Why it matters

To quote from a few classic films:

Casablanca: Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. 

The Naked Gun: It's a topsy-turvy world, and maybe the problems of two people don't amount to a hill of beans. But this is our hill. And these are our beans!

 Above, you see a picture of the lentils that my husband cooked yesterday while I was out. They were delicious.  We had them for dinner, and will have them again today for lunch.  It seems like such a small thing, but it's a big deal.  I didn't have to cook last night, and today, I can just have a good time with the kids and not have to worry about fixing lunch.  It makes a big deal.  It spoke volumes of love and encouragement to me.

Here's lookin' at you, babe!

I don't think it's selling my birthright to be thrilled over these bowls of soup.  The little things, as well as the big, matter.  I keep thinking of this song by Sara Groves when it comes to creating music.  It's easy to get discouraged and thing that what I want to write or sing about doesn't amount to a hills of beans in this crazy world.  This song encourages me and reminds me that a song can be like that cup of cold water - refreshing, life-giving.

Here is Sara Groves performing "Why it Matters"  at an International Justice Mission event.  Enjoy!


GPG 2009 - "Why It Matters" by Sara Groves from International Justice Mission on Vimeo.

Hey, Jude!

I would like to borrow on the Olympic theme so I can introduce my nephew.  But first, a happy little family drama.  I was watching the opening ceremonies without great hopes, and then my eyes began to widen as I realized I loved it, and I started contacting my family in a later time zone to let them know they should tune in.  Halfway through the show on my brother's end I checked to see if he was as enthralled - he texted, "Relatively confused but entertained." Ha!  I thought it was so appropriate we were texting about it since the scene he was watching was the "digital love story" of Frankie and June.

Anyhoo, I knew we were supposed to be expecting Paul McCartney in there somewhere, too, but it was just as good as it could get, at least for my family.  My dad is/was a serious Beatles fan and my brother is a rocker who named his little boy Jude after the song which Paul McCartney sang during the ceremony!  

So of course I texted my brother and my dad that they had to watch the show all the way to the very end because I knew they'd be wild about the performance.

Yesterday my SIL, Jude's mommy, sent me a few pics of the eponymous little guy.  Isn't he adorable?  Can't you just put these pictures together and imagine Sir McCartney directing him as he sings?

                Na na na                                                               Na na na na!

Hey, Jude!

Isn't he cute with his daddy in matching hats?  I had to ask my SIL permission to put these pics on my blog because I think Jude is the sweetest, cutest little thing but didn't want him overexposed.  So, here he is.  Thank you, Sir McCartney, for making the introduction!

Making good neighbors

They say good fences make good neighbors.  Well, we have no neighbors on this side of the house, but now we have a better fence, so maybe we will get better neighbors.  This was one of Scott's many acts of love over the weekend.  I can wait to blog them all (those I haven't eaten already).

Lord of the Rings

So, last night was the opening ceremonies of the Summer olympics in London.  I L-O-V-E-D it. So theatrical, funny, beautiful, brilliant, and British.  I loved how the music helped tell the story, and the fact that there were twenty things going on at once on a huge field and that the cameras were able to zoom in on certain vignettes so we could follow the story.  There were parts that were a bit confusing to me and I was glad that the commentators were explaining.  I hope that all of the members of the crowd had some kind of guide in their programs.

Before the ceremonies, I was feeling completely exhausted and discouraged by all that there was to do.  I felt the Lord remind me to "cease striving, and know that I am God." I read the rest of Psalm 46 while I rested.  It was good.  In college it was brought to my attention that "Be still and know that I am God" is just half of the verse; the other half is, "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

So, as I was watching the historical drama unfold on the olympic field, I was quite struck by all of the hymn singing.  I want to find out what some of those hymns were - one sounded like "Bread of Heaven" or something like that.  And it seemed like at one point in the children's hospital scene that the Mary Poppinses and others were dancing to "Good Christian Men, Rejoice."  I imagine it's just a traditional tune.

I watched almost all of the opening ceremonies.  I was tired, right?  And I was (and still am!) an English major, a somewhat closeted Anglo-phile, so I seriously soaked the whole thing in.  It didn't seem as long as it really was, to me.

