Foodie Fridays

Oh how I love Fridays! I have the glorious opportunity to write about one of my favorite subjects, food! Today's recipe, I have to admit, is rather simplistic, but it is a hit whenever I give it out. There's also a very funny story behind it which I will share with you after I give you the recipe.

Pumpkin Muffins
1 box of spice cake mix (do not make the cake with the eggs/oil)
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of water

1. Mix all ingredients together until well-blended.
2. Pour batter into muffin tins, lined with paper or sprayed with oil.
3. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes (mini muffins) or 22-25 minutes (regular-size muffins).

Enjoy!

Now the story... this recipe is a classic Weight Watchers recipe in that it doesn't add oil or eggs. When I followed WW to a "T" (after we were first married) and lost 30 pounds, I was told, by my sister-in-law, that each muffin was only 1 point. Now, for those of you who know the points system, you know that 1 point treats are heavenly. So, I used to make these muffins 2-3 times a week and eat 3 at a time. I never bothered to actually calculate the points value on my own.

Well, one week, Ben was out of town on business, and I didn't feel like just baking for me (pre-kids) so I made a batch of muffins and proceeded to eat about 6 of them for lunch one day - yes, they are that good and I am that addicted! A friend of mine, who was tracking points and calculated them for me, came to tell me that each muffin was worth 4 points! I had been mistakenly eating these muffins for months, thinking that I was being "good." Ha! I was actually eating my points value for the day in one sitting!!! No wonder I wasn't losing weight as quickly as I wanted.

I still make these muffins because they're so good, and I try and practice extreme self-discipline. It doesn't always work :) Kids love them, and I hope you will, too!

Blessings!

Transformational Thursday

As I sit with my laptop on my fuzzy-robe clad lap with the sound of John Rosemond's voice teaching me more about disciplining children, I wonder what to write about tonight. Thursdays are about our home organization and/or what we're doing, in terms of projects, to the house. Right now I feel about as disorganized as I ever have in my life. It seems that once I get a schedule going for the days, something changes in the kids' attitudes/needs/naps that I get off and never quite fine the "on road" again. How frustrating!

So tonight's blog is rather short for I cannot offer any tips right now for my disorganized life. Some people say to me that I should just go with the flow and forget trying to get my days organized... to let the kids just play all day. I've tried that approach, and it's not good for our household. I get stressed, the kids get testy, and the house just seems to fall apart.

I'm not attempting to be a drill sergeant, but I do see the need for more structure in my day. God is a god of order... it's true, life seems to run better when there is a purpose (or at least a goal) for the day other than, "let's survive!"

Well, I'll leave this post for now and try and work on yet another schedule for the day. I'd rather relax and veg, but as I read in Proverbs 14:23 this morning, "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." It may not be poverty of money but in this case, poverty of soul.

Blessings!

Wifely Wednesday

The middle of the week... the middle of rejuvenating my day with a nice UNsweetened iced tea from Chick-fil-A! As I pause to reflect on my role as "wife" for today's blog, I sense some humility making its way to the surface of my fingertips. Allow me to explain...

On Monday (the 25th), Ben and I honored the day when he proposed to me 9 years ago. We lived in Wheaton, IL at the time, and he proposed to me at his house in a lovely candle-lit room with the Bible and roses artistically placed on his dining room table. After I said, "YES!" we celebrated with a fancy dinner at a local seafood restaurant, 120 Ocean Place. So, every year, on January 25th, we go out to dinner and eat seafood. For me, it's either shrimp or salmon since I'm not a fan of the water creatures. Ben could eat the delicacies daily, I do believe. It's our cute little tradition.

I had my final cake class on Monday night so we couldn't go out until Tuesday night. We chose an awesome restaurant, Bonefish Grill, which is a little more expensive than what we're used to, but the food was worth it. We sat down, and the server immediately greeted us. Ben proudly told her that it was our engagement anniversary whereupon she gave us a smile that indicated that she didn't quite understand nor did she really care. I was embarrassed that he had to share this info with her because it's not a big deal to other people... it's actually a little silly. She left and I gave Ben one of those looks that says, "why did you say THAT?"

Well, here's the point of my wifely note for today... why was I embarrassed? Other people may not celebrate events like the anniversary of our engagement, but does that mean I should chide Ben for wanting to share it? Not at all... I should be thankful that my husband remembers these little things and that we can grow our love by focusing on the small things and the silly things that make us who we are today. I'm grateful that he wants to honor such an important decision that we made in both of our lives before becoming one. How silly of ME to be all flustered! I apologize to my sweet husband for overlooking the small... because our life together is to glorify God in the big events as well as the seemingly insignificant ones.

How can you celebrate your love today/this week? Pray about it and I would imagine that God will show you a way.

Blessings!

Tutorial Tuesdays

Ah, the silence is music to my ears! I love nap time/quiet time in our house... to hear the whir of the fridge, the fan of the laptop, the hum of the furnace - pleasant!

