Backpedaling, Again.

I wrote not too long ago against books that try to find an answer for every gray area out there. I think I wrote a little too strongly because it is good to try to do things as biblically as possible, and reading different people's opinions based on God's Word is a healthy thing to do for a Christian. Better a person wanting to learn than a person with their head stuck in the sand, right? I suppose my frustration stems from people who get stuck on a particular subject and never deviate from it. That's all. So, take me with a grain of salt whenever you read me. Now, no more of these topics 'cause I always seem to have to backpedal! (There's this thing called, "Thinking Things Through Before You Post", and I lack it).

Two Dutch Girls

To begin with, I don't primarily view myself as a dutch girl. I tend to think of myself as an American (oh be quiet, all you Canadians). But every once in awhile, my old Dutch heritage reasserts itself with vigor. Mike and I stayed at my brother and sister-in-law's house this past Christmas along with my sister Ange and her husband, Josh. Well, seeing we had the place to ourselves (my brother and his wife were gone for the holidays), we proceeded to make ourselves at home. Disaster struck on Christmas Day. We drove home from church, made ourselves a cup of coffee and found to our dismay that we had NO BAKED GOODS to eat with our coffee! This was terrible indeed! Neither of us had bothered to bring cookies with us from home, or had shopped! All the stores were closed (it being Christmas), and we didn't have the time to bake! Ange and I looked at each other in dismay while our husbands looked on not quite understanding what was troubling their dear wives (they are too American to understand). However, after peering through the fridge fruitlessly, we discovered a frozen almond tart in the freezer. It looked delicious. Of course, there was a little gift tag on the top addressed to my brother from one of his students - a christmas gift. That started the predicament - to open, or keep closed? Ange, being the braver of the two, said frankly, "Well, if someone was staying at my house, I wouldn't mind them snooping in my freezer and having a piece or two of cake." That decided it. The tart was opened, two large pieces cut out, and two dutch girls were satisfied; after all, they had something to eat with their coffee....

If I Gained the World

If I gained the world but lost the Saviour,
Were my life worth living for a day?
Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort
In the things that soon must pass away?
If I gained the world, but lost the Saviour,
Would my gain be worth the life-long strife?
Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing
For a moment with a Christ-filled life?

Had I wealth and love in fullest measure,
And a name revered both far and near,
Yet no hope beyond, no harbour waiting
Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer-
If I gained the world, but lost the Saviour,
Who endured the cross and died for me,
Could then all the world afford a refuge,
Whither in my anguish I might flee?

O what emptiness without the Saviour,
Mid the sins and sorrows here below!
And eternity, how dark without Him-
Only night and tears and endless woe!
What though I might live without the Saviour,
When I come to die, how would it be?
O to face the valley's gloom without Him!
And without Him all eternity!

O the joy of having all in Jesus!
What a balm the broken heart to heal!
Ne're a sin so great but He'll forgive it
Nor a sorrow that He does not feel!
If I have but Jesus, only Jesus,
Nothing else in all the world beside
O then everything is mine in Jesus-
For my needs and more He will provide.

-Anna Olander

When Company Comes A-Knockin'

What are you like before company comes a-knockin' at the door? I find that I begin a haphazard cleaning spree but as the day looms closer to the expected arrival of guests, I give up. The old adage, "Nothing cleans like company" rings very true for me. I have never in my life spring cleaned and hate the idea of it, but have a guest, and I start to look around my house with a critical eye. Take this past week. We were going to have guests stay in our room and seeing that I had just read a blog post from someone who stated that cleaning your curtains was a MUST, I enthusiastically tossed my brown swag trimmed with beads and baubles into the washer with a new blanket. Of course, me being me, I never bothered to read a tag and contentedly pictured my curtain hanging in my room sparkling clean. When I opened the lid of my washer, I was dismayed to see brown beads and threads EVERYWHERE. My beautiful curtain had disintegrated in the washing machine. And to top it all off, the threads were stuck onto my new blanket. It took me an hour to laboriously pick each and every thread off. Perhaps the next time I have someone over, I will learn my lesson and take it easy on the cleaning business. But then again, probably not.

Confessions of a Two Year Old

I was busy making up the bed this morning when Jules toddled into the room. "Mom," she declared, "I didn't push the button." Hmmm, my suspicions thus arroused, I asked her, "What button did you NOT push?" "The button on the computer, Mom!" Stinker! She knows she isn't allowed to touch the computer, but the temptation must have proved to be irrisistable. Thankfully, no harm was done, but I had to laugh at the way she gave it all away by her statement. I suppose I should be grateful that at this point it is easy to see through her "sneakyness".

Central Park in the Fall

This past Saturday was a beautiful day. Mike and I decided to go into NYC for a picnic in Central Park. We did it in the Fall last year as well, and we had such a good time that we said we have to do it next year. I had despaired of doing it this year; after all, it is November, and I certainly did not want to sit on a blanket in Central Park in bitterly cold conditions. I am a wimp when it comes to cold weather-even though I come from the Great North. But Saturday dawned warm and sunny without a hint of wind and so off we went. It was loads of fun! We wandered around FAO Schwartz (a huge toy store), and managed to leave with no purchases tucked under our arms! I was tempted to buy a stuffed giraffe for Nanna (she loves giraffes), but Mike informed me that the large giraffe cost $800.00. Sorry, Nanna. No giraffe for you this year. (Last year we bought a small stuffed animal - Pluto - but it never made it home. He was left in Central Park). Then we went to a deli, bought some sandwiches, and made our way to the park. We picked a spot on a hill close to the outdoor skating rink, and Jules and Mike wandered around making friends with all the people who had dogs. (Gregarious doesn't even begin to describe my husband). We also were near the building located on a hill that houses chess games. People can wander up to it and the building has all these outdoor tables with an inlaid chess board in them. You go inside, get your chess pieces, and play a game. It was very cool - I never noticed that place before. After our picnic, we walked near the Plaza hotel and watched some black guys perform some acrobatics. (As we walked up to them, they shouted at the largely white crowd, "Don't be afraid folks. We're just a bunch of black guys dancing. We won't hurt you!") Interesting. As we turned to leave, a person dressed as Elmo came walking down the sidewalk. Jules didn't know what she saw! Then, off to the Apple store. Not my idea of fun, but you have to please the hubby, and Mike really wanted to see it. After that, it was a bit of window shopping, I could have had my picture taken with some Abercrombie model, but informed Mike I would pass. And Mike shrugged and said, "Why do you need a picture with him? Look at what you've got!!!" So, that was our picnic in Central Park.
P.S. not that I really wanted a picture with that dude, anyway. Just in case you get the wrong idea. :)

Jules in Church

As some of you know, Mike and I have been trying to get Juliet to sit in church with us during the service. It makes for...interesting services. I have to say, Mike has better success than I do. If he is the only one in church sitting with her he can get Juliet to last throughout the service. I think it has something to do with the look in his eye he can get if she's "acting up." Me, well, I ain't quite as successful. Usually I end up leaving half way through the service and sit in one of the cry rooms with her. Juliet wised up on that one last Sunday, for it was only me sitting with her in church and after making it through the "long" prayer, she whispered loudly: "Mom! I'm naughty! Take me to the 'little' church!" Apparently it is a little more fun to sit in the cry room than in church!

Hand Me Downs - I Love 'Em!

Is there anything more exciting than receiving a huge bag (or in my case, huge bins), of clothes to sort through for your own kid(s)? In my case, I have the pleasure of looking through bins of clothes that my niece wore at one time. And, seeing that she was a first born, her mom, my sister Lora, bought lots and lots of clothes - all being handed down to Jules. It really is so much fun digging through a bin, trying different pairs of shoes on, searching for the matching shirt that goes with the skirt, checking out the bathingsuits, and not having to pay a cent. I love it. (On a side note, I don't know if it would be quite so fun if I had a boy. I just love pretty dresses). I especially love getting Sunday coats which would be quite expensive brand new. So, if you see Jules wearing a different outfit to church every Sunday, don't assume it's a shopaholic Niccy who just can't keep her money in her wallet. And, so what if she has three Sunday coats? I mean, one for every Sunday, right? When it comes to actual paying for clothes, right now I am focusing on accessories for myself and Juliet. One of these days I will write a post on fashion - not that I am an expert or anything, but I am amazed at how accessories can extend your wardrobe.... Since I am teaching now and wear skirts everyday, it gets a little boring to wear the same thing once a week. So, it's off to the second hand store to look at the jewelry...

Dating Photos to Christmas Cards

I was looking at somebody's online photoalbum (nevermind who!), and all I saw were shots of the young (unmarried) couple. There must have been fifteen shots of the couple (all looking pretty much the same every shot), and about five of other things. It reminded me of when Mike and I were dating. All that matters is THE COUPLE. All you want to do is take photos of... each other. I look at my dating pictures, and yep, the majority of the shots are of our two mugs, plastered with smiles. It makes me feel slightly nostalgic. Now, it's hard enough to get a picture together and what with Christmas around the corner I'm starting to get nervous since we try to put a photo of our family on the cover. Did you hear about the new rules? If you want to be in the "in" crowd, you have to send a card WITH a picture. If you don't, I hate to break it to you, but you are horribly behind the times. And now, I have a grand announcement to make: I am the official judge of the annual Christmas Card Contest this year (D.R., and W.R., winning last year's contest), and I will soon let you know the rules. Extra points to those who include the actual parents as well as the kiddies (if you have them), in your photo. (I am not going to be surprised when the amount of christmas cards I receive dwindle to about...5.) And, now, I better stop this post before I get in serious trouble and someone starts to actually take me seriously!
P.S. - Pictures taken by a photography studio will be instantly excluded from the competition.

