Monthly Archives: October 2009
The neverending tangent
Some of you have already seen this on facebook, but I’m going to share it again. Here. Because I’m so stinkin’ proud.
My weekend started last Thursday night with a sore throat. Friday morning I woke early to make this for Grandparents’ Day and quickly discovered I had no voice. Being class mom and all, I couldn’t rest my voice until Saturday. It was kinda nice! Rick took care of the kids and I got to sit around watching movies and such. My voice came back a little by Sunday morning, but then I lost it again screaming in the shower.
Okay, I have to interrupt my story with another story.
I was in the shower Sunday morning praising God that my voice came back, even if just a little. (I love singing and singing to God on Sunday mornings is one of my favorite parts of every week.) I grabbed my razor and opened the case to get a fresh blade. That’s when something jumped at me. I threw the razor, blades and case to the floor and the tub and, as calmly as I could, called for my loving husband (aka Rick the Mighty Bug Killer).
No answer.
I called a little louder and with a little more panic.
Still no answer.
Let me remind you that I didn’t have my glasses or contacts in. This thing looked enormous and had started crawling toward me. I started screaming hysterically and trying to splash it with water. (I don’t know what I thought water would do to it, but at the time it seemed like a good idea. In retrospect I should have just gotten out of the shower. Anywho, Rick finally arrived, killed the bug and left me to shed a thousand tension-relieving tears while I finished my shower.
Anyone remember the shower scene in Bird on a Wire? A giant cockroach lands on Goldie Hawn’s head. “He’s in there doing his hair right now!” Yeah. It felt kind of like that. Rick said it was just a harmless little beetle. I say it may be weeks before I shave again.
Back to my main story: After this whole ordeal, I had even less of a voice than I did on Friday or Saturday. Friends at church congratulated Rick on his good fortune. When we got home, I donned a hot pink Dora the Explorer whistle which I used to summon the children if ever I needed anything. Again, Rick took care of everything, but I was a little bored. I mean, I had already folded the laundry and sorted the over 100 books on my side of the bed. (Literally over 100 books! I counted.) I had done a little work with Photoshop and watched at least eight episodes of Amazing Wedding Cakes. I needed something to do.
I decided to unearth my sewing machine. The last thing I sewed was Zach’s crib bedding. He’s four. In fact, when I dug in the closet to get my beautiful Singer, I found two partially completed maternity dresses. Don’t think I’ll be needing those.
Remember this? I decided to give it a try. This is how it turned out.
Isn’t it adorable? I love it! And I had so much fun making it that I’ve since hoarded a collection of old books from our garage and a couple from the used book section of Barnes and Noble, all to be converted to purses soon.
And that was my weekend.
Don’t forget to comment on Tuesday’s post to enter to win a free copy of Richard Dahlstrom’s newest book: 02: Breathing New Life into Faith!
O2: Breathing New Life Into Faith
Your physical body needs oxygen in order to survive. Inhale, exhale … one leads naturally to the other. Inhale too long and you feel as if your lungs will burst. Exhale too long and you get light-headed.
The premise of Richard Dahlstrom’s new book is that the same rhythm is essential in the life of faith. You inhale life-giving strength from God through things like prayer, study, solitude, and silence. You exhale generosity, hospitality, and service to the poor. If you try to do one without the other, you won’t last very long.
The author is Senior Pastor of Bethany Community Church in Seattle, WA, in the heart of the city, among university students, young professionals, families, the homeless, and the elderly. He wrote this book after recognizing an unfortunate pattern within the Christian community. People would accept Christ with enthusiasm, then quickly get burnt out for one reason or another. Others would continue saying all the right things, but little of God’s Truth actually sank into their hearts. The author wants to revive these people by showing them the tools to balance the receiving with the giving, the quiet with the active, the inhaling with the exhaling.
This fresh perspective on the classic disciplines of the faith empowers readers to reflect the life of Jesus and keep their faith growing stronger.
Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered in a drawing to receive O2 for free! I’ll draw a name this Saturday.
Visit the author’s website: http://raincitypastor.blogspot.com/
Read the first chapter: http://www.conversantlife.com/files/resource_downloads/O2.pdf
The perfect mom-blogger solution!
Ever long for a private office? Moms, how many times have you complained about being interrupted while trying to check email or write a new blog post? How often have you longed for a cozy, kid-free spot of solitude? Ladies, I’ve found the solution! Check it out.
How perfect is this?? I love it. And so fashionable!
Learn more at this site. They also have a nifty option without the privacy hood. Anyone know how to knit? Image the fortune you’d make on etsy!!
Recipe Swap Sunday: Breakfast Casserole
As promised, today I’m sharing my breakfast casserole recipe! Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures. I totally meant to take one on Friday, but then forgot. Sorry.
In other news, I’m not quite sure what to call this dish. It’s not really a quiche because it doesn’t have a crust, and it’s not really a frittata because … well, it’s just not. Frittatas are pancake-y omelets, and this is neither a pancake nor an omelet. (Besides, I don’t have one of those cool frittata pans from WS.) So, if you think of any cool names for this, let me know.
