the awe continues

I guess it really is in there. Today, it was "nowIknowmy" and the correct, first time identification of approximately 8 letters before moving on to more exciting things, like building block towers and more specifically, knocking over the ones mommy builds.

My thoughts go something like this:
1. I don't think I'm ready for this.
2. Why can't he catch on to first time obedience this easily?
3. Oh yeah. He's my little pagan.

And then there is the issue of today's naptimes. EW. Children should listen to their parents when they say it's naptime, and sweetly comply. A lot of unpleasantness could be avoided this way. Not to mention, it would be a whole lot easier. There is more than one way God teaches us about ourselves, our shortcomings, His Grace.

tasty

It's been over 4 years since I went to our local stores and registered for our wedding gifts. I found this to be a frustrating and tedious process, simply because I had NO CLUE what to choose. I knew I needed a blender, but which model should I choose? Which knives? Which pans?

We were armed with a 2 year old version of Consumer Reports purchasing guide, but I couldn't consult that for every decision! We registered at 3 stores in one day, and it was overwhelming! I remember sitting down in the aisle of WalMart, almost in tears, looking up at my fiance of 4 days, and saying "I don't know what to pick" as if the world would end if I picked the wrong paring knives. He sat down next to me, gave me a hug, and said it would be ok to stop if I needed to. Not only that, he still married me. Boy am I glad about that!

I made a very foolish choice when it came to cookware. I picked an inexpensive set of non-stick, waffle bottomed pans. A set of 5. And I was thrilled when I opened the box, thinking how beautiful my cookware looked all shiny and new.

Also very foolishly, I stored the new pans stacked inside each other with no protection between the layers. I cooked with metal utensils. And, you guessed it, the nonstick coating started to flake off, no doubt leeching toxic materials into our food.

And so I've been replacing my pans one at a time, this time choosing stainless steel, and purchasing them when I found a great deal.

For Christmas, I put "nonstick skillets" on my list, and (to shorten this long story) got some money toward that purchase. Tuesday, I finally bought my first one. A red enameled 10" Calphalon non stick covered saute pan. I have to say, the foolishness of my pre-experience choice has never been so clear. This pan cooks like a DREAM, and I finally know what "non stick" really means. I cooked an egg using nothing but the egg and the pan and the seasoning, and didn't have a horrid mess to clean up.

Praise the Lord for His blessings! Today, I see Him delighting to bless my kitchen with a pretty red pan, and freedom from the ingestion of Teflon.

where have all the dresses gone?

Apparently, there are no pregnant women in Midland who wish to wear dresses. Except me.

I went shopping for a couple hours last night, and did not see one single maternity dress. I went to 7 stores. It boggled my mind, as I see racks and stacks of dresses for non-pregnant women. I even tried on a few of the "regular dresses" that seemed like they might be able to pass for maternity gear. Some of them fit fine, but were all too something - too low, too short, too loud, too dowdy, etc. Come to think of it, that's not really a pregnancy related problem.

I'm at that stage in the game where I can't wear my maternity dresses from my first pregnancy because my belly isn't big enough, but my regular dresses are a little snug. Ok, more than a little. And Midland's maternity clothing selection has never been fabulous. Most of my collection of clothing are hand me downs from friends and garage sale finds, mixed in with a few new things from nearby cities and some online buys.

I wonder if I can sew something before Sunday. Those "one hour" patterns seldom are, but here's hoping. Pray for my sewing machine. You know how they tend to get an attitude when there's a looming deadline.

Here is where you come in. Both of these fabrics will be made into maternity gear, I just need help deciding which will be first, for this coming Sunday. I'm singing in the choir for the Easter cantata.

The one on the left is a brown and burgundy rayon/poly crepe, a thinner fabric, but would never need ironing. It would be breezy and cool.

The black and white on the right is another poly/rayon blend that has a smoother finish and a heavier weight. It might be a little warmer, but I'm not sure it says "SPRING IS HERE!"

Will you help me choose? Vote! State your opinion! Voice your concerns! Tell me to drive to another city and go shopping! Just don't tell me to shop online. I need to try things on...especially at this "Is She Fat or Pregnant?" stage.

bathtime

Ahh, toddlerhood. It sneaks up on you. One day you're sponging carefully around the umbilical cord, and the next you're dodging tsunami-like splashes. Aaron loves his bathtime letters. He sees them and starts "singing" the alphabet song. He's sure getting gigantic.

Yesterday morning, he was playing with a LeapFrog ball that sings the alphabet song as it rolls, and the song stopped at the letter "P" and out of Aaron's mouth comes "QRSTUV" all hooked together like one word, and my jaw dropped. I called Michael, incredulous. At least we know it's somewhere in his subconscious, even though we are unable to duplicate the miraculous event.

c'mon, spring!!

Yesterday I aired the house out - it was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures close to 50 degrees. And I made Shyla's soup recipe for dinner. The high for today? Predicted at 36. Oh, well. I guess I'll have to figure out something warm and soothing for supper tonight, too! With being sick, I've slacked waaaay off on menu planning!!

Michael is working today since he missed Thursday. We are so thankful he has such a flexible boss. Aaron and I have to run to the bank, and do a couple other errands, like hopefully taking advantage of some great deals on cereal.

So our intestinal illness has morphed into a respiratory illness. Weird. It's like the virus knows how to knock out our immune systems, then kick us while we're down & out. This time, all three of us have it to some extent. Thankfully, I have all the herbal supplements I need for respiratory issues. And I'm not puking, so little Muth #2 can get some much needed nutrition!!

I'll be sooooo thankful when Spring is here and we can get plenty of fresh air!! AND exercise!!

Speaking of which, does anyone have a great pregnancy workout video they would recommend? I am in a desperate search, and I'm horribly uncoordinated. I mean, horribly. I could never quite master the "box step" or whatever the crazy thing was called at NBBC in aerobics class. After a whole semester, 3 days a week. So you see what you're working with here. Any ideas?

I wouldn't believe it myself!

If I hadn't just lived through it, I would not believe it was true. Wednesday morning, guess what I woke up with? More "severe digestive distress." Thankfully, it seems to have been a 48 hour variety instead of the considerably longer version I came down with a short week and a half earlier - it has been a rough 4 weeks.

I've got some herbal remedy ideas from a natural momma/midwife friend of mine, to boost my immune system and hopefully strengthen my overall digestive health. I hope to start on these today so that the next time this nasty bug comes a-knockin' I'll be ready.

Aaron got a mild case, Michael stayed home from work to care for his sick family. He's such a wonderful husband & daddy. The photo is of the boys cleaning a toy at the sink - isn't it so adorable? Please excuse the dirty pans and dishes. I have been sick...and I'll clean up today, I promise!!

and I quote

I'm reading Silent Knife, a book about C-section prevention and VBAC, and this little gem made me laugh out loud today.

"It's hard to be relaxed when people are standing around watching the clock and waiting anxiously for your uterus to burst"

I'd say.

the best laid plans

I almost forgot my 8:45 appointment.  I remembered at 8:04.  Thankfully, Aaron was eating his toast and eggs and strapped into his high chair, so I had time for a 4 minute shower and a chance to blow dry my hair.  Surely I'm not the only mother to abandon her child in the high chair, albeit momentarily?

