Blackberry Rambles

Up To Something

2012-01-31T20:45:00.004-05:00

We were working on a new project today. It involved cake, which was good.

And other pretty things.

I just love this little vintage purse.

And Christina's lovely knitting.

More pictures to come sometime soon......

In the mean time, Michael is recovering from having his four wisdom teeth removed -- hopefully this will not affect his preaching (in more ways than one). Andrew is in bed with the side-effects from this nasty cold, and I'm still working on getting rid of this two-week fluish cold. But, who can complain about 63-degree weather in January!!!! Very strange if you ask me.

Embracing Winter: Bring Nature Inside

2012-01-28T10:41:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite ways of beating the winter blues is to bring nature inside the house. It is amazing how frequently Europeans buy flowers for their houses. But, they know that the money spent on flowers is well-invested because of the joy it brings to otherwise dark and gloomy days.

I know most of us don't have a flower budget, as much as we'd like to have one. Keep your eyes open -- you may find some good bargains like these primroses, on sale for 99 cents each this week at Aldi. They make me happy everytime I look at them!

If there are no flowers around, think about sticks! A stick tree is fun and you can leave it plain or hang anything you like on it -- birds, popcorn, valentines..... I even put water in the vase in hopes that the branches might actually bud one day.

Get everyone drawing: draw winter scenes and spring scenes, animals, flowers, winter skies, winter food, garden plans.....

If only I had thought ahead I could be forcing bulbs right now! I am on the lookout for hyacinths about to bloom -- they are one of my favorite smells!!! I had also hoped to buy an amaryllis but none came my way. These flowers are thanks to my mom and sister.

Make flowers out of tissue paper. Here is a good tutorial.

Sewing flowers brings me so much joy! I love, love, love to do it! (Okay, once in awhile after sewing dozens and dozens I do need a little break.) There are so many types of flowers to craft and you can even google food flowers and be inspired to make flowers out of all kinds of edible things.

What joy nature gives to us! God is the ultimate artist and we are silly if we do not spend time enjoying what we have been given.

What Not To Wear

2012-01-26T18:00:00.001-05:00

This is what not to wear when you are whipping cream on a Sunday afternoon.

Embracing Winter: Inspiration Idea

2012-01-24T09:54:00.002-05:00

My friend, Heather, from A Place of Quiet Rest, makes the most wonderful posters to remind her family of the things they enjoy each season. Don't you love this one she made for winter?!

Think how much fun it might be to make your own! Or, if you have kids, have them make one for your family.

Embracing Winter: Start a New Ritual

2012-01-23T20:30:00.004-05:00

When winter seems long, the days gray and depressing, and your spirits begin to flag, why not start a new ritual? Some of you may feel scared at the sound of that word -- what does she mean? Really, "ritual" is just a romanticized trade-in for habit or tradition.

It was Alexandra Stoddard who first introduced me to the idea of personal rituals. I wish I could remember which of her books it was in..... Anyway, the kind of ritual I am speaking about is something that you begin to do and as the days go on becomes a habit, something you do automatically. It is something that brings you joy.

Perhaps you have a morning coffee "ritual." Why not make it more special: set out your cup the night before, on a little tray. Add a printed napkin, or if you have a flower to spare, a flower in a vase. Maybe a square of chocolate, or slip a little quote penned on a scrap of paper -- turn morning coffee into something that refreshes you even more than usual.

A ritual may begin as a reward for something you find difficult to do. If you have the money, make a habit of buying flowers for your house while you are doing the weekly shopping. Spend a moment arranging them and setting them where they will make you happy.

Maybe you hate to clean -- take a moment to sit and paint your nails when you are done.

I often find it hard to go down to the kitchen and begin working on dinner when it is dark and cold. A ritual helps me. I light a candle on the counter, pick out a CD, and start my work. Candle light and music help to motivate me.

Start a ritual baking day: if your schedule allows, choose a day of the week on which you will attempt to bake something. Think how your family or friends might start to look forward to this!

Choose a seat in the house to make "yours". Keep a magazine by it, or a candle, or pen and paper for writing or drawing. Make a ritual of sitting there once a day just to relax and think.

Start a journal, or continue on with one you already have. Write in it at the same time each day.

Start a beauty routine: a hot bath once a week, or buy a new jar of hand lotion to rub on your hands faithfully. Place delicious smelling chapstick at your desk and put some on each time you sit down. Eat by candlelight. Write a letter once a week -- make a letter station where everything is at your fingertips.

The possibilities are endless.....we have only to break out of our rut and try a new little path.

Laura's "Place of Her Own"

2012-01-18T12:07:00.002-05:00

Laura has claimed the space under Michael's desk as "her own." She loves to sit there and draw.

She can be close to Daddy and all cozy with a blanket.

Don't we all want a cozy place of our own to hide on a cold winter's day?!

A Handmade Afternoon

2012-01-16T19:22:00.008-05:00

Last week Christina and I got together with a friend for an afternoon of sipping tea, chatting, and sharing our latest craft inspiration.

Christina is working on a British flag pillow -- now we all want one.

Plenty of treats to go around....

Christina's yarn basket -- for creating her latest cardigan.

Janet brought this book which we carefully perused and I decided on the granny square tea cozy as an absolute must. Will whip one up as soon as possible.

The hours sped by very quickly.

We had four different teas to taste, and we were quite serious about it: Twinings Royal Wedding Blend, Harrod's Ceylon, Monk's tea from Tea's Me, and English Rose (with chocolate hints).

My latest little zipper case -- these were my 2011 gifts.

Christina's fingerless gloves -- her 2011 present.

More of Christina's gloves -- hers are white and mine are red.

Janet crocheted us these beautiful pillows. She knew exactly which colors and mine is happily sitting on my bed.

Inspirational colors were worn:

Rachel and Laura's baby dolls received new ponchos - aren't they cute!

And Janet showed us her finished afghan for her brown leather reading chair which sits in her reading room. Love it!

And this is my latest creation: a Kindle cover.

And now I've been diving back into Jane Brocket's "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" because it resonates so loudly with my own aspirations. Read it -- you will be inspired!

Lemon or Lime Shortbread

2012-01-14T20:21:00.004-05:00

Here is a lovely little recipe for warding off the winter doldrums. Bake up a quick batch of lime, or lemon, shortbread and sit down for a few minutes with a friend over a cup of tea (Ceylon or Lady Grey would be my choice).

Lime or Lemon Shortbread

(Heather LeFebvre)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks), I prefer salted butter

1 large lime or lemon (zested and juiced)

Use a whisk to mix together the sugar, flour and cornstarch. Cut in the butter and use your hands to meld the butter into the flour mixture. Tip in the zest and juice of lime or lemon and pull it all together. Knead lightly a few times. Pat the dough into an 8 x 11-inch baking pan. Use a fork to prick the dough through all over.

Bake at 325 for about 45-55 minutes or until edges are a nice brown. Leave the shortbread in the pan but cut immediately. Allow to cool. Makes about 24 squares.

Embracing Winter: Eat Good Food

2012-01-14T12:15:00.006-05:00

How would we survive winter without good food? Hot cocoa on coming in from hours spent in a winter wonderland, cinnamon rolls to savor after sleeping in on the weekend, steaming bowls of chili on a chilly evening, savory chicken soup when you are ill, broiled grapefruit to begin a workday, or tomato soup with grilled cheese when the snow begins to fall.

Here are a few cooking ideas to help you savor winter:

Have a dinner party -- one of our favorite books growing up was Old Man Rabbit's Dinner Party. His party wasn't about fancy food or important guests but about warm food for all in winter in a cozy, loving atmosphere. (I think I must buy this book somewhere.....)

--have an international themed dinner

--have a soup and salad dinner

--serve breakfast for dinner

--have a progressive dinner in your own home using different rooms

--invite the last person you would think of for dinner

Enjoy hot drinks -- tea is my favorite, but hot chocolate and coffee are nice too!

--have a tea tasting -- or coffee tasting (invite friends to sample 4-10 different kinds)

--try a tea/coffee you've never tried before

--put an electric kettle in your bathroom and make yourself a cup of something envigorating first thing in the morning

--buy a new teacup or mug just for winter drinking

Do some kid-friendly baking with your own kids, friends, nieces and nephews, grandkids, etc.

--pretzels

--bagels

--doughnuts (did you see the post on The Cooks Next Door?) I have a GF recipe to try!

--muffins

--pizza

--bread bears

Make pancakes -- a winter comfort food for sure. These days we hardly eat them for breakfast because we don't have time but they serve us well for lunch and for Sunday evening snack. There are so many wonderful kinds:

--blueberry

--chocolate chip

--banana

--pumpkin

--chocolate

--carrot

--maple walnut

--coconut

Bake Bread -- oh the memories of the smell of freshly baked bread in my mother's kitchen! A most nurturing thing for a small child. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want. The possibilities are endless:

--sourdough

--cinnamon raisin

--sauerkraut

--oatmeal

--cheese

--cardamon

--brioche

Eat pie. Pie is my favorite. Think of winter pies:

--shoofly pie

--maple walnut

--apple, always apple

--pumpkin (this doesn't have to be for fall only)

Once in awhile, make a cake.

--chocolate

--Victoria sandwich

--spice cake

--one egg cake

--coffee cake

--pound cake

--angel food cake with fluffy whipped cream icing

Try new vegetables. Why not experiment? It's the time of year for healthy beginnings and getting back to basics.

--make beet salads

--try kale chips (my kids' favorite)

--stir fry swiss chard

--make potato leek soup

--try a raw kale smoothie (my favorite)

--eat spinach salad

--eat carrot salad, grapefruit-spinach salad, pineapple with mint and ginger

--add fresh ginger to fruit, soups, stir fries, tea (keep it in the freezer and grate from frozen)

Eat soup every week, or even every day.

--white bean and kale

--chicken

--carrot ginger

--potato leek

--red lentil

--split pea and ham

--potato

--kale and sausage

--tomato

Make something over and over again -- last winter I made this Pork Sausage, Fennel, and Navy Bean Stew more times than I can count.

Eat tomato soup and grilled cheese. This recipe is the easiest EVER and tastes amazing.

Read good cookbooks. Check books out of the library. Buy a new food magazine. Look at sites like Food Gawker, Pinterest, and Taste Spotting to be inspired.

A few of my favorite cookbooks to read in winter:

Nigella Kitchen

Nigella Lawson -- How To Eat

River Cottage cookbooks

Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way DVD's

Kitchen Diaries (Nigel Slater)

Nigel Slater -- especially Appetite

Roast Figs Sugar Snow

Take some time to cook! And tell me what you make.......

Embracing Winter When She Gives You The Cold Shoulder

2012-01-12T20:04:00.004-05:00

Before I go further with my "Embrace Winter" posts, I wanted to acknowledge that winter can truly be a very difficult time for people. Forget the everyday complaints about the weather and the dreary gray in the sky. What if this is your first winter without a beloved spouse, or you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or maybe your child gets severely ill in the winter months and that is ever present in your mind. Maybe you struggle with depression and the winter months seem like a tunnel with no light at the end. These are realities of winter for many people.

I suppose my posts are mostly aimed at the average winter-goer, for whom winter is more of an attitude problem rather than an actual life hazard. What do you do if winter looms large in your face, threatening you with her icy arms?

I think one of the first things to do is acknowledge the tough situation you are in and don't feel like you have to pick yourself up by your boot straps and pretend to be happy (although once in awhile that might not hurt).

Remind yourself that this is a season of life, as well as a season of the year. Sometimes winters of the soul last for years. For Christians, we look forward to the fact that winter is not forever and someday there will be an eternal summer in Christ's presence. But sometimes winter on earth feels like it will be forever.

