Riding home from church this Sunday:
My younger sister: "You know what?"
Me: "What?"
Sister: "We're pretty well set up, don't you think?"
Me: "What do you mean?"
Sister: "We have everything in our church! Electricians, mechanics, doctors, nurses, lawyers, builders, politic-people, mothers, fathers, children..." (as an afterthought) "...we even have a pastor!"
I tried to hide a smile. But then she look sideways at me and grinned.
Silly Amber - your siblings are growing up! She knew she'd made a joke! :)
Showing posts with label sisters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sisters. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
New Recipe and a New Blog
Well, I'm doing it again.
Going without sugar for 2 weeks, that is. This time my two younger sisters are doing this with me, so it's been much more fun.
Last week I invented a new recipe for a breakfast without sugar, and I thought you might enjoy trying it, too:
Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal
(Hey, you like Pumpkin Raisin cookies, right? So try it before you say "huh?")
(serves about 4)
- 2 cups quick oats
- 4 cups water (you can do less or more, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal.)
- 1 TBS kefir (or other acid substance, like lemon juice or vinegar, but if you use those decrease the amount to 1 tsp.)
Combine the above in a sauce pan with lid. Stir, cover, and let soak at room temperature overnight.
In the morning, uncover, place on burner over medium heat, and as it starts to warm, add the following:
- 1-2 capfuls of imitation vanilla extract
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 1/3 cup molasses (you can do a little less, but I really love molasses)
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
Now, you should add the spices to taste, but remember that because oatmeal is mostly liquid, you'll need to add a LOT of spices to carry through the taste. Be very generous. I do about 1/2 tsp. each of ginger and nutmeg, and probably at least 1 TSB cinnamon....but I never measure, so those estimates may be wrong.
Anyway, add those ingredients, and cover the pot again until it begins to "pop" bubbles. You want it to boil, but keep an eye on it, because as soon as it starts boiling, uncover the pot and begin to stir constantly. You can turn the heat down. Stir for 2 minutes. The oatmeal should turn from looking like soup to...well...oatmeal.
Once you remove it from the heat, stir in a LOT of raisins. This is where you are really sweetening your oatmeal, and they are yummy, so add as much as you like!
Serve hot. Add milk if desired.
Let me know what you think! Don't expect the sugary sweetness of your typical store-bought flavored instant oatmeal packs. This is heartier, and packs more of other flavors, but I like it. If you really can't stand the absence of sugar, you could add a tsp. to the top of each bowl, and pour milk over it, and I'm sure it would be really yummy.
My sisters? One says she likes it as long as the raisins are there to sweeten it. The other doesn't like raisins, but she does love to add peanut butter to her oatmeal. I got her started on that, but I don't like peanut and pumpkin together. Oh well. Each to her own!
Oh yes - my post title said new recipe AND a new blog, didn't it?
Don't worry - I'm not quitting The Fruit of Her Hands. But I have started a new blog! It's all about....well, I'll let the title speak for itself:
Please check it out and let me know what you think!
Going without sugar for 2 weeks, that is. This time my two younger sisters are doing this with me, so it's been much more fun.
Last week I invented a new recipe for a breakfast without sugar, and I thought you might enjoy trying it, too:
Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal
(Hey, you like Pumpkin Raisin cookies, right? So try it before you say "huh?")
(serves about 4)
- 2 cups quick oats
- 4 cups water (you can do less or more, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal.)
- 1 TBS kefir (or other acid substance, like lemon juice or vinegar, but if you use those decrease the amount to 1 tsp.)
Combine the above in a sauce pan with lid. Stir, cover, and let soak at room temperature overnight.
In the morning, uncover, place on burner over medium heat, and as it starts to warm, add the following:
- 1-2 capfuls of imitation vanilla extract
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 1/3 cup molasses (you can do a little less, but I really love molasses)
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
Now, you should add the spices to taste, but remember that because oatmeal is mostly liquid, you'll need to add a LOT of spices to carry through the taste. Be very generous. I do about 1/2 tsp. each of ginger and nutmeg, and probably at least 1 TSB cinnamon....but I never measure, so those estimates may be wrong.
Anyway, add those ingredients, and cover the pot again until it begins to "pop" bubbles. You want it to boil, but keep an eye on it, because as soon as it starts boiling, uncover the pot and begin to stir constantly. You can turn the heat down. Stir for 2 minutes. The oatmeal should turn from looking like soup to...well...oatmeal.
Once you remove it from the heat, stir in a LOT of raisins. This is where you are really sweetening your oatmeal, and they are yummy, so add as much as you like!
Serve hot. Add milk if desired.
Let me know what you think! Don't expect the sugary sweetness of your typical store-bought flavored instant oatmeal packs. This is heartier, and packs more of other flavors, but I like it. If you really can't stand the absence of sugar, you could add a tsp. to the top of each bowl, and pour milk over it, and I'm sure it would be really yummy.
My sisters? One says she likes it as long as the raisins are there to sweeten it. The other doesn't like raisins, but she does love to add peanut butter to her oatmeal. I got her started on that, but I don't like peanut and pumpkin together. Oh well. Each to her own!
