Sunshine Through the Windows

Signs of Spring: 5

2009-03-29T12:21:00.002-04:00

Rain

Beautiful: Green and Blue

2009-03-27T08:18:00.002-04:00

This is part of that ginormous tree that I told you about last Fall that I never got around to showing you (because it didn't end up changing colors like I thought it would). The picture of the red bird a few days ago also contained this tree. It is huge, and it has green ivy completely covering it almost to it's very tips.

Signs of Spring: 4

2009-03-26T08:22:00.003-04:00

My neighbor's lilac tree is getting ready to bloom. When it's done blooming, my lilac bush blooms, so we get double the sweet-smelling goodness.

Signs of Spring: 3

2009-03-22T10:10:00.001-04:00

Anticipation

Beautiful: The songs of Spring

2009-03-21T11:53:00.002-04:00

When I was outside yesterday looking around at all that was blooming (and getting my hands in the dirt of my vegetable garden for the first time this season, yay!), this beautiful guy was singing his heart out to his maiden (who I finally found in another tree a little ways away). The color of the sky was amazing, and he was just so red. The two just sang back and forth to each other, each with a different but similar melody. Beautiful.

Signs of Spring: 2

2009-03-13T14:50:00.002-04:00

Signs of Spring: 1

2009-03-12T09:57:00.001-04:00

An early Spring walk

2009-03-11T09:25:00.004-04:00

We went for an Early-Spring walk yesterday, in the beautiful 76 degree weather (tomorrow it's supposed to be in the 40s, that's Spring for you).

It was wonderful to see our neighborhood clothed in various shades of bloom.

(This is weird, because this picture looks like my head on Libby's body)

Beautiful: Such a good Mama

2009-03-10T12:32:00.001-04:00

Beautiful: The golden light of a summer afternoon

2009-03-07T10:45:00.001-05:00

Beautiful: The strength of the sun

2009-03-04T08:03:00.001-05:00

Beautiful: Winter holds her ground

2009-03-03T08:12:00.002-05:00

Beautiful: The way this guy learns

2009-03-02T09:35:00.004-05:00

The One Word Project

2009-03-01T13:35:00.005-05:00

Thank you all for your kind words over this past week. It turns out that everything is alright. I have had migraines since I was a teenager, and the results of a recent MRI of my brain showed some unusual things. I went to a neurologist Friday morning, and everything seems to be okay. It turns out that my increase in migraines is "normal" in people who have had them long term. They have also been compounded by the fact that I have not slept well in over 3 years. My brain needs good, long sleep to produce what it needs to fight back against migraines, and since it has not been getting it, the migraines have been getting more frequent and severe. So, off I go to try to figure out how to make my little guy (who, mind you, woke up 4 times last night, one of the times being for an hour and a half) sleep better so I can get more sleep. For me, it is survival (if I leave things as they are, my migraines will increase from one a week to every day). Good luck with that, right?

The result of all of this, as well as the week off from blogging, has been a quieter me. I have totally put myself in God's hands, no matter the outcome. But, I have fewer words, as I watch my babies play, as I watch my husband come home from work and the resulting joy on everyone's faces, and as I quietly fight through another migraine.

I contemplated taking a whole month off of blogging. I have contemplated stopping blogging altogether. But, I want to be true to the reason I started this in the first place.

So, my solution is something I just discovered over on the Shutter Sisters blog. It is the One Word Project. Each month they come up with a word, and people enter pictures that they think capture that word. This will be a way for me to still keep this blog active, and still maintain my quiet (which I feel like I really need right now). Each day I will post a photograph of what I think is beautiful. And when I come out on the other side of this, whenever that may be, I will be stronger, because God will make me so.

I will still keep up with the blogs that I love to frequent, especially as garden season rolls around again. Our seeds are here, and my friends and I will be sorting through them all to start growing them very soon. As the cold accepts it's defeat and the sun grows stronger, many lovely pictures will emerge on this here blog. Just be patient with me=)

Here's to Beautiful! Feel free to share what is beautiful to you in the comments section!

Another pause

2009-02-23T14:20:00.002-05:00

Sorry to not be posting my menu today. I got some health news this morning that is probably fine (throw up a prayer for me and my family if you want), but I am doing some research, loving on my babies, and trying my best to trust God with all things.

I will get back to posting when things get back to normal, but please forgive me for taking a few days.

Enjoy these next few days, and I promise I will be back soon.

Pepperoni rolls!!

2009-02-19T10:08:00.005-05:00

I am, at last, posting the recipe for my pepperoni rolls. I know at least several people have been waiting anxiously, and I apologize for making you wait!

