Cupcakes

I had some fun with my girlfriends this afternoon making cupcakes...


Butterflies by Beth

Mums by Maria

And I made baked cherry, blueberry and peach pies

What Fun!!


What's for dinner this week?


Hamloaf and Macaroni/cheese (granny style)
Baked beans/hotdogs
Sweet & Smoky Oven BBQ chicken (white Mennonite cookbook)


When my mom returns from her sewing retreat, we are going to get together so she can teach me some sewing basics. My first project is going to be The Market Skirt. I'm so excited to see how it goes! Now if I prove to have no sewing talent whatsoever, I may reconsider this new hobby and stick with cupcakes...

What's For Dinner?

Today was baking day....


First, we made Sweet Potato Rolls.... rising

Mmmmm.... Nice and warm

Then we made chocolate cookies with PB frosting, courtesy of the tastykitchen blog

And lastly we made Valentine sugar cookies

I'm taking all three things to Small Groups tomorrow.

So what's for dinner this week?

Quesadillas

Pork Roast - recipe courtesy of my Uncle Skeeter

Pork Roast, Granny Smith apples, garlic salt, onion salt, season-all, brown sugar and honey mustard all gathered together in my beautiful dutch oven baked on low for several hours.Served with baked sweet potatoes smothered in butter and maple syrup.

Homemade pizza

I Love Saturday Evenings

I love Saturday evenings. As I reflect on today and the activities of this week, I am almost giddy with excitement for Sunday. (And football has nothing to do with it). As a child, I remember “preparing” for Sunday – Cleaning the house, washing the car, and mowing the grass. We wanted to start the week out fresh and clean! Sunday morning was spent in church followed by a meat and potatoes dinner that filled us up and made us sleepy. In the afternoon, we usually put puzzles together (which I don’t have the patience for anymore), played with the cats and enjoyed an afternoon snooze.

So now, even though my house isn’t clean, my car is covered in mud and salt, and my grass is dead, I excitedly anticipate Sunday and still desire to start my week out fresh and clean.

Meanwhile, Ryan just ate three pieces of cake….. “It’s ok, I added milk” ~ Ryan

So as I wind down the evening with a glass of Pepsi (my guilty pleasure), I am happy! I’ve got my roast and potatoes out for tomorrow’s dinner, I’ll play with Oliver instead of cats, pray for a nap, but my puzzles will stay in the closet.

2010 Reflections on Cooking, Labor and Babies

Reflections on Cooking

What a year! So many changes.... I thoroughly enjoyed trying all my new recipes, although I have to confess - my favorites are all the dishes I grew up on in the good old red and white Mennonite cookbooks. Pioneer Woman comes in a strong second though. Her step by step instructions taught me how to make fried chicken, gravy and a pot roast!

Over the past year, a few things have grabbed my heart, and I now claim them as my favorites/can't live without them:

Not in any specific order:

1. My wooden cutting board and fruit/anything basket

2. Catch all dish - home for my wedding rings (currently guarded by two adorable snowmen)

3. Tongs - one of my favorite utensils!

4. Dutch Oven in Cranberry - Love this!! It is perfect for roasts, deep frying, soup and much more!

5. BUTTER - need I say more....

6. French Fried Onions - You can put these on everything :)

7. Mini Casserole Dishes - what's not to love about these

8. Bath and Body Works Fresh Lime Basil hand foam wash

Reflections on Labor

1 word - epidural!

I couldn't stop complimenting the doctor who administered this drug. I'm guessing he gets that a lot :) I faced my biggest fear this year, and it wasn't worth all the worry and stress I gave it. My labor was made much easier with drugs. I have no shame in admitting that I am a pure wimp when it comes to pain, needles and blood! And when I go in to deliver my next child, I will once again ask (plead) for drugs :)

Reflections on babies

While everyone puts the fear of God in you about labor, no one ever told me about the emotions of bringing your new bundle home. "A child will change your life" - understatement of the year! No one could have prepared me for those first few weeks. I am so grateful for the support system I had (hubby/mom/mother-in-law). At almost 4 months, I am just now getting back into a somewhat normal routine. Although every day, I find myself changing my mindset that this is the new normal for us. And when i'm having a bad day, all it takes is a smile from Oliver and somehow all those frustrations just melt away.

My favorite sounds - the coo's of my son and the garage door opening at 5:00 p.m.

My favorite time of day - early morning snuggle times with Oliver and sitting down to dinner with Ryan

A few of my favorite baby things:

1. Oliver's new P.J.'s (thanks to his Aunt Jo)

2. Oliver's new lamb (thanks to Grandma K.)

3. Baby boy socks

Effective January 3rd, I am making the transition from full time to two days a week. Ryan and I both felt an unrest about me returning to work full time. So with much prayer, we trusted Gods leading for me to quit my job. When I went in to resign, I was offered two days a week, which was exactly what I was looking for! What an awesome answer to prayer. (Next time I doubt that God will come through - just slap me).

New sacrifices will need to be made now that our income has been decreased. I won't be able to eat at my favorite restaurants as often as I like, buy that adorable sweater at GAP or even have my sons pictures taken at my favorite photographer, but I find the sacrifices worth it! If it means I can stay home with my son, see his first steps, wipe all his tears and instill in him the values that are so important - I give them up gladly!

So with a diaper rag on my shoulder and a snotty, congested child on my lap, I am embracing my new life - a mother in need of Gods grace....every hour!

Muffin is Sick

Muffin is sick. This is my first experience taking care of a sick child, and I am amazed… shocked… at the range of emotions involved in taking care of a sick baby. My first reaction was sympathy, then confusion of knowing what is wrong when they can’t tell you, then exhaustion, followed by frustration, then guilt for feeling frustration, and finally ending again with empathy. Yet somehow, the emotions follow a vicious cycle that can all be experienced within a 60-second time frame. And in the midst of it, I think often of my other friends who have several children, all sick, and who are sick themselves. What right do I have to feel exhausted and frustrated with my one sick child when they have many? Ugh….. I’m tired!

I’m reminded of Isaiah 40:11 – “He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Oliver hasn’t slept since 11:50 and it is now 4:36. (My bad, he slept from 4:15-4:35). Is that normal?