Our taxes are almost done.  Thank you, Turbo Tax.  This year, I promise, I'll keep detailed records of our clothing donations with It's Deductible.  And I'll get reciepts when I donate.  And I won't lose the interest statement from the bank and have to call them for a replacement.  And I'll have another baby.  Just so I can have a "Life Change" for Turbo Tax.

This year, we won't go into debt.  But we'll still be able to re- side the house.  And build a wall of bookshelves in the living room to house our huge library that is 
currently occupying the closet in the office.  The office that needs to be converted into a bedroom.  Before September.  And, we will win a free car to replace the Mazda. Of course, the interest will be paid as part of the deal.  Let's win a vacation, too.

I'm good at thinking up magnificent plans.  Not so good with the follow through.  
I guess that means instead of blogging, and trying not to freak out about the crazy format of this post, I need to go and dust. 

in the spotlight and the shadows

This week is missions conference at our church. Dr. Anderson from Baptist Mid Missions is the main speaker for the week and there are three great families here to share their ministries with us. The flags of all the countries where our missionaries serve hang in the auditorium. It's an exciting week.

Missions conference always gets me thinking. When I was a girl, my parents shared with me their burden that the gospel be spread throughout the world, and made it very clear that if I felt that God wanted me to be a missionary, they would be supportive and happy to see me serve in that way. I was grateful for this, as I had heard stories from missionaries about how their families were not so supportive.

College came, and Northland has a great missions and ministry emphasis. As I went through school, I guess I kind of expected to be a single world traveling missionary, or some other full time vocational Christian worker. I was thrilled by this - excitedly awaiting God's direction and guidance to my perfect fit in ministry. I remember a series of events caused me to have a chat with dad about "full time ministry" and what that entailed. Shortly after, the lightning bolt of understanding struck me and I was all conflicted.

I wrestled with the idea that maybe God did NOT want me in "full time vocational ministry" and I admit this was a great source of panic. It completely upset all that I had been planning and every single one of my own expectations. When I realized what I was panicked about, I felt rather foolish.

You see, even though I wouldn't have admitted it at the time, I somehow had adopted the idea that my serving God full time was dependent on where my provisions came from - who wrote the check. I'd somehow arrived at the conclusion that if my checks came from a church, a Christian school, or a mission board, I was a full time vocational minister. And if, I reasoned, I was in full time vocational ministry, everyone would know that I had made great sacrifices and that I was the most surrendered I could possibly be.

And selfishly, I wanted a front row seat in God's work overseas. I wanted to watch as new believers were baptized in a river, risking rejection by their families. I wanted to see growth of a brand new baby church, to watch in person instead of via flashing images on the screen with missionary narration. I wanted to get my hands dirty. And I wanted to tell stories that would get other people excited about serving God, too. I wanted God to use me to make an impact on the world.

I did not want to entertain any ideas that maybe God had something else for me. Of course, it's easy to brush those thoughts aside - "would Satan want me in missions?" I would ask myself, as if that would settle the whole thing.

I'll tell you what Satan DID want - he wanted me to keep my heart from being truly surrendered to do whatever God wanted. And Satan still wants that. When I struggle with discontent in my family's ministry, when I get frustrated at all I am "not doing," and when I wish we weren't doing as much, when I ignore God's leading to reach out to the neighbors, when I ask God "why?" and when I push for my own way. God wants my whole heart, my whole mind, and my whole self to be surrendered to Him. He wants me to serve Him one hundred percent.

And so I am learning to be ready, willing to do whatever He leads us to do. I am learning what it is to follow. And to keep following. And I will keep learning to daily surrender, and keep rejoicing at God's work in the world - in the spotlight, and in the shadows. He doesn't need me, after all, to accomplish Great Things. He is GOD.

it's Friday, and all is peachy.

In college, my beloved voice instructor introduced me to the term "gospel song" as being descriptive of a sacred song that was not a hymn. Up until then, "gospel song" had held for me a very honky-tonky-southern-gospel-y connotation.

And when I say, "up until then" I really mean that hearing that term still gives me a case of the southern gospel laughs. I mean FITS of laughter. I can't do it, I really can't call anything for real a gospel song. I've sung plenty of gospel songs in the honky-tonky-southern-gospel-y style, but it was for fun. Now, it's fine with me if you like southern gospel, or honky tonk, or whatever. But for me, it's amusing. You can call me stuffy. I don't mind. *wink*

So today, I judged at MACS. I judged the male vocal solo category. I was a stand-in judge, a last minute addition. It was fabulously fun, bringing back more memories and hilarity than one person has a right to enjoy. There were a few mangled foreign languages, a little voice cracking, and a lot of furrowed brows. There was even a "gospel song." Ending the day was a brilliantly executed aria from The Magic Flute, and when I say brilliant, I mean that the boy sang in German and had us all in stitches. That is brilliance. It was a very good day.

So, thanks Deb. And Brett. You made it all possible. And, I miss you.

Strange Lives?

So, the other day I was in the supermarket line, waiting for the woman ahead of me as she s-l-o-w-l-y loaded her groceries onto the belt. As I waited, my eyes wandered to the tabloid headlines. Don't tell me that this doesn't happen to you - I know it does. These headlines frequently amuse me. "Live dinosaur robs museum" etc.

One tabloid had, in 2 inch hot pink letters "Inside the Strange Life of Suri Cruise" with these bullet points:

- No TV or Happy Meals
- No medicine ever! Just herbs!
- Scientology play dates

And I thought to myself, sounds like the Cruises are being pretty responsible parents. I mean, I make sure when Aaron has "play dates" that the families we go play with have beliefs that line up with ours. I use herbs to treat certain symptoms. Aaron's never had a Happy Meal, and although he does watch TV, it's pretty limited.

Not that I expected more out of a tabloid, but I do think it would be interesting to meet the editor who thinks these qualities warrant a hot pink "Strange Lives" label. Maybe that editor's kids eat Happy Meals every day? The chuckle that this little supermarket tabloid gave me was big enough that the smile did not leave my face when I realized that the slow grocery loader had forgotten her wallet. I was almost grateful that I'd had so much time on my hands that I'd had to resort to tabloid headlines for reading material.

Almost.

the produce

Any of you living in the greater Midland area who are looking for a great source for less expensive produce, shoot me an email (twomuthsatgmaildotcom) or leave a comment with your email address included. I'm part of a co-op in the area and we are looking for some new members! I will get you in touch with the lady in charge.

Here is the rundown:
-you can order as much or as little as you want or need. No need to buy a whole case of something as there are others who will split with you.
-convenient online ordering - you are emailed a catalog, and then place your order on an automatic "splits page" - it's so easy!
-organic and regular produce is available, as well as specialty items such as juice, jam, eggs, etc. Many items are priced less than grocery store prices, and as you may know, it's awfully hard to find good quality organic anything in this area. The produce is fresh and YUMMY! I'm not really an "all organic" girl, but if the price is close enough to the non-organic, sign me up!
-pickup in the Freeland area
-no dues, just occasional help unloading truck!

Some sample prices from my order this month:
Avocados, 69 cents each
3# bag Empire apples, $1.87 each
Red seedless grapes, 97 cents/lb
Organic pineapple, $1.45 each

This month's order is due by Saturday morning, so be sure to let me know if you are interested in taking a look at the catalog.

confession

So Aaron and I are staying home from church today. Why? We certainly aren't sick enough to be contagious, (I am rather weak, still!) but we've heard through the grapevine that there are plenty of church family members who ARE sick, or have been this week. Many of them are children. And I for one do not wish to trust my weakened immune system to the germy oasis of a sick community.