Jules - Ready for a Night Out on the Town, Handbag and Keys Included

This and That

I was reading Romans 12 or 13(?) this morning, and the chapter talks about how the body is made up of different parts and how each part is necessary. The eye as well as the arm is needed...etc. It is comforting to read that. Every believer is different! It seems to me to be a bad habit (of woman in particular) to try to make rules about EVERYTHING - and then try to impose them on EVERYONE. We've read every bloomin' book on how to be a good wife. The nitty-gritties are fleshed out. A guide line is given about almost every issue under the sun - eating healthy, keeping your man happy, raising productive kids, breastfeeding, time spent at home, birth control (or lack thereof), dieting, baking, cooking, clothes, etc. Maybe it's human nature; let's make every gray area out there as black and white as possible. But have you ever noticed that the Bible doesn't really dealve that much into the particulars? It seems to me if you love God, you will strive to love your spouse and the kids (though you won't always succeed). As a result, your love will flow out in practical areas of life as well. And when the Bible does give clear commands, then obviously, we should follow them! When Jules grows up and meets her man, I will press ONE good book on being a godly wife and that sort of thing. But kick me in the tush if I start sending her off to "woman's conferences" and child-rearing classes and..., and, who knows what!!! (I've read a few marriage books and after I read them, felt very sure I knew how to be the perfect wife. I just came to realize that though I was good at reading about it, the practicing part was a lot harder).

Inspirationed-Out

I'm getting inspirationed-out! Whatever in the world do I mean? Well, I was just on facebook and came across, let's see, five wise, thought-provoking comments in just a few minutes of scrolling. So, if you asked me now what new "inspirational" quote I read, I probably couldn't tell you because I no longer remember. Ever get that feeling? Now, by no means stop posting thought-provoking expressions or proverbs.... I do the same thing! But when I'm on the computer, I find that I just breeze through them and don't really appreciate the significance or wisdom of a particular idea. Know what I mean? It's like I'm in my computer-mode; I want what I want as FAST as possible. Any thinking involved only delays my immediate gratification. I think I will stick to Bible reading in the morning and at night for real INSPIRATIONAL words.

Sunday Rambles

This past Sunday the weather was gorgeous so Mike, me and Jules went for a ramble in the afternoon. It was sunny outside, the air was crisp, and the trees were starting to change colors. We walked down the trail in the Glens to the "Clear Stream", saw a few deer, Juliet picked up various "treasures"- make that twigs, leaves and the like- and had a fun time. It made me think about the fact that I want Sunday to be a special day for Jules. Not a day of "Can't do's" but a day of worshipping God together as a family - whether that be in church, going for a walk, playing a game together, reading stories, etc. I remember as a kid my dad used to always read to us ever Sunday afternoon from the "Big Blue Book" - a real treat. And we had chocolate with tea in the afternoon - even food aught to be good on Sunday, don't you think? (Okay, that's just a personal preference there, so all of you chomping at the bit to jump down my throat, CALM DOWN!) Right now Jules doesn't really like the church part - I wish she still was in the babysit, but she has a fit everytime we try that lately, so she's in church with us. I try to encourage her to sing along with the congregation so she's "involved" in the service. I have been teaching her the doxology "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." She has the last words down pat: "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Of course, what with the Halloween decorations all over town, the whole ghost thing has gotten Juliet a little confused. She now differentiates between the two by proclaiming that the white "ghosts" she sees outside are "Naughty ghosts!" Sigh. I've been trying to explain what the Holy Ghost is to her, but I haven't had too much success....

Cleaning Tip #2

Well, here comes cleaning tip #2. I just read a dear friend's blog from Holland and I wrote to her that I almost didn't dare publish my cleaning tip because you will see what type of cleaner I can be. (I most certainly have picked up some American habits with regards to cleaning). For last second cleaning (say before the company steps in the door), I use a baby wipe to do a few quick swipes in the bathroom. When done, FLUSH the whole thing down the toilet and it only took you, say, twenty seconds! I do regularly clean my bathroom the REAL way (whatever way that is), but by the next day, who can tell? Honestly, I like a clean home, but I am always amazed at how quickly it becomes a mess. And I don't want to spend my entire life cleaning. Don't look at my windows too closely, please.

Nic Talking Politics - Watch Out!

I'm breaking one of my blogging rules. I'm being reactionary. Perphaps I will simply file this post away somewhere and not publish it for awhile. Or maybe not. I'm against President Obama's agenda, and I don't support his policies (for the most part), but it seems ignorant to me to swing the other way and suggest that he should be impeached. Sorry, I don't buy it. I was driving through town today and saw a sign right in front of the post office declaring, "Stop Obama Now!" and "Impeach Obama!" I couldn't believe my eyes. If impeaching a President simply because you don't agree with his policies becomes normal, I think we are going down a road that will only bring trouble. Not that I actually think it's going to happen. But when Christians start to endorse this kind of thing, it worries me because there seems to be a lack of common sense in use here. I would think impeachment should be a last resort. However, today I heard in the news that the health care bill could be deemed unconstitutional (after all, you are forcing Americans to buy into it - in America, that ain't too popular). It all makes politics slightly interesting.

October - Robert Frost

A little Robert Frost, anyone? How about a poem about October? I'd say that's in order. I have to admit when I was in highschool I never understood Frost's poetry. I'd read the poem and then wonder if I'd missed something. There was always the question, "And then what happened????" Now, some poetry still does that to me, I admit, but I am a fan of Frost. I read the oft recited "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" this morning and felt a chill go down my spine when I read the closing lines, "And miles to go before I sleep/ And miles to go before I sleep." But back to "October". Let's hear it, shall we?

October
O hushed October morning mild
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost-
For the grapes' sake along the wall.

Jules's Famous Sayings

Juliet has been saying the funniest things lately! I just have to post some of them. (Some of them were also posted on facebook).
1. We wen't for a walk today and as we passed a house, I said "Hello," to a man who was standing in his garage. Juliet - "Who is that?" Me - "A neighbor." Juliet - "A man?" Me - "A neighbor!" Juliet, feeling the need to clarify, "A BIG neighbor!" Thankfully, we were out of earshot!
2. Today Juliet told me to, "Leave me alone." I didn't know whether to be hurt or to seize the opportunity to get something done.
3. The other night there was a violent thunderstorm outside. As I left the room after tucking Juliet in at night, she asked me, "Mom, can you turn the thunderstorm off?"
4. Yesterday Juliet tried to control the birds outside. "Tweet now, birds!" she declared. Then after a few moments, "Stop tweeting, birds!" I can't say she had much success...
5. "Mom, be quiet! I'm reading the Bible!" Think she's heard that one before?
6. Juliet's version of the song "Deep and Wide."
"Deep and wide,
Deep and wide,
There's a mountain floating deep and wide, etc."
Now, of course Mike and I have repeatedly corrected her, but to no avail. Now she sings just as loudly, except she looks pointedly at Mike and me while she sings, "Mountain floating deep and wide!!!!" (Original words being: "There's a fountain flowing deep and wide..."
Don't you just love kids?

Bad Habit

Mike and I have slipped into a bad habit. It started out as something fun to do and now it has become second nature. I feel a little silly writing what our bad habit is, but apparently not TOO silly since I'm telling the world. Mike and I often pronounce words incorrectly. For example,
ineresting = interesting
fabalous = fabulous
tomater = tomato
taters = potatoes
We pretty much drop "r"s into everything, and anything that makes a word sound more "rednecky" is game. So, that's it. It still makes me laugh when we do it, but I caught myself saying "ain't" in my 8th grade class, and "fabalous" in my 6th! Its gotta stop!

Food Nut

Well, folks, Mike and I took the plunge. Yep, you are now looking at one of those organic, grow your own food, anti-preservatives, anti-processed types. Last Saturday, after spending a glorious morning at Turtle-back Zoo (well worth your money), Mike and I went to Trader Joes - a grocery store that specializes in organic and natural foods. Of course, I had the expected heart-attack when it came time to pay the bill at the counter, but after I recovered I looked with pleasure at my loaded cart full of natural...stuff. Brownie mix, banannas, sunflower seeds, peanuts, sea salt, organic kiwis, you name it, it was in our cart. What has happened to me? Well, Mike has been on a health kick for the past month (with good results, I might add), so I thought I better join the whole thing. Last night, Mike and I had our traditional Sunday night BLT - except the bacon was turkey bacon. It didn't taste a whit like regular bacon, but nonetheless, it still tasted good. This morning I ate watermelon and kiwi for breakfast. I'm going to have a highly nutritious salad for lunch, and, well, I better stop before I bore you all to tears. So that is what is new and exciting in my life. You better not sit beside me at any function, because I just might start talking your ear off about natural foods and the like.

I Want my Gurl Edicated

Some day I want my little girl to be educated. Yes, I want her to know how to cook, bake, clean the house, and all that good stuff (though, personally, I find it all a little overrated - am I allowed to say that?). But I would love for Jules to also go to college or university some day. Why? What if Juliet doesn't get married? What if Juliet does get married and doesn't have children? Do you spend your days cleaning and fussing in the house? What if Juliet does marry and there are financial problems? (Is your head ringing yet?) I want her to be able to provide for herself if she has to. I would hate to have my daughter panic because let's say, she's thirty, unmarried, and knows how to care for a house and bake and cook, etc, and that's about it. I don't have anything against parents wanting to "train" their daughters to be housewives and homemakers (I think my mom trained us girls in my family, more or less, to be able to care for a house, etc., but I think I learned by default, which was perfectly fine by me). But if being a "homemaker" is the only option for a young girl, I have a problem with that. Saying that every woman has to find fulfillment ONLY at home is...limiting. I understand why so many people are against the "career women." We picture a woman getting up at five in the morning, rushing her kids off to daycare, racing back to the daycare at five o'clock, throwing a frozen pizza in the oven, putting the kids in bed, and then being too tired to pay a whit of attention to the ole' hubby. Yeah, it's not a pretty picture. And I am not endorsing it. But there are other "pictures" out there, too. But I do think there can be fabulous reasons for the working gal as well! I am thankful (most days) for the opportunity to get out of the house, dabble in teaching, make a little money, and come back home to my little girl! Reading this little post, I'm afraid I sound a little on the defensive side, but it's what I think I believe.... Am I crazy? And, before someone jumps down my throat, of course I do believe that you do not have to have a college degree to be "educated." That said, having a college education can open up doors that would be otherwise closed. And now that I am done with all this disclaimer business, I shall quietly shut down my computer, and pay attention to this little girl who has been bugging me since I started typing!!!!