Coincidentally, my daily Bible reading for yesterday also included Psalm 46.  It made me glad for the acknowledgement of Britain's Christian past, and a little sad that it was just considered part of the past.  It left me wondering if hymns and Christianity could be a significant part of Britain's future.

Thy Mercy

"But he gives us more grace." James 4:6a

I was meditating on God's very great grace toward me, grace that extends to every believer, and read these words from a favorite Bible teacher, "He is enough.  When you need more, you will have more.  When your woes are great, His grace is greater.  When our sins are vast, His mercy is deep.  We cannot exceed Him.  We cannot outrun Him."

I began to think of how "sin would reduce me to utter despair" if it were not for His mercy, which causes my spirits to revive, over and over again.

It reminded me of this hymn, which has been modernized by Sandra McCracken and recorded by Caedmon's Call and others.  Every single lyric I know, I can sing wholeheartedly.  I looked up the lyrics to double-check my memory and found that there were more lyrics than are included in the modern versions; not surprising since modern songs need to be cut to around 3 minutes or so and all six verses of a hymn sometimes cannot make the cut.  I like the editorial choices that were made, and yet the extra lyrics I could sing just as wholeheartedly.

His free grace alone, from the first to the last, has won my affection and bound my soul fast!


Thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.


Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.


Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.


Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine 
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.


Amazing grace.  How sweet the sound!

Thankful

It has been in a thoughtful, though not unproductive, day. Learning new skills or adapting to change takes energy. I planned at one point to write a gripey post about how tired I am. Then I remembered that I ought to be thankful in all things. I am grateful for solutions to problems that come at just the right time. Like dinner tonight. I had some ground beef and noodles and was trying to figure out how to use said beef without serving a version of what I served last night (a sausage goulash). I recombined things in my mind with other available ingredients until I realized that I could serve this. Meatballs with chipotle ketchup and pasta primavera. I was really pleased that it turned out tasty, appealing, and a little bit special because of the ketchup (see prior post about making ketchup). My husband made a point to teach my daughter to thank me for cooking and for always keeping them fed.

Worth the Wait

This morning I went for a walk around our neighborhood lake, just to stretch my legs.  The lake level is quite low - a dry and weary land, indeed.

When I came home, my little girl was enjoying one of yesterday's pop tarts.  Were they good?  The answer from this little foodie was an emphatic, "Mmmm - hmmm."

This little cutie makes me laugh and smile so much.  Right now she is actually standing on a five-gallon bucket, looking on, amused that a picture of her is on the computer.  She's wanting more pictures of herself, and wanting to watch a movie.

We have a few good kids' albums we play a lot, and she's started to memorize and sing them.  Yesterday in the store, she was singing, "He is watching over you/ Ever faithful, ever true/ So be still, my soul, be still/ And know that He is God." This is from the first scripture lullabies album.  We also have a few of the Seeds Family Worship albums, which are also scripture set to music.

Sometimes this little girl reads my mind.  This morning as I was on my walk, I was thinking of the song that says, "Blessed are all who fear the Lord/ Who walks in His ways/ Walk in His ways." Maybe I was humming it or something, because then this morning I heard my daughter singing the same tune, but she had made an adaption to the lyric.  She was singing, "Walk in mistakes/ walk in mistakes." I had to kiss her sweet face and laugh.

That's exactly what I was thinking about this morning as I pondered my walk and listened to Sara Groves' song, "I'll Wait." Well, this little one isn't quite going to let me wait, so I'll embed this unlicensed video of it.  I can so relate to the feeling that there is so much I could do that would be ultimately a waste instead of an investment.



I was also thinking this morning about times I did not wait for the Lord, and ran with the horses right out of safe pasture.  I learned painful lessons that way, which ultimately brought me back closer to my shepherd.  I thought of Psalm 119:71, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." I have thought of that verse quite a bit, unfortunately.  But the Lord leads with cords of kindness, out of the wilderness, and I am still blessed to walk with Him.

Sweet poppin tarts!

