A Quiet Moment

It's a rare thing indeed!  Actually, the kids are playing upstairs and so I hear the sounds of toys cars driving above me, and the raking sound of the search in the Lego tub for just the right block.
As you can see, I have the window open.  It's so nice to be able to open the windows in the kitchen!  A moment ago all I could hear was the birds in the trees chirping, but alas, now the helicopter is headed back in.  I'll not miss that. 
I should be making body butter, but I'm having to remelt it all to rewhip again.  I also need to make more Cranberry Spice Scone Mixes and Chocolate Chip Spice Scone Mixes as well to take to the little shop that sells my things.  It's not gone well.  And I need to clean out my oven from where the oils spilled all inside yesterday at dinnertime.  (I grilled pizza on the bbq last night for dinner as it was all I could figure out to do in the midst of the mess.)
I need to bake up a batch of the scones as payment for an air conditioning I am supposed to pick up this afternoon.  So I really should get going on the oven.  Instead, I cleaned up the kitchen, turned on my music, lit the oil lamp on the windowsill and went out to pick roses. 
I've got a nice of tea as you can see and I'm writing instead of working.  Here's to hoping I'll be able to get back to what needs to happen with renewed vigor!
I got all my seeds into the main garden yesterday.  I've still got pots, buckets and a smaller garden bed to do, but it'll wait until the weekend.  I've spent a lot of time outside lately and I do enjoy it.  We are getting up to 90* in the afternoons. 
I also made a new jar of Chive Vinegar, the pink jar on the sill.  I cut all my chive blossoms, tucked them into the jar and poured just plain vinegar all over it.  I'll let it steep for a few weeks, take out the flowers and use the vinegar in my salad dressings and marinades.  It's so easy and ever so delicious.  Last year I picked tons of wild blossoms, but they are all in the pasture where the helicopter lands, so I'll skip it.  I imagine they would taste like jet fuel.
The little oil lamp is something my Dad and Stepmom gave us from their trip to Israel last year.  It sits next to a little handmade heart-shaped dish that's full of little pebbles I found down by the river on a bike ride Sweetheart and I took in April.  We bought a tandem mountain bike the second year we were married and we love it so much.  Hmm....It's probably time to plan another ride.  I've got water in the dish so the pebbles are all shiny.  It reminds me of a little jars of polished rocks I bought as a child on vacation one year.
I've also got a jar of nasturtium vinegar with the leaves and blossoms still in it from last summer and a jar of crushed plantain leaves in olive oil I'm steeping for a Drawing Salve recipe to try.  Assorted feathers are tucked in random little jars that also hold single blooms when the little darlings bring me weeds, I mean flowers, from the yard.  There's also a painted rock, some mint I'm soaking for roots and a little onion I picked on accident the other day. 
It's all a happy little jumble kinda like the rest of life.  Though I think I could use a little more happy and a little less jumble.
Time to get back to it all.  Hope you are having a lovely day.

I am Blessed

to have such wonderful ladies who read this blog & leave such comments. Thank you all so very much. I never would have thought where blogging would take me over three years and almost 600 posts.


I have made dear, dear friends. Some have become friendships in real life. Others have expanded through the mail. It has truly been amazing. You all inspire and encourage and teach me so much.


How else would I have learned how to make all the stuff I do? I mean really. Two or three years ago I would have thought you were nuts to say I would make my own crackers, deodorant, hairspray, lotions, balms, vapor rubs, breads, bagels, mill my own flour, make almost all our food from scratch,sew aprons, and tablecloths, make journals, can food, stop using shampoo and conditioner, make my own laundry detergent & other cleaners, etc. etc. etc... Crazy.


Thank you one and all. More than anything I could learn to make, I have learned how to love and encourage and pray deeper by your examples and friendships. So again, thank you.

Your love & prayers during this special time mean so much to me and my entire (growing) family.

And, holy cow! Who would have thought over 85 of you would follow in Google Reader alone. I about fell over when I saw that one. WHO ARE YOU OUT THERE??? :) Delurk yourselves, please!

a day in my life

This morning we awakened to what the weather page called a "freezing fog".

After taking a few minutes to read and begin my coffee, I went upstairs to collect Pumpkin so he could have waffles with Daddy. Always a treat. After settling them, I heard Dumpling so I collected him up and he and I enjoyed our waffles.

Every other week I make a huge batch of whole wheat waffles and freeze them. He just takes out a waffle and pops it in the toaster. This allows Sweetheart a quick breakfast that he enjoys. He really likes waffles. I'd happily make him anything he'd like for breakfast any day, but waffles are what he wants.

After sending Sweetheart on his way, I did a few chores.Using pretty things, like this bowl, make unpleasant tasks go smoother.Pumpkin concentrates hard while he plays.I love Dumpling's little fingers, don't you?The morning work done, I relaxed for a few moments while the boys played.

Taking a few minutes to pray the Midday Office before taking off to meet Angie for lunch. After a few hours at Chick-fil-a, we returned for naps and reading. I enjoyed a few chapters of Mansfield Park. It was a nice, quiet afternoon of rest after so many busy days this week.Changing a lot of these fill the day...