Kitchen Floors and Pizza

Does anyone else have a mental block when it comes to making dinner on Friday night? I do. It's 5:30 on a Friday afternoon and I don't know what I'm going to make. However, there are three slices of pizza in the fridge, and it just might be one of those days... I rarely actually make dinner on Friday. For some reason, it's perfectly fine to cook any other time in the week, but by Friday, I'M DONE! Other news in my not-so-dramatic life? We had a leak under our sink in the kitchen and the water seeped under our wood floor in our kitchen and it has...readjusted the floor somewhat. There now is a small hill right next to the kitchen table. When Jules saw the "hill" this morning, she delightedly proclaimed: "It's a mountain!" and proceeded to push her trains up and down it. I just heard a large "crack" in the kitchen and I'm scared to look. Me thinks Mike isn't going to be so pleased when he gets home....

Autumn

Well, Mike is out playing volleyball, Juliet is in bed (though not sleeping yet), and I am sitting in my living room with one of my windows open. There is a breeze coming through the window, and I can hear the sound of the town's highschool band practicing. They sound pretty good to my untrained ear. I love the feeling of fall in the air - the air is so crisp at night, the mums are blooming everywhere, it's time to wear your coat in the morning and then wonder what in the world you thinking when it's hot in the afternoon - except it means that summer is ending. I went to the park with Juliet tonight and we could only spend an half hour there - it got dark so quickly. On a side note, isn't it funny who you end up talking to at a park because of your kid(s)? Well, I read Dr. Murray's blog tonight (HeadHeartHand) and loved the post on leadership (not something I would generally be interested in, but I love his point on how being optimistic is a GOOD thing. And I think it is important that the reasons given for being positive are not just the typical jargon you hear today about "positive thinking" and the like. Rather, biblical reasons are provided. Don't you get so sick of criticizing people, even if it's "only" in your head? I do. And then you slip into bad habits and before you know it, you are the only person who knows how to do anything "right" in life! So I'm going to think of the top five people on my "criticizing list" and think of the positives! (Don't worry, YOU aren't on the list - and I don't really have a list). It's time to count the blessings!

September Ramblings

Well, folks, I haven't as much time to post lately because I'm a workin' woman. Yep, I'm one of them liberated sorts. Okay, I'm kidding, but I am teaching a half day every day and that cuts down on the time to do fun things like blog. My thoughts on teaching? I'm really enjoying it. It's fun to be around students. I'm teaching all sorts of different subjects to varying age levels and am enjoying the challenge. My life has to be way more organized now, otherwise my house would be upside down and I can handle some mess but not tooooooo crazy. But being busy has always been a good thing for me. Gone are the days when I would stay up till after midnight, get up at...(never mind - I'll keep this one a secret), and take a nap while Juliet napped. Nope, I'm up at seven o'clock almost every morning and quite proud of it! So far, Juliet is behaving admirably for "Nonny", my mother-in-law, and for her babysitter. My biggest worry has not been a worry at all! What has been going on with Juliet lately? Well, as my mother-in-law says, "There are no flies on her!" The other day Juliet held up a DVD that was much too scary for her (I think it was Charlotte's Web) and I told her (firmly) that she wasn't allowed to watch it. I told her she could "when she was older." Mike came home, and Juliet thought she ought to see what Dad has to say about the matter. She was disappointed when Mike said "no" as well. The next day, Jules held up the video and declared, "I'm older, Mom!" I couldn't help laughing.... And what has Mike been up to? I had to laugh this morning when he told me a dream he had recently.... He was in Best Buy, and his cart was loaded to the gills with electronic gadgets: computers, computer games, flat screen TV, all the works. He was like a kid in a candy store! He was waiting in line to buy his merchandise but the line was moving sooo slowly. Lo and behold, it was almost his turn to pay for the stuff when in marched his wife (me), and said one word: "MIKE!!!" Apparently I ruin his dreams even in his sleep.

Sunday School Lessons

Teaching Sunday school can be humbling. One of the main lessons in my bible story today was that God sees everything. We were talking about Achan, and how he stole some treasures from Jericho, hid them in his tent, probably thinking he had gotten away with the whole thing. But, of course, God saw him, and he was severly punished. In class we talked about the application and discussed what we should do if we have sinned and "gotten away with it" (in our own eyes). We said we should ask forgiveness of the one we have wronged AND ask God to forgive us. Then I came home from Sunday school, saw Mike reading his book while the breakfast dishes sat on the counter, and the dishwasher sat chock full of dishes yearning to be put away, and proceeded to have a FIT (I am too ashamed to admit how annoyed and angry I became). Later, the words that I had said so seriously about forgiveness to my students came back to me. Sometimes the "teacher" needs to be the one to learn the lesson....

On Teaching

It's that time of year when I crack open the books and start reading. Yep, it's a new school year, and I'm teaching some classes I've never taught before. I've been reading church history, typing questions out as fast as I can and thourougly enjoying it all. I've hit the age of thirty, and guess what, I enjoy LEARNING! I wish I did while I was in school, even university. I think if I went back to university (no immediate plans, mind you), I would immensely enjoy the whole experience. Although, would I turn into one of those "old" students that I used to become so annoyed with while I was in university? You know, the student that talks to the professor after class, asks for extra help, is always asking questions, and generally has no clue what they are doing technology-wise.... Who knows, I just might some day turn into one of them! (After all, I am there already in the technology-department. However, I am determined to have some idea; after all, with little Jules around, it just wouldn't do to have no idea what's going on out there). I've also been busy preparing for the new sunday school year. I have a lot to look forward to! Here are some quotes from my FRC "Handbook for Teaching the Bible to Children and Youth" that I found thought-provoking and a good reminder for me.

"We need a reason and purpose for everything we do. Otherwise we simply go through the motions of doing it, without profitting from it. That is also so in religious duties. If our attendance or leading of worship services is not impelled by a goal, it is a lifeless formality. If our prayers and our Scripture reading at home are not with a purpose in view, it becomes an empty ritual. If our Sunday school is not driven by a goal, it also becomes mechanical. When things become mechanical they easily become unwanted burdens."

So, what is the goal?

"In Sunday school, God's Word is central. Let Sunday school never degenrate into playtime or mere craft and activity time. Sunday school is Bible-time - the time when the Bible is taught. Therefore the purpose of Sunday school must agree with the purpose of Scripture. We are doing violence to Scripture, if we teach Scripture for purposes contrary to the purpose of Scripture. What then is the purpose of Scripture? Why does God give Scripture also to children?.... The purpose of the Scriptures is to make those who read them wise unto salvation. The purpose is SALVATION! (emphasis added).

My Question for You

Here's the latest question I have that has been bugging me. How come we refer to some sins as "heinous" and "scandalous" as opposed to what...just "regular" sin? If you read the Canons of Dordt, for example, they refer to some sins as heinous. I can't figure it out. Does the Bible make distinctions between certain sins? Is it just a bad habit to refer to some sins as really, really bad? So gossiping is bad, but maybe not toooooo bad, but having a lustful thought is worse? I realize some sins (such as adultery and murder) does influence more than one person, so in that sense, maybe those sins are "worse"? Well, that's my question for the week.

Traveling with Jules

I didn't tell you about our ride to Canada, now did I? Rides to Canada are things to remember, especially with a two year old around. This year was the year I was to be prepared. Barf-bucket? Check. Toys? Check. Dramamine? Check. Clothes in case of...accidents? Check. Yes, I was prepared. I also borrowed two musical cd's from my sister Lora. They were for the ride to help entertain Juliet. We left a five-thirty in the morning. It was still dark and I planned on transferring the sleeping Jules to her car-seat with narry a fuss. Well, her eyes BOINGED open and that was the end of that. A cheerful little girl watched as we drove for the first hour up Rt. 80. I took some dramamine since I was situated in the back seat with her and get motion-sickness at the drop of a hat. I decided to give half a tablet to Juliet since she has the same problem as I do. An hour later, I was fast asleep, mouth wide open while Jules looked at me curiously. We stopped at McDonalds for coffee, and I kid you not, I was so out of it that I looked like I was on drugs (well, that's what I'd imagine a person on drugs would look like. I ain't speakin' from experience, folks). Keeping my feet in front of me while I walked required all of my concentration. Jules? Chipper and lively as anything - the dramamine which had knocked me out had an opposite effect on her. After our break, it was time for some entertainment for Jules. The kid's c.d. went in (I think it is called "Toddler Tunes" or something like that). "Old MacDonald", "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," "Five Little Ducks," the "Wheels on the Bus" and all forty songs was played. I enjoyed it at first, listening to those old songs that I haven't sung in years. I lustily joined in on the "Here We Go Loop - De -Loo" song and "Johnny So Long at the Fair" and all of the others that I knew. The c.d. eventually ended, but Jules wanted more. We played it again. And again. Mike and I weren't quite so enthusiastic. And again. I think we ran through the whole track forty times on our trip. Okay, maybe twenty. But it was a lot. (It was annoying, but on the other hand, if it keeps a little girl quiet on an eight hour trip, who am I to complain?) But now Mike and I are used to it. It was our anniversary the other night and we went out for dinner - minus Juliet. We got into the car, and for the first three minutes "Old MacDonald" played bouncily in the background - AND WE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE IT!

Nic's Handy-Dandy Tips

If that isn't a dumb title, I don't know what is. But every once in awhile, I have a dart of inspiration, and I think, THE WHOLE WORLD should know this little tip. So, here's to my "Handy-Dandy" tips. Here she blows: "Before you go on vacation, (say the day before), change your bed sheets." That way, when you come home and are swimming in laundry, you won't also be thinking as you finally collapse blissfully onto your OWN bed, "Yikes! When's the last time I changed the sheets???"

