Happenings

Just a quick post to share a few things



Mg makes amazing pie! Like stellar... Our if this world gluten free pie!



Henry loves to read "gooks" and those tiny toes still melt my heart



When we go on walks Owen brings a wooden rifle and a book...every time... I'm guessing he feels safe and smart?



I let my kids play in the "gutter" out side my yard... Because they like to and it's good for them to get fresh air?



I've learned to make really yummy non dairy coffee drinks at home... It's been great.



Henry loves to wait for Papa to come home.



My kids really like drinking water out of mugs...

That's all for now

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Clean water

The other day all I could think about was water. How amazingly grateful I am to live I a place where there is clean fresh water! Where we daily have access to it.
We are a blessed people who get to wash our bodies, and dishes, and dirty clothes, all in the very cleanest of water.
I was pondering all of this at great length because I was sick with the stomach flu. And that day I was so thirsty I could hardly stand it. But for a while I couldn't keep even the smallest amount of water in my body. All I wanted to was go to the fridge(well send mg I was far to week for walking there) and get some cold water out of our Brita filter(double clean) and gulp the whole glass down.


But I could not. I had to show restraint and take tiny sips. I had to let ice melt in my mouth so I wouldn't drink too fast. I thought about how lucky I was to only have the problem that I had. That my only concern was showing some self control. That I have access to water all of the time and will probably never want for a clean drink. (Or ice chip)
I also thought of Jesus and the woman at the well(how could I not i was thirsty!)how he told her that if she would have asked Him for a drink He would give her living water. Living water. I'm really grateful for this as well. Because when sin-like the flu- makes me sick and I'm thirsty on the inside, in my heart, I can ask Jesus for a drink and He will fill me with his living water! His water will heal me instantly. This is crazy beautiful.
I am so grateful I can drink the water that has been freely pored out for me here. In this land and from my savior.
Check this out if your heart is thirsty today. It's crazy beautiful too.
Woman at the well
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I read other blogs..."let's get praisy"

So there's this blog I read... Called "Hello from the Nato's"and I love it. I think Jamie is funny and her heart for Jesus is amazing! And there are hundreds of other things I could say as well but I won't because I'm not a gusher... Go check it you will like it too.
Ok so on her blog she is doing the crazy funny thing called "let's get praisy" and normally if I heard something was called that I would high tail it in the other direction, but I read what it was first-because it was her-and she said I might win something...
Basically it's this competition where you listen to ANY
music and try to hear the gospel in the lyrics. then you write your lyrics down and the corresponding bible verse... then link up to her blog with your song choice/choices(up to 5)and then on Friday a winner is chosen. You get the idea...
This will be my first entry




Hope this works... I'm doing it from my iPhone because my computer is just moving a block of colors around instead of working...
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Quitter

Life seems to keep getting in the way of the blogging once a day thing. So I have decided to officially give up trying. I have a few more ideas left for the month so I hope to still post those but I won't be trying to get here everyday.
I gave it my best shot... And even that was sorta sketchy. Lol.
So here's me resigning national blog posting whatever...
Hope your weekend was good. Mine was packed full of friends and family and if I was a better blogger I'm sure I would write more about it but instead I'm going to make dinner for my family and enjoy movie night! Yay!!


Our new table!
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Migraine update

Well I posted a while back about my migraines and how life with them is difficult...so I thought I would update a bit about how my treatment has been going.

I am currently still taking an anti seizure medication to help reduce the frequency of the migraines and that has helped quite a a bit. I am no longer getting them weekly! I do however still suffer from anywhere from 1-6 monthly. This is still a very large decrease and a huge blessing.

I was also for a while using a progesterone cream to help reduce some of the remaining headaches but the cream seamed to have some odd side effects for me emotionally so I am taking a break from that(which is a little scary because it seemed to be helping quite a lot).

In all honesty I have come to a place where coping with the migraines is easier and because they are less frequent I feel way less burdened by them. Also I have been made aware of an allergy to acetaminophen in the process which is super helpful. Plus another major bonus...the anti seizure medication has had a nice side effect of helping me in loosing some extra weight which I have always struggled to do in all my healthy endeavors.