This recipe makes a dough that will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. I have tried to make bread with it (it's actually a recipe for loaf pan bread), but mine came out crumbly, and I don't actually use it for bread anymore. I simply make up a batch and make several pepperoni rolls over the 5 days. If you plan to do this, find yourself a good, deep container that will allow air circulation (it's important that it not be airtight).

I got mine from the kitchen store in our mall. It's actually sold as a container to store things like cereal or dry noodles.

I will post the original recipe for the dough, and then specify how I personally do it.

100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

1 1/2 C lukewarm water
1 1/2 C lukewarm milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 C honey
5 Tablespoons neutral-flavored oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
6 2/3 C whole wheat flour (I use 4 C whole wheat plus 2 2/3 C unbleached flours) ** Do not use whole wheat pastry flour **

Mix the yeast, salt, honey, and oil with the milk and water in a lidded, but not airtight, container.

Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, until it is all incorporated.

Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top); approximately 2 to 3 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.

((If using for bread: On baking day, lightly grease a nonstick bread loaf pan. Using wet hands, scoop out a 1 1/2 lb handful of dough (the dough is pretty sticky and it's easier to handle with wet hands). Shape the dough into a ball and drop it into the pan. Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Flour the top of the loaf and slash, using the tip of a serrated bread knife.
20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 C of hot water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. Allow to cool completely before slicing.))

For the pepperoni rolls:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the pan that you will be using in there to preheat with the oven. I find that this helps the bottom of the roll cook faster and not get soft.

Once the dough has risen initially (whether it has been in the refrigerator or not), cut out a chunk of dough about 1 1/2 to 2 times the size of your hand. If it is too wet to handle, sprinkle some flour to incorporate into it to make it more workable.

(A helper is nice, but not mandatory.)

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to form a wide oval, paying attention to making it the desired length and also wide enough to be able to cover your ingredients as you roll it.

Put your layer of cheese down first. I find it easier to buy the sealed packages of pre-sliced cheese (in Colby/Jack and Mozzarella). When I made this particular one, I used the rest of my dough, and so this one is wider than usual (usually I only have one row of whole slices and one row of half-slices).

Cover the cheese with pepperoni (again, usually there isn't this much, as this is more dough than I usually use).

Fold up the two short ends, followed by the bottom edge.

Roll the whole length of pepperoni roll, making the rolled part about 2 1/2 to 3 inches (look at the picture if my instructions are confusing)
Roll it again until all of the pepperoni and cheese are covered. Trim the top edge to make it straight.

Fold the top edge down over, and seal the seam. You will also need to seal the ends by squeezing the folds together.

Carry the pepperoni roll over to your oven and lay it on the preheated pan. Cook until the top is nicely browned and firm. I have never timed this, but my guess is it would be about 15 to 20 minutes. Usually by the time it's done there will be some cheese seeping out. I haven't yet made one where none of the cheese came out. The cooked cheese is the best part, though.

When it is finished, place it on a cooling rack (you may have to use two spatulas and some practice to do this) for a few minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-18T07:47:00.001-05:00

Tuesday Truth

2009-02-17T08:06:00.004-05:00

From Daily Wisdom for Mothers

"A gentle answer turns away wrath." Proverbs 15:1

I recently saw a T-shirt with the printing "Love is my final answer" on it. I thought that was pretty good.Think about it. When you answer with love, you give strife no place to go.

The other day, Abby wanted to go boating with her friend. Normally we would say yes to this request, but this was a holiday weekend. And, according to the news reports, there would be many alcohol-filled boaters on the lake. We just didn't have peace about it, so we told Abby, "No, not this time."

Abby really wanted to go, so she began retaliating in a big way. It was ugly. As she huffed and puffed, I decided to try out the "love answer." So I said, "Abby, honey, we love you too much to let something bad happen to you. There will be lots of drunken boaters out there today, and we just aren't willing to take that chance. You are too precious to us." To my surprise, she was okay with that answer. While she was disappointed that she couldn't go to the lake, she understood our reasons and resumed normal behavior. Wow! I didn't even have to raise my voice or threaten to ground her!

Let love be your final answer today. It really works!

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Though it isn't always this easy with little ones, reminding yourself to answer with love is always a great thing to strive for. If I tried to explain something like this to Libby, she wouldn't fully understand. What she does understand, however, is my tone and my face, and whether I am speaking in love or in frustration or anger.

What a great reminder! I encourage you to make love your final answer, hard as it may be sometimes. For me, it may mean going into my pantry, sticking my head out the window to breath in the cold air and praying for a few minutes, and then coming back to answer with love.

How do you make love your final answer?

Is it a bad Mama...