Oh yes - my post title said new recipe AND a new blog, didn't it?
Don't worry - I'm not quitting The Fruit of Her Hands. But I have started a new blog! It's all about....well, I'll let the title speak for itself:
Please check it out and let me know what you think!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
I'm an AUNTIE!!!
Yes, it's true. My darling sister (and my beloved brother-in-law) have given me a nephew! My heart overflows.
New life is exciting, fun, and mysteriously common-place when you become a big sister at 6 or 7.
When a newborn nestles in the grocery cart of a stranger, it's precious.
When friends have babies, it's special, awe-inspiring, and sweet.
When your own sister gives birth to a new human - a physical blend of herself and her husband - a being who has never yet opened his eyes to the light of day before, never been hugged before, and has yet to learn all the amazing things of life...an individual who will one day go to Heaven or hell...a baby who belongs to you by right of love and blood, who fits your hands like two puzzle pieces finding each other...a new life, that has never happened before....
...That, my friends, is beautiful, solitary tear-drop of emotion, suspended in a held breath, and sparkling with billions of reflected rays of possibility. It is joy so sweet the sweetest honey would taste bitter on the tongue in comparison. It is an awe so overcoming that it leaves you powerless.
"Oh Lord, I thank You for life! For Your power to create and infuse life into new little bodies! For the construction of the family; that mysterious bond between parents, their offspring, and the third and fourth generations. Thank you for the precious privilege of being an aunt. Thank you for the blessing of living close by my sister and her little family. Thank you for new life in Christ. May this little boy meet You at an early age, and dedicate his life to Your service. Help me lead him to You!"
I knew from the moment Heather married that her first child would be a boy, and that he would be special to me. I was right. I never wavered from predicting a boy when Eugene and Heather told us she was pregnant, and the ultrasound only confirmed it. I could not wait to meet this little fella, and February seemed so far off. He ended up coming early, and since mom and baby both are well and healthy, I'm glad he came early. I was tired of waiting!
He arrived last Sunday night, and has been home for a week and one day now. Life has been a little disrupted, or I would have shared the happy news earlier. But when it's a choice between blogging or holding a baby, where is the contest?
When I held him in my arms for the first time last Monday, I instantly lost my heart to him.
...So...anything exciting happened in YOUR life lately?
Thank You, Jesus!!!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Highly Recommended
Hey, folks!
For those of you who get tired waiting for me to pop around and write my next blog post, I'd like to recommend a fun cooking/budgeting blog for you to read in the meantime: Once a Month Shopping for Couples.
Don't let the title fool you; you don't have to be married to read it. If you like to cook, you'll enjoy this blog. Nice pictures, yummy treats, witty writing, and a blog author who has a wonderful personality.
Did I mention she's related to me?
Go on over and check out my sister's blog. Heather will be delighted to see you; she's always been good at hospitality.
P.S. (One disclaimer; though I LOVE devouring her treats, she's never been known to skimp on the sugar. :) :) :) But, hey, we all need a little sweetness in our lives!)
For those of you who get tired waiting for me to pop around and write my next blog post, I'd like to recommend a fun cooking/budgeting blog for you to read in the meantime: Once a Month Shopping for Couples.
Don't let the title fool you; you don't have to be married to read it. If you like to cook, you'll enjoy this blog. Nice pictures, yummy treats, witty writing, and a blog author who has a wonderful personality.
Did I mention she's related to me?
Go on over and check out my sister's blog. Heather will be delighted to see you; she's always been good at hospitality.
P.S. (One disclaimer; though I LOVE devouring her treats, she's never been known to skimp on the sugar. :) :) :) But, hey, we all need a little sweetness in our lives!)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Worth It.
I gave today away.
It's a Saturday. So much potential. So many projects to accomplish.
But I gave it away.
I gave it away. With a smiling heart, and a gleeful laugh.
Because, you see, I was giving it to my younger sisters.
We spent today cleaning their bedroom. It took us nine hours, from start to finish. They had so much stuff in there, piled up, from all those moments when their young hands just didn't know where to put it, and their young hearts were overwhelmed by all the organization needed. A room can be semi-clean, (ahem), but not really clean, you know? Organized.
We took half the stuff out, piled in great heaps in the living room. We swept...and swept...and swept. We rearranged the furniture. We threw away SO much trash...and things no longer needed. We took EVERYTHING out of the closet and organized it.
Now it is beautiful. Peaceful. Feminine. Minimal clutter. Minimal stuff. Everything has a place. My youngest sister, who hates to clean, laughed, and said, "Now I'm almost looking forward to it being messy again, because I know where everything goes!"
And she does. She stuck with me all day - both of them did, actually. Their own hands helped with every project. They know where all their things are. And they can repeat the process of putting them away. I'm so proud of them!
It was a long day. I got tired. I got tired of saying, "let's keep going!"
But I didn't get tired of them. I didn't tire of praising them. I didn't tire of their arms being thrown around my neck, their lips planting a kiss on my cheek, and their voices saying, "thank you so much for helping us!"
