Svea's funny faces

Nate surprised me with a new camera for our anniversary! (A Canon Elph, if you were wondering.) This has opened a whole new world for me: video that can easily be put online! We love this short little movie of Svea and hope you will too.

A visit to Baby Jude's house

Yesterday we went over to Jenna's and had a super time, as always! Lots of good food and it was gorgeous outside.


There are always lovely things at Jenna's house :)

I LOVE Jude's expression! Who needs a lower lip, anyway?

Here we are, making a pizza, moments before a big spoonful of cheese hit the floor.

Yum yum yum - Viggo was especially excited about the make-your-own-pizza lunch :)

Viggo spent most of his time running around the backyard, but took time out to eat his pizza in about five seconds flat. I also caught him playing "this little piggy" with Jude :)

The more pictures of peonies, the better. Thanks for such a great time, Jenna!

In the kitchen with Viggo: Mint chip ice cream

The other day while Svea and I were shopping at Costco, a quart of whipping cream jumped into our cart. Time to make some ice cream! Viggo decided on mint chip.

First we had to read the recipe. (Viggo struggled but persevered through the word "granulated".)

Add the granulated sugar into the milk . . .

Whisk!

Then we added the really good stuff.

When I suggested the option of adding food coloring, it was no longer an option: it was mandatory.

Taking a break to be silly!

Viggo: "It's the perfect color of minty-greenish!"

Into the maker it goes! From our experience, red ice-cream makers usually make the best ice cream. Just a helpful tip.

While the freezer worked its magic, we grated some dark chocolate. When it comes to mint chip ice cream, I prefer microscopic flakes of chocolate over big chunks you have to chew (when the chocolate is grated, it melts in your mouth - if you have big chunks, they get stuck in your teeth - yuck), so we took the time to grate. We also took the time to eat all the scrap chocolate.

Doesn't that look divine?! Oyf . . .

Viggo gives the ice-cream maker a hug. He was SO excited to make ice cream!

The fruits of our labor! Yum yum yum. This was so easy to make!

Mint Chip Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk, well chilled

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled

1-2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract (we used 1 teaspoon)

3/4 cup grated chocolate

In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and milk to combine until sugar is dissolved (this just takes a few minutes with some elbow grease, or 1-2 minutes with a hand mixer on low speed). Stir in the heavy cream and peppermint extract. Freeze in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, adding chocolate five minutes before the end of the mixing time. When done, scoop into freezer-safe bowl and let ripen in freezer for at least two hours. Enjoy!

Seven years together!

I feel like we've been married long enough to be able to say I LOVE being married without being accused of just being a starry-eyed newlywed who is still in the honeymoon phase. I love hearing Nate walk through the door when he comes home from work, and I love seeing him play with the kids. I love spending time with him and I love hearing him laugh. I love making him fabulously unhealthy treats to surprise him. I love all the funny faces he makes. I love how encouraging and kind Nate is to all the people that cross his path. There isn't anyone else I would rather be with than him.

I didn't know the instant I saw Nate that we would get married, but I do remember thinking it would be really nice if we could get married - although I had no idea who he was. A few weeks later, Nate told me before he left for Ukraine that he understood if I would want to date other people while he was so far away. I immediately said, "I'll wait!" Because I couldn't imagine being happy with anybody else - so why bother?

We know that our marriage has taken a serious beating from all the change and upheaval we have been through in the past seven years - but we are so happy together despite every challenge that has come our way. I feel like our last name could be called Patience instead of Weeks. Before we were married, I waited several months for Nate to come back from Ukraine - and in the meantime found out many people thought our relationship wouldn't survive him being in Europe while I was at school in Chicago. We were thrilled to prove them wrong. At the time, being so far apart seemed unbearably difficult but it was just the beginning of the challenges we would face. We didn't really see each other while we were engaged - maybe once a month if we were lucky once I was back at school, and Nate was working full-time at camp. Then we waited for me to finish senior year at North Park and contemplated eloping to South Dakota just for fun (yeah, that didn't happen). While working at camp we waited for God to bring Nate new employment which came right after we found out we were going to have a little one, and we left Lake Beauty Bible Camp, only to wait for Nate to finish grad school, and he took on a full course load while working full-time. And now here we are in Delaware, getting through life one day at a time, and waiting for our new baby to join our family - while waiting for so many other things as well. We have had to move on from places we love and say hard good-byes to people we haven't ever wanted to leave behind. But I can honestly say our relationship has never buckled through any of this. We're tough.

I don't know where we'll be seven years from now, but I do know that as long as we look to God and together seek His will, we will be happy no matter what. Neither of us can imagine being married without Christ being the center of our relationship. His yoke is easy and His burden is light - and this definitely applies to our marriage. God's love for us and our love for each other has made marriage a total delight. What a blessing!

Happy anniversary, baby!

Backyard fun

Viggo had Fun Day at preschool today, and came home looking like this! Svea just couldn't take her eyes off of him, she was mesmerized by all the face paint.

I couldn't believe it when I turned around and saw Viggo had climbed so high up this tree. The first thing I thought was, "I'm seven months pregnant. How on earth can I get him down?" Thankfully he figured it out on his own - with a little determination (and some encouragement from Svea and I). Then he climbed right back up again . . .

Svea loves sitting on the tricycle but doesn't use the pedals.

Today she was thinking about it, though, and really watching Viggo pedal around on his bike.

Here she goes!

Viggo came over to give her some advice . . .

. . . and a push or two. She's not quite ready to pedal yet, but it is fun to watch her try.

The pretty pink dress

Svea got this dress as a birthday present from Grandma and Grandpa Zeke. She loves it!

After awhile of running around looking so beautiful Svea decided Nate could use some company.

She was giggling like crazy! It is always so fun to watch them play.

Mother's Day together

On Mother's Day we went to Longwood Gardens. Everybody else in Delaware and Pennsylvania (and all their moms) was also there - we've never seen it so busy! It was gorgeous out! We were blessed with a wonderful day together. Nate, Viggo and Svea made everything sweet - as usual!

A nice Japanese tourist offered to take our photo. Svea couldn't get her hands out of her mouth and Viggo is making a face because he's wiggling a loose tooth with his tongue. But family photos of us are rare, so this picture is a keeper.

Viggo playing with the fountain in the Idea Garden.

We had fun feeding the catfish. But wow, are they ugly. Svea kept saying, "Catfish - stanky! Eww!" (Viggo defended them and said they were cute.) I'm sure they were very stinky but thankfully we didn't get close enough to find out.

My cute guy in a tree, where he's happy.

You might be thinking, if it was so busy, why is no one else in this picture? There's a good reason this path is called the Hidden Walk.

What a little sweetie.

Even though there were plenty of blooms everywhere, I really didn't have time to take photos of flowers. There were so many people that if you stopped to take a photo, you ran the risk of being run over. We'll just have to go back again soon.

Viggo watches a waterfall.

Without fail, Viggo finds another tree to climb before we go.