Look for "little graces". Maybe overall your winter is going to be a slushy mess, but if you watch with expectant eyes, you will see a few sparkling masterpieces as they flutter past you into oblivion. Don't minimize those moments. I can remember when I was so ill the crazy joy a piece of hot toast cut in triangles and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar once gave me. I have no idea exactly why except maybe it was the first spark of pleasure I had felt in some time. Write down your little graces.......collected slowly over time they might just form into a beautiful snowdrift, breaking the sharpness of the wind.

Help someone else make it through winter. If you are struggling, you are probably well-equipped to help someone else who is also finding the winter walk to be difficult. Winter is always warmer when there is someone beside you. And for those of us who might not be in a winter of the soul just now, we should be all the more aware of those who are and try to brighten their path.

The cold of winter is the nursery of hope. Spring is coming, in more ways than one.

Bits and Pieces

2012-01-07T20:09:00.005-05:00

I do believe it was a good week! Part of that I'm sure comes from one of my resolves to "relax". I enjoyed several cups of tea (well, many cups of tea but some more than others), and I really did enjoy the chocolate cayenne cupcakes a friend made! They were very amazing, with quite a bite at the end. Certainly could be addicting.

Today we went off to search the Goodwill 50% off sale and found some great things for creating with. In the afternoon we went to shoot a few pictures of Christina's latest work.

An actual picture of me!!

We needed Laura for one of the models.

On site change was executed quickly in the cold air:

And then the model was rewarded with her own bag of raisins.

And allowed to accompany the adults to Starbucks where she pretended to talk to her manager on the phone.

And tomorrow is the day of rest before another week begins.

2011 Books

2012-01-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

I had a brief crisis of conscience today as my heart was singing with the bright skies and warm weather. It felt like spring! And then I thought, "Is it okay to feel this way when I'm supposed to be writing about loving winter?" Of course it is!!! The whole point of all this is to find joy IN THE PRESENT -- whatever that means. We have another warm day tomorrow (52F) and I can't wait to enjoy it!

Last year was a good year for reading. Not that there was much different from previous years (except the books) but I did feel that I read more than one or two really great books. I'm going to put my highly recommended books at the top of this list and then the rest will follow. (Note: the descriptions of the books are written in my record right after I read the book, that's why the word "loved" appears so often in the top 10 or so books!).

One Thousand Gifts

Ann Voskamp

Perhaps my favorite book of the year. A book on gratefulness and one woman's journey through grief and depression to living fully through counting gifts.

A Praying Life

Paul Miller

Excellent book on practical prayer. This, with "Praying Backwards", would be my favorite work on prayer.

The Gift of Rest

Joe Lieberman

LOVE this book on the Sabbath!!!! Highly recommend this to everyone who takes the 1o Commandments seriously!

What the Bible Teaches About Guidance

Peter Bloomfield

Extremely helpful book on knowing the truth about God and His will.

Eat That Frog!

Brian Tracy

"21 great ways to stop procrastinating and get more done in less time." Very helpful and easy to read.

The Happiness Project

Gretchen Rubin

LOVED this book! So thought-provoking and enjoyable to read and think about. A year of projects to spur on happiness.

Hamlet's Blackberry

William Powers

Excellent book on the power of the digital age and how to establish a balance in it.

The Distant Hours

Kate Morton

Totally engrossing novel set in modern and WWII Britain. Mystery to be solved. Well written.

Winter Garden

Kristen Hannah

Loved this novel that is set in modern America but weaves in the Leningrad occupation in WWII.

A Red Herring without Mustard

Alan Bradley

Another terrific Flavia de Luce novel. I love these!!!

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Joan Aiken

Loved this interest-grabbing kids book set in Victorian England. Two girls must solve a mystery and escape a wicked governess. We also enjoyed the two sequels.

An Irish Country Courtship

Patrick Taylor

I do love this series set in Ireland a generation ago and bringing the day to day life in a little village to life through the eyes of a student doctor. Always disappointed that there is some language.

Hope

Louann Gaeddert

Historical fiction for kids on life in a Shaker village in the 1800's.

What's He Really Thinking

Paula Rhinehart

Some good insights into relating to your husband. Favorite quote: "Don't make your husband pay the bill another man left in your life."

Betrayal at Cross Creek

Kathleen Ernst

Juvenile historical fiction set in North Carolina at the start of the Revolutionary War. The kids and I enjoyed this.

Marriage to a Difficult Man

Elisabeth D Dodds

An endearing biography of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards' marriage. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Swamp Fox of the Revolution

Stewart Holbrook

I thought this was dull but the kids liked it. General Frances Marion of South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. Namesake of Marion County!

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley

Marguerite Henry

Sweet story of a little girl and her mule.

The Journey of Hannah

Wanda Luttrell

Very good Christian story of a slave girl beginning in South Carolina and going to Kentucky.

Heart of the Artichoke

David Taris

Beautiful and enjoyable cookbook.

Good News for Anxious Christians

Phillip Cory

An incredible book detailing "ten things you don't have to do". Very helpful.

Mitt, the Michigan Mouse

Kathy-jo Wargin

Such a cute book about a mouse. Kids loved it. End did not bring much resolution but I guess there is a sequel.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemia

F. Charles Fensham

Commentary

Diary of an Early American Boy

Eric Sloane

Read this with Andrew who loved it! A year in the life of a 15 year old boy in 1805.

Why We Get Fat

Gary Taubes

Helpful -- points to insulin as the problem.

Steady Days

Jamie C Martin

Helpful little book on setting a routine for young mothers -- mostly helpful for mothers with kids under school age.

When Helping Hurts

Corbett & Fikkert

Thought provoking book about ministry to the poor

A Guide to the Birds of East Africa

Nicholas Drayson

Adorable, light novel set in Nairobi.

Black Hearts in Battersea

Joan Aiken

Sequel to the Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Just as engaging as the first book.

Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter

Vicki Courtney

Good but mostly giving statistics....body image, growing up, relationships, virtue

Our Triune God

Ryken & LeFebvre

Short, helpful book on understanding the work of the trinity in salvation.

How to Make Money on Etsy

Tim Adam

Helped me to know I don't want to do what it takes to make money on Etsy!

Chu Ju's House

Gloria Whelan

Story of a young, Chinese girl who has to find her own way in life.

A Little History of the World

E H Gombrich

A small, easy-reading overview of world history.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Helen Simonson

Adorable little novel about middle-aged, cross-cultural love in an English village.

A Child's History of Indianapolis

Ann Mallatt

Cute, interest-grabbing history of Indpls from about 1816-1840's.

Like a Mantle the Sea

Stella Shepherd

Sweet story of eight years spent on Papa Stour, a small island off the Scottish Shetland isles. Amazing how different life was even 50 years ago.

A Thousand Resurrections

Maria Gairiott

Maria's story of her marriage and inner city life as a minister's wife in Maryland.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

C S Lewis

The Silver Chair

C S Lewis

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler

E. L. Konigsburg

Entertaining kid's book taking place in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pioneer Woman -- Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

Ree Drummond

Easy read, entertaining. Enjoyed reading on my trip to Oklahoma but felt 25% of the book was just kissing!!! ;)

Captive Queen (Eleanor of Aquitaine novel)

Alison Weir

Loved this though a bit shocked at the beginning but got better. Weir is my favorite author.

Nightbirds on Nantucket

Joan Aiken

Final book in the Woves of Willoughby Chase series. Another good book!

Turkish Delights and Treasure Hunts

Jane Brocket

"Delightful treats and games from children's classic books."

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

E L Konicsburg

Story of Eleanor of Aquitaine -- maybe for kids? But suited more to teens except for one or two things. Not very interesting.

Organized Simplicity

Tsh Oxenreider

"the clutter-free approach to intentional living"

The 24 Days Before Christmas

Madeleine L'Engle

Cute, simple, more heartwarming if you had read the Austin family books.

The Rhythm of Family

Amanda and Stephen Soule

Another enjoyable book by Amanda organized by the 12 months.

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair

Nina Sankovitch

I guess I must label this as boring -- more about Nina dealing with the death of her sister and her journey through that than about the 365 books she read in a year.

Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

Steve and Annette Economides

Helpful to me -- especially if you are not couponing.

Embrace Winter #1: Read Good Books

2012-01-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

How would we get through winter without good books to read? I have such delightful childhood memories of spending the entire day after Christmas reading new books. What bliss to lay on the floor and read and read and read.

I keep a list throughout the year of each book I've read and it is always fun to look back and see what I've covered in a year. I would love to be completely methodical and choose 12 novels, 12 non-fictions, 12 of this or that. While I do make a list of books that I would like to read in the coming year, part of the joy of reading for me is to go where my fancy leads me and order books at whim from the library.

Here are some ideas for enjoying books this winter:

Read books about winter. Jane Brocket suggests 10 books to read by the fire in winter:

The Box of Delights by John Masefield

The Rat-a-Tat Mystery by Enid Blyton

Little Women by L. M. Alcott

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

The Long Winter by L. I. Wilder

The Peppermint Pig by Nina Bawden

Five Go Adventuring Again by Enid Blyton

A Little Princess by F. H. Burnett

The Mystery of the Secret Room by Enid Blyton

Order a new magazine to enjoy throughout the year

Join a book club or start one!

Read aloud to a friend, spouse, child, group, elderly person

Write your own book or memoir!

Spend hours at the library

Sit in a chair with a stack of books next to you and look through them all

Check out library cookbooks with winter foods

Go to a bookstore and make a list of books you would love to read

Exchange book reading lists with a friend

Go to the library every week in winter

Cook foods mentioned in your favorite stories

Listen to books on tape and do something with your hands (knitting, painting, etc.)

Set aside a bookshelf just for the books you want to read in the coming weeks

Pick a reading chair and make a habit of sitting there to read, adding a candle, a flower, a cup of tea

Start an Amazon wishlist

Mail a favorite book to a friend who would enjoy it

Tomorrow I hope to post the books I've read in 2011......

Embracing Winter

2012-01-04T21:28:00.005-05:00

"In a way, winter is the real spring,

the time when the inner things happen,

the resurgence of nature." -- Edna O'Brien, Irish novelist

It was several years ago that I realized I loved winter: the new beginnings, the quiet, the less hustle and bustle, the time to create, the comfort of hot food, the afternoon teas, the good books to curl up with, a breather of sorts. What if we never had a rest like this? Would spring and summer mean so much to us?

"Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:

it is the time for home." -- Edith Sitwell

Oh yes, "the time for home," -- isn't that a wonderful phrase?! Winter is a time for fostering contentment with that which is here before me in my own space.

"When the bold branches,

bid farewell to rainbow leaves,

welcome wool sweaters." -- B. Cybrill

I do love the chance to dress in my cozy sweaters, scarves, and turtlenecks. Imagine if we had no use for such articles? Of course to some that may sound like paradise, but at least a few weeks of wearing our woolies is a necessity I think.

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."

~Carl Reiner

Please don't think that I find the cold easy to bear for the winter months. It's not so much the weather I love as the effects of it, as mentioned above. Of course winter gets long for me too -- but the best way to deal with winter is to find a way to actually like it, and then it will be gone before you know it!

And so, tomorrow I will post the first of a dozen ways in which I "embrace winter."

