Wow. It's been one of the hardest weeks of my life. Although I think there are some other weeks that are right up there when I think about it. But, I read a quote on another gal's post Here from Leonard Cohen
"Everything is broken. That's how the light gets in."
Breaking is something that we see as a bad thing, but maybe it's not all bad. I know that I act like I have it all together when I'm really just holding it together like everyone else. Breaking brings reflection and humility. The breaking has always made me realize not to say "That won't happen to me."
I'm very transparent, though, so once someone assumed I wasn't looking at my heart because the person thought my transparency meant I was sharing my heart at the same time--the breaking and healing of my heart. I wasn't. That part I only trust to a few close friends who understand me.
But, the relationship between what other people see of me, my transparency, and my heart has taught me something else that I always keep in mind. Those few friends that I trust--they have tough parts of their lives too--that they've shared with me. The sharing shows me that we all have messy lives. And we all have tough parts of our lives that we don't show other people most of the time--usually those parts are the toughest parts of our lives!
I made a stupid mistake yesterday. I've been kicking myself ever since. Really hard. I haven't let it go. But, is that what God wants for me? I feel sorry for my mistake. I know what I did wrong. It was humbling. Why have I been kicking myself so hard? I think because of fear. Fear of what my mistake will mean. But, should I be afraid of that? No. Over and over in God's Word, I read that I should not be afraid.
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 112:7-8
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
Who is my foe? We know from God's Word that ultimately our foe is Satan. My foe is my fear. Satan has been feeding my fear. It keeps me from the peace of trusting God.
A dear friend emailed me today that she doesn't let go of her mistakes easily and that she has to ask God's forgiveness for that. Her words made me think. Would I want my kids to be so hard on themselves and not forgive themselves the way I am not doing? No! Do I need to ask God's forgiveness for not forgiving myself? I think I do.
My kids kept saying to me yesterday that God is in control. It's easy to take that for granted when things are easy, but it's so much harder when things are tough and when we are stuck. I believe it in my head, but I need to remember it in my heart, too.
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Friday, November 10, 2017
Another Plant Killer...
Actually, that's not the best title for this post, but it's what many people think when they ponder house plants. I've heard so many people over the years tell me that they can't grow green things.
My philosophy when it comes to outdoor plants is to put things in the ground and see if they grow! I suppose it's a little more complicated than that, but not much. If the dirt didn't like to grow things, then putting in a raised bed is an easy solution or using big pots. Sun is the key. Picking spots for plants where they get enough sun, but not too much. Sometimes those spots get sun that's too hot. But, that's why I generally go with hardy plants. Outside plants that I find tend to be easier to grow are green beans, tomatoes (smaller ones--large ones can be more finicky), strawberries (propogate a lot) as long as you don't have rabbits or deer that like to come eat them, roses, basil, bulbs (like daffodils, irises, lilies, and tulips). Bulbs are by far the easiest and I love them because it's always a surprise then they bloom! Dig a little hole, put in a bulb, and then cover it up. And wait for it to sprout (either in the fall or spring depending on the bulb).
But, when it comes to indoor plants, I feel like all of the people who have told me that they can't grow green things or that they kill plants. I haven't known how to take care of them... which is why I'm so excited about the book I just sat down to read (in 30 minutes!).
House Jungle: Turn Your Home Into a Plant-Filled Paradise!
This small book packs a huge punch with all the helpful information in it! It will appeal to anyone who likes to draw with its fun watercolor illustrations. The book begins with what you need and how to care for houseplants. Then, it goes on to talk about the different types of house plants and which ones will be okay with shade and which ones like sunshine. In each section, the author, Annie Dornan-Smith does a wonderful job of writing simply, but descriptively. What she shares in this book has inspired me to pursue decorating my home with indoor plants and has made me think it may be possible!
If you've ever wanted to keep indoor plants, but have felt intimidated by how to take care of them, I highly recommend checking this book out! It would also be a fun and creative gift for someone (along with a small house plant) in the middle of winter when we all long for the green of the outdoors!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Storey Books, but I love this book and these opinions are entirely my own!