I'm normally not a germophobe. If that is even a word. I try my hardest not to think about the multitudes of sick children sneezing their way through the building on a daily basis for school, or the fact that four year olds use the same room as the one year old nursery. I don't ask if they disinfect the toys. I have enough other things to worry about.

But two weeks of sickness have made me extra cautious. Next week, Lord willing, we will finally be back for corporate worship. Isn't it amazing how a couple weeks away from church can really throw you for a loop? I miss the fellowship, the congregational songs, and the exposition of God's Word. I will be thankful to go back to church. And I am also thankful that the illness of the individual members does not indicate the spiritual health of our church body!!

This is what happens...

When you're sick for 2 weeks and don't venture into the pantry, several things happen. The pantry stays in disarray, and the onions, well, sprout. And grow long tentacles. Not to mention the rest of the house and the tentacles growing there.

I'm feeling better (can you hear the angel voices?) Thanks to the love and support of our friends and church family, Aaron had a fun week playing with various friends, and I got a lot of sleep.

I would never wish this sickness on anyone. It was horrible. I lost close to 10 pounds in the last few days, and although I'm not devastated about the number on the scale by any means, getting the stomach flu is not the ideal way to achieve a weight loss goal. And the time for weight loss is definitely not during pregnancy! I am so thankful that I did not have to go to the hospital for fluid replacement. Praise the Lord for electrolyte drinks, even by the teaspoon.

Hopefully you all stay healthy - Spring is coming!!

grace

Your will cannot lead me where Your grace will not keep me
Your hand will protect me, I rest in Your care
Your eyes will watch over me, Your love will forgive me
and when I am faltering, I still will find You there.

God's Grace is and always will be sufficient. When sickness enters day #8, when all I can do is sleep, and when I will finally be able to drink a glass of water without wondering how soon I will see it again. God is good, all the time.

sickie

Hopefully I can kick this bug. Today was miserable, again. Tomorrow we have Aaron all lined up to visit a friend's house for the day. That is a very weird feeling. And my stomach has lots of weird feelings.

Here's to getting well soon and keeping the bug away from my boys.

Amen, amen.

what a way to end the week

For the past 4 days, I have had this horrible intestinal bug. I am thankful to report that a visit to the doctor was made sweeter by a little listen to baby #2's heartbeat, which was a nice surprise. This afternoon I am finally feeling like things are starting to turn around. Still running around 50% but on the upward swing, praise the Lord.

For all of you asking questions about my pregnancy and health in general, baby #2 is due around the beginning of September. I've been nauseous all day, every day since about week #6 until the end of last week. I had a few days' respite and then got hit by the bug.

We are not planning to find out the gender of our child. We really like surprises. A lot.

We are doing a LOT of praying and question-asking about what the Lord would have us to do regarding prenatal care and delivery of this new little blessing. I know it's a touchy topic, but I'm planning on having a VBAC and am trying to find a care provider with whom I feel one hundred percent comfortable with and confident that he/she will support me safely to the goal of a healthy delivery. Would you join us in praying this way?

It kind of looks like my serious options would be a home birth with a wonderful Christian midwife or working with a doctor in Saginaw, which means a longer drive for prenatal care and giving birth in a hospital that gives me a minor case of heebie jeebies. I found out that the Midland hospital's rate of C-section is absolutely through the roof. We are still weighing our options and praying for wisdom.

Have a wonderful weekend, and stay healthy!!

checkup

Aaron & I went to see our favorite doctor yesterday for his 18 month check up. He's doing great, reaching and exceeding all developmental milestones. Speech-wise, he is apparently way ahead of the curve. The doc asked if he was using six words on a regular basis and I just about lost it laughing. Uh, yeah. More like six hundred. The doctor smiled and said something about toddler babbling, until Aaron looked at him and said "Doctor" as clear as day. My strange and wonderful boy.

He's now a whopping 25 pounds, which is slightly under the 50th percentile, and 33 inches, slightly over the 50th. Not a problem, as he seems healthy, happy, and just fine to me. His new favorite? Watching Curious George on PBS. "Monkey?" he will say, pointing at the TV. He does not get the concept that "Monkey" is not on TV whenever we so desire. He also loves watching sports, of all things. He sat next to Michael through THE ENTIRE SUPER BOWL (unlike his mother) and when a commercial would come on, would say "Football? Again? Football?" He also enjoyed watching the boys play basketball at our school's recent homecoming festivities. He's definitely into sports at this point, anyway.

Praise the Lord for His continued blessings!!

Aaron Likes Muffins

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

the rising cost of healthcare?

Today in the mail...

"Thank you for choosing Aetna for your individual and family health insurance needs. Each year, we spend considerable time evaluating both medical cost history and current premium rates to ensure we can consistently provide superior products and services to our customers. This year our evaluation of both medical cost history and current premium rates resulted in a rate decrease for your current policy..."

I had to read THAT twice. The letter went on to tell us that our monthly premium was decreasing by $18. That's $216 over the next year, people!! How often does this happen, really?

God PROVIDES! Jehovah Jireh!!!

A Valentine's Day Poll

Opinion Polls & Market Research

dear, dear Yuki

Seven years ago, I purchased my first car. It was chosen by my parents, because I was working at camp in PA and I needed a car before heading back to Northland to work in the Admissions Office. I told dad, "No white cars, and please let it have 4 doors and get good mileage."

He got two out of three - the car was a 2-door. It was a taupe 1988 Mazda MX-6, manual transmission, and it had 93,000 miles on it. Although it may have been a little lightweight on the snowy roads of Wisconsin, the price was right. $900 and a few hours razor blading the dark tint from the back window.

A friend from Japan named him "Yuki" which, apparently, means courage. And Yuki was courageous. Ask our friends Tim & Sarah, who experienced a total baptism by "puddle" in the spring of 2002. We were driving from Mel's Diner back to NBBC campus during a torrential rainstorm, and a dip in the road was flooded, a little more than I originally eyeballed. I never should have made it through that flood, as we realized when 6" of water accumulated in the back seat floor. All the dash lights went on, the car was STALLED and still the wheels turned.

Then the semi came, it's wake baptizing us in the dirty water of the street. We were TOTALLY under water. Somehow we continued to the other side of the dip, where we bailed out the water in the McDonald's parking lot and I willed my heart to stop racing. God got us through, for certain.

My darling husband learned to drive a manual in Yuki. Before we were married, on the back roads of Wisconsin. That was fun. I kept making him stop halfway up the hills, just for kicks. He was such a good sport. And now, he drives Yuki to work every day.

In the past seven years, we have had to replace 2 axels, a radiator, fix the muffler, and put in a thermostat. We've definitely changed the tires. Yuki now has well over 250,000 miles. And, unfortunately, it looks like Yuki has reached the end of his road.

Estimates to fix the clutch are in the neighborhood of $500-$700. Part of me wants to agree to this cost, thinking that perhaps he would run for another seven years with similar upkeep costs. But I'm a bit of an idealist.

Seven years is a long, long time to get attached to a car. I'm attached. Big time. And no one can convince me that this car is anything but reliable. Mazda has a fan for life.

So...anybody have a cheap Mazda for sale?