Growing Up

2012-01-04T21:21:00.002-05:00

It looks like Laura's hair can now fit into two pony tails. Our little baby is growing up! She loves to sit in a real chair at the table to eat her dinner -- and she eats way more food if we let her do this. She spends what seems like hours drawing on paper and loves to play with the kids. Her favorite word right now is "milk", but I'm also tickled that she says "tea" and "hot" very frequently. Her feisty spirit and strong will are going to be in for a shock now as she's going to have to face reality and the wishes of her parents. What a gift she is to us!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T21:44:00.004-05:00

It's the new year! Tonight we finally got our tree and decorations down and now it will really feel like a new beginning. I love January! I know you think I'm nuts, but I have my reasons, and that is one thing I want to blog about this season -- embracing winter.

Today I took time for a little tea and one of my gluten-free mince pies (topped with Brandy butter of course!). We are back into the swing of things with school -- only 97 more days to go! And now it's time to make my plan for tomorrow and enjoy reading.

Christmas Pictures Part 3

2011-12-31T08:28:00.012-05:00

We celebrated Christmas Day on Monday the 26th. Here is the tree the night before, all ready for the morning.

And the stockings were all stuffed.....

The kids were allowed downstairs at 8 a.m. and they could open their stockings as soon as Mom and Dad came down. Check out the stash!!!! I loved the mini apples I found at the winter farmer's market.

Breakfast was very traditional: bacon wrapped brown sugar sausages, tropical fruit salad, cardamon bread, tea ring, and this year two gluten free breads.

We had the amazing apple monkey gluten free bread!!!!!

And some delicious panetone which turned out to be scrumptious toasted. (must make more!!)

Michael always reads Luke 2 before we begin the presents.

At the last minute I did get my nails painted red! And I also collected some horribly cut up and swollen knuckles from washing the floor.

Chapstick necklaces were a fun little item I made for the kids this year.

Laura wore her Santa dress -- far too cute!

Rachel made everyone gifts. She cross-stitched this lovely teacup for me.

Laura was quite pleased with her baby doll stroller!

Emily and Craig (who, by the way, I can never photograph with simultaneous smiles, though they are a very happy couple) came back over for the gift opening and breakfast.

It was a happy morning.

In fact there was a lot of laughing, especially when mom read "advice from Pooh" from a book she received.

Michael wrote and illustrated a book for the kids about keeping their things tidied up. I wonder if they will learn from it?

Laura loved Christmas. She was old enough to have fun but young enough not to be greedy.

The book:

In the afternoon we took a hike and got a family picture:

Laura pretty much complained the whole way because we didn't let her walk.

Being outside is so wonderful!

Rach snapped a picture of me and you can see the difference in my eyes. I had the lid surgery on Tuesday and have been recovering this week. Fortunately, no pain, just swelling and an embarrassing black eye, which I'm sure people attribute to Michael when I go out in public.

I love these funny pine trees.

Kids enjoying the woods:

We stopped in a log cabin to enjoy a snack of hot cocoa, tea, crackers, cheese and salami.

Laura stopped crying long enough to smile a bit.

I love her little coat and red shoes.

Wearing my Shetland gloves which a friend brought me from Shetland eons ago -- long before I was married.

Another smile just for the camera.

And so it was a most pleasant Christmas. And now for the new year......January is one of my most favorite months!

Christmas Pictures Part 2

2011-12-30T14:20:00.010-05:00

Christmas Day dawned bright and unseasonably warm -- no white Christmas!

After church everyone congregated here for lunch and the afternoon.

I am so pleased to say that we were healthy for Christmas! That was a gift!

Cranberry punch, mince pies, and appetizers were available until the ham was ready.

Yay! We managed to get a family photo!!!

Grandma looked so pretty in her plaids......

There were games and conversations going on.

The appetizer table:

I tried a new salad: citrus, fennel and black olives with mint, lemon juice and olive oil. We all enjoyed it!

Lunch consisted of ham, my favorite green beans, a potato leek gratin, the citrus salad, and honey roasted parsnips and carrots.

I found British crackers for us to enjoy around the table and everyone wore their crowns!

Emily and Craig -- they made sure we were well supplied with Trader's Point Creamery eggnog even though it was sold out across country.

John was so excited about opening his tools and promptly started fixing my furniture for me.

(note: why does my house look so clean in these pictures? it sure doesn't feel that way in real life :)
I made zip cases for the ladies in the family, with Burt's Bees creams inside (and yes, I managed to stay in budget of $5 via an internet deal!).

Emily surprised Christina with the cowboy boots she really wanted.

And the kids had such a fun time!

Eventually we had dessert: cookies, mince pies, eggnog, and Christmas pudding.

Three cheers for the Christmas pudding and the rum sauce and the homemade eggnog ice cream to go with it!

And there was the Christmas china to use -- one of my favorite sets I brought back from Scotland.

And so ended another day of Christmas celebration.

Christmas Pictures Part 1

2011-12-28T11:57:00.007-05:00

Christmas was wonderful, despite a scare of the stomach bug on Christmas morning (which did not pan out). Everyone had a delightful time and we have some great memories.

Our family has particularly enjoyed the gift of music in our house this December. We were given Margie's piano and it brings us such joy to think of her as we play.

I'm so glad we took the month of December off of school. There was a lot less pressure and we could enjoy making things.

There was a lot of time spent baking last week. Laura loves to help.

Taking cookies to our neighbors is a tradition. This is what our plates looked like.

James begged to use the leftover pie dough.

He made some "cookies" and they reminded me so much of the gingerbread ornaments Tasha Tudor made for her tree (we watched the Tasha Tudor Christmas DVD last week).

Tea Ring is our tradition for Christmas morning.

I found matching shirts for my boys and cousin John at Goodwill. Perfect for Christmas together!

A pie in a box makes a nice gift.

Laura all dressed up for Christmas....

Next comes pictures of our Christmas Day celebration with extended family.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:55:00.003-05:00

This Christmas season I've been pondering a quote from a little girl in my Sunday school class. I was telling the story of Jesus' birth and paused after the angel's announcement to Mary to ask the class what they thought Mary might have been feeling just then. The answer was, "Mary was probably freaking out!" That's probably not a bad modern translation!

But who wasn't freaking out in the Christmas story?

Zechariah -- certainly freaked out by the appearance of the angel in the temple and the fact that he couldn't speak for at least 9 months as a result of his unbelief.

Joseph -- who wouldn't be freaked out to discover your fiance is pregnant?

King Herod -- he might just be the most freaked out with a threat to his throne. He was someone who had killed his own sons (not to mention many others) in his jealousy to keep the throne of the Jews for himself.

Shepherds -- Scripture says they were "sore afraid" when the angels appeared to them.

Wisemen -- don't you think they were a bit freaked out by the warning in their dream not to return to Herod?

The only person who was never freaked out at any point in the story is Christ Himself. God (as manifested in the person of Jesus Christ) entered history "in the fullness of time", at the precise moment that was most fitting in God's eyes. Every minute detail was fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and pointing to the culmination of God's redemptive work on the cross. Christ's death and resurrection mean, for those trusting in Him, that we need not fear the most freaked out moment of all time -- when we stand before the judgment seat of Almighty God.

Christmas was the visible beginning of this great work of PEACE -- reconciling men to God. Rejoice in this incredible gift!

Getting Closer

2011-12-23T06:09:00.002-05:00

I'm finally "home for the holidays"!!!! I've been out every morning (or entire day) this week and I'm excited that everything outside the home is finished. Time for some tea, a little sit down, some Christmas music, and the cooking, cleaning, wrapping, sewing, etc.

Laura and I have been wearing our red shoes a lot! She wears hers everyday and I'm kind of close to that this week. Must paint my nails red -- realized I had no red nail polish in the house since Emily moved out so I had to buy some! It's a waste to paint my nails because they are immediately ruined from dishes and cooking, but it does feel festive.

Andrew had a new stomach bug on Wednesday night. He's better now but we are all on the edge to see if anyone comes down sick tomorrow. I can't imagine two Christmases in a row with the stomach bug!

I've got to have surgery on my left eye on Tuesday. Sadly, my Grave's disease (thyroid) has spread to my eyes, causing problems with the left eye. Surgery should mask the problem and keep more damage from happening. Right now my left eye is bulging and opens far too wide. Surgery will bring the lid down and make me look normal again. It will be my first time to "go under." I hope I don't react to the anesthetic! Thankfully, Michael has next week off!!

I still haven't found my Christmas notebook in which I write down everything during the holidays. I'm willing to pay $5 to whoever finds it. Actually, I'm almost willing to pay more like $10 or $20, but I haven't told the kids that yet.

I can't wait to finish up the sewing -- I've had fun with it and hope the recipients will be pleased. And then there is the wrapping which I haven't started.......

I hope you all make lots of progress with your last minute preparations!

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-20T07:39:00.004-05:00

It feels wonderful to be able to socialize again after staying home for a week or two. I think being with people is putting me more in the Christmas mood!

I've been using my biscotti as gifts. Might as well make something you are familiar with making! We are also making homemade marshmallows again, which are delicious with homemade hot chocolate (or Trader Joe's sipping chocolate).

We had a little gluten-free cookie exchange which was a lot of fun. We tried these cute snowman cookies which I saw on Pinterest.

And I think these chocolate mice are going to become a tradition in our family. They are just too cute not to make. (These did not yet have their eyes.)

And there are the homemade marshmallows....yum, yum!

One book we always read every year is Becky's Christmas by Tasha Tudor. I'm so afraid the library will soon retire the copy I check out and I'll be stuck waiting until the price of the book comes into my price range. Becky's Christmas captures so many of the traditions or philosophy's of Christmas that I enjoyed as a child (handmade gifts, sugar cookies, homemade advent calendars). I think the book has been inspiring to my kids too.

We also discovered Victorian Farm Christmas Special. Have I mentioned Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm to you? They are BBC productions about what life on a farm would have been like in those periods. We LOVED them. Well, it looks like they made a 3-episode special, returning to the Victorian Farm a year later than the original program. If you have time, watch all three episodes. If you don't have time, watch the third episode.

And, now that it is 9:20p.m. I better head off to the workshop to get in a few hours of sewing.....

Elving in Earnest

2011-12-17T07:46:00.003-05:00

We have emerged from the sickness cocoon and are attempting to re-enter the holiday life. My mind is in a bit of a whirlwind trying to figure out how to manage the baking, the sewing, the shopping, and everything else. I think it is all put down on paper now....One helpful thing is that my health has been better lately and I am able to get up early again!

This package was ordered by a friend and sent off during the week. I always want to keep these creations.....

I have been sewing and sewing plaid flowers this December. I can't get enough of them. Maybe because our family has always loved plaid and now plaid is "in".

Another baby gift was finished up at the end of the week. I always knit a pattern and then keep knitting it! But I liked the results.....

Yesterday was the funeral of our dear friend Margie. She loved plaid too -- and maybe that's another reason I've enjoyed making the flowers. Of course the day brought back many memories and made me sad too. Margie and I had some wonderful times together and they seem so far away now as Margie's illness meant we said goodbye slowly over many years. The best memories center around tea, stories of Scotland, and our trip together to Scotland (pictured below -- and don't laugh too hard at my clothes!).

Well, it's time to be off to breakfast with the sister's and then the children's Christmas piano recital and this evening the Nutcracker with Rachel!!!!

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-14T11:45:00.002-05:00

Christmas baking is such a tradition around here. My favorite is the peppermint candycane cookie, which I'm not sure yet how I will transfer to gluten-free. Absolute standard is the decorated sugar cookie. Most traditional is Scottish shortbread made from my great-grandmother's recipe. My mental list this year looks like this:

regular sugar cookies

gluten-free sugar cookies

shortbread

gluten-free shortbread

regular candycane cookies

try a gluten-free candycane cookie

peanut clusters

macaroons -- both coconut and parisian

maybe chocolate chip cookies

maybe forgotten cookies

various biscotti

First, we have to get the stomach flu completely out of the house. I can't do any baking until we are not contagious! Last year we never even managed to give away any baking because we were so sick.

