Flower of Grass

For Today....

2012-01-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

Julia and Andreas coloring together on the floor...notice Andreas' choice of color

My new fridge friends...Cadmium Red and Cerulean Blue are my new favorite watercolor colors.

Favorite Gifts

2011-12-31T13:16:00.000-08:00

These are the VERY precious gifts my kids gave me for Christmas:

Julia drew the two Christmas trees for me, and cut out all the tiny little squares of paper. Elijah gave me the two chocolate candies. Hannah watercolored the flower for me...

and gave me this super cool notebook titled, "Mom's Usual Stuff Book (A little book for a mom's notes...who has more than 4 kids). Abby made me all the bookmarks, and the coolest collection of coupons ever!

Can't wait to redeem these!

Christmas Morning!

2011-12-26T10:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas Dinner Menu Links

2011-12-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole (I used sausage):

Chocolate Raspberry Tart:

Christmas Salad (Amazingingly Tasty...and festive!)
Salad:
8 cups spinach
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup pomegranate seeds
Dressing:
4 Tbsp cranberry juice concentrate
4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Christmas Crafting with Paper

2011-12-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

I painted something!

2011-06-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

So I actually watercolored something today...something I haven't done in a long time. I have a plant on my windowsill that I tried to copy. It's amateur, I know, but I do enjoy it.

26 feet plus of blessing

2011-06-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

If you think about it...asceticism is another form of ingratitude. We all know that wanting things that you don't have is ingratitude. But not being thankful for the bounty God has blessed you with, and feeling guilty about it, is ingratitude also. In other words, wanting more than you have is ingratitude, and wanting less than you have is ingratitude also.

When we moved a couple of months ago, I was convinced that I had too much stuff! Now granted, some of that stuff was junk and in excess and just needed to be given away or thrown away. But some of it was stuff that was just God's blessing! And rather than despising it, I needed to be grateful for it! Thank you God for the many blessings you have poured out on us! Thank you for the fact that we can fill a 26' truck, and a trailer, and a truck, and a van with all of our stuff, and this just goes to show how very blessed by You we really are!

So branches of Christianity that say that it is the more spiritual thing to have less, and you should feel guilty if you have more, is just ingratitude repackaged. They want you to feel guilty for the gifts God has given you, rather than lifting up hands of thanksgiving to God in good Ecclesiastes fashion!

Julia Hope turns 4!

2011-06-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Julia got this Olivia tea set for her b-day. So sweet!

Living With REAL Men

2011-05-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

News flash! You're married to a sinner. And, surprise, surprise! Your husband is married to a sinner too. And get this! Everyone who is married, is married to a sinner!

We know this, yet sometimes we act like we don't know this. You know what I'm talking about. You can think of that little something that's under your craw right now! Your husband wronged you in some way, whether big or small, and you cannot believe that he would sin against you in that particular way! "So and so's husband doesn't act like that, so my husband has no excuse!" "The man of my dreams doesn't act like that." The man of your dreams isn't a real man...he's just that...a dream. And, that other husband you're comparing your husband too...he's a real guy with real sin too!

Well, seeing as how we are not married to perfect men, but rather REAL men, how should we respond when we are sinned against by them? God would have us to respond the same way we would to anyone who sinned against us.

I'm reminded of the story of the guy who went and throttled a guy who owed him a little bit of money, and yet had been forgiven a ridiculously large amount of money. We have been forgiven an unbelievable debt, yet how often do we turn around and throttle our husbands for a minor offense! You must on a daily basis see your sin in light of how God sees your sin (look to the cross for that perspective). Not only have the entire list of your offenses against God been nailed to the cross and buried in the tomb, but your husband's have been too! Grace is the word...both wallowing in God's grace towards you, and then turning around and dishing out that grace to your hubby.

I'm also reminded of the time when the disciples asked Jesus how many times they should forgive their brother who sinned against them. Seven times? If you think about your home life, putting a cap on forgiveness at #7 offense is a really tiny number isn't it? I think most of our marriages would have been over the first month if the cap was 7! Jesus responds with 70 times 7. Now that is exactly 490 times, but I think the point is, is that your not supposed to keep track! "Let's see here, Bob. That is the 2nd time you have come home late for dinner, which makes that...yes #367 offense in our marriage. Only 123 more times, and I'm outta here!" We all know that it is ridiculous keeping track like that! But we do a form of it in our marriages. We start keeping a record of wrongs in our heart and minds, and we stop forgiving and dumping on the grace, and then we become bitter. And then one day, all of those offenses will just roll of your tongue in one long litany of charges made against your husband. You'll explode! And your husband will wonder where all of this came from! So it's important to keep short accounts and just forgive and let go...time and time again.

The other thing I'm reminded of is treating your husband the way you want to be treated...the Golden Rule applied once more. You are no perfect wife yourself. He has to overlook, forgive, and put up with your sinning against him time and time again. How do you want your husband to respond when you sin against him? Do you want him to get angry with you, nag, make snide comments, give you the cold shoulder, storm out of the house, give you the silent treatment, keep a record of how many offenses you've sinned against him, grow bitter toward you, compare you to other wives? I daresay not! SO DON'T TREAT HIM LIKE THAT EITHER!

So, with all that said, don't be surprised when your husband sins against you. Look at him the way God sees him. Look at yourself the way God sees you. And be trinitarian through and through...live at peace with one another, forgiving each other, striving together for the UNITY of the gospel in our marriages.

Memorial Day Camping...

2011-05-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Elijah turns 7, Hannah turns 10

2011-05-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Roofing Tar Baby

2011-04-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

On Easter Monday, it was raining. Andreas found an empty plastic egg, and began using it as a cup. He collected water that had traveled down from the roof and into the drain, and then he would drink it, and go for a refill. He got quite wet, but he wasn't complaining, and he was rather entertained, so why not let him be? Well, then he wanted back in the house, and when I picked him up, he smelled totally like roofing tar. So I gave him a bath, and he still smelled like it! And even after going to the pool last night...and showering with shampoo after the pool...he still smells like roofing tar! So I hope his insides aren't damaged.

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

A New View Out My Window

2011-04-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

When I look outside my kitchen window, this is what I see:

I'm rather pleased with the big hill in the background!

Grammy's B-Day Party!

2011-04-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

40 Days for Life

2011-03-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

During the season of Lent, cities around the U.S. are participating in the 40 Days for Life campaign against abortion. Here's a quip from their website www.40daysforlife.com:

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:

* Prayer and fasting
* Constant vigil
* Community outreach

On Wednesday morning, I bundled up my kiddos and we joined many other Christians at a vigil outside of Planned Parenthood, and we prayed.

A lady by the name of Abby Johnson from Houston, TX, also joined us. She used to work in a Planned Parenthood clinic for almost a decade, until Christ changed her heart. She tried talking to the men and women who were going inside for an abortion, telling them that there are alternatives. I admired her boldness.

So I would encourage you to check out the 40 Days for Life website, and see if there is a group keeping constant vigil outside of your local Planned Parenthood. I bet there is! And GO JOIN THEM!

This Week in Pictures

2011-03-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

Saint Patrick's Day Dinner: Corned Beef slow cooked in beer, Mashed Potatoes, and Irish Soda Bread

My last day teaching at our homeschool co-op. Bittersweet. These are my geography students underneath our Papel Picado. We had just finished studying Mexico.

Flan. The first time I've made it and the first time I've eaten it. I made it for the above mentioned geography class.

Goodbye party #1...our Baxter Parish.

Some of our Baxter Parish kids.