Praising the Lord

Yesterday, I was praising the Lord for the safety of my brother, despite all odds.

This morning, Michael called. The clutch on the Mazda finally gave out. Providentially, it was not on the highway, but instead near a parking lot.

God is good all the time, and I am thankful this week that He chooses to show His hand of protection. So often I take this for granted.

I'm also praising the Lord that the SD card was retrieved from the computer with only a little shaking and a few gyrations. Of the computer, not of me. *wink*

Yesterday also was the beginning of a new adventure for me - the world of food co-ops! A family from church is heading up a produce co-op and I was thrilled to come home with a month's worth of fresh produce for significantly less than grocery store prices. How exciting - and a perk is that the food purchased through the co-op has a smaller gap between organic and non organic produce, so that more of our food can be organic! Praise the Lord for budget stretching on our behalf!

monsteriffic

Anybody have any ideas for extracting a digital camera's SD card that was inserted into the wrong (too large) slot of our computer's multi-card reader by a little 18 month old? It appears to have completely disappeared. Where does the card reader go? If I somehow figure out how to take the cover off the computer, will I find my card? Or do I need to shell out the big bucks and get a professional to do this?

Ah, motherhood. Full of adventures...

truer words...

I came across this post today and thought about these sage words. Among other things, it might be time for me to let go of some of my pre-Aaron clothes. At least, reasonably, one bin?

Speedy Supper

For all of you getting that crazy-good Safeway deal, here is a recipe to use up your link sausage. It's one of our favorites (by accident!) I got a buy one, get two free deal on some low fat sausage at Meijer and gave this a try. It would work with any link-type or kielbasa.

1 can (15 oz) tomatoes (we use home canned, but diced or stewed would work great)
1/2 1-lb package kielbasa type sausage (I've used the whole package before, too)
1 bell pepper (I use frozen that I prepared this summer)
1 small onion
1/2 - 1 tsp minced garlic
olive oil
whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti

Saute the garlic, peppers and onions until crisp-tender, remove from pan. Slice the sausage into rounds or however you like it, warm that up in the same pan. Add veggies and tomatoes, heat through. We usually eat this over whole grain pasta, but I've made sandwiches as well by toasting rolls and then topping with the mixture and provolone or mozzarella and toasting them in the oven. The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes and is yummy!

my beautiful momma

She is going to KILL me for putting up this particular photo, but I LOVE it!! I love seeing my parents so happy and laughing.

Today, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY goes out to the best-ever baker of cookies, the sweetest teacher, the huggiest lady, and I get to call her my momma.

Mom, you are an inspiration to so many. I love you and hope your birthday is the BEST.

new favorite cookies

I haven't baked cookies in months. Primarily because I am the only one in the house who eats them, and we all know it is not a good idea for one woman to eat an entire batch of cookies. In a week. Or two days.

Michael and I are cutting back on junk food, limiting our intake to once a week (usually Fridays). It's a whole lot easier when we stick to that plan at the grocery store, let me tell you. So Michael gets once a week nachos, and I get once a week sweets. It's not that bad, really. At least, it's a step in the right direction, and one we can easily live with.

So, I'm hoping it will be pretty easy to give away and share these whole wheat oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip creations. Not because I don't WANT to eat the entire batch...they are DELICIOUS!!! But I have plenty of opportunities to distribute cookies to others this weekend. Plus, I can more easily justify eating them due to the whole wheat aspect. And when I'm tempted to eat yet another delicious morsel, I remind myself of the sugar and fat element. And we have the classic struggle between taste buds and future fat cells.

Well, I enjoyed baking them, anyway! If you have cookie monsters in your house, these are a highly recommended addition to your repertoire! Happy Friday!

little treasure

Aaron is talking up a storm. He is an amazingly verbal child (please, no snide remarks about how he comes by it honestly...) and has a vocabulary of easily 100 words. Some of these, he doesn't get quite right. I am loving it. He is after all, just 18 months old. We've got plenty of time for diction practice.

And this is my favorite:

Aaron can say "mom"
and he can say "me"
but when you ask him to say "mommy" it comes out "monnya"

So, I wonder how long I will get to hear this little treasure? I'm actually kind of dreading the day that he gets it right. One more indication that he is growing up TOO quickly!!

somebody's calling my name

Do you like winning stuff? I certainly do, and when I hear the word "FREE" it is as if a light from heaven shines down and I can hear the angel choirs begin to sing.

OK, maybe that was a little over the top...but I do like free.

So if you're like me, (or if you're unlike me, but still love free stuff) might I suggest that you head on over to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival? There is a veritable plethora of items being given away. And if you are feeling particularly generous, you might consider giving something away yourself. I wish I'd been more on the ball myself and had something all ready to give away. Oh, well - maybe next time!

VVVVVery Cute homemade Valentine Cards

OK, so I'm not much for celebrating Valentine's Day. But you really should check out these cute little cards you can make yourself. Or that your kids can make, if they are old enough. Cute, cute, cute! So much cuteness - maybe that is why I don't particularly heart V-day...But I sure do like these little cards!!

being content in Mid-Michigan...

I'm trying not to let it bother me that we don't have CVS. But when I see posts like this, my jaw drops to the floor in disbelief. Seriously, can you even believe it?

why buy toys? (and the big boy hair cut)

As I expected when I saved those spools for Aaron in the midst of Christmas sewing, he loves them. More than some of his other toys, which we've relegated to the top shelf of his closet until age makes them more appreciated. For now, I'm more than happy that empty spools of thread provide 40 minutes of entertainment.

This weekend, we are Michael-less. He's heading up to Snow Camp with the youth group, and Aaron and I are staying home. This year's camp is being held almost 3 hours from us! Usually, the camp we rent is a mere 40 minutes. If this were the case, I'd be leaving Aaron with my parents and heading up myself on Friday...but the distance prohibits that this year. Oh well! I'm sure there will be plenty of Snow Camps in my future. We sure are going to miss Michael, though. He'll be gone for 2 nights - the longest we have been apart since our marriage!! As we were saying goodbye, Aaron looked out the door and said, "Daddy? Home?" and that about broke my heart. I'm going to try to distract myself with random fun things. Mom and Dad have school off tomorrow, so we will probably get together too!

Please pray for our teens this weekend - and for the sponsors!!

clippers

Aaron and Michael both got haircuts last night. It was not Aaron's first haircut, but it was the first time I'd attempted to use the clippers on his little head. The back and sides were too much for scissors this time!! He watched me cut Michael's hair, with great interest. He kept saying "Hay-ow" (hair) and when it came time for his turn, he did so great - no yelling or screaming. He was vvvvery curious to see the hair come off the clippers, though, and was constantly turning his head to see. That makes life a little interesting. Praise the Lord for blade guards. Pictures to come!

Thirsty

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:1-8

Almost completed and free to you!

Hey everyone! I have a strange offer. :-) I was going through my fabric stores and found a skirt that I began sewing in college. I do not have the time to finish it now, and want to send it to anyone who is interested in finishing it up and someone who could use it. The waistband is pinned but not sewn, and it would need a zipper and hem.

It is a sable brown color, medium weight suiting fabric, gradual a-line style with a 3" wide dropped waistband. It has a center seam which has been double stitched to add interest. Approximate measurements are 30" waist, 42" hip, 36" unfinished length. Please send me an email if you are interested. (twomuthsatgmaildotcom) Free shipping :-) Hope someone can use this!

