Good Friends, Good Food

I have a dear friend who, since I have known her, has really had a part in turning my heart more and more toward home, most specifically, in the kitchen. Shelly tries lots of great recipes, even ones that I might not pick out of a book to try myself, then passes them on to me. Honestly, there has never been one that I haven't liked. Last year, we added this one for Winter Vegetable Chili to our list of "keepers" for fall. Since I knew it came from a Good Housekeeping cookbook, I searched for it and lo and behold, you can find any recipe from Good Housekeeping Magazine on their website.

This recipe for Butternut Squash Pizza may sound strange to you, but had you seen the picture last year in Real Simple, you would have wanted to try it as well. Anyway, I served it to some mommy friends of mine with a garden salad and it was a hit. One change I made in my version was to caramelize the onions instead of baking them with the squash. I'm just a sucker for caramelized onions.

Here is another great recipe for fall. We particularly like this one in our house, because it is a muffin recipe that contains no milk. All the lactose intolerant individuals in our household can enjoy without worries. It is however, a rich recipe, often a little too sweet for first thing in the morning. The kids might beg to differ. Anyway, I got this from my friend Beth and I'm not sure where it originated.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 2/3 cups flour
3/4/ cups sugar
1T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 eggs beaten
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine first six ingredients in large bowl, then add the eggs, pumpkin and butter and mix until just moist. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

*I sometimes substitute some of the flour with whole wheat, or add a tablespoon or so of wheat germ or flax seed. I do this with all my muffins, although none are quite as sweet as this recipe, so I'm not sure it makes that much difference.

Here is something else, totally off the subject, but still genius!
There are some great ideas for things to keep toddlers busy that I had never heard or thought of. So check it out. It is well worth it.

Be Still

Just some good music for the soul

Coming Soon...Tastes of Fall

Also, here's a fun coloring website with a new picture every day. A good way to learn colors.

I came across this project for a fold up crayon pouch a while back and finally got a chance to try it. We needed a present for a birthday party, and I remembered this little quickie. It literally took me less than half an hour. I already had the components on hand, so it worked out perfectly. This one really is as easy as promised. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the finished project. It's already in the hands on one great 5 -year-old. I'll get it on the next time around.

Also, here are a couple of new links that I am adding to my link lists, mainly for craft and homemade gift ideas.

Me and my Girl

Nested

Free Audio books for kids. This is so cool. We've listened to 4 stories already this morning!

Amen to this, Sister!

Here are some really good thoughts on breastfeeding and some general baby issues, like sleeping through the night. It's so easy to become pushy and make other mommies feel uncomfortable about their own child rearing when you might feel passionately that your way is the right way. Nancy Wilson sets us all straight and I say, "Bravo! Well said!"

On this rainy, fall-ish day, we're in the house just hanging out. After a rousing game of "Don't Spill the Beans" and a Curious George story following lunch, this turned out to be a really good nap day. The kiddos are playing quietly now, and the house just feels cozy. Puts me in the baking mood....we'll see what comes of that. Anyway, found this little treasure chest from Children Desiring God. I'm going to attempt to listen while I bake, but I've added it to the playlist, just in case I miss something. So it is with children in the house...but I wouldn't change a thing.

Also, I love it when someone else does the browsing for me and all I have to do is click, so check out these fun links on I Have to Say.

The ones of particular interest to me were:

this recipe for Cuban Shredded Pork. I think I'll give it a go, since I just happened to purchase boneless chops this weekend.

100 things you can make yourself

21 ways to improve your photographs

shape pages

the charming little skirt

I took a walk yesterday evening, just to escape responsibility for a few minutes. Sometimes that's all you need. It wasn't a long walk, but everything just looked so dry. Our grass is brown and lots of my flowers are dying. (partly from the weather and partly from my own neglect) There were a few bright spots, though. Pleasant surprises
along the way. Thank you, Lord.




And thank you for your goodness...the undeserved favor and kindness that you have chosen to let fall on us this week. Thank you for seven-year-old wedding presents that show up after all this time, still wrapped and waiting for us to enjoy. Thank you for health and provision for our needs. Thank you for a loving church body that observes your table together, and provides solid teaching. Thank you for good music, and literature. Thank you for tiny dimpled hands and arms that give big hugs.


Thank you for friends that give in secret...may you reward them richly.

My brother in law pointed me toward these blogs, which give updates on the persecuted church. It's easy to turn a blind eye to these sorts of things, but God shows his goodness in many ways, even in the bleakest of circumstances.