Okay! The homemade pop tarts using Lorelai's dough. They are in the oven. I can't wait until they're done, so here are a few pics of the process.

Our daily bread

We ate the last of our prior load this morning and I was glad to take this one out of the machine in time for lunch. It turned out kinda huge!

Btw this will last more than one day. Probably a few days.

Within grace denied

I have been studying a portion of scripture that is reminding me that sometimes the things I don't have are worth more than having them.  I remember reading John Piper on the subject of grace within a circle of grace denied.  Here is an example from yesterday.  My son has been struggling with ear infections for most of his life.  Yesterday he took a nap in the morning instead of the afternoon, which I knew would take away my afternoon free time, and yet allowed me to get caught up on some housework left over from a busy weekend.  I felt the Spirit whisper, "This is my grace to you." When he woke up, it was lunchtime, and he was still a wreck, so I called and got him in that afternoon.  We were called back to the patient room in record time.  It turns out the office's phones were down all morning anyway, so even if I'd tried to call, I couldn't have gotten through until the morning; meanwhile, my son rested, I did not fret, and my daughter got some quiet play time.  I would wish my son did not have ear infections so frequently, but within that circumstance, I still felt God's grace at work.

Alright; so I let the dough "soak" about 22 hours, and it looks pretty much the same.  I am going to try to cook with it tonight, and will let you know what transpires.

Just a happy parting thought; yesterday after the chaos of a screamy child and a messy house, I looked up at this set of decorative shelves, and realized that every single object upon them, other than the "home"decoration, and including the weather radio, was a gift from a friend or relative.  I hadn't meant to make a shelf to display gifts, but I guess because they were special to me, I wanted to keep them in sight.

Here's looking at Lorelai

Alrighty, my recently relocated friend recently posted this yogurt dough recipe on her blog.  I've been aiming to put it together for weeks and finally got to it this morning.

You melt and cool 1 cup of butter.

Then you add a cup of yogurt, and cream the mixture.  In my case, it was just mixing - no cream was produced.  But I did make the yogurt myself, which I think would make Lorelai proud.

Then you add 3 1/2 C flour and 1 t salt, and mix until a nice dough forms.  This is what mine ended up looking like. 

Then you cover it, and allow it to rest in a warm place for 12-24 hours.  I decided to cloak it to keep in the warmth produced by the heating pad.  This is similar to the method I use to make yogurt (see earlier post).

It smells and tastes really good.  My friend says you can use it for a lot of different things.  I am very interested to see how this turns out tomorrow.

Sweet music

Brought these to share with musicians tonight. La dee da!

Joy comes in the morning

His mercies are new every morning!  That is why I sing!

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn. (Psalm 57:7-8)

This morning I checked on my daily bible Psalms 30 was part of it.  Deep calls to deep at these words: "For His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.... You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." 

In a lesser version of morning glory, the ketchup pictured in previous post looks like this after blending and straining.  It doesn't have the consistency of ketchup; it seems like corn starch or corn syrup would be necessary to thicken it.  It is SERIOUSLY spicy and will be great as a tapenade on bean burgers.  Plus, as I told my daughter, I saved some tomatoes this way!

Stress relief

I am watching episodes of "The Office" while I cook. I'm on an episode called "Stress Relief," and I've been working some things out in my head meanwhile. I work problems out best while I'm doing something by myself. And cooking is uplifting.

So here are tonight's projects: scones for a bridal shower and chipotle ketchup in my bread machine on its jam setting. I've been blessed with a lot of extra fresh tomatoes lately. Made mango salsa earlier today. Yum! We certainly ate well, and creatively, today.

Pear tart

This is an image associated with frugality. An empty plate.

And this was indeed the situation in my house yesterday.  However, there are more images to include in the story.

Trying out a new tart recipe to use up the overripe pears in my fridge.  

The finished product:

I sent it to work with my husband, and it was almost gone in a few hours.  Here is the piece he saved me:

I ate it last night, which brings us to picture #1, for then the tart was all done.  

