Family favorite

Often times I get the idea to blog.  You know, sit down an write a post start to finish.  And then after the flood of ideas and wondering where to start I realize that there is not a single thought in my head that make a coherent sentence by the time I actually have the time to SIT DOWN and write a single blog post.  True story.  You would be astonished at how long it took me to write the above three sentences which are more than likely grammatically INcorrect.

But hey, since we are on a roll....

You know what I love?  Food.  You know what I love more?  Chocolate.  That's true, but not where I was going with this.....

I love blessing those whom I love with food.  One of the most satisfying things for me is to get up early before my family (which lets be honest.. It's a pretty rare occurrence since I have a 3 1/2 yr old 5 am wake up call) to feed them a warm meal.  

Side note: have we mentioned I have 2 small boys and 1 large boy who eat us out of house. and. home.  So praise the dear LORD these children of mine love oatmeal.  No, but really.  They do.  By the bowls full.  Especially when it is stuffed with fresh peaches, warm cream and a tad bit of vanilla.  

Back to warm breakfasts.  This summer a favorite was fresh peaches n' cream oatmeal.  I don't like oatmeal, as its not generally something associated with chocolate, but if I did I am confident I would love this combo.  At other favorite is homemade pop tarts.  Sounds scary, but it's not so bad.  I will share the recipe soon.  But seeing as we are halfway through this glorious North Carolina fall, I'm going to share with you a family favorite from my favorite cookbook at the moment, Deliciously Organic.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins, by Deliciously Organic

4tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 1/3 cups whole cane sugar or Sucanat

1/2 cup puréed pumpkin

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (we love King Arthur)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/3 cup whole buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional-but so good!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In mixer bowl, beat together butter, coconut oil, and sugar on medium-high speed for about two minutes.  Turn mixer to low and add the pumpkin.  Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Mix in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large bowl.  With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk.  Repeat process and mix until just combined.  Fold in pecans.  Spoon batter into oiled muffin cups until 3/4 full.  Bake 23-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving.  

And that's that!  This recipe makes 16 muffins.  We usually double and freeze for another day.  Check out the freeze post for an interesting twist on fresh muffins!!

Freedom

Freedom.

This week my [not so baby] baby, Luke, was finally of age to attend a local VBS.  Or Kids Week, as they call it.  Selfishly, I was thrilled.  I thought he might like it, but I knew I would love it.  A little freedom to do what I wanted to do at the house while Everett took a morning nap.  Or a little more freedom at the grocery store only worrying about one child instead of 2; Freedom to drink my [overpriced] coffee beverage while Everett slept in the car.

Our overly sensitive (though wonderfully made, says the Psalms) and super introverted 3 year old needed a lot of prep work before being sent off for 2 hours each morning.  He likes to know whats coming, what to expect.  He hates large crowds, he hates the unknown, loud things make him cry and very nervous... so this was going to be a stretch.  But he has a love for all music, art and games.  We went into this knowing it would be a stretch for him, but prayerfully a good stretch.

Monday went ok, though he sobbed when I left.  I nervously kept my phone on loud and with me for all 2 hours and 2 minutes I was away (let's be honest.  I spent half of that time in the church parking lot anxiously chomping at the bit to get my boy) hoping I didn't get a call saying he needed to come home. No phone call.  Win!  The next day, after a lot of prep work he didn't shed a tear and happily nervously waved goodbye.  Day 3, complete exhausted and totally over this whole Kids Week business.  And dropping him off was oh so hard.  I second guessed myself, wondered if it was really worth it, why on earth am I forcing him to do this?  But a friend sweetly reminded me, the gospel is for all people introverted or not.  And community is something God desires so deeply for us.  So even though he is 3 and even though he does well with one on one, there will come a day when he must be ok with people.  And starting now isn't going to hurt him and the people at this church so desperately give of themselves to love on my boy each day.  SO.  We pushed through.  And prayed through.  Oh God, would you please use this to show yourself to my big guy!  Would you comfort him?  Would you show him that he can do this?  Would you help him understand that when he is sad, YOU can bring him joy?  Show him he can talk to you all the time, please, Lord?  These are the prayers we prayed often with and without Luke.  Luke was a dancing fool that day when I came to him.  During the music he was so free and uninhibited.  I cried.  I saw victory.  I saw a sweet answer to prayer.  On the way home, he sweetly and sheepishly said, "Mommy.  God helped me be ok today and have a good time."  OH sweet Jesus, thank you.  Thank you for giving him a glimpse of your goodness.  Thank you....  Day 4, again a lot of prep work and even staying a little bit in the beginning to keep him calm and leave him on a good note. But he did it.  I did it.  And when I came to get him oh my heavens I nearly fell over in sweet praise for the confidence and freedom Luke found.  It may seem so small, but for us its not.  Kids Week was the antithesis of every fiber of his being.  Loud. A mascot.  Lots of screaming.  No one he knew.  But God was so good.  And while I wanted freedom this week, freedom for just a couple hours each morning...God has such greater plans in revealing true freedom to our family.  I hope and pray that in the way he found freedom to break dance and boogie and lift his hands in worship will stick with him.  "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free...Galations 5:1"

