Jen Russum

To Fargo, I love you.

September 10, 2015

This past weekend we took both girls up to North Dakota to Micah's family reunion. The flights felt long. The girls were heavy. The Fargo air was humid. We ate way too many carbs. We came home exhausted. And it was pretty much the best weekend ever. Family reunions get a bad rap with their casseroles and matching t-shirts. But after our weekend spent in the Midwest, I've decided there is really nothing sweeter in life than wearing matching shirts with your entire extended family, playing games, eating secret sloppy joe recipes from old, and challenging cousins to pop-a-shot and ping pong. As I watched ten little children stand in front of their great-grandparents' church singing "Jesus Loves Me" on Sunday morning, I thought to myself "this is it." This is truly the meaning of life. Fancy vacations really don't compare to this. Carefree Labor Day weekends at the lake can't compete with the sight of four generations joined together with a legacy of faith and prayer binding the past to the future. People matter. We can spend our lives chasing money, fame, and comfort, but they are all so fleeting. What matters is people and their souls. When each generation pours into the next with love and grace and the good news that Jesus loves us and died for us and lives for us, that matters more than anything. Every conversation seasoned with the salt of grace, every laugh and tear shared, every burden shouldered, every dollar given out of generosity, every hurt covered with love and forgiveness, every meal shared and diaper changed with love and humility. Those are the moments that build a legacy. Micah's great-great grandparents moved to barren and cold North Dakota in the 1850s to build a better life. They homesteaded on some of the world's richest soil, facing brutal winters while living in sod huts. A hundred years later the Russums had a thriving farm which still remains in the family. While the family history is astounding, the most interesting highlight is how each generation prayed for the next. And this weekend Micah's grandparents saw the answers to those prayers as they were honored and celebrated by their five children, almost all of their 17 grandchildren, and 21 of their great-grandchildren. I hope to someday witness such a sight in our own family. The days are hard right now. The laundry and the errands and the toys scattered on the floor combined with whiny voices and runny noises are enough to make me feel insane some days. But I know what to do... pray, laugh, forgive, preach the gospel to myself and others. Someday the whiny voices will be no more and instead I'll join my family in singing "It is Well with My Soul" so loudly that even my nearly-deaf ears can hear it. ... Read more

Talitha Joy {2 months}

September 3, 2015

Growing // Talitha weighed 13 pounds, 7 ounces at her two month well check. Compared to Z, she is a wee little thing. Compared to other infants, she's in the 90-95th percentile. Russums make big babies. Eating // Talitha has finally figured out how to nurse without choking and with far less squeaking. The sad part about this is we don't get to use her "Squeaky T" nickname very often. The good part is that nursing in public is far less awkward now that she's quieter. Wearing // Baby girl is officially in 3-6 month clothing and will probably move to 6-9 month soon, since I'm pretty sure she's at least 15 pounds by now. Her wardrobe is a perfect mix of sister's hand-me-downs and a few new items as well. Doing // Making lots of eye contact. smiling with glee after every {short} nap, sleeping through the night, trying to roll over, crawl, and sit up on her own. She is super strong, so if she doesn't like her position, she will try to grunt, wiggle, and push her way out of it. Loving // Being held, baths, watching sissy's antics, the ceiling fan {still}, and better yet... the ceiling fan reflection in the mirror, her playmat for short stints Loathing // Going to bed after 8:30pm, taking long naps, when sister yanks her feet Nicknames // Talitha Bean or T-Bean {this has become the dominant nickname around the house} Mishaps // No significant mishaps this month, except for the ups and downs of sleep training. Z was perfectly content with a later (9pm-12am) bedtime at this age, but Talitha likes to conk out at 8:30pm on the dot. I was trying to dream feed her at 10-11pm for awhile, but she would barely eat. Now she simply goes to bed at 8:30pm and sleeps like a champ all night. Her downfall is naps. For the most part, they are only about 40 minutes long during the day, and they make mama's work/school life very difficult. Milestones // Talitha had a busy month. She took her first plane ride to Washington and met her great-grandparents, plus lots of uncles, aunts, and cousins. She went camping at seven weeks old and was a pro at sleeping in a tent and lounging around our campsite by day, even though it was 100 degrees outside. She also started swim lessons this month! Hoping both our girls are safe and confident in the water... ... Read more

In the Kitchen: Hatch Chile Queso

September 2, 2015

Hatch chiles y'all. They are so good, but only in season for a few weeks a year. However, that season happens to be right NOW, so go get some hatch chiles from your local grocer. Step one: buy all the hatch chiles you can. Step two: Roast all of them and throw some in your freezer so you can have hatch chiles in your life for months to come. Step three: Make this queso recipe right this second, because it's so quick and so delicious. What you need: 1 tsp olive oil1/4 cup chopped white onion1 clove garlic, minced2 hatch chiles, roasted, seeded, and chopped4-6 Tbsp milk8 oz white American cheese, shredded4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shreddedSaltPepper What you do: *** To roast chiles, place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Chiles should brown slightly. You can do a bunch at once and freeze some for later use. 1. Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat.2. Saute onion until translucent, 3-5 minutes.3. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.4. Add chiles {remember to remove seeds} and 4 TBSP milk, stirring until heated.5. Add grated cheese one handful at a time, stirring occasionally to mix cheese and milk. 6. additional milk by the tablespoon, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.7. Add salt and pepper to taste. 8. Serve warm with chips. Eat until it hurts! *** Dip will thicken as it cools but it can easily be thinned with a short trip through the microwave. *** To re-heat the following day, add a tablespoon of milk and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Heat partially, stir, and then continue to heat until you reach desired temperature. ... Read more