Twin Falls Hike

I nearly fell off my rocker when Graham suggested we take a hike on Memorial Day. This is something I've been itching to try as a family for a while now and so jumped at the chance. Probably our best decision ever was inviting the Welchs and Sharpenbergs to come along. The kids had a blast togther and our girls walked THE ENTIRE way! I was so proud. Isla even carried her own pack and snacks!

 Emma outfitted herself like and REI model: dress, leggings, socks, crocs and a fleece.

 Jack hardly made a peep the whole time

 We hiked to Twin Falls and, though the trail was technically closed, we were still able to get to one of the falls before we reached the blockage. But we had to come down from above the falls which made the hike much steeper and less "family friendly" than it'd been advertised. But the kids did amazing nonetheless.

 We made it to our goal and briefly paused for a few token photos.

 Emma spotted a chipmunk and grew incredibly fearful that "He might get me!" and so spent most of her time at the lookout hiding behind Graham's leg. 

 Proof that we all made it. Smiling, even.

 Our hiking buddies, the Welch clan 

 Yay! We made it back to the car, muddy but cheerful and so I'm hoping another hike is in the near future!

We are pending!!

I don't even know where to begin other than to start off by saying I woke this morning knowing it's going to be a waterproof mascara kind of day. Friends, I have something to tell you. It's been a big week. 

WE ACCEPTED AN OFFER ON OUR TOWN HOME!!! 

 Everything sort of happened in fast forward. All I can say is we serve an amazing God who cares for us deeply, for the big and small things. I get goosebumps even typing this because it is so evident that God has been in this process. 

 We packed our first box the evening of May 2nd and then spent 2 1/2 weeks deep cleaning and emptying the place of all but the essentials.

 We put it on the market at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, May 21st, had someone coming to see it within 15 minutes, received an offer by 9 PM and then 2 more in the next 24 hours. 

 A bidding war commenced which ultimately ended with us accepting an offer for $11,000 OVER asking price, the very amount we purchased it for 7 1/2 years ago. Did anyone else just get chills? And all this after bumping up our list price by 25K (yes, $25,000) as a long shot at literally the last second before "going live." 

 And we'd gone into this expecting to have to do a short sale. I can't even tell you how dumbfounded we are right now. God's timing is incredible. And perfect. 

I thought Tuesday late afternoon seemed like an odd time to list but the photographer had just finished editing the photos and our place was still clean so why not? (The credit for these photos posted here go to the Keller Williams listing, by the way). The timing of our listing was spontaneous and totally random from our perspective. We didn't even know when we woke up that morning that we'd put it for sale later on in the day. 

But it just so happened that an agent was 10 minutes away when the post went live and she wanted to preview it for her client. After walking through, she knew it was just the thing and returned with her client immediately. 

 And as for the final offer price - UNBELIEVABLE! The townhouse market is literally recovering this very week. Who knew that by listing on Tuesday afternoon, we'd get to be a part of bringing it back? With a bang, I might add.

 Funny aside: we are told our buyer is an interior designer at an upscale firm here on the east side. The offer letter said she loved our style and the color choices in our place (!!!) Though Graham gets most of the credit for the look of our home, I'm giving myself a few pats on the back that I've managed to obtain some sort of a "style" over the years. 

 Anyway, our buyer is closing on the sale of her current house next week so we looked it up just for fun. You'll never guess the color of her living room accent wall: NAIL POLISH RED, the exact color we covered up last month!!! We laughed out loud. Sort of.

 I've gotta say, our place cleans up nicely though I am absolutely, 100% thankful it does NOT need to remain this clean for that much longer. Keeping every faucet polished, drawer closed, tong out of the curtain string (yes really), light on, shade drawn, chair straight, dirty diaper scent camouflaged, toys put away, shampoo bottle stowed, towel folded, carpet fuzz tossed nearly killed me for 48 hours straight (we had about 10 groups come through in 2 days) but I don't think you would have known we had kids were it not for the 2 cribs upstairs!

 As for our next steps, we plan to move in temporarily with Graham's parents while we wait for the money of our sale to come through. Then we will begin the process of searching for our new home! Though the events of the past 48 hours have at moments left me wondering if we'll have have a hard time getting anything in this crazy fast market, they have also left me that much more confident that God is in control and He has something amazing planned for us.