So all in all I can see the Lords hand through this suffering. How He has used a painful thing to bring me something good. Isn't that just like Him? To give us gifts where we least expect?

So that is where I'm at with migraines. Better than before... Still enduring a while longer and seeing Jesus in the midst. Not a terrible place.


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A blog a day

I'm trying really hard to do that thing... You know the one where you blog every day for a month? But today I'm not sure what to say...
So I will just say this... Today mg took us all out for breakfast! He works in politics so last night was a long one for him and he treated us to celebrate campaigns being over.



I had this. Bre asparagus ham omelet with Yukon potatoes! It was delish! And the company wasn't half bad either...


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Then and Now

Way back then in-San Gimignano-when I bought this tiny pink cup I had no idea that a tiny boy would one day sip from it every morning.


I had no clue if my tiny glass would even make it home from my trip from Italy in my clumsy care. And now ten years later not only have I managed to keep the tiny pink glass safe but-I have somehow by the grace of God-managed to keep two children safe as well...


Back then I would have laughed hysterically at the idea of me keeping children alive... But here I am... Now! A full blown momma living and breathing the job. Loving TWO boys... and loving that they are mine!
And I still enjoy that tiny pink glass (and all the fine memories the "then's" hold) as I watch tiny boy hands grasp it.
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Sick momma

So maybe what Henry had was a stomach ache... A bad one... One that oscillated between bad cramps,nausea, and extreme hunger(only when you feed the hunger your stomach gets angrier)?

That's what this lady has had all day... And yesterday... Uhg. And yuck. And bleh for good measure.

On a higher note Hank seems to be feeling slightly better...


Yay.
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Sick Henry

Henry you have been sick. It's a mystery illness that's only symptoms include a fever, sleeplessness and discomfort. Unlike your older brother,who when sick becomes docile and contended with anything and everything, you are surly,needy, and whiny. You require near constant holding and attention. I think this be my "sick gene" sorry.
It's been a long, long three days... Here's hoping and of course praying for a better tomorrow.
His mercies are new every morning! Hallelujah!


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The questions I ask every day...

Directed at the big One



#1. Are you naked?
#2. Are you eating crayons?
#3. What noise is that? A gun or a Dino?


#4. Why are you sitting on your brother? Added on every time "he is not an animal...don't ride him"


Directed at the small one
#1. Did you poop? Again?!? Really?!


#2. Why are you screaming?



#3. Would you please take that suckle suckle (pacifier) out of your mouth so I can understand you?


#4. Are you sure you really want that book again... For the 23rd time... Really?!?
#5. Why are you sitting on your brother? "Don't RIDE each-other!
Your NOT animals..."


Well... they only act like it sometimes.


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Little Animals/ Halloween

We did the whole trick or treat thing again this year. Owen opted for being a lion again. Grampy Mark did his face paint(lucky boy)! And he was the best little lion in the whole neighborhood!


His little lion face is just too sweet












Hank was a dragon! He loved it...for the first 45 min anyway...and was walking up to houses saying "say hi" over and over... Then we made the massive judgment error in letting him have a sucker... Apparently Henry may be sensitive to red dye...(who knew? He has never had anything dyed before I guess). By the end he was breathing fire and raging like the dragon he was dressed up like... He also didn't sleep all night and had tummy trouble. Poor kid.


At least we have these shining memories-pre-red sucker.

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House sitting,dog sitting,gramps sitting...

It's been two and a half weeks at my moms house in Dallas OR...in the country. And I wish I would have documented life here a little more diligently. Needless to say there have been several things that have happened that are worth documenting.



Dogs pooping in the room where mg and I sleep at 5am, Henry breaking one of each type of wine glass(where does the kid even find the things? The dish washer.) gramps needing constant heat adjustments to the thermostat. And just needing things in not used to providing. Frogs being captured and held in the sink all day for "their safety". Chickens and egg collecting... Really the list goes on and on. And it's not all bad! It's fun and hard and challenging... But it's mostly just different. And I am ready for my sameness to return.



I do enjoy the country life... I just miss my house... and my only having two other living things to be responsible for.



