I Did It!

I finally accomplished goal #4o of project fifty-two!

I custom-made a header for my blog!

I made it with my own picture!

I did it without buying photo shop!

I finally got the right size!

I stayed up WAY too late to figure it out,

but I like it!

Can you tell that I am excited!?!

I hope you like it, too!

A Different Mom

Right before tucking my children into bed, one of my dear ones burst out of pent up emotion, "I wish I had a different mom." Oh dear, it had been a rough day with this one who seemed to wake up with a chip on the shoulder toward everyone in the house, the weather, and life in general. After hearing these words, I trudged up the stairs and plopped, exhausted into bed. As I lay there processing, words of a wise friend came to mind. "When critical, hurtful words are spoken, I (my friend) have learned to look in the mirror and ask myself what of the words spoken are true? What of the words are exaggeration and lies? Then I take the time to do my part, and leave the rest." As I took the words of this dear mentor to heart, I began to think through the day. I tried to make it a good day for each child, but I also woke up with this feeling of having "given" all week. On the outside I continued to give, but my heart was not in it, and this one who tested my emotion all day sensed it. You see, sometimes as a mom, I lose sight of why I give of myself. It isn't for temporary results, it isn't for appreciation or applause, it isn't for my own sense of goodness or because it is the right thing to do. It is for demonstrating unconditional love as my Father in Heaven demonstrates unconditional love for me in order that the ones entrusted to my care may know Him. My heart's deepest desire is to have my children know that love and walk in it. This kind of love is one that loves to the point of exhaustion. It is the kind of love that took Jesus to the cross. But the exciting thing is that it isn't a love filled with drudgery but rather joy. My Savior, "who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 It is a love that is empowered by this One who died for me and now lives in me. It is a love whose energy is fueled by "the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth (who) does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31


This is the kind of mother I want to be:
one who walks in joy, strength and unconditional love,
one who looks at the bumps of life and chooses joy not selfishness,
one who dances through life's ups and downs, AND
one who celebrates life with tea and cake!

Saturday Mornings Are For Sleeping In, Staying in Pajamas, and Eating Waffles

One of my favorite things about Saturday mornings is waking up to a slower pace, putting on a pot of tea, and making waffles. I whip up the batter, and as my groggy-eyed children rise one by one I set out the whipped cream, berries, peanut butter, coconut, cream cheese, and maple syrup. After every tummy is full, the remaining batter gets cooked and the extra waffles get placed in the freezer. These make great toaster breakfasts on busy school mornings.

Over the past few months I have been tweaking a favorite waffle recipe that I found here. After much experimentation, I came up with the following recipe which is a bit more healthy, yet still retains the light, crispy texture my family loves.

Jacqueline's Favorite Waffles:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup fresh ground flax seed (I ground these in my coffee grinder.)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons evaporated cane juice or sugar

6 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs, separated

3 1/2 cups milk

1 stick butter, melted

Heat the waffle iron on medium high to high. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, ground flax seed, sugar, baking powder, salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk and melted butter. Add to the flour mixture, and whisk until the large lumps disappear. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them carefully into the batter. Following your waffle iron instructions, ladle the batter into the iron and cook until no steam emerges. Top with maple syrup, berries, cream cheese, marmalade, coconut, peanut butter, whip cream, or other favorite toppings and enjoy!

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed....Or Not

We are so ready for spring break around here! This morning, as I was making the rounds to awake my sleepy children for school, I stopped for a few moments beside my older daughters' beds to chat with them. All of the sudden little BJ came bounding out of his bedroom bright eyed and bushy tailed, huge smile on his face and ready for a brand new day. He excitedly asked, "Is there school today?" to which I replied, "Oh, yes, but it is Friday!" to which his bright eyes dimmed into a frown. He turned in a huff and threw himself back into bed with a groan. His sudden change of demeanor sent the rest of us into an uproar of laughter. Yes, spring break is only a few weeks away, and we are ALL so ready.