Peppermint Ice Cream

2011-12-13T15:16:00.003-05:00

Did I forget to mention that I made peppermint ice cream to go with our peppermint cake on Sunday? It was scrumptious! You can find the recipe over here on The Cooks Next Door. Certainly worth making once this holiday season!

December Birthdays

2011-12-12T17:04:00.006-05:00

We celebrated birthdays on Sunday -- mine, my sister Emily's and her boyfriend, Craig's.

After church, before lunch, the kids got busy decorating the Christmas tree.

Christmas is so much fun for kids!!!

Then we had Sausage and Kale Soup for lunch with bread and salad.

The three sisters together -- see my latest knitting project? That's my red Madelinetosh wool I brought back from NYC.

Check out the birthday cake!!! Made for us by Christina and requested by me from the Southern Living Peppermint Cheesecake Layer Cake!

One cake -- three birthdays.

It was everything I hoped for!!! yum, yum, yum!

Mom painted pretty packages and there was lots of gift-opening.

Plenty of tea and chat......

And the tree, as completed by the kids.....

Now, today, we are all in the throes of the stomach flu, unhappily shared among the family. Oh well, this means we should be well by Christmas, unlike last year when we ate chicken soup for Christmas dinner.

Memories of Today

2011-12-08T21:44:00.008-05:00

We went on a field trip to Conner Prairie today. Is there anything better than history???!!!

The beauty of simplicity is everywhere.

I was born in New England and the house I was brought home to was built in the Colonial style. These kinds of simple furnishings are part of my heritage.

Perhaps the cookies we make in our time are better tasting though.....

Fires are certainly romantic to walk past on a day like today, but they probably took a lot of work. (And now I smell like a bonfire.)

Talk about color combinations: orange, teal, and red.

I haven't seen this Conestoga wagon before. I can't imagine our family moving west in something like this:

The woodworking shop takes me right back to my childhood as well. My Dad has always done a lot of woodworking and would take us to shops like this in Maine or other places.

I think my boys need to make some of these toy soldiers.

Everyone got to have a turn.

I loved the outfit on the schoolmaster. Everything was "aged" and well-mended. Quite vintage if you ask me.

Lor was having a great time, except for the fact that her snowsuit makes her almost unable to move.

And another amazing outfit -- check out the "ear warmers" -- think we could get away with knitting a pair of those??? I also loved the shawl and the stockings over the fireplace.

I can see how fun it must be to work at a place like this.

Certainly an inspiring day.....we'll see what comes of it!

Moving Along in December

2011-12-05T18:01:00.006-05:00

My hands are stiff and cold as I type -- the weather has turned colder and I'm feeling it. We had a short snowfall last week and of course the kids had to make the most of it!

The Santa hats were found in the blanket trunk.

Laura learns fast. It seems she mostly knows how to fight with swords, shoot guns, and drive cars (complete with appropriate noises such as broom, broom, and bang, bang). I think someone is making her miniature sword and shield for Christmas. Can't wait to see it.

Hanging around the house are these lovely things: a wedding tin which was a gift from a friend (I've been wanting one so badly!), one of my favorite teas (Constant Comment), and some chocolate.

It's an official tradition: Goodwill shopping on the first weekend in December when everything is 50% off. We three sisters started at Starbucks and ended at 3 different Goodwills by the end of the day.

It turns out our town has a Christmas parade! The kids loved it!!

When the snow first started falling the kids bundled up in their coats and raced outside without Laura. She was distraught and came running into the kitchen with her coat and a baseball cap, hoping I would take her out.

Oh yes, snow is fun.

Today we are enjoying a day mostly at home, celebrating my birthday. There has been chocolate, tea with mint, gluten-free pizza, gluten-free cinnamon sugar muffins, magazine reading, Pinterest pinning, and sewing to come.....

The First of December

2011-12-01T21:31:00.003-05:00

Resolved, to wear my vintage red sweater, my new plaid flower, and

my red shoes as much as possible this month!!!

Hooray for little things that bring lots of happiness!

(Oh yes, the plaid flower is my newest product! Hopefully you will find them at the Village Yarn Shop soon or by direct order)

First Snow

2011-12-01T21:25:00.003-05:00

It started snowing on Tuesday afternoon. Laura was entranced.

The kids were so excited they ran outdoors and left poor Laura inside. Desperate not to be left out she went and collected her coat and a hat and begged to go out. She finally got her chance the next morning.

The kids got their schoolwork done in the evening on Tuesday so they could spend all Wednesday morning outside until the snow melted.

I guess it's officially winter!

Christmas Tea

2011-11-30T22:10:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago we had our annual "Christmas Tea". When I was younger, this was held in September and we brainstormed all the gifts we would make.

Now I think we do it more for tradition's sake rather than for advance brainstorming. (note cookies below are gluten-free!)

However, this event did involve a lot of brainstorming about new products, etc. Next year maybe we'll unveil them!

Laura was appropriately dressed for the occasion! She is too cute!

And now it's time for December to begin......

Christmas Birds

2011-11-29T17:18:00.004-05:00

I've made "a million" felted birds this fall to sell as Christmas ornaments.

They are so sweet, and I enjoy sewing them.

I'm so glad that I love sewing the products that I sell. I get so much joy from them and I think about the person that will end up with them and almost feel like I'm making them a present (except for the fact that they have to pay for it).

This plaid color is my favorite:

I spent about 13 hours in the car sewing while on our OK trip. Most sewing is done while killing two birds with one stone (schooling, driving, listening to something, visiting).

The snow has finally hit. I haven't felt the Christmas spirit yet, but snow falling outside my window and the vintage red wool sweater I'm wearing just might bring it on.

PS: Birds can be found for sale at the Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville. Or, you can special order them directly from me for $4.25/each.

Rachel Turns 11

2011-11-28T15:17:00.004-05:00

Rachel turned 11 last week. Her birthday nearly always falls the week of Thanksgiving which makes for busy times!!

I guess I've started a new tradition of making animals for the kids' birthdays. I always wait until the last day because I think they may have forgotten and then Michael, or the child, will remind me that they really need an animal tomorrow!!! (I was sewing one just hours before I left for NYC)

The mouse was very cute and now I want to make more...

Rachel enjoyed opening presents, which included several board games.

And then there was pumpkin cake for dessert.
She also had a party with friends from the neighborhood, breakfast out with Dad, celebrations at Thanksgiving, and breakfast, lunch and dinner of her choosing! I would say that is a great day!

Seen: On Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T13:40:00.002-05:00

In the middle of a busy road on Thanksgiving, this was seen. I would love to know the story behind it. Was it someone trying to get rid of Great Aunt Ethel's vanilla mayonnaise cake, or was it an accidental loss that some poor child bemoaned?

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T12:14:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving Day was a delightful day, a gift in itself. We began with brunch with friends, which was really fun!

In the afternoon we headed to Christina's and we all walked to Eagle Creek.

John and Laura got to ride.

The weather has been marvelous and the sun was out!

Craig and Emily -- I'm so behind in blogging that I haven't even mentioned that in October Emily moved to her very own apartment! She's lived with us for 4 1/2 years so it was sad to see her go. But, she has her degree in Occupational Therapy now and a good job at a hospital downtown so it was time to move on to the next step. We miss you Em!! I still think I'll hear the door open and Em come in.

John is too cute!

Mom got off work early, which was nice!!

It was very festive to see so many other family groups out walking!

Christina had the table set so beautifully.

We started with appetizers.

And then moved on to a menu featured in Country Living. It was delicious!!! My favorite was the cornbread stuffing, moister and more flavorful than I've ever had. (oh, and everything was gluten free!!)

Lots of candles!

The kids had their own table in the kitchen.

Here is my dinner plate:

And much later we had dessert!

Now I'm wishing we could have a few weeks until Christmas festivities hit, but I don't think that is possible.

2011-11-24T08:37:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

May your day be blessed with good food and fellowship and especially with hearts grateful to God for all He has given to us.

The Thanksgiving Plan

2011-11-22T16:39:00.008-05:00

Sitting here at 11 p.m. trying to get all my recipes organized for the Thanksgiving bake-a-thon tomorrow in my very own kitchen. My sister is hosting Thanksgiving (thank you Christina!) but I'm bringing desserts and appetizers. Here's the plan:

By the way, all recipes will be adapted to be gluten-free since 6 out of 13 people present at Thanksgiving are currently gluten-free. Pie crust will be made using this recipe -- my favorite one!

Desserts:

Pear Cranberry Pie I'm going to use the recipe for this crisp and modify it to go into a pie crust. Haven't decided on a streusel topping or pastry top.

Cranberry Blueberry Pie I love this pie and have made it for two Thanksgivings so far. It fits the bill for a berry pie and also makes things festive with the cranberries.

Southern Living's Chocolate Pecan Chess Pie. Oh, I do love Southern Living magazine for recipes, especially their November and December issues.

Southern Living's Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. Can't decide about the topping -- I'm thinking no caramel sauce on top, but maybe I will put the candied pecans.

Appetizers:

Something along the lines of these baked olives (I'll be adding some garlic).

Cranberry Ginger sauce on top of baked Brie.

Lovella (via Pinterest) pointed me to this perfect veggie tray!!! I can't wait to make it. You can find it here.

Planning to make this sweet potato cranberry streusel, Chicken and Ham Pie (reinvented with turkey), for other meals this holiday.

I hope you are having fun in the kitchen!!!

Mourning the Loss of a Friend

2011-11-18T07:39:00.003-05:00

Our dear friend Margie passed away this week. She is someone who had a large influence on my young adult life, and I will treasure the memories I have of her.

My best memories are from the last year that I worked for her husband as a secretary. Every afternoon Margie would make us tea and we would stop our work and sit and chat for awhile. Margie would tell me stories of her childhood or of their years spent in Scotland.

This picture is from Margie's birthday back in June. I'm glad my children got to know her and will have their own memories. Although we will miss Margie, we are happy that she is now in heaven enjoying full health in God's presence.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-16T18:44:00.002-05:00

And the winner of the giveaway, according to the Random Number Generator, is #14 -- Monica!!!!

Thanks everyone for all your comments, which were fun to read! I think stuffing has always been my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. I love all the variations that can be made -- here is one of my recent favorites.

Thanksgiving Giveaway

2011-11-14T08:32:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I've done a giveaway and I thought I would remedy that with this cookbook from Williams-Sonoma. You can read details about the book here on Amazon.

Just leave a comment telling me your favorite Thanksgiving food and I will pick a winner sometime after 5 p.m. on Wednesday. I am happy to ship the book to the United States and Canada.

In my kitchen I've been busy making lots of gluten-free things for Andrew. I now make his bread, and I'm just starting research on what to do about Christmas cookies. Saturday, while baking my order of biscotti, I found I could make a gallon of yogurt and clean the kitchen at the same time! Anything I can do to multi-task helps in the long run.

Tonight we'll be enjoying the last half of a large pot of ham and split pea soup. The recipe was so simple and I will definitely have to share it sometime. And, I'm a guest blogger over at Simple Frugal Living today and you will find my very favorite dinner recipe posted there.

At the Close of the Week

2011-11-12T15:22:00.003-05:00

This tree in our front yard has been mesmerizing me all week! We came back from Oklahoma to find it transformed into this glowing ruby. It's so stark a color that I can't stop looking at it. My new favorite color is gray, but gray combined with either the red of this tree, or the orange of the other trees nearby, or the baby pinks I'm knitting with.

I can't remember if I posted these flowers or not.....I've just cut out 3 dozen more for an order that is due by the end of the month. I must make another trip to Salvation Army soon!!!! I need more sweaters!!! And, I've been sewing up a flock of birds which I can't wait to show you....

