Mama said there'd be days like this!

Oh yes. She did. My mama said a lot of things :) ...
like...
one day you'll have one just. like. you. this usually wasn't during a very good moment ;)
this too shall pass. sometimes it does. sometimes it doesn't!
if you scowl too long your face will stay that way. well, i'm not yet caught in a perma-frown, however there are some deep lines forming between my eyes :)...


... but mostly she just listens :). She's a very good listener.

Well, today was filled with some serious negotiation situations.
And lots of time outs. :)

But we ended off on a high note.
Little M got into a particularly goofy mood, got a little carried away with her little red heart stickers and stuck one to my bottom :).
I feel like a Care Bear :).

Wow. They look so little!! Almost TWO years ago!!

Here's to a brighter tomorrow!!!

Here's to a good read!!

I've been in the process of updating the books link above.
Stop by if you love to read!!
I'm always lookin' for suggestions ;)... just send me a note with the title, author and what you loved about it!
Oh yeah - parenting books too! I'm working with a four-year-old and a 2.5-year-old. Some days are easy. Some aren't. Any recommendations :)?

Grateful + Attitude = Gratitude

I may have mentioned my .... ahem ... mild moderate obsession with the fact that I am very glad I am not a pioneer! This past week, I said it again and again.

We had fever-ville at our place. Nothing dramatic, really, for which I am truly grateful. But really, anything medical, involving fever and the possibility of visiting the doctor with my children usually ups my angst a little!! I'm sure with practice and confidence I'll become more comfortable with this, and it's getting better, but really, I don't like it much at all ;).

SO. I am VERY VERY GRATEFUL for these things :)....

#101. My trusty ear thermometer. No more wrestling with a thermometer in the armpit. No more waiting a torturous 30 seconds to find out whether or not the tylenol has kicked in. You can even sneak in when they are sleeping, get a temp reading, and administer tylenol accordingly with a little syringe ALL WITHOUT WAKING THE BABY. Have I mentioned I really appreciate this gadget :)!?

#102. We went through at least a bottle of this since Wednesday. With two little ones under the weather, it sure helped A LOT!! There are a variety of products out there, but this has been our stand-by drug of choice.









#103. Walk-ins. This time around, we paid a visit to the local walk-in. Sweet K broke out in hives twice, and it was time to get that checked out. Thankfully it was simply a reaction to her virus and nothing more.

#104. Safety for myself and the Little One. I hadn't thought of this before, but there are certain viruses that are not safe for pregnant women to be exposed to. Yikes! Nothing like discovering this after it would be too late!! However, we were not faced with those stresses this time around, and I am so grateful. Nor did I get the fever/flu that was going around. At least not yet ;).

#105. Sweet times in the rocking chair. Ohhhh.  It was 2am. Sweet K was shivering and shaking in her bed from being hot and cold at the same time. YUCK!! My mother-heart just melted. I don't get to hold her very often when she's sleeping (especially considering I used to have to hold her ALL the time to get her into dreamland!!), and this was a rare ... treat. Yes. Even in the middle of the night. Who cares!? I wasn't sleeping anyway!! So, to the rocker we went, to snuggle, sing hymns and enjoy the quiet together. It wasn't long before her body regulated and her breathing sounded fine, but I just couldn't put her down. Not yet. These days are going so fast, and she's growing so quickly, I found myself prolonging this time.

#106. Sleep. Can't run on adrenaline forever! I have dealt with insomnia and a variety of sleep issues for the past four years. I know the preciousness of rest! Yesterday night, when I could tuck myself in, fevers gone, I breathed a sigh of relief and enjoyed the break :).

Baking 1-0-1...

I started this day like most others.
Carefully trying to ease my body out of bed :). Getting more and more pregnant every day (well, that's misguided. I've been 100% prego the whole time, but my belly is getting bigger, bigger BIGGER all the time!) this is becoming more of an olympic challenge. Especially when I need to step AROUND the sleeping sick child on our floor. Or need to move nimbly down the hall as to NOT DISTURB the toddler who is finally sleeping. Or when I tend to walk into more door FRAMES than door WAYS (ouch. it hurts. stop laughing :P).

I digress.

But, I didn't spend this day like most others.
I spent this lovely day... baking.
I even wore an apron, just to keep in the spirit of things :).
AND I kept these words close to my heart :)...