For the Love of Domesticity and Sock Baskets

I love homemaking. The art of creating a cozy haven for my family and friends brings sheer pleasure to my soul. I love creating yummy foods that fill the house with tantalizing aromas and feed hungry tummies. I love providing cozy corners for play, solitude, or intense discussions about life. I love clean floors and newly washed sheets. I love finding discarded thrift items and finding new life for them. I love a fresh coat of paint on scuffed walls. I love all that makes home a refuge from the craziness of life.

But sometimes life gets so busily out of control that I forget how much I love these things. Time for creativity is stifled, and all I can see are the mountains of laundry and piles of dirty dishes. But just when those times are about to overtake me, someone comes along and quietly lifts the burdens, clears the messes, and renews my strength to keep going.

That someone is my mother. The past few years, she has flown out during the month of February while my Dad takes a mission trip to Africa and spends time with the children and I. Every time she visits, she quietly does the ordinary things like laundry and dishes and matches all the mismatched socks in my ever growing sock basket. Yes, I confess, I have a large laundry basket full of socks accumulated when removing clothes from the dryer with the intent to match them later. "Later" never happens, and then I end up with an overflowing basket of lone socks waiting for dear Mother to come and reunite the pairs, so my four children do not have to waste so much time every school morning vainly searching for mismatched socks.

In taking care of the "sock basket," Mother takes care of me. Without out a word, she does the little things that give me time to take a breath and feel renewed. She leaves me re-energized to take on the ordinary tasks of life with new vitality and renews my love for the domestic arts once again. This gift of carrying my burdens, even if only for a short while, is one I have grown to deeply appreciate over the years and one I hope never to take for granted.

What about you? What is your "sock basket" that needs emptied?

Beautiful Ruins

As a teenager I dreamed of being a Christian "hero." I would give everything and go anywhere for my Lord. I committed to live for Him, "whatever the cost." Little did I understand the depth and breadth of those words. Little did I know what "cost" was. Little did I anticipate the unexpected twists and turns my life would take. Little did I realize what "count it all joy when you fall into various trials" meant.

My journey has involved death. Death of myself, my ways, my ambitions. In essence, it has meant a coming to ruins, so that the Lord may create something beautiful from the ashes. Beautiful ruins. It has not been a life of ease, but it has been one full of joy; joy in knowing intimately the unfailing love of my Lord. All other life is nothing compared to this knowing.

I know the journey is not over yet. I know there are unforeseen trials yet to come. But I also know the goodness of my Lord, and because of His goodness I will dance. I will "count it all joy" so that from the ashes, beauty will arise. Beautiful ruins.

Thoughts inspired from this post by Sally Clarkson.

Cupcaking

One of my favorite new fascinations in the kitchen these days is the art of cupcakes. A few years ago, I paid no attention to these little bites of cake and creamy confection. I rarely baked them in favor of a more moist, layered slice of indulgence. But as growing trends have popularized the once ordinary dessert, I have found myself on the bandwagon trying to make the yummiest possible five bites of deliciousness. I even have this illusive dream of someday opening up a cupcake shop in town!

After experimenting with many flavors, mixes, recipes, I still have not yet created my piece de resistance, but have learned a few things along the way:

Number One- Do not overfill the cupcake papers. Filling the papers a smidgen past half full will result in a beautiful rounded top.

Number Two- Watch the cakes at the end of the bake time to pull them out at just the right time. If you bake them too long they will be dry. The tops should bounce back with a little give when you gently push them with your finger to ensure moistness.

Number Three- Brush the tops with a simple syrup immediately out of the oven. This marinates the cakes with the kind of flavor found in layer cakes. One of my favorites is a mixture of sugar and water boiled into a syrup with the addition of pure almond extract.

Number Four- Top with an exquisite frosting. Vanilla buttercream and cream cheese are two of my favorites.

Number Five- Refrigerate overnight in a sealed container for the best infusion of flavor.

Enjoy!!!

Project Fifty-Two

Each new year brings with it wonderful musings of thoughts, goals, ideas for the upcoming months. It creates a time to think and pray about what of the past needs to be dropped, and what of the future must be accomplished. After much musing, I conclude the same thing each year. No matter where life's road turns, I have one desire: to know the Maker of my entire being more deeply and to be filled with His pleasant aroma which can then overflow into the lives of my children and the people around me. The simple goal of knowing Him and teaching my little ones of His wonders puts all other things into perspective.