This is what I need to stop and do: tea. Life is so busy during the week and Saturday is the day to catch up on housework and plan for the schoolweek ahead. No time for relaxing!

Veteran's Day this past week. I feel as though I will never be able to fully appreciate the depth of sacrifice our soldiers have made for us, past and present.

Pumpkin hat just off the needles. Three of my cousins have had babies this fall. Busy time for the needles.

And now I must get to work on the rest of the to-do list (can't seem to get rid of this underline): cooking, dinner, menu planning, birthday present ordering, hair cutting, cleaning, ironing, typing, Sunday school planning, letter writing, exercising. Yup, I'm thinking this will not all get done today.

Trip to Oklahoma

2011-11-11T17:10:00.003-05:00

On Monday, October 31st, we headed to Oklahoma to visit Michael's parents. We left at 4:20 a.m. and arrived in Ponca City a little after 7 p.m., stopping in Missouri to tour the Laura Ingalls Wilder home where the Little House on the Prairie books were written. We all enjoyed the tour very much, and I bought postcards to show you the indoors, but have sadly misplaced them.

Here is a picture of Michael's parents' home. They have had a lot of work done on their property and it was in tip-top condition. The kids had a blast playing outside.

And here are the kids with Grandpa and Grandma. This was Laura's first chance to meet Grandpa.

I have more to tell you about our trip on another day......

The Difference a Year Can Make

2011-11-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

Today we are remembering last November 8th when Laura was in surgery at this very minute. What a winter it was and how thankful we are that Laura has grown and developed and done so well!!!!

It's too bad she's not smiling in the recent picture, but she was more anxious about getting a few more chocolate chips. :)

We've just returned from a week's visit to the Wild West (Oklahoma). We have lots of pictures and stories about everything from scorpions to Indian fry bread. Right now I have to catch up on housework, laundry and school!

Being a Toddler

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm a grandmother doting on her first grandchild. Everything Laura does is so cute and we can't stop watching her.

One of Laura's latest words is "ball". She loves to say it.

And what kid wouldn't love to play with a million colored balls tossed on the floor

Something to keep her entertained for a few minutes.....

Life at 18 months is very fun indeed!

Daily we thank God for Laura's progress. Just a year ago we were anticipating surgery....

Current Cooking

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've been trying even harder these past few months to keep our food budget from skyrocketing. It has not been an easy battle. I'm trying to simplify meals without sacrificing nutritional content. Fortunately, Michael is happy with just about anything!

Here are some of the basic meals we've enjoyed: meatloaf (I love this recipe)

Andrew requested lasagna for his birthday and I tried a gluten-free zucchini lasagna. It was slightly watery, but the extra cheesiness made up for it.

Crockpot Chinese chicken -- I put my rice and veg into my rice cooker so the whole meal was ready when we walked in the door from a busy day.

Our Saturday evening staple: eggs, potatoes, and vegetables

Pasta with pulled chicken, tomato sauce and mozzarella

Pasta with roasted butternut squash on the side with hotdogs

And I did make a pumpkin cake this fall for Bible study. Very delicious.....

Another crockpot chicken day -- I think this was lemon tarragon. Also very nice.

Making meals sometimes seems relentless......thankfully, every once in awhile the enthusiasm reappears and meals get exciting again. :)

Ironing

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm one of those strange people who actually like to iron. I don't like the fact that I get so behind with this chore, but I certainly don't dread it. Maybe because the results are so immediate and satisfying....smooth clothes from wrinkled ones.

Earlier this fall I was ironing this pile of dresses and admiring how beautiful they looked. These days of babyhood pass all too quickly.......

School Projects

2011-10-31T08:00:00.002-04:00

I thought I would post a few of the school projects we've done this year. James and David have been studying the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. The televisions were quite a hit for "freedom of speech."

We made stained glass windows for Freedom of Religion and we cut out people from magazines and glued them onto a paper for Freedom of Assembly, and we cut out words from newspapers/magazines and pasted them to look like a newspaper for Freedom of the Press.

Rachel and Andrew experimented with mummifying an apple. (apple on the right was mummified)
And they made edible cells, which were quite the treat being made of jello and candies.

We don't always get to do fun projects but the kids enjoy when I take the time to plan them.

Rachel's Knitting

2011-10-29T11:48:00.002-04:00

Rachel is an avid knitter, and she rarely talks with me about what she is knitting or plans to knit. She pretty much just goes ahead and does it. She loves to do colorwork (adding in additional colors other than the main one she is knitting with) and makes up her own patterns as she goes along.

She recently finished this sweater out of some Cascade yarn:

She made it for a little baby girl we are friends with. Doesn't she look so cute in the sweater?!

Rachel has also finished her first shawl and is waiting for me to block it.......We'll see what she does next!

Cake

2011-10-27T17:55:00.002-04:00

I "had" to make a cake this week for a friend's birthday. There is something very satisfying about making a delicious cake and decorating it simply but beautifully.

I didn't have anything food-wise to decorate with so remembered the roses that I picked a few days ago from the garden -- edible food! Voila! That was the answer.

One Thousand Gifts

2011-10-26T12:35:00.004-04:00

This post is about six months late in being written. I'm not sure exactly why except that I think it has to do with my being unsure that I could accurately describe this book.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You are by Ann Voskamp was given to me by a friend who knew I would love it.

I didn't know what to think at first. Ann's style of writing is unique and very effective. She uses her pen the way an artist uses a paintbrush and the result hits you deep in the heart.

One Thousand Gifts describes the deep pain and struggle Ann had from her childhood to adulthood because of the tragic death of her little sister. The main focus of the book is how she went from hurt to healing, and the path was through thankfulness. The tool she used to grow in thankfulness was to make a list of every little gift God gave her throughout the day: a rose blooming in the garden, a letter from a friend, wind rustling the curtains....

Ann also deals with the tough questions such as, how do we thank God for seemingly bad things that happen to us. I was so glad that she didn't ignore this question because it is something that you must deal with in difficult times.

In the end, I loved, loved, loved the book and have recommended it to many people. I started my own list of "gifts", though I'm not as regular as Ann is. I'm only up to #165.

You can read Ann's blog here at A Holy Experience.

And a picture of one of my recent "gifts". I walked into Kroger the other day and saw in the floral case a vase of 12 long stem white roses -- the arrangement was quite stunning, and so was the price ($30 -- which I guess might actually be good value). I enjoyed looking and went about my shopping but paused in front of the checkout to check the price of the marked down flowers. What??!!! A bouquet of long stem white roses for only $1.99??!!! Well, that was coming home with me!!! What a special surprise it was!

Flowers Before The Frost

2011-10-24T11:39:00.007-04:00

I went out to pick all my flowers the other day, seeing a frost was likely. It is always fun to pick flowers with reckless abandon, bringing in as many as you possibly can. I had enough for many different bouquets.

I'm still working on reorganizing my jewelry drawer and haven't gotten things put away yet.

The peony leaves have turned a beautiful color and make such a nice addition to the bouquets this fall. I love having flowers beside my bed.

And these sweet roses are on my desk.

Sage has become another favored addition to bouquets. My plants have done very well and there is plenty to pick.

I planted at least 6 varieties of marigolds this year. Some very short and others very tall and leggy. This bunch created their own, elegant display when placed in a vase.

And there was still basil growing in the garden and a few stray blooms on the huge sunflower.

I love the heavy smell of marigolds. It takes me right back to being 7 and collecting the dried seed heads on the marigolds in the cold of autumn with the smell of leaves mingling with the scent of the flowers.

A friend brought this beautiful chrysanthemum to us -- I haven't seen a two-toned one like this before and I just love it!

My tendency is often to look on the bad side of things, but let me leave you with a few "good" things from yesterday:

-- a large buck running through our backyard, very close to the house, complete with a rack of antlers on his head!

-- finding the clothes we needed to for Michael, and realizing we could get another 20% off plus use the $10 off coupon I had.

-- walking in Eagle Creek with Michael

-- knowing that Laura has met the developmental guidelines for 18 months!!!!

--plenty of things to keep me busy and energy to do them

Sisters

2011-10-21T04:37:00.000-04:00

Laura most certainly enjoys a delightful life. Every evening she gets to spend the last hour of the day in her sister's bed, reading, and being cuddled.

Life is great when you have four older siblings to spoil you.

Usually Rachel feeds Laura her last bottle of the day while she is tucked in her bed.

I hope Laura in some way remembers the fun she had with Rachel when she was just a baby.

Where Is the Time Going?

2011-10-20T20:20:00.000-04:00

Somehow it is becoming harder to blog......Homeschooling is taking a very large chunk of time and that is leaving less and less for homemaking, small business-keeping, and computer time. At least I'm still living life, just not blogging about it. :)

Several weeks ago I even uploaded pictures for about 5 posts but then I never even had time to write those posts. Oh well.......

This little owl was made for a friend some weeks or months ago now. A new way to use up felted sweaters and create something out of very little.

Near freezing temperatures have finally come to Indiana. I still haven't gotten the clothes switched over (poor kids) but am trying to dig my way through our finances and new financial software.

I've finished some knitting and can't wait to show you my very own "Greta" (Christina's new sweater pattern) as well as a baby shawl for Laura. And Rachel has a few things to show as well. All in good time......

James' Birthday and the Apple Orchard

2011-10-13T09:13:00.001-04:00

James turned 7 while I was away in New York. I left plenty of surprises and exactly the chosen food for the big day. But, when I got off the plane, we headed directly to the apple orchard for the traditional party.

Auntie C brought along the chocolate cupcakes.

James is getting so big! And he's maturing and doing so well with his second grade work.

Pack Rat came all the way from NYC to be James' special present.

Then we all had a look around at the pumpkins.

Laura was having a great time!

In fact, everyone was!

Everyone got to choose a pie pumpkin.

We did stop for a group photo with Grandma.

And then it was off to the apple trees to pick.

It's always delightful to leave the city and head to the country. The stark contrast with Manhattan just a few hours earlier was quite interesting to contemplate.

Laura was such a tiny baby last year and now she is so grown up!

Kids and trees go together!

Time for apple pie.....

On top of the world, in a sense!

Laura found an apple just her size.

Baby hands are so precious!

We ended with apple cider slushies, just like we always do.

Fall Beauty

2011-10-10T08:13:00.003-04:00

Every human is "formed to be a spectator of the created world -- and given eyes that he might be led to its Author by contemplating so beautiful a representation."

---John Calvin in Commentary on Romans 1:19

The Latest Greatest

2011-10-08T11:16:00.005-04:00

I promised my friends I would post a few links to recipes here. Last Sunday morning, before church, as I was getting ready for guests, my kids reminded me that it would be fellowship evening at church that night. Once again, I had forgotten, and didn't have much in the house. I decided I would worry about it after church, and after my lunch guests had left.

After our guests were gone, I looked around and saw one leftover apple pie, a bowl of roasted potatoes, and some frozen green beans. That was what I took to church, using the following recipes:

Roasted Potato Salad -- I tasted a roasted potato salad ten years ago on Glasgow's West Side and new there would be a recipe for one out there. This one is amazing!!! I can't wait to have this again: warm or cold (room temp is best I think). You could even make it without the basil. I used red onions instead of scallions, I also just used my leftover roasted potatoes instead of roasting them according to their directions. I also added a few baked sweet potatoes that were hanging around the fridge.

Green Beans with Lemon Vinaigrette -- I have made Alaina's recipe for this countless times. I'd actually forgotten that it calls for walnuts, because I rarely have them and so never use them in this recipe. I usually also forget to put in the onions. I use the base recipe for green beans and for broccoli. My kids love this!!!!

