Christmas Hands and Feet

This inspired pin was not as easy you'd think. However, I was dealing with the feet of of a 3 month and 5 month so they are a little free-spirited. I think the grandparents will cherish this one even with its straying toes. Three little cousins imprinted together for life... Priceless.

My Birthday Candles

It was my birthday last week and this is my birthday pecan tart.  I put 3 candles on it and went to change the baby. I came back and Walter had increased the number of candles. Evidently, he doesn't get the notion of repeating 38 for a few more years. So the carefully placed crooked candles were lit if only to remind me that you can pretend all you want about being 38 again in the end the candles get piled on there anyhow.

Lost their Lease

When I was pregnant with Walter, a quilt shop opened up near my husband's shop. This really was a dream come true for me. To be so close to such a shop was pure, colorful bliss.

I loved the little community of ladies (and a few men) who love color, fabrics, patterns and putting them all together into something amazing. I would lug my fat baby boy in his carseat and linger over the fabrics. Then, I would lug my ornery boy in a stroller with some goldfish and shop quicker! I imagined taking little Rose and letting her in on the art of combining fabric to make something fabulous while only having to drive 2 miles!

Alas, the email went out that the store lost their lease and so my quilt shop around the corner is closing up. I am so heartbroken. I have a lost my little escape. Escape into mingling with the people there and dreaming up new projects on my limited discretionary funds.

I felt a little guilty in light of the news of recent weeks, that I cried about this shop closing. I cried about the news too though. This one just touches me personally because I feel as though I am losing something really important to my creativity and sanity. There were days when, I just needed to get out of the house and look at pretty stuff and talk to someone who is taller than me and I would go to the quilt shop! I nearly burst into tears when I was there yesterday for their big sale.

One can only hope that gas prices will do down so I can go to quilt shops further away or I will make do with what I have in my material stash - though neither are likely.

Its been a good run quilt shop - I will miss you.

Countdown to Christmas

One of the nesting projects from this summer was getting this Christmas Tree quilt done. I love how it turned out. I love that it is done. I love that I have a place to hang it! To the right of the quilt you will see our Christmas Countdown chain. You will also see links strewn across my bedroom. (not pictured)

On each link, I wrote down one of God's "nicknames" - 25 of them- Hope, Rock, Savior, Wonderful Counselor etc. I attempted to explain why we call God each of those names to my son hoping something will stick. Then, it was my plan to read the scripture verse that goes with the name. I wrote it on there for easy looking up. Oh.... the best laid plans of men... It just seems to me that December barrelled out of control so fast I hardly heard enough Christmas songs. I didn't even get to listen to any Harry Connick Jr.  Why is it when the baby is in the belly the time creeps along but now that she is out I keep losing my hat time is flying by so fast? Needless to say "with time's winged chariot hurrying by", most days I forgot to get Walter to take a link off and more than most days I feel asleep before I could look up any corresponding scripture verse....

Also, each day we were trying to do something in preparation for Christmas. Buy a tree, make cookies, do a craft. I made a lengthy list of ideas. We did a little better on that than actually taking the links off.

The goal of it all was to help Walter understood that the reason for Christmas and giving gifts is to celebrate Jesus' birthday. Something must have stuck because on Christmas morning, he rushed to the nativity to see Jesus before he ever really noticed the gifts around the tree. Does a Momma's heart proud. Got a little misty.

We will try again next year with our countdown - maybe he will be better at reminding me then. I have no doubt though as with most Decembers it will fly by faster than we can imagine and I'll need to hold on to my hat again and hunt down my Harry Connick Jr CD sooner. I intend to do something with the links in my room... before I put them in the trash can. It just may be Valentine's Day before that happens!

The Wisdom of No TV

We haven't had a working TV in over 2 years now. Remember when President Bush sent out stimulus money to help jump start the economy? I did my part and bought a flat screen TV and it crapped out on us 2 months after the warranty was up. Typical.

My husband made several attempts to try and fix it by replacing different components but no luck. So the broken TV sits in our beautiful TV cabinet the one that could have killed us.

So why is it a wise to not have a TV? I know I would be watching it all the time, never having the restraint to turn it off. Whenever I am over my parents I watch it incessantly, like I am making up for lost time. I know though that I would do the same thing here if ours worked.

I also know how much healthier it is for me to not have a TV, because I was at my parent's this weekend and was glued to the TV watching news of the school shooting in Connecticut. I like everyone else was - am- sickened by it. Sickened because I am a mother. Sickened because for many years I worked in schools where the students become your little loves and you want only the best for them. I am brokenhearted.

It is so easy to get sucked into the sorrow when all you watch is sorrowful news. I know that because I am struggling to get images out of my mind of what happened or how it might have played out. The truth comes home to me once again the wisdom of not having a TV is I am unable to dwell on news to the point of obsession. One can still be moved to empathy and prayer without hearing things repeated over and over again. I know that is what is best for me. There is a wisdom in that knowledge that really makes me want to turn our TV cabinet into extra blanket or toy storage. Even after 2 years of no TV, having one would undo years of going without in a matter of hours.

School Projects.

Look what we did in school. Thanks in part to Pinterest.

A Walter Name Train

A painted traffic light

A muddy pig

Now I must admit I do feel like I like school way more than my son, which is a little frustrating because I love doing this stuff. He needs to be coaxed a little. I just have to think outside the box more to figure out his learning style and preferences.

I do feel like I scored big when I found this street and printed it out.... He has been lining us his cars and having them drive all over it for days now. If we weren't so low on toner I would print out his whole name!

http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/RacecarABCcards.htm

5 Roasted Pumpkins...

 5 Roasted Pumpkins... sitting on the stove...

Easiest way to roast pumpkins ever.

Rub olive oil on them.

Stick in the oven.

Put a tray on the lowest rack to catch drips.

I think I set the oven for 400 degrees

Roast for 60-90 minutes

Poke with a knife take out if it feels soft.

Cut away the stem.

Start scooping.

You do have to be careful about not getting the seeds mixed in with the good stuff.

I got 16 cups of pumpkin out of my 5 little pumpkins.

Very pleased.

Totally sneaking the pumpkin into pancakes. 

Haven't been discovered yet!

Volvo Dreams

Once upon a time, I found out that Volvo's were top rated for being very safe cars. So I decided that when I had kids I wanted to have a Volvo...

As neither of us are mini-van people a stationwagon was a good family car for our growing family.

First, I kind of had to talk him out of getting me a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Stationwagon ...
We then, decided to look for a Volvo stationwagon.

We sold my Honda Civic that I had for one week shy of 10 years! We sold it the day after I got out of the hospital. So many changes in such a short time... Then, the Volvo we had our eyes on sold. So I was left to drive my husbands Lincoln towncar -big boat that it is. He assures me its no bigger than the cars I drove in high school and college. Alas, I did get use to it.

Finally, after 2 and half months what we were looking for came up. This lovely 2004 white wagon. Its not in mint condition and I can only assume that most people looked at the great mileage and the few dings and decided it was worth it to them. But when you have a hubby who knows how to fix stuff -it makes for a great deal! Even if he didn't - its still an awesome car!

This car is not only the answer to prayer for a very present need, but is also the fruition of a very old dream which was to drive my kids in a Volvo.