Rocks in the rain on my back porch.

I Packed A Box!

2011-03-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about my packing progress. Three days ago...I packed my first box. And that was the only box I packed. The next day....one more box. Then the next day, I had helpers and they packed several boxes for me. And then today...I packed 1 more box. I figure that at this rate of 1 box a day (not including those days in which I may have more helpers), I will have packed a whopping 24 boxes by the time the moving truck pulls into our driveway!

For those of you a tad clueless as to WHY I'm packing one box a day, we're moving to the Tri-Cities. Still in Washington, 2 1/2 hours away. (No...we are not moving to Kirkland, as one kind saint prayed for us on Sunday.) We are very blessed to have been offered the position of pastor at the CREC congregation there.

Sorry, no pictures of my boxes.

Oh yeah. My sister informed me that no one can view my "Little Rocker" video posted a few posts down. I think I fixed that...so please check out my little dude dancing

Eager Guitarest

2011-02-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Andreas was in the bath tonight having a jolly good playtime. But then...he heard his Daddy playing guitar, and he was so eager to get out of the bathtub and go help play the guitar. So Hannah popped him out and could barely get a towel on the cute little tush. He was just standing there playing the guitar, and Hannah kept trying to keep the towel around him. What FUN!

Little Rocker

2011-02-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

Andreas was totally gettin' down right after his bath time (in case you can't tell...this is a video):

All in today's work...

2011-02-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Today during history lesson: Me, "What is the capital of Hungary?" My 3-year old, "Yeah, I'm hungry too!"

Working on subtraction with Elijah: He is trying to figure out 9-2=, so he says, "If you have nine babies, and you sell two of them, how many would you have left?"

It's a good thing he's not in public school...they'd probably pigeon hole him as having deep emotional trauma with his siblings or something.

Somebody must be learning a lot around here, because the table sure is a homeschooling disaster!

Baby Squish

2011-02-22T19:16:00.000-08:00

Hannah tonight, "Mom, do you ever get the feeling that you just want to squeeze a baby so hard because they're so cute and you love them so much?"

Yes...I have felt that many a time!

Who wouldn't want to squish and squeeze this cheesy guy?

Up and Coming Baker

2011-02-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hannah purchased all the ingredients necessary to bake these cupcakes, and then baked them herself...with a little help from me. I thought she did quite a fantastic job!

Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Every Valentine's Day, for a number of years now, I create a scavenger hunt for the kids. I didn't mean for it to become tradition, but I did it once, and then the kids assumed it was tradition. I think I did it for the first time when Hannah was about 4. So the next year, I overhear her informing one of her friends at church that every Valentine's Day her Mom does a scavenger hunt! I'm glad that I overheard that conversation, otherwise she would have been without a scavenger hunt that year! So, it has become tradition. And since my kids are getting older, I get to be more tricksy with my clues. Yesterday, I had them running around the house chasing down clues for 45 minutes until they finally found the grand prize!
Here they are Finding the treasure at the end of the hunt:

Here's Andreas quite delighted with his Valentine from Granny:

Here is one of Hannah's cooking creation...a Valentine tower:

My Astronomy Class

2011-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

This year at our homeschool co-op, I've been teaching Astronomy to 2nd-6th graders. Here's a pic of my students (three are missing). We just completed this book:

"Exploring Creation with Astronomy" by Jeannie Fulbright. The kids and I had the BEST time going through this book. I was a little skeptical when I first purchased this textbook. The lady at the homeschool bookshop said that her kids would read it for fun in their freetime. When she told me that, I thought to myself, "Oh. You have THOSE kid of kids!." But then, I couldn't believe it! Because throughout the semester MY kids were ACTUALLY READING THIS TEXT BOOK FOR FUN IN THEIR FREETIME! And let me tell you, I don't have THOSE kind of kids! So that says a lot for this text book. There are others in the series that I can't wait to try: botany, anatomy, animals, and more.

German Pancake

2011-02-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

My family has been loving this German Pancake on Sunday mornings:

GERMAN PANCAKE
Feeds a family of 7

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease 2 9X13 pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together 6 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 t. salt, and 1 tsp. vanilla with a wire whisk. Add 2 cups flour and beat with whisk until no lumps remain. Divide evenly into the 2 pans, and put into preheated oven for 20 minutes. I turn the oven light on so my kids can see the pancake puffing up really high towards the end of its baking time.

Serve with butter and lemon slices squeezed over the top, and powdered sugar (and syrup if you must). Also good with berries.

I will also usually throw in a baking sheet of bacon into the oven to cook while the pancake is cooking too.

A Riddle

2011-02-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a riddle to inform you of what we have had this week:

An esophagus working backwards, producing UFOs into the seat of the throne in the library.

Yes...we have had the influenza this week...topped off with (what I hope is) one last trip last night to the Dr. for an ear infection.

However, I am very grateful for a few modern conveniences that make sickness more barable:

*plastic mattress covers and plastic pillow covers
*washing machines
*toilets (can you imagine having to use an outhouse during times like these?)
*bath tubs with running water
*Tylenol and ibuprofen
*antibacterial wipes...Costco size!
*Kleenux with lotion
*a Christian, pastoral pediatrician
*movies
*recovery!

Such Simple Salvation

2011-01-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

I love the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He has leprosy, so he goes to Elisha the man of God, and asks for healing from his disease. Elisha tells him to go wash seven times in the Jordan river. Naaman is angry about this command. But then Naamman's servants say (what wise servants he has surrounded himself with, by the way), "If he had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, that he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean.'?". So Naamman does go and wash, and after the seventh time, he is healed! Remember...in the Bible, seven indicates creation...so Naaman has been "recreated". What a beautiful picture of the simplicity of salvation! So often we want some great deed to perform to earn our cleansing/salvation. But great works will accomplish diddly....only faith can accomplish healing from our disease of sin. This faith obeys. And the cleansing waters of the Holy Spirit and baptism cleanse us from all sin!

If that were not enough, Naaman still doesn't get it though. After he has been cleansed of his leprosy, he goes back to Elisha and offers many riches and goods to Elisha, as if to pay for his healing. Elisha refuses. Salvation is simply God's gift, and can be bought with no amount of money or great works. It is by faith. How simple. How beautiful!

And that is Good News!

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #5

2011-01-26T20:26:00.000-08:00

NEWS FLASH: Raising kids is HARD WORK...and if you are homeschooling them too, then your work is definitely cut out for you!
Do you ever hear your kids whining this phrase, "It's tooooo haaaarrrddd!" I do...but let's face it...I say the same exact thing sometimes, or if I don't say it, it's what I'm thinking. The only difference between me saying it and my kids saying it is that it's much worse coming from me, because I'm over three times my kids age!

So Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #5 is: DON'T WIMP OUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE HARD WORK OF RAISING YOUR KIDS.

I started realizing that sometimes my problem is not that I need more time out by myself (which sometimes I do, of course), or that I need the kids to be better learners, or________________ (you fill in the blank), but sometimes the issue is simply that I'm lazy, and I don't want to work hard. And to do a good job raising/educating kids requires hard work...and lots of it. So don't shy away from hard work. Roll up your sleeves and dive in...looking to that glorious harvest day when we will cash in all of our hard work for delicious, beautiful fruit!

This verse comes to mind:
"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Gal. 6:9

God, give us daily strength and grace for the task You have given us!