May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,
       O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

For some, baking and cooking up a storm is simply no challenge at all. Even in my own family. Somehow, I received the genetically modified gene in this camp, and though I can assemble a decent meal, and maybe even a nice sweet, it doesn't come a) naturally or b) joyfully :).

Then again, we don't get cable OR satellite, so maybe I'm just not as inspired by Rachel Ray as I could be :).

However, some cookie-commitments kept me bound to this task at hand, and so I decided to tackle it with ENTHUSIASM. GREAT MUSIC. NO LITTLE HELPERS :P.

First up. As a care group, we've decided to arrange meals for a couple in our church who've had a really tough year. This is a timely reminder to me that though the crisis may pass, the care and concern, expressed in a variety of ways, is essential to character and community. I am grateful for this lesson, and have looked forward to assembling this food gift for a while. Next. Cookies. Lots of 'em. Required for a local mom's group (which I so much enjoyed being a part of for so long!!!) and another couple whose whole family is also going through a serious time.

1. I had already selected my recipes and had MOST of the ingredients at hand. That's the toughest part! I even pulled out all my margarine squares, lined them up according to recipes, to ENSURE that I would NOT RUN INTO A MARGARINE SHORTAGE SITUATION!!!

2. I decided to use my new handy dandy cuisinart bad-boy to process the doughs for the various recipes. I actually took time to review the manual, FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS (probably one reason why I find baking so difficult :P), and figure it all out. I was a little ... concerned ... that the dough looked a bit over-processed, but the cinn buns turned out spank-tacular, so here's to hopin' that the cookies will be soft, fluffy, and perfectly circle (or heart-shaped, as is the case). (I HATE it when my cookies turn out flat and wafer thin. It makes me hoppin' M.A.D!!).

3. I keep my messes tidy. Weird, but true. Argh. Clutter eckles me. SO. If I can keep my workspace clean (or at least organized!) I am a much happier .... cook :). Plus it helps me keep the flour separate from the sugar (nothing like swappin' ingredients to really screw it all up!!).

4. I realize that I simply don't like baking (as opposed to vacuuming the floor, one of my favorite chores :P, or cleaning the washrooms, not enjoyable but the shiny white surfaces are worth the scrub!!!) is because of a lack of PLANNING and PRACTICE. Sigh. It's irritating when you realize you've run out of the most essential ingredient OR you spend time, money and serious patience-control putting it all together and it turns out ultra-crispy, under-baked (can't always blame that on the funky oven, sometimes I forget to set the timer!!), or so hockey-puck-like the NHL would love 'em !!! I don't take colossal failure very well ;).

But today I actually had FUN! I blame it on the apron, really. Not only did I look the part, it accentuated the prego belly, which makes me feel all maternal and nesting-like :).

Here are a few recipes I whipped out today. Enjoy!!

Vanilla Cinnamon Buns

3.5 c. flour (I used almost 4)

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 package vanilla pudding mix (turns out to be 1/4 c. of the crystals)

2 Tbsp. yeast

Blend well :).

Add liquids:

1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. melted marg

1 c. warm milk

1 egg

Mix and knead until dough is smooth and a nice consistency.

I let my dough rise for 45 min. or so.

Roll out dough into a big rectangle. 

Cover with melted marg., brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins!

The more the merrier :).

Roll into log and cut into 12 equal portions. 

I used waxed dental floss to make a nice, neat cut.

(Place string under roll, bring up on either side, cross over and pull. SNIP! VOILA!)

Set into greased 9x13 pan and let rise again.

Bake at 350 for 15-20min. 

Take remaining pudding mix (approx. 1/4 c.), add 1 c. of milk, and drizzle it over warm buns.

YUM!

Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 c. marg

1.5 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix separately then add, mixing very well :)...

2 c. flour

2/3 c. cocoa

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix mix mix mix mix.

Add 1 package of chipits peanut butter chips.

OK. Set aside a few for the kids and a small handful for yourself :).

More mixing!!

Drop by tsp. (or the infamous Pampered Chef cookie scooper :P) onto greased cookie sheet.

Sometimes I press mine with a fork, other times I don't. 

I haven't figured out the science to this yet (any pointers :P?).

Bake at 350 for 8-10 min.