Quotable Luther

I'm reading Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, a Christmas gift from my parents. This morning, chapter 3 began with this from Martin Luther:

"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."

Anyone else need that reminder? It is so easy to get caught up in the daily routine, to be weighed down with guilt over what is not accomplished and what schedule is not kept, rather than rejoicing in God's calling and His view of my work.

Whatever I can accomplish in one day, may I do it "as unto the Lord."

he knows too much

Yesterday, Aaron found Michael's insoles, wet from the wintery day, drying out on the mudroom floor. We found him putting them in Michael's dress shoes. I think the child has more understanding then we could fathom.

In the words of my friend Julie who has tons of mommy experience, "When in doubt, assume that they DO understand!"

Julie? I haven't forgotten!!

Got a broken "want to?"

I read this article this morning over at Frugal Hacks, and boy did it hit the spot. Ever feel this way? I certainly do. Janel's advice starts out much like our NBBC professors' in regard to spiritual and physical discouragement. It's just the kick in the pants (er, skirt?) that I needed this morning.

Happy Thursday!

dealing with it

Early last week, we noticed something rather disturbing: our bathroom floor was making squishy noises. Squishy like a very wet sponge. We decided we'd better take up the laminate floor and determine the source of our interesting sound effects. We suspected that the toilet was the culprit.

When we installed the laminate throughout the main area of the house, we READ the box, choosing to ignore the warning against installing the stuff in the bathroom. We wanted a nice looking floor, we clean up our water spills quickly anyway, and, we reasoned, the worst that can happen is that it won't work and we will have to install tile before we resell in the next few years.

Or, you know, before February.

So, on Saturday, Michael started to remove the laminate. The stench was overpowering, and I quickly packed up Aaron and set out to knock out some errands. Two and a half hours later, we returned to find the bathroom floor completely removed, the cement slab bleached, and the hallway floor & underlayment propped up about 3" and our fans blowing air underneath.

The floor has been propped up since then, and we think the underlayment is finally dry. Hopefully we can re-install the few pieces of laminate that we removed from the hallway without much trouble. Oh, and the bathroom will need to be tiled soon.

Apparently, we needed a double-thick wax seal for that toilet.

And yesterday? Yesterday, I was scouring the tub and a few of Aaron's foam letters fell into the cleaning area, so I set them in the sink to rinse. The sink overflowed, causing water to spill over the counter edge, down the vanity, across the floor, and under the wall into the office. (we still don't have baseboards to keep the water contained in one room) I have to say, that little incident made me wish I'd stayed in bed.

Why is it that we can "handle" the big things life throws at us, but these little problems just cause frustration? Why is it that I run to God when my heart is broken, when I'm hurting or scared, but these daily small things make me crazy?

If God knows how many hairs are on my head, he certainly knows when I forget to turn the water off and make a river out of my house! And he certainly cares about my yucky floors! I definitely need His help in every second of every day. I definitely need to lean MORE on my God. I need HIM to help me deal with every little thing.

What I made for Christmas, Vol. 2

I got so addicted to making cloth grocery bags, that I decided to try a smaller version - just for kicks. I found this stripey remnant at a local church sale this summer, and knew I had to have it for stuffing into the last possible corner of my $2 bag. This calico is one of my favorite prints, no matter how Little House it may look. I love the brown with the sweet little pink flowers.

I had several yards of happy green stripe fabric left from Aaron's room, so I made a set of 4 napkins out of part of it, added a homemade bread mix and a big bag of coffee beans, and had a gift for a friend out west. Napkins are a great starter sewing project for any of you who want something easy to learn with.

I actually made two of these bags - the other was similarly stuffed for another CO friend. They turned out to be about 7 x 9, the right size for a handbag, a toiletry bag for a weekend trip, or an older child's diaper bag (it would fit a sippy cup and snack plus a couple diapers and wipes, but not multiple clothing changes).

I also made 4 or 5 heat therapy bags using rice as a filler, but unfortunately I did not get any photos of those! The bags were about 5" wide and about 20 " long, and I made them sectioned by sewing up the sides and one end, flipping it inside out, and pouring in 1 1/2 cups of rice, then squishing all the rice together, pinning it tight, and sewing a seam so that each pocket was about 4". I really liked how the pockets turned out and how the seams keep the rice in place.

I had great plans for more homemade gifts (like these, especially) but I guess those will just have to wait for next year!

just 2 more days to be "undecided"

Tuesday is Michigan's primary election. I've really been mulling over things as I try to narrow down the candidates, trying to figure out what to do.

I've always been so terrible at decision making!

My dad has an interesting perspective on the issue for us who live in MI. Unconventional thinking, but that is what I love about you, dad! ;-)

Whatever you do, get out and VOTE! Don't let the day get away from you!!

hurray for mean moms

I think this mom has the right idea. (Thanks, dad, for sharing that story!)

glad

Today, I am glad.

Glad to be living in this land of the free, home of the brave. Glad that my true citizenship is in Heaven. Glad to be a believer, to be guided by God's sovereign hand and plan. Glad He directs and leads, and provides.

I'm glad to have a whining little 17 month old, cutting two molars the week after two others have come through, crabby, and striking naps. I'm grateful for the gift of Aaron.

Do you ever feel like you wish you had a checklist for your life? There's really nothing more helpful when you're going on a trip to the store or packing for a vacation than your checklist. If it's on the list, you remember to get it done. As a teacher, a checklist was vital for me.

Since Aaron was born, I've had this nagging sensation - like I'm missing something major. I have that feeling that I'm forgetting something. Oh, I've got the obvious ones, like food, clothing, hygiene, etc. But sometimes, I honestly wrack my brain, trying to come up with that elusive "something" that I've forgotten to teach him, some major truth or skill or character building block that I'm going to forget. I know, you're rolling your eyes and saying "He's only 17 months for Pete's sake" but it's there. So a checklist would be really handy, don't you think?

I know, I know - I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to forget something. With God's grace, Aaron (and any future Muth children) will turn out just fine. And I'm pretty sure there's a really great reason God did not include checklists for childrearing. I'm pretty sure it has to do with trusting Him, resting in His Sovereignty, and obeying what He's already told us to do. With all my sniveling, I really am glad to not have a checklist. That way, any success in childrearing will be totally of God, and not because I followed my checklist of "Vital Truths To Impart To Children - Guaranteed Success"

what to do, what to do?

So I've been keeping half an eye on the political race, and I have to admit, I am still one of the "undecided voters" spoken of so frequently in the news. Although, no one has contacted me on that, so I guess I'm technically one of the unknown undecideds rather than one who is frequently spoken of.

After seeing the results of the Iowa caucuses, I realized for the first time that this is going to be interesting. Really interesting. I'm so glad that God is the one who puts leaders into position. I'm so glad He allows us to play a part in our government.

So, any thoughts on voting? What are the major issues for you? (you don't have to state your position - we don't want a war here) but is there a deal breaker issue for you? Or do you just weigh the candidates on their overall appeal, on how many issues you agree with? Or, do you wait it out and see who looks like they have a chance at winning and then throw your vote in with the one whose views line up the most with yours?