A Rose

I had a Rose, the end of August. She's a beauty with red hair. So amazing to think a part of her (& Walter too) have always been with me.

I have always wanted a Rose and there were definitely days when I didn't think there would ever be a Rose or any children at all. God has graciously answered my prayers and then some.

I got to admit that one of the most shocking, wonderful and amazing things I ever heard was, "Its a girl."

Thank You Jesus for late summer Rose.

Pink Wonderland

 Seriously, does it get any cooler than this?

Longwood Gardens you just keeping doing new things.

I just got the feeling like I was caught 

in a little bit of a fabulous pink wonderland.

Cows in a Hurricane

As hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast - we waited to see if Chester County, PA would be hit too. We were prepared. I had food cooked and ready to be warmed on a propane cook stove or a grill. I had water in buckets, mason jars and jugs. I had a cooler. I had numerous containers -prepared days in advance- frozen solid to help keep the freezer chest cold. I was ready.

We waited and checked the news to see how Sandy was tracking.

The lights only flickered once or twice.

We woke up and realized nothing awful happened to us.

The floodgates in my hometown did what they were supposed to - probably because Sandy didn't come up the Delaware River like it could have. My hometown was spared.

God was very merciful to us.

As the rain came down,  the cows came out to graze as they do everyday. It just struck me as kind of funny as we looked out the window watching the rain and the cows and wondering what was going to happen. Weather is not as predictable as these cows.

Fall Creations

So fall has come and gone - and my drafted posts have sat because who knew two kids under 3 would be work. Somehow I did manage to accomplish a few crafty things.

Crafty things really do keep me sane. Except for when I have to decide, "crafts or bleach the shower curtain?"

To my right is an applique quilt I started at least 8 years ago and finally finished during my period of nesting. Thanks to my drillmaster, I have a place to hang up wall hangings!


 I saw this pumpkin on a magazine while checking out at the grocery store. Totally loved that. Totally did it in now time. Bonus: I was able to keep the rick-rack for next year.

Then, Walter and I decorated two more. I used the puffy paint and dotted out "Walter" & "Rose." Then,  in a moment of not thinking clearly enough let him use the puffy paint - which is not washable. Not gonna do that again. Ruined a shirt, stained the highchair tray. He seemed pleased with his pumpkin though.

Pinterest Creations

Wow, words fail me when it comes to Pinterest. I LOVE it. I have been wishing something like this existed for ages I just didn't know it!

No more cutting, pasting and printing out quilt ideas and filing them in a cabinet. No more printing out recipes until I am actually ready to try it. I am saving toner, paper and time not having to go through mile long list of bookmarks.

Now that I am homeschooling there are so many great ideas out there for lessons and projects. I can't imagine homeschooling without Pinterest! Just 3 weeks of homeschooling and I am already reaping the benefits of using Pinterest to keep track of ideas for school.

In the spirit of my love for Pinterest and my new camera, after being camera-less most of the summer I am posting pictures of projects I found on Pinterest or did while I was "nesting".

 This Pinterest idea involved a circle made of masking tape and bean bags. I couldn't figure out how to make masking tape become a circle so I improvised. I didn't have any bean bags but we are learning, A, B, C, D, E, F so now we have the "Letter Toss" game - Objective: review letters & toss them in the box. I hide the square under the nursery throw rug when not playing. We can continue this through out the alphabet.







We are using this curriculum. I don't do it all because my boy isn't much for singing at this point or memorizing poems. I use this as my skeleton and add or take away based on what he needs to learn. He has already mastered many of the skills they plan for like using "Please" and "Thank You."








We are working our way through the Creation story. The Sun and Stars were my idea to go along with the lessons. It is amazing to me to see his world beginning to take in the Creator of the world and we have actually been praying more together and asking God to help him make good choices / decisions. A couple times he has even asked to "Pray." It does a mother's heat good!

I have found lots of quilt ideas on Pinteret or just found ideas and pinned them. These pillow cases were my own creation. I had wanted to use the transportation fabric and I also thought doing this project would of course put me into labor... Ha! But I was happy to get it done during nap time. I pieced together pieces until it fit the pillow. It was very haphazard but I frequently work that way! To make the most of the fabric I did 2 different sides.

I did find this last project on Pinterest. I knew I had to do it because I am just not into cutting faces into pumpkins!

It looked so simple. I considered getting a fake pumpkin but I have storage issues so I went with a real one. I still have 2 more pumpkins to do and will probably put the kids names on them. This was fun for me. My son thought the dots were "chocolate chips" but I have corrected him on that point and replaced the missing dots.



I am going to create a board of completed projects because there is little point of pinning ideas if you don't actually do anything. It will be nice to have a record of Pinterest creations!

Good Old George

Between PB&Js and no naptimes anymore, its hard to believe that only a few years ago I was a working woman. A single one at that!

I had the honor to work for a church and two pastors who were both different and inspiring. One put me in the middle of something that continues to have a far reaching impact - that I only see glimpses of from time to time. It was just a matter of typing, occasional proofreading and also an element of keeping the ball rolling. Sometimes it hits me profoundly what it means to have been part of a bestseller. Sure someone else could have done it, but God chose me.  I got to help keep the spirit and character and morals of George Washington alive in an age when the country and the world are desperate for men like him or even just one man like him.

And because not everyone has the time to read the 3 inch thick book - George Washington's Sacred Fire - there is now this song... be moved. Be moved to action.

Call this a Post Script. I watched the video again this time with my son. I got all emotional thinking about... How do you teach or instill into a 2 1/2 year old who George Washington was? Where do you even start to help him understand the magnitude of what George Washington did for us? What a responsibility, duty and honor it is to teach -begin to teach- a 2 1/2 year old who George Washington is. Oh to raise a son who will not only admire but emulate such a man.

And then I thought of Jesus - and the responsibility, duty and honor magnifies as I think about how I will teach my son to love and emulate Him. The end results are more eternal.

Then, he said, "Again" so we watched it again and I thought, "well I guess we are on the right road."

The Death of the Nap

In many ways, I feel like I am mourning a very good friend. This dear friend brought peace and quiet into my home- if only for an hour or two each day. This dear friend helped me get things done like switch the laundry, make a phone call to some utility company and even helped me put my feet up and rest my eyes. Sometimes I even got a full fledged nap. This dear friend helped me do a blog post or check things out online or balance the checkbook.

We are talking about a really special friend. We are talking about naptime.

I should have known this friend wasn't doing well all summer, as I fought with a 2 year old lay down and rest. Then, one day I knew the war was over. I had to give in and admit defeat. I knew this day would come - someday. I had just hoped it wouldn't be for another year. I also hoped that it wouldn't happen the week I brought home a new baby.

The death of a nap is a life changing event. It is something you just won't ever get back. I wasn't prepared for how losing naptime would make me feel. I would be lying if I didn't admit that it is overwhelming to have a new baby and no napping 2 year old. The high energy and noise level of this particular 2 year old can be deafening.  I feel a little like I am caught in a whirlwind with the Tasmanian Devil - ALL DAY LONG.

Sure, bedtime comes earlier now. Even when he is fast asleep my work isn't done. I know I am not the only one dealing with this. Still, I can't help but say its all relative. I have lost a good friend, naptime, I loved you and I miss you. Hopefully, someday -soon- I will be able to find some time in the day to rest my frazzled nerves or my son will master the fine art of an inside voice. Until then utility customer service reps will have to hear me "shhh" and change diapers in between our conversation. 