On Tuesday morning before we listed, I was reading Psalm 68 for my Bible study. Verse 9 really stuck out to me and it reads "You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance." I loved the picture of God showering us abundantly, beyond all that we could ever ask or imagine, refreshing us when things seem hopeless. But I found myself stuck on the fact that earlier in the chapter, He had been addressing widows and orphans and the underprivileged and so I wrote off the verse as I am neither a widow, orphan or underprivileged. Certainly this abundance He referred to could not also be directed toward me? But then the happenings of the last couple days have caused me to take pause as I've felt, in a rare and very tangible way, God grabbing me by the cheeks, looking me in the eye and saying Kelsie, these words here are for you too. I care for you more deeply than you will ever be able to understand. Quit doubting and trust in me. I am so grateful for His love and provision! It truly goes "beyond what I could ever ask or even imagine." He is so good! Now prayers for a good appraisal, a clear inspection and that all the papers would go through!

From the highest of heights

Our middle child has a mild obsession with the Space Needle. She calls out whenever she spots it, be it in a book, on a billboard, the side of a truck or live in person. Though I'm sure the idea wasn't hers originally, she's been asking for months to go up it. Too bad her sister has be utterly petrified of elevators since Christmas. We had a Groupon that was about to expire so we decided to use it this past weekend. Unfortunately upon closer examination of said coupon, we realized it was for the Columbia Tower, not the Space Needle. Same difference. We quickly talked up how cool it would be to get up HIGHER than the Space Needle to Emma (she remained unconvinced). Meanwhile, Isla asked if we could please take the stairs.

Eventually we did all make it up to the top of the tower via elevator with only some mild yelling by the eldest 

anytime Emma went as far as to even look in the direction of those sliding silver doors. We all held on to each other lest someone accidentally take a solo ride up 75 floors...

 The views at the top were amazing and the girls ate it up.

 We had a fun time spotting the cars and buses below and even spotted some rooftop parking that the girls thought was hysterical. 

 Emma LOVED seeing the Space Needle and couldn't get enough of us picking her up to let her peer over the edge. Each time we did, she would stiffen up and lean back until we touched the glass and reminded her there was a window there. Who knew a fear of heights could develop at such a young age? 

 Love this capture of the middle one enamored by the Needle.

So fun to play tourist every once in a while!

He belongs to Jesus

Well, he always has but yesterday we stood before our family and friends and made it official as we dedicated Jack Emery to the Lord.  In doing so, we promised to raise him up in way that honors God and teach him to know and love the Lord.  We were thrilled to be able to have our Senior Pastor Richard Dahlstrom perform the dedication.

 Graham shared the meaning of the name "Jack" (God is gracious) and also a verse that has been particularly meaningful to him in recent months. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13. This is our prayer for our sweet boy that he would know the JOY and PEACE that is found in Christ alone. The kids were all well-behaved on stage. Jack was a bit skeptical when Richard held him but otherwise all went well. At one point Isla even ran across the stage to tickle Jack and try to make it smile (that girl - she doesn't love the spotlight or anything). :)

My heart just overflows with love for this dear boy who God saw fit to add to our family. His smile and cheer melts me! 

 After the service, family gathered at my in-laws for a BBQ. Even the weather cooperated and it was rather summer-like. 

We had chicken burgers and kale salad and watermelon and corn...

 ...and HOMEMADE ICE CREAM. Which the kids hated. Obviously.

It was so wonderful to be surrounded by family who supports us in our commitment to raise Jack in a Christ-centered home. I feel beyond blessed that Graham and I both come from families that know and love the Lord and am honored (and overwhelmed!) to carry on the legacy of building such a home for our kids. 

 Wow, when did we grow up and have 3 kids? Sometimes I see pictures of our family and wonder how this happened! :)

 Baby Jack,

May you know the abundant love and grace that is in Christ Jesus. May you grow to love the Lord with all your heart and follow him all your days. And may you forgive us as your parents when we make mistakes, which I can assure you we will do. May you know peace and joy and hope. We love you to pieces sweet boy! 