Green Beans with Blue Cheese -- This is my very favorite green bean recipe. You can even make it without the blue cheese, probably without the nuts too -- or with cheese and not nuts. It is very versatile. It is amazing hot or cold or room temp. My kids also love, love, love this! I love to make a huge batch and have extras to eat the next day.

New York City Day 4

2011-10-04T10:33:00.013-04:00

Monday was my last day in New York. Christy headed back to work and I was on my own. I headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, figuring I would spend a few hours wandering the galleries. However, when I arrived I was informed they were closed on Mondays. :(

But, there were plenty of other museums lining Central Park so I decided to walk north and see which one caught my fancy.

Arriving at the first museum of choice, I was greeted by the sign below. Well, how could I be upset. My New York trip was about a little me time of my own. So, I proceeded down to the next museum and walked in the door to be greeted by a doorman who explained that they were closed just today to fix the handrail. With that, my museum going was over -- all the rest of the interesting museums were also closed on Mondays.

So, I just walked the length of Central Park and headed to the toy store, where I figured I would buy presents for the kids.

It certainly was a place you could spend hours in, and probably lots and lots of money too.

My kids would have loved seeing all the full-sized lego figures.

The Barbie Foosball was certainly a sight!

After choosing presents, I hopped on the subway to find a place I've always wanted to go -- one of my two "must-sees" while in New York: Once Upon A Tart.

I came across the Once Upon A Tart cookbook in the library and found it full of amazing recipes for salads, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods. I even bought a copy as a shower gift for a friend. I really never thought I would get to visit.

It was especially exciting to actually meet one of the owners and cookbooks writers: Jerome.

Take a look at the tarts!!!!!

I chose the peach-blueberry. Isn't it beautiful! And, the pastry was very good. I am fussy about pastry and always analyze shop-made desserts on their pastry. No complaint here except I would have preferred the pastry be made with salted butter rather than unsalted.

My sandwich, a goat cheese with roasted portabellos and radicchio drizzled in balsamic vinegar, was so incredibly good. The bread was good too, which makes all the difference. I would love another one of these!

I enjoyed my food and bought some biscotti and granola to bring home. Then I headed over a few streets to visit the famous knitting shop Purl Soho.

I have enjoyed the Purl Bee blog for so long and I couldn't wait to visit the shop. I think I will have to do another post just on knitting in New York so I don't clutter up this post with 15 pictures. (Christina says to notice the UPS truck in the window since every yarn store knows their UPS deliveryman and eagerly awaits shipments.)

Needing some afternoon refreshment, I stopped to buy some water at a little deli and came out with a few bagels for breakfast. Must have bagels in New York!

There were 12 options to buy for putting on top of your bagel!!! Including, green olive and cream cheese -- my favorite!!!!!

Christy's sister-in-law, Christina, kindly met up with me at 3 to show me around Chinatown. Such a fun place! I did feel like I was back overseas again!

We even went to a Chinese grocery store, where I could have spent hours. I settled on a few teas and some large tapioca pearls for bubble tea.

Our walking took us through Little Italy -- don't you love this picture!

And then we ended up at Mario Batali's Italian Emporium known as Eataly.

Incredible. That is the only word for bistro after bistro, department after department of gourmet food. The espresso bar:

The bakery:

The mushroom selection (and there was a potato selection as well!):

Fresh green selection:

And there was a bread bakery, butcher, dry goods, pizzaria, etc. I then said goodbye to Christina and meandered up to the Empire State Building where Christy works.

We picked up some street food (gyros) and took the subway to the tip of Manhattan to sit and watch the boats on the Hudson River and stare over to New Jersey.

And that was my trip to New York!!!! Fantastic!

New York City Day 3

2011-10-03T20:39:00.008-04:00

It's funny that New York City is the last of the great triad (London, Paris, New York) for me to explore in depth. Michael and I are very blessed to have been able to spend two weeks in both Paris and London on separate occasions. A highlight of each of those visits was Sunday worship with strangers of like heart and mind. My trip was no different. It was very special to get to worship with my friend Christy and the church she is part of there in New York City.

Funny enough, our congregations go by the same name! I wish I had remembered to photograph the sanctuary of this church. It was so beautiful, just what you would expect to find on the east coast.

After church we stopped by Christy's favorite coffee house and then headed toward Union Square.

We had Vietnamese sandwiches for lunch:

Enjoyed in the park........

After a few hours of chatting in the park, and meeting up with another friend as well, we headed over to Serendipity for dessert.

Frozen hot chocolate and a hot fudge sundae were the desserts of choice:

Surprisingly, we had trouble finishing them! But, they were SO good!!!!

After dessert we slowly made our way towards Christy's brother's home, stopping by Grand Central Station so I could have a look.

Christy's brother, John, lives just around the corner from Wall Street.

John and his wife, Christina, welcome us to their lovely apartment and served us a delicious meal. Christy got some coveted time with her niece.

Such a treat it was to enjoy the hospitality extended to me. There is nothing I love more than friends visiting around a table of food.

And then it was time to make the trek back home via foot and subway. We passed the demonstrators that we had heard about all weekend: trying to demonstrate against Wall Street.
And we also passed Ground Zero, perhaps the most talked about place in NYC.

My days in NYC were full, but relaxing all the same. I was very blessed.

New York City Day 2

2011-09-30T21:48:00.008-04:00

Each day in New York I was so mindful of the fact that this whole entire trip was such a lovely gift from God to me. I savored all the beauty, the new experiences, the good food, and the chance to have a complete break from my hectic life.

Saturday morning, sitting in my pajamas for hours, reading a book was certainly a big treat! Later we headed back to the Cloisters to explore the park grounds and stop for brunch.

There is a beautiful cafe called New Leaf on the grounds of the Cloisters, and this is where we ordered our brunch.

I loved the light elegance of the place -- everyone around us enjoying a leisurely Saturday brunch in the warmth of the early autumn weather, windows open and breeze blowing.

I ordered duck confit hash with eggs and grits.

Christy ordered french toast with sauteed bananas, Vermont maple syrup and the best sausages ever!!! (We split our orders between us)

We found this sight a very odd one to behold in Manhattan:

And another strange sight, though apparently quite common: check out the galoshes!

After brunch we headed downtown to Central Park. What a delightful place!

We met up with Christy's boyfriend, David, who kindly agreed to provide supplies for us to do watercolors.

I never take time to paint, but dream of the day when I will. Somehow it felt right to paint on vacation. Such an extravagant use of time could be justified.

We all enjoyed ourselves.......

And then we stopped to watch some street performers:

before heading to our next adventure. I made sure to stop at a Goodwill store in the city. Lovely on the outside, disappointing on the inside. Prices are at least double there and women's coats were up to $35!!! I did not see anything exciting or worth a lot of money.

Dinner was had at Alice's Tea Cup -- a proper British tea.

The food was scrumptious: warm from the oven pumpkin, buttermilk, and salted caramel chocolate chip scones; salmon sandwiches, curried chicken sandwiches, mocha cake, five kinds of cookies, and pots of tea for each of us.

We ended the evening at the New York City ballet!!! What a treat it was and it made my trip seem so authentic!

Oh yes, there is always the subway ride home late at night afterward.

New York City Day 1

2011-09-28T14:08:00.005-04:00

I'm back from my amazingly wonderful weekend in New York City!!!! Michael was so kind to let me go and he did a terrific job taking care of the kids.

I arrived Friday morning in New York and took the bus and subway to my friend's apartment. Christy was my host. We graduated highschool (homeschool) together and have actually managed to travel a bit overseas together as well (Greece, Turkey and Scotland). However, it's been a long time since we had more than a few hours to visit.

We were both soaking wet after the very short walk from the subway to apartment in the torrential rain that hit the city. Ordering lunch in was a good option. Christy's favorite is from a Dominican restaurant and it was delicious! Rice, beans, chicken, avocado, and plantains two different ways.

We decided to brave the rain and made our way through upper Manhattan trying to keep our two selves dry under one little black umbrella. Christy took me to the Cloisters -- a museum of religious art from Europe and grounds covered in beautiful gardens, including a "Heather Garden".

There were many varieties, including one human:

The building was beautiful and incorporated many things brought over from Europe in the structure itself.

It was funny being in New York City and looking at the very kinds of things we had seen together on our overseas travels.

The flowers in the middle of the square Cloister area were so lovely:

Stained glass, tapestries, statues, funerary statues, and paintings filled the building.

I actually made it into a handful of pictures on this trip!!!

More of the heather garden:

Friday evening we ordered pizza in and watched a movie set in Germany during WWII. I started working on a sweater which I'm sample knitting for Christina. It was a good way to start the weekend!

Off to the Big City!

2011-09-22T18:20:00.002-04:00

I am off to New York City for the weekend!!! ALL BY MYSELF! I can hardly believe it! I've been selling biscotti to a local restaurant and saving my money and now I'm off! I'm going to be staying with a friend I graduated highschool with and can't wait to explore the city!

On the list is Purl Soho -- an amazing knit shop, Once Upon a Tart -- a cafe whose cookbook I love, and definitely Central Park.

Can't wait to tell you all about it next week!

Remembering 10 Years

2011-09-21T08:16:00.003-04:00

This past Saturday marked the 10 year anniversary of our arrival in Scotland. We had scones and crumpets with dinner and talked about our memories.

Rachel was a baby and we left the states just 5 days after 9/11 -- a bit of a scary time to move overseas.

The early years of our children's lives were spent in this little house -- in fact, two of them were actually born at home here.

Hopefully one day we will make it back for a visit!

Magic Kingdom

2011-09-17T16:42:00.002-04:00

Recently I've thought a lot about imagination, partly because I used to think my imagination wasn't that great, compared with someone like Anne of Green Gables or others like her. But then I started thinking about it and realizing just how much I actually do use my imagination.

A friend recently moved away and left me her pass to Eagle Creek park, which is just a mile or so down the road from me. I had no idea what a gift it was! Now, any time I fancy I can drive in the park and step into another world -- a magic kingdom of sorts. All is quiet and peaceful, there are no buildings, no traffic, everything is green and growing. If I want, we can go for a hike in the woods, or around part of the reservoir.

In the park I can imagine myself somewhere else: Scotland, Maine, Europe.......

We can enjoy nature and discover new things.

(Like this amazing tree that is hundreds and hundreds of years old. The first marker viewable towards the top marks the Revolutionary War!!)

One of the best things about the park is that I can drive through it and end up almost right at my sister's doorstep. It's like one of those secret passages I always longed to find as a child.

The beauty of imagination is that it can help one to be content in the setting one finds oneself in. The danger of imagination is when you refuse to be present in your circumstances and use imagination to escape reality in a harmful way. So, don't let yourself think imagination is only for children! Brighten up your day by enjoying what you are surrounded by.

Lingering Beauty

2011-09-17T14:57:00.003-04:00

There is still much lingering beauty in my garden. My mom so kindly picks and arranges flowers for us when she comes on Sundays.

This bouquet has been brightening our days all week. Doesn't it look like spring instead of fall?

Life is very full. Homeschooling is keeping me going from dawn til dusk and then I'm ready to do something relaxing (not sit in front of the computer screen).

I need to go finish my household chores and then the work will be done for the week! Sunday is tomorrow! A day of rest and refreshment for the week ahead!

Andrew Turns 9

2011-09-09T11:23:00.005-04:00

Andrew turned 9 last week! He woke up to find this raccoon getting into the birthday candy.

Andrew went for breakfast with Michael and then had presents to open once he finished his school work. He requested cupcakes and ice-cream in the evening with the neighborhood friends.