Even without a name, it’s delicious.
Tanya’s Breakfast Casserole
10 oz. sausage, cooked and broken or cut into pieces
1 T butter or olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
14 eggs
2 c half-and-half cream
2 c Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
3 T fresh parsley (if you have dried parsley, use only 1 T)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Preheat oven to 350′F. Lightly grease casserole dishes. This recipe as written fills one 9 x 13″ dish OR one 9″ pie pan AND a 10″ square dish.
In a large skillet, melt the butter (or olive oil, if you prefer) and add all the vegetables. Saute about 5 minutes, then add the cooked sausage. Continue cooking until the sausage is warmed and the veggies are tender.
In a large bowl, wisk all remaining ingredients together. Add the vegetable sausage mixture and combine thoroughly.
Pour into prepared casserole dishes. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the center is firm and the edges are slightly puffed. (An inserted knife should come out clean.) Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. ENJOY!
Serves 12-15.
Linky Love
Today is Grandparents’ Day at school. The kids can not wait to have their special guests join their classes. I’ve been up since 5:30 making breakfast casseroles. (Stay tuned for Recipe Swap Sunday to get the full scoop on that. Yumm!!) In the meantime, I want to share some links for you to explore.
Proverbs 31 Woman: This is a brand new blog started by my friend Kristina (author of 16 books and countless articles). It’s fantastic! She talks about all kinds of stuff related to being more like that superwoman of the Old Testament: organization, time management, parenting, and spiritual growth. Check it out!
If you’re anywhere near Akron, PA, you need to visit CB Portraits blog and website. The photographer is a classmate from college, a mom, and a phenomenal photographer. I so wish we lived closer because I would love to see what she can capture of my kids.
All right, etsy fans … I know you’re out there! My sister just opened a shop! Click HERE to see her handmade bibs, burb cloths, blankets and velcro belts for kids. She does beautiful work! And can personalize it, too. Nice stuff.
That’s it for today. Happy Friday, everyone!
What My Children Are Reading
Today I’m hosting The Well-Read Child‘s weekly meme. (Be sure to click on that link to check out her blog!) Here are the books we’ve been reading the most around here. If you’re visiting, please note I have a four-year-old son (total boy!) and a five-year-old daughter (complete with blond ringlets).
The Big Green Book of Beginner Books
by Dr. Seuss
This collection, originally compiled in 1997 and re-released this year, includes six popular titles for early readers. The titles include I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!, Wacky Wednesday, Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?, Maybe You Should Fly a Jet!, I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, and Great Day for Up. All of these are adorable, imaginative stories! While all are written by Dr. Seuss, none are illustrated by him. It’s a wonderful collection for reading to or with kids. Zach enjoys the silliness of the stories and Ellie likes showing off her budding reading skills with such a big book.
ISBN: 0375858075; Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 8/11/2009; Source: BJs Wholesale Club ($10.99)
The Wackiest, Wildest, Weirdest Animals in the World
by Jungle Jack Hanna
Which furry omnivore smells like popcorn? What sea monster has three hearts? How did the blue-footed booby get its name? Filled with large, full-color glossy photos, this book explores some of the lesser-known creatures in the animal kingdom. The format offers facts at a glance, longer story boxes and text bubbles with funny details. This makes it perfect for parents of children with short or varied attention spans. You can choose what and how much to read without feeling like you’re missing large chunks of content. Bonus: the book comes with a DVD of bloopers from Jack Hanna’s show. My kids love both the book and the video!
ISBN: 1400311403; Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 6/9/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher via Amazon Vine
Zac the Tax Man and Jonah’s Story
both written and illustrated by Andrew McDonough
Part of the Cecil & Friends series, these books re-tell the biblical stories of Jonah and Zacchaeus. Both are funny and colorful. They make the stories kid-friendly by modernizing the stories with clever details and filling the pages with bright, cartoon-like illustrations. At the back of the book, parents 
will find the full Biblical text with references and tips for helping children understand the point of the story. My only complaint: the characters are interchangeable. They all kinda look the same. My kids noticed this, too, but they still enjoy the books and want to read them again and again.
Zac: ISBN: 0310719496; Publisher: ZonderKidz, 10/1/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher
Jonah: ISBN: 0310719488; Publisher: ZonderKidz, 10/1/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher
What are your kids reading this week?
Eliminating the But
Last spring a friend challenged my thinking when she claimed God doesn’t love us in spite of who we are, but because of who we are. Her point was that God doesn’t love us by overlooking our shortcomings. Perhaps our shortcomings, our little idiosyncrasies that we feel are inadequacies, are actually part of our charming uniqueness created by God. He loves us because He made us, even those little quirks that we’re always trying to eliminate.
Please understand I am not asserting that God loves our sin. That’s completely unbiblical and untrue! I am not claiming God loves when we fail. I am only saying — and believe my friend’s point was — that God’s love is unconditional and we need not place conditions on it. God doesn’t love me in spite of my mistakes. He just loves me. I may never fully understand why or how, but He does.
Over the summer I noticed an often repeated phrase in conversation with our kids.
