A Time of Rest is Coming

It's less than one week now until our family jumps on an airplane to travel to the place we have been dreaming of taking our girls for over 6 years. . .words can't even express how excited and full of anticipation I am.

Check out Kevin's blog for more info on WHY Vietnam and WHY now.
http://kevincolon.blogspot.com/2010/10/time-of-rest-part-1.html

And make sure you keep checking our blogs from now through November. We will be overseas November 3-18. Then the rest of the month is going to be spent in the mountains and celebrating the beginning of the holiday season.

Can't wait to share it all with you.

Pumpkin Pie. . .w/spinach (Shhhhhhhhh!)

No spinach flavor at all. . .really. . .I promise. Just cover it with whip cream if you can't handle looking at the green. :-)

1 15oz can organic pumpkin
1+ cups fresh organic spinach processed into very tiny pieces (use food processor)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt (or other salt)
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 9" deep dish pie shell

Mix pumpkin and spices
Add remaining fillings
Pour into pour into pie shell
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes
reduce to 350 and cook additional 30-40 minutes until cooked thoroughly

My Favorite Muffin Recipe

Here's a yummy recipe that I adapted to be healthier and yummier. Try it and enjoy! (They freeze great, too!)

Amy’s Super Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini (can be less if you have less)
• 2/3 canned pumpkin or natural unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ¼ cup clover honey heated in microwave for 1 min. to thin out
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons milled flax (optional)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)
Method
You don't need a mixer for this recipe.
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the heated honey, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the pumpkin or applesauce. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnut in using.
2 Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a olive oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 20-22 minutes. Don’t overcook! Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

A Day of Sabbath with Gran and Pop

Last week we had so much fun including my parents into our Sabbath journey. It was so much more than just a family showing their inlaws a good time in Boulder. Take a look. . .


We started the day once again at our favorite breakfast spot, The Original Pancake House. Can't beat it!

Then together we went to the hardware store, the grocery store, the spice store and the candy store. We did all of these things not because we had any specific reason for going. . .but just because. . .we stopped and tasted coffee beans, ate almonds, smelled flowers, enjoyed candy, smelled spices, walked slowly and basked in the sunshine of a perfect fall day. . .just because.









Then we finished the afternoon with a trip to the Humane Society. NO - not because we adopted a dog! No, no, no. Claire just loves it - so we went.

But I have to say that coming home was probably the best part. It was about a 25 minute discussion around our kitchen table that made the day complete. Each girl was asked to find a verse in the Bible, share it with everyone and then tell why they liked it so much. And then they wanted Gran and Pop to do the same thing. What a joy it was to listen to grandparents reading scripture to their grandkids and then taking time to teach them and share their hearts about why God's Word meant so much to them. It was priceless - another moment I'm so glad I didn't miss.

Thanks, God! You never, ever, ever disappoint. I love how we are together learning how to enjoy you.

Moments Almost Missed 10/4/10

Okay, so I have to be honest. I didn't come home from this day of Sabbath with an overwhelming feeling of "Wow!" It was a good family day. We did some fun family things like going to the zoo and visiting Bass Pro Shop to look at the fish and climb on the boats. We ate some tasty BBQ, had some laughs and called it a day. It was fun. But it wasn't a "wow" kind of God day. I wasn't upset about it. Not at all. But it felt like we didn't do our best to experience God through it all. It made me long to do better next time. It reminded me to be more present, more available to the unexpected moments God might be wanting to share with us. It made me wonder if we missed something He was trying to show us. . .something more.

But to my surprise, this time, it was almost as if the "after party" was where God's presence chose to become very clear to me. It was tonight when I noticed it. . .God's hand all over our not so "wow" day, captured in photographs. . .

Sister's genuinely enjoying being sisters


A mom surrounded by her 3 healthy, happy daughters


Claire and Emma breaking through their fears and feeding the birds


Preteen Emma loving on her daddy


Giant smiles


A boost from big sister



Girls joyfully playing ring-around-the-rosy in the rain without a worry in the world



Basking in their country roots, running here and there, remembering their times in KY riding 4 wheelers and going out on the boat

You see, I just learned a good lesson tonight. It really was a "Wow!" day. It was a "wow" day because we were together, we were a family, we are healthy and blessed. There is joy in every moment. . .if you just take the time to look for it.