Crayons & Paints

Walter and I are on Week 2 of preschool for 2 year olds. I feel quite exhilarated as I plan out themes, projects, print out papers to color and pin ideas on Pinterest. I find myself reinforcing the key elements of the weeks lessons through out the day. I know its common sense to reinforce counting and colors etc but I like having the lesson plans as my catalyst and accountability. I haven't been this excited about teaching in a very long time and it feels good. Afterall, its been probably 10 years now since I have been apart of the new crayon crowds headed back to school.

To me, there is something so exquisite about a box of new crayons - especially a 64 pack. It seems almost a sacrilege to tamper with their points. That might be why I inwardly have cringed and winced every time Walter has broken, eaten or torn the paper off his crayons. His 3 boxes of toddler sized crayons are in shambles. Evidently, he doesn't understand what sacrilege is yet.

So yesterday I introduced him to the world of watercolor paints. I have done this with caution and not so much because of the mess he could create on almost any flat surface but because the very idea that he might get the colors all mixed up & "dirty" looking is just - unsettling. Clearly, brand new watercolor paint sets are exquisite to me as well.

I might have to get over this so the boy can actually paint without me hovering or I need to get my own paint set!

Read-a-Thon (July & August)

Well I finished one heck of a long book this week. There still may be time to read something else in August,   something a little smaller than 540 pages! It has taken me over a month to get through this book. It may well be the longest book I have ever read. I kind of wished it was my own copy and not a library book because so many times I wanted to underline something in:


Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

Again, I am astounded by how little I know about history. I knew nothing of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I knew nothing about the role of the church in Germany before and during World War 2. I knew nothing of the suffering of Christians pastors who dared resist Hitler.

I was struck by how the church in general always seems to be trying to stay true to the gospel.  You see it today. It was a problem in the 1920s. It was probably a problem all the way back to the day Jesus walked the earth. There is always some liberal agenda trying to weaken the gospel, some wolf in sheep's clothing trying to deceive the people into something cheap and untrue. There is always someone seeing the problem and trying to ring the warning bell that you must come back to the gospel. You must stay the course. You must pursue God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. That was Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer was the voice calling out in the wilderness when the German church and people seemed to be floundering, first as the Third Reich was just a backdrop to the ebb and flow of church stability. Then, as the Third Reich sought to make the German church and people into something entirely different from what the church has been from the beginning. They sought to create some new kind of christian. People fell for it partly because they were so crushed and humiliated after World War 1 and probably because their faith was just not as interwoven into their lives as it should have been. Then, it probably had a lot to do with fear.

What was a little scary to me as I was reading this book was just how duped the German people were by Hitler and by how clever and intuitive Hitler was that he could worm his way into the German's heart and mind. Convincing them all along that he was a Christian like them but all the while didn't give a hoot and was actually surrounded by people who wanted to go back to the pagan religion of ancient Germany with all its mysticism etc. The whole seduction of the people kind of reminded me of current affairs and our 2008 election where the Barack Obama talked a good talk and wooed people into hope and change. He has ultimately not brought hope and the change he has brought has only undermined the rule of law already established and sought to take away American's individual liberties. The parallels are there and are quite alarming.

Bonhoeffer and his highly intelligent and influential family saw through the facade very early on and worked to see the mad man ousted. Many of them lost their lives, including Dietrich who almost made it. He had nearly slipped through the fingers of the SS and just 2 weeks before the end of the war and Hitler's suicide he was hanged. 

Bonhoeffer's contributions to Germany, the church, theologians, to his students, to his fellow prisoners and to all the people who continue to read the books he had written can not be quantified.

Definitely well worth the time to read this book and see the stark contrast between a man of God and a mad man.

Why Bother?

After (and while) reading Love Wins so many things were running through my head about just how off base this book and this bit of "theology" is. I will delve into my thoughts in this post.

In my eyes, Universal Reconciliation basically says to the Christian "why bother?" Why bother to follow Jesus' command in Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Why bother to follow commandments, live a pure life, share the gospel with your friends and family?
Why bother to rejoice when someone decides to follow Jesus?
Why bother to repent and change your life?
Why bother to read the Bible?
Why bother to teach your kids about Jesus and how he died for their sins?

Why bother when Universal Reconciliation says everyone will be given a chance to follow Christ once they reach eternity.  It could take them 100s of years but in the end because the Bible implies in a couple places including Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,"

How do we that everyone is happy about it! Or that "every" isn't just a generic term for a lot of people.

If everyone ends up saved in the end and no one who has rejected Jesus in life is separated from him in death then....
There is no need for personal responsibility for your actions and choices - now.
There is no need to being open to the Holy Spirit to lead you into a lifetime and eternity with Christ.
I can live it up now and not have to worry about a Judgement Day.
There is no real free will to choose God or not.
No need to hope for 11th hour commitments to Christ.
Really why bother praying that people's hearts would turn to Jesus.
Why spend the money to send missionaries into all the world.

However, the Judgment Day is mentioned quite a bit and Jesus was pretty serious about people choosing to follow him - he died to prove his point. He also told us we need to follow him to reach God the Father.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14

In actuality, now when I am reading the Bible I am reading it with the fresh perspective of just how off kilter the idea is that God who hates sin would suddenly disregard his own laws and give people a free pass after their time was up. Just because it doesn't sit well with some of us.

The best way I can liken it to real life is with the issue of immigration. We have people that go through a lengthy frustrating process to become U.S. Citizen, but they do it because it is important to them to do it the right way. Then, you have people who break the law and come into the U.S. illegally and soak up benefits with no regard for the rule of law. Universal Reconciliation says to those illegally entered people. "That's ok you didn't follow the rules but you can be a citizen anyway." What a slap in the face of all the people that made a choice to do it the right way, the lawful way.

If God is not a god of his own Word - which is the rule of law- what's the use in following him because he becomes a hypocrite and a farce. I want a God that sticks to his Word, who gives people a choice and lets them abide by that choice.

These are just some of the things that just don't make logical or Biblical sense to me in regards to universal reconciliation / salvation.
I am sticking to what I have always known and what is strongly supported in the Bible. We have one life to live we need to make good choices - chose Jesus and live forever with him. I don't know what that will look like but I am guessing it will be pretty good. As for the rest of the people, like those who never heard the gospel of Jesus, God knows their hearts I trust Him to judge wisely when the Day comes.

Read A Thon (June)

I heard about this book and knew there was some controversy  surrounding it and thought I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about. So I checked it out from my trusty library.

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived  by Rob Bell

Does Love Win?

Rob Bell's style is winsome and the white space is easy on the eye, but as I expected when I started reading the book I did not agree with his theology, although there is a part of me that wants to.

Most of us have grown up with the knowledge that if you reject Jesus in this life you will not be spending eternity with Him. In a nutshell, Rob Bell suggests that is not true. It just can't be true because Love Wins. This is also called Universal Reconciliation, a term many Christians have probably never heard.  It is contrary to what the what the church has taught for 2000 years.

