Monday, July 30, 2012

Updates via Instagram

Life has been so fun, full, and busy lately!  Today I'm trying to catch up on housecleaning, blogging, laundry, phone calls, bills, etc.
Here's what we've been up to via Instagram:

Brainerd Trip
 Sat on the Blue Ox in Nisswa
 Hauled the boat to Whitefish
 Brian had a work day at Caribou.
 Date night!  Thanks, Mom & Dad.
We had drinks at Poncho & Leftys after Brian whooped me at mini-golf.
 Game & puzzle night with the family.
Poor Dad, he ended up having to finish this all by himself, but it didn't take him long.
 The road to my parent's house on the Mississippi River.
Boating!  So fun.

The "Everyday"
 Aidan loves to see himself in the camera.
 My garden is horrible this year.  I've gotten some lettuce and six cherry tomatoes.
Next year, I'm going to need manure.
 Aidan and I head to the Clear Lake Library every other Thursday to return our books, find more, play in the boat, and put puzzles together.
 My music man loves to dance, sing, and play piano!
Brain and I have been sitting outside late - chatting, reading, or talking on the phone.  I LOVE summer weather!  I haven't been to my 5:30 am exercise class for three weeks because I stay up too late with my night-owl husband.  But I'm OK with that; it's summer, right?  Besides, I have a Leo Lund who needs to be run everyday!
Part of Brian's everyday - sharing the gospel and performing marriage ceremonies.
Birthday & Anniversary Celebration
 Yesterday, we went to Fairmont after church to celebrate my 30th and our 8th anniversary (August 1).
 Aidan was the best helper; he blew out my candle on the first try!
He even helped sing, "Happy happy you you," to his mama.
 The lake was super gross and green so Grammie got out the pool!
 John Deere - his favorite.
Thanks for all the fun, John & Sue!

Hancock County Fair
We had fun at the fair!  Our church people were so immensely generous and gave us tickets to everything - from the rides and beef supper to the pork supper and the bus races!
 All the babysitters wanted to be at the fair so we kept our little man out later than ever - 10 pm!  He ate almost the whole time so that kept him happy.  ;)  Actually, it was the buses and watching crazy "Mr. Roger" from church drive in a 13 school bus race.  Aidan would shout, "Go go go!" or "Broken. Stop," if they crashed.
 Friends from Swea City came to join us.  Thanks, Larsons!
 I'm so thankful to Mary for accompanying Aidan and me to the fair while Brian was performing a wedding.  We loved walking through all the buildings.  We even convinced Aidan to ride the Berry-Go-Round.  "I out, out, out, OUT!" was heard about halfway through the ride.
 Iowa's finest.
 Stockcar races!
I hadn't been since junior high; my dad would always take me.
Such fond memories!
 Shutter speed was too slow - he had just been sitting there.
 Tractors or cows?  I'm not sure which was a bigger hit.
Train races.
These were hilarious.  The bus races were fun too.

I've also been baking!  I loved all the recipes from 100daysofrealfood.com.  However, I've decided that I'm not going to be a real-food-Nazi.  I'm going to eat it whenever possible, but I'm not going to think twice about eating out or eating food that is offered to us.  Thanks, Sarah, for the suggestions!  We don't have Trader Joe's close, but we do have Aldi!  I call it the granola store - but I guess that's what I'm becoming!?  Oh please no.

Lastly, today is "Gotcha Day" for my darling, super-stinky Leo.  On the right side of my blog header is a picture from one year ago today.  We picked Leo up from the breeder at the St. Cloud Rest Stop on July 30, 2011.  Love you, Leo Lund!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Real Food

I took the plunge today;
I purchased ALL real foods.

This means that I am going to have to cook.
and bake.
UGH.
But, honestly, I'm not dreading it because this time I have a purpose.

I'm baking and cooking non-processed foods for my husband and son (who are so worth all the extra labor!) so they are not consuming chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

From recent conversations with whole-food-ish type friends, the amount of people I know who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, a sister-in-law who went gluten free, and the online research I've done, I've become convinced that I need to do more to help my family eat whole, real foods. 

I wasn't sure where to start, but I found a website I really enjoy:

If you "like" her FB page, you'll have access to four weeks of meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists.
Yesterday I got everything organized and today Aidan and I did the shopping.
(He was a perfect shopper, by the way.  No meltdowns!)
We shopped Target for a few items and then went to the Organic section of Hy-Vee. 
 
I'm not completely sold out on organic (I don't buy organic fruits or vegetables; I wash them with soap and warm water); instead, I look at the ingredients.  I'm following Lisa's (of 100 Days of Real Food) rule:  Foods purchased must contain less than five ingredients that you recognize (and can pronounce!).  I haven't yet found bread or corn tortillas that meet this requirement.  Any suggestions?  I'm a wee-bit disgusted by the USFDA - why are they allowing such chemicals into our foods?  How can formaldehyde be OK to consume?  That's what we preserved our specimens in when I taught biology.  This could get me going on another tangent: Am I going to let this crazy government educate my child?

As I shopped today, I was filled with uncertainty: Shouldn't I just trust the USFDA - they're the experts?  Is it worth all this time and effort?  Is it worth the extra cost?  Thankfully, this face relieved me of any uncertainty:
Aidan ate more today at lunch than he has in three days.  He was ravenous and ate up the cucumber sandwich with cream cheese & dill, blueberries, sunflower seeds, and bananas. 

