Because sometimes we need the reminder...

Found this on pinterest this afternoon while my sweet babes are sleeping. 

I'm praising the Lord for two precious, perfectly created-just-for-me kiddos. 

And, post nap time we'll load up and spend the rest of this gorg afternoon at the park. 

Have you hugged your babies today?

Disappointed.

Autumn is here and our home is a cozy 64 degrees inside. I think I heard our heater turn on earlier this morning... a little bit chilly. :) I love it. I love the cool mornings, being bundled in blankets at night, hot spiced cider packets out for guests and even my "Autumn in New York" music on Spotify. If you get into the jazzy sound at all - you'll like it :)

Can I share something? I have been disappointed many times in recent days. Which, seems doubly frustrating as I so enjoy this time of year. This weekend I loaded the crock pot up with steak n' tater soup, had yeast rolls rising on the stove top, and a yummy apple candle burning away making life smell grand. The dining room table was set with over sized soup bowls and a pretty basket for the baked rolls to go. Scene was set and I was so eager to share this "First day of Fall" meal with my precious family. I had looked forward to it since... May. :) 

As I ladled the soup into bowls and brought warm rolls out of the oven - a certain 3 year old child sauntered in and announced, "No thank you, Mommy, I don't want soup." So began the meltdown of the century. The dream cloud I had been waltzing on the entire day while preparing seemed to be turning to rain right under my feet. A half an hour later I sat at the dining room table, head in hands, tears flowing down my face. Our 3 year old sat in her room as she continued her scream fest. The baby babbled cheerily while shoving bits of potatoes and steak into her mouth, and my poor husband tried to keep the peace between his brood of ladies. Grrrr. My disappointment over this moment were huge. So much planning. So many little touches here and there. Wonderful smells. Happy Momma. All of this now a pile of disappointment at my feet. My husband said to me, "Remember... pay day, someday. This is just our stage of life right now." And, I knew he was right. Because someday we will have lovely, sit down, leisurely meals. Someday we'll have quiet. Someday we'll see and savor every aspect of this wonderful season... but, that's someday. All these days of training of discipline and constant whining {or so it seems} aren't going to last forever. Our pay day is someday. Not today. 

And in the last few days those moments of disappointment have come fast and often to me. Where I feel like a failure or the worlds worst mother. Moments where my children look at me and I know they see grumpy faces and hear a voice raised when I could have been cool, calm, and collected. Disappointment when my quiet time doesn't go quite as I had planned. Disappointment when my self control seems to fly right out the window. And I know many of you are in this place, too. I'm so thankful for the encouragement and prayers of dear friends who walk this road with me. 

This weekend our Pastor taught on 2 Peter 1:5-8 and we learned about the things we can practice in our life to show real and alive fruit for Christ. Today, as we enter another week, I'm calling to mind those things...

virtue, brotherly kindness, perseverance, self control... Because, it's the ONLY way. And, I'm casting those disappointments and moments of chaos as my Saviors feet - because He cares, and He uses them in my life. 

Have you heard? And, some recipes.

Have you heard Downton is back on? Well - at least in the UK.
A few weeks ago a fellow blogger posted a link to watch Downton Abbey SEASON 3 in the UK when it aired, on the 16th. I spaced and totally forgot to plan for it... oh well, there is more to life. I'm not sure if you can watch it re-run style yet, but, thought I'd share the link in case you can. Check that out here if you are fan... and just itching to know what happens to THESE two. :) By the way, thank you Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for the link! We love you!

And please accept my apologies for any crude or just plain gross side bar commerical things - whatever they are called - some can be inappropriate {to say the least}. I, in my limited internet abilities, don't know how to rid them. 

Have you heard of Nascafe's newest product...Memento?

Yum. I'm enjoying a Mocha Memento right now as we speak, er... type. They are instant coffee which I do turn my nose up at usually - but, for some reason I really enjoy these. They are quick, delicious, and even have the frothy yumminess you'd get from a coffee shop. :) Even my black-coffee-only-loving husband enjoys them. Ah, if I only I was paid to say all of that - but alas, I am not.

I'm ending this post with a few recipes that we've tried out recently. With this 60 degree weather this momma is aching for soups, breads and all things fallish-creamy-fatty-goodness-ish. Which, funny how "comfort foods" seem to ease all comforts minus the one on the scale... hmmmm. But, seriously, we have had some yummy things lately and I'm all about sharing!