I love a clean room. I love happy sisters. I love seeing dog-tired sisters, who have earned the right to be proud of their labor. I love a job well-done.
I gave today away.
And it was totally worth it.
It's a Saturday. So much potential. So many projects to accomplish.
But I gave it away.
I gave it away. With a smiling heart, and a gleeful laugh.
Because, you see, I was giving it to my younger sisters.
We spent today cleaning their bedroom. It took us nine hours, from start to finish. They had so much stuff in there, piled up, from all those moments when their young hands just didn't know where to put it, and their young hearts were overwhelmed by all the organization needed. A room can be semi-clean, (ahem), but not really clean, you know? Organized.
We took half the stuff out, piled in great heaps in the living room. We swept...and swept...and swept. We rearranged the furniture. We threw away SO much trash...and things no longer needed. We took EVERYTHING out of the closet and organized it.
Now it is beautiful. Peaceful. Feminine. Minimal clutter. Minimal stuff. Everything has a place. My youngest sister, who hates to clean, laughed, and said, "Now I'm almost looking forward to it being messy again, because I know where everything goes!"
And she does. She stuck with me all day - both of them did, actually. Their own hands helped with every project. They know where all their things are. And they can repeat the process of putting them away. I'm so proud of them!
It was a long day. I got tired. I got tired of saying, "let's keep going!"
But I didn't get tired of them. I didn't tire of praising them. I didn't tire of their arms being thrown around my neck, their lips planting a kiss on my cheek, and their voices saying, "thank you so much for helping us!"
I love a clean room. I love happy sisters. I love seeing dog-tired sisters, who have earned the right to be proud of their labor. I love a job well-done.
I gave today away.
And it was totally worth it.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Those long-promised pictures
(Note: I wrote this post on Wednesday, but it took me until Thursday night to load the pictures and publish it...just so there's no confusion. :)
Oh, there's so much I could catch you up on today! For starters, I just made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and have a few cookie-making tips to share:
~ If you replace half your butter with shortening in an all-butter cookie recipe, you get softer cookies. (yeah, I know - health goes out the window!) Ditto for replacing white sugar with brown. Reverse the process to get crispier cookies.
~ Don't leave out the salt. It's important to the finished taste and texture. And sea salt is way better than regular table salt.
~ ALWAYS sample your dough! :) :)
Not to switch topics too randomly, but we're having missions conference at my church this week, and it's been wonderful. I'm both sad and happy that it's Wednesday, meaning the week is half over. Every night has been so good! I can't wait for each night, yet I wish I could relive the one before. The preaching has been great, the missionary presentations wonderful, and the fellowship before and after services absolutely uplifting.
That's been my favorite part this year - the fellowship. I love being a part of a church this size, where I can talk directly to the speakers and missionaries and get more stories from them after the service. I love asking fellow members how they are enjoying the week. I love eating supper together before the service, and discussing how the Lord has been working in our lives this week. I love inviting friends to come to church and having them show up!
Also, guess what the 24th of this month was? It was the 3-month anniversary of Heather and Eugene's (my sister and brother-in-law's) wedding! (Incidentally, the day also marked the 1 year anniversary of the time they started courting.)
In memory of that special day, I thought I'd post some of those pictures I keep promising. (These were all taken with our camera, not the professional photographer's.)
Just after their first kiss
Sisters!
Heather with the marriage certificate. :)
My family. We number 9 now!
The wedding party.
Oh, there's so much I could catch you up on today! For starters, I just made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and have a few cookie-making tips to share:
~ If you replace half your butter with shortening in an all-butter cookie recipe, you get softer cookies. (yeah, I know - health goes out the window!) Ditto for replacing white sugar with brown. Reverse the process to get crispier cookies.
~ Don't leave out the salt. It's important to the finished taste and texture. And sea salt is way better than regular table salt.
~ ALWAYS sample your dough! :) :)
Not to switch topics too randomly, but we're having missions conference at my church this week, and it's been wonderful. I'm both sad and happy that it's Wednesday, meaning the week is half over. Every night has been so good! I can't wait for each night, yet I wish I could relive the one before. The preaching has been great, the missionary presentations wonderful, and the fellowship before and after services absolutely uplifting.
That's been my favorite part this year - the fellowship. I love being a part of a church this size, where I can talk directly to the speakers and missionaries and get more stories from them after the service. I love asking fellow members how they are enjoying the week. I love eating supper together before the service, and discussing how the Lord has been working in our lives this week. I love inviting friends to come to church and having them show up!
Also, guess what the 24th of this month was? It was the 3-month anniversary of Heather and Eugene's (my sister and brother-in-law's) wedding! (Incidentally, the day also marked the 1 year anniversary of the time they started courting.)
In memory of that special day, I thought I'd post some of those pictures I keep promising. (These were all taken with our camera, not the professional photographer's.)
Just after their first kiss
Sisters!
Heather with the marriage certificate. :)
My family. We number 9 now!