Here are my very favorite quotes from Luke this week that show the evolution of his heart this week....

"I like my Sunday School class better.  There aren't as many people."
"Today is Tuesday!  Only 3 more days of camp and then I never have to go back!"
"Today is Wednesday, Mommy!  Only 2 more days of camp and then I never have to go back!  Wait, is there camp in the fall?  Does fall time end?  And then summer again?  Oh.  Do I have to go back next summer?"
"Mommy.  God really helped me have a good time today.  He gave me comfort."
"Mommy, did you know God loves us all the way down to our toes?"
"Today is our pizza party and then no more camp!  But there will be camp next summer, right?  I think I'll go back."

Preschool Pressure

Luke is almost 3.  Almost meaning 2 more months and my baby is 3.  Many exciting things come with the age three.  Preschool time at the library (as opposed to toddler time) cooking class at the museum, non-parent-involved gymnastics classes.....  And preschool registration.  As I have been researching preschools in our area I am overwhelmed.  I am stressed.  I am anxious at the mere thought - self induced - of standing in line to try and "win" a spot for the class I want.  And as I thought through these things more and more I was overwhelmed with the pressures of preschool.

Among moms there is this underlying sense of pressure.  Expectations.  Longing for right of approval.  Unfortunately I fall guilty of judging or thinking less of others based on their parenting decisions.  And I know that many decisions I have made have brought judgment opon myself.  Cloth diapers?  When did you start solids?  How long did you breast feed?  You gave your child WHAT kind of milk at WHAT age?!  You give your child store bought baby food?  Natural birth vs the alternatives.  You do Babywise (or don't??)?   You let your child sleep with you?  And on. And on. And on.  Spank?  Santa? Elf on th shelf?  Oh you went back to work?  More recently for us - and more piercing, honestly, "What preschool does he go to?"  "Is he going next year?" "Where are you going to try and enroll him?"  "You're thinking of keeping him HOME?!?"  Can I get a a WITNESS?!! Says Peter Rochelle.

And so here I am, confident in decisions I have made (some areas where I feel I should have acted differently, God's grace has already met me there.)in the past with my boys but now there is this.  The decision of preschool or not to preschool is just sitting at my feet.  And I am humbled yet saddened at how much weight I (we) put on what others think.  I want to be passionate about the things Christ was passionate about (which is not cloth diapers or breastfeeding, though they are not bad things and we choose both).  I want to put great weight on the desires of His heart (I can't find sleep schedules in there anywhere...).  I'm not so much interested in making my decisions based on what the national education something or another says I should send my child to preschool for.  I want to listen to the One who is above all. And when I look heavenward I see Christ and His great love for me, his lack of favoritism, always choosing to act justly with love, grace and mercy.   A God who listens to every need, gives freely and hears my pleas for wisdom on how best to love, train and teach Luke at this age.  And most of all.  The freedom in Christ to walk forward with great peace with what is best for our family, according to His word, and this season in this moment.  Which may or may not include me standing in a long line to win the lottery for a 2 day 2 year old preschool class.

So it is with great confidence that I announce.  I am still praying about it.  :).

Tiny Prints. Big Impression.

It's that time of year again: The Christmas card giveaway - but this time it's for me AND you!

Last year we showcased Tiny Prints and it seems they've outdone themselves again.  They just came out with their new Holiday Collection and I must say, it's pretty fabulous.  Whether you're going for traditional, modern, religious to customized they've got you covered with unique designs and top notch quality.  One of my favorite things about Tiny Prints is the ability to narrow down your search by color, style, number of pictures and more.  And what's more?  You can simply tag all of your favorites as your browsing to compare all in one spot.  Genius!

And did I mention customer service??  Last year after I submitted my Christmas card order I received a phone call about half an hour later saying that there was a grammatical error they found.  Then they told me the appropriate grammar and sent me another proof.  To that I say... YES!