2009-02-16T12:02:00.004-05:00

Is it a bad Mama who, upon hearing her wandering baby boy's, "Help, I'm stuck" cry and subsequently finding that he has fallen victim to the empty laundry hamper trap, rushes downstairs to grab her camera and takes a few pictures before freeing him? Is it a bad Mama who does that? Hopefully not. Is it a bad Mama who then posts those pictures for everyone to see? Maybe.

Monday Menu

2009-02-16T10:11:00.004-05:00

Sorry about missing last week's menu. It was a good week, but a week where I didn't have much time to sit down at the computer. Like I said before, we watched Fireproof last Sunday night, and once I missed my opportunity to sit down and make the menu, I never got back around to doing it. That resulted in more eating out then we wanted (or could afford), and my renewed determination to menu plan. I can see the difference even this week. I didn't get around to making a menu last night, but I made myself sit down and make one up this morning. So, here it is!

I am making an effort to make every other meal without meat. I have never eaten or cooked vegetarian before, so I am lacking in meatless meal ideas. If anyone has any good recipes, please share in the comments section!!

Monday: Marriage Monday (I'm taking tortellini with pesto and feta cheese)
Tuesday: Grilled chicken with roasted brussel sprouts (the sprouts are from our Farmer's Market; I've never made them before or even tried them, but I want to grow some this Fall, so hopefully I like them!)
Wednesday: Bean burritos with rice
Thursday: Toaster oven baked tilapia with roasted brussel sprouts & asparagus
Friday: Vegetable and barley soup with biscuits
Saturday: Dinner in a package
Sunday: Dinner at my mom's house for my brother's birthday

I hope you have a great week! We are having a snowy start, but hopefully it will warm up again by the end of the week.

Tell me, are you ready for Spring yet? Since I have some green coming up already, the countdown to blooms has begun. I'll keep you updated on the progress!

Our week in pictures

2009-02-14T20:39:00.005-05:00

Oh my, we have had a wonderful week! We have had a week full of friends! Yay! We had friends over to our house Monday and Friday, and we went to a friend's house Tuesday (to pick out our seeds for this year's garden!!). So, this week there was...

Lots of little ones walking, running, wrestling around...

Lots of dress-up...

Lots of interaction, even with the littlest ones...

Some walks, and bird watching...

Some little girl minds planning together...

And some tired tired little feet...

Some more of Libby's photography...

Some enjoying Daddy being home...

And look! Look at this!!! Can you believe it? (Look, Kendra, do you believe it?)

After I took these pictures I had to gather up the mulch around these cold little green beauties. I can't believe they are coming up already. I didn't even notice them until I pulled the car farther up the driveway than usual to make room for some friend's cars.

What a week full of love, laughing, and so much play.

How was your week?

Those eyes

2009-02-11T21:28:00.006-05:00

They tell so much.

Octamom issued a challenge of sorts, to shed some light on your eyes. She has some amazing green eyes, and her husband has blue. This resulted in a beautiful array of color in the eyes of their children. You should hop on over and check them out.

Scott's eyes are green, but when I enlarged the picture of his eyes, I discovered some hidden brown.

I come from a family of crystal blue eyes, and my eyes also have a hint of green.

When Libby was born, her eyes were so dark blue that they almost looked black. They lightened up to a clear grayish-blue, with that beautiful dark blue ring around the outside.

Hudson was also born with the almost black eyes, and now he has the bright bright blue.

Alright, let's see yours!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-11T14:03:00.002-05:00

Monday Menu, soon

2009-02-09T08:08:00.002-05:00

I have a delay on the Monday Menu today because Scott and I spent the evening watching Fireproof, and I didn't get the menu planned. I have some wonderful friends coming over today for our knitting group, and then once that is over I will plan the menu and get it up here.

I had lots of comments about the cheeseburger soup. I really hope it stands up to my praises for it. If you try it, leave me a comment and let me know how it went over!

If you have time, I encourage you to check out the Fireproof link. There is a trailer for the movie right there on the site. If you are married or about to be married or plan to be married some day, I encourage you to watch at least the trailer. The movie came out in select theaters, and is now on video.

Have a wonderful day!

Our week.... in pictures

2009-02-07T12:00:00.004-05:00

Our week? It was full of....

Smoothie faces,

Libby's first attempts at photography (picture is of Hudson sleep-nursing, I had to push the shutter when she told me she was ready, because her hands are too small to hold the whole camera),

Lots of dress-up,

Me thinking, "Just when I thought he couldn't get any more comical,"

And finding beauty in the bits of sun shining through our windows.

Today it is supposed to get up close to 60 degrees! You can bet we will be outside!

Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy your loved ones, and be renewed!