Catching Up

March 24, 2015

It's Friday and Jenna is hosting a coffee date, so let's join her!

I can't share too much yet, but there's a lot going on behind the scenes in my day to day life. It's probably all going to turn out really good, but the unknowns can get the best of me. I'm struggling to keep my eyes on God and my heart quiet in Him. He is God and He does as He pleases. We can and must trust Him!

Let's reflect on some of the most recent good times! 

* Last week my brother and sister's time in another play came to an end. It was so great to go to rehearsals, work in makeup, and then watch as each performance came off as a great success! This year, it was my brother's second solo that brought me to tears. My sister's solo made me smile so big. She ALWAYS gets the floozy and she knows just how to pull it off even though that's the exact opposite of her own personality!

* After patiently waiting, my bulb bed came to life! The hyacinths were first and then the yellow tulips followed. I'm eager to keep watching it fill up over the next month or so.

* I've got a "Bible Reading in 2015" update coming your way soon. Let's just say I'm making progress and the times there continue to exceed my expectations. This familiar book is a ALIVE and I'm so glad!

* We picked up sidewalk chalk yesterday and I can't wait to use it sometime soon when Heidi's kids come to visit!

* After sitting on the sidelines long enough, I'm looking for essential oil combos to diffuse this spring. When it was warm, I had the windows open. We've had to keep them closed up again because the cold returned. The air just needs freshening up.

There are two combos that appeal to me. The first is lemon, orange, and peppermint. The second is eucalyptus and spearmint. What are your favorites for spring (or any season)?

What has been happening in your life?

Currently pt. 9

I wrote this post on Wednesday morning, and I just want to leave it the way that it was when I wrote it even though I didn't get it published on time! 

July 10, 2014

Today marks the last day of our vacation in the south! EARLY tomorrow morning we'll be boarding a plane. I'm having all kinds of thoughts about all of these goodbyes.

Our trip has been nothing short of AMAZING. It was the first time in nearly 20 years that I got to see almost all of my Mom's family at Christmas. I'm hoping it's not the last of its kind! With 17 cousins, it's hard to know where we'll all end up, but it'd be great if the get togethers continue.

Once I get my pictures downloaded, I'll be sure to share at least some of the details with you all! In the meantime, let's talk about what's CURRENTLY going on.

* * * * *

planning - My brother will be 15 in exactly one week!!! I'm grateful for such a big occasion because getting back into the swing of things might just take me a little while.

hoping - That 2015 is a great year and that big things happen before too much longer. This trip has really shown me how much I miss the South and all of my PEOPLE down here. In a lot of ways, I feel like I missed out on a lot over the years, but I'm also realizing that I'd really like to jump back in.

baking - Since December 15, I made exactly one pot of chili, one batch of cornbread, and four batches of sausage gravy...I helped other people make things, but mostly I've been on KP. My first task will be whatever dessert my brother chooses for his birthday. I'm also going to make sugar cookies since I didn't get to do Christmas ones this year. :)

wearing - This trip has been all kinds of relaxing. I've been wearing my favorite black house pants paired with long sleeve shirts. WA is in the depths of winter so I'm expecting to have to add a few more layers!

resolving - To dream and plan. The last few years have been all about trusting and waiting and resting...That will continue to a degree, but I think it's time to start going after things. Things won't be changing for a while, but I'm giving myself permission to think and to move along a bit.

I'm linking up with Jenna and Anne!

Currently pt. 7

October was a super busy month on this little space! It's amazing what we can accomplish when we get a routine going. I have been enjoying fall so very much this year. Everything looks so beautiful and it has rained several times each week, it's just great!

Currently I am...

appreciating: Spontaneous fun with my brother and sister. It happens almost everyday. We'll pull out a game or watch something together or spend who knows how long going on and on about anything that's on our minds and making us laugh. And my Mom....She is nothing short of amazing. She's the lady doing everything and yet worrying about nothing. And all of you...I've been really blessed with some great blogging friends! You cannot know how much you all mean to me.

1  /   2   /   3   /  4   /   5   /   6

wishlisting : Three extravagant things because of the cooler weather (a fancy coat, a counter top frother, and slippers). And three less extravagant things that would be useful (a donut pan, a replacement of my favorite knife, and a cute box).