I can't go into his assertions and his weak arguments.  I read a book review that went through point after point that proved him wrong or weak in his points. The reviewer did an extensive job and I came away from reading it knowing that most of the points he made I was thinking while I read Love Wins. Another article I read by Carl Trueman, who I knew through my job at the church, pointed out the misuse of a quote by Martin Luther. The misquote takes away from Rob Bells credibility to use a quote accurately. It actually makes me pretty mad because I have never read anything Martin Luther ever wrote except the 95 Theses he nailed to a church door. Had I not read Carl's article I could have gone on to believe that Martin Luther believed one way when in fact all the things he ever wrote does not support Bell's point.

We rely on pastors/authors to use quotes in context and accurately and I feel Bell failed the Christian community and Martin Luther for that matter with just this one out of context quote.
Most of his use of Scripture was poorly documented as well. I had to keep looking things up to find exactly where he was getting his Bible stories or paraphrases from. It seemed more like he wants to make scripture say something its doesn't to make himself feel better about the way things are. Life isn't fair, people make choices that will effect their eternity, the results won't be pretty. We all have free will though.

I am sticking to what I have always known and what is strongly supported in the Bible. We have one life to live we need to make good choices - chose Jesus and live forever with him. I don't know what that will look like but I am guessing it will be pretty good. As for the rest of the people, like those who never heard the gospel of Jesus, God knows their hearts I trust Him to judge wisely when the Day comes.

Look for a follow up post that goes into Universal Reconciliation a little more....

It take a Village to Make a Quilt

There is nothing quite like the thrill of putting together fabrics for a new quilt. Selecting the perfect colors and patterns - it is a natural high for me- made all the better when the fabric I find is on sale or already in my stash.

I made this one for my mystery niece or nephew.... (The baby turned out to be a nephew!) It was a completely different direction from what I was originally going to do but when I saw the chosen crib bedding, all my plans changed. The bedding has bumblebees and remembered seeing fabric with honeybees. I decided this was quite appropriate since we come from a long line of beekeepers.

My great-grandfather was a beekeeper in Italy. When a swarm of honeybees became available at his new home in America he picked up the hobby again. Instructing my grandpop, who was just a young boy at the time, in the art of beekeeping. They in turn taught my dad. My dad continues the family tradition and has been getting help from my brother. So who know who will be the next trainee, I hope it will be one of the 3 grandchildren.

I chose this pattern because -well it looks like honeycomb and a flower too. I did need some council on how to attach it to the backing so I brought it to a quilting club one Saturday and got so many great ideas. The best idea was the green background. I was originally going to use white. They advised me against that, one reason being white and babies are not always a good mix. I was so pleased to find a green that worked so well and was on sale! My friend the quilt shop owner says, "sometimes it takes a village to make a quilt!  (or pick colors)" I have found this to be true time and again.

Its the Grilling Life for Me

It's the grilling life for me - because I don't have to do it! Years ago, our friend gave us his old grill and my husband refurbished it this spring in anticipation of the 1/4 side of grass fed beef we ordered.

Whereas, when I cook I often just make it up as I go or alter a recipe much to his chagrin because sometimes it doesn't turn out so great or sometimes I just can't duplicate it again! He on the other hand, follows recipes to a T. So before we grill we/he looks up an exact way to do it.


Enter the zucchini. I can't say I have ever had grilled zucchini. We definitely never made it before. But we are sold. I think this is the best way to eat it. For several reasons:

• It cooks quick.
• You don't heat up the kitchen sauteing it for 20 minutes.
• You can actually feel like it is filling rather than eating limp cooked to death zucchini.
• There is some substance to it.
• Flavor even with minimal spices, whereas sauteed seemed to need a lot of spice to get a good flavor.

Then, there was the asparagus. Same results. Same reasons. Good stuff.

The recipe: brush veggies with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, garlic powder and Italian spices You could use a variety of spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

We are sold on grilling veggies and I am looking forward to trying some other veggies this summer. It should be a tasty summer of grilling with a lot less sauteing!

This was Father's Day dinner.
Yum.

Raspberries

There is something so satisfying about picking raspberries. I have never had the opportunity to pick them before. My parents came over and we toke the little boy, who was more interested in playing with sticks than picking berries. He did manage to pick and eat a few.

The ripe berry pulls effortlessly off the cone it was once firmly attached to. The not so ripe berry requires a little more tugging. The berries were just beautiful and tasty. The bushes were still plentiful so you didn't have to hunt too hard for ripe berries but if you did turn over a few leaves there was a mother load waiting to be picked. The weather was cool and before you knew it we had 10+ pounds of berries. And the little love of my life had the playground on the farm all to himself too!  I left the field feeling very satisfied. Fresh berries to eat for the next few days and fresh berries to freeze for days to come!

History Recycled

Several years ago, when my grandpop's cousin Mary passed away, I picked up 2 items that had been her's at a yardsale.  One was a navy blue dress coat that fits me perfectly. It is vintage and still in excellent condition.

The other item was a white chenille bedspread. I used the bedspread for many summers. It had gotten too tattered, stained and worn to continue to use so.... I decided I would cut away the bad parts and recycle the good portions for a baby blanket or something.

Well I recently found a good use for it. My mom picked up a  rocker for $3 at a yardsale. I didn't use a rocker with my son, but my acupuncturist/chiropractor said that the rocking motion is excellent for the nursing body. So we shall see how it goes with baby #2.

I covered a kitchen seat cushion that we gave up using. For the back I just used quilt batting. It is just enough cushion for bottom and back! I am so tickled that I was able to come up with a good use for Mary's blanket and that I didn't have to spend anything to add cushions to my rocker. So I guess you could say I recycled something somewhat historical - that makes me happy too.

The White Bird

This little guy looks like a white dove to me. He was hiding out under our truck. He has been hanging around our house for the past week. Flitting around. Watching over us... So it would seem. As out of ordinary as it is, I can't help but think it is a sign of some sort.

White doves are often associated with peace. I think I could use an infusement of peace or at least a reminder that:

The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 That's a big task for a little bird, but I guess he is doing his job...

Read-A-Thon (May)

I not sure what happened to April. I don't think I successful read any books. I just finished a book last night so I will share some thoughts on it while it is fresh in my mind.

No They Can't: Why Government Fails but Individuals Succeed by John Stossel

So I have to go on the record and say I have always liked John Stossel. You might even say I have had a crush on him. He was the man going against the flow and speaking his mind amidst typical media people who kind of acted like he is the crazy fellow they should try to hush hush. "Ah yes that's nice, good reporting but we don't really buy it." That is the impression I always got from Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs from their show 20/20.

That could be why I liked him. What he said made sense, and he sounded like my dad.

Having been without a TV or cable for almost 2 years I had no idea Stossel was no longer with 20/20. He now works for Fox News and has his own show there. It sounds as though he is really happy with his environment. No unions to worry about, no co-workers blatantly poo, pooing him, no higher ups saying you can't do this or say that. He has some freedom and that's is what a Libertarian like him really wants.

I have heard the term Libertarian before but I never really delved into what exactly that looks like. Presidential candidate Ron Paul is really a Libertarian running as Republican and during debates much of what he said sounded sensible but some sounded a little unnerving. After reading, No They Can't I definitely understand what Ron Paul is driving at and what Libertarians want. They want freedom. They actually want more freedom than a conservative like myself wants - which surprised me.