My philosophy when it comes to outdoor plants is to put things in the ground and see if they grow! I suppose it's a little more complicated than that, but not much. If the dirt didn't like to grow things, then putting in a raised bed is an easy solution or using big pots. Sun is the key. Picking spots for plants where they get enough sun, but not too much. Sometimes those spots get sun that's too hot. But, that's why I generally go with hardy plants. Outside plants that I find tend to be easier to grow are green beans, tomatoes (smaller ones--large ones can be more finicky), strawberries (propogate a lot) as long as you don't have rabbits or deer that like to come eat them, roses, basil, bulbs (like daffodils, irises, lilies, and tulips). Bulbs are by far the easiest and I love them because it's always a surprise then they bloom! Dig a little hole, put in a bulb, and then cover it up. And wait for it to sprout (either in the fall or spring depending on the bulb).
But, when it comes to indoor plants, I feel like all of the people who have told me that they can't grow green things or that they kill plants. I haven't known how to take care of them... which is why I'm so excited about the book I just sat down to read (in 30 minutes!).
House Jungle: Turn Your Home Into a Plant-Filled Paradise!
This small book packs a huge punch with all the helpful information in it! It will appeal to anyone who likes to draw with its fun watercolor illustrations. The book begins with what you need and how to care for houseplants. Then, it goes on to talk about the different types of house plants and which ones will be okay with shade and which ones like sunshine. In each section, the author, Annie Dornan-Smith does a wonderful job of writing simply, but descriptively. What she shares in this book has inspired me to pursue decorating my home with indoor plants and has made me think it may be possible!
If you've ever wanted to keep indoor plants, but have felt intimidated by how to take care of them, I highly recommend checking this book out! It would also be a fun and creative gift for someone (along with a small house plant) in the middle of winter when we all long for the green of the outdoors!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Storey Books, but I love this book and these opinions are entirely my own!
Thursday, November 9, 2017
New Horse Book for Girls who love Horses!
A few years ago, I was in the bedroom of a friend's daughter to see how they were decorating her new room. I noticed the stack of horse pictures on the wall. Over the next few years, as my middle daughter's love of horses grew, I saw her begin to collect pictures of horses from magazines and tape them up on her bookcase and walls. But, like most moms, I wanted her to have some posters of different sizes to put up on her walls instead of cut out pictures.
Soon we are going to be moving again and my daughter will have a chance to decorate her new room, so I've been looking for fun posters she can decorate her room with. I came across a great book of posters for her to use that I know she's going to be excited about!
Sitting in front of me is Wild For Horses: Posters and Collectible Cards.
There are two larger size posters and 24 single page posters (10" x 12"). On the backs of each poster is some fun information about horses. Some of the posters have inspirational words on them, but most are simply full-color pictures of horses. At the back of the book are 24 trading cards with a different horse breeds on each one. These are a great size and will be easy to keep together and enjoy. If you're looking for a fun book of horse posters, I'd definitely check this one out! It would be a great birthday or Christmas gift!
Please note: This book is a little tricky to find on Amazon if you only search for Wild for Horses. You need to type in the whole title or use the ISBN# 9781612128887. :)
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Storey books but that these opinions are entirely my own.
Soon we are going to be moving again and my daughter will have a chance to decorate her new room, so I've been looking for fun posters she can decorate her room with. I came across a great book of posters for her to use that I know she's going to be excited about!
Sitting in front of me is Wild For Horses: Posters and Collectible Cards.
There are two larger size posters and 24 single page posters (10" x 12"). On the backs of each poster is some fun information about horses. Some of the posters have inspirational words on them, but most are simply full-color pictures of horses. At the back of the book are 24 trading cards with a different horse breeds on each one. These are a great size and will be easy to keep together and enjoy. If you're looking for a fun book of horse posters, I'd definitely check this one out! It would be a great birthday or Christmas gift!