Please tell me you will be voting.

curls

You would think the child would have more hair at 17 months. I can't believe he's that old already. Here he is, fresh out of the shower. He sees daddy coming home after work and says:

"Daddee"
"Hi! Hi! Hi!" (number of "hi's" varies)
"Pesha" (pencil - Michael works with one behind his ear, and Aaron likes to help him put it away)
"Hat" (helps Michael put his work hat away)
"Showa"

And in they go.

Incidentally, don't you love the polka dots in Aaron's room? You don't have to - I love them. *grin* I still have 2 walls to finish, because things happen and interrupt the projects. Then all of the dots need a second coat.

What I made for Christmas - Volume 1

This year's Christmas gifts were about 50% homemade. Featured here are two of the gifts I made, plus our new Christmas/winter wreath. This was an old wreath that has been twice made over. It was first given to me at my bridal shower, decorated with jingle bells and bright red berries. Julia made it over the next year, just repurposing the jingle bells and adding other small touches. This year, 4 years later, the jingle bells were not so shiny and so I looked around for a few things and found an arrangement that I was constantly moving from Aaron's reach. It now has new life in our door ornamentation. I have a fall wreath that is on a grapevine base, so now all I must do is come up with a spring/summer wreath and my front door decor will have full seasonal rotation.


This was our generic gift of the year - bread in a bag mixes. I have tons of fabric scraps lying around, and for these, it took about 2 minutes to whip up 4 cloth bags, unfinished at the top. It would have looked much nicer if I had pinking shears, but I just pretended. Chances are that no one will be re-using the gift packaging. She recommended brown paper sacks, but I wanted it to look a little different than that. I used half unbleached white and half whole wheat flour. I was going to do dessert in a jar mixes, but then I got this great deal on flour and decided to do this instead. I ended up making about 20 mixes and clothing them in various colors.


This was my favorite gift to make this year - reusable shopping totes. I made 16 of them, using this pattern as my inspiration. (I lengthened the straps and widened the bag just a tad) I used fabric I had on hand, some of which was home decorator fabric, some of which was plain sturdy cotton. The checkered one is an old navy bedsheet with some heavy poly/cotton blend I almost made a skirt out of in my early college years. Thankfully I did NOT. It makes a much better shopping bag, don't you agree? This set went to grandma in OH. All the bags I made are fully reversible. The other photo shows the general structure. The pink/red set went to my mom. I apparently didn't get as many photos as I thought - like of my favorite color combinations - but you get the idea.

Stay tuned for volume 2!

these are the lazy, crazy, hazy days...

1. Lazy. Yes, we would appear to be, from an outsider's perspective. Napping, staying home, sleeping in, etc. We prefer to call this the "recovery period."

2. Crazy. In the past 2 1/2 weeks, we have had much happy craziness. Family visits in CO & OH have kept us running. We're home for the long haul, we've been to the grocery store to replenish our fridge, and hopefully we're not going crazy any more. Michael returns to work on the 2nd, Nate & Lissa are visiting through the end of the week, and after that I am sure our life will be back to the "boring" craziness we call normal.

3. Hazy. We're fighting some crazy upper respiratory bug, and hard. Aaron's coughing and hacking, Michael's down for the count, and I'm emerging, victorious. I hope. That was round 2 for me.

I feel as if I've been absent from the blogging world for years. So much to catch up on, so many "what I made for Christmas" posts to write...

Until then, happy last day of 2007! Wasn't it a great year? God is so gracious. Any family traditions for reflecting on His Works that you'd like to share?

The Amazing Race?

Our travel adventure ended well, in that we arrived in Michigan, unscathed, and before Christmas Day, by about 15 minutes.

We got to Springs in plenty of time for the great Pack-n-Play drop off (thank you, Newlands) and with about 3 hours to check in, clear security and wait with bated breath for our connection to Chicago, where we would catch yet another connection to MBS, a mere 20 minutes from home. I was fairly confident that these flights were still scheduled, as I had signed up for the "Flight Change Alert" call system.

We got to the airport check in, only to find that our second connection had been cancelled, and that no flights would be leaving Chicago until Wednesday to get to MBS. Huh, interesting. We had just dropped off our rental car, having been confident of our departure. The agent scheduled us instead to fly to Denver, then Chicago, then to Grand Rapids, a 2 1/2 hour drive from home. We would arrive at 8 something. OK, well, a phone call to mom & dad confirmed that they could pick us up.

One 34-minute trip to Denver later found our flight to Chicago delayed - first 3 hours, then 6 hours, then 7 plus hours. To complicate matters, Chicago seems to be somewhat of a hub *grin* so this was affecting a LOT of travelers. The airline was down to one customer service center, with a queue about a mile long. It really probably was, considering the bendy configuration. We found a sympathetic agent who switched us to a different airline and printed off some official looking documents (which really only means too many codes for me to make sense of them) and sent us on our way, which at this point meant Denver direct to Detroit, another 2 1/2 hour drive from home.

To make an already long-enough story short, the sympathetic agent apparently did the switcheroo wrong, and we ended up running (ok, walking briskly) between concourses for a solid 2 hours trying to find a way to get out of Denver and back home. Michael commented that he didn't remember signing up for the Amazing Race.

Thankfully, we arrived in Detroit with few issues. When we boarded that plane, I was so relieved to be heading closer to home. Aaron was a fabulous traveler, napping in the carrier during our airport escapades (thank you, Michael) and for a short while on the plane. Thankfully, dad made the trip to come get us.

Our luggage has yet to arrive. I think it went to Grand Rapids without us. Since we switched airlines, there is really no telling if it will arrive before the weekend. Or all together. Or at all. The (no doubt) overworked agent who reported our baggage delayed neglected to enter one of the tracking numbers. Fabulous.

A very unexpected bonus - upon our arrival to Detroit, we had no car seat. We were expecting a loaner, similar to the situation in Colorado Springs - we returned their car seat when our bags and seat arrived. In Detroit, apparently, they "can't" take them back. Or don't, but regardless. We got a brand new Evenflo convertible car seat, very similar to the one pictured above. Now we have to decide what to do with it. I have a few ideas...

I keep having to learn these lessons about my own expectations and the plan that God has for us. I keep having to learn that despite the situations that seem stinky to me, God has not forgotten, and He is carefully placing each new event in my life. He might be doing that to see how I respond, He might be doing it to stretch me, but I don't really need to know why. I just need to remember that God has it all under His control. Whether it be a death in the family, a nasty case of a mystery virus, or lost luggage and a longer trip - His control does not waver. He is good, all the time.

And when I can, by His grace, remember this - all is well! I do not worry, fret, and wring my hands! I can focus instead on the post-travel clutter, the stack of accumulated mail, and the installation of our new (FREE) Superman-logo-embellished keyboard and optical mouse. And maybe, just maybe, my house will be spic and span and ready when our luggage arrives.

which do you prefer?

Thinking about purchasing some bakeware - much of mine is shot - and the question is: which variety to get? Anybody ever used silicone? What are the pros & cons of this variety vs traditional non-stick? I'm specifically interested in getting a bundt pan, bread pan, and muffin pans, and I would love any input!

Ok, so I'm not really taking that much of a blog break. But I wanted to post this for several reasons. One, I wanted you to see our final product from all of our funny Christmas family photos, and two, we didn't want to post this before the recipients opened the cards. So if you haven't gotten a card from us? We love you, we wish you a Happy Christmas, and here is your card. We are saving trees, don't you know?

Also, today is our 4th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary to the world's most perfect man for me! It's flown by and I have loved every minute! God is GOOD!