The wedding party.That's all for now. Maybe more later. :)
Friday, April 30, 2010
If you've been wondering where I am...
It's awful, I know. I've been absent for a long time, without so much as popping in to say I'm alive.
Well, for part of that time I wasn't sure I was alive, and then when I was sure I didn't want everyone to know it, and then when I wanted them to know it I had no time to tell them.
Make sense?
Two words ought to make everything clear: Heather's wedding.
Oh, it was lovely. The preceding week was hectic, but Friday's rehearsal and the wedding on Saturday were absolutely fantastic. It wasn't craziness that made me feel like hiding in a hole, that's for sure.
I actually had fun on Friday and Saturday - 'specially Friday. So many people that we care about where there, and we were all working toward and common goal, and everyone was so helpful, and there was so much laughter....how could it not be fun?
On Saturday, things were a little different. I still had fun, but it was a more subdued feeling, for I was also struggling with tears. My sister was leaving.
The ceremony itself was peaceful, graceful, full of beauty; it was all the things you could desire. I felt peaceful standing up there, and I was grateful, because I know it came from God.
I don't have time to tell you all about the details - I hope I can do that at a later date. This has been a long week for me, full of lots of emotions....and a lot of work. We are preparing to help Heather and Eugene move into their new house when they return from their honeymoon on Saturday. That being said, I must run. I hope to post more later. For now, a peek at the dresses I kept talking and talking about on here: (I hope I didn't bore you to tears with my continual references to "wedding sewing!")
I hope to post more wedding photos soon, and tell you all about it. For now, thanks to each of you who were praying for us on that day! I love how a blog is different from a journal in that respect; you are real, caring, people, and I know that many of you are praying for me. I love that. God bless each of you. (See - I pray for you too.:)
Well, for part of that time I wasn't sure I was alive, and then when I was sure I didn't want everyone to know it, and then when I wanted them to know it I had no time to tell them.
Make sense?
Two words ought to make everything clear: Heather's wedding.
Oh, it was lovely. The preceding week was hectic, but Friday's rehearsal and the wedding on Saturday were absolutely fantastic. It wasn't craziness that made me feel like hiding in a hole, that's for sure.
I actually had fun on Friday and Saturday - 'specially Friday. So many people that we care about where there, and we were all working toward and common goal, and everyone was so helpful, and there was so much laughter....how could it not be fun?
On Saturday, things were a little different. I still had fun, but it was a more subdued feeling, for I was also struggling with tears. My sister was leaving.
The ceremony itself was peaceful, graceful, full of beauty; it was all the things you could desire. I felt peaceful standing up there, and I was grateful, because I know it came from God.
I don't have time to tell you all about the details - I hope I can do that at a later date. This has been a long week for me, full of lots of emotions....and a lot of work. We are preparing to help Heather and Eugene move into their new house when they return from their honeymoon on Saturday. That being said, I must run. I hope to post more later. For now, a peek at the dresses I kept talking and talking about on here: (I hope I didn't bore you to tears with my continual references to "wedding sewing!")
I hope to post more wedding photos soon, and tell you all about it. For now, thanks to each of you who were praying for us on that day! I love how a blog is different from a journal in that respect; you are real, caring, people, and I know that many of you are praying for me. I love that. God bless each of you. (See - I pray for you too.:)
Monday, August 3, 2009
Announcement:
My sister, Heather, has half-threatened to hack into my blog and become a guest poster if I don't make this announcement myself, so here it goes:
WE OWN A WEB BUSINESS!
Actually, I'm quite excited about the whole thing. We are selling new and gently-used modest clothing, and everything is under $10.00!!!!! (I like that part a lot! Who doesn't like to give folks a good deal?)
Heather and I have just about always loved entrepreneurial things, and this is the biggest business idea we've tried together. I wish I had time to tell you the whole story about how we acquired this business, and how God led us each step of the way. We're convinced this was His idea before it was ours!
We are excited about the fact that we can encourage women in modesty while helping them find the clothes that are so difficult to find in today's stores. It's one thing to tell people to dress modestly. It's quite another thing to help them do it!
It's been so much fun to be in business with my sister. We are great partners. I do the computer "tecky" stuff, and she packs orders. She also handles the advertising - a talent I'm sadly lacking. *grin* We both do the shopping together! Folks must think we're a little crazy when we go nuts over finding a lovely skirt that still has the tag on it...for a great price. "Oooh, look - here's something for our site!"
Our online selection is growing every week (and there's lots more waiting to be posted on the site, as soon as I get the time to put them on!) As fall approaches (yikes, where'd the year go?) we have been finding all sorts of cute fall skirts and cardigans for the new season (a lot of those skirts are waiting to be posted, and are coming soon, I promise!) There are lots of summer items still on there, too. We'd love to have you stop by and visit us! With everything under $10.00, it can't be too dangerous to stop by, can it? :)
WE OWN A WEB BUSINESS!
Actually, I'm quite excited about the whole thing. We are selling new and gently-used modest clothing, and everything is under $10.00!!!!! (I like that part a lot! Who doesn't like to give folks a good deal?)