“I love you, but …” Read the rest of this entry
Recipe Swap Sunday: Grilled Chicken Paninis
Our kitchen is being ripped up this week. We’re not doing major renovations, just new floors and backsplash tiles, but even “small” job means I’ll be without the hub of our home for at least a week. I’ve spent this weekend listing meals I can make without using a microwave, stove, oven, freezer or fridge. This is a favorite that made the cut.
It doesn’t use any of those appliances, just a panini grill which can be plugged in the dining room. Alos, it’s relatively quick, easy and mess-free. All good since I’ll have to do dishes in the bathroom.
If you don’t have a panini grill, GET ONE.
Just kidding. 
I LOVE our panini grill and use it quite frequently. However, if you don’t have one and don’t want to get one, you can also use a quesadilla maker a stove top grill pan with press. If you don’t have a panini grill, a quesadilla maker OR a grill pan — Obviously I adore kitchen gadgets and collect them as if I were William Sonoma himself. Actually, I think those are two guys: William and Sonoma … I’m not sure. I do know that William Sonoma (the store) owns Pottery Barn, which has absolutely nothing to do with this recipe. I should probably end this ridiculous tangent here.
If you don’t have any of the fancy gadgets I collect, just cook this the same way you normally would a grilled cheese sandwich.
Grilled Chicken Paninis
2 c. pre-cooked chicken, shredded or cut into small strips
1 packet Knorr’s Pesto Sauce mix
2 T olive oil
1 tomato, sliced
4 slices provolone cheese
8 slices bread (Use your favorite kind; I prefer potato bread for this recipe.)
4 T butter
In a large bowl combine olive oil and pesto mix; add chicken and stir until coated well. Place a pat of butter (½ T) on your Panini grill. Top with 1 slice of bread, about ½ c chicken, a slice of tomato, a slice of cheese, another piece of bread and another pat of butter. Do this for each sandwich. Grill until golden and the cheese is melted.
Serves 4.
What I learned today, but wish I hadn’t
If your washer drains into a slop sink and you’ve been painting earlier in the week, no matter how busy you are in the morning, ALWAYS make sure the sink is clear before running a load of wash. Paint supplies and the residual paint on them tends to severely clog drains.
Attempting to teach one Bible story to twenty sugar-high kids between the ages of 6-months and 5-years is just as crazy as it sounds. If at all possible, keep a Zoe (from Sesame Street) puppet with you at all times. Be warned, however, that some toddlers are afraid of Zoe and will scream hysterically if she tries to kiss them.
Hip-high piles of dirty laundry aren’t always a terrible thing. For example, when your basement floods. These typically atrocious mountains absorb the majority of the water leaving less for you to mop. (This works best if you back slowly out of the room, close the door and pretend you didn’t see the 2″ of water; go attempt to teach twenty kids something about Moses, but mostly about Zoe, then return to clean up hours later.) Since you had to wash those clothes anyway, you have no new work. In fact, you now have greater motivation to tackle the work you’ve procrastinated for days. Come tomorrow morning, you’ll be amazed at all you’ve accomplished in a short period of time! Clean floors, finished laundry and maybe even an aerobic workout climbing flights of stairs.
The floor of a basement laundry room is not the best place to store non-perishable groceries, especially if you have ignored Lesson #1 regarding paint supplies. (Normally I never do this, but my week has been crazy and I put them there just until I had more time to properly organize the dry goods on the pantry shelving we have in that room. Unfortunately, my dry goods are no longer dry.)
Reusable plastic bags that look like they’re waterproof usually aren’t.
Ellie-isms & Zach Attacks
Ellie, singing: “I lo-ove you, orange juice, because you have vitami-i-i-i-i-ins!”
Ellie: “This peach is so delicious and healthy; it makes me want to run outside.”
Zach: “The guy from the pretend A&P just gave me a hundred and ninety-six dollar hot dog for ninety-six dollars! He didn’t even look at the sign!! I looked at the sign and it said “Six one.” Can you believe it?”
Ellie: “My mom and dad are so old. I’m sure they’ll get sick soon and then I’ll have to find someone to adopt me. (turning to me) Hey, Mom! Will you die next week? Do you think Grandma will adopt me?”
Zach: “… seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, two-dee –”
Me: “Twenty.”
Zach: “Mommy, you’re so silly! Two-dee-one, two-dee-two, two-dee-free …”
Ellie: “What are we having for dinner?”
Me: “Chicken.”
Ellie: “Bar-be-que chicken?”
Me: “No, just seasoned chicken.”
Ellie: “Does it grow in all seasons or just summer?”
Now I don’t have exact quotes on this, but a new form of Zach Attack has been his rules. He makes these really funny and rather strict rules about random things.
For example …
“I don’t believe in God because He starts with G and I don’t like Gs today. I only like Gs on Wednesdays. I’ll believe in God on Wednesday.”
Or
“My teacher said we can’t bring any fruit to school for snacks. The rule is we only bring chips or candy.”
Another one:
“I only eat vegetables on Saturday. But I’ll eat broccoli on Tuesday because I like green on Tuesdays.”