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #4

2011-01-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

Here is Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #4: CHANGE SOMETHING.
Actually, this is actually a hard tip for me to follow! I don't like changing things because I WANT THE WAY I'VE ORGANIZED MY LIFE TO WORK, AND I WANT EVERYBODY ELSE IN MY LIFE TO MAKE IT WORK TOO! So if I've made a schedule, I do not want to deviate from that schedule. But I'm learning that sometimes things have to change...especially on those days when nothing seems to be going right. Sometimes the schedule needs to be tweeked, sometimes I've been lazy in the "discipline-of-the-kids" department and I need to repent of that and put the rod into good use, sometimes I need to throw away the homeschool/household to-do-list for the day and actually be okay with that. Sometimes, I need to make boxed mac-and-cheese for dinner twice in one week...and be okay with that too! I suppose it all comes down to being flexible according to the needs of the day. So if a day is falling apart, and my emotions and wits are also falling apart, I need to be DISCIPLINED to ask myself the question, "What can I change for today (or for this week, or permanently)that would make this a smoother ride for all involved?"

Oatmeal: Buffet Style

2011-01-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

I finally figured out a way to get my kids to eat oatmeal regularly without me making them eat it...and without resorting to those highly sugared instant oatmeal packets. Every morning, I have about fifteen minutes to get breakfast on the table for 7 people. I like oatmeal because it's healthy and cheap and fast! Finally, I was inspired by Starbucks oatmeal. They give you a bowl of oatmeal, and then little packets of toppings you can sprinkle in: brown sugar, nuts, and dried fruit. So this week, I've been making a big batch of rolled oats on the stove top in the AM...and then I put a few bowls on the table full of sliced almonds, craisins, and raisins...with a jar of honey and a gallon of milk on the side. The kids get to pick what they put into their oatmeal...and it worked! They gobbled it up...and then asked if we could have the same thing again the next day! Wow!

Elijah: Man of Death and Resurrection APPLIED

2011-01-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

Just a note: if you haven't read my previous post, then read that one first!

I wanted to provide some application for my previous post "Elijah: Man of Death and Resurrection". I should have said PROPHET of Death and Resurrection, because he was most definitely a prophet, not just a man. And that is important. Because in that he was a prophet, he represented Israel. He is a picture on legs of what God was doing with the nation of Israel as a whole. I think that maybe all the prophets in Scripture are pictures of Israel, or of Israel's king. (Ezekiel really demonstrated this relationship). So since Elijah was a picture of Israel's deadness because of their sins and idolatry, he was also a living testimony of God's recreating and resurrecting them. So how does this apply to us?

Well, it's important to know what Scripture is trying to teach us, and not just try to come up with little morals that we can apply to our day-to-day lives. The point of 1 Kings 17 when Elijah is fed by the ravens is not just that if we are ever in dire straights, God will provide for us. God has indeed promised to provide for us, and 1 Kings is a good reminder of that, but there is a bigger picture going on too. And in order to see the bigger picture, we must know how to read our Bibles. For example, learning what certain numbers mean in Scripture (like I mentioned below), offer us hints as to the big picture. And it is from these hints that we can accurately apply God's word to our lives.

Since Elijah is so obviously a shadow of Jesus Christ, we can look to Elijah's role, and to Jesus Christ's role as prophet, for one of our applications. (I'm sure there are others, but this is the one I can see). As our Prophet, Jesus Christ represents us (the new Israel) in our sins and idolatry. And He becomes THE picture of death and resurrection, just like Elijah demonstrated for the nation of Israel. Furthermore, being in Christ and in His death and resurrection, I know that He takes each and every one of my daily deaths, and will bring them to fruitful resurrection. So we die daily...in hope...of resurrection and recreation! Now that is GOOD NEWS that I can hang my hat on TODAY!

Elijah: Man of Death and Resurrection

2011-01-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have been studying 1 Kings lately, and have discovered some interesting things. I thought I would share some of those findings with you! The first is about Elijah, and after studying him more, I am so glad we named our first son after him. One of the things I noticed about Elijah is that he is a walking picture of death and resurrection, which means that he himself is a shadow of Christ. Nowhere do we get a better picture of this than in 1 Kings 17 + 18.

First, we see Elijah pronouncing drought upon Israel (death), and then three years later (in chapter 18) Elijah prays, and it rains (resurrection). By the way, most of the time in Scripture, when you read the number 3, you can think "death and resurrection", as seen in Christ being in the grave for 3 days, and resurrecting on the third. Then, after Elijah announces drought, he goes to the brook Cherith where the ravens provide food for him. While there, the brook dries up that he was drinking from (death), so God tells him to go stay with a widow and God will provide sustenance for him there (resurrection). So Elijah finds the widow, who is making preparations for a last meal with her son before they die of starvation (death), but Elijah causes the pot of oil and the bowl of flour to not be exhausted (resurrection). Then, the son of the woman becomes sick and dies (death). Elijah stretches himself upon the boy THREE times, and comes back to life (obvious resurrection).

Going now into chapter 18 where we have the story of Elijah having a competition with the prophets of Baal. The prophets of Baal call upon their god to send fire three distinct times, verses 26, 28, and 29 (death). Then its Elijah's turn. He rebuilds the altar of the Lord which had been torn down using twelve stones (this is a picture of Israel being rebuilt). Then, he has them pour four pitchers of water on the altar THREE times. This altar is a picture of Israel being dead in their sins and idolatry. 4 pitchers of water three times equals twelve, the same number of the tribes of Israel. In verse 37, Elijah prays, "Answer me, O Lord, answer men, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, AND THAT YOU HAVE TURNED THEIR HEART BACK AGAIN.". This is an obvious picture of Israel being recreated (I'll explain more in a little bit). Fire falls from heaven and consumes the sacrifice and altar (resurrection). God has restored fellowship with His people. Then, Elijah goes to the top of Mt. Carmel, where he crouches down. He sends his servant SEVEN times to go look toward the sea to see if there are any rain clouds coming. On the SEVENTH time, he finally sees a cloud, and then heavy showers fall upon Israel after THREE years of drought (resurrection). Most of the time in Scripture when you see the number 7, it refers to recreation. This is yet another picture of Israel being recreated.

So there is a little Bible lesson for you. I hope I haven't communicated it in a confusing way. If so, please let me know, and I'll try to be clearer. I'll post some more about Elijah in another post!

Gospel Training

2011-01-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

Ben shared this with me earlier this week, and I cannot stop thinking about it. He referred to that verse in Proverbs "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." He then said that usually when we read that verse, the first thing we think of is discipline. "If only I spank or discipline my child enough, then we he's old, he won't depart from the way." But the way we should think about that verse is in gospel terms. The gospel is beautiful, and God has dumped blessings on our heads, not least of which is salvation. So, in our dealings with our children, we should dump blessings on their heads (yes, discipline is one of those blessings, but certainly not the only one), and when they are old, they will not depart from all they have been taught. So...am I thinking of how I can dump blessings on my kids heads? Doing so creates a gospel culture in the home that is irresistible, and our kids will have a hard time departing from thatwhen they are older.

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #3

2011-01-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #3 is one my husband reminded me of the other day. I told him that I was tired of giving myself pep-talks to try to get through the day. His answer to me was, "Sometimes pep-talks don't work. That's when it comes down to faith".
So Tip #3 is FAITH AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
When it comes down to it, we must walk and live by faith. What does this look like in my day-to-day homeschooling and family life? It looks like obedience even when I don't feel like it. It means that I live right smack up next to the hot white fire of God's holiness: I live in the fear of the Lord. That doesn't mean that I'm terrified by Him (because His own blood covers me, afterall), but that I honor Him as Lord of all things and of all my circumstances. It means that I recognize the weight of His justification of me, and I live in holiness just as He is holy. How is this accomplished? By faith. When all other pep-talks fail, and I can't see the light under the weight of my homeschooling and children-raising responsibilities...I don't throw up my hands in despair...I hold up my open hands to God in faith.