Up North

Hello! I've just been fiddling around with my blog. I had a lovely background picked out the other day until I saw that it said "Happy New Year" on the side of it. So I threw that out and here I am with this very summery background. Can you tell I don't want summer to end? I love summer! Sure, it gets warm here in New Jersey - okay, really, really HOT, but I still love the summer. Summer means all sorts of great things: swimming, eating outside (at night), watching Juliet play in her pool, gardening, going down to the shore house, flipflops, and VACATION. Mike and I had a great vacation "Up North". When I was a kid I thought "Up North" was an actual place. If you are Canadian, of course you know what "Up North" means! It means renting some dinky cottage on a gorgeous lake somewhere out in the sticks! "Up North" means boat rides, canoeing, swimming, eating outside on picnic tables, looking at too many stars to count, campfires, going too late to bed, marshmallows, canoe races - the "new" tradition, eating too much, jumping off of the "jumpers", and chatting with family. Of course it's fun! It's interesting how going "Up North" has changed for Mike and I over the years. I remember the first year I went up there with Mike when we were a dating couple (and with the rest of the family, mind you!). Back then it was all about moonlit canoe rides, romantic strolls down the road, and stargazing at night - (I think Mike's priorities were a little different. Let's just say volleyball and more volleyball was what he had in mind). Two years ago when we went Juliet was just two months old and it was all about taking care of her. This past year, I was the mom parked out on the beach watching Juliet and her cousins with a whole bunch of other moms. Oh, and let's not forget the coffe kletzing. Sigh. I came back from vacation and with fear and trembling stepped onto the scale to see that I had gained TWO pounds from eating all of those dutch treats. Oh, well. It was a vacation to remember with SIX glorious days of sun, (mosquito-free!!!!!), and lots of catching up with the folks. Can't wait for "Up North" in two years!

What's the Purpose of Your Home?

Here is a response from my sister to one of my posts. In that particular post I was wondering if it was possible to love your home too much. Having moved over a year ago, Mike and I are still thrilled with having our "new" house (p.s. I have got to write sometime on the blessings on owning a relatively small house - think less cleaning, BIG TIME). So here is my sister's wise response, and I thought it worth posting.
"I remember the same feeling when we bought a house. It was so exciting, and you get everything set up just how you like it that you wonder if you like it too much. Just how much money, time, effort, thinking, planning is justifiable for a house, a shelter from the elements?

I thought about it a lot, and I really think --- like everything else that we plan for and spend time on --- we just have to make sure it's not all about our own comfort. God certainly doesn't mind us having a cozy, practical, comfortable home, but He does expect His children to live for others, and that's what we can use our homes for!

A good goal is to try to always have an open door for anyone who needs it. Be a hospitable host and make everyone feel welcome! It's actually a lot harder than it sounds, because sometimes we just feel too tired and too busy to have guests, but Jesus spent His life in service to others, and we can use even our homes in being a blessing for others."

Making Friends

If you are a judgemental person, you must not have a whole lot of friends. Who wants to be friends with someone who is critical and makes judgements about people constantly? The more I think about it, the more I believe being judgemental kills a lot of possible friendships. So do you want friends? Don't be judgemental.

Why I Blog

(Reader discretion advised. This is a rather mish-mash post with some thought put in it, but a whole lot of rambling going on as well.)
So, why do I blog? For me the reason why I blog is because I enjoy writing. I am by no means a gifted or professional writer, but I've always enjoyed it (hence the degree in English!). I also like the idea of reading what I write years later. I have a terrible memory, and blogging allows me to remember events that I most certainly would forget! Some day, it will be funny for me to read what happened on Mother's Day, or I will be able to laugh at the time I had to get Juliet in trouble for saying "stupid".... I especially like to poke fun at myself while I blog - life's too short to take yourself too seriously. Also, blogging allows family members and friends to see what is going on in my life as well as Mike and Jules. I also blog because I like to write about things I'm thinking about - from what color to paint your toe nails, to the New Calvinist Movement. And yes, I have full approval from my husband on everything I write. I've long been wanting to get that statement in, so now I finally have the opportunity. I am of the opinion (I've got lots of them), that I never husband-bash - I just tell the truth with some color- and Mike has assured me that I have never offended him. Well, that's out of the way. Are there blogging dangers? As with anything! Some dangers are:
1.) It is tempting to make your life appear better or more perfect than it actually is (personally don't think I have a problem in that area).
2.) Obviously time can be a factor
3.) I've heard the term "spiritual posturing" thrown around to describe some blogs - a person can write all about their spiritual experiences - perhaps to the neglect of actually practicing godly living. Although, in our dutch "let's not get too personal" culture, I don't think openness (especially with regards to spirituality) is such a bad thing. And, I might add, it is easy to read a person's blog and be overly judgemental...
Things to keep in mind while blogging:
1. Motives. Motives. Motives. Why am I writing this? Is it to create a fuss or am I writing this because I actually am wondering about something?
2. Avoid being reactionary. Whenever something irritates me, I try to wait a month or two before writing about it. I've avoided writing some pretty dumb posts.
3. Be honest! It's so refreshing.
And lastly, some positives of blogging!
1. Guess what? Blogging can help develop relationships. There are people in our church that I now know more about because they blog! Blogging can help people to develop connections in church communities which maybe wouldn't be there before.
2. Blogging can be a creative outlet - photography, writing, crafts, etc. Endless opportunities to showcase one's talents is now available.
3. As I said earlier, most people probably blog to keep in contact with family and to let them know what's going on in their lives. Blogging can be a nice alternative to facebook which is somewhat impersonal.
That's all folks!

That Little Red Matchbox Car - the Cause of it All

I didn't see it coming. I came home from grocery shopping this afternoon. In my hand I had a matchbox car bought specially for yours truely, Jules. I was in the checkout line, and seeing that the cars were on sale for .99 cents, and spying an old-fashioned red one, I impulsively bought it. (I don't mind dollar impulse purchases). So I brought it home and as I held it out for Jules, I waited for a delighted smile. It came and I felt rewarded. Mike, who was holding Jules, looked down at her and said, "Say 'thank-you' to Mommy." (Mike is the polite one in the family who has taught Jules to mind her P's and Q's). Jules looked at me and simply refused to do so. After much remonstrancing, she still shook her head and refused. A simple matchbox car became something much more; it had become a battle of the wills. Without going into much detail, it took my little dear an half an hour to finally say "Thank you" to her mother for her little red car. By the end, I was ready to start bawling too. At one point, I said to Mike, "Maybe she has forgotten how to say "Thank you!" Or maybe she doesn't know what we are asking her to say! Or maybe..." Yes, I was grasping at straws but thankfully, we managed to stick to our guns (okay, that's a bad analogy to use here). I said to Mike after the whole episode, "You know, this disciplining stuff can be just as hard on the parents as the children."

VBS Memories

It's been a busy week! Why? VBS was this week. I have to say though, this was by far the most enjoyable VBS I have ever been involved in due to a number of factors. All I can say is, having people play games with the kids during their snack break is a HUGE improvement over supervising and coming up with games yourself! It really was a blessing. I actually had time to mosey on down to the kitchen, pick out what donut I was going to eat (very important), and leisurely help myself to a good cup of coffee. Unheard of! Secondly, having an efficient side-kick is wonderful. I don't think I could ever teach a class in the future by myself. And thirdly, going on vacation the week before VBS was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to prepare for crafts in advance! There was no helter-skelter the Saturday night before VBS. All was taken care of. The program on Friday night wasn't without its thrills, either. I don't think I've heard a thunderstorm like that in a long time! Every two minutes or so, there was an enormous bolt of lightning and a thunderous crack overhead. I was waiting for the steeple to get hit but was continually reminding myself that there was one of them new-fangled lightnin' rods up there (at least, I think there is). Yes, the lights went out just to add to the drama of the evening. After a minute or two they went back on....much to the relief of the teachers and the dismay of the kids. But the kids all did a fabulous job with their recitations and songs and I consider myself blessed to have been able to be a part of it all. Yes, this was a VBS to remember!

Sewing

Well, folks, I just whipped up a pair of curtains for our playroom in under an hour! I am so excited! I didn't follow any pattern in particular - just measured a little and hoped for the best. Doing little projects along these lines always fills me with immense satisfaction. I don't think I will let my sister and mom look too closely at my "masterpiece," (they will see a number of...interesting techniques) but considering I haven't sewed in a long time, I'm quite proud of myself. Now that I've got the sewing bug, maybe I will tackle some pillows for my livingroom!

What, me a SORE LOSER???

I had an emotional meltdown in my backyard today. No, nothing traumatic occured. It wasn't even one of those emotinal rollercoaster days that most woman have every once in awhile. Alright, I admit it. I lost playing crouquet against my husband. Didn't I tell you before what a sore loser I am? Today I found out how pathetic I can be. It was another one of those beautiful nights. After dinner, Mike convinced me to play a game or two of crouquet with him. It wasn't too hard to convince me since I was in the mood and last time I played against him, the games had been tight (although he won, two to one). So, when Mike suggested we play, I was game. I lost the first match and was a little bummed, but Mike convinced me to play a second. Hurray! I won that second match, so of course Mike said we HAD to play a rubber match. (Personally, I am of the mind that if you both won a match, why play another game? Everyone is happy, you both won a game, and no sore feelings result. But this doesn't work if you are married to Michael D.) Anyway, so the rubber match ensued. I was doing okay, but then Mike sent my ball sailing off into the bushes and basically that was the beginning of the end for me. Then, when I was losing already, he sent my ball sailing across the yard in the opposite direction. Well, I was history after that point. I watched him hit the final post in triumph. When he came rusing to my side to give me a triumphant hug, I wasn't in the mood. I regret to admit that I had a complete emotional meltdown. It was embarrassing. I knew in hindsight that I would be more than embarrassed. I knew Jules was watching me with wide eyes. I knew I was behaving in an utterly ridiculous manner but I just couldn't seem to stop. I was so MAD I simply didn't care. It took me an half an hour to admit that I was acting like a sore loser and that I was sorry for my poor behaviour. I think I am going to ban playing crouquet from the list of games to be played with my husband (Risk and Settlers are on the list as well - I've learned from past experiences). Do any other ladies have...difficulty playing competetive games with their husbands?

It's a BUS!

The other day I found myself arguing with a two year old. Something is wrong with me... Juliet was holding a toy bus in her hand. Looking at it, she stated, "Truck!" "No, Jules, it isn't a truck. It's a bus!" I emphasized. "No! Bus!" was Juliet's reply. We actually started going back and forth when suddenly I realized how ridiculous this whole argument was becoming. I mean, here I was arguing with my little daughter! "Fine," I said, "It's a truck if you want it to be." Jules looked at me a second. "No! Bus!!!!!" "Yes," I affirmed, "it's a bus!" Jules paused again and squinting her eyes declared, "No, truck." Well, I gave up after that. Ornery little thing!