J is often the subject of my homeschooling blogs (okay, I've only had a couple but he's been in both!) by default. He's the oldest of the kids and the first to experience Veritas Academy, the name of our school. Today, however, I choose to blog about the princess... the lone girl in a sea of boys - boy brothers (duh), boy cousins, and even most of my mom friends have boys! It'll make her stronger :)

It's amazing to me what she picks up. The other day she spelled her name to a friend of mine... no small feat for a girl who has 9 letters in her name. Where did she learn how to do that? I know, those of you with more than one child will comment on how common this is for the 2nd and 3rd and on down the line children to pick things up without being formally taught. It's just wild to see!

Now there are things that I try to teach her, but she doesn't quite grasp the concept or simply refuses to learn on my timetable. How frustrating and yet how wonderful to see her learn from my doing. It's also cause for pausing and thinking about what I'm teaching my kids. It's often said that kids learn by things being caught rather than taught. So true so true.

I have nothing further to expound upon this week, but I wanted to share the simple reminder that our kids are watching us and learning SO MUCH from what we say and don't say, do and don't do. Whether your kids are going to a school or staying at home to school, we're all schooling them just by being in our families. Things that make you go "hmmmmm."

Blessings!

Musings on Monday

I've had "one of those moments" with my eldest that I'd like to share. It fits in very well for my Monday musings, and it'll provide a bit of a chuckle for you all!

I often pick a Bible verse for the week that we try to focus on while doing school. This morning, I was reading Proverbs and came across chapter 15, verse 1, "A gentle answer turns away wrath." I felt that this was a good verse to apply to the day and the week as I've been having a hard time speaking softly to the kids; they, in turn, have also been speaking loudly to each other.

I recited the verse for them; we talked about what a "gentle" answer sounds like and about the word "wrath." Then I sent them off to have their God-time on their beds (they sit on their beds for about 10 minutes and think about the verse I've shared with them and pray if they want to)... I'm trying to encourage their own quiet time, eventually! Anyway, they finished their God-time, and I prayed with them and then added to J that Mommy needs help with this verse, too, and that I'd like it if he could help me have gentle answers.

The day was going well (you all know where this is headed). By lunchtime, however, energy was bounding everywhere, and they were rowdy. I had finally had enough and spoke a little loudly to J to finish up his lunch. I turned my back to finish the dishes and he softly says to me, "Mommy, I don't think that was a soft answer." To which I replied (sheepishly), "No, it wasn't." Tender words from a child.

My musing today... I need to be reminded to speak softly to all people but especially to my kids for their hearts are soft for the Spirit's work.

Blessings!

Sacred Saturday

Phew... is it really the weekend? This week has just flown by, and I'm ready for Monday to be over! My final cake class for course 3 is on Monday, and I will be constructing a wedding cake. It's a two-tier cake so all of the prep work is being done now as we'll just be assembling the cake and putting on finishing touches in class. It's taken a lot out of me, but I'm learning a lot which is always a good thing.

So I missed Transformational Thursday and Foodie Friday... I'll get caught up next week. Today is about the sacred on Saturday. Sacred, hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. As I prepare to work on fondant all day while raising three children in the midst, I often fail to see the sacred in that work. Ben will be tinkering away on getting our shower installed (one step closer to having my shower back!) so I have the pleasure of keeping the kids "entertained" while I'm trying to roll fondant and think about how many hearts, flowers, and leaves I need to make.

I ask you... where is the sacred in that reality? I guess it comes down to where my focus is. What am I doing all of "this" for? Who's getting the honor? We're told to slow down and enjoy life, to see God in the small stuff, to minister in the mundane. Practically speaking, that's a hard call. Our pastor is casting the vision for this year at church tomorrow. What is my vision for this year? Do you have one for your kids?

My goal is to have a more peaceful house this year... less words spoken in haste or an angry tone, more discipline IN LOVE, more family time whereupon I enjoy being around the kids. So, sacred Saturday? I guess it's all in how I roll with the day... showing my kids how to create with what the Creator has given to me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The creativity that God has blessed me with is part of the sacredness of today... use it for His glory even in the midst of little ones underfoot!

Blessings!

The Small Things

This post will have to be relatively short - big sigh of relief for some of you as I know I can be rather wordy! I have a full plate this afternoon.

People often say that it's the small things that count, and I was reminded of that truism last night. Ben and I are huge 24 fans. We were not able to watch the show on Monday night so we sat down to watch it, via the Internet, last night. Well, the laptop hook-up to the TV plus the sound hook-up to the Bose did not go smoothly so it was a night of going back and forth to the equipment to make it all work... for the 2 episodes.

Ben is the techie of the family, but he was unable to get up from the couch due to a treatment he was doing for some dry skin. (I'm not going into any details here because it would take way too long to explain - even if I weren't verbose!) So, instead of staying all cuddly warm in my blankie and vegging on the couch, I voluntarily, and with a somewhat compliant spirit, did all of the running to and fro. And do you know what? It was something small that made a big difference in our evening.

Can you think of something small, maybe even "pointless" to you, that you could do for your man today/tonight that would show him that he is important to you? I think that's a challenge for all of us, especially those of us with small kids. We do do do all day; at night, we want to have done to us done to us done to us everything. Go out of your way to do the small things and you'll feel and see some big returns even if you're not looking for them.

Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Blessings!