Wordless Wednesday

(Summer wedding! Congrats, Erik and Amber!)

Home Again

 

We went to a glorious wedding this past weekend.  Here I am with the Best Man, our 2 1/2 year old, our 18 month old flower girl, and an obvious bump!  #3 is much more obvious now at 17 weeks, I feel like I really "popped" these last few weeks.  

The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun!  Lots of dancing, eating, and catching up with people I hadn't seen in a long time.  Of course, there is never enough time to spend with each person so I got home wishing I'd had more time with them all, but it was still wonderful to see them.

Nathan likes weddings.  Especially weddings with cake.

Of course, babywearing was a big help while on the go.  Here we are at the mall... Nathan was going to walk but when he saw Miriam on my back he wanted to be worn too! :)  That ended up being better anyway since we were navigating escalators and went down a large staircase as well.  We attracted a lot of double takes (maybe because we were both wearing?) and had three different people come up and ask us about our carriers! 

On the way home, we hit Ikea!  It was amazing, even though we only had time (and energy!) for one floor.  But that is a whole post of it's own... ;)

Today I'm printing out Martha's Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe, reading The Nester's post on Pottery Barn Hacks for Thanksgiving, and washing curtains, cleaning ceiling fans, etc, before decorating for Fall.  I'm behind, I know, and I thought about just skipping it entirely (like all the stores seem to have done!) and decorating for Christmas... but I love fall decor and even though I'm not hosting Thanksgiving this year (whew!) I still want to have the house feel like fall.  So I'll be burning my pumpkin pie spice candle and hot gluing fall leaves to everything today! ;)

Finally...

... I figured out that the cord wasn't working, and used a different cord, so these lovelies aren't trapped on my memory card anymore!

Helping... that is a child's rolling pin in his right hand, and hammer in his left.  Yup.  He's a boy.

Miriam woke up in the middle of getting the bread into pans, so she cuddled on my back in the podaegi while Nathan ate bread dough helped me.

The finished product...

Miriam has mastered pointing, and loves to point with both hands when excited... and I finally captured it!

And this handsome munchkin has a birthday this week... and a date with some scissors.  Those darling blond curls have never even had a trim, but he's getting pretty fuzzy, so that is scheduled for his birthday.  Hopefully he doesn't hate it...

We just got this loaned out mei tai back from a friend, and we're enjoying having an old favorite back to play with! :)  It is a minty, cheerful green... so perfect for spring, which seems to have actually (finally!) arrived. 

The daffodils have bloomed, the grass is greening up, and it has been warm enough for some evening walks.  I'm really looking forward to the kiddos getting to play outside more this week... it isn't any fun for anybody being cooped up!  Hope you're all having a great Monday so far...

Coconut Oil Fudge

I tried Lindsay's coconut oil fudge recipe recently... it is such a simple recipe that even though I've never made fudge I thought I'd give it a try. 

Honey, coconut oil, and cocoa powder in the blender...

The first time I made it I used the inexpensive coconut oil that we had on hand.  I liked it ok, although I felt that it was more "fudgy" in texture when frozen.  Micah felt that it had the texture of shortening and disliked the honey flavor.  Only he said it more tactfully than that. ;)

Undaunted, I tried it again, this time with Tropical Traditions coconut oil*.

 I also melted two squares of baking chocolate in the melting coconut oil.  

Yes, only one is pictured, ignore the discrepancy! ;)

 The fudge in the pan, before being cooled down... 

I stored it in the fridge, but didn't have to freeze this batch for a good fudgy consistency.  The flavor was so much better... probably partly because of the difference in coconut oil, and partly because I added the baking chocolate.  Either way, that batch was approved by all.  Yay! 

Another perk of this recipe? No eggs, so I have no qualms about letting Nathan perform the very important job of taste tester!  He approved. ;)

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* I will be reviewing Tropical Traditions coconut oil in a separate post.  
I will be repeating this disclaimer then but thought I would tag it onto this post as well for full disclosure.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Reflections in the Dishwater

"Christian women must reject any distorted view of the modern housewife- whether it be the miserable household drudge; the fanatical, sock-matching wonder-woman; the child-centered, worn out soccer mom; or the deceptive, apron wearing vixen.  When we consistently renew our minds by absorbing Scripture and by passionately embracing the sacred calling God has truly given us as women, we will refute the perverted image of the desperate housewife by believing His promises and showing the world there is something better for which we can truly be passionate!"
- Passionate Housewives Desperate for God  

This book came in the mail yesterday afternoon, and I've already read it all.  It was a breath of fresh air and encouragement.  I was blessed with some rare quiet time this morning, since I got up around 5, and was able to finish it and then turn to the dishes and watch the sunrise while thinking over what I'd been reading.





"If the world can convince us to acquire a taste for the futile blandness found in a self centered marriage, to be content with recreational motherhood, and to prefer a sterile, disposable version of home "economics," then we will miss the beauty and poetry that is ours in the heavenly magnum opus of a God-glorifying, well-ordered home."
- Passionate Housewives Desperate for God (bold added)

Today I'm thankful for the beauty of clean dishes, of sunlight coming through windows, of my dishsoap in a pretty recycled vinegar bottle, and watching the sunrise as I wash away, wearing my beloved gloves... 

 "What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God.  

We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred 

and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, 

but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow."              

- Martin Luther

Celebrating the beauty of biscuits...

yummy flaky biscuits... 