Emma said she saw God that day in the baby giraffes. Claire said she saw him in the rescued sea lion without a tail. We all agreed He was there as they ran and giggled in the rain. Yes, another "wow" God day after all. I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Waking Up Before the Sun 9/27/10

5:45 am. . ."Girls, God created something really beautiful that he wants to show us this morning. Let's wake up." And 3 groggy little girls climbed out of bed, pillow and blankets in tow...









This week we had a beautiful start to a holy Sabbath. . .and then Claire threw up. . .yes, she did :-) and all of a sudden we had to resort to Plan B. (she's fine now, BTW - 24 hour bug)

So. . .we basically just relaxed, which was probably just what we needed.

Claire took a nap and Kevin and I had dates with the other two girls. Olivia and I went for a walk around Purple Park with our iPods. I told her I was going to listen to a message by Charles Stanley and see what God would say to me. She listened to her "God music" and we walked for about 40 minutes, taking time out to run through a few sprinklers along the way. I really should enjoy running through sprinklers more often. It made Olivia and I laugh together so much more than we usually do. Note to self:I need to laugh more! It feels so good.



She said that God told her to keep listening to "God music." I think that's a pretty good thing for a 7 year old to hear, don't you?

After that Kevin and Emma went on a getaway to Borders and the mall. Daddy daughter time is so special. I love it that my girls value time with their dad. I love to see the joy on their faces when they find out they get to be alone with just him.

Other than that, Sabbath was just a day of lying around and resting. It's hard to rest in my house. There is always something that I see to be done. But for this day, it was good.

Pancakes, Eldorado Canyon and Despicable Me for Sabbath 9/20/10

Today was one of those days that my soul craves. . .one of those days when as it happens you are just continually thinking in the back of your mind, "WOW! This is what it's supposed to be like. . .this is what God wanted." Sabbath. . .no doubt God knew what he was up to in making this one a commandment. I so wish more people would take him seriously on it and just give it a try. It's part of what we were made for - enjoying the Father and allowing him to enjoy us.

Today started for me with a cup of coffee, Charles Stanley on the iphone and a drive around Superior before the world awoke. Then God prompted me to do some drive by praying. I'm sure a few people thought I was a stalker as I sat outside the houses of my friends and prayed for their families and for their marriages this morning. But what a privilege it was. And what an even bigger honor it was to then come home to my own quiet family and pray for them, too. Then it was to the basement for an hour of ridiculously intense cardio with http://www.mytrainerbob.com, only to earn each and every one of those calories back about an hour later with the family at The Original Pancake House in Boulder. http://www.originalpancakes.com/index.html YUM!

One of my all time favorite places around us here is Eldorado Springs Canyon. Only about 15 minutes from our house you can feel miles away from the world. We took the girls on a 3+ mile hike that ascended 800 ft. from start to top. It was hard work. But the beauty made it all worth while as we stood on top and looked over the Continental Divide and everything below. Emma, Claire and Olivia are rock star climbers and hikers - true Coloradans.

When we came back down, the girls played in the water for a while and then it was off to the movie. . .






We went to watch Despicable Me and if you have had the chance to see it, you already know that it was surprisingly sweet. It had a great love message and the best part was that the three little girls COMPLETLEY reminded me of Emma, Claire and Olivia. Their personalities were all spot on. Even they agreed. So much fun!

Click Here for a Fun Video of Claire's Pre-movie entertainment for us I love that girls' craziness. I wish I had just an ounce of it. She is her father's daughter!!

The day ended cheering on Jennifer Grey and Derek on Dancing with the Stars and family prayer time on the bed after a very LONG DAY!

How I love my family! Yes, we drive each other crazy - even on Sabbath. Sometimes we bicker and fuss. We get tired and cranky (even me! :-) ). But we keep pursuing this special day together. And it is SO worth it!! The best part is when you ask our girls now, "what is their favorite time as a family?" they will automatically respond "Sabbath!" And I'm pretty sure that's just what God intended.

Summer Sabbath Recap

Summer has been wild and crazy and we're finally getting around to telling you about some of our Sabbath Experiences. Some were full and beautiful, some were short and choppy, some just didn't happen.

What we've learned is this:
* You have to prepare for Sabbath -- If you don't prepare, you'll end up working too hard for it and thus defeating the purpose.
* You have to fight for Sabbath -- The enemy is after you when you're trying to do something good. You got to scratch and claw for it. And when you win...it's totally worth it!