Amazing Cinnamon Rolls

2011-01-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

I made these Cinnamon Rolls from AllRecipes.com for the second time today. They are the best recipe I have found (and I've tried many).

CINNAMON ROLLS
Ingredients

* 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
* 1 egg
* 3 cups bread flour
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 3 tablespoons instant powdered milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 5 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon instant yeast
* 1/3 cup butter
* 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter, softened (for spreading)
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Place water, egg, bread flour, white sugar, powdered milk, salt, 5 tablespoons butter and yeast in bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select DOUGH setting, and turn machine on.
2. Meanwhile; in a small saucepan, melt 1/3 cup butter. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and ice cream; bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour caramel into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. When machine has finished cycling remove dough from pan and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Crumble 1/2 cup brown sugar over the top. Roll up, and seal edge. Cut into 12 rolls, and place in prepared pan of caramel. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #2

2011-01-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

Nitty Gritty Homeschool tip #2 is:
Look to what you have to be grateful for. In one word: GRATITUDE! I realized that I was despairing and rolling around in discontentment because our homeschooling isn't perfect. But then I thought, "Well, what schooling situation is perfect?" The fact of the matter is that we live in a fallen world, so no education is perfect, and to aim for perfection is to make an idol out of it. So, I commit my works to the Lord, work hard to glorify Him in our schooling, and be grateful for all things and to take special notice of what IS going right.
So today my gratitude list looks like this:
*Elijah knows almost all of his doubles math facts (You see, my temptation is to look at the facts he doesn't know instead of the ones he does know).
*We actually made it to the library today, and all the books on my list were actually there! (even though I did have a $9 fine...Ben please don't kill me :-)
*My girls love reading and are quite quick at it.
*All my kids are great in math.
*Abigail's handwriting is improving, and she is really getting the hang of grammar.
*I'm so thankful for the opportunity this year for Elijah to attend the Oaks. He is growing in amazing ways there.

Anyway, I'm not going to write out everything, but the idea is to look at what IS going right and to be down right thankful for that. And added to that, to be grateful too for the shortcomings you see in your situation. That, I think, will bring joy!

Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #1

2011-01-05T16:06:00.000-08:00

There are many days in which homeschooling is rolling along just fine; and then there are days in which I feel all is lost. So in an effort to get myself off that rollercoaster of ups and downs during homeschooling days, I have turned to some careful scrutiny of myself, and a search for wisdom to apply to those challenging days. So I thought I would share my findings with you as they come to me. So here is the first:
Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tip #1
STOP LYING TO YOURSELF
I realized that on days when things seem to be going awry, I lie to myself. I tell myself: "It's ALWAYS like this!" And then I despair. So tip #1 is to stop listening to lies, and to speak truth to myself. The truth is is that it is NOT ALWAYS like this. Sure, some days are challenging, but most days I really am able to handle things in an okey-dokey manner even though it is hard work.

Christmas Recital

2011-01-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

On January 1, we hosted a recital for Hannah and Abby, Jackson (playing on the cello), and Annalisa and Alyssa. It was a lovely time, and a fun time. We also asked James (studying music at Whitworth) to perform a couple of songs for our students as well. Afterwards, we had dessert, wine, and coffee. Can't wait until the next recital!

Snow Fun

2010-12-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

Who needs the gym when you have a foot of snow to shovel because the snow blower is broken, and kids to pull in the sled?

I want to share with you my kids' Christmas gifts to me; they are very precious and thoughtful. The first is a little initialed notebook, the second a homemade coupon envelope, complete with paper clips and expired coupons that they had been collecting for sometime (funny: I remember giving my mom coupons as a gift before too), then a Godiva chocolate, a ziplock bag of red and green M&Ms, and a sock snowman that Elijah made at school and wrapped for my Christmas gift.

God's Glory Magnified

2010-12-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

This crystal has been magnified 162 times under electron magnification. Amazing!

Affliction and Praise

2010-12-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

One thing that has struck me in reading the Psalms, is how many times the Psalmist praises God in the midst of suffering. It has seemed to me that praising God and going through trial are terms that are opposite from one another, or that we should praise God after the He has already delivered us. But the Psalmist did not think so. Take these examples, which are verses taken from the context of much adversity for the Psalmist:

"But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high. I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:29,30
"My mouth is filled with Your praise And with Your glory all day long." Psalm 71:8
"But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more." Psalm 71:14

So it seems that the Psalmist not only prayed to God for deliverance, and let his complaint be known to God, but he also praised God in the midst of his affliction. And Psalm 71:15,16 helps us out during the times when it seems that we can't find anything to praise God for: "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the sum of them. I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone." So God's righteousness, faithfulness, holiness, salvation, and His mighty deeds are the fodder for praising God.

Seven Course Christmas Dinner

2010-12-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

This Christmas I did something that I've wanted to do for a few years now...served Christmas dinner in courses. So with our friends the Youngs and the Matangelos, we feasted at the table for over 2 hours...with all 11 kids in tow. We had a fun, fun time. Here was my menu:

Alexander Christmas 2010

1
Christmas Chocolate

2
Soupe a l’Oignon Gratinee

3
Green Salad with Basil Dressing

4
Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Wine Sauce
Potatoes Mashed
Sauteed Garlic Green Beans

5
Pallet cleanser: Fresh Cranberry Sauce

6
Cheese Platter

7
Dessert

Christmas Morning!

2010-12-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Being Christ to our Kids

2010-12-27T11:36:00.000-08:00

This morning I was contemplating how to be more gracious, kind, and patient with my kids...something I fail in sometimes. I knew that the answer was to be full of God's graciousness, kindness, and patience to me. But how to be full of Him? Then I thought, that the answer is in disciplined meditation upon God's many kindnesses to me, and His patience and graciousness toward me. Actually making my mind dwell on His kind acts towards me, and physical blessings, and specific times that He's has been/currently is patient toward me. Then, by His grace, I'll be full of Him, and ready to pour out His kindness and patience to my children.

At last! Perfect Soupe a l’Oignon Gratinee...aka French Onion Soup!

2010-12-27T11:30:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a small coffee break from all of my Christmas cooking to share with you THE recipe for French Onion Soup that I have FINALLY perfected. The first time I had this soup was a year-and-a-half ago at the White House Grill. WOW! Was I amazed, and knew I had to recreate this. The chef refused to share the recipe with me, even though I promised never to sell it for any $. So I have made French Onion Soup after French Onion Soup, much to the chagrin of my family, to make it perfect. I have tried many recipes and tweaked many recipes. I tried it with white wine and red wine. I tried it with only beef broth, and a mix of beef and chicken broth. I tried it with vermouth, and other white wines. I tried thickly sliced onions, and thinly sliced onions. I tried only cooking the onions on the stovetop, and slow roasting them in the oven. I tried different proportions of onions to broth. I tried different cheeses...from Swiss, to Gruyere (no), to others. The skeleton for my recipe is from Julia Child, but I adjusted it and changed it up as I desired. And AT LAST...I have it perfected...so here it is.

By the way, French Onion Soup is quite easy and inexpensive to make. So don't be scared off by my going's ons, or by the fact that it is French.