Heather and I have just about always loved entrepreneurial things, and this is the biggest business idea we've tried together. I wish I had time to tell you the whole story about how we acquired this business, and how God led us each step of the way. We're convinced this was His idea before it was ours!
We are excited about the fact that we can encourage women in modesty while helping them find the clothes that are so difficult to find in today's stores. It's one thing to tell people to dress modestly. It's quite another thing to help them do it!
It's been so much fun to be in business with my sister. We are great partners. I do the computer "tecky" stuff, and she packs orders. She also handles the advertising - a talent I'm sadly lacking. *grin* We both do the shopping together! Folks must think we're a little crazy when we go nuts over finding a lovely skirt that still has the tag on it...for a great price. "Oooh, look - here's something for our site!"
Our online selection is growing every week (and there's lots more waiting to be posted on the site, as soon as I get the time to put them on!) As fall approaches (yikes, where'd the year go?) we have been finding all sorts of cute fall skirts and cardigans for the new season (a lot of those skirts are waiting to be posted, and are coming soon, I promise!) There are lots of summer items still on there, too. We'd love to have you stop by and visit us! With everything under $10.00, it can't be too dangerous to stop by, can it? :)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Quote from Younger Sister:
During Family Bible Time:
"Daddy, why did the Pharisees keep trying to outsmart Jesus? Couldn't they figure out it didn't work?"
I love it!
"Daddy, why did the Pharisees keep trying to outsmart Jesus? Couldn't they figure out it didn't work?"
I love it!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Happy Birthday, Lezley
I'm back!
We had such a great trip up to visit Grandma and Grandpa for Mother's Day. It meant riding in the van over 20 hours in only 3 days, which my body did not like, but I do love traveling - seeing all the new sights and people. Being with our grandparents was special too. Sunday went by so fast, but we still made memories; singing with Grandpa as we dried the dinner dishes, talking around the table, taking family pictures, and playing our instruments for the church (they always draft us for service when we come - even though they didn't know we were coming this time!).
We made other memories too - like shivering in the hotel rooms each night while we waited for the heaters to warm the rooms. We stayed in a little country hotel that was basic but serviceable, and we sure were thankful for rooms and beds instead of tents and sleeping bags (our normal form of shelter when traveling)! Monday morning, when we woke up to go home, the van had a thick layer of frost over the windows, and we all thought the air smelled like it does when there's snow way up high. ...'Course...it might have been our southern imaginations. :) We sure were glad to leave the 30-something degree weather in exchange for the 50's we found here!
Monday was also Lezley's birthday. She's my youngest sister, and of course when the youngest member of the family starts to get old it makes everybody think "wow! where did the time go?"
I wish you knew my sister Lezley. She's such a bundle of personality! She was a great sport about traveling on her birthday. We had store-bought pizza and cake when we got home that evening, and all during the trip we sang "happy birthday" whenever we had an excuse to do so.
My birthday gift to Lezley was a date. This afternoon I fulfilled that promised date, and we went shopping together - just the two of us. That's the first time we've done that, and it was fun for both of us.
I bought her two new outfits. We went up and down the aisles of Good Will selecting everything that caught her eye, and then we went to the dressing rooms and I let her twirl in front of the mirror and preen a bit, while we discussed in very grown-up tones the virtues and faults of each article of clothing, and whether or not it was a good choice.
I don't mean that I was talking to her in that voice grown up people can easily take on when they're trying to make a child feel grown up. I was in earnest, and so was she. We're sisters after all - we can't really fool one another like that! We both had lots of fun, and it was a good chance to teach a little bit about modesty, price comparison, quality, and looking ahead when making a purchase. Lezley's a great little shopper.
Then we visited the pet store - but only after Lezley promised not to tease for a puppy or any other such thing she knew she couldn't get. She kept her word like a lady and we had such a time exploring the large shop. I hadn't been in the aquarium section before, and was amazed at the selection. With the dim lights and endless rows of lighted fish tanks, each filled with neon-colored specimens, I felt like we were in a beautiful underwater museum.
Half-way through our visit, Lezley somehow managed to get the fish to react to her hands, which she would wave a certain way to get them all in one group near one side of the tank. Then she'd suddenly and quickly put her face close to the glass, and whoosh! all the fish would go flying away. She laughed so hard! I had to practically drag her away from those poor fish. It was quite a sight to see 40 or 50 tiny little fish coming into one big bulging group of orange or yellow, then explode to the far corners of the tank.
The reptile section was fascinating too - though the long boa constrictors just don't have that beauty appeal that fish do. :) And when we walked through the puppy section I felt a lump in my stomach that told me it was a good thing I had warned Lezley against teasing for one - how can an older sister throw a fit for those adorable little things when she's just given a lecture on that topic?
We made it through puppies, birds, snakes, lizards, gerbils, hamsters, ferrets, mice, and turtles safe and sound, without any stowaways, and left the store with a toy for our hamster and a bone for our dog. We made it home almost exactly the time Mom had asked us to return.