On Personal Bible Study

Here is a great article that I just read on personal Bible study.
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/on-personal-bible-study#more

A Day to Remember

Hmmm, the last couple of posts I sound a little on the defensive side, now don't I? We'll have to cut that out! On to other topics. Don't you find that sometimes the best days are the unplanned ones? Sometimes you have an event coming up (usually on the weekend) and you simply just can't wait for it to happen. Since Monday morning, you've been planning and dreaming of the weekend. And then it comes, and sure, you had fun, but maybe it wasn't quite what you had expected. Maybe the weather didn't cooperate, or you were cranky because there your husband was gabbing to everyone else and letting you watch your child the WHOLE time, or you have no one to talk to, or the person who does talk to you only wants to talk kid talk (aka "what diapers do you use for Johnny?") the entire time, or if you have kids they fuss or they are at the age where you can't let them run wild and need constant supervision, or, well, you get the gist. But there are days, when you are expecting a relatively average day, and it becomes a day to remember. Mike and I had that the other day. It started off with Mike getting home from work early (always cause for celebration). The weather was balmy and absolutely beautiful. We ate our dinner outside - a deliciously light salad with a glass of white wine (which we weren't too fond of - but being dutch, who are we to let a perfectly fine bottle of wine go to waste?) Then Mike had the brilliant idea of playing croquet outside. So we set it up and played three games! I admit I wasn't too thrilled with the idea at first, but once I won the first game, I was enticed to play two more games (and promptly lost the next two, of course!). By the way, I am such a sore loser when playing against my husband. I don't know what it is, but I HATE being beat by him. Anyway, so that was our day. And now that I write about it, it doesn't sound like much, but it was just such a great day - maybe for reasons that can't be put into concrete words.

Blog Talk

You know that blog you read almost every day? The one that gets you so mad and annoyed? I have a simple solution for you! Stop reading it! Novel thought, isn't it? Okay, so I'm being a little sharp here, but I had to have a conversation with myself when I first entered the blogoshere world. I loved looking at people's blogs and getting inspired to do crafts and I also enjoyed being challenged by what I read. But there was this one blog that always irritated me when I read it. So after awhile, I had a talk with myself. It was either: 1. Simply stop reading the blog or 2. Change my attitude and be more kindhearted and generous. Having a critical attitude ruins a lot of things, doesn't it? Sometimes there may be reason to be critical but I think one's goal should be in ALL things (not just in reading blogs) to be generous of others, even when you disagree. That's my goal, anyway. And I am always secretly nervous that there is someone out there thinking, "Who does this miss-muff think she is anyway, spouting opinions, left, right and center!!!" It's just little ole' me, sitting behind my computer, writing about things that pop into my head.... So in other words, if you regularly become irritated by my blog, simply delete me. I won't mind (and I'll never know)!

Joseph's Song

Here are the lyrics to a song that I haven't heard in over eighteen years. The other day I had the first part of the song in my head and couldn't get it out. I googled the first line and tadaa! - there it was (I love the internet!). It is sung by Michael Card and I believe he wrote the lyrics as well. The song, titled "Joseph's Song", is from the perspective of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.

Joseph's Song

How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be.

Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The Son of my love.

Father show me where I fit into this plan of Yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God?
Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a King? How can I raise a King?

He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be?

Musings

Over a year ago, Mike and I moved from our little condo to the home that we live in now. I LOVED our house when we first moved in and I still love it now! We have a lawn for Juliet to play in, room to plant flowers and vegetables, large trees that give shade in the morning... I love to sit outside in the morning with my ten o'clock cup of coffee in hand, (a sweet of some sort in the other), and watch Juliet sit and play in her sandbox or kiddie pool. I get such a feeling of contentment! But I worry sometimes that I might love my house and yard a little too much. It's so easy to put down roots, to make big plans about the yard, to garden to one's heart content, that you forget that "we have no abiding city here below." You know, I could be reminded of this EVERYDAY, and everyday it would be like this was something new for me to learn. Of course, it's wonderful to be glad for the gifts God gives you, but I sometimes struggle with the balance. Am I loving my house too much? Can I let it all go if I had to? I read Corrie TenBoom's book "The Hiding Place" not too long ago (read it again if you haven't in awhile - you won't be disappointed), and her life was quite predictable and well-ordered for so long when suddenly everything was turned upside down. And having a nice, comfy home didn't matter anymore. What mattered was knowing God. And that's pretty much it.

2 Comic Books and a DVD

Father's Day came and went. A rather obvious statement, I suppose, but I had to start this post somewhere! Anyway, I had the difficult job of buying something for my husband. I think the day before Father's Day I asked Mike if he wanted anything in particular for Father's Day. "Well," he said to me, "What's the money limit?" (Obviously, I'm the one who holds the purse strings). "Not as much as you'd like," I replied. Here is the problem: if an item is relatively inexpensive, Mike will go out and buy it. If it's too expensive, he simply won't buy it (I hope!). So when I asked him what he wanted, not a solitary idea was offered as a possibility to me. What to do? 2 comic books and a Beverly Hillbillies dvd later, and I was set. Very thoughtful, wouldn't you say?

On Blogging

Would you believe it? The other day I thought I was done with blogging (and here I am onto my third post of the day!) Not one original thought popped into my head. I had nothing to write about. Practicalities filled my mind: bills, house cleaning, and cooking - I had no room in my head for anything else. Who had time to write? And I didn't even want to write about anything. I had a day where I didn't spend time thinking! Plus, I received my first slightly negative comment about one of my posts and I always knew that when I received it (it would only be a matter of time), I would want to quit, right off the bat. But my wise hubby said that if you are going to give opinions about a variety of topics both personal and not-so-personal, you should be able to handle an opinion that differs from your own. Secondly, you should be open to changing your opinion. And so, when the muse strikes, I will continue blogging.

And the Veggies are a Comin'!

The harvest is beginning! I picked EIGHT beans off of my bean plants yesterday and they made their way into our dinner last night. Shall I describe them for you? Compared to the ones I had bought at Shop-rite earlier in the day, these had a distinct SNAP when snapped in half. That is the sign of a fresh bean. Besides beans, I picked a pepper - two in fact. One was a sweet bananna pepper and the other one...sigh, in my over-eager/confident state, I picked a pepper that should have stayed a little longer on the stalk. I thought it was a jalopeno (very small), but it was really a green bell pepper - and he hadn't fully matured. So that is one pepper that will just have to be thrown out. Oh well, what's a pepper or two gone to waste when I can imagine thousands of peppers growing on my plants in the future? In fact, I think I may have planted a little too many pepper plants. If you should see an anonymous bag of peppers on your front step, you'll know where they have come from. Lastly, my tomatoes are doing fabulously. I expect some of them to be ripe in a week or two - unless they get that dratted disease BLIGHT! Last year my tomato crop was stricken (to use KJV language) by blight. In the end it wasn't so bad because it actually made the amount of tomatoes that matured just perfect for the consumption capabilities of my small family. But any grower of veggies and the like is supposed to hate any disease that dares to attack one's plants, and so I hate BLIGHT with a vengeance. Now, haven't I got you motivated to start poking your finger in the dirt? Weeds? We ain't gonna even start talking about them. All I know is that I am going to take the valuable advice of a fellow gardener and put that paper weed killer stuff down next year. I haven't even the heart to declare war on the weeds because there are so many of them!

Berry Pickin'

My lastest discovery has stirred great anticipation within me. I have discovered a wild blackberry bush in the corner of my yard! I am thrilled! I was officially raised as a "berry picker." Here is the criteria (please use some exxageration):
a. have a large family
b. go to a conservative church
c. live in southern Ontario
If you can put a check after all three, you probably were once upon a time a berry-picker. I can well remember the early mornings sitting in the strawberry patch and picking - except I wasn't known as one of the "good" pickers in my family. Doreen took that honor. I think I was a little too lazy and probably too many berries found their way into my mouth. I can still feel the prickle of wet straw from the morning dew on my knees and the ache of my back from bending over searching under the wet leaves for ripe strawberries. I wasn't much better at raspberry picking; I liked the taste of raspberries better than strawberries! After a morning of picking, it was off to Wilson street (center of my world back then) to sell them. I don't think I actually did that much selling - I didn't have a head for math which my dad must have learned quite early on. (I remember selling berries and letting the patrons do the math for me)! Also, I made the mistake of selling berries in the WOODEN BASKETS which I wasn't supposed to (we had cardboard baskets which were less expensive - wood ones were saved for the actually picking). Besides going to various berry farms to pick, my mom used to take us to pick wild blackberries as well. Off we'd go, arms full of empty yogurt containers to pick blackerries behind the library.
All of these thoughts flooded my mind when I discovered that little berry patch. Perhaps some day I will turn magically into one of those moms who press a special jar of "homemade preserves" into your hand. The seed has been planted. Please start saving small, pretty, glass jars with lids for yours truely.

Thirteen kids and Glass Tables

It's been a busy day (understatement of the year). This morning I had thirteen(?) kids under the age of four racing around in our back yard. No, I wasn't the only one watching them - I am not that crazy! It was loads of fun, and I'll have to do it again some time. Anyway, my busy day didn't end there. Tonight I made dinner. Since it has been so nice outside lately, Mike and I have been having our meals al fresco. Whenever I don't feel like dealing with the hassle of bringing all the dishes outside, Mike reminds me that we have to take advantage of the gorgeous weather NOW! I had set the table and we were munching on our baby back ribs and were about to dive into the corn on the cob when I remembered that I had potatoes sitting in the oven. I quickly ran inside, grabbed them from the oven (wearing oven mitts, of course), and put the dish on the glass table. BAD MOVE! I was about to scoop some potatoes up for Juliet when the entire table shattered with everything on it! Wine glasses, casserole dishes, corn, pasta salad, wine bottle, plates - it was a disaster! I have a few scratches on my legs since I had bare legs and Mike cut his hands during the clean up, but thankfully Juliet is fine since she was not sitting too close to the table. So do yourself a favor, and don't be dumb like me and set piping hot dishes on your glass table without a trivet!

