Queen of the "Last Minute"

I am becoming the Queen of the last minute projects.  This is not ever how I've approached anything in life... but lately, it's just the way things seem to flow.   I hope I grow out of it.  And soon.  It truly shows a lack of planning and preparing, which has not ever been my character, and nor do I want it to be.  But in my lack of planning, God blessed my night anyway.  Isn't He great???  (Amen!)

My church's children's ministry's Wednesday night program features a theme night once per month.  And tonight's the night.   It's been marked on my calendar for literally months.  (You know... because of the preparing and planning trait I try to implement??  Yeah...  it requires follow through of actually LOOKING at the calendar I plan things on.  But I digress).   Guess when I noticed it.  At 4:15 pm, after spending an entire day away from home (on a field trip - so the time away was worthwhile) and I'm prepping dinner to leave the house at 6pm.  YIKES! 

The theme tonight is "Holiday Night" - and I took the easy-way-out suggestion and pulled out Santa hats (perfect for a Christian holiday, no???)  and the CHRISTmas sweaters.   My kids looked at me like I had perfectly lost my mind.  Were we not wearing shorts, devouring fudge bars,  and playing with the hose in 80 degree weather just yesterday???   "Um, I don't prefer that idea, Mommy" - to quote one of my polite children verbatim.   The other child...  (air-i-ly)  "Mommy, I want to be a ballerina" as she twirls and whirls so elegantly around me.  Hmm.... ballerina.... holiday.... NUTCRACKER BALLET!   PERFECT!!!    Have I ever mentioned that "I'm not just another pretty face" lately??    Hold on... I'll prove it further.

So Polite Child desires to be something other than a sweater.  Thinking cap... tired Momma... oh, so very tired... this is hurting my head....  LIGHT BULB!!   Empty box, wrapping paper, packing tape, scissors.  

He's a Christmas Gift!   (I told you I was genius!) 

Cut the holes for the head and arms.  Then wrap packing tape around the edges so no scratching occurs.  Comfort is a very important factor in a gift.

Wrap the gift.  When opening the holes I cut a "pie" shape with a knife and folded the ends in.

Then I re-wrapped the edges with more packing tape so it didn't tear so easily. 

VOILA!  (I think I'll keep this gift)!!! 

Happy crafting!! 

Recipe Review

Funny story - I wanted a Kindle for Christmas.  I ended up talking myself (not truly as difficult as it sounds) into a Kindle Fire.  I LOVE it.  I use it all the time.  I love reading and thought I would hate having an electronic device as a "book" - but the practical side of me won out.  I find so many books for FREE and the realization that I couldn't supply enough shelves to house them all won me over.  So, while I still purchase a paper book on occasion, and check them out of the library as well (which you can also do on your Kindle!), I have quite the collection of books "shelved" inside my kindle. 

First a couple of pictures of the kids giving me my Christmas gift.  This story still makes me laugh.  You don't see Owen because he's on camera duty.  But I still "hear" him in my mind instructing his sister on how this all should play out. 

For reference, Amazon has a different free book every day.  Just search "free Kindle book" on Amazon's website and the options will appear.   I have also found three websites which offers FREE and nearly-free books each day.  Pixel of Ink - which offers a mix of genres for your reading pleasure. Pixel of Ink - Young Edition - which is the sister site and offers childrens and young adult reading.  And my latest favorite - Dining Downloads - which is full of... you guessed it - recipe books!   SCORE!

I have a thing for "new" recipes.  I love to try something new and I enjoy cooking / baking.  My waning desire to cook these days has brought me to trying something new, often, to keep my desire up and my skills honed.  I am also trying to stretch my kids' palate beyond the typical chicken and potatoes meal, which brings me to a new post, and something I hope to feature once a week.  So once a week I will be trying and testing a new (to us) recipe and then reviewing it.  I will tag them all under "Recipe Review" so they're easier for you (and for me) to find again in the future.  I have also "pinned" a bunch of recipes (among other things) on Pinterest and will be commenting about the reality of those projects.  Look for those posts tagged under "Been There, Pinned That" - coming soon to a blog near you. 

Now, for the first recipe....

Kindle Recipe Book:  More Than Hummus by Katherine Cumming
Recipe:  Sun Dried Tomato Hummus (No Tahini)

1 1lb can garbanzo beans, drained
1 c sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil), drained
1/2 c water
1/8 c olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 Tbl lemon juice
pinch of salt, to taste

Garnish: smoked paprika

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.  Garnish with paprika. 

Review:
The recipe needed quite a bit more water to produce the creamy, smooth texture of hummus.  I'm not sure it affected the taste too much, however.  It did not taste watered-down, and if you like tomatoes, this is the hummus for you!  The tomato flavor was full and rich!  Disclaimer:  it could have used more garlic.  I like garlic, and the taste is hidden behind the tomatoes.  All in all, this is a snack I keep going back for each night. 

Kid Review:
O: Can I have some goldfish instead, please?
E:  Do we have any regular chips and dip? 
Hmmm.... guess I won't be trying any Middle Eastern recipes anytime soon.  ;-)

Evie - Credible

Evie is "star of the week" at school.  Among filling out a special poster with several of her favorite things and bringing in something special for show-and-tell, one of her "special" assignments is to describe what kind of super powers she would have if she were a super hero.  She's been pondering it for days.  Well over a week now, for sure.  And I can't blame her - with something as important as choosing your very own powers, one must be selective. 

She finally told me today. 

