The Man

Bubble Wrap Painting

Yesterday was a rainy day... and I've been saving this idea for such an occasion. I got this idea from this site. We had large bubbles and small bubble wrap thanks to a friend from church giving some to us. I chose Halloween colors to do.

This first one is Gwen's with the big bubble wrap. It's smeared a little cause she moved it a little upon application. The idea is that you cut the bubble wrap to fit the pan you have the different colors of paint on and you put the bubble wrap on and then lift off and place onto a paper to print and carefully pull off.

This was my example one to show the kids what to do. I used small and large bubble wrap.

Zeke used little bubble wrap and I really like how his turned out. I think it looks like a honeycomb. I still have more bubble wrap and we'll do it again another rainy day.

The jelly roll pan I used to place my paint. No, I didn't mean for it to look like a swastika.

Applesauce Making and Meal Plan

My friend's mom brought a bushel of apples yesterday and we went straight to work.  We had such a good time peeling apples and the kids helped crank the peelers.  I put red hots in some of the applesauce (yes, I know where red dye comes from and don't say it) and then kept some of it natural for me.  I'm not quite sure how many quarts I got, but it is all resting in my freezer for a later date.  :)

Here is my meal plan for the week:

split pea soup with ham
lasagna, salad
cheesy beef bake, broccoli
black beans, rice
tacos
curry chicken pot pie
BBQ chicken sandwiches, carrot sticks

*Made a pumpkin pie yesterday and thankfully I had enough people here to knock it out in one day... so I got one very satisfying piece.  Pumpkin pie might be one of my top five desserts of all time.

Vanilla Extract Bottling

We bottled an entire gallon of vanilla extract today.  I have another 1/2 gallon for my own personal use and giving to friends.  What I bottled up today I will sell next weekend.  This is how I bottle it.  I put nice paper towels (one of the few times I buy a roll) down in a strainer and have a large pan sitting in the sink to catch the extract.  I strain it through the paper towels to take out all the little specks of vanilla bean.

Here's what a gallon of vanilla extract looks like. :)

I have 8 oz bottles too, but I decided that these 4 oz bottles would sell better so I just did 4 oz bottles this time. 

Here is my vanilla extract helper.  She has helped me through the whole process.  I hope one day she does this with her son or daughter.  She insisted that I take a picture of her holding one bottle and then two bottles.  Love her!

Gwen spread out the vanilla beans to dry.  They will be turned into vanilla sugar which I make cookies out of and put in coffee and Amish bread starter.

A gallon filled up 24 bottles.  I think I will sell out, but that's ok.  If I don't I can give it as gifts.  I really like my labels this time. 

Royal Tailor - Hold me Together

Hello Mercy,
I have been searching for you lately
I've been wounded and from what I hear
You have remedy

They told me You would be for me
So now I need to know
Is this a love that can save me
Or say You will then don't
Will You stay with me when nobody is around
If this is real, then tell now

Can you hold me together
Can your love reach down this far
Can you hold me together
Cause without You holding my heart
I'm falling apart
Falling apart

Saying so long, been lost, been gone
Not sure what to pray
It's not easy but I know You see me
When I lose my way

I keep on floating not knowing
If there is more for me
Don't want to sink beneath waves of negativity
I'm going under,
I'm afraid that I might drown
If this is real,
I need you now

Can you hold me together
Can your love reach down this far
Can you hold me together
Cause without You holding my heart
I'm falling apart, yeah
Falling apart
Hold me Lord

I'm feeling stronger
With you by my side
And I realize You are my hope
I need to know

Can you hold me together
Can your love reach down this far
Can you hold me together
Cause without You holding my heart
I'm falling apart,
Falling apart, yeah
Hold me together Lord

Without You,
I'm falling apart
Falling apart

New Silhouettes

These are some silhouettes I've done for friends over the last week. This is the first one I've done with a newborn in it and the first I've done with several people in it. I think I can honestly say that the one with the baby and my dear friend has to be my favorite I've done.

This silhouette thing has hung around longer than most of my little hobbies that crop up. Maybe I like it so much because I'm sentimental. Next weekend I will sell orders for silhouettes. That will be interesting to see who likes these as well. So... all you sentimental people... come and buy a silhouette and some vanilla extract too!

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A friend's mom died recently and this will be sung at her funeral. Take a listen and take some deep breaths. It made me glad.

In The Leaves

My two preciouses. How come every time I decide to do a photo shoot Zeke has a bruise on his head and Gwen has a tattoo on her cheek? In the one where they are together there is a mosquito about to bite Gwen on the forehead that you can plainly see. I guess I'm just not cut out to be a photographer...but here they are and I love them dearly.

Thoughts on Tuesday and Meal Plan

Did wolves eat breakfast at my house this morning? Oh, and I picked up a plate from the floor that is not pictured here. and yes... sometimes they have goldfish for breakfast... ah hem...