That being said, I have put together somewhat of a practical wish list of things I would like to do in the year 2010, not resolutions, just wishes. As I began to compile the list, it grew and grew until I finally decided to limit it to fifty-two. One wish fulfilled for each week of the year. Feel free to walk with me as I take baby steps towards order and beauty and the cultivation of art and soul. I would even love to see your wish list of fifty-two.

1. Paint the family room and office.
2. Post fifty-two blog posts.
3. Complete the reading of my chronological Bible.
4. Read a classic.
5. Sew a lap quilt.
6. Explore downtown Denver.
7. Hang curtains in the family room.
8. Organize photos.
9. Finish a puzzle.
10. Study a book on photography.
11. Eat a cupcake at Happy Cakes.
12. Learn how to make Beef Wellington.
13. Study the manual for my camera.
14. Develop portrait photography skills.
15. Plant Zinnias.
16. Hike the Incline.
17. Get away alone with my husband.
18. Arrange a performance by my children for a retirement home.
19. Customize a slipcover for my sofa.
20. Improve my low light photography abilities.
21. Construct cupcake boxes for Valentine's Day.
22. Grow Daisies.
23. Have tea in Monument.
23. Travel with the family to Glenwood Springs.
24. Complete the family picture/art wall.
25. Go camping.
26. Sew pillows.
27. Fit into my favorite black skirt (sit-ups required).
28. Organize my creative space.
29. Paint the girl's dresser.
30. Learn to bake artisan breads.
31. Develop my own signature cupcakes.
32. Remodel the extra bathroom.
33. Remove the wallpaper in the master bathroom.
34. Hang towel hooks.
35. Narrate aloud The Hobbit to the boys.
36. Read a book (or two, or three, or four) by George MacDonald.
37. Visit an art museum as a family.
38. Paint the back entryway white.
39. Make a toy theater out of a moving box with the children.
40. Customize my own blog page design....MAJOR learning curve.
41. Run a 5K.
42. Host a gathering for the neighborhood women.
43. Sew a new apron.
44. Peruse and collect books of great artists.
45. Start a family nature journal.
46. Sew messenger bags with the girls.
47. Braid a rag rug.
48. De-clutter the office.
49. Stencil a sign.
50. Create a custom wardrobe from bargain, vintage finds.
51. Enjoy recommended books from Read for the Heart.
52. Above all, know the Master Creator of my soul.

Lessons From a Soup Pot

The other day I decided to have a try at making French Onion Soup. I searched the web for recipes, read blogs on technique, then made my way to the store for sherry, beef broth, Gruyere cheese, and a lot of onions. I cried my way through the slicing then piled the onions in a roaster (since I do not own a Dutch oven) with a whole stick of butter. Setting the oven timer for one hour, I cleaned up the kitchen, tucked the children into bed, and waited. At the sound of the timer, I opened the oven door to the lovely aroma of cooked onions, stirred them, then returned the pan into the oven to bake one hour and a half more. Once the baking was complete, I began the next process of caramelizing. Setting the pot on the stove, I added one-fourth cup of water, scraped the bottom of the pan, and waited once again as the liquid cooked off of the onions. After repeating this process three more times, I finally added the Sherry and patiently stirred and scraped as it evaporated as well, leaving the onions ready for the final step of simmering in beef broth with a little thyme and bay leaf. As the liquid simmered, I realized how much I had savored the slow process that would result in a decadent soup to be enjoyed by my family.

In this fast paced, microwave generation, we sometimes miss the enjoyment slow, methodical cooking provides. A good French Onion Soup cannot be rushed. It takes time and patience. As I contemplated this idea, I realized the same is true for parenting. Parenting requires hours and hours of preparation and input. It involves tears as children grow from the raw personalities that they are into aromatic individuals full of life to give back to this world. It cannot be rushed neither neglected. But just as I relished the procedure for creating a delectable French Onion Soup, I am learning to cherish the hours required to faithfully train and equip the children entrusted to my care. And as I do so, I am beginning to understand a little more deeply the Father heart of God, as He too seeks to mold me into an aromatic individual suited for His purposes.