French Onion Soup
4-6 servings

*3-4 yellow onions (not Vidalia, and not White), ends cut off, peeled, quartered, quartered again, and thinly sliced 1/4 inch thick...enough to equal five cups.
*3 Tbsp. butter
*1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp. sugar
*3 Tbsp. flour
* 1 1/2 cans of reduced sodium beef broth
* 1 quart homemade chicken stock
* 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup Chardonay
*salt and pepper
* 5 sprigs of fresh thyme tied together with cooking string (no dried thyme, please)
* Loaf of GOOD QUALITY French or Artisan Bread (DO NOT go cheapy on this! I have a recipe if you so desire to make your own!)
* Olive oil
* Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
*Swiss cheese, thinly sliced.

Butter the inside of an enamel pot. Place on stove and add 3 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil and melt. Add onions to pot and cook, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring semi occasionally. Uncover, and stir in salt and sugar. Cook uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions have turned a brown color and are greatly reduced.
Sprinkle in flour and stir for 3 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and beef stock and wine. Add 1/4 tsp. salt and bouquet of thyme. Simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Taste periodically and add more beef broth a 1/2 cup at a time and more wine 1/4 cup at a time if it needs more depth and richness. Add more salt if necessary. Add pepper. Discard thyme. Set aside until ready to serve, then reheat to the simmer.
Meanwhile, prepare croutons. Slice bread and cut into 1 inch chunks. Spread bread cubes over a baking pan and toss with a little bit of olive oil. Bake or broil until kind of crispy, tossing occasionally.
When ready to serve soup, turn on the broiler, and using a ladle to pour simmering soup into broiler safe bowls or tourreens, leaving about 1/2 inch of room or more at top. Cover soup with a layer of toasted bread cubes, and place one slice of provolone, and one slice of swiss cheese over each bowl. (It helps to have bowls sitting on a baking sheet). Put baking sheet with bowls on it under the broiler, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Good News!

2010-12-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

I found these words from E.M. Bounds in "The Necessity of Prayer" a good reminder, for those times when it seems too hard to obey:

"If anyone complains that man under the fall is too weak and helpless to obey these high commands of God, the answer is that, through the atonement of Christ, man IS able to obey. The atonement is God's enabling act. God works in us, through regeneration and the agency of the Holy Spirit, the enabling grace sufficient for all that is required of us under the atonement. This grace is furnished without measure in answer to prayer.
So, while God commands, He, at the same time, stands pledged to give us all the necessary strength of will and grace of soul to meet His demands. Because this is true, man has no excuse for disobedience."

So, go...don't complain, be thankful, be kind, wait on the Lord, be patient, put away bitterness, forgive, be gracious and merciful...because God gives "the enabling grace sufficient for all that is required"! Isn't that good news?

Very Cute

2010-12-21T17:26:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Village

2010-12-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

You can totally tell that I'm not homeschooling this week, since I actually have time to blog! Here are some pictures of the gingerbread village all cozy beneath our Christmas tree. When Ben was gone a few weekends ago, the kids and I made gingerbread houses, then Elijah made a gingerbread house at school, and the four of the kids made gingerbread houses at the co-op. So, needless to say, we have quite the community. The kids even went so far as to label each house...the church, the mall, etc.

Ben's Ordination

2010-12-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

These are some of the few pics I have from Ben's ordination service on my 31st b-day...Dec 3. There were five godly pastors who each gave a 10-minute exhortation to Ben, then Ben took His vows, and then the pastors laid their hands on him and prayed for him. We were so very thankful for their sacrifice to come...some of them driving as far as an hour-and-half, and to Ben's parents who came all the way from Texas. In the future, when I'm discouraged in ministry, I think I'll listen to those exhortations and have my cup filled up again. The Lord has brought us on a 12+ year-long journey to this point, and His faithful guidance has never been lacking. We attest to His lovingkindess...His "hesod"...His covenant faithfulness!

Elijah's Christmas Play

2010-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Last week, Elijah starred in the Oak's Christmas production as a lowly shepherd. His line was, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see the newborn King!" He's kind of hard to spot in these pics, but in one of the pics he's the one bowing in front of the manger with his back turned toward us, in another one, he's standing to the farthest left of the angels. In the other pic, all the Kindergartners are singing "Away in a Manger" and he's standing next to the black and white cow.

Overdue Reformation Pics

2010-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

So here's the pics from Reformation Day...only 52 days late. Happy first day of winter, BTW. Elijah dressed up as a Papal Bull. He didn't win the costume contest, but he totally should have! I was mighty proud of this costume. I made it without even using a pattern. You can't really see it in the pic, but the back is all furry. Hannah was one of Henry VIII wives, I don't remember which one. She actually won the contest. Abby was the Vulgate...the Scriptures translated into the vulgar (common) tongue of Latin. Julia was...well...a Reformation looking character dressed up in the princess dress-up laying on the living room floor.

Excuses, excuses...Like father, like son

2010-08-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

It can seem like the easy way out to make excuses for our kids sinful behavior...easier and quicker than disciplining them. But making excuses for our kids sin will only reap a harvest of misery in the future. Excuses sound like this, "He didn't know", "Maybe she didn't hear me", "He's so young", "He didn't understand", "I don't think she meant to do that", "He's tired", etc. The parents end up making excuses most of the time for their kids, rather than faithfully disciplining them when they sin. The kids know they got away with something too...they understand far more than we think they do. And they may be happy that they got away with it, because let's face it, they know that "no discipline at the moment is pleasant." However, children who constantly get away with things as a result of their parents excuse making will over time resent their parents, become bitter towards them, and rebel. What only adds fuel to this fire, is that often times, parents who make excuses for their kids' sin, often make excuses for their own sin as well. They use tiredness as an excuse to be grumpy to the family. PMS is a common excuse for railroading those closest to us. "I would respect him more if he were more respectable", or "If only my circumstances were different,then I would be content." Kids see through all of this excuse making; they see the hypocrisy of it, and if left to grow, the roots of bitterness grow deep and later produce fruit of rebellion. They will not be able to see the sinfulness of their sin, because they were trained growing up to excuse it away.

So, first of all...stop making excuses for your own sin! Take responsibility when you do, confess it, and move on with newness of life. Next, stop making excuses for you child's sin! Yes, make sure that when you give a command, that you have their eye contact and the command is simple. That way, if they disobey, you know that they definitely heard and understood you. Do not lead them into temptation; make sure that they get plenty of rest at night and during the day so that opportunities to sin as a result of tiredness are not abounding. But even if they do happen to be tired and they sin, don't make excuses, but faithfully discipline. And expect the same godly behavior from yourself even when you are tired. Children will love you for not allowing them to get away with things, and over time, they will of their own accord rend their own hearts to the Lord because they saw their own parents do this, and they were trained to do it themselves. They will be able to see sin as sin, and confess it as sin, and be clothed with Christ's righteousness.

"No discipline at the moment seems pleasant, but to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Heb 12:11

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world leads to death." 2 Cor. 7:10

The Goal of Our Instruction...