It was a perfect evening. We had vanilla gluten-free cupcakes, and regular chocolate cupcakes. Through a long series of events, it looks like Andrew needs to be gluten-free. So, we are learning the ropes and trying to make sure Andrew has eating options.

Happy Birthday dear Andrew......

oh yum!

Laura is getting to know the new puppy in the neighborhood. I was very mindful that it was a year ago on Andrew's birthday that we began to find out the problems Laura had. How thankful we are that a year later she is doing so well!!!! She is still followed by six different specialists at Riley but we rejoice that each time we go in for a checkup they are pleased with her progress.

Yes, these two are the babies on the block.

And here are the friends:

I loved being 9. I hope Andrew has just as much fun as I did.

Books We Enjoy

2011-09-07T21:45:00.002-04:00

I promised a friend a list of some of our favorite children's books and thought I would just post it here.

I've been using Read for the Heart to give me new ideas on books to check out of the library for the children.

In no specific order, here are some of our most-enjoyed books:

Little Women

Chronicles of Narnia

Little House on the Prairie series

Anne of Green Gables series

Billy and Blaze series

Milly Molly Mandy series

Secret Garden

The Little Princess

American Girl Doll book series

Wind in the Willows

Happy Hollisters series

Carry on Mr. Bowditch

Sugar Creek Gang series

Betsy, Tacy, and Tib series

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley and other books by Marguerite Henry, especially:

Misty of Chincoteague

Abigail (by Portia Howe Sperry)

By Freedom's Light (O'Maley)

Captured (by Mary Blair Immel) (these last three pertain to Indiana history)

Diary of an Early American Boy

Wolves of Willoughby Chase series (by Joan Aiken, our new favorite author)

Bears of Blue River

Growing Up in Indiana

Johnny Tremain

Witch of Blackbird Pond

Miss Hickory

Miss Pickerel series

Pippi Longstocking

Raiders from the Sea series

Ollies Cabin in the Woods

Justin Morgan Had a Horse

Trumpet of the Swan

Boxcar Children series

Magic Tree House series

The Little series

A Knitted Lobster

2011-09-06T07:47:00.002-04:00

My latest knitting project was this little lobster, knit for cousin John to take on his trip north to Maine. As with most toy knitting, there are lots of little fiddly parts that have to be sewn together, but overall it was an easy knitting project with a cute result. You can find the project here on Ravelry.

Back to School

2011-09-02T13:00:00.004-04:00

We started school last week. Here are the crazy students. I am the crazy teacher. We have entered a new level of homschooling, one I had only heard about before.

This year I have four separate grades to deal with, which has made for a lot more work. I do group the children together for science and history, so I am only teaching two different groups in that category.

I've started planning my weeks out in advance, writing out the exact pages to be done each day, any extra projects, what books will be read each week, etc. It's a lot of work at the end of the week, but it does make the next week flow quite smoothly. Rachel and Andrew each get an assignment book with each day's assignments listed.

We start the day with Assembly where we are doing memorization, timeline, songs (like the national anthem, and the president's list), skip counting and reading aloud. Then Rachel and Andrew get time for math drills and for correcting the previous days work. For the most part, they are able to work on their own after that.

James and David come back to the table to read aloud and have their lessons together before I take time to work with each one on their schoolbooks. Right now it's taking at least 3 solid hours to get this done, with the older ones finishing some things in the afternoon. We don't get started on school until chores are finished at 9:30, so we are working right into the lunch hour. Then there are days like yesterday where we still had quite a bit to do in the afternoon. And then there is the constant, all-day-long checking on chores to be done, schoolwork to be finished, piano to be practiced, toys to be cleaned up. Maybe that's what makes it all seem just a tad overwhelming!

This week was certainly better than last week, but I think it's going to be a very full year. I'm so glad we aren't playing soccer this fall and I'm trying to look for ways to keep our schedule to a minimum so we can concentrate on school.

We have had a lot of fun so far, even if it's been a lot of work. Last night we made "edible cells" to go with our anatomy lesson. And the little boys have done a craft project or two that they enjoyed. We always enjoy reading aloud together and the neighborhood moms have banned together to create a 7:45 p.m. curfew so now my kids can actually have some time for reading aloud before bed.

I'm still excited about the school year, if not a bit overwhelmed at the work it is going to take. Hopefully the work will pay off and the children will learn a lot!

From The Shelf

2011-08-30T12:33:00.002-04:00

I would love to be posting more about the books I'm reading because I always find it so helpful when others share with me books I might enjoy. Maybe I can start a new habit this fall......

Tender -- by Nigel Slater. Slater is perhaps my most favorite food writer of all. He is so talented with words. This book is all about his garden, season-by-season, vegetable-by-vegetable, with plenty of recipes. Love it!

Organized Simplicity -- by Tsh Oxenreider. Brenda recommended this book and I am finding it a great read! So far I've covered family goals, money organization, and use of time. Oxenreider's aim is to help you achieve a simple lifestyle that aids in reaching your family's goals.

The Knitter's Year -- by Debbie Bliss. Lots of little projects organized by season. There are so many things in this book that appeal to me and it is relaxing just to flip through and look at the serene photos throughout.

The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking -- by Jane Brocket. I have loved all of Brocket's books so far. The Gentle Art of Knitting is sitting by my bedside right now. Reading Quiltmaking, I was so tempted to start making a quilt right away. Brocket's ideas are beautiful!

The Trunk Show

2011-08-29T14:57:00.005-04:00

The Trunk Show was a huge success!!!

The Village Yarn Shop looked festive with bunting hung and Christina's pattern samples hung everywhere.

We had the tea table set with newly knitted tea cozies and lots of real china.

Aren't the tea cozies fun!!!! You can find the red and white roses cozy in the book "Wild Tea Cozies" and the cream and strawberry cozy is in "Tea Cozies 2". Christina made up the pattern for the blue and white striped cozy.

Everyone loved the cake table, complete with chocolate, gluten-free chocolate, butter-pecan, Victoria sponge, and lemon cake with ruffle icing.

We had somewhere between 75 and 80 people show up!!! It was a terrific evening and the shop was bursting with good cheer.

There was a table at the entrance with all of Christina's patterns. I didn't get a picture of the shop when things were really busy but you can see we started with quite a good-sized group.

In the center-back of this photo is a glimpse of the newest pattern which is "coming soon". Everyone wanted to try it on and we all can't wait for the written pattern!

Thanks to everyone at Village Yarn Shop for letting Christina have a trunk show!

Don't Forget

2011-08-24T07:18:00.003-04:00

Don't forget!! Tomorrow is Christina's Trunk Show at the Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville, from 6-8 p.m. She and I are busy baking and getting everything ready!

And here are the flowers that will be at the shop in time for the show!

Can't wait to see some of you there!!!

Latest Purse

2011-08-23T13:27:00.002-04:00

This purse has been a work in progress for many months. I finally finished it this month, just in time to give it to a friend who is moving away.

I love the texture from the big cable patterns and I really did like the three-toned rose made to decorate it. I must make some more of those!!

The purse is quite large, and has some sturdy interfacing inside so that it maintains its shape.

I've just finished three dozen fall flowers for the Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville so be sure to stop in and have a look if you are in the area!

Laura is Walking!

2011-08-23T08:01:00.002-04:00

Laura is walking all the time now!!! She is SO proud of herself and loves any attention she can get by showing off her new skill! She wears a little pair of black dress shoes all the time and these shoes have helped give her the stability she needs. She's just as crazy as ever!

The Ruffle Cake

2011-08-22T17:30:00.002-04:00

Have you seen the Ruffle Tower Cake yet? My friend who stayed with us introduced me to them (we made 3 while she was here!) and now I'm hooked! The effect is quite stunning and I can't wait to create one for Christina's Trunk Show this coming Thursday.

You can find the recipe and instructions right here. Do be shocked at how much butter it takes!

Latest Knitting

2011-08-18T07:02:00.002-04:00

The Emma Tunic is my latest piece of knitting. I loved it when I first saw it on SouleMama and decided it would make a perfect baby gift.

I also loved the soft pink with the white and couldn't resist making a few flowers to go with it. It was an easy pattern to knit except for one or two places where I either messed up or the pattern was not quite clear.

Old Friends and New Friends

2011-08-17T10:53:00.003-04:00

I have been quite absent from the blog world these last two weeks. We've been busy enjoying the presence of old friends from Scotland and meeting many more new friends.

The festivities centered around the baptism of baby Islay and her family gathered from far (Scotland) and near (NY, VA, IN) to celebrate. This meant we could be reunited with our dear friends from Scotland for 10 days as well as get to meet the rest of the family! Here are most of them at the baptism:

I have lots to post about from our visit: fancy cakes, good food, incredible thrift store finds, and even some knitting. Our relatives begin arriving tomorrow for another weekend of festivities, but as I find time, I'll be posting!

Here is my friend Rachel. It was so good to catch up after 6 years of not seeing each other. There were several kids to meet too! Can't wait to tell you more about our adventures......

Visit to a Thrift Store

2011-08-04T15:12:00.004-04:00

After our tour in Amish country we headed to spend the night at some friends of our family whom we have known for 29 years. It is always a treat to enjoy Christian hospitality and the fellowship of friends.

Following breakfast the next morning we made our way to the thrift store where our friends, Cecil and Judy, are involved. Cecil manages the building that houses the store and Judy works part-time sorting things for the store (guess which section is her job? -- all the fabric and craft stuff that is donated!!!!! how fun is that?!). We got to start with the backroom tour. It was fascinating to see what goes on behind the scenes at a thrift store like this.

Everything was extremely well organized and neat, all in readiness to go to the shop floor.

The thrift store was a perfect follow-up for our visit to the Mennonite museum since the thrift store is run by the Mennonite Central Committee and proceeds go to their mission work, which involves relief work throughout the world.

It was hard to stop myself wanting to look at everything that was going to be sold......

Clothes that will not be sold at the thrift store are baled up and will eventually find their way overseas. When we lived in Africa we would go to the town market and buy clothes just like this!!!! (That's how we ended up with some beautiful Laura Ashley dresses in the middle of war-torn Uganda.)

There is a room full of electronics and appliances and people volunteer their time to fix them in preparation for selling.

One thing I learned about the Mennonites from our time up north was their heart for relief work, feeding the hungry, and volunteering. This thrift store (which encompasses all these back workrooms and THREE stores) is almost entirely run by volunteers. They even have volunteers who take every puzzle home and put it together so that they only sell puzzles with all the pieces!

Here is the beginning of Judy's craft area, still behind the scenes:

Judy is showing the kids where she works:

And now a glimpse at the first thrift store -- for kitchen items, crafts, and bric-a-brac.

Behind the thrift store is an area where ladies volunteer to weave rugs that are then sold for money to put towards the relief efforts:

There is also a quilting room beyond that.

On our way home we stopped and bought some local produce and enjoyed melon, corn, zucchini fritters and tomato pie for dinner.

It was a great trip!

Classic Cable Knits Trunk Show

2011-08-03T16:26:00.003-04:00

You all are invited to come to Christina's Classic Cable Knits Trunk Show

Christina will be displaying samples of all her patterns (yarn and patterns will be available for purchase) and we'll be serving homemade cake as well as tea and coffee

This exciting event will take place at the Village Yarn Shop in Zionsville

Thursday, August 25, 2011

6-8 p.m.

I hope some of you can make it!!!

A Visit to our Amish Friends

2011-08-02T16:07:00.008-04:00

Staying overnight at our Amish friends was one of the highlights of our summer! We met our friends in the ICU at Riley and have kept in touch since. They invited us up to see their farm and we decided to make that part of our vacation.

