And then we were four

Looks like you're going to be stuck with us in PA for a little while longer after all!!!!

I haven't gotten to tell everyone personally yet - the news is trickling. So please feel free to call if we haven't talked to you yet.

Justin and I had to make a very important decision. After having the move to Montana full swing in the works, a door shut. We really feel God in this and that this is meant to be for us right now. I'm very thankful that we felt the door closing before we moved!

The economy is really the biggest factor right now. Homes don't sell like they normally do in the winter and people are not buying right now. We are very blessed that Justin has a great employer right now, and feel led to keep it that way. To branch off on his own and to sub-contract for them at this point in time may not provide us with security we would need to get by. Now is not the time to chance things.

So where does that leave us? Well... we sold our home already! Rather than trying to buy something or rent right away, we are blessed to have the option to move in with Justin's parents for a time while we sort things out. It will be an adventure and we're thankful that they so readily opened their arms to us.

After the winter we will reevaluate and go from there. Ultimately we'd love to still make it out to Montana. So let's just say it's on hold for the time being. :)

No no, I'm not pregnant! We are MOVING! To Montana!

Yes, it seems so out there and crazy and I know those who are close to us know the news, but I just haven't had time to announce here. So this will make it official.

Justin, for some time, has just felt something lacking in his job, never being truly happy or content. He wants to have the ability to do more. Never finishing his degree is something that has weighed on him. So after lots of prayer and consideration, it has been decided to pursue going back to school... at Montana State University.

Why there and not here?
1. Excellent program that has certifications in Sustainable Design (something Justin has been passionate about before it became popular)
2. Lower cost of living.
3. Walkability/Bicycle distance from school.
4. Safer than Philly.
5. Cleaner than Philly.

We considered Temple and Drexel, but it came down to not wanting to move our family into the city. Staying here and commuting is not reasonable. It would take 2 hours out of the day.

So the process began... He applied and was accepted. That was step one. The second much larger step was approaching his employer. Justin wrote a very extensive proposal to work for his company as a sub-contractor. Being self-employed he can better manage his hours and enables us to afford to have him go to school full-time while working at the minimum 25 hours a week while in school.

The hardest part about this transition is leaving our family and friends. It's heart-wrenching really, as close as we are to our them. We do plan to come back east for about a month each summer while we are there. Oh - and that will be three years approximately.

So... That's where I've been pretty much while not blogging! We listed and sold our home and have been searching for a rental to live in in Bozeman. We just found it yesterday and have been approved! So it's nice to have an address - one less stress...

I think this will be an adventure. A hard one. No doubt. Justin will be working 70 hours a week and myself.. well, I will be starting over I guess. I plan to get plugged in right away at a church and join a mom's group to meet people. I plan to blog often about our "adventure." I don''t want to lose touch with my friends here, so I hope by blogging that will at least give a means to keep other's a little plugged in to our lives, as that's how I feel reading other blogs. Of course there always is the telephone too!

Our move-in date is scheduled for November 6th. We are hiring a moving service - one of those 'you pack, they drive' services. So that takes about 7-10 days to actually get out there. We will be staying with Justin's family until Justin has to leave to drive out, and I will fly out with the boys on the 6th or 7th. Eeek! Wish us luck! It's coming upon us quickly.

I'll have to do an additional post later to update you on the boys and share some photos! I don't want to overload. ;)

OK, so we're going to ignore the big white elephant in the room. Yes, that thing I say all the time when I take forever to update the blog. I'm not saying it. :)

The summer has been flying. And we've been enjoying it thoroughly. I've been really busy with my new stay at home knitting business. Often I have late nights and early mornings, but overall my plan is that it doesn't get in the way of family. It's a slippery slope.

Here are some highlights from summer fun we've had.

Gone fishin'
We took Jackson down to the reservoir which is just down the street. He had a blast catching little fish there. Justin did the casting, but he was happy as a clam waiting for his bobber to get pulled under so he could reel it in.

Liam was a good sport searching out rocks and sticks to throw in the lake. I love the cute moment they had on the log. (Yes, I made them sit together!) But miracle upon miracle, they stays and acted all brotherly together. They were looking at the worms if you're curious. ;)







The Beach
We only made it once to Long Beach Island this year. I want to go again. Oh heck, I want to live there to be honest! We went with the entire Isabell clan. I love making those memories with family. Liam lived up to his initials (He's LBI, didntcha' know?) and couldn't get enough of the sand, the waves and the "airmanes" flying the banners overhead. Jackson loves it too but can't seem to pick if he's a mountain boy or beach boy better. He had a blast too. It was hard to capture photos of the dude, as he didn't sit still most of the time.







OK, there's more to post, but I have to get moving here. Erin, I hope you're happy! LOL!

