to something larger.

Studies that have assigned people to perform a random act of kindness every week, or to count their blessings regularly for several weeks, find small but sustained increases in happiness.
Jonathan Haidt

I love the following insight from the book and plan to add it to my post on 17 reasons to serve:

Who Was Julia Child?

Rating: 8/10

Review: I was picking up some “Who Was” books for my boys at the library and grabbed this one for me. It’s a super quick read and a good overview of Julia Child’s life.

Who Were the Wright Brothers?

Rating: 9/10

Review: I read this book with my son, Paul. We enjoyed the book and thought it was a good overview of the brothers who invented the airplane. It showed how hard work and perseverance can make a huge impact on the world. Now Paul wants his Poppy to take him flying.

God Smuggler

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book is so incredibly inspiring. I could read it over and over. The book shares stories of Andrew bringing Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. He’d find a church with a hundred people all sharing one Bible. I read this book in 2019 and loved it so much that I re-read it with Clark. He enjoyed it too!

What have you been reading? Leave me a comment!

Disclaimer: All the books are linked to Amazon, if you choose to purchase one, I will earn a small commission for the recommendation.

September 30, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Recipe

Got Tomatoes? Make Gazpacho!

The first time I ordered Gazpacho was almost 25 years ago. It was a cold, rainy day, and all I wanted was some warm soup. I ordered Gazpacho, not realizing that this was a COLD soup! I was living in Florida, so cold soup is a good idea most days of the year, but this was NOT one of those days. I wanted something warm. When I tasted the soup, I thought I was being pranked, or that the kitchen had messed up – why was this soup cold? I wasn’t expecting it and didn’t enjoy it.

However, now that I’m familiar with Gazpacho, I’ve grown fond of this soup. I’ve even been craving it this summer. It’s bright and refreshing, full of fresh, crunchy vegetables and perfect on a hot day – and it’s been hot here in Minnesota – about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. The tomatoes I planted in May are finally ripening, and my neighbor brought over cucumbers from her garden. I used those two ingredients and a few more to make this delicious, refreshing Gazpacho Soup.

Ingredients:

1 round tomato, or two Romas – most seeds removed
1/2 red onion
2 small peppers or one regular size
1/2 cucumber, most seeds removed
1-3 slices of Jalapeño, depending on your heat preference
1-2 T of olive oil
2-3 T of vinegar – either Balsamic, Wine, Sherry or Apple Cider
1 tsp of Cumin
Salt/Pepper

Put everything in a blender or food processor.

Pour into one or two bowls. Crumble up some white bread or a croissant roll and add to the bowl. Allow the bread to seep for several minutes before eating.

ENJOY!

Feel free to double or triple this recipe! You’ll be glad you did :).

September 26, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Memories/ Raising boys

Top Ten from 2020

The kids and I said “Goodbye” to Summer and “Hello” to Fall! First, however, we reflected on all that we were able to do in spite of this crazy pandemic.

Here’s our TOP TEN from Summer 2020

1. Family Road Trips

Our Illinois Besties
Family love
Papa’s Ranger
Cousins
Great views of Duluth

Indiana, Illinois, and Duluth, MN

2. Camps

In spite of the pandemic, the boys all did a camp this summer. Luke did a mini sport camp. The 3 big boys got to do a basketball camp and a Survival Camp. The “Survival Camp” was to teach them how to survive if they found themselves stuck in the woods. They created shelter from whatever they could find in the woods, they learned how to start a fire, purify lake water, and use a compass to find their way around the woods.

They loved it, but Paul wondered why their teacher brought stuff into the woods that they wouldn’t really find in the woods (like flint, a fire starter and SMORES).

3. Simple summer fun

The pond at sunset
Buck Hill Hike
Kayaking
Fishing
Clark caught one!

In the land of 10,000 lakes – the boys spent a lot of time in and around the water.

6. Boys at Work

The boys were brainstorming ways to earn money this summer. They decided to start a weeding business. They went door-to-door to ask if the homeowner would like them to pull weeds. The homeowner could “pick their price.” (They did turn down one offer to do an hour of work for $1 – not kidding) Clark asked me how soon weeds grow back. He was thrilled to know that they would have business all summer long – and they did!

7. Tiki Boat rescue

Read that story by clicking here

8. YouTube videos

The Fantastic Two
George and Clark: What’s in the Box Challenge

George and Clark continued their YouTube channel that started in Quarantine. I loved that it kept them brainstorming, writing, creating and working together. At the time of this post, they have 61 subscribers! George told me that they are putting their video creation on ‘pause,’ but will make more during school breaks. Click here to find their channel.

9. LOTS of yard games!

10. Surprise visit from Nana and Papa

Leave a comment and share a happy memory from summer. Thanks for reading!

September 23, 2020 By Kathryn

2 In 2020/ DIY/ Family/ Food/ Saving money

Best 12 things to Buy at Aldi, 1 item NOT to buy, plus 2 simple recipes!

First of all, I haven’t abandoned my love for Target! Target has my heart…but there is ONE item that I can ONLY find at Aldi. So…I keep going back to grab this ONE thing….plus a few extras while I’m there.

Read the very bottom to find out my very favorite item from Aldi. The one item I can not find ANYWHERE else!

Here are some of our favorite things to buy at Aldi:

1. Bacon

Aldi’s Turkey Bacon – tastes great and is the best price around.

2. Bread

Sliced Bread – only $1 per loaf!

3. Crackers

Savoritz crackers – Their version of “Ritz” crackers. Your kids won’t know the difference, but you will save money. $1.99

4. Mayonaise

Mayonaise – tastes the same as any name brand Mayo, yet it’s only $1.99

5. Lunch Meat

Salami is what we always buy from Aldi

6. Cheese

Cheese – they have a huge variety. I love the sharp cheddar with cranberry, my husband loves the goat cheese, my kids like their string cheese.