Yum.  It's something I never would have made if I hadn't searched for a recipe to use up extra pears.  I found this one highly recommended, involving normal pantry ingredients.  Frugality can be delicious and creative.  

Wedding Belles

I am making gift baskets like this one to give to several brides over the next few weeks.  They contain homemade products; L-R: liquid laundry detergent, powdered dishwasher detergent, and liquid fabric softener, along with recipes for how to make each.  It's the gift that keeps on giving!  This is a fun and valuable gift to make.  I got all of the containers at the dollar store, including the cello bag.

Weeping lasts but a night...

I will probably not post much today.  Am happy, but so tired.  Nothing a good nap won't cure.  But would just like to say that I was very encouraged to persevere as a mom yesterday, esp. as a mother of preschoolers.  Thank you, Lord!

I learned about The Morning Center through one of the new DIY blogs I've been checking out.  It seems amazing and visionary to me.  Moms need support - of all kinds.  It's hard at times, but joy comes in the morning.

Monday Madness

Okay, so I am about to sit down with some coffee and try to listen to a Beth Moore CD session, while I am making cinnamon rolls.  And the kids are asleep.

But all of that can be quite misleading.  I think people would be interested to know exactly how much madness is routine - if that is not an oxymoron - in a home with two preschoolers.  I guess if you have more, God gives more grace, because I know households with more preschoolers presided over by perfectly sane mothers.

First of all, here is lunch.  It was perhaps the most nutritionally questionable thing I've cooked them in awhile.  Ramen noodles with hot dogs, cheddar, and broccoli.  But let me tell you what.  I had a little bit of it, and I certainly would not have minded having a lot more.

See that little amount in my son's bowl?  I had just added that after he finished about three times that amount.  He actually finished his lunch.  That never happens.  So, we have a winner. Or at least, some kind of, "Most Unlikely Meal" award.

Backing up, I took the kids to the library this morning.  They actually did quite well. I was starting to get a little proud of myself.  Should have known better.  I took my daughter to the kids' potty - she did awesome - and as I was getting her readjusted afterward, the boy sat on the potty, too, and dipped his clothed bottom into the toilet.  What do you say to the eyes of surrounding mothers in the library, when they see your little boy running around with a soggy bottom?  Nothing.  You hope they either ask or come to the right conclusion.

On the way home, the kids yelled together.  They were making each other laugh.  To you who are non-moms, or older generation moms, the thought might call for serious discipline.  In me, it called forth smiles and laughter, and occasional admonitions of, "Okay, that's too loud." I reasoned that though it was a strange game, (if you can say "Aaaaah!" at the same time as someone else, you can join the team), it was at least something they were doing together with brotherly love.

Oh, did I mention my little boy likes to sleep with his fan?  

All this just in case anyone thinks being a mom is just one Better Homes and Gardens - or pick your cooler magazine - tableau after another.

Speaking of mags - I have an idea.  More later.

This Day Takes the Cake

Some days take faith.

Scratch that.  Every day takes faith.  Some days I just don't have it.

You see, I started off well.  Got a Word from the Lord this morning.  Had coffee.  Got everything ready for the kids.

Then it all caught up with me.  I'm not entirely sure what happened.  I think it had something to do with the lack of sleep and the excess of caffeine I'd ingested.  The word from the Lord was real; the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak.

Sometimes my faith is also weak.  It was one of those days.  A freak-out day.  One where I'm not entirely sure to what degree the thing on which I'm fixated is of my own invention.  One thing is for sure: I stressed my daughter out by getting so stressed out myself.  Another thing: I felt a lot better after a nap.

After said nap, I knew I needed to make a cake.  Just knew.  Also, knew I needed to watch a movie.  So I got one from RedBox - my anniversary freebie! - had my cake, and am now going to just chizill.  

Someday, it will all be funny... I hope?

Chocolate is no substitute for (temporary interruption here as I confiscated something from my son who is supposed to be sleeping) spiritual victory, but it is a real consolation for sore nerves.  Notice I am not really referring to the cake, which is just a shelf for the real goodness to shine from (basic Hershey's frosting recipe - check it out here).

