Handy Mini

Well... the other day I needed to get out of the house, so I went to a crafts store to look around.  I came home with some foam hand cutouts that were on clearance and I had no idea what I was going to do with them.  The kids helped me do these wreaths.  I made one for myself and one for my mother-in-law for her classroom.  I thought it looked fallish.

I also made a tree out of the hands.  What can I say... I get bored a lot.

Next up is my little friend Katie Beth.  Isn't she cute?  She had a Mini Mouse themed party and I made a banner for it.  It was a lot of fun to make.  I painted "Katie Beth" on the banner but Gwen swore it said "that is my birthday" on it.  

Meal Plan

Easy chicken bake
grilled pork chops, broccoli, summer corn salad
taco salad
egg sandwiches, carrot sticks
Senegalese Peanut soup, crackers
leftovers
spicy shrimp, salad, applesauce

*extras- steel cut oats, homemade Italian dressing, cookies for Ben's birthday

Sleeping Beauty

She insisted on napping on the floor.  I thought she'd definitely not fall asleep...but I was wrong.

Dazed Hummingbird and Kitchen Helper

This was our magical moment of the day.  We just got new windows and one of them is a large picture window.  Ben heard a thump and saw a hummingbird fall into our hedge.  The hummingbird ran into our window and got dazed and confused.  Ben held him in his hand for a minute and then he flew away.  Look at Ben's concerned face.  Oh, and I saw a barn owl for the first time today.. in a cage...but still... GORGEOUS.

Gwen stood out in our yard for a while with her hand extended waiting for the hummingbird to sit on her hand.

Our picture window.  We got rid of the starburst... yippee!!!  Now I can REALLY spy on my neighbors and see what good things they have in their trash piles on trash day.  Did I say that out loud?  Well.. you know what I mean.

Here's my little kitchen helper making steel cut oats.  I've made a concerted effort to teach her the basics of kitchen knowledge... and she's very good about telling me not to touch the eye of the stove when it is bright red.  She tells me it is a sign saying "do not touch!"

Durufle Loveliness

A couple of songs from the Quatre Motets we are working on for the Chorale this season.  Translations are below the video.



Ubi Caritas

Where there are charity and love, God is there. The love of Christ has bound us together. Let us exult and rejoice in this. Let us fear and love the living God. and esteem him with a sincere heart
Tota pulchra es

Maria, you are wholly beautiful,
Original sin is not in you.
Your raiment is white as snow;and your face is like the sunMaria, you are wholly beautiful,Et macula originalis non est in te.You are the glory of Jerusalem,You are the happiness of IsraelYou give honour to our people.

Biblical Frog

The other day I bought Zeke a used children's Bible to read to him at night.  Gwen has one, but I decided Zeke needed one of his own.  Yesterday I opened it and read the story of baby Moses to the kids.  It amused me to notice there is a little narrative frog that appears throughout this children's Bible and gives you little insights or questions to ponder.  I'm lovin' how this frog is perched on the side of Moses' basket aren't you?  Made me smile.

Jewelry Organizer

I found this idea online.  The first picture is the picture online... not my own.  Then, I made one for myself.  If you like it, some of you may receive your very own for Christmas, but this one in the bottom picture is mine.  I got the frame in the bargain bin at Old Time Pottery and it cost $2.  Then I spray painted it and I had some of the lace from Ben's Grandma Georgia.  Thanks Grandma Georgie!  Then I bought the smaller lace.  I'll hang it in my closet for light weight earrings.

White Silhouettes

I did a set of siblings recently in white.  I like how they turned out.  I love doing the silhouettes of kids. They are so precious.

Healthy Grain Free Brownies

I have made these once and I used the coconut oil.  I thought they were nice and fudgy and I could taste a hint of coconut... nice.  This time I'll make it with the butter and see how I think it is.  These are for company coming this week.

2 C black beans (or 1 can)- Blended up
3 lightly beaten eggs
1/3 C melted coconut oil (or melted butter)
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C honey
1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 C chopped nuts (optional)

350.  8X8 pan. 30 minutes.

Meal Plan

Stuffed Peppers, fruit, asparagus with white sauce
brown rice and veggie stirfry
easy chicken bake
chickpea spinach patties (Costco), salad, applesauce
Chicken spinach burgers (Costco), salad
Broccoli with cheese, spicy shrimp
Company dinner- Nicaraguan Skirt Steak, corn, mashed potatoes, fruit, grain free brownies

What are you having this week?

Peach Pit Painting

On a rainy day... try peach pit painting.  We took pans with sides and put construction paper in them with squirts of paint and some peach pits I had saved and they rolled them around in the paint to make a very abstract painting.  For Zeke I used a bread pan.

Here's Zeke's painting.

Here is Gwen's.