Be sure to check back after Christmas for some "what I made for Christmas" posts. I've been taking photos of my homemade gifts and I'm so excited to share them with you!

Travels with Child in tow

Aaron is a traveling champ. At least, he was while we flew out here. We had one 45 minute flight from MBS to Chicago, and then a 2 1/2 hour flight to COS. The second leg was what we were most concerned about, but he did great. When we landed at COS, the people in all the seats around us almost simultaneously burst into praise. "He did such a good job" "Great job, buddy" and things of that nature.

We are so thankful.

Of course, we cheated. Big Time. Can you say "Baby Einstein DVD" - and lots of snacks. And prayer, which is NOT cheating.

Aaron has had a harder time getting used to the new time zone. Today, we have victory. A full night's sleep and two glorious naps. Our happy boy is back. And we are grateful.

So - what are your thoughts on electronic distractions? Some of me likes it, some of me doesn't. I would love to hear what you think!

safe arrival

We are safely and happily in Colorado. However, our bags did not make it. *sigh* They are still waiting in Chicago. Our airline has a "reimburse for necessary expenses" clause. You'd better believe we are going to use it. Joyfully. I could use some new jeans.

*grin*

Blogging Break

We leave today for vacation in Colorado! Hurray for God's provision and goodness in allowing us to visit our family.

Please pray for us as Aaron is traveling for the first time on an airplane. We leave at 6:45 pm and as that is very close to his bedtime, it could either work for us very well (ie, he sleeps) or backfire on us (ie, he screams) Please pray that we would handle the situation with grace.

and that we wouldn't get kicked off the plane for having a screamer.

Merry Christmas to you all!!

and how exactly do you do that?

Michael and I were watching the news last night - and heard the words "vac*ine recall." I will not even begin to tell you how angry that made me. OK, yes I will.

When you recall toys, you can send them back. When you recall a vac*ine? Not so simple. "Hello, we are here to retrieve the bacteria that inadvertently was injected into your child. This will just take a minute."

"This is not a major health concern" the manufacturers say, and in the same breath that they also say "there is no way to tell how many children received a dose."

Some people have other soapboxes. This is mine. No matter how you feel about vac*ines, just please, please make sure you do your research so that your children can have medical treatment and prevention of disease in the safest possible way. And in the way God leads you. But please, PLEASE do your research first.

socks

When was the last time you bought a CD and loved every song? For me, a good CD purchase is usually one that fewer than 3 songs are "throw away" - I skip them because I don't like them, they get on my nerves, etc. etc. I'm pretty picky when it comes to music...just ask my voice instructor.

No genre is excluded from this general rule - the style of music usually has no bearing on whether or not the 3-song rule applies. The style of music DOES affect whether or not the CD's actually make it into the player to qualify for the 3-song rule. *grin*

When I got this Michael W Smith CD (It's A Wonderful Christmas) in the mail to review, my first inclination was to listen, review, and chuck and/or find a friend whose tastes differ slightly from my own. Actually, I was thinking "more than" slightly. Usually when I hear MWS's name, all I can think of is "Friends are Friends Forever" which I do NOT like. And I think it's more than just the lyrics. But we'll leave it at that. *wink*

So, despite the taste in my...ears? I decided to do my best to keep an open mind, try to forget the name on the album, and just listen.

I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, when the CD started, I had to open up the multi-disk player to make sure I had the correct album - the orchestration that began track #1 was a surprise. About a minute into it, the solo vocals began. Mr. Smith also used several choirs in this song, and throughout the album, including a boys choir - and that really made parts of this album sparkle. I loved the choirs.

Track #2 was entirely instrumental, and had some very nice moments - glimmers of traditional Christmas themes - I liked track #2.

"The Promise" is the title of track 3, and for me seemed to have a little Feature Films for Families flavor. I loved the use of the choirs. I love choirs at Christmas. Some may say the pure, full tones of the choir made a nice contrast to Mr. Smith's voice, which is not so rounded. I don't happen to have this opinion. This song was so-so for me.

#4, "Song for the King", starts with "Once in Royal David's City" on strings. I love strings. Added brass, and then about a minute into it, a piano and violin in a relaxing and simple theme. You can easily imagine this as a lullaby for Jesus. Until the last minute or so, when the same theme is augmented in a majestic way, then quieted for a piano/violin finish. The entire song is instrumental.

So far, we're 3 for 4. Not bad on my 3-song rule.

Number 5. A duet with Mandisa? Now, you are my friends, after all. Do I really need to tell you how I feel about that? This is the first song I cannot stand even in passing. Skip. We won't even go into the "let's light a candle/for peace we pray" lyrics. OK we will. This song's lyrics go from Santa and nations to lighting candles for peace. Nowhere is Jesus mentioned (although "manger scene" is in there.) SKIP.

"A Highland Carol" begins with bagpipes and a theme reminiscent of "Blessed be the Name" and although I'm not big into bagpipes, this was a nice tune.

Number 7 - "Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah" is entirely choral. Read the lyrics. It begins with a boy choir, and is gorgeous. No church would have any problems with their choir singing this beauty. It has a traditional hymn sound, and it made me want to stand up and sing. This is my favorite song on the whole album. It's about this time that I think, "maybe I will keep this CD" You can listen here.

"Son of God" reminds me of a church cantata - a solo at the beginning, choirs taking over - and I can see this song IN a cantata - all the repetition of the "singing gloria" would be good for reflection on the nativity. And the text is pretty good for the solo part, too. I would pick a different vocal style for the soloist. But you knew that.

"What Child is This" is a simple arrangement on piano and penny whistle. It is beautiful.

So if you're counting, we're 7 for 9. I'm raising my eyebrows in surprise at this point. As I am sure you are.

"Audrey's Gift" is a piano arrangement of the same simple theme that has woven through the entire recording. This is not a vocal song. You know, this CD could easily be a soundtrack to a movie. Easily.

We are on the last track of the CD, "All Year Long" and it is full of M. W. vocals. A few choirs, a subtle insert of a secular world view, and we're done. I didn't care for that one.

So, friends, we have listened through "It's a Wonderful Christmas" and Mr. Smith squeaked by on the 3 song rule. I don't think I have a new favorite CD, but I don't think I'll be tossing this or finding a new home for it. And I do love "Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah" enough to make a mental note that if I ever direct music again, I will need to look into it.

M. W., you have squeaked by! I give you one out of 2 socks. Surprised right off.

soft lazy beautiful flakes

"Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" Ps. 51:7

that is what I get for slacking off.

So, we're traveling to Colorado at the end of the week. And in order to take our son with us, it would probably be a good idea to take his birth certificate. Oh wait, I never went to the county clerk's office to pick that up.

I seem to remember that on 8/4/06, when we were discharged from the hospital and got all those instructions on how to get a copy of the birth certificate that they told us it would be $10. I remember thinking it was awfully inconvenient, and couldn't they just give it to us at the hospital and add $10 to our bill?

I called today, so it would be ready to pick up. And now it's $12.

My, my, my. It seems the frugal choice would have been to get the child his birth certificate before inflation drove the price up. And ok, before his first birthday. At least. And part of me just has to ask - don't I pay county taxes? Shouldn't this sort of thing be covered?

Did you guys have to pay and make a separate trip for your kiddos' birth certificates?

a homemade attempt

Amazing what you can learn with a little search engine help for all your plaguing questions. I think I just might try this.

ever have a day like this?