Now we just have to convince his chocolate, cookie loving father that this is what's best for our family's health!

***
I want to thank the families in our church who have so graciously donated their beef and pork to our family.  Just today, I picked up 1/2 a hog that a family gave us.  We are so thankful for the ways it supplements Brian's salary and enables us to eat healthy, farm-raised meat!

Please let me know if you have any other suggestions for our journey to whole food eating!  I'll let you know how long it lasts (but I hope it's not just a fad - I'm not a quitter!).  :)  And, please, don't let me become a granola (or "crunchy" as I heard referenced last weekend).

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Three Decades of Grace

Today I'm 3-0!
I can't believe it.
As I reflect on the past 30 years of life, I'm amazed and humbled by all the ways the LORD has led and guided me, fulfilling His promise to work for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Three Decades of Grace
Below I've reflected on the top graces in each decade of my life.


Decade One
1. My parents  - They fulfilled my every need (spiritually, emotionally, & physically) and sacrificed so much to shape me into the woman I am today.

4th birthday.
July 17, 1986
Dad & Me (preschool)
Ha - family picture!  1998, maybe?

2. My grandparents - They, too, have been a source of constant support and love in my life.
Grandma Char & me visiting the CCC camp where Grandpa Richie worked before WWII.

3. Camp Shamineau - It was at camp that I truly came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and LORD.  It was there that I knew I wanted to serve Him with my whole heart.  My first time attending was in fifth grade with my friend, Sarah Greenwalt.
4. My home on the Mississippi - lots of fun to be had on the snowmobiles, motorcycles, boats, etc.  The beauty of the river and woods gave me a deep appreciation of my Creator God.

Decade Two
1. Camp Shamineau - Camp helped train me for ministry and it was there that I met wonderful, Christ-loving friends and a cute boy...
Summer 1999 - Counselor

2. Highschool - I had to make a decision: was I going to have premarital sex, smoke marijuana and give in to drunkenness or was I going to follow Christ?  Thankful for Christ's grip on my life to follow Him.
Prom 2000

3. Bethel University - At Bethel, I met great friends, had opportunities to minister to younger students & share the gospel with inner city students, and was more than fully prepared to become a middle school science teacher.


Decade Three
1. Brian John Lund - My husband!  Brian has had the hugest influence on my life.  He has taught me to treasure Christ above all things and is the best, kindest husband a woman could ever imagine marrying.  After Christ, he is my greatest joy and treasure.
August 1, 2004

2. Classical Education - The LORD guided me to a classical school upon graduation from Bethel.  It is the most perfect form of education, and I am continually praising Him for enabling me to know it, learn it, and hopefully place my children at a classical, Reformed school.
3. Teaching - Again, the LORD gave me two incredible teaching jobs; I taught middle school science in St. Paul for two years and sixth grade (self-contained) in Escondido for four years.  I love those students and teaching them so much!
Astro Camp 2010

4.  Escondido, California - These were my favorite four years of life.  Nothing will ever compare to being married to your best friend, surrounded by Reformed friends who treasure Christ, and living 20 minutes from the ocean all while performing your dream job (yay for Heritage Charter School!).
La Jolla.
Our favorite place to visit and study with the Chings!

5. Kgal, Naom, Aim, Hol, Nanc, Jules - California favorites.  You all keep me grounded and rooted in Christ, encourage my heart constantly through your love and support, and bring joy amidst the tears.
Halloween 2008

6. Aidan John Lund - My sweet, darling son.  He is simply the best, a true joy to my heart.

5. Garner, Iowa - Garner has shown me how to cling to Christ through the most difficult trials, stripped me of my love for self, and consistently pointed me to Christ who gave Himself up for me - how should I then not give myself up for Christ and His Church?  I hate the refining, chiseling process that makes me more Christ-like, but I pray, in this next decade, that I will see the immense blessings that flow from it.

Thank you, Jesus, for a life of grace.
Thank you, friends and family, who run this race with endurance alongside me (Hebrews 12:1).
I love you all.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Cabin Weekend

Our annual Cabin Weekend was a success!
From Friday to Sunday, we:
chatted and caught up with my mom's extended family
ate lots of yummy, terrible-for-you food
drank lots of yummy drinks
swam in the clear, warm lake
caught fish in the net
tubed and skied behind Andy's new Mastercraft
sat by the fire
wore no  make-up
swatted lots of mosquitoes and deer flies
chased Aidan up & down the big hill to & from the water
celebrated four birthdays
used lots of sunscreen and bugspray
licked ice cream cones
enjoyed all the beauty that northern MN offers.

It was so fun.  Thanks, Mom & Dad, for making it such a wonderful vacation for us!
We love you!


Uncle Shawn & Taylor

 Leo loves the cabin too!
Mama & Leo


Auntie Callie, Mama & Aidan

 Great Grandpa & Grandma Wayt
Aidan giving kisses to Connor.
Uncle Shawn & Aidan

Birthday party pictures:

The "saur".
He loves riding him!


Happy Birthday, Aidan!

 The birthday girls.
Sam is (almost) 30!
Callie is (almost) 28!
The July birthday crew.
Taylor is 15.
Aidan is 2.

 Aidan & the twins, Connor & Logan.




 My birthday twin.
We decided that July 17 is a national holiday.
Me & my sweet cousin, Laurie.
She did so much this weekend, too.
Love her!