Libertarians want bare bones Federal government, they want the government to just do the things the Constitution lays out for them, postal system, defense, coining money and handful of other things. The list does not include providing housing, arts, NPR, subsidies for trains, farm and everything else that can't survive on its own, education, nation building in other countries, or healthcare. Some of this stuff is the state's responsibility and some of it yours or mine - the individual.

He made such good points about why everything the government touches ends up wasted, more expensive, failing and not the best that it could be. But if it were left up to individuals who are more motivated to come up with a better, more efficient and more cost effective way to do it things would be so much better - like our tax bills and our nation's deficit!

He touches on "Green" energy, chemicals in foods, education system, drugs, the cost of wars.
I don't like to hear talk of cutting defense spending because after all that's one of the few things Federal Government is supposed to do, but John cites case after case of flagrant, disgusting waste of our tax dollars that it almost makes me think the government needs a bunch of stay at home moms trying to survive on 1 salary to get a hold of the budget and tackle it like a woman crazy with nesting and due any day.
Case in point: "Uncle Sam" sent over 12 Billion in $100 bills to Iraq - no one can tell you where that money has gone. Vanished. That pisses me off.

Government run Education was a good chapter as well. Not really anything I haven't heard before thanks to  Waiting for Superman and having worked in public schools for several years. We dump tax money into public schools and they still fail. No amount of money is going to fix the failing schools or children until administration can fire bad or poor performing teachers and give raises to the exceptional teachers. Blame the teacher's union for that one. Warm bodies who pay dues is all they care about, not providing our kids with the best teachers. Believe me I have seen those teachers who should have been kicked to the curb. Instead they were coddled and moved around so they poor abilities effected less kids. Or they just stayed put and made more kids cry year after year.

Entitlements- The whole Social Security / Medicare thing is just a mess and the unsustainability will crush us.
Here is a quote that really got me, " Few of us realize, though, that most of us get back up to three times what we paid in, (SS&Medi.) and that our selfish sense of entitlement will ruin America much faster than foreign aid, subsidies for NPR, or foreign wars ever will." (p. 283) Did you hear that Baby Boomers!?

As a Libertarian, Stossel believes illegal drugs should be legal. True freedom gives the adult the opportunity to smoke pot if they want to or need it to combat chemotherapy side effects. Seeing these things legalized -as conservative and a Christian- aren't so good in my eyes and yet he made valid points to support his stance. He is pretty convincing...

Libertarians want freedom, that translates into free trade, capitalism, and letting the market make the necessary changes to protect people, and make them prosperous and keeping Government out. If this country did it with gusto no one could stop us! We will need to do something soon though because the American taxpayer can't keep up with the spending. Bankruptcy - it isn't a matter of if it is a matter of when.

I'll tell you, understanding the mind of a Libertarian will force me to look at the issues with a fresh perspective. How much freedom do I really want?

So get out to the library or your bookstore of choice and check this book out. What's really nice about the lay out is its broken down into bite-size pieces lasting a page or 2 as he looks at "What Intuition Tempts Us to Believe" and "What Reality Taught Me" making it a good book for busy people!

Home Economists

I have been home with my son for nearly 2 years now. Some time in August - Lord Willing- we will have a new bundle. With another child comes a potentially tighter budget and I am glad that over the last 2 years, I have learned how to stretch dollars and seek out the good deals. In this ever struggling economy, dollars may need to be stretched even more.

I have learned a lot following the blog Money Saving Mom : Helping You Become a Better Home Economist   I like the term "home economist". As moms, specifically stay at home moms we sometimes have our finger on the pulse of the economy better than anyone else. We know the cost of food, electric, kids clothes, and gas. We also know that the prices are all going up or are much too high for many of our one salary budgets. We also know that our work is never done. If our baby wakes up in the middle of night we get up, if we have to cut costs we make another sacrifice or have a yardsale. We work hard and it is often overlooked by just about all walks of life -even Democratic strategists like Hilary Rosen. She said in April, creating a small firestorm, that Ann Romney, (potential 1st Lady) who raised five sons, had "never worked a day in her life."

What a slap in the face of most moms. As if being a mom, in this case a stay at home mom, is not work.. Ann Romney has worked hard anyone who has a son or has seen boys play knows that! Hilary's statement is ignorant and assumptive as well as offensive to the women working at home. She assumes that the Romneys have always had money and never struggled, assumes that being a stay at home mom is not real work, assumes that being a working mom or a woman in the workforce is real work. She assumes that real work is the only way a woman has the credibility to have any kind of say about economics.

Hilary said this because Mitt Romney talks to his wife and she tells him what she is hearing from women these days about the economy. Hilary assumes that a rich stay at home mom has no room to talk on such issues. I wonder if Hilary Rosen would have the nerve to say it to me? What does this stay at home mom know about the economy, probably just as much as Ann Romney! One only has to over hear a conversation in passing, read a blog, talk to a neighbor, watch a youtube video or listen to talk radio and you get a good reading on the state of the economy and how families are struggling.

Sure Hilary apologized to Ann but I still can't help but think that Hilary and people like her think that when you leave the work force to raise your children you leave your brain, background knowledge and opinions behind. Life as a Stay at Home Mom isn't just dishes and singing the Wheels on Bus. No one is living in the trenches more than the home economist. We are the ones clipping coupons, scouring grocery circulars, carrying calculators in our purse/diaper bags, following blogs that highlight the best deals. We go without cable. We buy our kids clothes are resales and yardsales, We drive old cars. We drive less because gas is so high. We make sacrifices because our kids are worth it. I dare say some of us talk to politicians and their wives about how tough things are!

This burgeoning home economist has learned more about the economy, frugality and budgeting in my 2 years working at home than in all my years in the workforce. Besides reading blogs, I've watched youtube videos of Milton Friedman (the economist) with my husband, I listen to talk radio all afternoon, and I read. All very good reasons for me to be offended when a woman like Hilary Rosen implies that stay at home moms aren't really working and that we don't have any credible experience or opinions to speak on economy.

Lost Teachable Moments

When I was teaching, I loved to take advantage of the teachable moment. You know those unplanned moments when you get a chance to explain something or learn something that you hadn't planned. I do endeavor to teach my son as we go about the day, even though it may be something over his head right now. I tell him anyway because you never know what will stick. Someday something might click quicker as he remembers momma saying something about x,y,z.

I really can't imagine people not wanting to be involved in a teachable moment when they have a chance to share their knowledge or passion about a hobby etc.

It does seem to happen a little too often to me. One recent missed teachable moment took place at Longwood Gardens when I had the chance to meet up with Brandy (Hi Brandy :-) It was a beautiful day and all the photographers were out. There was one woman who had an old fashioned camera - the kind you put your head under a drape and I think capture the photo on a glass panel. I don't know for sure because when I asked a question, as we were walking by not only did she not answer my question she said something really rude. Actually something rude directed to my little boy. I was utterly shocked. Shocked by the rudeness but also by someone not wanting to take advantage of the teachable moment to share about something they are passionate about. I can only assume she was passionate about it. I mean how many people do you see walking around with old fashioned cameras unless its something they enjoy.  Clearly sharing that enjoyment doesn't bring her joy though.  That is the only explanation I could come up with for her rudeness.

Brandy and I walked on looking at each other in utter disbelief at the rudeness and the missed opportunity to learn something new.