2010-08-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Tim. 1:5

This is the verse I have posted on my fridge right now as I begin a new home schooling year. Academics are important, so long as they serve the all-important goal of loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for Kids

2010-08-16T16:46:00.001-07:00

As parents, it is our duty to instill respect for authority within our children. Teaching your children to respect your God-given authority comes through many teaching moments. But the one particular way I want to talk about here is this: respecting your kids. How can we expect out kids to respect us, when we don't respect them? It simply means applying the Golden Rule to the area of respect. In other words, respect your children the way you want to be respected. It's easy to disrespect our kids because they are small in frame and in understanding. We think that it's okay to talk shortly and rudely with them, or to pull them up by a short chain in front of other kids or parents. Here is one example of how NOT to respect your kids. Say your son in playing over at the neighbor's house. You told him to be home at 4:00. 4:00 comes and goes, and you have to march on down to the neighbor's house in order to retrieve your son. You knock on the door, and the mother answers the door. You see your son playing legos on the floor with his playmate. You start letting him have it right in front of his friend and his friend's mom, much to the embarrassment of everyone involved. Throwing your authority around in this manner actually produces the opposite effect on our children then the one we were trying to achieve. Disrespecting our kids in this manner does not teach them to respect us more, it teaches them to disrespect us more. What this mother should have done after knocking on the door of the neighbor's house was to thank the mother for having her son over to play, have little John thank his friend and the mother, taken him home, and immediately have a talk with him to figure out why he was late and then deal with it accordingly...in the privacy of their home. Though the child may have acted in the wrong, you can still deal with him in a respectful manner. Respecting our kids spills over into how we talk to and with them, how we deal with their sin, confessing your sin to them when you have sinned against them, not talking about their faults in front of others (would you like it if your kids or husband told all your faults in front of others?), not comparing them to other kids, not calling them stupid, not treating their desires and interests as stupid and beneath you, etc. So put your self in your kids small shoes, and ask yourself, "If I was in their situation, how would I want to be treated?" Respecting your kids will breed respect for yourself as their parent. And if you have their respect, you will be able to teach them all kinds of other things about God, His word, His commands, and more with ease!

Andreas 1st B-day

2010-08-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Music Camp Highlights

2010-08-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hannah dances the Virginia Reel

Hannah and Victoria before the concert

Kent and Robin play for the dance practice

Abby and Daddy Dosi-Doe

Lemon pie, lemon pie, the only pie I want tonight...

2010-07-15T15:14:00.001-07:00

Tonight we're celebrating Ben's 31st b-day. I made him lemon meringue pie. I'm so happy he wanted lemon meringue pie because I also LOVE lemon meringue pie! Funny...I had NO idea that Ben liked this pie...and I've known him for more than half my life! Just goes to show that there is still mystery in a marriage after 10 years of married life! Oh, and if your looking at my pie and thinking, "Is that a STORE-bought crust sitting underneath that beautiful meringue? GASP", you are making a correct observation. I know, I know, I almost ALWAYS make my own crusts, but sometimes in life you have to know where to cut the corners, and this was one of those corner cutting weeks!

Papa and Granny Time

2010-07-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

Summer Sun Time

2010-07-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

Summertime is short here in the NW...so you have to get out in the sun when you can! Last week while waiting in line at the pool, I overheard one mother tell her teenage daughter to, "Stay out of the sun." Why? You can stay out of the sun no problem around here all other 364 days of the year when the sun is hiding behind the clouds, or indoors when it's too cold to go out! I chuckled secretly inside myself (he he he)

Home Economics

2010-05-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the pillows we embroidered and sewed with our girlsies for our home-ec class in our home school co-op.

Greyfriars

2010-02-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Ben is officially done with Greyfriars! On Sunday he received his plaque and hood in Moscow! A very momentous occasion for us after 5 1/2 years of hard work! The next big E on the eye chart will be ordination before the presbytery this coming October, if the Lord wills. We rejoice in the Lord!

On Reading Beowulf

2010-02-16T16:46:00.001-08:00

"Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin form the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away." -Beowulf.

Christ's Righteousness!

2010-02-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

It is a common temptation for me, and I suppose many moms, to seek to establish our own righteousness in regards to child rearing. I find myself sometimes asking, "Am I doing enough to ensure that my kids turn out alright?" The temptation is to think that we can produce kids who are good and who love the Lord by doing all the right things. The problem is that trying to do all the right things actually produces the opposite of what we are trying to achieve; for where the law is, the end result is death. The answer to the above question is "No. I will NEVER be able to do enough." And this is where Christ enters in. He HAS done ALL that is required to ensure our salvation! We accept His grace. Grace filled homes are the ones that "succeed". Isn't that a freeing thought? I can never do enough, but Christ has done all! So stop trying, and start resting! And then your home will be joy-filled, grace-filled, life-filled, and love-filled.

2010-02-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

Ten Year Anniversary

2010-01-13T21:06:00.000-08:00

I Like This Picture...

2010-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Two More Pics

2010-01-13T20:43:00.000-08:00

A Few Christmas Pics

2010-01-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Kids

2008-10-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Presbytery

2008-10-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last, week Ben and I were in Houston, Texas, for Presbytery. I had the time of my life: I didn't make my bed or cook a meal for 7 whole days! I read an entire book over the course of the week, and totally relished all Ben's attentions. Getting to know other pastor's wives in our denomination was a tremendous blessing to me; they are so godly and mature. Nancy Wilson gave two talks to the pastor's wives, and we had a ladies luncheon. The ladies also spent a lot of time shopping and talking together. One of the biggest blessings of the week was spending time with my dear friend Chrissy Evans. Being with her was a true gift from the Lord. God is doing some wonderful works in our denomination. The worship service one evening brought me close to tears when I was hearing all of these godly pastors singing Psalms to our Lord. What an honor it is for Ben and I to be serving in our denomination among such men. May God continue to be honored and glorified. Here is a pic of the Greyfriar guys (many of them former Greyfriars) with Pastors Douglas Wilson and Mike Lawyer. By the way, Ben is also now a FORMER Greyfriar, finishing Greyfriars just a few days before Presbytery!

Julia Walking!

2008-10-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Julia has finally decided to join the ranks of those who walk, forsaking those who prefer scooting around on their behinds.

Sabbath Rest

2008-10-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

I don't think it would have been possible to squeeze any more blessings into one day...It was an absolutely fantastic Day of Rest. Thank you, Lord! This pretty much sums it up...
Julia kisses
cool fall day
Hot shower
Baroque choral music
eggs
bacon
chocolate chip and apricot scones
coffee
Hannah, Abigail, and Elijah
Psalm singing
Ben's preaching
holy communion
fellowship
burgers and chips
road trip
beautiful Palouse hills
big puffy clouds
Dorothy Sayers "The Nine Tailors"
Bishop's Orchards
apple picking
cider presses
sweet juicy apples
rain
scenic drive
latte's
listening to Coldplay, Rogue Wave, the Weepies
holding hubby's hand
popcorn
grilled cheese sandwich
Ceaser salad
hot tea
watching "The Fellowship of the Ring"
the most comfortable mattress, softest pillow, and the warmest covers
thick sleep!

Okay I'm back...with some really cute pics of Julia

2008-10-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

Dear blog readers,
I'm back from a very long break of non-blogging, with some pictures I took last night of Julia. She is at such an adorable age. She likes to put this green hat on all by herself, and she was hamming it up for the camera. She is mighty proud of herself when she can stand up all by herself.

Look at those teeth...and the belly button!

Abby's B-day Party

2008-10-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Abby is now officially six years old! Pops and Grammy AND Granny were all here for here special day, which included, teddy pancakes for breakfast, gifts of course, date with Daddy, TWO birthday cakes, and a clown party with friends. Here's a pic of the bday girl wearing the dress I made for her. I also made her a skirt and an apron, with a matching skirt and apron for her new doll.

My mom made this clown costume.

Is this a dangerous picture or what?
Abby had a clown party. Here's her clown cake; we played pin the nose on the clown, and made fruit loop necklaces at the party too.

Here's the b-day party crowd. Who says homeschooled kids aren't socialized? Between church friends, and neighbors, I think we're well covered!