I am happy to be able to give my folks the opportunity to travel tho. Having a family member with Alzheimer's living in your home isn't easy and they deserve a break even if its only once a year... And even if it means dog poop and pee and fleas and all that business for me for a week or 2.5



Besides its worth it for the moments like this. When all the pieces fit together and everyone is finding joy in the task at hand.

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Slap happy

So I made my first pies! One regular one for our electrician neighbor who just came and spend a huge amount of time hunting down a "lost neutral" in our house... For. Free. Amazing.
And one gluten free one for me!

I used a variation of the regular recipe my grams and mom have used forever for the gluten free version and it was really pretty great!

I did have to learn how to roll out dough for the neighbors pie then I realized I couldn't use this strategy with mine... Slapping the gluten free dough worked best... But after figuring that out? I had a great home made gluten free apple pie! It has been a great week of "pie for breakfast"

Here is the recipe in case you want to try for some slap happiness too!
Crust:
One cup sorghum flour
Two thirds cup tapioca starch
One third cup almond flour
(this blend gives a whole wheat texture but without the heaviness and it's super flaky!)
One cup spectrum organic vegetable shortening
One tsp salt
Four Tbsp cold water

Filling/Innards
Lots of pealed and super thinly sliced apples... Enough to mound up out of the pie plate in a heap!
One cup sugar
One-3 tsp cinnamon to taste
1/2 tsp cloves
Two heaping Tblsps cornstarch
Mix sugar&spice together with corn starch in one bowl and set aside for a bit


Mix flours and salt together
Add shortening: I used my hands until I had lots of little lumps
(You cans use one of those pastry mixy things too though)

Add cold water and mix until shortening is incorporated.

Cut dough ball in two parts

Flour a surface and slap out some of your dough from the first half. Add it to the bottom of your pan leaving some on the edges for crimping it up at the end.
Continue to slap out the bottom
Crust in sections until it is complete.

Add the pie innards/filling
Start by adding a layer of sugar and spice mix.
Then a layer of apples and more spice and sugar on top. Do this again until the last level on top and then put all the remaining sugar and spice on top. Then add the 5 pats of butter or oil to the top and begin the slapping process again for the top of the pie. Then crimp the edges together.
I'm not sure why the rolling didn't work out but slapping didn't take long and it was kinda fun. Not the prettiest thing... But tasty!


Oh and bake it for about an hour in a 400 oven!
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stream of conscious

Its been a rough season. Learning about grace and gratefulness while sighing and moaning through hard times...knowing its all for my good is all well and-well...good-but thats just knowledge or maybe its wisdom...could I even be wise?

A few weeks ago I sat on a park bench alone and looked up at the trees...my heart was breaking at the time. I was having a personal struggle. And my life just seemed hard.(little things like what type of shcooling to do for Owen and how to find the energy to clean and cook just all seemed to much.) As I lay on the bench and watched the trees I saw the leaves all start dancing in perfect unison. They were dappeled in sun light and rattling and adults moble song. This is a song I know...every time I allow myself to settel in for sit under a tree I become mezmorized. The leaves blowing and twisting are a gift to me...they queit my soul and still my heart. And I hear Him.

That day the leaves were dreanched in sun light and dancing and I was lost in the wonder of their beauty as they reflected His perfect Glory. I felt His voice say "you like the leaves on the trees can dance and worship bringing me praise wild and true... even as you groan with lifes pressures...the pressues I place there to refine you. Just as the leaves groan under the suns imense heat."
The leaves may have been bending beneath the heat of the sun but I would never have known. I could only see God...His perfect glory being reflected... Can I do that? Can I reflect him while I am groaning?
Can there be bloth? I know there can...its is all over the bible... people deligting in there suffering.

Mg sent me an article once about wine...it said that the best wine comes from the most infertile soil. that the sweetest grapes are grown in hard tough barren soil...how beautiful is that? That the Lord will use our rocky tough depressed patches to create glory for himself? That we can actually reflect His glory even in our most ugly spots...not that it wont be hard sometimes...but the fruit will be so much sweeter!
Beauty beyond our wildest dreams...