I encourage you to check out their special promotions for the Holidays and who knows, maybe YOU will be the lucky winner of the $50 GIVEAWAY!  (Just remember to "like" the facebook post that got you here no later than November 19).

Without much further ado, here are a few of my favorites from this years' collection:

**This is a sponsored post by Tinyprints.com

A Challenge

As recently posted on my reading list, Kisses From Katie is at the top of my list of favorites right now.  With every page I wanted to be there, with her, loving on the babies, feeding the hungry, aiding the sick and needy.  But right now I know my mission is with Billy and it begins at 5:00 each morning with our two little ones.  I know and pray that our mission at home and community is of eternal value.  And I am thankful for the calling.  But while we eat out every other weekend, stop at Starbucks on the way to the library each Tuesday, or buy new shirts just because they're on sale, I can't help but feel a call and challenge to do something for the people there even though we are still here.

Billy and I have felt a responsibility to care for some of these children, though hours and hours away.  There are many ways to do this, with organizations such as Compassion International who offer many different countries and age groups to give to.  Billy chose a child with each of our boy's birth date to start supporting.  Personally, my heart has been drawn to Katie, author of Kisses From Katie, who has started a non-profit organization (Amazima) that is feeding and caring for hundreds of orphans and widows.  She started out just caring for one.  It has turned into over 600 children.  To sponsor a child in Uganda via Amazima ministries is $25/month.  This gives them a fighting chance.  This gives them an education, 3 meals a day, a uniform and school supplies, medical care, and arms to love and disciple them.  When I asked Billy last night where he thought we should give and how much, he asked me how many children need to be sponsored for school and meals through Amazima.  I knew where his mind was going.  He's an all or nothing kind of guy and his heart aches for the orphan and the hungry.  Give big or go home.  I told him the ministry helps over 600 children.  You can do the math.

In case you all were wondering we do not have $15,000 on hand.

Billy's response?  "We don't have $15,000.  You should find a way to get enough people to sponsor 600 children."  I love him.

So this is my challenge.  To overwhelm Amazima Ministries with financial support.  To let them know that here, in North Carolina, we care and we are for what they're doing.  To make sure that those 600 and MORE children are being fed, clothed, and educated.  To help feed the poverty stricken village of Masese, where 1600 orphaned children rely on Amazima's food every week day.  84 people visited my blog today.  I wonder if those 84 would be willing to sacrifice $25/month.  A couple new shirts, a few trips to your favorite restaurant.  Or maybe one trip to your favorite restaurant.  One less outing to the movies.  One less upgrade on your phone or digital cable.  And then I wonder if those 84 would be willing to share this link with their friends.  The average facebook user has 130 friends (that was based on a google search...forgive me if I'm incorrect).  Can you imagine how quickly 600 children would be cared for if we spread the word??  What would it look like to give enough for the ministry to sponsor even more than 600 children?  What would it look like to overwhelm Amazima with enough money to feed Masese each month?  It would look like the hands and feet of Jesus.

For more information please visit the website, Amazima.org; read her book, Kisses From Katie; read her blog, http://www.amazimaministries.blogspot.com.

And please, PLEASE, spread the word.

Week 1 of Real Food = Real Changes

As you may recall, this was our first week of "Real Food" changes.  It's been an adjustment but I would have to say that this week qualifies as a SUCCESS! I used Lisa's free menu/grocery list/recipe list to give us a good starting point.  Please note: she feeds a family of 4 which includes her two daughters.  I don't know how much they eat, but my 2 year old son ate 12 shrimp for the main course of his dinner tonight... 3 courses (as she usually suggests for her meals) do not fill my boys so I added a few all-veggie sides as needed.

I cannot believe that in one month Everett will be ready (if I am...) to begin solids.  SO. MUCH. FOOD.  I digress... 

So, her meal plans (found upon "liking" on her facebook page) included links to everything we needed for the week.   I've linked each recipe so you can try it out yourself!  Here's my personal opinion on some of the things we tried:

Granola - 

We didn't actually try this...  I so wanted to and got everything off of her grocery list but when I got home to look at the recipe I was missing ingredients???  So we didn't get to try it but it's on my list of things to try this week.  With all the ingredients ;)

Whole Wheat Muffins - 

Whole wheat is a shock to us.  It is definitely an "acquired" taste.  I wish I would have used a pastry whole-wheat flour instead of your regular, hearty, whole wheat flour.  I think my muffins were a little tough but I can't wait to try them again.  Here's what I love about them:  Mix in pretty much whatever filling you'd like to make a variety for the week.  THEN, freeze 1/2 of them to keep for another week.  Our varieties included 1) apple butter, 2) strawberry and 3) cinnamon/raisin/walnut.  I think it was a fun mix-up.  The bittersweet thing about making everything home-made with no preservatives is that they don't keep as long.  Good: you know your ingredients are fresh and real.  Bad: they spoil much more quickly.  I made the muffins Sunday and on Wednesday there was one molding next to the muffins we purchased at Kroger 2 weeks earlier that were still perfectly in tact.  Yikes.  Note to self: store them in the fridge for the week.  