Cat Tales

2008-06-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have a very long to-do list for my kids this summer...all totally fun stuff. So get set for a lot of summer time fun pictures. Yesterday we went to Cat Tales: a zoological park full of cats. Here's some pics.

This lion is the "MGM" lion that you would see growling at the beggining of MGM Studios movies. He's retired now because he stopped growling on demand!

Fresh Cleaning

2008-06-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Recently I've made some of my own cleaning solutions, and I know this sounds silly, but I actually look forward to cleaning my bathroom now, because they're so much fun to use! Isn't that absolutely ridiculous? I was so tired of the feeling of my lungs being coated with bleachiness for the rest of the day after I would clean the kitchen or bathroom...not to mention that all those chemicals are being rinsed right down the drain. I do not consider myself a "green" person, and I'm not into the "pink is the new green" thing. But here are my recipees for some cleaning solutions:

All-purpose cleanser:
(this works great as a deodorizer...like with potty accidents...or on greasy surfaces like the stove top)
In a spray bottle mix together 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 3/4 pints water.

Bathroom cleaner:
Sprinkle a little bit of borax (borax is a mineral...not a chemical...that has disinfectant properties) on sink and in tub. Scrub with a sponge and rinse. After cleaning tub this way, spray tub with a solution of vinegar and water and wipe.

Toilet cleaner:
Pour some borax and a little bit of lemon juice in toilet. Let stand for 20 minutes. Scrub.

Disinfectant cleaner:
In a spray bottle, mix together water and 20 drops of lavendar, tea tree oil, lemon, grapefruit or any combination of the above of essential oils. (all the oils listed are disinfectants and work just as well as Lysol at killing germs!) I spray this all over my bathroom fixtures and then wipe dry after I've cleaned the bathroom. It leaves the bathroom smelling very fresh.

The Picture You've All Been Waiting For...

2008-06-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

The bride and groom...Jayson and Bethany Heslop, with the mother of the bride Diana Doud.

Throwing bird seed on the bride and groom...I love what that symbolizes..."Have lots of babies"!!

Proof that I was at the wedding! It was a new thing for me to say, "I'm the minister's wife!" But I was proud to say it!

Here is some of the Miltenberger family...we stayed at their house in Montana and had the most amazing time. From left to right...Molly, Kathleen (friend of the family), and Margot.

Awesome couple...Richard and Katie Miltenberger...I'm so happy they're in Spokane!

This past weekend, Ben officiated his first wedding...and let me tell you...he did an amazing job. His wedding homily (sermon) was fantastic! He seemed very confident, not nervous at all. So here he is wearing his clerical robe. White represents Christ (when a pastor delivers God's word to the people, he represents Christ to them), as well as the purity of the Church. The red on the stole is the color of the Church, and the red symbols are the Jerusalem cross. The rope around his waist symbolizes being a slave to Christ. He really looks "set apart" when he wears this robe. Let me tell you, it was such and honor for Ben and I to be a part of this wedding. You're allowed into a very intimate and emotional circle for a time. We felt so honored to be a part of the beginning of this couple's lives together.

Summer Time

2008-06-23T15:41:00.001-07:00

Ben took Elijah camping...they had an amazing time together...and they caught three large rainbow trout!

What's Growing in My Garden

2008-06-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Here's some of the flowers growing in my garden. I have other flowers and plants too...roses, daises, dragons heads...but my camera ran out of battery. I just love them all! How gracious of our Creator! I especially like the Columbines...Colorado's state flower! They're put together in such an interesting way...I don't know how they just don't blow apart every time the wind blows upon them.

To My Dear Dad...

2008-06-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day! I sent you a card, but I know it will show up way after the fact. I thought I would post some pics for you from the last couple of years. Maybe it will give you a teaser for this summer when we'll be together again. Love you so much Dad...I owe you much thanks for the happy life you've given to me...what a gift! Have a great day!

Some Cute Elijah Quotes

2008-06-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

Elijah has had some precious things to say lately.
On Sunday, Elijah picked some little flowers for me, and after he gave them to me he said, "I picked these out of love for you Mom." Oh it was so sweet.
Then last night when I was tucking him into bed, I asked him if he was happy or sad (I could tell that he was pretty happy). He said, "I'm happy!" And I asked him why he was happy, and he responded, "Because you're here with me Mommy!" I didn't expect him to say that, and I think it made my day!

A Spurgeon Quote

2008-06-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

"The gospel is like a caged lion. It does not need to be defended, it just needs to be let out of its cage."

-Charles Spurgeon

Just a Year Ago...

2008-06-03T15:48:00.001-07:00

Since Julia just turned one, I thought I would post a few pictures from 1 year ago. The picture of me pregnant was just a few days before Julia was born...we went hiking to try to get her to come! The last picture of her looks pretty funny!

Julia's 1st Birthday!

2008-06-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

Julia just turned one on May 30. We really had a fun day just delighting in her. I enjoyed every moment of the day...she is so wonderful. I finished a special dress for her to wear on her b-day, and she enjoyed her first cake...butter cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. It was so cute...the whole time we were singing Happy Birthday to her, she was just smiling and smiling...she loves music. What a precious gift from God she is...we thank the Lord for her.

Finally!

2008-05-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well we finally have some warm weather! The kids had a blast yesterday in the sprinklers. I love the smells of summer...suncreen, hose water, bque!

Also, yesterday I saw some of that precious fruit of the gospel growing in Hannah. I overhead Hannah explaining to one of the neighbor girls yesterday how she is a daughter of God, and that Victoria (the neighbor) can be a daughter of God too if she trusts in God and is baptized. I was so glad to hear Hannah sharing the gospel with her friend. If only we adults were as faithful in sharing this good news as our little ones are.

Saved!

2008-05-15T17:28:00.001-07:00

Can you believe what we rescued from the dumpster? Last weekend our church guys were doing yet another clean out day of our newly acquired church building, and one guy just barely spared this desk from going into the dumpster...now our computer sits on it, and an old window frame I saved too. Our computer is much happier now that it is sitting on a real desk, rather than a coffee table as before. The other piece of furniture we resuced was this solid oak dresser! I put it in the dining room...one can never have too much storage.

Okay, I'm Back!

2008-05-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well here I am...back to posting! But cut me some slack over the long delay...we moved....need I explain more? I've been busy busy painting and such around the house (in one of these pics you can see the brown color I painted the dining room). We really are enjoying this house (this parsonage). We have a lot of room to run around in here...a fireplace (which we have used quite a number of times...since it's so stinkin cold up here in the NW)...and a jacuzzi hottub (just kidding). And moving here has cut back on our monthly car gas bill (thank the Lord...$3.68 a gallon hello) since Ben's office is 8 feet away! Since we have more space, we've been having people over like maniacs, another reason I haven't blogged in a while. I haven't taken any pics of the outside of the house, but here's some pics of Hannah and Elijah's b-days...we had a joint party complete with pinata and Sangria (pinata for kids, Sangria for adults, that is:-)

prima ballerinas

Spider Man and the Green Goblin duke it out in the oreo mine.

Would it be a girl party without fairies, butterflies, or ballerinas?

Pinata watching.

See my handsome hub with my handsome son?

See the brown paint? Hu hu? What d'ya think? I know, very bold of me.