PS: I've heard Hobby Lobby has that box, but I didn't want to search their site for it.


reading: Madeleine L'Engle's very first novel, "The Small Rain" and an advanced readers' copy of Melody Carlson's "The Christmas Cat" which will be releasing just in time for a little pre-Christmas reading.

Next up is "My Life in France" and I can hardly wait for that one!

 
loving: Fall. Chai Lattes. Movie Nights. Rain. Cooking.

Print Yours

creating: Lots and lots of food. Hearty dinners, yummy sweets. It's been great. I also made this calendar for myself and decided to share it with you too! Click HERE to make it yours!

What are you appreciating, wishlisting, reading, loving, and creating?

Link up with Jenna and Anne so that we can all hear about it!

The Scenic Route: Rainy Tuesday

All pictures taken October 14, 2014

Tuesday was rainy. The sky was dark and moody all day. The main sound coming from outside was the constant drip, drip, dripping that is produced by a slow and steady drizzle. It was wonderful.

There was work to be done, tea to drink, and soup leftovers to reheat for lunch.

Just before dinner we headed out to Jessica's pumpkin patch. I didn't bring my camera and I took exactly ZERO pictures. It was just rainy and cold and kind of fun to look through the patch while Jessica worked at harvesting something nearby. We chose five regular pumpkins and three pie pumpkins.

Driving through the countryside on rainy days is wonderful, especially with a car full of people eager to chat about their day.

I came home and grabbed my camera to take some shots of that rainy Tuesday. As I went around taking pictures, I was reminded about how very quiet fall is, especially on the rainiest of days. There were no birds singing, no children playing, no dogs barking. Everyone must have been inside resting or watching TV or maybe even playing board games.

The time came for me to leave the quiet behind and head back into my own house. We had breakfast for dinner (biscuits, sausage, and stewed apples, in case you're wondering). We watched the next episode of Downton Abbey. And that was Tuesday.

Tell me about the day you loved most this week! I'd love to hear about it. 

I Have a Sister

I'm writing this post on October 1, but it's not going to be posted for at least a few days...

Today my sister came into my room when she got up. I was working on some pictures for this space, trying to get my editorial calendar in order, and attempting to get a post ready. She settled herself into my reading chair and turned the space heater towards her. We talked for a while and pretty soon, I was all wrapped up in my laptop. She grabbed her tablet and continued to hang out. 

Then the monologue started...She had a million things to say and yet I was barely even comprehending the words coming out of her mouth. She gave me a frustrated look and went to find someone who would pay attention to her. 

When I finished up my work, I went to look for her. We both had some free time today and she had been trying to ask me if we could spend it together. My sister is all about "sister time", I like to think it's because I have always tried to build relationships with my siblings as individuals, but I have a feeling she's done a lot of the work too! 

It is so easy to neglect the people closest to us. Having a sister who cares about our relationship is not something I take for granted. We put the distractions aside and took some time to just BE today and it was great. 

We played Ticket to Ride (she stomped the PANTS off of me). We chatted. We took her truck to town and walked around  to check the mail, grab milkshakes, and pick up some books at the library. We stopped by the office to visit/help our Mom and had a conversation across the street with Jay. 

I tripped and nearly cracked my head open on a bench...She laughed so hard that I think everyone in the bank heard her. We chatted with Mary as she made our shakes and gave Marilyn a hard time before we looked for our books. I learned her hopes for the weekend as we visited with Julie. 

We've made trips to town a thousand times. When she was a baby, I'd load her into the stroller. When she was a toddler I'd end up carrying her on my back while I pushed our brother in the stroller until I realized that the jogging stroller would hold both of them and make things much easier. When she was a little girl we would walk hand in hand and take our time. When I got my license, our sister days would include trips to our favorite chinese buffet and the movies. 

We've made trips to town a thousand times and these trips have faced gradual changes that have brought us to where we are today. Whatever we do, wherever we are, these trips are about being together. They're about looking at life and listening to each other's hearts. She's just a few inches shorter than me now, she has her own unique style, she has gifts and passions that are so much different than mine, and these sister days of ours have helped us to make it through this change with a bond that didn't just happen. 

As we drove home in her truck today , I began to think about what life will be like years from now....It made me so happy to know that I will have these days to look back on. 

I have a sister and I love her more than she will ever know.