As we were driving home, Lezley repeatedly told me "thank you, thank you, thank you!" for the outing, and at each stoplight had me lean over so she could hug me. Such is my sister.
I'm sad to think you're not so little any more, Lezzy, but I'm happy about the young lady you're becoming. Love the Lord earnestly, and don't lose your vibrant enthusiasm for life - ever! Keep your laugh, too. It's so ticklish.
I love you!
We had such a great trip up to visit Grandma and Grandpa for Mother's Day. It meant riding in the van over 20 hours in only 3 days, which my body did not like, but I do love traveling - seeing all the new sights and people. Being with our grandparents was special too. Sunday went by so fast, but we still made memories; singing with Grandpa as we dried the dinner dishes, talking around the table, taking family pictures, and playing our instruments for the church (they always draft us for service when we come - even though they didn't know we were coming this time!).
We made other memories too - like shivering in the hotel rooms each night while we waited for the heaters to warm the rooms. We stayed in a little country hotel that was basic but serviceable, and we sure were thankful for rooms and beds instead of tents and sleeping bags (our normal form of shelter when traveling)! Monday morning, when we woke up to go home, the van had a thick layer of frost over the windows, and we all thought the air smelled like it does when there's snow way up high. ...'Course...it might have been our southern imaginations. :) We sure were glad to leave the 30-something degree weather in exchange for the 50's we found here!
Monday was also Lezley's birthday. She's my youngest sister, and of course when the youngest member of the family starts to get old it makes everybody think "wow! where did the time go?"
I wish you knew my sister Lezley. She's such a bundle of personality! She was a great sport about traveling on her birthday. We had store-bought pizza and cake when we got home that evening, and all during the trip we sang "happy birthday" whenever we had an excuse to do so.
My birthday gift to Lezley was a date. This afternoon I fulfilled that promised date, and we went shopping together - just the two of us. That's the first time we've done that, and it was fun for both of us.
I bought her two new outfits. We went up and down the aisles of Good Will selecting everything that caught her eye, and then we went to the dressing rooms and I let her twirl in front of the mirror and preen a bit, while we discussed in very grown-up tones the virtues and faults of each article of clothing, and whether or not it was a good choice.
I don't mean that I was talking to her in that voice grown up people can easily take on when they're trying to make a child feel grown up. I was in earnest, and so was she. We're sisters after all - we can't really fool one another like that! We both had lots of fun, and it was a good chance to teach a little bit about modesty, price comparison, quality, and looking ahead when making a purchase. Lezley's a great little shopper.
Then we visited the pet store - but only after Lezley promised not to tease for a puppy or any other such thing she knew she couldn't get. She kept her word like a lady and we had such a time exploring the large shop. I hadn't been in the aquarium section before, and was amazed at the selection. With the dim lights and endless rows of lighted fish tanks, each filled with neon-colored specimens, I felt like we were in a beautiful underwater museum.
Half-way through our visit, Lezley somehow managed to get the fish to react to her hands, which she would wave a certain way to get them all in one group near one side of the tank. Then she'd suddenly and quickly put her face close to the glass, and whoosh! all the fish would go flying away. She laughed so hard! I had to practically drag her away from those poor fish. It was quite a sight to see 40 or 50 tiny little fish coming into one big bulging group of orange or yellow, then explode to the far corners of the tank.
The reptile section was fascinating too - though the long boa constrictors just don't have that beauty appeal that fish do. :) And when we walked through the puppy section I felt a lump in my stomach that told me it was a good thing I had warned Lezley against teasing for one - how can an older sister throw a fit for those adorable little things when she's just given a lecture on that topic?
We made it through puppies, birds, snakes, lizards, gerbils, hamsters, ferrets, mice, and turtles safe and sound, without any stowaways, and left the store with a toy for our hamster and a bone for our dog. We made it home almost exactly the time Mom had asked us to return.
As we were driving home, Lezley repeatedly told me "thank you, thank you, thank you!" for the outing, and at each stoplight had me lean over so she could hug me. Such is my sister.
I'm sad to think you're not so little any more, Lezzy, but I'm happy about the young lady you're becoming. Love the Lord earnestly, and don't lose your vibrant enthusiasm for life - ever! Keep your laugh, too. It's so ticklish.
I love you!
This is Lezley after her "Bug Hunt" on Friday. She sure loves critters! I wish I had a video of her laugh to let you watch. It's so....well, it comes from the bottom of her toes! Here she is being very "teacherish," so...no laugh.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Because I don't have enough time to do a full post...
Highlights of my day:
~ Heather's birthday. My only older sibling! She's more wonderful every year. Are there any words to describe the relationship between two sisters who love one another? We've grown up together, gotten into trouble together, argued together, laughed together, planned together, borrowed each other's clothes, giggled together under the covers at night, prayed together, looked up Bible verses late at night when we're having a discussion, ...we've cried together, grown older together, and (hopefully) matured together. I love her SO much.
*Yep, she's a little bossy. I'm a little whiny.
*She's a little messy. I'm a little bit of a neat-freak. (When she gets around to it, she cleans better than I do.)