"Mommy - if I were a super hero my special super powers would be to be able to see every time when bad guys are stealing money.  I would see them stealing the money and know where they are and I would call the police and tell them so they could arrest the bad guys and put them in jail.  And then we could give the money to the poor people because they need the money.  And then there would be no more poor people in the world.  Except the bad guys in jail because they would not have money in jail.  And the worst thing would be their food.  They would eat waffles every day.  And not good waffles.  Soggy waffles.  Because soggy waffles are the worst."  

I just love her exuberance and her loving, generous spirit.

And I agree. Soggy waffles ARE the absolute worst.

Knocked My Socks Off

Every  morning before I drop my kids off to school I read a proverb (from the book Proverbs for Kids - I have the Kindle edition) to them and the correlating "story" to break down the understanding.  There are questions asked at the end of each proverb to promote discussion and to see how well they listened.   They typically listen quite well and are able to answer the questions without a problem.  Today was no exception, and we had a good discussion.  After our "devotion" time, it is someone's turn to pray - we each take a different day.  This morning, because Owen isn't feeling well, I was going to have Evie pray instead and Owen would take another day this week.  However, Owen insisted on taking his turn.  And I am beyond thankful that he did.  As a friend of ours says, "He blessed my socks off!"

"Dear Jesus, 

Thank you for today. 

Thank you that you are not a cloud or a toad or anything like that. 

Thank you that you are so much more." 

He did go on to finish the prayer with asking God to heal those we know who are ill, but the beginning of the prayer caused me to pause.  I have never discussed personally with him that God is NOT a cloud, nor is God NOT a toad.  But HE knew.   And he thanked God for it.  What a blessing to be taught something by my child this morning.  Humbled and blessed.  That's a pretty good start to the day.

"At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." ~ Matthew 11:25

Bummed & Thankful

So bummed (in a self-focused, sinful way) to be reading excited notes and blog posts, hearing excited comments about our long awaited church service this morning.  It was a special one.  It was one I missed.  I have a sick child at home and I missed something I was looking forward to.  Something that cannot be repeated (in person).  Just one more thing in this "blink" we call life that I don't understand.  But I don't have to understand.  I trust.  I trust in the One that knows all and ordains all.

Do you trust and know Him?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
        and do not lean on your own understanding.
    In all your ways acknowledge him,
        and he will make straight your paths.
    Be not wise in your own eyes;
        fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
    It will be healing to your flesh
        and refreshment to your bones."
(Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV)

Our youth pastor Patrick McGoldrick (Blog Here) is young.  He has been diagnosed with ALS.  And he is dying.  Dying to this earth - but promised a new one.  He preached his last sermon today.  And I missed it.

BUT....

I am thankful for the promises each new day brings.

I am thankful for the promise that God is all sufficient, all powerful, all knowing.
He knows what will happen, before it will happen.  And He is good.
Because of that knowledge and hope, I know it was good for me to miss what I missed.
God has ordained my path.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
     his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness."

(Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

Nothing surprises Him.  He knows our next minute, our next hour, our next day(s).
Because He knows, I trust that I am safe.  Because I am in His care.

    "And we know that for those who love God 

all things work together for good,

 for those who are called according to his purpose."
(Romans 8:28 ESV)

Not my purpose.  But His.  Alone.  

(Oh... .and another thing I am thankful for??  TECHNOLOGY!  Because of it, I can listen to the much anticipated sermon I missed this morning online later this week!  Praise the Lord for technology!)  

A Hole In One

"Oh, I lost a tooth!

Whatever shall I do??

I'm left with a window

and my tongue is sticking through!"

Miss Eva has been waiting for this day for F-O-R-E-V-E-R.   We had our six month cleaning six weeks ago now... and Evie insisted that her bottom two teeth were loose.   I kept telling her that "probably not yet, exactly... but keep testing them".  The dental hygienist agreed with Evie.  So Mommy's theory went right out the window and Evie took the "professionals" opinion.  (That sounds so much better to me than admitting she just chose the opinion that agreed with hers).   She has been vigorously wiggling those two bottom teeth ever since... showing anyone that would watch.  Mostly, it's just been her fingers wiggling, but from the postman to our pastor, she has proudly displayed her "wiggling" teeth. 

Today the constant manipulation of her baby cuspids paid off... and at the end of the day one finally POPPED out.  Congratulations, little girlie of mine... you have now accomplished another step into "Big Girl-Dom". 

Our God

This song is one of my favorites.  We sang it at our church on Sunday - and it was such a surreal moment as a parent for me.

Our God - Chris Tomlin

It's not been very long since my beloved was called home.  And yet, in many ways, it feels like a million years.  Seconds seem so long - so excruciating some days.  We have been incredibly blessed this past year (and a few months) - God has been so very REAL to us - our ever sufficient provider, protector, healer, comforter.  However, if I'm truly honest, there is a gaping hole that is not filled.  I wonder how that will ever be filled this side of Heaven.  One of my children especially struggles right now (it's very much an up-and-down, cyclical process, this thing called 'grief').   And while singing this song, I was able to sit down next to my child, put my arms around my child, and whisper in my child's ear the very real truth of this song...

And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
What could stand against. 

It was remarkable to have my child look into my eyes, both of ours glistening with tears, having separate but shared pain.  My child for the missing of a father... me for the missing of a spouse.   To have a sense of peace that comes to us through the truth of music is a God-given gift.  A tangible gift that cannot be seen, but it is very real.