 

and leftover biscuits so I can have them with breakfast 

 

...and for the peace to take pictures of the reflections in my dishwater, and  to share my reflections with you. :)

Learning Together

We mixed up some home made  "Bisquick" yesterday... perfect for quick biscuits and more. :)

 

Stirring things is hard work.

 

But working with mama is fun.

 

Especially when it's messy.

 

And we don't worry too much about flour flying, or dropped spoons.

 

We just enjoy the time together and the big picture, 

loving every minute of the soul work we have today.

(Love that phrase!) 

He learns to help.  

I learn to let go of efficiency and let him help.

I'm not sure which of us is learning more here... but it is good all around.

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Bonus cute...

Someone is walking! :)

Sleeping Baby on My Back :)

I was playing around with adding watermarks and trying them out on this picture, so I thought I'd share it.  Miriam fell asleep in the mei tai a few weeks ago while I was working in the kitchen.  Amazingly, I was able to get her off my back and in her playpen asleep... she is a very sound sleeper!

monday musings

Today is Monday, a grey, drizzly Monday.  I have no stamps, and I do have bills that need to be mailed within the next few days, but the postmistress assured me when I called that she could have the mailman remedy that if I left a check in the mailbox.  Earlier, I dropped the milk jug lid in my mug of hot chocolate.  And before that, we had a rousing game of hunt-the-keys (and then a bonus round of hunt-the-shoe, thanks to N's love of wearing our shoes all over the house) this morning before Micah left for work.  

Yep.  Monday!  Back to the joy of the mundane.  Here are a couple links to what I'm catching up on reading this Monday-

This NY Times article on the safety of posting children's photos, names, info, etc, online has me thinking. I am going to be rereading this article a few times and thinking over whether there are things I'd want to change.  I do think I want to do watermarks on my public images... can Flickr do that for you?

...and...

I LOVE this beautiful post on babywearing by Leigh at Marvelous Kiddo.  She articulates well the ease and benefits of a lifestyle of babywearing.  She also had another great post recently with lots of pictures of babywearing around the world. 

happy Monday, friends!

Introducing Fred

Meet Fred.

Doesn't he just look so angelic?

Well, he is a pretty good dog (except for his love of chewing anything).  But you can get a better idea of his true nature here as he chases Wilma, the cat...

Wrapping Away

Last Friday, I purchased 5 yards of fabric, washed and dried it, and wrapped it up!  We are loving the wrap, and although I still needed (in this picture) to cut it lengthwise (so I look less like I wrapped a king sized sheet around myself), and I still need to taper the ends, and hem or serge the whole thing, I love it!  Very very comfortable and distributes Miriam's 15 pounds very well across my whole back.  It feels very secure and although it takes longer to get on than the ring sling it is more comfortable for longer periods.  We took a evening walk and it was a lot more comfortable than the sling for a brisk pace.

I opted not to get a stretchy fabric because I read that was better for smaller babies and that a non stretchy would be better for older babies and toddlers.  I've done a back carry with Nathan, which worked great- still working on doing the back carry with that wiggly little one... Daddy helped us with this one and we both loved it!

 

Hide your hearts, girls...

He's amazingly cute AND has a great sense of style. 

I assisted him in getting the backpack and slippers on, but he chose all the accessories here and put the hat on himself.  I do admit to dressing him in a long sleeved shirt and shorts, but the rest is allllllllll Nathan.

Beauty of the Mundane

This is a great post on Anne Bradstreet,  but I also loved how beautifully Mrs. Friedrich put this:

But the word "mundane" also refers to things pertaining to this life rather than things that are spiritual. In other words, everyday life is mundane. But it acquires a beauty and holiness when we see those everyday things, even the dirty dishes, as opportunities to serve God and bring glory to Him.

Welcome, Fall!

It is officially fall!  Well, it actually has been fall for ten days, but now that it is October it feels much more like fall.  And the weather seems to be in fall mode as well, we're having a nice blustery grey day today. I love days like this!  They make me want to put the kettle on, light a candle, and sit down with some knitting or a good book...

I love so many things about fall...the crunchy leaves, the beautiful colors, the crispness in the air, the excuse to wear hats and scarves and gloves, or to curl up in a soft blanket inside.

Rachel over at One Pretty Thing put together a great collection of fall DIY ideas, and I drooled over loved this fall makeover for a mantlepiece.  I was grieving over my lack of a mantle, which has really cramped my garland making desires, when it hit me.  The odd wide trim over the window over the sink!  Viola!  For some odd reason there are three nails already in the board, left behind by the previous owner, so I was saved the laborious task of trying to remember where I last put the hammer.  And where the bigger nails are, since I can only find the teeny tiny ones that are a step up from a pin.  But I digress (isn't that what blogs are for, though?!)... anyway... I think it needs some bulking up, but here is the basic garland:

Are you doing anything fun to welcome fall? :)

More Miriam :-)

(All dressed up for her second Sunday)

In Which I am a Super Hero...

You can entertain yourself making your own here. I have to say, though, I was a little disappointed that a laundry basket wasn't one of the choices for accessories... ;-)

p.s. This is all Jenni's fault. ;-)

Yum!

Nathan likes avocados, but even better is the joy of wielding a spoon!

LOL!

more animals

This is even funnier because my parents recently had a problem with a cat that killed chickens. Not even chicks, really... they were 10 weeks old.