Two thoughts help me put a lid on this day.  One, a little bread cast on the waters this morning: 2 Samuel 22:20b, "He resuced me because he delighted in me" (NIV).  That is the unmerited favor of God.  I told my husband this morning I was encouraged that it didn't say, "He rescued me because I am awesome." 

Second thought is a song (at last!): "Shifting Sand" by Caedmon's Call.  Been running through my head as I made my cake.

My faith is like shifting sand

Changed by every wave

My faith is like shifting sand

So I stand on grace

I'm intrigued and confused by the sepia-toned, Chinese boarding-school images.  Or maybe the Philippines - that seems more likely.  You know, I've seen so much, I explain it away.  The song stands on its own.

With a sigh of relief I shall now sink into the couch to watch my movie.  Every day takes faith.  This one took  the cake.  

Stuff I tried today

Okay, I hope I seem excited about this, because I am.  I have actually been looking around for things to wash and dry, because I wanted to try my homemade laundry soap and homemade fabric softener in combination.  I just made the softener today.  I used a $.90 bottle of V05 conditioner - kiwi scent - plus three cups vinegar and six cups water, a la this recipe, and, voila!  Super cheap fabric softener (11 cups is 2/3 gallon).  I will have to give some to my laundry expert friend to see if she is pleased with it, but it is working for li'l ol' me right now. Plus, she gave me a thumbs up on the homemade detergent, which was made using this recipe.

Alright, now for the créme de la créme - pun perfectly placed - I made coffee creamer today, riffing on this recipe.  I really should take a picture.  Imagine two pint-sized jars of coffee creamer, one slightly tanner than the other.  That one is mocha mint.  The lighter is plain.  I have been without creamer for a few days and was going to make the powdered kind - which is what I usually buy - using this recipe, but wasn't sure I could find or afford coconut oil at this juncture.  Mmm, mmm.  The creamer is my sweetest success yet.

I just remembered that I also tried a really simple dessert recipe today; s'more pops, a riff on this recipe.  I bought a six-pack of Hershey bars for $1 @ Wal-Mart today.  Surprisingly, just one or two is enough for a dessert.  I didn't toast mine first, btw.  However you do it, it is a really cheap and simple, sweet, and fun treat to make for kids.  All you need is a few marshmallows, a chocolate bar, and a graham cracker.  You don't even need the lolly sticks.

Next on my list is popsicles and cutting my daughter's hair.  

For the sake of not leaving my post pic-less, I'm attaching a pic of some food I made yesterday*.  I flexed my menu a bit and used half a box of leftover ziti, some cottage and mozzarella cheeses, half a package of leftover thawed frozen spinach, an egg, and some pasta sauce, and made Ziti Florentine.  It was actually quite good!  I had leftovers of my leftovers for lunch today - a grown-up mac 'n' cheese.

* Food pics are risky.  I can doctor them up and everything looks divine.  This one I didn't, and I just hope it doesn't look gross.

Just blowing off steam?

My kids are watching a Thomas and Friends video while I clean and there was something I just had to post about.  New as I am to the Thomas universe, I know that there is a cadre of train engines that have various tasks to complete together or alone, and there's always a good character lesson.

This episode was about Emily, who wanted to learn how to blow her whistle.  She thought it would be easy to do and easy to learn.  The other engines chided her, and warned her that it took a lot of energy.

Okay, show's over, so quick to the punchline: the other engines warned her that "twitters and tweets take a lot of energy." A pun for our times!  It takes a lot of energy to keep chugging away.

Notes on DIY

So I mention my DIY kick a few posts ago.  I have not made any new products since then, but I have made a few observations worth sharing.

First of all, I am making/doing things myself because it was more economical while I am at home.  Also, it is kind of fun, and gives me a sense of contribution and control.

Secondly, it takes some practice, and I find it's not always worth it.  For instance, I did not like the version of homemade dishwasher soap I made last summer; it left my dishes quite filmy.  Then I did a little more scouting and found that using the same detergent with half a cup or so of vinegar in the bottom of the washer left my dishes as clean as regular detergent, and I think it's cheaper (I admit I have not totally costed this out).  Also, I made some homemade carpet cleaner but the consistency was like toothpaste, and whatever good it may have done, I still had the problem equivalent to having to dissolve toothpaste out of my carpet.  So I'd rather buy Resolve, which I pretty much love.