I couldn't take any pictures of our friends, but I do have a few of us to share. Believe me, my mind was constantly trying to capture every photogenic moment I saw since that was the only way I could remember it for the future.

After lunch we all went on an hour and a half buggy ride to see the surrounding countryside. The parents and the babies rode in the big buggy and all the rest of the kids rode in the pony cart! I wish you could have seen the fathers in the front seat, the mothers in the back seat with our babies, and all the rest driving behind having a fun time of their own! (Our friends also have 5 children of similar ages to ours).

Our kids spent as much time as they could in the barn, swinging on the rope swing. It made me so happy to see them enjoying a farm!

Here is a view from the barn toward the neighbors.

A little chick was discovered in the bowels of the barn and brought out for James to hold.

Everyone headed to the barn at chore time to either help or watch. And, yes, several people were barefoot!

Here is the milk for the calves being mixed up.

Our friends raise calves which, when grown, are shipped to Turkey to become milk cows. The calves begin by being fed from these bottles:

Rachel was eager to jump right in and even got up the next morning at 4 am so she could help with the morning chores.

Here are the calves:

And there were some goats as well. Our friends drink goats milk and James got to try milking the goat.
The family dog:

The were two new kids who had just been separated from their mother and had to be fed with bottles.

Our friends also raise pigs and this is the pig barn, smellier than you would imagine!

The most fun of all was had on the pony cart, which was kept hitched up all day long. Is that not the most adorable thing?!!

I finally broke down and asked if I could have my turn.

Rachel was quite at home by the time we left and even started wearing her hair up!

Riding the ponies bareback was also fun:

After we said goodbye to our friends, we headed north into more Amish country.

We drove through a few "touristy" towns:

stopped to let the kids ride on a merrygoround:

And then went to tour the Menno-Hof Mennonite Museum. It dawned on me, while paying for our tickets, that maybe they might carry the Mennonite Girls Can Cook. I looked up and there it was on the shelf in front of me!

The museum was very helpful, attention-keeping and well-done. We all enjoyed it.

We ended our time with a donut from one of the big bakeries.

And then we were off to our next visit, which I will tell about next time.

We are just so thankful for such a wonderful time with our friends. I was so happy for the kids to experience a farm, and it was fascinating to learn about the way others live, and yet also to see how very much the same our families are in so many ways. We all can't wait to go again!

First of August

2011-08-01T21:04:00.004-04:00

It's the first of August already! We've had hot weather for so long that in some ways it already does feel like the middle of August.

We are "back" from our staycation. We had a wonderful time! I can't wait to tell you more about our trip up north to stay with our Amish friends, as well as our behind-the-scenes visit to a thrift store.

The garden is looking great despite the weather. We have a sunflower that is about 9 feet tall and we have so many different varieties of birds coming to the garden. It is so much fun! I have more flowers than ever blooming and that means I can pick more to bring inside. The zinnias have just started and are lovely! Our silkworms have hatched from their cocoons and are now moths and our little tadpole has changed into a tree frog and gone to his new home by the pond.

Laura is doing well -- almost 19 pounds now! She got her very first pair of shoes today and hopefully that will help to stabilize her so she can walk more on her own.

This week I'm trying to get a bunch of housework projects done, including cleaning the carpet. I got the living room done today and I think it might have worked! We'll see when it is dry.

I'm also back to knitting now that my latest flower order is complete. Can't wait to show you, but since they are mostly gifts....I'll have to wait a little.

I have about 10 or 15 blog posts I want to write to catch up, but we'll see how much time I get. Last night I had to buy more space so I could actually upload photos?! Never heard of that on blogger before but I guess it happens.

I hope you all are staying cool and enjoying summer (or winter if you are on the other side of the world. :)

David Turns 5

2011-07-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

It's been three months since David turned 5, but since this is the only pictorial record of our family at this time, I must add the photos in before the year is over!!

David woke up to this birthday table:

Since Grandma's birthday is only four days before David's, we usually celebrate together.

A bunch of happy children, with David sporting his new tie.

Presents to open after lunch:

And of course chocolate cake:

The remains of the day:

It is hard to believe we have only one child in the "under 5" category now. It seems it wasn't long ago that the first four were all under 5!

How I Got the Garage Fridge

2011-07-20T07:50:00.002-04:00

We realized this year that the time has come where we need a refrigerator in our garage. Our in-kitchen fridge just isn't cutting it when we have company, or want to go to Costco. I knew it might be a bit of a chore getting one, but I had no idea it would be something like this.........

Because of sickness, we stayed home from family camp this week and I thought it would be the time to get a fridge.

Checking Craig's List yesterday I found one that would work, called the guy, and made arrangements to go and see it at 7:30. He said he needed it gone that day, if possible, maybe the next morning. So, I set off to find a way to get it to our house.

Up north in the afternoon, I called a friend to see if I could borrow her truck. She was very happy to loan it and proceeded to teach me how to drive this vintage piece of equipment. Pump the gas thrice, turn it over, "feel" where the automatic gears are, and don't go above 40 mph, and roll the windows down because there is no a/c.

I hopped in and had my first truck driving experience getting the truck all the way home, stopping to get cash on the way.

Next I called my neighbor who said she had a dolly I could use. Her husband answered and told me, "Oh sure, you can use it, as long as you don't need to move a fridge." Oooppppsss......I then proceeded to call the Lowes and Uhaul's in our area. No one was open, or had a dolly to rent. Then, we called a friend who lives far away to see if we could borrow theirs. They "just happened" to be driving by our house in the next 30 minutes and could drop it off! Whew!!!

Then I called to see if another neighbor could watch the children while we picked the fridge up. No problem!

Opened the lid to the crockpot and noticed that it must have been unplugged sometime around lunch. Oh well. Eggs for dinner was fine.

A quick call to confirm that we were on our way was made to the fridge owner and that's when the plan fell apart. "Well, I sold it 10 minutes ago." "What?????" "I'm sorry, I let my girlfriend take care of it." You can't imagine how frustrating! AFter all that work!!!!

Anyway, I went upstairs and scoured Craig's List and eventually found another fridge, about 25 miles south. Michael kindly left on the journey, which normally takes us about 30-35 minutes. Three hours later the dear man was back with my fridge! And that is how we finally got a fridge for the garage.

And now to take the truck back.......

A Glorious Fourth

2011-07-15T04:42:00.000-04:00

We had a lot of fun on July 4th this year!! We began the day by taking Grandpa to the local parade and meeting our friends from 4tunate there, just like last year!

Laura loved the parade and no one minded the rain too much.

Waving flags is so much fun when you are just one.

Here's a picture of us all when the rain cleared up:

After the parade, and lunch at McDonald's, we went home to get ready for our backyard party. We invited a bunch of friends and neighbors and we all sat in the backyard for the evening. It was so much fun! Here's Laura having a good time in the pool.

And here are Calvin and Owen enjoying their dinner:

John is figuring out what to do next:

Facepainting for the kids:

Sparklers were enjoyed when it "started" to get dark:

I tried red, white and blue strawberries:

And festive, chocolate-dipped pretzels:

My mom picked flowers for all the tables:

There were veggies and salsa (including blueberry salsa) to start:

And hotdog rockets for the kids!

Everyone brought a dish so we had plenty of delicious food!

We even had a very sweet, brand-new baby in attendance!!!!

I sewed bunting to make the patio look festive.

We were grateful for pleasant weather!

It was a great day with lots of good memories!!!!

Running Through The Week

2011-07-14T07:08:00.002-04:00

Life has been so busy that I haven't blogged much. I thought I would jot down a few things quickly, before time gets away from me:

- I've been hit by a summer cough/fever. Fortunately, I think the worst is over, but it is never fun to be sick. I'm hoping no one else catches it!

- the kids are in VBS every morning this week, leaving me 3 free hours! Wow! Can't believe how nice that is! I've been trying to get my school planning done for this coming year.

- three of our silkworms are now in their cocoons and the fourth one didn't get his spun in time....Since it takes 250 cocoons to make one ounce of silk, we won't be getting much....it is nice that I don't have to feed them twice daily now. It's been a big chore since they hatched in May.

- our tadpole has grown back legs and we are waiting for the front, trying to decide if we should take him with us next week when we go out of town for church camp?

- my squash and cucumber plants are producing lots of flowers and no fruit. I guess we don't have enough bees so I'm going to try and attract some.

- I am watching "Land Girls" by the BBC while sewing flowers at night. I just finished an order for 1 dozen and am filling another order for 2 dozen before sewing some for the shop closeby.

- Laura is all about climbing on and off her little riding toy

- Rachel finished her 4-H dress and looks so pretty in it! Much time has been spent trying to get the 4-H projects ready for judging this week. Four drives to the 4-H grounds this week (20+ minutes away).

- Looking forward to church camp next week as long as the others don't get sick

- Cleaned the children's bookshelves and found several missing library books!

- Reading "The Winter Garden", "The Praying Life", "A Little History of the World", "Howard's End", "Counterfeit Gods", and "A New England Girlhood."

- drinking homemade ginger and lemon tea and thinking of the Vietnamese girl who lived with us when I was a child and used to make stewed lemons and honey when we were sick. I wonder how to make that now?

- about to calligraphy name places for a wedding.......

- must get organized for David's and my mom's birthdays

- must stop and get ready for the day!

Cow Day

2011-07-11T22:30:00.002-04:00

We made it to dress like a cow day at Chickfila last week!! We haven't gone in a few years but I thought it would be a fun thing to do with our two friends who spent the night. It's hard to say no to $36 worth of free dinner and a free mini carnival too! The kids had a blast and it was fun to take them out for fast food since it is such a rare occurrence around here (and I didn't have to cook dinner!!).

Taking Time for Beauty

2011-07-08T18:10:00.002-04:00

Recently, after spending a good chunk of time cleaning the house, including scrubbing out my shower and giving the rest of the bathroom a good going-over, I thought how much I would love to go cut some flowers and put them by my bed and in the bathroom. Next thought was: I don't have time to do that. But then I thought: I need to have time to do that. And I went and did it.

Do you know, putting those flowers by my bed cheered me up all weekend. Everytime I thought of the clean bathroom and saw the pretty flowers I felt happy. It's worth taking time out for beauty!

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T07:58:00.003-04:00

Happy 4th of July!!!!

We hope everyone has a wonderful day! Our plans include a parade, a cookout with friends, and maybe even fireworks!

Le Dolce Vita

2011-06-29T13:29:00.004-04:00

We've found a new place to go for a treat!

It's called Le Dolce Vita and it's in the nearby town of Zionsville on a quiet street inside an adorable little house.

A week ago we met friends there for a donut and coffee. I'm so excited that there is now more than one option for coffee in Zionsville!

Of course we had to ooooo and awwwwww over all the beautiful pastries, especially the macaroons which are a house specialty. I was tempted to buy one but didn't.

Several days later I met a different friend at a park and what did she pull out of her bag for me but a sweet little box of macaroons from Le Dolce Vita!

So, I got to try the macaroons after all, with a nice pot of tropical rooibus tea from Tea's Me. It was a perfect ending to a busy day.

So, if you are in the are, be sure to search out this little cafe and enjoy a bit of refreshment!

Emily's Graduation

2011-06-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

It's about time I posted about my sister Emily's graduation!

She graduated back in May with a master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University.

We celebrated with a Sunday dinner and lots of friends.

Here's is Emily's childhood friend, Mary.

Rachel and Emily made the cupcakes, which were so cute!!

Gluten-free cupcakes too!

And there were a few presents to open afterward.

Emily's done a terrific job and we are all proud of her!!! She has a week left at her last internship and then she's officially job hunting!