In the Thick of Things

In the thick of things. It is not always the best place to be. Nor is it the best place to watch someone you love be...

In the thick of small town political drama.
In the thick of singleness.
In the thick of infertility issues.
In the thick of health issues.
In the thick of running a business in a struggling over-regulated economy.

It isn't a pretty sight sometimes - most times.

It leaves me wondering what more can I do? The best thing I can do is pray and yet this simplistic action feels like the hardest thing. It would be so much more satisfying to write a letter to the editor. However, stirring the pot isn't always the best course of action either - for so many reasons.



So I must find myself deep in the thick of prayer because I know this is the best course of action if I am to offer any help or comfort to those who are caught in the thick of something messy or painful or disappointing.

Titantic Greetings

One of my favorite scenes from the iconic John Cameron movie "Titantic" is the last scene when Rose is finally reunited with Jack and she is welcomed "home" by all those vibrant characters who didn't survive the icy waters. All those men, women and children who didn't get to lead full lives like we see Rose did by the pictures she had displayed by her bed. She lived a full life for them -her heart went on.

You can watch it here:


Maybe its a romanticized version of stepping from the life we now know into the eternal life beyond us. I do like to  think that when people pass on they are greeted by all those that went before. I don't know if there is any theological validity to it but when my brother passed away 15 years ago it was comforting to me to think perhaps he was welcomed home by our great grandparents. When my grandpop passed away this summer I was comforted thinking of all the people who might be waiting to welcome him home - like my brother and grandpop's parents, and Rudy, "Wacko", Fred, and Uncle Don and the men he fought with in WWII and all the ones he has said goodbye to over the years.

On February 3rd and 4th, two of my grandpop's very good friends passed away. I couldn't help but think that these 2 veterans were greeted by my Pop as they answered the final call. Perhaps it was a Titanic greeting with a room full of friends, relatives and comrades. Comrades who are glad that they lived such full and good lives.

Then, of course instead of Jack being at the top of the staircase - its Jesus...

Read-A-Thon (March)

I had heard about Unbroken from my friend MaryAnn she told me at one point she was number 95 on the waiting list for this book at her library! I didn't have to wait that long.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By Laura Hillenbrand

This book was a page turner for me. I felt like I was with Louie Zamperini (the subject in the book) when he was running, floating on a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and a P.O.W. in Japan. Not a pretty time for him but he survived against all odds because God's hand was on him protecting him and saving him for the life that was planned for him. It was such a great book because of his life of overcoming odds and also an excellent look into World War II and the horrors our grandfathers lived through or died from. It was such a different look at the war compared to A Pictorial History of the World War 1I Years by Edward Jablonski. This is because Unbroken is about a real guy, someone my grandpop might have come across or served with. Whereas the pictorial history was very general, with astounding statistics and mind numbing fatality numbers. Unbroken put names and faces with those staggering numbers. 
Louis Zamperini has his own book Devil at my Heels  which I have added to my list of books to read. I am curious to see the difference in style.


Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Against Special Interests, Liberal Media, and Cynical Politicos to Secure America's Border By Arizona Governor Jan Brewer

I heard about this book the day President Obama snubbed Gov. Jan Brewer on the tarmac. I heard her book went through the roof on Amazon.com that week. I picked mine up at the library.

If you want to watch some of  aftershocks of their run in watch this video:


As is often the case, there is always more to the story than the media gives you.  No one wants to be considered a racist. Except maybe real racists -they don't care who knows. This book chronicles Gov. Brewer attempt to pass a law that helps enforce existing U.S. Immigration laws that aren't being enforced by the Federal Government. Time and again Gov. Brewer reiterated that she is not a racist, she believes in the rule of law. We have laws that should be enforced for the safety of all; for the fairness of all. By the Obama Administration's inaction to enforce the laws on the books it would seem they don't care so much about the danger of drugs cartels, gangs, smugglers and the financial drain on the people of Arizona dealing with an influx of crime and people in need of services & education. In fact, the President sued the Governor to keep the law from going into effect.

It is funny, the term "illegal alien" seems to have lost its affect. It is means someone is breaking our laws. As a result, people who are breaking our laws are also taking government services from legitimate citizens both those natural born and those who lawfully went through the naturalization process.

Lawlessness is costing taxpayers millions & billions of dollars, which I knew going into the book. I kind of thought this book would be a little bit like "preaching to the choir" however, I really learned a great deal about the issues and how there is more to this than meets the eye. It is definitely a good read especially if you are on the fence about immigration or want to be able to refute arguments posed to you about immigration -around the water cooler.

I admit I have found myself grumbling when at the store and I see someone who is "probably" an illegal alien using a SNAP card or WIC payments and I look in my wallet and know I couldn't get everything I wanted to today. I know I need to guard my heart so my frustration stays on the lawlessness and not the person in front of me.

Lily and Bill - Back Together Again

Part of my daily routine is to check out the local obituaries. Yesterday, I saw a familiar name- Bill V. Years, ago when I was still single I interviewed Bill and his wife Lily (also my cousin.)

In honor of the fact that Bill has be reunited with his beautiful Lily, I am re-posting the article I wrote about them years ago. I've not reedited. .

Does Love Really Come When You Least Expect It?

Lily and Bill

My aunt was telling me about Lily and Bill’s anniversary party. I was intrigued.

I thought of Lily, a beautiful older woman and distant cousin. At least once a year, I would see her at the St. Michael’s Celebration, serving porkette and roast beef sandwiches. I asked my aunt how long have they been married. She said, “25 years.” My mouth dropped. “How can that be? She has to be in her 70s.”

I started to do the math. If they celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2001 that means they got married in the 1976. If she was 50 in 1976 that means she was 25 in 1951. I thought to myself, “What was it like to be a twenty-something single woman in the 1950s?” My understanding of the 50s was everyone got married. It was not like today where a woman can choose a career over marriage and not be called an “Old Maid”. I decided I must talk to Lily and Bill to see what wisdom they can offer single people.

Lily is a woman with a sweet spirit about her and at 76 she is still beautiful. Bill is an energetic fellow who wakes up singing. This is their story.

Gibbstown Swim Club 1976, sitting on opposite sides of the pool Lily noticed a man with crossed legs and nice calves. Curious, she asked a friend sitting next to her about him. Gibbstown is full of family relations and everyone knows mostly everyone else, yet she had never met Bill. Maybe because he was a teacher in Pitman about 20 minutes away and he spent most of his summers on his boat in Cape May. However, that day mutual friends introduced Bill to Lily. They had come to watch their niece and nephew swim but they found love. Less than four weeks later, they were married. Lily was 50; Bill was 47 neither had ever been married.

Bill never had any inclination to marry. He was perfectly content teaching, coaching and boating. Never gave marriage a thought, until he met Lily. “It was love at first sight”, he said. They were the talk of the town when three weeks later they got married in her mother’s house. They figured, “we’re older and don’t need a long engagement.” They had found love, so why wait. The thing is it really came when they least expected it. It was not after years of relentless, frustrated searching.

Not having any desire to marry really puts you in a position to find it when you least expect it. Not living life consumed with finding a mate or depressed because you can’t find one also puts you in a very good position to find love when you least expect it. You are honestly living life without the expectation. Not like some of us who say, “Oh I know I won’t meet Mr. Right tonight.” Still you look around for him and go home a little bummed because you really didn’t find him tonight.