My toddler son is currently banging on his bedroom door, resisting taking a nap, so I will at least temporarily put this subject on hold...

And we're back!  He went to sleep pretty quickly but I got absorbed in some other things.  I checked out a few friends' blogs, tried to snooze a headache away, and got some yogurt going.

Meanwhile, I've been thinking a lot about things that are important in life.  My friend Kate pointed out in her blog  that she's learned that life can go on without being blogged, and that it's more important to "life life alongside those I love." So wise - I couldn't agree more.  So much of what's important doesn't, and shouldn't, end up on a page or a screen.  Blogging can actually take away from life; from time spent with those significant others God has put in your life.

The most significant other, of course, is God.  I was just re-reading a Bible lesson on the subject of being a teacher, in which the writer urged those who minister to be diligent to maintain one's private relationship to the Lord.  I underlined this zinger: "God will never call you to sacrifice your intimacy with Him on the altar of ministry." I groan because I know I've done that before... and why?  For attention?  For immediate gratification?

It caused me to think about why I try to do the things I try to do around the house, online, in the world, et cetera.  There are so many things to get involved with. I jotted down a few lines that remind me to keep my hobbies and pursuits in priority perspective.


How readily I judge myself
By standards that weren't made by You
How quickly I am weighed and wanting

Of all the things that could take my time
Of all the things that could fill my mind
Of all things that could charm me more
You're the one I'm looking for




How quickly I think I need more
Thank you Lord, for humbling.
You were always everything.
Of all the many accidents
Cares of dollars and of cents
In all the good I could explore
You're the One I'm reaching for

So, in short, more important than being able to make my own pudding or whatever, is my relationship with the Lord.  I am glad to find this Mary part of me waking up along with the new Martha.  It really is quite a refreshing balance.

Okay, the next two pictures fall in between "I am Mary" and "I am Martha" on the blogger identity spectrum, which is just fine.

The first is more Mary; it is what I did with the mess I made yesterday trying to make icing granulated sugar (it doesn't work).  I tried to use the resulting creamed sugar and fat to make no-bakes, because I was too tired to properly bake or clean up again.  They look good, right?

They're okay.  The trouble is the granulated sugar is really grainy on account of I didn't heat anything up on account of I did this totally backwards.  Whatevs; the kids will eat them and so will I.

Okay, and this is a bit Martha: its the batch of yogurt I'm hatching.  I jokingly call it hatching because right now the yogurt is in the "incubation" period and the setup does look like incubating eggs.  There's a Corningware French White specimen in there, full of what I think will be a little more than a quart of yogurt, in the next 3-4 hours.  Yum!

I wonder now if I can take another little nap... everyone else in the house is snoozing...

Au revoir, classe!

Today was my last day of my two four-week semesters of French for translation.  It was so great!  Wait, wait: Était trés superb!

I made a snack for my fellow classmates' gnoshing pleasure during the final exam.  I was kind of improvising with the dough.  For the shape, I went for cinnamon rolls, but made them in muffin cups, knowing that it would be easier to eat while testing if they were individually en-papered.   Then I realized I didn't have any powdered sugar, so after making a mess with some granulated sugar, just left them.  They were actually easier to transport non-iced.  So, testing went well, I guess, and the treats turned out trés interessantes.

After the exam I treated myself to some fast food, and completed a day of Bible study homework.  It was so sweet!  The lesson hurt, consoled, exhorted, and encouraged me.  Loved it.  What a day!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We are having a high-protein breakfast today.  I made smoothies with protein powder, powdered milk, frozen fruit and water, plus breakfast burritos.  If that sounds complicated or impressive, it's just a result of combining what I had on hand into recognizable, tasty food shapes.

I think the smoothies were a hit because my little boy drank two Cars 2 sippies of it.  I knew he wouldn't really eat his burrito - he unrolls things and discards the tortilla - so did my daughter.  Oh, well.  We're going for protein.