(Muffins getting ready to go in the oven)

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes-

I should have known better going into this recipe.  Luke loves bananas but doesn't really like them cooked in anything.  This is also true of these pancakes.  I thought they were really yummy and very filling.  They cooked a little differently but after the first few we had the hang of it.  We even used real maple syrup and while it tasted vastly different than what we were previously using - we looked at the label and it said, "Less than 2% maple syrup."  You can guess what other syrups made up the other 98%......... - we loved the taste.

Vegetarian Fajitas - 

I love the phrase she uses, "Flexitarian," to describe their family's eating habits.  They're not vegetarians but they also don't eat meat every night.  This recipe didn't call for any meat but I had a leftover chicken breast that needed to be used so I threw it in there to add extra protein for the boys.  These were DELISH and actually called for HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS.  Sounds crazy, a little.  But since whole wheat is a little hard to get used to I figured homemade is always better anyways so why not go for it?  The recipe was super easy and Luke loved "helping" me roll out each tortilla.  They were de-lish!  Billy actually liked them as well and we all had plenty to eat.  Winner!

Egg Salad - 

This is your pretty standard egg salad recipe.  Unfortunately Everett's belly still can't handle eggs like this so this was just for Billy's lunches a couple times.  

Jambalaya - 

Again, pretty standard but SO delicious!  I forgot to buy shrimp earlier in the week so I quickly ran out with both babies in tow and picked up some frozen shrimp (big no no in Lisa's challenge) but it worked for us and it was oh so yummy.  It made plenty to freeze and use for another meal.  This is a huge win in my book.  

ICE CREAM!!!!!!-

Excited much?  Coming from the girl who has had to give up her main food group for 12 months, this was beyond the highlight of my week.  Maybe not.  But it is pretty high up there.  As I was browsing on the 100daysofrealfood.com website I stumbled across her recommendation of deliciouslyorganic.com who HAPPENED to have a recipe on the front page of the website for DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM.  Hot diggity dog!  You better believe I went out that day and picked up all (FOUR) ingredients to make this.  And boy did it deliver.  SO easy to make, only 4 ingredients and heaaaaaaavenly.  

Power Balls -

I have been racking my brain to try and come up with a more delicious name for these delightful treats but I'm not much for creativity with words.  Again, another incredibly easy recipe with only 5 ingredients and took maybe 20 minutes to whip up.  We rolled ours in coconut and they were like eating a Mound or Almond Joy.  Yummmmmm-oooo.  

Finally, a review of my favorite books!

 ***UPDATED*** (I forgot one!)
I'm finally sitting down to do a quick "review" of several books that have captured my attention lately.  Er, more like in the past year and 3 months from when I set a goal to read a book a month.  Remember the whole organization notebook, new years goals, etc from January 1, 2011?  I still have my notebook that contains my finances and coupons, plus a few craft/cooking ideas and Moms Sew Sassy receipts.  I did not read a book a month, I do not do a monthly menu plan and I do not keep a section for school/toddler ideas nor do I make additions to the gardening section.  But I'm ok with that.  Right now I have time to get things done, not write or plan to get things done.  ANYWAYS, the point of this post: Book Reviews.  Keep reading to find out my two favorite books of the year-ish. :)


The Help
So. Good.  Billy and I got away on a little "baby-moon" back in September to San Francisco.  I was flying by myself to meet Billy there while he was away on business so I picked up The Help and never put it down.  I started reading it on the way there and finished it on our flight home.  I have a thing for books written about real life, especially down South.  Such a fun read.  I think the book was better than the movie, but both were fabulous.

Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson
When Luke hit 15 months I found myself dumfounded.  He was rough.  He was dirty.  He was distracted.  He was wild.  He is a boy.  And I am a girl.  We were constantly on the go from one thing to the next and while I loved exploring that season with him, I was really having a hard time understanding HIM.  It was most obvious in situations when we would play with little girls.  IE: give Luke a piece of paper and give his little girl friend a piece of paper.  Luke's paper is completely covered in markings and ripped in two within 3 minutes and the little girl is still coloring just a small corner of the paper.  OR at the pool, little girl is sitting on the top step of the pool pouring and dumping gently and carefully while Luke is trying to run and jump in at any given moment despite his inability to swim (disclaimer: I realize not all children are like this but this was my experience during this season).  This book spoke to the many different wirings of boys and I'm thankful for Dr. Dobson's insight into their emotional, mental and physical capacity.  It helped me understand how my little one could/couldn't focus, could/couldn't hear, could/couldn't sit still, etc.  It gave helpful ideas on how to work around the way he was and is wired.  I'm not in agreement with the book in totality but this was a HUGE help as we ventured into learning how to teach Luke in a way that he understood.

Fearlessly Feminine by Jani Ortland
SO GOOD.  This book defined biblically - not what people suppose is biblical - but truly defined biblical womanhood and the power and mission God has given us.  As the review online states, "it tackles many sensitive subjects such as submission and materialism, feminism and beauty, motherhood and marriage..." And I liked that.  I like tackling the sensitive issues.  I want to know.  Some issues I've not known where I stand because I don't know where the Bible stands.  But this book was helpful in teaching me and breaking molds that I found in my own life don't line up with the things God is passionate about.  For the woman who has a more feminist disposition regarding women in the image of God, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by this book.

Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick
I've read several "parenting" books but this is so far my very favorite.  The subtitle reads: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus.  YES PLEASE.  This book totally opened my eyes and heart to God's grace in my own life and how my goal as a mother is for my babies to experience and understand the magnitude and depth of God's never-ending love and grace for them.  Yes I want obedient children and yes I want them to be respectful...but most of all, I want my children to know JESUS.  I want them to KNOW know KNOW Him to the depths of their being.  I want my heart and attitude to reflect the character of Christ and so often my response is out of frustration or an agenda of my own.  I was convicted by how little glory I give to the Lord when parenting my babies when their is a "win."  When I see God at work in their heart, the praise goes to Him not my abilities.  I was so humbled reading this book and so thankful that it wasn't just another book on how to make your kids listen and obey, but how to truly dazzle them with the love of Jesus!!

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman
So this is a practical book with practical examples and scenarios of teaching your children the blessing of submitting and obeying right away...without counting to three :)  I loved her sense of humor and humility while writing out her own life experiences with her children.  She also offers several printable tools online and in the back of her book which I've found profitable to help me remember appropriate responses or ways to handle certain situations.  Granted, Luke is only two so our conversations aren't nearly as long as some of her examples but you get the idea...

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
I read this in seminary for my counseling courses but children were not in the near future at the time ;)  I'm currently in the process of re-reading it and it is just as good the third time around.  The biggest take away for me has been defining obedience: "Without challenge, without delay and without excuse."  It is all about appealing to their hearts instead of just behavior modification.  I want to guide my boys' hearts to the feet of Jesus, to live a life submissive to Him and so I appreciate this book's instruction and guidance for parents.

As for my favorites.....  the runner up is.....

Orphanology by Tony Merida
After hearing Tony Merida speak at our church, Southbridge Fellowship (ps-probably the best sermon I've ever heard in my life), I couldn't wait to read his book.  Hearing his heart for adoption and how their family has walked through it multiple times was inspiring and intriguing to say the least.  I wanted to know more. I've always known that adoption is at the very core of the gospel but hearing him speak and seeing the pictures really made it real to me.  So, I picked up the book on Monday and didn't put it down until Friday when I finished it.  I can't write words that really speak to how wonderful this book is, but if you are considering adoption, curious about adoption, want to read amazing stories about adoptions, or want to know how much God cares about adoption, then you need to read this book.


And...my very very VERY favorite book so far - and maybe ever - is......

KISSES FROM KATIE.
You need to read it.  Now.
This is a story of a young girl, a year younger than myself, who is currently living in Uganda and has 12 (GASP!) legally adopted little girls.  She has culturally gone above and beyond what anyone could think or imagine.  She has learned medicine.  She has learned motherhood.  She has learned non-profit organization.  She has learned heartache.  She has learned sacrifice.  She has learned death.  She has learned what is at the heart of Jesus: Caring for the widows and orphans.  The stories she shares make you feel like you are there walking with her on the dusty roads.  The excerpts from her journal entries make you want to cry tears of joy, sorrow, laughter and praise.  With every word that was written I felt like my heart drew closer to the Lord and gave me a deep fire and passion to take God's word seriously.  I cannot do this book justice by writing about it.  Please go buy it and read it and bask in the amazing testimonies of God and what He is doing through one girl who is living on mission in Uganda.