OK, I know, I'm a week behind on Fresh Idea Friday. I have a valid excuse. ;) I'll get to that later.

My good friend Lisa blogs at Out of the Blue and each month on the first Friday comes up with a Fresh Idea. This month is share your favorite recipe source and Lisa asked for us to share a favorite recipe from it. Okey-dokey! You asked for it!

Well I'm a cook and a foody. I love both! My poor family is subject to my tinkering in the kitchen and it's not often we eat the same thing repetitively. I know a few times I shared my meal plan on here, African Peanut Soup anyone? Remember that? It was actually really good! They were peanuts, just plain ole peanuts, not special African ones. I know someone was wondering.

My favorite source for recipes is Real Simple. I subscribe to the magazine but their online directly is free to anyone. They have fancy to every day recipes. It's hard to pick a favorite. If I had to the Rosemary Garlic Chicken is up there. My whole family enjoys it.

My second source is an actual cookbook. With pages ya know? Who uses them anymore? Ha! I have one called the New England Cookbook. I bought it when I lived in Boston and I reach for it when I'm missing New England. There's lots of yummyness in there. I frequently make their 5-Alarm Chili recipe that is in there. Someday I'll type it out. I would now but I'm savoring this moment before the kids are screaming fohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifr me.

I have a new source I'd love to share that is going to probably rapidly climb to favorite. It's The Pioneer Woman. What a cool website. There's some amazing looking food in there and I just love the conversational tone of the recipes and the photography is amazing. I want to bite the computer screen. These things here are apparently worth their weight in gold. I haven't tried them but it's on my to do list.

So there you have it!

I hope everyone is enjoying picnics and fireworks this weekend! How nice to have a three-day weekend with the family. We'll be going to a couple picnics to celebrate with our nation's independence this weekend.

I just got back from CA where I went to my brother, Bill's, wedding. Got to meet his wife, Melissa, for the first time in her wedding dress! She's gorgeous! And sweet, and most importantly, loves my brother to the end of the earth. It was a really beautiful wedding. Took place in an ocean-side garden in Half Moon Bay, CA.

I wish I had gotten more photos with my camera. I dutifully photographed the rest of the wedding with my brother's camera. ;)


Dad got this one of the sibs minus Trisha. We missed you Trish!


It was sad leaving all the boys behind. I missed them immensely. Sharing a room with Nan was wonderful though, and something I wouldn't trade. It was really special being able to spend that time with her. She is 90 after all!

We visited San Francisco on Friday and took in some sights. What we could see anyhow. It was pretty foggy, but also smokey from all the forest fires they were having out there. My favorite was having clam chowder at this place called Lou's. The. best. It rivaled any chowder I've ever had, and I've had a lot ~ living in New England for many years and all!

One of the souvenirs I not so luckily brought home was vertigo. :( Apparently from the flight I got it. We had a layover going there and back and the doctor thinks that all the changes in altitude/pressure, etc, messed with my equilibrium. Justin thinks I just don't travel well. Either way, I've been feeling like I'm walking sideways since returned home. Not fun! Hopefully it'll wear off soon.

Well I'm really glad to be home! Here are a few photos from the trip!

My friend Lisa started a neat idea on her blog "Out of the Blue" called Fresh Idea Friday. On the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month she's going to post a "Fresh Idea" on her blog and the idea is for all of us to share and then we'll all have no excuses to be out of fresh ideas! :) Love it!

This week's theme is appropriate: " a recipe that we love taking to a picnic"

Here's a recipe I love to bring to picnics. A little different, but everyone always seems to love it! Unless they're just being nice?

Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, and Golden Raisins
12 ounces Rotini (or another fusilli-type pasta) (4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 ounce package baby spinach
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole or part-skim ricotta
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and spinach and toss to wilt. Stir in the scallions, raisins, ricotta, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the basil.

Divide among individual bowls and top with the Parmesan and pine nuts, if using.

Where has Andrea been? Certainly not posting. OK, you're not surprised or wondering where I've been. I'll tell you anyway.

Here: Dwell Wool Knits blog and here: Dwell Wool Knits store

I made the leap and now am considered a WAHM (work at home mom). It's very part-time and not too well paying considering how long it takes me to knit. But I'm having fun with it. I really have been enjoying knitting and knitting for others and hope I do well. So far so good! I had a friend design my website and logo and am getting ready to "stock" my store with customs and little knit toys. Wish me luck!

Since I have to go and knit now, I will at least upload a few pics, since pics are always fun. I'll have time to chat more later. Hope everyone's summer is going well! (Wait, it's not summer yet, is it? Sorry, the 98 degree weather certainly has me feeling like summer is here...)



The happiest I've ever seen Jackson.


The boys and their mama on Mother's Day.



Do not, I repeat, do not try to take treats away from Liam. He gets mad.