7. Aldi Brand Cereal

Their cereal prices can’t be beat. My kids think their “Marshmallows & Stars” tastes just like Lucky Charms and their “Cinnamon Crunch” tastes just like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. And they are HALF the price!

Click here for a fun game to play with Aldi cereal.

8. Aldi Brand Chips

Aldi chips taste great and are less than $2 per bag!

9. Canned Goods

Their canned goods are half the price that you’ll find elsewhere – I love to buy canned tomatoes for salsa. (Click here for that simple salsa recipe!)

10. Fruits and Veggies

Their prices are hard to beat!

11. Butter

We buy their regular butter and Irish butter.

Finally, My favorite Aldi item that I’ve just discovered…

This item is the inspiration for this entire post. It is something that tastes better than any other brand. It’s the…

12. Gluten Free, Cauliflower Crust PIZZA

This pizza is Amazing! It comes fresh and is best baked fresh, not frozen. The crust is super crispy and the pizza is delicious. My kids love it. We’ve all decided it’s our favorite pizza. Not our favorite ‘cauliflower’ pizza…it’s the best pizza you can buy from a grocery store. My kids have no idea there’s cauliflower in the crust. When I make pizza everyone asks: “Is this the one we like?”

__________________________________________

What NOT to buy:

Brand Name Items – they often cost more than buying elsewhere.

Here are some popular recipes we make from Aldi ingredients:

Aldi brand Crispy Rice and Marshmallows make the most inexpensive Rice Krispy treats!

George making his favorite treat!
3 simple ingredients
This recipe makes a LOT of treats!

This recipe makes a LOT of rice crispy treats. I filled one 9×12 inch pan and one 9 x9 inch pan. Cut this recipe in half if you are not serving a large group.

Ingredients:

½ cup Countryside Creamery Butter (1 stick)

2 10-ounce packages Baker’sCorner Miniature Marshmallows (2 bags)

12 ounces Millville Crisp Rice Cereal (1 box)

Directions:

Coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large pot, melt butter. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until completely melted.
Remove from heat and stir in crisp rice until evenly combined. Transfer pan. Spray hands with cooking spray and press mixture into pan.
Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature and cut into 20 squares.

__________________________________________

Here’s a simple snack my kids love:

Salami Snacks:

Ingredients:

Savoritz Crackers
Mayonaise
Salami
Cheese

Directions:

Set out crackers. Spread a tiny bit of mayo on top of each cracker. Put a small piece of salami on top. Put a small piece of cheese on top of the salami. Serve with a smile!

Here’s a video where I show a couple of their items!

What’s YOUR favorite thing from Aldi? Leave a comment!

This post was NOT sponsored by Aldi, all opinions are mine.

September 18, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2020/ Memories/ Traveling

Sisters in SoHa

When my mom suggested we have a sister/mom reunion in South Haven, Michigan and my sister offered to let us use her family’s camper – I was all in.

I did have to jump through a million ‘mom’ hoops to get things organized so I could be away. You know, just the usual –

child care while daddy worked,
rides to and from practice for 3 kids because dad can’t be in 3 places at once,
laundry done,
make a few healthy meals so they aren’t living on chips and candy for 3 1/2 days, etc.

When all the details came together, we met on a Thursday evening and started our weekend on the beach.

Listening to the waves, smelling the fresh air, watching the water roll in and out, and feeling the sand under my toes was the perfect way to relax and unwind. It allowed me to take a deep breath in and just be in the moment.

My sisters and I used to spend summers in South Haven when we were children. This was our first time back there together in 30 years!!

After sunset, we drove into town to have a late dinner at a restaurant called Taste. We loved getting to chat and eat – with no interruptions from all our kids (there are 12 children between the four of us).

Friday, we got to sleep as late as we wanted but were all up before 8 am. We slowly drank our coffee, read, and chatted.

Eventually, we left and got quiche and breakfast sandwiches from a cute local bakery. After breakfast, we explored downtown South Haven – reliving some of our childhood memories. We found the house where dad lived, we walked inside an old steamboat/restaurant he used to take us to (The Idler), we saw the beach stand where we used to buy hotdogs and Blue Moon ice cream, and the local store where we’d stock up on junk food (because #dadsrules are different than #momsrules).

After exploring, we spent the rest of the day on the beach – searching for unique rocks and sea glass like hidden treasure. We swam, walked, and read some more (I was reading BoyMom and Prevail).

We stayed until the sun set, then got takeout from our favorite local Mexican restaurant (Su Casa). I love their homemade tortilla chips and spicy green salsa.

Saturday morning, we enjoyed the South Haven Farmer’s Market. We got local berries and picked up a cinnamon roll from 6 chicks. One roll cost $5.95 and was as big as a dinner plate. We went back to the camper and shared the warm Cinnamon Roll, topped with the fresh berries we had just purchased at the Farmer’s Market. YUM!

Saturday was incredibly windy, so we went to the beach (with sweaters) and watched the Kite Boarders and Surfers ride the waves. Have you ever seen this before? I had not – and it was so fun to watch. Check it out in the video below.

That afternoon, we drove into Fennville. This town has beautiful vineyards and has several places to try local wine and cider.

For dinner, we went to Salt of the Earth. We shared a wood-fired pizza and delicious appetizers!

Sunday morning, we walked the beach one final time, then packed our things, cleaned the camper, and headed home. I felt relaxed, refreshed, and wishing the weekend hadn’t passed so quickly.

I’m so thankful to my mom for organizing it, getting us there, and feeding us all weekend. Thank you to Krista for letting us use her family’s camper. And for our husbands, who cared for the kids and encouraged us to get away. It was so nice to have a break from quarantine life and relax with people I love so much.