Favorite Salisbury Steak

For the patties:

1lb ground beef {xtra lean if you can}

1/2c unseasoned bread crumbs

1/2c milk

1 egg white

1/4c fine chopped onion

1t worcestershire sauce

1/4t salt

1/4t pepper

For the gravy:

3/4c beef broth

1/4c beef broth in addition (or, dry red wine if you use it)

1T cornstarch

1/4t dried thyme

Jar mushroom {however, you know we don't even go there} 

1) In medium bowl combine all patty ingredients: mix gently. Shape into 6 oval patties, about 3/4in thick.
2) Spray skillet with nonstick spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add patties and cook 3 mins each side or until browned. Remove patties from skillet and drain if necessary.
3) In small bowl combine broth {and wine if used}, cornstarch and thyme; blend well. Pour into same skillet. Cook over low heat until mix boils and thickens, stir constantly. {stir in your mushrooms if used} Return patties to skillet. Cover; simmer about 15 mins or until no longer pink inside.
*I served this with mashed potatoes and corn! Good all American meal.

Beef Stew

1 1/2lb beef stew meat cut into cubes

5T flour

1t salt

1/2t pepper

1T oil

1lb small, red, potatoes, quartered

1 1/2c frozen pearl onions

1lb package fresh baby carrots 

12oz jar beef gravy

14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4c cold water

1) On waxed paper, sprinkle beef with 2T of the flour, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add coated beef; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until browned.
2) In 4 to 6 qt. slow cooker, layer potatoes, onions and carrots. Add browned beef; sprinkle any remaining flour (from the coating step) and browned pan bits. Top with gravy and canned tomatoes.
3) Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. About 10 minutes prior to serving, blend water and remaining 3T flour until smooth. Stir into stew. Increase heat to High, cover and cook 10 mins.
*We didn't include the pearl onions because... that's a battle I just will not wage with a 3 year old. And, we totally skipped step #3b - just ate it before whipping in that extra flour. Just as good. :)
*Serve sprinkled with some sharp cheddar.

Have a wonderful Tuesday! If you, like me, are enjoying these cool temps - keep on enjoying. I hear we may hit 80 again tomorrow :/

Happy Homemaker Monday

Let me set the tone of this day for you... from where I sit. It's in the upper 60's, raining, gray, and you can see the faintest tint of yellow starting to show up on some of the leaves. I have an apple cinnamon candle burning in our kitchen, and the cider and cocoa packets came out at lunch time. Blankets were rolled up and put in the blankey basket near the end of the couch, some autumn decor is up, and my kids are now asleep.
I couldn't enjoy this more. Happy Monday!

The Weather :: Upper 60's, and I hear a rumor it will stay this way most of the week! Woot Woot!

On my reading pile :: Started Nancy Guthrie's, "The Wisdom of God" book for our church's ladies bible study. Super good! Finishing up: Strong women soft hearts, made to crave, and still working on some Nook books as well.

On my TV :: Off and lovely. However, I am asking hubs to bring home his computer so we can try and watch Downton season 3. Unless I totally missed it!

On the menu::
Monday - Ground beef and something. {gotta use up some leftovers before shopping}
Tuesday - Crescent Chicken squares
Wednesday - Cheeseburgers
Thursday - Buffalo chicken sandwiches and sweet potato tots
Friday - Steak and tater soup with rolls
Saturday - Autumn pork roast with sweet potatoes
Sunday - Left overs

On the To-do list:: Laundry and some general tidying. House is super clean from being gone and having company over last night. Print some preschool stuff for the big girl and I to start on.

What I'm sewing, crocheting, creating :: Finished my pinterest project of the candy corn burlap banner! Now looking for some orange buttons to make the button pumpkin in the frame.

Homemaking tips :: Vinegar. White vinegar. I've always heard about it...but always doubted it in exchange for my chemicals! Ran out of windex this weekend so I used vinegar instead and WAY cleaner, smells better, and just felt better about the whole experience! Might be time to put the blue chemical away and buy an empty spray bottle for my new fave!

Looking around the house :: Dining room chairs all out in the living room from our post-church guests :) Toys here and there. Very dark inside thanks to this lovely rainy day :)

From the camera :: Ladies night with some of the most amazing women I know :)


On my prayer list :: Youth ministry. My husbands car died this afternoon and now we for sure need to buy a new one - with little money saved. Bah.

Bible Verse, devotional :: Loved the reminder of Christ as our mediator, the propitiation for us - He bore all the wrath of God in my place! Praise the Lord!

A Slight distraction

It was supposed to be, "Clean up the bedroom" day for this Momma. Our bedroom never seems to feel like anything more then a giant laundry hamper - blah. For the majority of the morning I cleaned, folded, put away and sorted - while the little girls played, wrestled, giggled and dressed up. But apparently, after so long, play between sisters gets old and they need something new to do. So as I turned to put yet another stack of folded clothes neatly into my drawer - I found... well, my Auggie. :) She makes me smile. Just a little tiny thing chillen' in my bottom drawer, happy as a clam. And even though I had several more things to fold and sort and put away... I figured, that was probably good for the day - and we went downstairs and did something else. Slight distraction.

It must be in the air to be random today. I've read several friends posts and they are all feeling random and sharing lots of fun different things - and I plan to do the same. :)

Upon checking my email this afternoon I was reminded that comfort food season is quickly approaching. {standing ovation} Panera let me know this was back - their fall soups are...amazing.