Exclamation Points!!!!!!

I wrote an email the other day and every sentence ended in an exclamation point. Thankfully, I noticed it but a chill ran down my spine! "I am turning into a little ditzy thing that cannot complete a sentence without thinking that what I am writing is EXCITING, EARTH SHATTERING, LIKE, TOTALLY OUT THERE!" Help! And I read some of my old posts and I've got exclamation points everywhere! And I use more than one!!!!! It's a bad sign! I will try to cure myself of this weakness I have for exclamation points!

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

The other day Juliet was out on the patio holding her mug of milk in her hand. Not paying too much attention, she dropped the cup and it shattered. She looked down at the remains and shook her head a number of times. "Stupid," she muttered looking at it. She must have said "Stupid" four or five times while shaking her head all the while and I couldn't help but laugh; it sounded so funny coming from a little girl. She definitely picked that one up from me - can't blame it on Mike. When something breaks or isn't working properly, I say something like this under my breath: "Stupid piece of junk!" or "Stupid lousy rotten thing!" (Which really doesn't sound too intelligent, now does it? But I have read that swearing does help to relieve one's feelings and actually can help you deal with pain better. Truely. No, I'm not suggesting we start swearing, but I'm curious if mild audible expressions are ok. Yeah, yeah, who knows what constitutes as "mild" but I know where I grew up some of the more crass expressions we said were definitely NOT ok down here in the states. Farmers, I tell you! On the other hand, it probably shows a great lack of control
(to start yelling at objects). Okay, enough on this tangent which isn't going anywhere). I have to start watching what I say around her!

With no forethought

I am starting to see the benefits of using a laptop. I'm sitting outside on our back patio, in the shade, (much too hot for full sun), and am merrily typing away while Juliet sits in her sandbox, amusing herself with her watering can and other sand toys. The birds are chirping and for all you poor souls sitting behind a computer in some cubicle, well, I feel for you (sorry, Mike). Anyway, I have discovered a character flaw. Yes, don't faint, it's hard to imagine, but yes, I'm not perfect (I am starting to sound like my husband WAY too much!). The other day I went outside to watch Juliet while she played in our backyard. Then I thought of the two vegetable plants that I had bought at the store earlier in the day. I HAD to plant them for they were already wilting from the heat. So I proceeded to plant them in our fenced in vegetable garden. Juliet was in the garden with me, probbing at the dirt with her plastic spade. I was getting very annoyed with her because she continually stepped on my small, tender vegetable plants in her zeal to help Mommy. It was impossible to tell the difference between the vegetable plants and the weeds since the entire garden was one big mass of growing green. Realizing that I shouldn't be that annoyed with Jules who simply couldn't tell the difference between the two, I proceeded to start weeding furiously. In my nice clothes. High heeled slip-ons. I started out simply bending over and delicately pulling the weeds, trying to avoid the dirt that would inevitably creep under my fingernails. I ended on my hands and knees digging furiously after hoeing my veggie plot with great enthusiasm and passion (and with sweat trickling down my back). And I had to go to a banquet in under an hour and make myself presentable! Unfortunately, that is the way I often work. In fits and bursts of inspiration, resulting in a thourough job, yet with little forethought or planning in advance. This happened to me in pre-k this week. I had absolutely no intention of baking apple pie with my little tykes, but before you know it, I was chopping apples with great concentration and concocting a masterpiece with the help of my four pre-kers. I wonder what it must be like to plan events and things to do weeks in advance....

More Ramblings...

So, what's new in my life? I've been reading lately. Since I review kid's books for the magazine Open Windows, I've been reading...kid's books! It's kind of fun although it is hard to make judgement calls. I just finished reading a book that I thought was fascinating, but I wasn't sure if kids would enjoy it. It took place in England during King Henry VIII's reign (yeah, the king with all the wives - to use a Canadian expression, SUPER interesting). I love learning about history, and the book definintely informed me about the time period, but, sigh, every christian in the book seemed to die, left, right and center. So, to recommend or not to recommend has been plaguing my mind. But I think I found a way out; it's too old for the kids that read the magazine, so that agonizing is done and over with! I also am very interested in biographies. I read a bio on Golda Meir - make that an autobiography, since she wrote it herself. It was all about how the state of Israel came into being, and the subsequent wars after its recognition as a country. I like learning about history that I know next to nothing about. And I am dying to read a biograhy titled "Jack" on C.S. Lewis since I am contemplating watching the play on the Screwtape letters in NYC. Mike and I saw it two(?) years ago with friends of ours, and it was well worth the money. And what should appear in my mailbox this morning but a coupon for the play?
Other news? Well, Mike and I went down to the shore with friends of ours and had a relaxing, fun-filled weekend. I wish our other computer was working for then I would post pictures. This past week I also found out what the "terrible twos" are all about. I can't seem to enter a store without our darling Jules having a meltdown over something. Today it was because she didn't want to sit in the cart. I've learned the hard way that it is impossible to go shopping with a little girl on the loose. She feels the need to touch EVERYTHING in sight and happily plops items in my cart, to my dismay.

Connected Kingdom

I just finished listening to Connected Kingdom Podcasts by David Murray and Tim Challies. Anyway, if you ever have any spare time, it's worth listening to (I listen to it while I do my ironing - I actually look forward to ironing then!) Last week I listened to their topic on children with disabilities and the church's responsibility towards them - convicting. Today, I listened to episode 6 on the role of elders in the church. Very fascinating. One of the requirements that an elder-to-be is put under (in Tim Challies' church) is the entire church fills out a qualification checklist to see if the candidate is suitable according to Biblical standards. (Actually, I don't know if the woman in the church do so). But the wife of the candidate does so - this makes a lot of sense to me. Who knows your husband better than you do? Listening to these podcasts will start provoking questions about a whole range of topics relating to the christian life. So I'm looking forward to the next podcast - (they are about 30 minutes in length). Happy listening!

Roth Food Memories

I love funny memories. I just finished reading my brother Dan's girlfriend Esther's blog (phew), and she wrote about a memory she had as a kid and it sparked a few memories that I have growing up. These are all food memories (and yes, it's almost dinner. The boys that left this morning gave us a gift card to Fridays. Who am I to waste such an opportunity? We are going tonight! No cooking. I suppose I will try to limit myself to the "healthy" items on the menu. Wish me luck). So here are a few food memories, Roth kids. Do you have any more?
1. Chips! Sunday night. Never any other time. They were a luxury, right? Orange plastic bowls, Dad faithfully doleing them out, and Vincent squawking that his bowl didn't have quite as many as...anybody else's! Sitting in front of the fireplace, (Vincent having started the fire), munching on our chips and seeing how long you could sit there before your back became too hot. It didn't take too much to make us happy, it seems.
2. Mom's cupcakes. Not your traditional from the cake mix variety. I don't even know how to describe them, other than that they were good and I liked the ones that didn't have jam in them. Plain, please! It was the best coming home from school, going in the kitchen, and smelling them come out of the oven. Mom has to find the recipe, because I have NEVER seen them anywhere since those old school days.
3. Rice Crispies (topped with a good spoonful or two of sugar). We had them for dessert. I have no idea why. But I thought for the longest time that they were a dessert item not a breakfast cereal.
4. Mom's macaroni with a spice mix that I can't remember the name of but it came from the Dutch store. It was so good and you could smell it outside when she made it.
5. Houtspout (however you spell it). I wasn't a fan of it. It was always served with fish sticks. Now I like it, but I don't make it because I think you have to grow up with it to like it.
6. Brudecole (yeah, another one I have no idea how to spell. Quit laughing at me, Lora!) Another not-so-favorite meal, but I like it now. Served with? Kielbasa.
7. Old Faithful (Sunday meal). Mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, beans, and roast. Served with a gravy like none other, and everything topped off with a good ole' spoonful of applesauce.
8. Mom's applesauce. It can't be beat. Smooth with nary a lump. You are ruined for store-bought applesauce after Moms.
9. Mashed potatoes with cabbage. Mom would try to disguise the cabbage by putting it into the potatoes, but your truely, Vincent, would always pick up on the fact that there was "cabbage in the potatoes" and loudly proclaim it to the rest of us.
10. Dutch pancakes. Thin, slightly crispy and so good. We had them for dinner. And the best syrup was that corn syrup in the yellow bottle.
11. Remember trying to swallow those yellow pills in the morning? What were they, fish oil pills or something like that? The problem was, you were trying to swallow them with your morning cup of tea, and they would start to melt in your mouth and taste HORRIBLE. I think it was Andrea who had the worst time of it.
12. I think Mom, me and Lora are the only ones who like this. Brown beans (some variety that I forget what they are called) with cut up onion, bacon, lettuce leaves, a little bacon grease and a dollop of mayo. Mix it all together and you have a delicious side dish.
13. Strawberry jam. All time best jam. Ever.
Well, that's it folks. Time for Mike to come home, and time for me to start getting ready to go out. Cheerio!

Proverbs 31

I shall be forever indebted to Mrs. Westerink. Why, you ask? Well, she mentioned at our Bible study the other day that the Proverbs 31 lady that we (as woman) hear about a great deal, WASN'T A REAL PERSON. Hurray! (Well, maybe not 'hurray', but you get what I'm saying). Solomon used an example to show what a godly woman looked like, but she was never a real flesh and blood human being. Because, if you ask me, there is no possiblity for such a woman to exist. Every woman has days when they are moody, yell at the kids, say something they shouldn't when they stub their toe, eat too much cake, grump when the dishwasher breaks, you get the drift. And so I shall forever comfort myself with the knowledge that she was not a real person.
And now, enough so-called "woman issues." There's so much out there in the Bible to discover that I think as woman we can do a real disservice to ourselves if all we ever do is study topics on "Biblical Womanhood" and the like. Wouldn't you agree?

"What's in a Name?"