I was a little surprised to find out that being single didn’t bother them. I thought Lily might tell me that it was a terrible struggle of surrendering her will to God and learning to wait. She never had to go through the labyrinth of surrender. She had always been there. I wish I could say the same for myself. Too bad surrendering isn’t a gene to be passed along in family DNA; I would like having that gene.

If I could bottle their attitude toward singleness and sell it, I could become a very wealthy woman. Their single years contain nuggets of wisdom we could learn a lot from. We can’t bottle attitudes; we are left to change our own through the grace of God. Some of us desperately need a new attitude in regards to our single life. They have the life experience and credibility that we can trust. They have room to talk. Do we have the good sense to listen?

Lily could have married earlier. She ran into some of the same men we have. Believe it or not there were men in the 50s who were only interested in sex too. She wouldn’t give into that. She was choosy she didn’t date just anyone. Though she may have been considered an “old maid” she never felt that is what people thought of her. She didn’t pine for a husband because she was happy where she was. That is were I want to be, so happy with life that I don’t even notice I am single.

Both Lily and Bill found satisfaction working and traveling. She was active in politics and the St. Michael’s Club. He spent his summers boating. Both were involved with the family as they still are. She had a loving, fun family that fulfilled her. She invested time with her nieces and nephews and this made her happy. He invested time in his students and this fulfilled him. He still has former students coming up to him.

Lily mentioned, “swim meets are boring”, but it was important that she support her niece. It was in doing the valuable, but boring tasks that she met the right man at the right time. Like Rebecca gathering water at the well, a valuable but boring task that provided her with a loving husband. (Genesis 24)

They both told me, “When you least expect it will happen.” Coming from anybody else its like fingernails on a chalkboard, but from them it is truth. They lived it. They lived life to the fullest and then their cup overflowed. “The last 25 years have been the best years of my life,” Bill said, “I wouldn’t trade a day.” Such statements from a tremendous couple give me hope.

You can’t walk away from Lily and Bill and not learn some valuable lessons.
Do what makes you happy.
Go out meet people make friends.
Invest time in your family and friends.
Don’t live life looking because it really does happen when you least expect it.

This is where I wish I could sell, “Lily and Bill’s Healthy Single Attitude” in a bottle because I know a lot of people will say, “Yeah, easier said than done.”

Capture this final picture. It’s true they never longed to be married like some of us. They just did what made them happy. Then one day in the midst of doing what made them happy they met and fell in love. Now if you want that, if you really want to hear, “These years with you have been the best years of my life...” Are you willing to live life to the fullest? Are you willing to catch hold of that attitude of not stressing over biological clocks or calendars with no dates penciled in and just live and do what makes you happy? That’s where I want to be found, living life to the fullest.

No matter how old I get before he comes along, hope stays alive because Lily and Bill. Sometimes love comes later but it comes… when we least expect it.

Epilogue:

It’s been more than five years since I sat with Lily and Bill at their dining room table and they shared with me how they met and got married. Today, February 6, 2006 I went to Lily’s viewing. After a number of years battling cancer she is at peace. As I walked into the church there was a collage of pictures of Lily with family members and friends. In the center of it all was their wedding picture.

As I looked at this still beautiful woman lying at rest I couldn’t help but say, “If you can hear me Lily perhaps you might ask God if he could hurry up my husband for me. I am 5 years older now too and I am not so sure I can be as patient as you were.” Theologically it’s not sound I know but sometimes you can’t help yourself. And then I saw Bill, “I am going to miss that girl. I never would of have thought I would have found someone as wonderful as her at my age… we had 30 good years together. The best 30 years of my life.”

Their story will live on… still giving me hope.

Sometimes...

... doing the right thing looks a little risky.

I noticed this old lady standing on the corner. She was dressed for winter though it is quite warm out. Dressed to the nines too. As I stopped at the corner, she walked up to the car and asked if I could give her a ride to the Giant grocery store. The bus had come early and so she missed it and the next one wasn't for an hour. She spoke with an Italian accent. She is 90 if she is a day and is smaller than me so I figured if she tried anything I could take her right?! In today's day and age, saying yes to helpless people has become a hard thing to risk and that is sad. I felt it was the right thing to do so I let her in. Here it turns out she is from the Abruzzi region in Italy and was astounded to hear that my family was Ascoli Piceno. Veritable neighbors. She was sweet and appreciated my help.

She made me think of my great grandparents, Luigi & Giulia. They came to Ellis Island over 90 years ago. They arrived in Gibbstown in February. Great Grandmom Giulia was midway through a pregnancy that resulted in my grandpop. She gets off the train and all she sees is cinder block houses and nothing special. Grandpop told me she was so "disappointed." Still they would probably agree with me that sometimes doing the right thing looks a little risky. Like boarding a ship to cross the Atlantic while your are pregnant. Like leaving your home to try and make a new home in a far off place. They did it though. Gibbstown was nothing special compared to the history and beauty contained in the city limits of Ascoli Piceno.

Perhaps the reward of doing the risky right thing is that something special can come out of it.
Over time Gibbstown became more special because they were there. They produced 3 children who all contributed to making the town something special, from the trees they planted to the people they interacted with on a daily basis to the organizations they helped found and run. They are and were special to the people of the town. Pillars. People who are pillars can sometime even outlast ancient Roman pillars found in old cities.

Read-A-Thon (January & February)

I always enjoyed doing the M.S. Read-A-Thon during my grammar school days. I liked reading in general. I still do, I just haven't been taking or making the time as I said in earlier posts. That's all changing I have read more books in the first 2 months of 2012 than I read in all over 2011. I actually feel smarter!

Here is the list and little highlight or endorsement of each of the books.

1.  Mother I got this one for Christmas from my mom. This is an old book that has been brought back to life. It was a lovely read. At times it was very convicting and at the same time inspiring. Convicting in the sense that Mother never wearied in doing good no matter what. She labored to provide meals for her family no matter how early or late or hot. (I am prone to not being so willing when my dear hubby comes home late and needs dinner.) Inspiring because Mother took turns praying at the bedside of one of her children each night and the children relished this time. (I am most nights so tired I just want to get my child in his crib so I can have a moments peace. Oftentimes I don't take the time to pray with him.) My take away from the book isn't even really the full scope of the book. It really is about a daughter that wants a career and to see the world but eventually comes back to the fact that there is no other role model or person she wants to be more like than her Mother.

2. The Money Saving Mom's Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year by Crystal Paine of moneysavingmom.com

I follow her blog everyday to get the news on deals, coupons and tips for saving money. A good book with lots of good tips although many of them can be found on her website. It is a good resource to have everything right at your finger tips.

I can't remember how I came across this one but I always wanted to read one of those non-Jane Austen written books pretending to be a sequel to a Jane Austen book. Enter....

3. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D James
This book was a sequel that follows Lizzie & Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. It was a page turner, but I was also very snuggley under a blanket and not feeling the best. Both really good reasons to just keep reading! I liked the book until the author tried to tie another Jane Austen book. I just thought that was forced and weird. My first thought was I can understand the writers of ER wanting to bring back as many characters for their show finale. I love that kind of nostalgia but this not so much. If Jane had done it I would have loved that!