* * * * * 

Tomorrow, I'm co-hosting Susanah's Faith and Fellowship Link Up!!! Be sure to stop by to link up ANY post from this week that shares what the Lord's been doing in your life or speaking to you.

Tracy's Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite cakes, tell you a little more about my birthday (yes, it was nearly one month ago), and show you some ridiculous pictures.

My birthday went a little differently than usual this year. We went out to my favorite pizza place the night before.

It wasn't until mid-morning on my birthday that we decided to invite several friends over for dessert and then exactly 10 minutes later I had decided on the perfect cake. I went to the store to grab some heavy cream and a bar of chocolate and when I got home my brother wanted to facetime.

It was great fun to bake "with" my brother in the kitchen and to have the rest of my family coming in and out to talk to him, to see if there was a beater ready, or to just sit and visit. As I baked and enjoyed my family I began to be overcome with a certain happiness that just kept growing as the day went on.

When Ron and Julie arrived, my Mom and I were in the backyard having my brother take pictures of us. I wanted them because we are rarely in pictures together. My directions were quite specific: tell us where to move if the light is bad, don't get our feet, and hold the camera up so the picture doesn't look like it's taken from the ground.

Whenever I give directions like these both my brother and sister always take a shot of just our feet and spend so much time messing around that we are lucky to get a good shot! As you can see...

So, we moved inside just as Jay was pulling up and gathered around the table to dig into Tracy's Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake. It was just as tasty as ever! I love this cake because it's rich, it's pretty, and it tastes wonderful. My non-chocolate-everything loving family even eats it until its GONE if that tells you anything!

We ate and laughed and swapped stories and before we knew it, the sun had set and it was time for us to call it a night. I finished the day with some great gifts and a repurposed Christmas card, but more than that, I closed one year and opened another with some new memories, some terrible pictures (and good ones too), and a handful of my favorite people.

If you ask me, THAT'S a recipe for the perfect kind of birthday!

Be sure to head over to Tracy's blog to get the recipe for her Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake by clicking HERE.

My brother has since read this post and wants all of you to know,

"Hey! I only take goofy shots when you guys are dinking around!"

In other words...It's all OUR fault. :) 

 

When a Quiet Sunday Doesn't Help

August 28, 2010

I was bored for the first time in a LONG time yesterday. I had planned to read and rest and spend time with my family.

It turned out that my brother and sister made plans to hang out with some of their friends after church and my Mom just picked up a brand new Kathy Reichs book so that's been how she wants to use her free time for the last few days.

So...I read some blogs. I read a magazine. I tried to read my book. I wandered around outside. It was  nearly 90 degrees and I knew I would regret not doing SOMETHING outside. I thought about calling Jay to see if he wanted to go for a bike ride, but then it was pretty hot for that, so I decided not to. I called my other brother a few times and left him a witty voicemail because apparently he was busy too.

Do you ever have days like that? Where you find yourself without a single person to do anything with and then you realize that you have NOTHING to do.

It wasn't long before I started REALLY missing all of my friends in New England. When I did my student teaching, I moved to Cape Cod and was part of a great church. I met so many friends that make me consider dealing with New England winters because I enjoyed doing life with them so much....

When my family plans bombed out, I found myself wishing that...

Hannah and I would chat over breakfast and then call Shauna only to discover that Rachael was at her house already. We would head to that little seafood shop and grab lunch to eat on Coast Gaurd beach.

We'd go to Hannah's house and find her parents getting up the leaves that fell from the tree that day. We'd grab another sheet and a few more rakes and help them before the task become unbearable with the passing of another day and the falling of another ton of leaves.

Then Andrea would pop over after her shift at starbucks and we'd all watch a movie. Glenn would make the popcorn and Carol would ask us about our day and maybe she'd even have some ginger cookies ready...

I'm here and I truly want to be here, so very far away from Cape Cod and all of the people that I love there. But sometimes, I really, really miss it. Quiet Sundays don't really help with that.

Currently pt. 6

September 11, 2014

Last night was one of those nights where I just CRASHED after going non stop for a few too many days.

We spent Friday and Saturday at the ranch and then I arranged to have Heidi's daughter stay with us for a few days. I took her home yesterday and got back just in time to whip up cornbread, dessert, and a salad (to go with the ribs and beans that my Mom took care of) before our friend Chasen came to hang out for a few hours.