Please note: This book is a little tricky to find on Amazon if you only search for Wild for Horses. You need to type in the whole title or use the ISBN# 9781612128887. :)
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Storey books but that these opinions are entirely my own.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Baking for Kids!
When my girls were younger, I started looking for a good kids' cookbook. I love to cook and I wanted my kids to have a cookbook that they could learn to cook from with simple recipes. I started comparing the books at the library and the bookstores. I was shocked by how much I disliked most of them! Several of them had tiny print. Some of them didn't have any basic directions for the kitchen or explanations of cooking tools. Many of them had recipes that I knew my kids would never want to cook! A lot of the directions were overly complicated.
So, I was really excited a few years ago when I came across Cooking Class by Deanna Cook. This cookbook had just what I was looking for--great photos, directions, kitchen rules, and recipes that kids would want to cook! It even had fun stickers and recipe cards at the back of the cookbook.
This year Storey Books published another great cookbook for kids by Deanna Cook, Baking Class. I absolutely love this cookbook! From beginning to end, I know it is going to make kids want to cook
and parents smile.
The first section of the cookbook covers vocabulary, cooking equipment and ingredients, cooking safety, and measuring (which is very important in baking!). This section is done so well. I was impressed. I know that many cookbooks try to save money with the printing by using drawn pictures for these sections, but photos are so much more effective in conveying what the ingredients look like and what the vocabulary of baking means.
From there, the cookbook is divided into recipe sections that cover breakfast, quick snacks, and desserts. The recipes range from super easy, to medium, to a little more difficult. I loved the breakfast recipes and compared them to recipes I currently use. The scone recipe is very similar, although I omit the salt because I use salted butter. I would caution one direction on the scone recipe in particular--kids are directed to use a pizza wheel or a knife to cut the scones and I would pass on the pizza wheel. Kids tend to press hard on things and they could easily mar the cookie sheet. A butter knife would be a better choice. Other than that, I loved the other recipes for breakfast and I know many of them will likely become new additions to my children's breakfast repertoire.
Moving on to the other sections a couple of things stood out to me. First, the recipes generally did not use a stand mixer. They either used a pastry blender and spoon or a hand mixer. Both are easier for kids to control. Second, there were fun pictures that grabbed my attention like the Monkey bread on the Monkey Munch Banana Bread page. I know that this is probably the very first thing that my children are going to make from this cookbook since monkeys are the favorite animal of my family.
Also, I am also looking forward to my children making bread. The pictures explaining to kids how to kneed are great illustrations and make sense. I can't wait for them to try!
Frankly, I've looked at a lot of cookbooks and I think adults are going to love this as much as their kids. The pictures on the buttercream frosting page are going to be super duper helpful! Frosting can be tricky and the directions and pictures will help children be much more successful in their attempts at frosting.
The pictures will make kids smile and want to spend time in the kitchen. But, the recipes and directions will make mom, dad, and grandparents smile! I think it would be best for kids ages 6 and up, but younger kids could easily participate in making the recipes--they just wouldn't be able to read the directions and do some what is required on their own.
Is there anything I don't like about this cookbook for kids? I have just a few minor tweaks. Nothing major. I prefer Snickerdoodles that have cream of tartar--the recipe here is a plain cinnamon sugar cookie. And I wouldn't refrigerate pie dough quite so long before working with it--it can get very tough to work with. But, other than those few minor things, it's great!
If you're looking for a fun Christmas gift for a kid you know who loves to cook or is interested in cooking, I highly recommend checking out this cookbook! It's one of the best around!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook for review from Storey books, but these opinions are entirely my own and I love this book!
So, I was really excited a few years ago when I came across Cooking Class by Deanna Cook. This cookbook had just what I was looking for--great photos, directions, kitchen rules, and recipes that kids would want to cook! It even had fun stickers and recipe cards at the back of the cookbook.
and parents smile.
The first section of the cookbook covers vocabulary, cooking equipment and ingredients, cooking safety, and measuring (which is very important in baking!). This section is done so well. I was impressed. I know that many cookbooks try to save money with the printing by using drawn pictures for these sections, but photos are so much more effective in conveying what the ingredients look like and what the vocabulary of baking means.