This next book was at the suggestion of one of my old high school classmate's. She posted how much she liked it on Facebook. So I checked it out of the library.

4. Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
By Conor Grennan
This is easily one of the best books I ever read. It was inspiring. It was a love story. It was action packed and suspenseful. I stayed up until 2:30am to finish -even though my son is an early riser!  The author left me thanking God that He inspires some people to do things beyond what they would ever ask or imagine. And they are able to transform hundreds of lives because they stepped out in faith. That is exactly what Conor Grennan did. I learned about a part of the world that I knew nothing of and feel like I smoothed out a little bit of a rough spot in my life long quest to become more well rounded.

You can find out more about his mission and organization to help the Lost Children of Nepal here.

5.Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery By Eric Metaxas  

I am sure I heard about this book when the movie about William Wilberforce came out in 2007. (That was the first movie I went to see by myself because I wanted to see it so bad and didn't want to wait for someone to go with!) So I was encouraged to read the book recently when I heard the author speak. He was spellbinding. It was like he was both stand up comedian and preacher wrapped up in one.

Seriously if you have 20 minutes of free time you will not regret it being spent listening to Eric Metaxas. He was utterly winsome and true to the gospel. Skip to minute 34 approximately of the National Prayer Breakfast. 

Anyway, I figured if he is that good a speaker he might just be that good a writer and I was correct. This book was top notch. I felt like I was sent back in time and could feel the darkness of the colonial period when slavery was not considered an abomination. I might even read his book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer because I don't know a thing about him except his name.

5 books in 2 months now that is progress toward becoming a better reader and a better writer not to mention well rounded-ness!

Back Burner Dreams

One thing is for sure being a mom changes things. The chances of using the bathroom by yourself are greatly reduced as is getting to eat a whole banana. Things that were easy to put together on a moments notice - like a girls not out- take a couple weeks to plan.

Moms make sacrifices its just that simple. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to travel and do things before having a baby, it definitely helped get some of the wanderlust out. As moms, I think that the dreams we had for our lives sometimes have to be put on back burners or experienced more as a treat as opposed to a staple. I can't just pick up and travel wherever anymore. I can't stay up like a night owl writing because my son is an early riser and a morning person. I am ok with that. There will be time enough for traveling and staying up late when my children are older. In the meantime, I can travel through a book and write during nap-time - when I am not napping myself!

I have found that even when I had time to take something off the back burner by reading or writing I just surfed the internet instead - not really going very far either. Kind of sad isn't it?

I think I kind of owe it to my child to use my time wisely -so I can be the best kind of mom- and if I can work on the dreams that have always been with me then I should do it. I heard somewhere that to be a good writer you have to be a good reader and I realized I only read 3 books last year and that is pretty pathetic. Is it any wonder, Liz, that writing is more a chore than driving force?

So 3 things will be working on when I have time to take something off the back burner:
1. Reading as much interesting non-fiction as I can (I'll post more on what I have read so far and am looking  to read.)

2. Working on my grammar - because let's face I am not good at grammar. ( I have a brush up book you are suppose to complete in 24 hours - I think I have had the book for over 5 years!)

3. Taking a course with the hubby - “Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution” is a 10-week online course presented by Hillsdale College.

These seem like important steps in reaching goals and realizing dreams while I am in this particular season of life. I just want to want to use my time well for myself and my family and also for God who gave me gifts and dreams that are meant to be fostered over a lifetime.

Reviewing the Situation

I have been thinking about my mission with the this blog: Because Hope, Glory and Wonder Abound.
So of all things came to my mind today is a song from Oliver Twist where Fagin is "Reviewing the Situation" of whether to continue as a villain or "turn a new leaf." So I go to google.com to find the lyrics and whose birthday is it but Charles Dickens - author of Oliver Twist. Oh the irony.

This is as far as I got in thinking about my mission other than to read my first 4 blog posts, which I have to say were quite inspiring to me but right now there are toys scattered like landmines all over and I should probably attended to the dump trucks and such....

Check August 2006

2012 Goals

Of course I am late to get on board with Goals for 2012.

So I am just repeating from last year. :-) sort of.

Most specifically: 
Drink water
Take my vitamins
Read to the baby - which isn't as big a deal now that he will actually sit for a book.
Get dressed by 11am - really this should be 9am or much earlier I just can't get it done.

I am adding to this year:
Read more books. I have already read more books in Januray than I read all last year.
Pray more about stuff like finances, wisdom in parenting, consistency in discipline, and nice neighbors...
Do some kind of Bible reading, Christian music / devotional time during the day because I feel like I have a neighbor I could visit during the day and I wait until bedtime to talk to Him and enjoy His company.

Since I Discovered the FlyLady

The FlyLady is the home-keeper's organizational, inspirational and instructional wellspring. I had actually heard of her many years ago but didn't need what she had to offer in my stage of life. So when I heard our MOPS speaker was going to share what she learned from the FlyLady I decided to check her out. I also had come across some rather gross discoveries in my home most notably mentioned in the dishpan post - a colony of dust bunnies and oh yeah a broken vacuum. Then, there was the baby's bath tub that I still shutter to think about. Just the overall revelation that if I were to have another baby and no plan for keeping the house clean and meals on the table not only would we have a dirty tub but we would be eating a lot of cereal.

So I made some changes. This is what I have done so far.

Meal Planning - I could never do a weekly plan because I don't want to be locked into chicken on Tuesday in case I am not in the mood for chicken or if something comes up and there isn't time to make chicken. Yet I know I needed a plan because trying to figure it out at 4pm wasn't working either! So I thought and I thought: What would work for me? The solution was 4 meals at a time. I usually only make 4 meals a week anyhow. So I pick 4 meals and write down the key ingredient if the recipes is in a book and what ingredients I might need. Then, each day if I need to make a meal because leftover are done or promised for lunch I pick one of the four meals. It is really working for me! This plan has built in flexibility which is what me and my palate need!


The 2nd Flylady change this night owl is getting to bed at a decent hour. I don't wake up well - never have- I don't think going to bed any earlier is helping me get up but having extra sleep isn't hurting. What I have done is set my cell phone to go off at 9:30 each night. This reminds me that I have 30 minutes to get to bed if I want to hit my target of being in bed by 10 to read and do my devotions. The 9:30 warning reminds me not to start anything new - like a movie, or to finish up what I am working on. In fact one night while watching the Sherlock Holmes movie I stopped in the middle to go to bed. That took some discipline! I do allow myself the freedom to decide 1-2 times a week to stay up later if I have something I need to do like a blog post or something I need peace and quite for. This worked well most of November. I'll admit I was sloppy during the Christmas season because I had so many projects to work on. The reminder really helped me be aware of my decision making. Since actually drafting this post many, many weeks ago my husband got a hold of my phone and turned off the alarm. He hated it. However, I am still pretty cognizant of 9:30 rolling around and have been working on getting to bed at a decent hour without the alarm.

The 3rd change is cleaning by zones.  Each week  I focus on a different room for deeper cleaning, decluttering and reorganizing as needed. The whole idea is to keep maintaining cleanliness instead of tackling piles of dirt once they mount up enough to move me. This way I know my shower stall and curtain will get a good cleaning at least once a month.

All this was going really well and then, well, life happened and taking a nap just seemed way more important than dusting. So I took a break but I am working on getting back into the groove.