When he left, I sat down on the couch and let my mind go wherever it wanted to while everyone else watched an episode of Poirot. I settled into the place that comes when you realize that another month is coming to an end. Some how, the last few weeks of September flew by so quickly that I had no idea that today was the first of October. 

September was pretty spectacular in an ordinary way. We did all of the "September things" that I was expecting. I read some great books. I harvested  a bunch more cucumbers. My brother and I pulled the bikes back out for several rides. Like I said, it was a great month. 

Now, we're in October. So, let's keep up this tradition of "currently" posts!

Currently I am...

smelling: the crisp air, the diesel from all of the trucks that have been hauling potatoes, and the fall candles that my Mom and I picked up slightly impulsively. Don't go shopping when you're hungry and don't buy candles when you REALLY really want to build back up your stash which has dwindled down to none. Unless you want a stash again. Then go ahead and do that. 

loving: ordinary days. I read THIS post that Edie posted last week and it only added to the nostalgia that I've been stewing over lately. God has blessed me with some pretty great people. 

planning: aside from a trip to the pumpkin patch, I am planning absolutely nothing right now. It is wonderful. 

baking: I had promised myself that I could make Ginger Cookies on October 1st....Unfortunately, I have been baking up a storm over the last week, so I need to give the baking thing a rest. First there was a pumpkin pie. Then Heidi's daughter and I made brownies and invited Jay over to share them. And yesterday I made Lemon Bars because that is such a fall dessert. Not. But, really, I did and that just proves that I am 100% crazy. What are your non pie, non cookie, "company is coming" dessert ideas?

celebrating: Today would have been my Ghiddu's 91st birthday. His mother passed away on his birthday so it became a day that he didn't enjoy much, but it has always been one of my favorite days. How one man impacted me so deeply and stole so much of my heart in just 8 years is beyond me, but he did and I love him for it. October is a month for breathing deep and settling in and whenever I think of my Ghiddu that's exactly what I want to do. I'll be celebrating my memories with him and they'll remind me to make some good memories today too!

Head over to Jenna and Anne's blogs to join in on this link up fun!

What are YOU smelling, loving, planning, baking, and celebrating?

Two - Four

So, two weeks ago, I turned 24 and had a party and made my favorite bundt cake (recipe to come!!!).
 
When it came time to add another number to my age this year, I had a lot of thoughts. This has been a year when God has been teaching me that:

to behold is to become

to become you must behold

we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 

(2 Cor. 3:18)

Everywhere I turn, I am reading or hearing someone say some variation of those phrases.

If you've been around here for a while, you know that my greatest joy and aspiration in life is to become like my Savior. He is my only hope. He is my anchor. He is my guide. I love knowing that God has committed Himself to helping me to see His glory and to use that sight to make me more like Jesus Christ.

I've been coming to this space for years now to share some of these glimpses and to share the highs (and lows) of life.

23 was a pretty awesome year. I really don't think 24 can even compete.

God is still teaching me this "to behold is to become" business, so I must have a lot more to get to the bottom of.

During my last week of 23,  I read a book that Jay brought back from his trip to Florida this year. The book is "The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield" by Steven J. Lawson. I love reading about people who truly were committed to God and depended on Him with every fiber of their being. Whitefield was such a man.

Did you know that someone tried to attack him in his bed?

Did you know that he preached tirelessly until his dying day?

Did you know that he is probably the reason why Phyllis Wheatley ended up published?

As I reflect on 23 and embrace 24, I continue about the business of setting my hope in God. I thank Him for these men who have honored His name above their own. I pray that I would behold Him and that beholding Him I would be transformed. I pray that I would have the same wherewithal that drove Whitefield until his last so that wherever life takes, I can truly say, "I will fear no evil". I pray that the words of my mouth would be a fountain of life and that my influence would inspire many to join in on the praises of our great God.

What has God been teaching you this year?

How many candles are on YOUR cake?

The Circle: Fall Favorites

When Kiki announced this month's theme, I was super excited! Aside from summer, fall is my favorite season. Today is the day we all talk about why we love it so much.

The DRINKS:This fall, I've been drinking Irish breakfast tea. It won't be long and I'll be whipping up salted caramel mochas and ordering hazelnut mochas at coffee shops. 

BUCKET LIST ITEM: I'd love to make a trip to my favorite orchard/pumpkin patch/corn maze.

