Fingerprint Friday

Isaiah 55:9-11

9 As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

A Boy and His Hair

He would have gone to school like this.

And it probably would have been fine.

I've seen lots of kids at school

with hair that looked nappier than that.

Don't misunderstand.

He goes to school pretty much every day

without combing his hair.

But this time it was a little too much for me.

He considers it torture to have his hair combed.

Or cut.

Remember this?

He looks so cute after the cut, doesn't he?

He badly needs a haircut.

Badly.

I told him I was going to take him

to the gal that cuts my hair.

You would have thought

I was making him paint his nails pink.

But it hasn't happened yet.

I keep putting it off.

No reason.

Other than I'm good at putting things off.

I wonder how long he would let it get.

If he had a choice.

Which he doesn't.

Cuz I'm the parent.

Short and Sweet

Just a couple of verses that have been on my mind this week.

John 10:10b
I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.

II Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of Him
who called us by His own glory and goodness.

No profound words from me on these verses.
Simply God's Word.

Round and Round

Ever get the feeling you're spinning in circles?
That's where I'm at today.
I've got many different things on my mind.
None of them related.
And I feel like I'm getting no where with any of them.

I've got to figure out how to stop spinning.
And how to start moving forward.
I can think and think and think and think.
And ponder and ponder and ponder and ponder.
But if I don't actually do and do and do and do,
I'll just get dizzy.

I Have a Thing

For Mr. Potato Head.
So when we got a postcard in the mail
with an invite to a sneak preview
of a Mr. Potato Head exhibit at a local museum,
I we had to go.
Our first sighting of Mr. Potato Head.
There he is!
Brookelynn and Jake refused to get in the picture.
Party poopers.

Thanks for the evening, Mr. Potato Head.

Maybe we'll meet again someday.

Fingerprint Friday

There's been a lot of learning going on
at our house lately.

Ezra continues to work on his writing.
Brookie and Jakie each have a box of Christmas things.
Ezzie wanted one too.
Not sure why Jobie's name is on it.
Ezzie is also beginning to learn to read.
So fun to watch him sound words out.
And Jobie.
Is working really hard on potty training.
Well, I am anyway.
I asked him this morning:
Jobie, are you going to potty in the toilet today?
Jobie: mmmm...pwobwy not.
I'm amazed at how God created our minds to learn.
Not just as children.
But throughout our entire life.

Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

A Few

Of my current favorite things.

Love this frame.
It was a birthday gift from a friend.
Perfect for my four perfectly cute kids.
The flip side.

Ryan brought this ice cream home from work for me.

I could have eaten it all at once.

But I've restrained myself.

This is best eaten straight out of the container.

I scrape little bites off at a time.

And keep the ice cream level.

No digging or scooping.
What does that say about me, I wonder?

I have no idea what this box thing is called.

It was a Christmas gift in 2008 from my mom.

She had it decorated all Christmasy.

Really cute.

She's good like that.

I always wanted to use it in other seasons too.

But I lack much creativity when it comes to decorating.

I bought and planted the succulents last summer.

And brought them in for the winter.

After taking the Christmas decor down,

I wanted something springy.

Winter can leave after Christmas, is my opinion.

So I just dropped the whole planter in the box.

And that book.

Wow.

We like that book.

And here's a couple current favorites

from the mouths of my two little boys.

Ezzie practicing his Spanish numbers

in the bathroom

while doing his business:

Mommy, is it uno, nacho, cinco?

Brookie:

Do you boys want to make a craft?

Jobie:

I wanna make a crap!

Oh, you already do that very well, son.

Fun with Old Crayons

What you need:
muffin tin
muffin cups
trash bowl
old, broken crayons
What you do:
concentrate really hard
peel the paper off the crayons
throw the paper in the trash bowl
brake the crayons into even smaller pieces
if you can

and mix and match them into the muffin tins

preheat oven to 350

melt crayons for ten minutes

let cool about ten minutes

then be in awe over what you have created

finally

color, color, color

I did this once upon a time.
Really not so long ago...
I wish.
Such a fun memory for me.

Yumminess

I seem to be cooking/baking more lately.
And trying lots of new things.
Either a recipe I have never tried.
Or one I created.