*She likes to bake sweets. I prefer to make homemade bread.
*When we're in public, she likes to listen, and I like to talk. When we're alone together, she likes to talk and I like to listen.
*She has everybody's phone number, address, date of birth, and favorite color memorized, and I have to ask her when the birthdays of some of my very good friends are.
*She has sore shoulders and back, and I have good massaging hands.
*She has good tastes in fabric but hates to sew, and I have no money for fabric but love to sew. :)
*She can play piano music that I would butcher, and I can grow plants that she would let die of thirst (accidentally, of course).
We complement one another perfectly. We're very different, but we like it that way. We're best friends. I don't think I could live without her. She reminds me that life is to be lived with joy, and I remind her of the theological, philosophical, and otherwise long-worded things that I find so important.
But I am starting to sound like I really DO have time for a full post. So on to highlight #2.
~ Went bike riding as a family this afternoon. 7 miles on a river-side trail. Lovely. We reminded me of Sound of Music, all strung out along the trail with different sized riders on each bike. (...Note to self; When choosing to ride a bike while wearing a skirt, ...on a VERY windy day....do not pick such a full skirt. Doesn't work too well.)
~ Frosted a carrot cake with Tiffany. Fun sister project.
~ Made rolls for tomorrow. Turned out great. I love this recipe more every time I use it.
~ Got my Pampered Chef order. Yippee!
~ Went last-minute gift shopping at an old bookstore. I could spend hours in that place!
~ Went shopping with Dad at WalMart at 7:00 in the morning on a Saturday. Fun to see the place so empty.
~...And became very sleepy while typing a blog post. ....
...I think I'll sign off for now. Heather, I love ya. To all my readers; I wish y'all a very blessed Lord's Day tomorrow, and hope it will be filled for each of you with thoughts about our risen Lord, and joy, and hope, and remembrances of promises He's made to us. Remember that song, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow"?
~ Heather's birthday. My only older sibling! She's more wonderful every year. Are there any words to describe the relationship between two sisters who love one another? We've grown up together, gotten into trouble together, argued together, laughed together, planned together, borrowed each other's clothes, giggled together under the covers at night, prayed together, looked up Bible verses late at night when we're having a discussion, ...we've cried together, grown older together, and (hopefully) matured together. I love her SO much.
*Yep, she's a little bossy. I'm a little whiny.
*She's a little messy. I'm a little bit of a neat-freak. (When she gets around to it, she cleans better than I do.)
*She likes to bake sweets. I prefer to make homemade bread.
*When we're in public, she likes to listen, and I like to talk. When we're alone together, she likes to talk and I like to listen.
*She has everybody's phone number, address, date of birth, and favorite color memorized, and I have to ask her when the birthdays of some of my very good friends are.
*She has sore shoulders and back, and I have good massaging hands.
*She has good tastes in fabric but hates to sew, and I have no money for fabric but love to sew. :)
*She can play piano music that I would butcher, and I can grow plants that she would let die of thirst (accidentally, of course).
We complement one another perfectly. We're very different, but we like it that way. We're best friends. I don't think I could live without her. She reminds me that life is to be lived with joy, and I remind her of the theological, philosophical, and otherwise long-worded things that I find so important.
But I am starting to sound like I really DO have time for a full post. So on to highlight #2.
~ Went bike riding as a family this afternoon. 7 miles on a river-side trail. Lovely. We reminded me of Sound of Music, all strung out along the trail with different sized riders on each bike. (...Note to self; When choosing to ride a bike while wearing a skirt, ...on a VERY windy day....do not pick such a full skirt. Doesn't work too well.)
~ Frosted a carrot cake with Tiffany. Fun sister project.
~ Made rolls for tomorrow. Turned out great. I love this recipe more every time I use it.
~ Got my Pampered Chef order. Yippee!
~ Went last-minute gift shopping at an old bookstore. I could spend hours in that place!
~ Went shopping with Dad at WalMart at 7:00 in the morning on a Saturday. Fun to see the place so empty.
~...And became very sleepy while typing a blog post. ....
...I think I'll sign off for now. Heather, I love ya. To all my readers; I wish y'all a very blessed Lord's Day tomorrow, and hope it will be filled for each of you with thoughts about our risen Lord, and joy, and hope, and remembrances of promises He's made to us. Remember that song, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow"?
I serve a risen Savior; He's in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He's always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today.
He walks with me, and talks with me, along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He's always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today.
He walks with me, and talks with me, along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Results of Barley
Well, my barley bread turned out edible.
Actually, I like it. It's moist, a lovely brown color, hearty, filling, not too sweet or salty....
...and very time consuming.
Oh no - mixing the dough isn't time consuming. That part is pretty easy. It's the baking that takes awhile. If I counted correctly, that one loaf baked for at least an hour and twenty minutes! I kept taking it out every 15 minutes to see if it was done and, nope, it wasn't; the knife kept coming out sticky.
But it finally finished, and I'm pretty satisfied with the results. I'll tweak it some more before I post the recipe, however. ("Tweaking" meaning I'm gonna try to find a way to decrease that baking time!)