Rhubarb Custard Pie

I know I promised you another rhubarb recipe.  And I will assure you, this is hands down the best use of rhubarb you will ever find (or I am not a Crozier!!)  "Rhubarb custard?" you ask.  "What is that?!"  Those were my words too, some 10 years back.  But thankfully I began truly living in the year 2004 when I Mr. Crozier and I became official.  You see, this pie is a favorite of all the Crozier men and so dating and soon marrying one meant I absolutely must master this famous family recipe.  But golly gee was I ever nervous.  I don't know if I even attempted it for my first 3 years as a Crozier.  The stakes were just too high.  But I finally worked up the nerve to call my mother-in-law and ask for her recipe.  What I jotted down to this day still makes me laugh:

Could you pull off a perfect pie with only a list of ingredients?  Certainly my mother-in-law also told me the steps for preparation but why I didn't write them down is still a mystery to me.  So I played trial and error for oh about 12 pies over the course of the years until my husband finally, just recently actually, said I nailed it.  Hallelujah!  A Crozier I shall remain.

It is for this very pie that I became a rhubarb farmer (if growing one rhubarb plant permit one to adopt the title of "farmer").  I usually think to make this pie in the dead of winter when, alas, rhubarb is nowhere to be found.  But now I've learned that rhubarb freezes beautifully and so regularly harvest stalks from my plant, cut them into 1-inch chunks, and throw them into a gallon zip-lock in the freezer.  

Of course, I can't give you a pie recipe without taking a moment to talk pie crust.  But here is where my cheeks turn rosy and I must make a confession: right now, in this phase of life, I buy my pie dough.  There.  I said it.  I love all things homemade but when I discovered Trader Joe's sells a dough without hydrogenated oils or shortening and my husband deemed it my best pie yet the first time I used it (ok, so I didn't tell him it was store bought...), I was sold.  Sure, someday I will probably go back to making my own shortening-free version, but for now this product is a lifesaver.  And when I use it, this pie suddenly falls into the "easy recipe" category and I would venture to bet those two words have never before been used in reference to pie.

Ok, enough chatter.  Time for the recipe!  I added some preparation instructions to the handwritten ingredient list I've always gone off of (you're welcome!)  I love using my deep-dish pie plate so have adapted the measurements accordingly.  You can follow the measurements in the photo above if you're using a regular Pyrex pie plate.  Also, it is an absolute must that this pie be served a la mode.  A MUST.  The Croziers did not know what they were missing before I joined their family and righted their ways!

Rhubard Custard Pie

(Adapted slightly from the Crozier Family)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp flour

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Dash of salt

4 eggs, beaten

6 cups of rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  To prepare the custard, combine sugar, flour, nutmeg and salt in the large mixing bowl.  Add beaten eggs and whisk to mix.  Stir in rhubarb until coated with custard. 

Place bottom pastry in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.  Pour in rhubarb filling.  Top with second pastry, forming a lattice pattern, if desired.  Bake for 35 minutes and check on pie.  If edges of crust are darkening too rapidly, cover them with foil, leaving the center exposed.  Return to oven for another 15-25 minutes or until filling is set. 

Jack: 7 Months

Sitting!!!!! For real now!

Loves sucking his toes or chewing his sock

Took a few weeks to get into the whole solids thing

Let them sit in his mouth until enough saliva pooled to usher them right back out

Now he's discovered the joys and is eating (and swallowing!) chicken, oatmeal, sweet potatoes

Carrots, applesauce, pears, lentils, asparagus, peas, red pepper and Cheerios too

Sort of getting into technology

Lunges for my phone whenever it's in reach

Even while nursing he does the blind reach back for it

 Likes to grab my face too 

Breastfeeding is going so much better!!!!!!!

Marches in place on my stomach while being burped 

Discovering the sound of his own voice 

Goes to bed between 6:30 and 7 PM

Usually wakes once/night but there was almost a week there where he slept through

Falling asleep unassisted these days

Seems to favor going down at the same time as Emma (though not in same bed)

Giggles all the time

Left him for my first night away

He was thrilled to see me upon my return

Wriggles and dances with glee when I get home from work (then cries til I feed him)

Has constant entertainment available

Taking a great morning nap
Loves his reflection in the mirror
Started riding on my back and it usually buys me 20 minutes during the "witching hour"

Melts my heart on daily basis, that sweet boy!