Not sure what happened in this picture, but the swirl effect is kinda cool.

After naps, it's snack time.

Then we're off to play more! It's a tough job, but someone must do it!

Time to make dinner! We're having squash from the garden (again) and some bread I made and froze, and London Broil with teriyaki sauce. After cutting the squash, I scooped out the seeds, rinsed them and will dry them for planting this spring. It'll be the third year of squash from just one store-bought squash a few years ago. Amazing.

After dinner, we'll all visit and play together and then it's time for the boys to go to bed. Then Sweetheart and I will have some time together to catch up and relax. All in all, a lovely day!

Stop by Little Jenny Wren and see what others have done today!

A Day in My Life

Morning came early, in fact too early. Cries from a little boy's room awakened this Mommy. After changing diaper, bedding and pajamas, he drifts back to sleep. Eventually, I do as well.

When it is time to rise, we do. It's a cloudy, cool morning. Just perfect for oatmeal!

Littlest boy is still sleeping, so just Pumpkin and I eat our breakfast together. It is also time to read devotions and journal a bit.

While I'm doing that, the seeds from yesterday's squash are roasting and the parsley cut from the garden set out to dry and will go into the warm oven to dry faster.

Dumpling awakens and joins us for his oatmeal. It's quite a hit, even if you have to wait for it.

We have no plans to leave for the day, so I continue with yesterday's baking.

After the squash had baked and cooled yesterday, I ran in through the food processor with some water to puree it. A nine and a half pound squash made eight cups of puree. I used three cups to make pumpkin bread, just substituting the squash puree for canned pumpkin. That made three WONDERFUL loaves!

The giant zucchini I had from the garden followed the squash and went into the grater, making eight cups of grated zucchini. That became four loaves of zucchini bread, with four more waiting to be made. I am however, out of bread pans and time.

See my helpers? This is the view from the top while I'm working on the breads. The gray blur is Dumpling. It's not always easy to work in my kitchen, but I wouldn't change a thing. Except...I am considering strapping some sponges to Dumpling and letting him wash the floor, since he's down there and all. :)

This is the treasure I found this weekend during our family day. I've always wanted one of these plates, but found them too expensive. This one wasn't! Aren't the colors wonderfully autumnish?

He has so richly blessed us! Beyond our daily bread--even to seven loaves of sweet breads for the days to come. This on top of the regular bread baked yesterday and the bagels. Blessings upon blessings!

Lunch arrives amidst baking. Sandwiches on yesterday's bread with cheese and fruit. No pictures as I was doing too much to try and take them.

After lunch, the boys take their naps. Theoretically. They are put to bed, what happens from there seems to depend on the day. Luckily, this is a quiet day and all rest. Even me.

After nap time we have a snack--bread and milk. I cut and wrap the breads for the freezer, except the snack loaf. It is time for me to wash the mountain of pans and dishes from all the baking. No pictures of that!

While I'm cleaning up the boys eat their snack and then go off to play together in the family room. As our home has a very open floor plan, there are no walls between rooms on the first floor so I am able to see everything from the kitchen. I took pictures of them playing, but they all turned out a blur as they aren't still enough for pictures.

Dinner goes in the oven to bake and I join the boys in the family room. We build with blocks, race cars, and read books together until Daddy comes home. We eat when Sweetheart arrives home. Dinner is baked fish, baked squash and steamed brown rice.

After dinner the boys play for a few minutes with Daddy until bath time. Dumpling loves to take baths and enjoys seeing how much water he can relocate. He also plays with the rubber duckies and quacks and laughs. We have bath time and then it's off to get ready for bed. Songs and prayers fill our hearts. Tickles and kisses are important, too. Sweet dreams, little ones.

I then head out for a bit to run some errands that are easier to manage alone. Nothing too exciting- Target, World Market and Barnes & Noble. As I wander through the aisles at B&N I am struck by the contrasts presented by the books at hand. Some wonderful, some dreadful. A thought, often at the back of my mind~what could I do?

As I pass the teen section all I see is book on the supernatural, vampires, and well--trashy books like Gossip Girls and the like. Poor girls. I remember those years. I read a lot of junk I regret.

I think that's why I'd like to someday write for these kids. But I want to write something worth reading. I want to write in a way that is real. Not like an adult writing down to kids, writing things they would never say. I don't know. There are great children's books and great books for adults. There used to be at least decent books for the teens and tweens. Even the award winning books of the last few years seem to be...lacking. Just my thoughts. Suggestions welcome.

I left the store, glad to be heading home. Admiring the lovely full moon as it plays peek-a-boo in the clouds. At home, Sweetheart and I visit for a bit, sharing our hearts and days. Then it is time to sleep.

A day in my life, not exciting, but wonderful in its own way.

Thanks Little Jenny Wren for putting this together. Sorry I'm late on this. Sweetheart had the camera with all my pictures and now is the first chance I've had to post.

BTW-Tomorrow I'll post about our bagel making adventures. It's easy and fun. Pumpkin loves to help!