Sabbath has been an amazing journey for us. We're hoping for many, many more amazing days with God and family.

Here's a quick recap of the last few.....Enjoy. Each day we are trying to incorporate intentional God conversations, prayer, scripture, nature and family.

June 25 -- Toy Story 3, Pearl Street, West End Tavern and a walk along Boulder Creek


Early July we were off to Kentucky and Vietnam


July 19 -- Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Rd.


August 2 -- 13th Wedding Anniversary Celebration Day

We spent the day watching the Cosby Show, Prince Caspian and The Flintstones as we celebrated love and life and marriage.

August 8 -- Black Sabbath

This was our worst Sabbath ever. We didn't prepare. We didn't pray. We fought a lot. We came home and worked. It was not good at all. We learned a lot, though.

August 16 -- Echo Lake and Mount Evans

88 degrees in Superior, 70 degrees at Echo Lake, 32 degrees and snowing at the top of Mt. Evans




August 25 -- Amy's Cupcake Tour of Denver



Click Here for a video from the day

September 6 -- Labor Day, Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, Pearl Street, Boulder Fire

A fun, relaxing day turned crazy. Breakfast at the airport watching the planes come in, Purple Park walk, saw smoke, ran to see, huge fire in Boulder. Went to Pearl for a closer look. Ended up back at Key to pray.

September 13 -- Rest, Rest, Horses and games

Celebrating Kevin!

There can't be a better daddy of 3 little girls in the entire world. That's what Emma, Claire and Olivia are completely convinced of and I have to say that I agree. Kevin is simply a fantastic Dad. And our family is blessed because of it. He has made our girls confident and loving, strong and secure. He is silly and knows how to make any moment fun. He's firm and knows how to correct and guide without anger. And he loves the Lord and has done so in such a way that continues to impact the hearts and lives of our family every single day. Thank you, Kevin, for living out your faith for us to see and follow. Thank you for your commitment and your relentless passion to make us all better people - including yourself. We love you!


Father's Day dinner at BD's Mongolian Grill

Sabbath in the Mountains (Part 3)

Here are some pictures from our Sabbath summer day in Boulder at NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research). Doesn't that sound like some super brainy fun? Well, to tell you the truth, even though we did take a stroll through the visitor center, we were actually there for the trails that led behind NCAR. They are beautiful!! After a lot of hiking we decided to make one more stop at Boulder Creek to see how high the waters were from the snow melt. I can't stop being amazed at the beauty of where we live! I just LOVE experiencing it with my family.

Sabbath in the Mountains (Part 2)

5am at the gym, believe it or not, it one of my most favorite ways to begin Sabbath. Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard? It wakes me up and gets me moving. But best of all, I get to journey home to an early morning view of God's beauty like this. . .




This particular day everyone else in the house woke up a few hours later with one major objective in mind. . .going no where that our feet couldn't take us.

First stop. . .the kitchen table. Everyone got the opportunity to choose one of their favorite verses or stories from the Bible, read it to the family and tell why they liked it. I have to say that my favorite part was just watching each girl flip open their Bibles and search God's Word. That they are familiar with the books and the verses - that they know where to find stories and recall what has touched them in the past is pretty cool to observe. And that they have no fear or hesitation in hanging out with God's Word is beautiful. I pray that never changes.

Next, everyone got on their feet and marched out the front door to explore our neighborhood and town. We told the girls that they had to lead us. So at every intersection they took turns telling us which way they wanted to go.


It worked well for a while. They took us to some beautiful places, but after a while it started to feel like we were going in circles, so mom had to take over. . .



Down the hill we went. . .and despite the newly hatched little blue/green bugs that wanted to jump onto our clothes and bodies and take a ride, successfully freaking our oldest, Emma, out and causing quite the drama, we made it to lunch at Panera. For Emma, enjoying God's creation became a bit difficult, but she was happy to enjoy God's bagel's and smoothie's.

After a long, slow lunch we jumped to our feet again, renewed, and decided to take Coal Creek Trail and see where we might end up. All in all we walked around and enjoyed our town and community about 4 miles on this day. The Colon girls rock when it comes to hiking lately. There are much less tears and complaining (as long as the bugs stay far, far away) and much more joy. We are all really starting to understand the privilege it is to take part in the beauty of God's creation and noticing so much more of the journey.



We came home and crashed. . .the end of another great day!