My dear sister Irene posted a wonderful article by Andre Seu (from WORLD magazine) and I am going to post the link here as well. The article says what I think in a much better way than I would be able to write!
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/16451

Oh God, My Faithful God

Oh God, my Faithful God

Oh God, my faithful God,
true fountain ever flowing,
without whom nothing is,
all perfect gifts bestowing:
give me a healthy frame,
and may I have within
a conscience free from blame,
a soul unstained by sin.

Give me the strength to do
with ready heart and willing,
whatever you command,
my calling here fulfilling -
to do it when I ought,
with all my strength; and bless
whatever I have wrought,
for you must give sucess.

Keep me from saying words
that later need recalling,
guard me, lest idle speech
may from my lips be falling:
but when, within my place,
I must and ought to speak,
then to my words give grace,
lest I offend the weak.

When dangers gather round,
oh, keep me calm and fearless:
help me to bear the cross
when life seems dark and cheerless:
help me, as you have taught,
to love both great and small,
and, by your Spirit's might,
to live at peace with all.

-Johann Heermann

That First Year of Marriage

I don't think anything quite prepares you for when you first are married. You go from having to help Mom out every Saturday for two hours or so (for me it was cleaning the upstairs bathroom and dusting the livingroom -whoopdeedoo!- all done with a fair amount of groaning and complaining, I regret to admit) to having a full blown house to upkeep. Then you have your hubby - who if he lived at home, simply had to take the garbage out once a week (and then to have Grandpop move in and do it for him!!!) I'm exaggerating, of course, but I remember the shock of having to clean an ENTIRE house ALL BY YOURSELF (and with your husband if he does that type of thing). Not only did you have this house to clean, if you were like me, you were working full time, and then you had to come home and cook a meal. Good food is in your tummy and you start to feel tired. That glass of wine has finally relaxed you. But the dishes are calling and the stove is screaming to be cleaned. Your husband says, "Leave it for tomorrow," but you've done that before and you remember the food stuck on the bottom of the pan that refused to come off. Doesn't that sound like a recipe for disaster? So you reel in shock, start to wonder about this blissful first year of marriage that everyone is always talking about (talk about rose-colored glasses!) and you thank the Lord you survived it. And we haven't even mentioned the whole endless talks into the night trying to figure out what in the dickens makes your husband tick - which, ironically, doesn't need a whole lot of explaining in the end. I am thankful that first year of marriage is over. Mike thinks I am entirely too pessimistic and views our first year of marriage as one of wedded bliss. So, I don't really know who is right, but I have a feeling most men and women view their first year of marriage a little differently. Anyway, if I think about what I do now, I'm probably just as busy as I was then but the shock of how much work it is to keep a house clean has worn off. In fact, I'm happiest when I'm busy doing something!

Fire Alarms

Last night our fire alarm went off at 4:30 in the morning. It wailed for about ten seconds or so, then abruptly stopped. At the first sound of it, I bolted upright in bed and threw my covers off of me. Mike lay beside me unmoving. I whispered urgently, "Mike, MIKE!" Mike woke up in a hurry. "WHAT IS GOING ON?" And then the sound stopped. We stumbled around the house half asleep. No smoke anywhere. Mike climbed on our tall dresser in our room and looked at the smoke detector while I nervously waited below for him to come crashing down. He looked funny up there, trying to reach the detector without falling off and grunting at the effort. Monkeying around in the middle of the night is for the birds. Thankfully Mike didn't fall off and soon we were back in bed under the warm covers. It was hard to get back to sleep after that. I kept imagining smoky scents wafting through the air.... And if it wasn't smoky air, I was convinced that we were all under the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning (no joking matter). I couldn't sleep until I thought, "maybe God made the alarm go off, and it scared off a thief waiting to rob us." That comforted me and off to sleep I went. Interesting how the mind works in the wee smas.

Pan-Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

*As I said earlier, I use porkchops with a bone. Secondly, you could easily grill the porkchops outside on the grill if you wanted to. Thirdly, I don't know if this is a kid-friendly recipe. Juliet didn't go for it, but she doesn't go for pretty much anything. Lastly, seed the jalapeno if you prefer a milder salsa.

The FIVE ingredients:
4 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
4 (1/2 inch thick slices) pineapple
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 tablespoon minced jalopeno pepper

Directions:
Compine port and 1 tablespoon juice, let stand for ten minutes. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pineapple and onion, cook 4 minutes on each side or until onion is tender. Coarsely chop pineapple and onion; combine in a medium bowl with remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice, jalapeno, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle port with 1/2 teaspoon salk and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Eat with the salsa.
Serving Size, 1 porkchop with 1/2 cup salsa.
Calories: 250 Fat: 7 grams

Foodie Wanna-Be

I'm thinking of coming up with a secret recipe. Have you noticed all renowned cooks have some secret recipe of some delectable dish that they only impart on their death beds? Obviously, I've been reading way too much Jan Karen (Esther Bolick's orange marmalade cake, anyone?). I was thinking of making my icecream cake my secret recipe. Of course, I will burn the cookbook and hope noone ever stumbles across THE RECIPE. And I will have to make some well-thought out tweaks to the recipe so that it is officially mine. Anyway, all of this is just the ramblings of a foodie wanna-be. I can remember me and my sister Joanne cooking in the kitchen in Ancaster (when she lived in the house on Garner Road) and putting on phony French accents and pretending to be on a cooking show. (Don't ask me to speak like a French man. I stink at accents, as my husband would all to willingly concur). But I do enjoy cooking most of the time. I am always trying new recipes. Right now I am in the midst of cooking through a number of recipes from our Cooking Light magazine. Monday night I made Flank Steak with Roasted Endive, Spring Onion Agrodolce, and Arugula. Doesn't that sound delicious? And it tasted good, too! The best part about cooking light is that even if you eat a little too much, it isn't that feeling you get when you eat a huge portion of comfort food, (for example, pasta casseroles slathered in cheese sauce and served with all the fixins') that makes you waddle the rest of the night like a duck. No siree, you will still have a spring in your step after eating dinner and I'm all for that. Last week, for the first time, I made a middle-eastern dish and I loved it. It called for tahini, which I couldn't find, but was able to substite and it still tasted great. I will post it one of these days. First, though, a pork chop recipe. The recipe calls for pork without a bone, but I am of the opinion that pork without the bone has way less taste and easily becomes dry. But by all means, do what you want. Best of all, this recipe is EASY and FAST!

A Few Thoughts on a "New" Movement

I don't know a great deal about "New Calvinism". I've read a little about it and from what I've read, I'd say there's a lot to be enthusiastic about. Here is the definition according to wiki: New Calvinism is a growing perspective within conservative Evangelicalism that embraces the fundamentals of the 16th century Calvinism while also trying to be relevant in the present day world. People interested in reformed literature? Sounds good to me! People interested in holy living? Getting better and better. What I can't figure out is the doom and gloom attitude I've witnessed from well-respected Christians. I am not saying that there is never cause for concern in any christian "movement". But if fear and distrust is the overiding emotion one feels when hearing about new christian movements, I really don't understand it. If the Holy Spirit is moving in people's hearts in our country, shouldn't that cause joy and thanksgiving? We may not embrace every aspect of a movement, but I would think a Christian's overiding emotion would be of happiness that others are learning about God and wanting to be conformed to Him. Sometimes I think it must be easier to feel distrust and worry than it is to rejoice and give praise. If there is reason to be seriously alarmed about this movement, by all means, inform me!
Thabiti Anyabwile wrote a thoughtful article in response to Time Magazine making New Calvism one of the top new movements. Here it is if you are interested:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2009/03/17/why-time-magazine-trumpeting-of-new/

Mother's Day Memories

It was the start of a rather unpromising mother's day. I woke up, and it was cold and dreary outside. I dressed and fed Juliet, woke Mike up and hustled off to church. (I am one of those people that say they don't make a big deal about "secular holidays and institutions" but that is hogwash. I say that but the truth is, I like presents and I like compliments and I like romantic cards filled with mush. The mushier the better.) Well, back to my story. Mike stayed home from church with a somewhat sick Juliet. I hadn't even remembered that it was mother's day until the pastor mentioned it in prayer. Oh! Mother's Day! And Mike hadn't wished me a happy mother's day yet! My feelings were in that somewhat tenuous state between hurt and slightly miffed. I arrived home after church and waited for Mike to mention it to me. Hmmmm. He needs a little reminding, I thought. I opted for the casual yet discreet reminder. "Hey, hon, you should call your mother and wish her a happy mother's day!" There. That should fix it, I thought. Mike ignored my hints - for good reason. While my back was turned and I was busy with Juliet he hauled in my gift and hid it behind me. Hurray! It was my long wished for reclining lawn chair. I love it! I can put my feet up, and even take a nap in it! (If you don't own one, put it on your wish list for next year. You'll love it for when you watch the kids play around outside. Or you will be the envy of the town when you haul it to the beach). Well, my mother's day was definitely looking up! But it doesn't end here. Ladies, if you have a tendency towards a jealous nature, you just might want to skip the rest of this post now. You might view your mother's day with some dissatisfaction after this. Yep, my darling Cuddles had more surprises for me. After church, I put Juliet in bed and walked into the dining room. The notes of music were heard (romantic Andre Bocelli) in the background, and before my eyes on the kitchen table, candles glowed. It was a pleasant scene that assaulted my senses. I breathed in deeply. Salad, artfully prepared, sat waiting in the wooden salad bowl. No wine, but this was a spur of the moment thing, so who cares about that. And then...chicken wings. Yep, you read correctly. Chicken wings in a barbecue sauce and chicken wings in a Frank's Red Hot wing sauce - good stuff!!! So that was my mother's day. Just when I start to think I am the only one in this relationship with my head in the clouds oozing romantic notions, the hubby proves he can be too. Well, it's time for me and Mike to sit outside on our lawn chairs and solve the world's problems so I'll bid you all adios. Now that I've read this post, I will have to write another one less about myself and more about my mom and thanking her for being such a good mom. Goodness, what a selfish post!!!