From there, the cookbook is divided into recipe sections that cover breakfast, quick snacks, and desserts. The recipes range from super easy, to medium, to a little more difficult. I loved the breakfast recipes and compared them to recipes I currently use. The scone recipe is very similar, although I omit the salt because I use salted butter. I would caution one direction on the scone recipe in particular--kids are directed to use a pizza wheel or a knife to cut the scones and I would pass on the pizza wheel. Kids tend to press hard on things and they could easily mar the cookie sheet. A butter knife would be a better choice. Other than that, I loved the other recipes for breakfast and I know many of them will likely become new additions to my children's breakfast repertoire.
Moving on to the other sections a couple of things stood out to me. First, the recipes generally did not use a stand mixer. They either used a pastry blender and spoon or a hand mixer. Both are easier for kids to control. Second, there were fun pictures that grabbed my attention like the Monkey bread on the Monkey Munch Banana Bread page. I know that this is probably the very first thing that my children are going to make from this cookbook since monkeys are the favorite animal of my family.
Also, I am also looking forward to my children making bread. The pictures explaining to kids how to kneed are great illustrations and make sense. I can't wait for them to try!
Frankly, I've looked at a lot of cookbooks and I think adults are going to love this as much as their kids. The pictures on the buttercream frosting page are going to be super duper helpful! Frosting can be tricky and the directions and pictures will help children be much more successful in their attempts at frosting.
The pictures will make kids smile and want to spend time in the kitchen. But, the recipes and directions will make mom, dad, and grandparents smile! I think it would be best for kids ages 6 and up, but younger kids could easily participate in making the recipes--they just wouldn't be able to read the directions and do some what is required on their own.
Is there anything I don't like about this cookbook for kids? I have just a few minor tweaks. Nothing major. I prefer Snickerdoodles that have cream of tartar--the recipe here is a plain cinnamon sugar cookie. And I wouldn't refrigerate pie dough quite so long before working with it--it can get very tough to work with. But, other than those few minor things, it's great!
If you're looking for a fun Christmas gift for a kid you know who loves to cook or is interested in cooking, I highly recommend checking out this cookbook! It's one of the best around!
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook for review from Storey books, but these opinions are entirely my own and I love this book!
Monday, November 6, 2017
Christmas is coming...
November has arrived. I'm not ready to play Christmas music in November or even really think about it much, but there is one part of Christmas that I start early--making a list of the gifts I plan on giving my family and friends.
I have found over the years that the best Lego sales are during November, not December, and my kids all love Legos. So, I plan on being on the lookout in the coming weeks...
This year, we're probably moving in December, so I feel the need to make sure I'm more on top of my planning than usual. I don't even know where we'll be living when Christmas comes this year. I know where one box of lights is in my garage and I plan on making decorations with construction paper with my kids no matter where we are. I also plan on getting my family's gifts together and keeping them in a box together. Thankfully, I do know where the wrapping paper is and it's not in storage!
But, this year is going to be different for us. We're not settled. We don't know what to expect and I know extra flexibility and creativity is going to be required. We do know that we'll be together and celebrating Christ's birth as a family. And really, that's what's most important anyways.
I have found over the years that the best Lego sales are during November, not December, and my kids all love Legos. So, I plan on being on the lookout in the coming weeks...
This year, we're probably moving in December, so I feel the need to make sure I'm more on top of my planning than usual. I don't even know where we'll be living when Christmas comes this year. I know where one box of lights is in my garage and I plan on making decorations with construction paper with my kids no matter where we are. I also plan on getting my family's gifts together and keeping them in a box together. Thankfully, I do know where the wrapping paper is and it's not in storage!
But, this year is going to be different for us. We're not settled. We don't know what to expect and I know extra flexibility and creativity is going to be required. We do know that we'll be together and celebrating Christ's birth as a family. And really, that's what's most important anyways.
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