RECIPE: The ginger cookies that Carol taught me how to make during my time in Massachusetts. They are soft and chewy and packed with flavor. I love them! 

CANDY OR PSL: Candy for sure! I didn't even like pumpkin pie until a few years ago. I'm just not into pumpkin everything. I AM into snickers and reeses's and candy corn with peanuts. 

The SCENTS: I've always loved Yankee Candle's fall line. Some of my favorites are: Spiced Pumpkin, Apple Cider, and Banana Nut Bread. Anything warm and spicy, really. 

The HOLIDAYS: Thanksgiving is by far my favorite fall holiday. It is one of the hardest in that it always makes me miss my Grandma, but I love being in the kitchen with my Mom and having my sister join us for the last few years has been special too. The memories, the cooking, the food, the games, and the question of whether or not there will be snow are the best! 

I'd love to hear about your favorite fall things!

If you're here because of the link up, be sure to let me know you stopped by. :)

Grace Upon Grace pt. 5

* Hot weather. It has warmed back up over the last week or so and I have been loving it. There's still a crispness to the air, but I can sit outside and feel the sun on my skin again.

* The "Not my circus, not my monkeys" quote that's been going around. 

We usually host a HUGE get together in September, but I just knew that I wasn't going to be up for it this year. I apologized/declared my incompetence by sharing this quote with people. I've been saying it all weekend and even though a few people came I didn't play the hostess game this year.

It was wonderful. I needed the break.

* Conversations with strangers. I'm always up for a chat...Always. And I try to be safe about it, but I'm just going to talk to strangers.

I've met two people who interjected themselves into my conversation after listening to me say something to someone else (THAT'S a little creepy). As for a less creepy introduction, my Mom and I met an 84 year old man who came to America from Greece when he was 16. That is THE old country...In case you were wondering.

* My brother and sister. I can't emphasize enough how glad I am to be around for their teenage years. Teenagers have ALWAYS driven me a bit nuts, but I love them and I'm excited to watch them become passionate about things and pursue those passions as they get older.

* Time. I can't decide exactly how I feel about it, but fall always makes me get all nostalgic. I love looking back (well, on most of it anyway) and looking ahead.


Let's link up with JORDYN!!!

From Four Days

This week has flown by. On our way home, Monday night we had a quick dinner at one of our favorite drive-in's complete with burgers, fries, and shakes. I didn't take any pictures which is kind of sad.

It turns out a lot was happening in the gardens. My morning glory has grown over the top of the trellis. There were several cucumbers ready to be picked and my green beans survived without me. I've loved going out to my little patch to pick just enough beans for dinner whenever I feel like it.

During a grocery run, I got trapped by the ice cream sale.  They just so happened to have spumoni and I just so happened to "need" that. There are some things I only buy on sale: ice cream, chips, bread, and cereal. It's always better that way!

I may or may not have satisfied my craving for an iced toasted marshmallow latte which also included another ride in my sister's truck.

It feels great to be back to blogging!

What were you up to this week?

Currently pt. 5

July 19, 2014

Writing: I took a little blogging break and I stayed true. I put my notebook away and I never even drafted a post! I've spent the last week and a half or whatever it was writing strictly in my journal, just like old times. 

Anticipating: The routine of fall as well as the uncertainty that this particular fall is bringing. I'm kind of done with "crazy" and "uncertain". God obviously doesn't agree, because He keeps sending it my way.  We'll be kicking things off with my birthday in just 9 short days.

Wearing: This is the time of year that I am layering everything.
 
Craving: An iced chai with a shot of espresso. One of those chocolate birthday cake milkshakes that I tried on Monday. A toasted marshmallow iced latte. And gingerbread. It's bad.

Missing: The thing that I miss the most right now is a solid church to be a part of. There's just something about being with other Christians that is so necessary and this living in the middle of nowhere business is not always easy.


I'm linking up with Jenna and Anne. What are YOU up to these days? 

ps - I completely forgot to tell you guys that I contributed a post over at The Quiet Place Blog last week. Click HERE if you'd like to read it. :) 

Currently pt. 4

All pictures were taken August 6, 2014

August is going to be a bit crazy. There are so many things that MIGHT happen and about twice as many things that are pretty much set in stone. If I talk a lot about wanting to cry or run a tent peg through my own temple or how overwhelmed I am with the grace of God, you'll know I'm being REAL. :)  

Let's forget about all of the what ifs and maybes and just focus on what falls into the CURRENTLY category, shall we?