Here is Gwen this morning dressed for church.  She wants to wear this dress everyday, but I tell her it is for church only.  She has a nice time dressing up for church.

IHOP Date

Tonight Ben and I dropped the kids at Grandma's to be loved on and we went on a date.  We went out to eat in a restaurant (what a rare treat these days) and then went to IHOP.  No, not International House of Pancakes, but International House of Prayer.  I had heard about it before, but had never been.  Here's the concept.  This place is in Kansas City and there is a prayer room with a full worship team of worship leaders praising and worshiping and praying 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They have other ministries like prophetic ministries, healing ministries, etc.  Ben and I decided to check it out.

Well... within the first few minutes we felt the Spirit there and were moved to tears.  The worship was repetitive and sort of like a meditation and Scripture was read.  We stayed for a grand total of 30 minutes, but Ben and I felt refreshed by the Lord and stronger as a couple.  Here is the link where they are live streaming it.

http://www.ihop.org/

Apple Break and Alien Flowers

Remember those allium bulbs that have never bloomed?  Well... the other day I noticed some strange somethings coming up from our flower bed.  It has been so hot here that everything has gotten torched.  We haven't had to mow in forever because our grass is fried.  The cucumbers and bell peppers in my garden are fried.  But here are the alliums like a wonderful summertime surprise just for me.

Ben toting the kids around in the wheel barrow.  They picked some flowers (Queen Anne's lace) for me.  Zeke loves his daddy.  He talks about him from the moment he gets up in the morning.  When I go to pick him up out of the crib he hangs on to the rails and says he wants daddy.  

Yesterday I was in another room and I heard chairs scraping on the floor and whispers about apples.  I round the corner and they had helped themselves to some apples.  Look at those faces!  I think Gwen looks like a precious moments doll in this first one.

Thoughts on a Monday

I heard a bit of a sermon on the radio today.  He said something that stuck with me.  He said when we are young we are always asked "What are you going to be?(when you grow up)"  Then when you get into high school and college and young adulthood you change that question a bit to "What am I going to do to make a difference?  How do I make a difference?" and then in mid-life you start asking "What am I going to leave behind?  What will my legacy be?"  Well... what does it mean if you ask all three of those questions at once?  I thought those questions were worth pondering.

Here are a few pictures of the kids yesterday eating pudding and Zeke getting his first haircut.  I couldn't stand the baby mullet anymore.  Ben decided he'd do it himself.  I was... um... a little nervous, but it came out ok.  I love these two so much.  I've been reading the book "The Help" and I've been doing what a maid in the book does with one of the white kids.  She sits her on her lap and says "repeat after me.... I'm smart (and then Gwen says I'm smart ect...), I'm important, I'm kind, God loves me, Mama loves me, daddy loves me... ect.  It's pretty sweet.  What a wonderful thing to say a blessing over your child in that way.  She gets this great big smile on her face when I start that up.  

He was saying "cheee" for that picture.

Meal Plan

It has been a long while since I posted a meal plan.  I have had a plan every week though.  I have found some sticky weekly calendars that have helped me be organized with meal planning.  I will take a picture soon to show you.

bowtie lasagna, salad
turkey hot dogs, applesauce, veggies
greek tacos, fruit
BBQ meatloaf, summer corn salad, fruit
spicy shrimp, broccoli
quiche, fruit
frozen pizza

Summer Time and Spaghetti Weiners

 Tonight we had our friends over and here is a picture of the kids having popsicles.   

Gwen and Zeke like to pick up locust shells.  I am afraid of them.  YUCK!

I saw this idea online and I had to try it.  We cut up turkey hot dogs and stuck whole wheat spaghetti noodles through them.  We at them with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese on them.  It was good and a novelty.  

Homemade Butterscotch Chips

Yesterday I tried my hand at making my own butterscotch chips... or chunks.  I got this idea from heavenly homemakers again.  Next is trying her homemade chocolate chip recipe.  These taste great even though they don't taste incredibly butterscotchy to me.  I used Virgin coconut oil which tastes like coconuts cause that's what I had in the house and so they taste like butterscotch mixed with a light coconut flavor.  They still would work for many things.  In order to avoid the coconut taste, use coconut oil that has been expeller pressed.  I think that is correct.  Apparently, coconut oil is much better for you than butter.  The only reason I had some is because my mother-in-law had some and never used it and passed it on to me.  I've enjoyed experimenting with it.

As you can see in this photo... Zeke is throwing a fit because I won't give him a bite.  I already gave him one and that's it.

Here's the recipe if you want to try it.  These have to be stored in the fridge or freezer.

1/2 C butter
1/2 C coconut oil (coconut oil is solid and turns liquid at 75 degrees or so)
1 C brown sugar
1 t vanilla

dissolve all of this on low heat and stir continuously.  Pour into parchment lined casserole pan 13X9 is what I used and then put into fridge for a few hours.  Break up into chunks.  This should make 4 C of chunks.