Looking forward

It's almost that time of year again (No not talking about Autumn...tho I am anxiously awaiting its arrival as well) Vacation time!

Every August-well at least in the last 6 years-we go to Priest Lake as a family! The first year I went mg took me and proposed to me. And every year we return with our family in tow and meet mg's family there.

It was their family tradition long before it was ours. Mg's mom grew up going to Priest Lake in the summers Her parents had a place there...and then she raised her kids going there every summer as well. So we are just keeping the tradition alive.

We stay on the lake in a sweet little cabin and play all day in the water and the sand. We hike sometimes and we take the canoe out. Owen lives for paddle boating and throwing things in the water for us to fetch. We eat meals together and basically just relax and play with our kids for an entire week. It's pretty great.

I'm looking forward to it.

Though my house is in a wreck and I haven't started a list of what to pack...I know I need to go shopping and do laundry. I am just getting over a cold so I'm kind of week and exhausted. I feel a little disheartened by all that lies between me and that lake... Uhg. I guess I better start moving forward instead of just looking.





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Zucchini Bread

We have made 6 loves of gluten free dairy free zucchini bread this week.

I am going to freeze the loaves we made today. They are chocolate with chocolate chips.



We all really love this recipe...
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/08/zucchini-bread.html?m=1

Even our lodger Mr. Brown likes it.

Oh yes, you heard me right. We have taken a lodger. He lives in our basement cell and pays us rent in baby sitting. It's a sweet gig for everyone. Mr Brown's name is Michael... so naturally we don't call him that...(it would be too confusing...because that's mg's name too...and I call mg Michael to his face).

So Mr Brown may just stay a little while or he may be here a bit longer than that...who knows? We like him...and he likes our kids and our zucchini bread.


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Grateful hearts

My sister and I started this blog a while back called grateful hearts(I think you can find it in the profile section on this blog under "my blogs") Anyway we started it because we always ask each other around the dinner table "what are three things you are grateful for?" (I think mg started that tradition in our house) but Lindy(seester) and I thought it would be amazing to do it more often. So we started the blog and we did it for a while then we both fizzled out. It's hard to keep it up. Some days I felt like I was scraping the inside of my skull for anything to be than full for knowing full well I live a very privileged life. It was a gross feeling. Knowing I was an ingrate.



I just recently read the book "One thousand gifts" by Ann Vosskamp. It changed me. As I started reading it I started blogging at grateful hearts again. I have a renewed spirit...the way she said that she listed things she loved completely blew it opened for me! I knew all of a sudden i could find gifts from God too...my whole heart changed because of giving thanks...naming Gods gifts to me... Finding joy in bringing Him glory.



It's been a rough month. Migraines have been abounding. One of my children's teeth almost got knocked out and the other one almost drowned at swim camp. My grandfather died and I traveled across the country and back alone.

It has also been one of the most interesting months... I've seen a new depth to Gods mercy...I have been lavished with grace.
I have learned to trust in new ways. I have been surprised by Gods abundant love and compassion for me... I have learned how extravagantly I am loved. It's crazy.

My heart is grateful. I am different. And I'm glad.




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Home

I'm home. Today wasn't the sweetest easiest day ever...Henry fell off the changing table and Owen and I danced to find our rhythm with obedience and grace again. But it was a joyous day indeed.

I cleaned my house. Wiped counter tops and faces. Picked up toys and bought diapers. I drove the car with the back ground noise of my children singing and laughing... It was basically amazing.



I missed my boys so much while I was gone. I missed this sweet life I live.



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On the east side

I made it to my family in Pennsylvania. I had an interesting week filled with new experiences and old family.



I stayed with my cousin Mike and his wonderful wife Lindsay.



That's Lindsay with my Dad.

Mike and Linds live In a beautiful 1930's farm house in the country


We've been through a lot together this week. But we have enjoyed bonding and reminiscing and laughing while we grieve for the loss of our amazing grandfather.



I will be sad to say good bye to them tomorrow... But I'm so excited to return home to my loving family!

It's been a long week away from my sweet house full of boys!


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