Currently I am...
 

Reading: "Tidewater Inn" by Colleen Coble. It's the book I've looked forward to MOST this summer. Looking for some great books? Click HERE to check out my summer stack!

Enjoying: Spontaneous fellowship.

I've had some extra time with just my sister. I love that girl and our times together are some of the best. She's a dreamer and a plotter and a go-getter. I love watching her do what she does!

The stranger who became a fast friend after HOURS of soul talk.

The other night Heidi texted me at like 8:30 to ask me to accompany her while she took her daughter in to the doctor the next day. Summer hasn't had us spending much time together so it was great to be with her and her kids for the day.

Jay came over and we walked through the first section of Ecclesiastes together later that same day.

God knows what my soul needs.

Listening to: Some new podcasts (which I'll be talking about soon), HOLY HIP HOP, and an audiobook. Labels like Reach Records, Clear Sight Music, Lamp Mode, Cross Movement Records, and Collision Records have been my close companions for over ten years. Let's just say, I know what my soul needs too.

Photographing: The leaves that are already beginning to fall, the cosmos that are blooming like crazy, and the fields that just won't stop catching my eye.

Feeling: You don't even WANT to know. I've been a MESS lately. So...I get alone with God. I try to keep doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I turn the music up. I let the tears come. I go back to the Gospel again and again and again. "Unwell" could my theme song, but I'm dwelling on Flame's "Starting Over" instead!

What are YOU up to?

Are you joining Jenna and Anne for the link up?

From Four Days

July 17, 2014

Don't mind my I've been swimming hair and going all day eyes. :)

The last six days were mostly really good!

Saturday we got pumped up about geocaching again after we went to a class and grabbed a few caches. We got some of our favorite chinese and it was a great day.

The highlight of Sunday was finishing a game of Kojak. I lost. :(

On Tuesday we went to visit some friends who are all camped out for the week. There was swimming and talking and eating. When we were done we picked up our first trackable and hit two geocaches.

On Wednesday, I went swimming with my brother for a few hours. When I got home I made "THE best dinner since you made steak" according to my brother (homemade chicken nuggets, oven potatoes, and watermelon).

Yesterday, my Mom and I went to the reflexologist in the morning. Then my brother and I went swimming again and I came home just in time to get dinner going. My sister came out to my garden with me and we picked the FIRST green beans of this season (this is also my first year growing green beans) and I fixed them with dinner.

When everything was ready, I took a plate to Al. We visited and then we moved out to visit on his porch and then we took a walk through his garden. He ended up giving me four of the cutest little zucchini! When I got home my Mom announced that she wanted to try out the new Etrex 20 that came in the mail yesterday. We geocached until it was too dark to see. We picked up another trackable, took her to some of our favorite caches, and even discovered two caches that we've never visited before.

Now it's Friday and there is so much to do before my little vacation begins on MONDAY!!! Even though I'll be away, I've got a few posts scheduled for next week because I've just had too much to share lately!

What happened in YOUR life this week?

Currently pt. 3

July 1, 2014

On Monday I realized that it was the last day of June. If I wrote June a letter it would simply read:

"Dear June, 

That was fast."

Summer is my very favorite. I don't know what all July will hold but the plans are rolling in and I am starting to get pretty excited about it all. 

Currently I am...

wishing: That my summer plans included a trip to South Carolina and Cape Cod. I've got family and friends to see and I'm getting a little homesick for both...One day these trips will happen. For now, I've got a lot of stuff going on right where I'm at! :) 

celebrating: The fact that the pool is open,  the 4th (with a big group at Nicky's Mom's and sister's places), and hopefully a few cook outs and summer in general.

wearing: In May I brought in the summer skirts and dresses. In June I found myself wearing comfy shorts and tshirts. All of that continues and thanks to the sun, the freckles are coming out too.

cooking: The freezer is stocked with all kinds of meat and I've picked up flour and baking chips (chocolate and butterscotch). I've got recipes for beef brisket, butterscotch blondies, and lemon meringue pie to test out. In the meantime, I'm making old favorites like meatloaf, BBQ pork (complete with cornbread and beans), and Mexican food (white enchiladas, tacos, rice, nachos, etc.). I've been making sure that there's always some coffee, sweet tea, or lemonade in the fridge that is ready to enjoy.

planning: The highlight of highlights of my summer is that my brother and sister are going to be attending a camp and while they are busy during the day, my Mom and I are going to hang out together in a new to us city. Mom, if you're reading this, we really need to get an itinerary going!