Just for the fun of it... I'll include a video of Ben encouraging Gwen to go potty.  Don't say she's never encouraged!  I thought it was funny how Ben turned Carmina Burana into a potty song.  He does stuff like that and it cracks me up!!

Sharing

I tried getting a picture of Gwen and Zeke together today.  It is next to impossible, but here is one with them both doing their "smile." :)

Zeke has started throwing fits especially in the morning when he first wakes up.  He stomps his little feet really fast and squeals like you wouldn't believe.  Um... he is receiving discipline for those, don't worry.  Look at this sweet face.  Can you imagine him throwing a fit?  He looks like George W. Bush to me in this picture.  HA!

Finally some pictures of Gwen not sitting on a potty naked.  We have had a good week and she says the funniest things.  She is really doing well with the potty now and only wears a diaper to bed.  I'm thinking of taking that away to see how she does.  Right now I'm just happy with the progress we've made.  I hesitate to say that because the moment I say to someone "I think we've got it" she turns around and does something in the floor.... but she hasn't done that for oh, a few days. :)

She told me the other day "Mom, I have strong thumbs." and when asked how she got strong thumbs she said, "Jesus gave them to me."

On the way to the gym yesterday she said, "Zeke, Jesus lives in our hearts." and I say from the front, "yes, Jesus does live in our hearts when we trust in Him." and she says, "Mom, I'm talking to Zeke."

This morning she wakes up and says from the top of the stairs, "Mom, I think I'm sick again." and I say "Oh really" and she says "maybe a hug will make it all better."

These are the moments that give me a little smile.

Barbecue Meatloaf

We had this last night and if you are a fan of meatloaf like me, you will love this.  I thought it was incredible.  I used Jack Daniel's Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ sauce because that's what I had in the house, but you can use whatever you have access to.

1 1/2 lb 93 percent lean ground beef
1/2 C dry bread crumbs
1/2 C finely chopped onion
1/3 C barbecue sauce, divided
1 T prepared mustard
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt (I used sea salt)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 egg whites

Heat oven to 350.  Combine all the ingredients (only 1 T of bbq sauce in this mixture) and shape into a loaf.  Put it on a broiler pan and put the remaining BBQ sauce on top.  Bake 1 hour.  Let it stand 10 minutes before cutting into slices.

Favorite Songs of the Moment

As a precursor, I think I should say Ben and I are a bit strange.  There ya have it.  This first song is my favorite.  The first time I heard it I thought it was strange, but then hearing it again and again pumps me up.  Love it now.



This next one is Ben's current favorite.  It is mega unusual and the video is even stranger.  :)

New Sihouette

I did this for a friend of mine.  I've also done a silhouette of my pregnant friend.

Homemade Hand Soap and Laundry Detergent Results

I got this idea again, from my favorite blog, heavenly homemakers.  It was super easy and it makes a gallon worth of hand soap.  If you have the foaming hand soap pumps then it stretches even further.  I bought a lemongrass all natural "ZUM" bar that was 3 oz.  The recipe says to use a 4 oz bar, so I just reduced the water a bit.  You put the water in a big pan and heat it up until it just begins to steam and put in your grated soap bar.  Take it off the heat and stir and let sit for 15 minutes.  Then take an electric mixer and mix for a few minutes.  Let it sit overnight and then the next day stir again with the mixer.  There ya go... all done.

I am conducted an experiment with the laundry soap.  I put mustard on two old shirts and  I can not tell one difference in the performance of my homemade laundry soap and All Free And Clear.  After the initial washing I treated the stains with stain remover and washed them again in just plain water and almost all the stains came out.  Here are the photos.

Before...

After...

so in the end, I do think the homemade detergent is a good investment.  I would still have a stain remover handy, but it passes my test at least.

Gwen and Zeke

Well.... all the pictures I have been taking of Gwen lately have been on the potty when she is wearing nothing... and so I will not be sharing those publicly, but it will be a month we've been working on potty training on Friday.  She has her good moments and her bad and I have both of those too.  She is getting it slowly and listening to her body more and going of her own accord.  Today she was upstairs for a while and I called up to her and asked her what she was doing.  She called down and said she was reading a book.  I went up there and sure enough she was reading a book naked in her bed.  I asked her where her clothes were and without looking up she said, "I took them off because they were wet."  Then I ask her why they were wet and she says again without looking up, "because I peed in them."  I asked her where she peed and she said "in that room." I asked her which room and then she looks up with a little grin and points at me and says "in YOUR room."  (sigh- smile)

Speaking of smile... Zeke now smiles like this when I ask him to smile.  He came up to me today in his little raspy voice said "I want waffle."  So that's what he had for snack today.  He also can say "pee pee" and "poop" very clearly.  :)