B-day watermelon

Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones with Devonshire Cream

2008-03-24T20:45:00.001-07:00

I sure do like scones. And almost everything is better when you add some chocolate chips to the batter! At the Maple Street Bistro where I get my coffee at times, they serve their scones with Devonshire cream. Once I enjoyed this treat, I had to savor it again...but alas, the next time I went in greatly anticipating my blueberry scone topped with Devonshire cream...they were out of the cream!!!! I was disappointed to be sure, but I tried to control myself and not let it show. I simply told the barrista how much I enjoy Devonshire cream and mentioned how I'll have to try to find the recipe for it. So later on when I was at a table sipping my latte and eating a blueberry scone...plain...this sweet barrista came over with a copy of the recipe for Devonshire cream!! I was very happy, and have made it three times since! I know you'll enjoy it too...and it's very easy to whip up! I promised the gal that I wouldn't sell the recipe and make millions off of it (though I'm sure I could since it is THAT good)...so I'm trusting you not to do the same!

Maybe tomorrow, I'll take a picture of a scone topped with the Devonshire Cream to get you drooling enough to make this recipe!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

2 2/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup whole dried cherries
1/3 cup (or more) chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk (don't be tempted to add more!)
Sugar in the Raw

In your mixer, mix together dry ingredients. Add butter and mix until butter is a little less than pea size. Stir in cherries and chocolate chips. Add milk all at once and stir until all flour is sticky, but don't overmix! Shape into 2 balls. Flatten each ball into 3/4 inch rounds and place side by side on greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle tops with Sugar in the Raw. Using a sharp knife, cut each round into about 6 to 8 slices (but don't seperate the slices). Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Note: For a variation, use chopped dried apricots instead of cherries.

Devonshire Cream

3 oz cream cheese
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy cream

In your mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Add heavy cream and beat until peaks form. (The first time I made this I over beat it, and it turned into a thin liquid with butter chunks in it, so be careful to stop mixing as soon as you have a really thick custard looking cream that makes some peaks). You shouldn't have to beat for more than a minute or so. Keep covered in the fridge for up to several days. Serve chilled.

Easter Pics!!!

2008-03-24T20:34:00.001-07:00

Julia's first Easter!

Check out the shades on Abby! Elijah looked very handsome this Easter Sunday...and he told me that I looked very pretty...I thought that was sweet.

I think she likes Easter!

My Spring Chicks

2008-03-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hannah learned to ride her bike with no training wheels this week!!!!

I love this pic of Abby...the heels, the dress, the crown, and the bandaids on both knees. You should of seen her running in her heals too!

Look at Hannah (it's like this everyday too)...all the neighbor kids wear jeans and tennis shoes. But not Hannah. She always likes to look like a lady...even when learning to ride a bike. Notice the skirt...and the shoes!

I made these Hanky skirts for my Spring Chicks. They were a lot of fun to make, and every time they wear them, it makes me smile :-) I'm making Julia a dress and bloomers to match.

This Week in Pictures

2008-03-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

This is Julia's first time to sit on grass...just not green grass...yet. This week Hannah learned to ride a bike with no training wheels!

By the way, today is the first day of spring! (We woke up to about 1/2 an inch of snow on the ground!)

Holy Week

2008-03-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

Since this is Holy Week, I thought I would put a hymn on here for meditation. Today is Maundy Thursday, which was the day that we remember Christ's Last Supper with His disciples before He was crucified. At that Last Supper, He washed the disciple's feet, yet another picture of baptism, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (John 13:8). So tonight during our Holy Week liturgy, we will be washing one another's feet. In our family, we use Doug Jone's Easter Liturgy. Since Christ the King is here, every night we have chocolate and wine. But tomorrow night, the chocolate and wine will be on the table, but will suddenly be taken away, since it will seem that our hope in the Messiah has perished. On Easter morning, chocolate and wine will abound!!! I like how these tangible things can really drive home the greatest story...the resurrection! If you're interested, here's a link to that liturgy, though you would be starting a little late (but better late than never) http://wmson.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/.

Okay, so here's a hymn:

Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior

John Huss

Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior,

Turned away God's wrath forever;

By His bitter grief and woe

He saved us from the evil Foe.

As His pledge of love undying

He, this precious food supplying,

Gives His body with the bread

And with the wine the blood He shed.

Whoso to this Board repaireth

May take heed how He prepareth;

For if he does not believe,

Then death for life he shall recieve.

Praise the Father, who from heaven

Unto us such food hath given

And, to mend what we have done,

Gave into death His only Son.

Thou shalt hold with faith unshaken

That this food is to be taken

By the sick who are distrest,

By hearts that long for peace and rest.

Christ says: "Come, all ye that labor,

And receive My grace and favor;

They who feel no want nor ill

Need no physician's help nor skill.

"Useless were for thee My Passion,

If thy works thy weal could fashion.

This feast is not spread for thee

If thine own Savior thou wilt be."

If thy heart this truth professes

And thy mouth thy sin confesses,

His dear guest thou here shalt be,

And Christ Himself shall banquet thee.

More Than Thrifty

2008-03-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

I've been making out like a bandit at the thrift store around the corner from our house. Ben and I have been wanting a LONG table for a LONG time, and last Saturday, I found it! For $25!!!! It can seat about 12. With our other table, we were stuffing up to 8 adults around that thing, and kiddos had to sit somewhere else! Not much elbow room for sure! This table is major sturdy, and will fit beautifully into the dining room at the Parsonage which we'll be moving into in a few weeks. The top could use a refinishing job, which I think I'll tackle this summer. All we need now is some more chairs. We christened it by eating our St. Patty's day meal on it: corned beef, sweet potatoes and cabbage...and beer.

I also found a new solid wood, dovetailed dresser, in almost perfect condition at the same thrift store...$12!! Our family has expanded, but our dresses never have. So we've had a major deficit in the where-to-put-clothes department.

And then I found these moss green velvet pillow shams which I absolutely fell in love with...with a matching bed skirt...and a matching duvet cover (which I'm going to cut up, because I like my current duvet cover...thanks Lauren!). So thanks for sharing in my excitement over my finds!

Gems

2008-03-14T16:46:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love the color of these eggs? Very beautiful...very vibrant! My favorites are the aqua colored ones! We dyed these for our seder meal tomorrow night.

The last remaining snow...

2008-03-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Abby and Elijah gathered up what was left of the snow, and made mini snow forts for some of their critters. The last few days it has rained a little...a nice change from the snow!

Summer Please Come!

2008-03-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

I made these summer dresses for the girls...doing our part to encourage the coming of Spring! I love the fabric. Hannah is wearing a turtle neck under her's, because, yes, it is still cold here in the NW!

Blue Eyed Clabber Girl

2008-03-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Our New Church Building

2008-03-11T11:10:00.001-07:00

Our church has purchased it's first church building, and we are all so excited and are so blessed by the Lord. Before, we were meeting in a Grange building with quite disgusting bathrooms. We've worshipped at our new building for 2 weeks now; Ben will be preaching there on Easter Sunday! Here is a pic of part of the building.

In a few weeks, Ben and I will be moving into the parsonage next door to the church. The house will be a big blessing to us, and will give us a lot more room for hospitality. The parsonage was actually the original church building in the 20's and 30's, and in the 40's the church had grown too large, so they built the new church building, which we are now worshiping in! I sure would like to know more about the first pastor's family of the home we will be living in.

We have lost our FIRST tooth!!!!

2008-03-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hannah lost her first tooth yesterday! Very exciting for all of us. Incidentally, we all forgot to put the tooth under her pillow last night for the Tooth Fairy. But unfortunately, I accidentally threw her tooth away. I had put it in a little sandwich baggy and later that night when I was cleaning up the kitchen, I threw it away. It's a good thing the Tooth Fairy goes by the honors system!