Here is a dose of the serious cuteness this guy's smile brings into my day on a regular basis.

I could add a picture of the tantrum he is throwing on the floor right now, but you don't want to see that, do you?

Alright, so I only got as far as the first word in the subject. Expect lunch and dinner soon...

...

In the few minutes now before our time of use savings kick in and I run some laundry, here's what I did for lunch and dinner.

For lunch, the kids had leftovers at their playdate.

I also had leftovers; rice and beans plus the contents of a kabob leftover from yesterday.  It was SO GOOD, and something I would NEVER bother putting together for its own sake - I mean I'd never grill veggies and chicken to put them in rice and beans.

For dinner I thawed a frozen dish I'd made from our church's cookbook; the recipe contributor blogs at recipesforroger.blogspot.com and is quite a cook.  I think she brought us this meal when I had just had the little guy smiling above.

It's spaghetti, chicken, cream soup, cheese, Rotel, salt and pepper.  So good!

Well, time of use kicked in and someone is crying in the other room, and it sounded like a fall.  Earlier today I found this:

Which is just life with my toddler boy.  All is well now, but I need to go check.

Independence Day

So I've been having a blogger's identity crisis lately.  What should I write about?  With so many blogs out there, so many good, is there anything I have to say that isn't just adding to the noise?

I started the blog eight (?) years ago or so, wanting to blog about songs, and that's what I did.  Now life is a little more layered, and I feel like I have diverse things to write about.

Speaking of layers, today, for Independence Day, I attempted to make a delicious, patriotic dessert.  I would say that I succeeded, if I were a Mexican patriot.  The blue food coloring I used mixed with the essentially yellow cake batter, and no art student would be surprised by the resulting hue.

Here is my resulting green, yellow, and red dessert.

On my DIY kick still, I had planned this morning to wake up, make the cake and pudding from scratch, and make hamburger buns from scratch.  After I finished making the cake - I chose a "busy day cake" recipe similar to this one - I shared with my husband the realization that it was probably worth the $3 to just buy hamburger buns and pudding mix at the grocery store.  He laughingly agreed, and my guests were no less pleased with the results.

I found it somewhat ironic that I was making pudding on Independence Day.  Isn't that quite a British dessert?  I realized lately that sometimes the French and English are battling it out in my psyche.  The British part of me wants to be quite regimented, methodical, definitive.  The French side of me wants to digress, experiment, and complicate, in everything but language.  So I love having a method; I love order and definitions, but I also like to take little trips off the beaten path, combine ideas in interesting ways, and find a slightly new angle.

I've recently watched a two-part miniseries on Elizabeth I.  I LOVED it.  I love all things Elizabethan.  In fact, I think if God gave me another daughter, I would  name her Elizabeth, both after Elizabeth I, and Beth Moore, my mentor-from-a-distance.  I just recently began her newest study.  I have been doing her Bible studies since college, and wrote a quick note to her ministry to let her know I had great joy in embarking on another.  A few days ago, I got an unexpected reply card in the mail.  It was a form reply, but still!  It was was from Beth!

I will keep it forever.

So, back to the matter of what on earth I think my blog is about.  Well, it is about the little things, about combining them in new ways to see new things.  There is nothing new under the sun.  Nothing I say is truly original.  But today, July 4, I am declaring the freedom to write about whatever I fancy.

One quote from the Elizabeth miniseries that stood out to me was, "There is but one Jesus Christ.  The rest is trifles." The most famous Elizabethan playwright wrote a comedy called Much Ado About Nothing.  In the parlance of the day, it would have been equivalent to say "the rest is much ado about nothing."

Trifles, and Much Ado.  Writing about all the rest of life that happens.

D'in I M(yself)

I have been on a major DIY kick lately.

Here is what I had for breakfast.  I made the yogurt and granola myself.

It was delicious.

Other things I have made: laundry soap, dishwasher detergent (new and improved), baby wash.

I also planned our meals for the whole month, and made and froze seven or so of them.

More later.