We have started a new small group. Here are the children's shoes. It has been a very long time since we've lead something like this and I sincerely hope there are not too many cricket moments... or maybe their should be. Cricket moments meaning you ask a question and all you hear are crickets. Without the Lord we can do nothing, so we are asking for Him to show us how to best lead these wonderful families.

and now, what you've all been waiting on... the meal plan. My meal plans have gotten increasingly boring and the same thing every week that I don't make. Oh well!

chili

beans and cornbread

pizza

chicken soup with rice (how many weeks can I have this on the plan???)

curry chicken pot pie

breakfast burritos

*spinach feta melts, crackers for small group

Thanksgiving Trail Mix

I recently made a Thanksgiving trail mix to sell at my bizarre coming up on October 15th. It was a lot of fun and very good. I thought you might like to try it too. What makes it Thanksgiving is that it has bugles in there and they are like cornucopias. We had a whole talk about cornucopias until I started to feel ridiculous because who really knows what cornucopias are and where they came from and all. Here it is!

Sunflower seeds

goldfish crackers

marshmallows

dried cranberries

dried apples (I put two kinds, Granny Smith and Gala)

bugles

white chocolate chips

milk chocolate chocolate chips

put however much seems to look good in there. It makes a bunch. Tie it up in little baggies to keep fresh.

Meal Plan- Late

Here it is even though I'm posting late:

pasta salad, peach crisp- brand spankin new small group we are hosting!!
chicken stir fry, brown rice
chinese food with family
chicken soup
homemade pizza, salad
black beans, brown rice, salsa
hamburgers, salad

*specials- breakfast cookies (kids loved them), banana muffins using coconut flour (they were too wet so I froze them)

and now for a recipe I have tried lately that won rave reviews:


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1/4 C (or less) honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C, plus 1 T coconut flour
3 T ground golden flax seed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 C chocolate chips

mix it all up and knead a few times and then form into balls.  Let sit in the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.  I froze mine and they are good straight from the freezer.  (I like everything frozen)  If you are a fan of eating cookie dough... this is great.   Oh, and if you use carob chips then this is gluten and dairy free.  I used just regular ol' chocolate chips from Aldi.  If you can't do peanut butter, almond butter would be a great sub.

An Assortment

Here are some things that have made me happy lately.

Gwen colored this Elmo for me the other day during "nap" time.  She now sometimes takes a nap and sometimes not, but I insist that she stay in her room.  In this coloring page Elmo is clicking up his heals happy over wearing underwear.

I love these sticky note things.  I use them for my meal plans each week.  I have a red marker and I cross things out when I do them.

On a recent date Ben bought for me solid shampoo from a store called Lush.  The white puck is the solid shampoo.  I liked it so much I went back and got the solid conditioner.  Not wild about the conditioner, but the shampoo is great.  I'll have to see if I can make that myself.  I'm not sure if I'm up for that challenge, but it's in the back of my mind... way back there with going to Ireland which I am going to do someday.

Yesterday the kids were playing and I discovered these girls going to spring break I guess.  They believe in eating their protein cause one of them has a shrimp and one of them has a chicken leg.  :)

Siblings and Prayer

This is a sibling set of three I recently did.

and tonight we had guests and look what spontaneously happened at the kid's table.  Prayer.  I could not have sprinted any faster to get the camera.  I thought it was so sweet.

Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath

Show and Tell

The kids and I went on a long walk yesterday.  Look at the weeds we picked!  Aren't they pretty?  I'm pretty sure that yellow one is a close cousin to ragweed. :)

I attempted to paint the white pumpkin using stamps.  I also could not resist getting the green pumpkin.  I love it.

Vanilla Labels

Like my new homemade vanilla extract labels?  I do! :)

Idle Hands

Wanna see what I've been up to lately?  Well, I've been preparing for a holiday bizarre I'm doing in October.  I've decided that I'm going to sell some vanilla extract (got the bottles yesterday) and taking orders for silhouettes, and I'll also sell my dishwashing detergent in fall containers.  Oh, and I'm making Thanksgiving trail mix.  :)

Here is a silhouette I did of my friend Janna.  Everyone tells her she is a beautiful pregnant person and I must agree.  This is her 9 month silhouette.  This one I will display on my table at the holiday bizarre.

These are the flip top containers for the dishwashing detergent I got at the dollar store.  I thought they were great.  I'm making gift tags to go on them and I'll write the recipe for the detergent on the other side.

I bought a white pumpkin today.  We'll see if I can make it look as spectacular as this one.

Meal Plan

Chicken soup, edamame (didn't do last week)
Spinach alfredo pasta (just put a handfull of spinach in a bowl and put alfredo pasta on top... wilts on down)
Stuffed baked tomatoes, quinoa salad
Turkey and cheese burritos- freezer meal
Black Beans w/ham, brown rice
Chicken with Mediterranean Sauce, whole wheat cous cous (it was going to be sea bass with Mediterranean sauce like on Dr. Oz Show, but I couldn't find sea bass and the frozen stuff was expensive)
Sloppy cornbread muffins, sweet potato

It's In The Small Things

If you have read this blog for any stretch of time you know that it doesn't take much to amuse me.  Well... my dustpan broke lately so I had to get another one.  I was looking in the store and I spotted this one.  I mean... it's the Robocop of all dustpans.  Look at the handle on that thing!  I took one look at it and said "you MUST be mine."  :)

Fields of Grace

I've been eyeing this field of sunflowers near the gym I go to and a brick silo and I thought it would be a great place to take pictures.  Well... Zeke has a fever blister and Gwen has a scratch on her forehead from a fit she threw...but we braved it anyway.  I have to say... I'm not sure my nerves could take much of this stuff.

This would have been a lovely photo if Zeke would've not run after me and Gwen started crying.

Hold me he's saying.