And, I read they now offer a PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE. Hmmm... yes, I think I will! 

This afternoon our toilet got put back into our bathroom. We've been out of commission for a whole day - which - makes life interesting, to say the least. The new vinyl floor is down and we'll have some sheet rock put in behind the shower tomorrow. Then it's time to paint and decorate! Hubs even suggested "finally getting this room decorated" yesterday. :) I've been scouring some websites looking for deals on a new shower curtain, bath mat, wall decor, and storage ideas. We shall see how this goes down. 

Tomorrow night hubs and I head out on our annual youth leaders retreat with some of the coolest people I know. Seriously, we have the best youth leaders! I'm looking forward to time playing volleyball, swimming in the ginormous pool, walking the camp grounds, and enjoying some camp food! It's just an overnight trip - but - has such a lasting impact on our team for the whole year. This year we have 5 married couples serving {along with our wonderful singles}and hopefully soon we'll be able to start meeting together for some small group time. Really looking forward to the new relationships. God is so good! 

It's a cool, gray, rainy type of day and I love it. My children have been sleeping all afternoon and I scrubbed all the windows and doors down with vinegar. Feeling like a super mom today. :) It's the little things, right? 

I want to get beyond imagining.

Life is so weird. And grand. A weird grandness. Maybe the word is just bittersweet. Life is bittersweet. We praise the Lord for life and the blessings that every day holds. But then the bitterness of pain, that comes in this life, raises its ugly head. Tempts us to turn our eyes and hearts away... from the other blessings still there. Tempts us to turn our eyes away from Christ. Tempts me to focus on... well, me feeling sad. 

In the last month my heart has been wrung out like an old soppy wet wash cloth. I have cried over babies passing into heaven, miscarriages, broken marriages, broken relationships, frustrations in ministry, frustrations with people, parenting struggles, relational struggles, a messy home, grumpy children - and really, can't we all just keep going with a list like that? In many ways this constant wringing has been good - like dross being melted off in a fire. I have learned so much of the Lords plan in my life and have had many good days of reflection and rejoicing because of that. "Oh, so that's why" moments. Priceless. But then, some things I just have to let the Holy Spirit cover for me {as if I had control over that, right?}. Pains and prayers I want to cry out but don't know how. Situations I want to sweep into and "fix" but can't. I feel soppy wet and useless. Just sitting there off to the side.

In her book, "The Wisdom of God", Author Nancy Guthrie has a great little snippet in the first chapter:

"Can you imagine what it would mean for you, like Paul, to put Christ crucified at the center of your life so that everything else revolves around it and emanates from it? How would it impact your Facebook status, your credit card bill, your vacation plans, your marriage or singleness, your parenting, your professional pursuits, your political involvement? Does not embracing this wisdom impact and inform every aspect of our ordinary lives?" 

Light bulb moment. Sitting in bible study this morning and then going over this paragraph again this afternoon - something clicked. When our eyes are on Christ and we are eagerly living out HIS plan for our lives there is IMPACT in our day to day. We are wrung out and then renewed. We see purpose in pain. We rejoice in the grand and the bitter. I sit here and think... I want to get BEYOND imagining. I want my life to look like this - like Paul's did. My life needs to revolve around this truth of Christ Jesus. And maybe... stop caring so much about MY heart, MY pain, MY whatever - and remind myself daily that I'm a small part of this big story - but still a part. Nancy says a few sentences prior, 

"My friend, you are part of a much grander story than just your little life. And the more you see your life in the context of this much bigger story, this much grander plan, the wiser  you become as you live it."

And maybe none of this even makes sense when I try to sit here and put it down in words. I'm just thankful today for the reminder that it's right and good to weep and mourn and care so much that it hurts - but, it's even greater to remember God's plan and the roles we each play in it. Get beyond imagining what life would like with a right focus - and, instead pray and ask God to transform you into a woman with that focus! 

.:A little crafting:.

It's done!
My first home made fall decoration for this year is complete. Well, at least completely painted. I still need to sew it up and hang it up :) This weekend my girls and I had a lovely little craft time around our dining room table. While they were napping I made my way out to Hancock Fabrics to grab some burlap and paint brushes. I had a gift card! Thank you to my sweet friend, Krista, for such a fun birthday gift! On the way home I grabbed a Pumpkin Spice Latte {it was, afterall, in the 70's and felt very fallish} and on my way I went.

I only got a few minutes into crafting when the girls woke up. So, it became a family event. I set Ava up with some paint across from me - and, little sister is never far away.

 August is in an especially sneaky stage lately - it's adorable.

We got our craft on and I really enjoyed the time spent with my girls going crazy around me.

And there's a sneak peak at the work in progress :)
Pics to come soon of the finished project!
Crafting with my girls - it's for sure a whole new experience. Something I hope to do WAY more often.