I am feeling challenged to beef up my prayer life a little. You may feel the same after giving them a perusal. So click here and here to find out more.

Ah....fall. I love it. I don't want to rush things, but since I've had my fill of hot weather and summer fun, it must simply be time to move on to my favorite time. Football season, the smell of burning leaves, apple cider, chili, sweatshirt weather, mmmm...I love it all.


I have some goals that I am setting, for no other reason than to be able to look back and see what has been accomplished around the "old home place." I am a list person. I function much better with lists. I need to be able to see that things are happening, even if not everything gets crossed off those lists. It helps me to stay content and keep being realistic. I can be a bit of a dreamer, so that can turn into a pattern of self defeat if I let it. A person can get lost in too many dreams, I think.

So, here are some things I am looking forward to and hoping to accomplish this fall:

Paint my kitchen.
Start doing school with A4.
Make vegetarian chili. Yummy. (then some with lots of meat, too!)
Go here to pick pumpkins and play in the corn maze with the kiddos.
See West Virginia go undefeated, and win a national championship. (you're welcome, honey)
Plan meaningful advent activities for our celebration of Christmas this year, with the help of hubby, of course. (Last year, it caught up with and then passed me and time ran out)
Gather leaves with the kids and do fun crafts with them. Ideas, anyone?
Clean out my flower beds and prepare for next spring.

I think that is enough for now...I'm sure there's more to do and see, but if I keep the list short, then it might actually all happen. We'll see.

Check out this book. I got it for $6.46 on Amazon and that includes shipping. Maybe tackling something in it is also something I should put on my list. Thanks for the tip, Soule Mama.

My Theme for the Day

Listening to Caedmon's Call 'Overdressed' album. Yup, J, my favorite is still '40 Acres,' too, but , a solid project, nonetheless. Listen to a few songs here.

This song is my new theme--thoughts I have had so many times. Written by two men, no less, who must be really in tune with their wives. Read it and weep. (or smile.... or whatever)

Sacred

This house is a good mess it’s the proof of life
No way would I trade jobs but it don’t pay overtime
I’ll get to the laundry I don’t know when
I’m saying a prayer tonight cause tomorrow it starts again

Could it be that everything is sacred
And all this time
Everything I’ve dreamed of has been right before my eyes

The children are sleeping but they’re running through my mind
The sun makes them happy and the music makes them unwind
My cup runneth over, I worry about the stain
Teach me to run to you like they run to me for every little thing

Cause everything is sacred
And all this time
Everything I’ve dreamed of has been right before my eyes

When I forget to drink from You, I can feel the banks harden
Lord, make me like a stream to feed the garden
Wake up, little sleeper the Lord, God Almighty made your Mama keeper
So rise and shine, rise and shine cause

Everything is sacred
And all this time
Everything I dreamed of has been right before my eyes.

Written by: Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame

So, I'm back from the beach...had a lovely time with the kiddos and some family.


I made activity bags for the trip, which turned out to be a big hit and, combined with a borrowed DVD player for the car, a source of much contentment along the way. Pleasantries all around. Just in case you are wondering about the contents of said baggies, there were fruit loop necklaces, fruit snacks, stickers, notepads, sunglasses, cell phones, aluminum foil and pipe cleaners (for molding into shapes), and tickets to mark how much time was left in the trip.


I'm just now getting caught upon all the news on the home front, while munching on a cucumber sandwich and some seedless watermelon. (which, by the way is the only way to eat watermelon, in my opinion)

While I was gone, a sweet friend gave birth to a baby boy who came about 12 weeks early. He weighed 2 lbs, and is doing well.

Also, a dear brother, who has been in remission from melanoma cancer for about 8 years started experiencing symptoms indicative of a mass in his brain. After days of testing, there is good news to report and still some uncertainties about treatment for the future. You can read about it here.

These were Kim's words of encouragement during all the testing this week. He said

"I think it’s real critical for people to stop and thank the Lord for everything He’s given. There’s nothing that the Dr’s can do or enable the physical body to do that the Lord is not able to do. Start with thanksgiving and make things come back to God. Starting out with thanksgiving makes all the difference. This particular weakness brings us back to God in the way of deeper dependence on him."

Praise the Lord. We know that He is good all the time.

Along these same lines, I just love this song by Sara Groves. It sums up a lot of things in life.