I find myself making things and thinking,
Ohhh, I need to put that on the blog.
That's been happening at least every other day or so.
So, if you are sick of recipes,
stop reading now.
You'll be sorry though.
'Cuz this one is too good to pass up.

Unlike anything I said above,
it's not a recipe I have never tried.
Or one I created.
Just one I've had for a good, long time.
Fudge Brownie Pie

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
ice cream
hot fudge sauce (recipe follows)

Beat eggs in small mixer bowl; blend in sugar and melted butter. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; add to butter mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into lightly greased 8 in. pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost set (pie will not test done). Cool; cut into wedges. Serve topped with ice cream and hot fudge sauce.

Hot Fudge Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar and cocoa in small saucepan; blend in evaporated milk and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.
There is some gooey brownie under all that ice cream.
Mmm, mmm good.

Brookie's Efforts

Brookelynn's making t-shirts.
To sell for Haiti.

Her school is raising money.

The fifth grade classrooms are having a contest.

To see which classroom can bring in the most.

The prize?

The teacher whose classroom loses eats meal worms.

She has a couple other designs in the works.

Sweet girlie.

Fun with Beans

Wish I was this easily entertained.

Now that the kids are back in school.

And the hubby is back at work.

And we're back in our normal routine.

I am getting restless.

I guess that means I need to start potty training.

Potty training Jobie, that is.

Not me.

That will give me plenty of entertainment.

I'm Proud of Me

I've been doing some Christmas shopping.
For Christmas 2010.
I already have the kids' Sunday school teachers' gifts.
Ezra's kindergarten teacher (boohoo).
The school secretaries.

And I just got a package in the mail today.
With these two items.
The box did not come with
"Jess's Christmas Present" written on it.
That would have been nice though.
It took me a moment to remember what it was.
Hope I can find it in December.
It's for my sis-in-law.
She doesn't read this.
But just in case I didn't want to take it out.

And the bag?
Well, I bought it for my mom.
For Christmas or her birthday (in December also).
I've never bought her a bag before.
Thought it might be fun.

But...

It wouldn't suit her at all.
It's much too large.
And the handles are too short.
And the teal.
And the "wild croc print".
See what I mean?

So...

I'm gonna keep it for me.

I have to.

It's the right thing to do.
Aren't I good daughter?

Wishful Thinking

"Mommy, the second youngest is in charge today.
That would be me!"

Isn't it nice to dream?

Happy Day

Thursday was a happy day for me.
For the first, and probably only, time this winter
I made beef stew.
I love beef stew.

A lot.

My mom made it when I was growing up.

My dad and I liked it.

My brother and mom did not.

So it was nice of her to make it.

It seems that people either really like it.

Or really don't.

Brookie and I are the only two who like it in our family.

But I'm the cook.

And when your hubby never tells you what he wants,

sometimes he gets what he doesn't want.

Back to the stew.

It's really thick.

And hearty.

And pretty simple.

And it almost tastes better as leftovers.

This would be my second...or third...bowl.

But who's counting? Oven Beef Stew

2 T all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 lbs stew meat, 1 inch cubes

2 T shortening

2 10 1/2 cans condensed tomato soup

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1/2 tsp dried basil

4 or 5 medium potatoes, cubed

5 medium carrots, 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup dry red wine or water

Combine flour, salt and dash pepper; coat meat cubes in seasoned flour. Brown in hot shortening in Dutch oven; add soup, 2 1/2 cups water, onion and basil.

Cover and bake in 375 degree oven about 1 hour. Add potatoes, carrots and wine (or water). Cover and bake 1 hour longer or until tender.

Note: I always add an additional potato and carrot (or two). I REALLY like potatoes.

I made rolls and baked apples to go with it.
Yummy.

Happy day for me.
Not so much for Jobie.
I learned this:
No nap+beef stew=naughty Jobie.
He cried all evening.
At the table.
In the car.
Back at home.
Back in the car again.
But I'm a mean momma.
I made him eat all his stew.
And he did.
I think he might have actually liked it.
It was just hard to tell with all the crying.
Ryan probably felt like crying too.
But he was nice.
And ate a bowl.
Without too much complaining even.
What a big boy!