Head over to Jenna and Anne's blogs to link up your currently post!

Currently pt. 2

 

June 2, 2014

June is already off to a great start! I spent the weekend at Heidi's after having her daughter stay with me last week. My gardens are starting to look great. I could just go on and on! 

Currently I am...
 
cooking: breakfast foods (sausage gravy and biscuits, pancakes, waffles, etc.) and sandwiches (grilled cheese, blt, tuna fish) and fruit (so far just strawberries, bananas, pineapples, and grapes...I'm looking forward to the first watermelon).

watching: O=n Sunday I started a movie on Netflix called "Last Love".  I've watched it in like five 20 minute increments (weird, I know) and I'm looking forward to finishing it!

 planning: some fun day trips throughout the course of the summer. Living history exhibits are my favorite but I'm up for just about anything.

 reading: Mary Higgins Clark's new release "I've Got You Under My Skin", Elyse Fitzpatrick's "Idols of the Heart", Katherine Paterson's "Jacob Have I Loved", and John Gardner's "The Art of Fiction".

wearing: I've transitioned into all of my comfortable shorts whenever I'm home with nowhere to go. I've been wearing them since junior high and they're faded and a little ratty but they're my summer uniform for working around the house.

Go see what Jenna and Anne are up to and link up with your own currently post!

What I Learned in April

April 28, 2014

* I learned that you CAN bake on wax paper. Apparently the rest of the world has heard about this, but it wasn't until a recipe mentioned it that my Mom and I said, "Oooooh?!?!?" Honestly, I'm still a little skeptical about this whole thing.

* I learned about growing morning glories - plant them as early as you can, they take a while to take off - then watch out, soak and file the seeds before you plant them (I didn't file mine, but I am soaking them).

* I learned that garden statues have a purpose. A lady at a nursery told my friend Shauna that she needed to give her clematis plants plenty of sun and that she needed to find a statue to keep the roots of the plant in the shade.

* Dennis showed me (and Quincey) horseradish that he had growing in his garden, dug a big on up in order to split it into two plants, and then gave us a little taste test of fresh horseradish.

* "The Culture-Wise Family" by Ted Baehr taught me that a 20 second video clip impacts 12 month olds long after they see the clip. Research shows that these infants actually reacted to toys differently based on what kinds of clips they were shown.

* A short bike ride is fun. My brother and I started going on bike rides a couple of times a week. I'm really enjoying our chats!

* Less time doing whatever = more books read! I read quite a few books in April and yet it never really seemed like I spent much time reading. Magic, I tell you.

That was April...

It also included a cooking weekend at the Ranch where things felt just like old times.

Our church hosted a man from Jews for Jesus which was so interesting. The man that came reminded me that as we minister to people we're actually only really able to work in the lives where God is already working.

April was a month where Jay dropped in every now and then just because. He'd be out for a drive, grab a coffee, and just pop in for a visit.

Currently

 

April 30, 2014

May 2, 2014

May 6, 2014

We're seven days into May now and so far it's mostly been really good! These mornings are feeling more like summer all the time.

Currently, I am...

cooking: lots of salad, old favorites (tacos, waikiki meatballs, baked alfredo, hamburgers, etc.), and I'm dreaming of grilling everything. Actually, I'm dreaming of someone else grilling everything because I'm a terrible griller. 

reading: In the Bible I'm landing in 2 Corinthians. I've been reading The Westing Game with my brother and sister. Shauna and I just finished What Mrs. McGullicudy Saw by Agatha Christie. On Saturday, I started a review copy of "One More Last Chance".

wearing: my maxi dresses and light summer skirts. It's still a little chilly, but I'm going for it!

loving: the time I get to spend in my gardens again, the excitement that *16* is bringing in my sister's life, and the special times I get to have with my friends and family. I just want to hug everyone and never let go. :) 

anticipating: I'm trying hard to just take one thing at a time. This balancing act is soooo hard for me! Right now I'm really looking forward to going to a play (the Wizard of Oz) with my family soon. 


You can join in the current fun by heading over to Jenna and Anne's blogs!