"Farther Along"

Here's something I've been thinkin' about for awhile but haven't actually done (I'm very good at this). I've been wanting to memorize christian songs to add to my repertoir. I have quite a few psalters down pat in my memory, know some hymns (but could definitely learn some more), but what I am particulary interested in learning (by memory) are some negro spirituals (is that the correct term? It sounds very politically incorrect, but that's the phrase I grew up with. Perhaps those songs are just called "Spirituals" now.) Anyway, I grew up listening to negro spirituals, but I haven't heard them in awhile and would love to learn some off by heart. One of my favorites is "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." I think the reason why people like them so much is because the lyrics to many of these songs have a great longing for heaven in them. If you were a slave, you probably didn't have too much to look forward to in this life. Why not sing about the coming glory? And I need to be reminded of that too; long for heaven - forget this earth below. So my plan is to learn a new song say, every two weeks or so. My goal is to type a song out, put it right above my kitchen sink, and whenever I am washing the dishes, I can sing it and hopefully memorize it! By the way, does anyone have a cd of negro spirituals that you would recommend because I would love to get one. Well, here is the first song I am learning. I grew up hearing this song, but I tried to sing the chorus the other day and butchered it (all I could remember was the "cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine" part). So I looked it up and here are the first and third verses along with the chorus. (Couldn't find the author). Oh, and this is an old Southern hymn - don't know if it is a negro spiritual. I just read the song through and it kind of reminds me of the man who wrote one of the psalms and he questioned why the wicked seem to prosper. Don't know what psalm it is though. I think it was Asaph. (And, yes, it wouldn't hurt me to memorize some psalms, either!)

Farther Along
Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus, all the day long
While there are others, living about us
Never molested, though in the wrong.

Chorus:
Farther along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all by and by.

When we see Jesus coming in glory
When He comes down from His home in the sky
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion
We'll understand it all by and by.

HodgePodge

There is something refreshingly honest about children. I have been babysitting my nephew Jeremy for the past two days and you won't find a more honest little boy. I asked him if he was excited about Mommy having a baby and he paused for a moment, looked at me and said, "Excited? No! I don't like babies!" He made me laugh! He and Jules get along for the most part. Right now they are outside fighting over the new bubble lawn mower. I can hear them and I debate with myself: Do I intervene or let them duke it out? (Lora is never going to ask me to watch him again!) If I were to intervene every time a squabble arose, that's all I'd be doing! I'm one of those moms who sometimes just lets the kids figure it out on their own. Juliet is bound to realize that Jeremy is bigger so he just might be able to muscle away a toy or two. But Juliet is no shrinking violet either. (In church nursery, when I've asked the babysitters how Juliet was, I get vague responses along this line: "She was good but she is having trouble sharing," or "Well, she played nicely for the most part..." In other words, she was a stinker who bullied toys from the smaller kids and who only knows one word: "MINE!") Sorry, folks, let's just hope it's a phase. It's a little hard to combat seeing she is an only child and doesn't have to share anything at home. But these past few days have been a little different for her with Jeremy around. This is sort of along the lines of when it's too quiet in the house. You don't know what the kids are up to, but do you want to actually find out? Should you enjoy the quiet and try to get to that basket of laundry, or do you investigate? Usually I continue with my work and figure I'll find out about it soon enough.
And now, for a complete change in topic, I just read this this afternoon and it made me smile: (I love most of Jan Karen's writing)!
"Rodney passed a basket of ham biscuits his mother had sent. "Let's bless these ham biscuits, boys," he said, and launched into a prayer covering world hunger, food stamps, stray animals, firewood, the Baptist conference, Little Mitford Creek, Big Mitford Creek, the sick, the unsaved, an unwelcome forcast for more snow, the town council's decision on sidewalks for Lilac Road, the president, the Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the local fire and police departments.
"Amen!" said Homeless. "That ought t'last me 'til this time next year."
-At Home in Mitford, Chapter Eleven
She has a knack for making me really LAUGH.
And lastly I haven't been able to post pictures because I have been using out mac laptop since our big computer (aren't I technical) bit the dust. So, no pictures of the lighthouse/party hat birthday cake. (p.s. does a lighthouse with pink polkadots make any sense to you??? Now I will forever hold my peace). It is annoying using our mac laptop because the cover of the "C" key is missing - compliments of yours truely, Jules. And for some reason, the spell check doesn't work on this computer when I blog so if you see errors, that's why. It annoys me exceedingly when I see posts abounding in spelling and grammatical errors, but here I am filling my blog with them. Oh well. Here is the end of this hodge-podge post. Phew!

Lighthouse

I promise this will be my last post on cakes. Yesterday, Mike came walking into the room and having just read my blog asked me,"Juliet's birthday cake was in the shape of a party hat? I thought it was a lighthouse! I told everyone at the party that it was a lighthouse!" Well, if that doesn't just add insult to injury! A lighthouse!!! Why would I do a lighthouse for a two year old?

Eliminated

I would like to begin this post by stating that I never did say I was an expert cake baker. As a matter of fact, I did say that I was a novice. So, please keep that in mind IF I post pictures of Juliet's birthday cake. Perhaps our camera will have a convenient "accident" before tomorrow. Suddenly icecream cake is starting to sound good. Really, if cake refuses to come out of a pan, aren't you somewhat limited? And if it decides to break in two, what's there to do? Really!!!! Cake-bakers, you no longer have a threat. I have eliminated myself today. Thank-you.

On Baking Cakes

The pressure is on! Can I deliver? Or will the challenge prove too great? It's Juliet's birthday on Sunday, party to be celebrated on Saturday, and I have to bake a cake! Has anyone noticed the new peer pressure that is now a part of being a mom and having birthday parties? It's the How-Creative-of-a-Cake-Can-You-Come-Up-With challenge! The old sheet cake covered with white icing and a few colorful sprinkles is now a part of a by-gone era. So what am I going to come up with? For about three seconds, I contemplated making a Winnie the Pooh cake since my sister has a cake pan in that shape. But then I thought about it. Really thought about it. Though the shape would be Pooh, by the time I had done slathering him with yellow icing, would it look like him? Most likely not. People would be wondering what kind of cake I had come up with. "Wow! She's going modern! A yellow blob cake!" So, no, no Winnie the Pooh. I went to the store and looked at the cake pans they had there. FIFTEEN dollars for a cake pan in the shape of a flower - that I would only use once because next year you can't use the same shape (it's in the rules). So what to do? My husband suggested I make an icecream cake - afterall, I am famous for them (she said with a trace of smugness). On the other hand, last year I did an icecream cake and I didn't have the common sense to write the "Happy Birthday, Juliet" inscription in a contrasting color to the icing. So you really couln't see what I wrote. I could simply change that, but after last years flop, I need to make up for it with something BIG. Something that will make everyone gasp at my astounding creativity. Thankfully, my sister Lora pulled through. She has a cake pan in the shape of a party hat (as you can see, she has been involved in these contests for a longer period than I have. I'm just a novice at this. She is an...expert). And so, expect a picture of a cake soon, so beautiful, it will make you recoil in horror when you recall the last cake you baked!
Disclaimer: No part of the above post was intended to cause any hurt feelings. I greatly admire cake bakers. Keep posting pictures of your cakes. It's just that you have... COMPETITION!

WHAT'S A WOMAN TO DO????????

Grocery shopping used to be somewhat enjoyable. To be honest, let's say it was enjoyable the first month of marriage. (I think most "chores" are kind of fun the first month of marriage because everything is new and exciting). After some time, it just became another chore. I don't mind it now but it isn't something that I look forward to. But every Monday me and Jules drive off to Shoprite, and shop for an hour or so. I used to go at night but now Jules likes going with me - especially since they always have cheese to sample there. It is the little treat I look forward to... I remember when Mike and I were first married Mike used to come with me. That quickly ended since I couldn't handle having him place random impulse purchases in our cart. According to Mike, if something is on sale, there is something wrong with it. "Why else is it on sale? They are just trying to get rid of it. It's no good." Well, after going into cardiac arrest everytime we went grocery shopping I BANNED him from coming with me. Every once in awhile he offers to do the grocery shopping for me and I haven't taken him up on it yet. Anyway, I have a real dilemma when I go grocery shopping lately. To go organic or to not go organic, that is the question! When money is tight, I skip the whole organic thing and tell myself that all this organic stuff is a load of hooey. According to my Cooking Light magazine, there are no known nutritional advantages to using organic products. So, I recite facts along those line and feel better. See? No one is going to make a fool of me! Ha! This organic stuff is all a BIG hoax. Then the next month rolls around and I start to remember that book I heard about that states that chickens are fed all sorts of strange food just to make them really big and that there legs can barely hold them up because they are not proportioned correctly (so they have big breasts (okay, this sounds weird but I can't get around it) - that's what American's eat. Off on another sub-topic here, aren't chicken thighs way better than chicken breasts? I can't figure out what the deal is with everyone liking white meat). And that sends shivers down my spine (that chicken can barely walk because their ...fronts are so heavy). Off the shelf come the cage-free eggs. This ought to be a little healthier, I tell myself. And then I remember someone telling me that cage free eggs really mean that the chicken farmers just have to have an opening in the barn so the chickens can go walk around and scratch in the dirt outside. Except that hardly any of them do that! They stay in the barn. Sigh. So what's a woman to do? And what in the world is the difference between cage-free and organic eggs? And what about milk? Do they really pump cows with all kinds of stuff so that they produce more milk? Are all those hormones dangerous? But organic milk smells funny, says the city girl (me). This is when I really do believe that ignorance is bliss. Okay, one last argument on the other side: So, let's say all of this artificial stuff isn't the best for you, but it's not terrible. Aren't we living longer than we ever did? (I am not getting into the whole ethical treatment of animals here. Maybe another time. I don't know (and probably don't want to) enough about it). And then I hear about people who say you should shop at your local farmer's market (are there any where I live???). For me, that would mean another shopping trip - and I don't want to! The best way for me to save money is to STAY OUT OF THE STORES! So one less place to go to would be beneficial. For example, diapers are cheaper at Walmart, but whenever I go there, I can't leave that place without spending at least fifty bucks (all necessary purchases, of course). I think I managed to spend under fifty dollars ONE time, and I was so excited, I did a cartwheel in the parking lot. Okay, slight exxageration there. Anyway, there's my rant of the week. Off to go grocery shopping! :)