YUM YUM YUM

There were a few more recipes I polished off, but I'll save those for a different day.

in.a.funk.

i knew even before my feet touched the floor this morning that it was going to be that kinda day.
sigh.
after a fitful night's sleep (when sweet k LET me sleep!!), my spirit was full of angst and discouragement.
thunder clouds loomed large.
stormy clouds of frustration and heaviness.
"i'm not sure we're going to get there from here."
"i'm not sure i've got what it takes."
"i'm just not sure..."


sigh again.

i'd like to say it got better throughout the day.
it hasn't.
or that it will be "all better" tomorrow.
it won't.
my spirit may feel lighter and brighter but life's peculiar issues don't disappear so quickly!

in the midst of it all, i am thankful. for a husband who loves me. for healthy, happy kids and a warm, safe home. for family and friends who share this journey of life with me :). and so much more.

and for a LORD who continues to whisper even through life's chaos...
"...See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..." Isaiah 49:16a.

Gratitudes

Well, when I joined the Gratitude Community, the goal was to log in 1000 gratitudes over the course of the year :). I don't think I've met my "yearly target" yet :), but here are a few more to add to the bunch!!

#96 - Mixing up yummy-ness together! Sweet K has just discovered

the joy of grabbing her own chair, dragging it to the counter, and finding all SORTS of things to get into :). This is one of the better tasting ;).

#97 - Manitoba Winter Wonderlands, snow angels, and a great dad who plays with his kids!

#98 - Early morning wrestle-fests ;).

Sometimes I have the energy for this, other times....not!!

#99

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 

 that calls me from a world of care, 
 and bids me at my Father's throne 
 make all my wants and wishes known. 
 In seasons of distress and grief, 
 my soul has often found relief, 
 and oft escaped the tempter's snare 
 by thy return, sweet hour of prayer! 

2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 
 the joys I feel, the bliss I share 
 of those whose anxious spirits burn 
 with strong desires for thy return! 
 With such I hasten to the place 
 where God my Savior shows his face, 
 and gladly take my station there, 
 and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer! 

3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 
 thy wings shall my petition bear 
 to him whose truth and faithfulness 
 engage the waiting soul to bless. 
 And since he bids me seek his face, 
 believe his word, and trust his grace, 
 I'll cast on him my every care, 
 and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

#100. A little place called home.

Gotta love it!

TGIF!

It has been "time to get out sans babies!!" for quite some time. The last time I was out alone, to putter at my own speed, aside from the ocassional painting project at church or a prayer meeting -- was before Little M's birthday in December. That's at least a month and a half ago!! My "Winnipeg Run" list was getting rather lengthy, and I knew that it was time to take matters into my own hands :).


You see, I used to wait for the "Day Out Fairy" to show up at my door, lovingly tell me that I NEEDED to get out and that ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS had been made. I waited for someone else to give me a break, to read my mind (and all my ornery cues!!!), and to help me "take care of me." 


No such fairy exists in my life. And it's GOOD! Because it has forced me to take responsibility for my own needs, and discover freedom and confidence in that! It's a bit of a balancing act sometimes, but I am grateful for the lesson :).


And let's face it. If the "Day Out Fairy" miraculously arrived one day, in all my stubborn and prideful character, would probably say - I can do it MYSELF, thank you very much!!! Oh what a complicated creature I can be :).


So, this week, when earlier plans of getting out were kyboshed due to weather (gotta love those Manitoba winter storms!), I promptly made Plan B.
TGIF.
I asked a friend to watch the girls (our parents do a lot of childcare for us already, so I wanted to spread out the luuuuv a little :P) and headed off to the city, detailed list in hand.


I am soooo excited! This week I started to tackle the living room, adding personal touches and setting things out again after the Great Paint Project. It has been so. much. fun. I gathered a few items (well priced, fun little do-dads :P) and promptly set them all out to see how it would like. I like what I'm seeing :). I'll post soon :).


In the mean time, it was a perfect way to end a week that has had many many challenges, but some huge blessings as well.
Which is good.
It was time to get out!!

Oh my. This pic was taken many MANY moons ago, long before I was married :).

I spent a fabulous summer at camp in ALBERTA, and my friend LEAH (rare name, it was fitting

we should become such amazing friends!) and I headed to a local petting zoo for an outing.

We thought this was terribly funny.

Still is, to me!

And I haven't seen those jeans in a long long while, either!!!