Sorry, sweetie. Your birthday card really will get there. As soon as Aunt Jenny can remember that the post office probably needs a little more information than just your name.

Had any absent minded moments recently?

I'd love to hear!

I remember moving in...

Yesterday my parents made their last house payment

I remember moving in, and boy was that house a mess. Thanks, mom and dad. Thanks for more than just giving me a great home to grow up in. Your courage to bravely remodel and live in a house that needed so much work has fortified me for much more than just moving into our very own fixer upper.

You have taught me not only a good work ethic and minor home fix-its, (yes, I know, my smaller fingers were just better at sanding the corners of the floor and better at scraping the paint off the porch rails). You taught me that God always provides. You taught me contentment. You taught me to trust Him and to do it joyfully. You may not have always felt that way, but I never guessed it.

I know, you're sitting there reading this and shaking your head. That's why you taught (and are still teaching) me the beauty of humility.

And I am humbled that God saw fit to give you grace and strength in the years of our growing up, in the years that He had those hard lessons to teach us all about trusting, about God's provision, about the love of family, and about so much more. Praise GOD for His Goodness at all times. Praise God for parents like you.

I love you guys, and I rejoice with you in God's grace, abundant on your behalf! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Now, do you burn that mortgage or frame it?

Chili!

We've all had those days where fixing dinner is the absolute last thing on your mind. I had one of those days yesterday. Who am I kidding? It's very unusual for me to think about dinner all day. My menu has just run out, so I'm fresh out of ideas. Thankfully, Michael doesn't mind eating dinner at 7. Or 8. And yes, we've been known to wait as long as 9.

So what do you fix when you need to shop and can't think clearly? This is the topic for this week's Works For Me Wednesday, so if you find yourself in this "what on earth are we going to have tonight?" quandry more often than you care to admit, head on over and check out what ideas other people have. This is what I made yesterday, put in the Crock Pot at 4pm. I cranked the heat up to "HIGH" and it was ready in an hour. Aaron ate his right then, and loved it. But we ate ours three hours later, over rice.

Easy Chili (served 3 hungry Muths)
1/4 lb frozen ground beef (yep, just toss it right in the bottom)
1 pint home canned tomatoes (but a 15 oz can works too)
1 can chili seasoned beans (we like Bush's brand)
more chili powder

I used white rice since I have tons right now. Brown would be spectacular. I also put some cheese on top - yum. I usually add another can of beans (not chili seasoned) but I did not have any on hand.

win it!

I just heard about a new giveaway and I wanted to let you all know about it!

Challies.com is giving away several sets of Modern Parables. If you want to sign up, do it soon and use my referral code (40102) so I can get more entries and we can all win big. If you do win, make sure you let me know so I can bring some popcorn and watch with you.

Just visit this link and sign up for the newsletter (it's not one of those annoyingly frequent ones)

another shameless plug

I've told you guys about Ebates, and some of you have signed up - THANKS! I just wanted to let you know that you have to make a purchase via Ebates by December 31 for the holiday cash bonus to work. If you purchase something after that date, you get $5 instead of $10. (Still not a bad deal)

Mom said my initial explanation was slightly unclear, so here is a quick recap: Sign up using me as a referral, (twomuths at gmail dot com) and make any online purchase, linking through Ebates, by December 31st. ANY purchase - it could be a $2 book on Half.com or a big ol' flat screen TV at Walmart.com, it doesn't matter. After the order ships to you, and the transaction is complete, you will get $10 bonus cash (plus whatever bonus cash back you earn with your purchase) in your ebates account, and you can immediately request a Big Fat Check!

In my estimation, this is a snazzy way to buy someone a Christmas gift for free...working it kinda like a rebate! Use my email or sign up HERE

snowy prints

Hello, rabbit. Hello, snow. My house is crying out to be decorated for Christmas. I can't believe the job isn't already done. We've been trying to decide on what to do about trees - we have two artificial trees, a 4-footer from our 679 square foot apartment days, and a nice big 7 1/2 footer. I am voting for the small tree up on a table, away from curious fingers. We will see what happens.

Yesterday, I found out that it does NOT work to pour boiling water over the coffee grounds. At least, it does not produce the delicious coffee to which my taste buds are accustomed. Today, I will try to soak them a little longer.

Thankfully, my parents have an extra coffee pot they never use. I will be borrowing that, thank you very much. At least until I do a little price comparison on thermal carafe coffee pots. Because, as you may know, they simply are the best.

Thank you all for your wishes of good will and sympathy. My lil' heart was blessed.

Apparently, my blog has reached new heights of popularity. I will be reviewing a product in the coming days - and those of you who know me well will get a little chuckle out of this one. It is Michael W. Smith's new Christmas CD. You never know - he could surprise the socks right off me. It's happened before. The play by play is coming soon. I bet y'all are on the edge of your seats.

But most of you are wondering why I'm talkin' southern. I blame it on my job. Entirely.

the day Old Faithful died

On days like this - windy, chilly days - there is little I enjoy more than a steamy cup of my dear friend Mr. Decaf. I brew methodically and I brew strong. I brew using my other faithful friend, Mr. Gevalia Thermal Carafe coffee pot.

Mr. Gevalia came to me in October of 2001, I believe, the year of white dorm living. The year Autumn and I decided to take advantage of one of the "too good to be true" offers so generously set forth by Gevalia. I mean, have you priced thermal carafe coffee pots?

After we figured out that paper filters caused coffee overflow in that particular model, and purchased a reusable cone filter, our evenings and mornings were filled with the delicious aroma of Mocca Java and good conversation. The best part of Mr. Gevalia was his ability to keep warm, but not burn, any leftover coffee. Many days, I brewed at 7 and could still have hot coffee at noon.

Today, I loaded up Old Faithful with 3 scoops and a pint, and clicked the familiar button. Ten minutes later, I was still waiting, despondent, cold, and shivering. Old Faithful is no more. My cup is empty.

it's a crazy mixed up world

Sometimes it never hurts to look. The organic grapes at Walmart were $1.77/lb. The regular grapes? $2.98/lb.

Bonus!

Ebates the Great

I've done a little online holiday shopping. And thanks to a variety of suggestions from online sources (which really just means I've forgotten exactly where I heard about it), I've found Ebates.

This website gives you cash back on your purchases, and/or provides coupon codes to help you save even further. Many sites participate, you just have to use a tracking code from Ebates (which you get by typing in the store/website name and clicking on the link provided). My favorite thing is that I've forgotten several times until I already have items added to my cart. So I've opened a new tab and gone to Ebates, then typed in the store and clicked on Ebate's link to them, and through the magic of technology, my items are still in my cart.

The cash back builds up in your account and you can request a check any time the balance is $5 or more. I got cash back on our holiday travel purchases from Hotwire, our photo Christmas cards from Walmart, and several other things that will not be listed here. For obvious reasons. But I will say, dad, unrelated to holiday shopping, that Half.com is one of the participating sites. So you can sign up, too!

So today I got an email saying that if I refer people to Ebates, with their first purchase, we both get a $5 sign up bonus PLUS a $5 Holiday Bonus! That is like getting $10 for shopping online, people! So PLEASE click any of the links on this post and sign yourself up, then start shopping! This bonus $10 only works after you purchase something, and only if you sign up using the LINKS!