Having gotten the oven so nice and hot, I thought of one more recipe to try while the oven was still hot; barely cereal flakes. I could just taste the homemade raisin bran. Mmmmm!
I didn't have a recipe, but that didn't bother me. I'd read plenty of times that the secret to making flakes was to pour a thin layer of batter over a cookie sheet and bake until brittle.
Lovely.
I mixed 1/2 cup water with 1TBS molasses, 2TBS oil, 2TBS flax seed, and 6TBS barley flour. It made the perfect consistency. Thin enough to pour, but thick enough to have sustenance.
I got out two baking sheets with high edges, and poured enough batter on each one to just coat the sheet. I had a little batter left over.
"Oh well - I'll have that to try again with, if this try doesn't work," I thought cheerfully.
Why don't I listen to my own thoughts? They contain predictions so often.
I popped the sheets into the 350-degree oven, turned speed bake on, set the timer for 10 minutes, and sat down at the table to eat lunch.
While we were eating, the flakes starting smelling really good. I smiled and continued munching.
Food must dull my sense. Why let food stay in the oven when it smells done?
When the timer went off, I got up and opened the oven door.
And slammed it shut again.
You must understand that we have an eat-in kitchen. All my family members, with the exception of Dad, were at that lunch table, just feet away.
"Oh no. Do I have to take this out with them all here?"
Too late. They had already noticed my reaction, and were eager for a sight of the disaster.
I removed the cookie sheets - such as they were.
"Mom, I think I gave you new pans. Do you like the new look?"
She didn't reply.
Have you ever seen the wall treatment where the painters mix sand in the paint, and coat the walls in a lovely textured finish? Picture that. Paper thin. Black. On cookie sheets.
"Did you have a recipe, Amber?"
"No, Mom. ...But this is what I've heard works!"
You must forgive my brothers, but they started snorting at this point. I felt like joining them, so it didn't bother me in the least.
"Whose turn is it to wash lunch dishes?" Curtis sounded worried.
"Mine," Heather said. "Am, you can either wash all the other dishes, and I'll scrub those, or you can scrub those."
But she didn't carry out that threat. I cleared the dish rack for her, and she washed those pans while I finished my lunch. Isn't she the sweetest sister ever?
I was very relieved that the pans weren't ruined.
Now, here's the slightly insane part of the story: after I finished my lunch, I decided to use up that leftover batter.
Yup, I wanted to try again.
This time, I oiled the pan.
REALLY well.
And the dough...well, it fried.
I checked it every two minutes, and each time it was still soggy. I finally just turned the oven off and let it sit in there to dry up.
When it cooled some, I took it out and scraped it into soggy flakes. It wouldn't have made 1/4 a bowl full.
They actually tasted good! Like sweet bran flakes. Um, I mean sweet oily bran flakes. (Yup, I tasted them. All five flakes.)
Now you cast your vote: does this experiment qualify as a success, or should I put it on the list of "Amber's Flops and Falls and What She's Learned from Them"?
Actually, I like it. It's moist, a lovely brown color, hearty, filling, not too sweet or salty....
...and very time consuming.
Oh no - mixing the dough isn't time consuming. That part is pretty easy. It's the baking that takes awhile. If I counted correctly, that one loaf baked for at least an hour and twenty minutes! I kept taking it out every 15 minutes to see if it was done and, nope, it wasn't; the knife kept coming out sticky.
But it finally finished, and I'm pretty satisfied with the results. I'll tweak it some more before I post the recipe, however. ("Tweaking" meaning I'm gonna try to find a way to decrease that baking time!)
Having gotten the oven so nice and hot, I thought of one more recipe to try while the oven was still hot; barely cereal flakes. I could just taste the homemade raisin bran. Mmmmm!
I didn't have a recipe, but that didn't bother me. I'd read plenty of times that the secret to making flakes was to pour a thin layer of batter over a cookie sheet and bake until brittle.
Lovely.
I mixed 1/2 cup water with 1TBS molasses, 2TBS oil, 2TBS flax seed, and 6TBS barley flour. It made the perfect consistency. Thin enough to pour, but thick enough to have sustenance.
I got out two baking sheets with high edges, and poured enough batter on each one to just coat the sheet. I had a little batter left over.
"Oh well - I'll have that to try again with, if this try doesn't work," I thought cheerfully.
Why don't I listen to my own thoughts? They contain predictions so often.
I popped the sheets into the 350-degree oven, turned speed bake on, set the timer for 10 minutes, and sat down at the table to eat lunch.
While we were eating, the flakes starting smelling really good. I smiled and continued munching.
Food must dull my sense. Why let food stay in the oven when it smells done?
When the timer went off, I got up and opened the oven door.
And slammed it shut again.
You must understand that we have an eat-in kitchen. All my family members, with the exception of Dad, were at that lunch table, just feet away.
"Oh no. Do I have to take this out with them all here?"
Too late. They had already noticed my reaction, and were eager for a sight of the disaster.
I removed the cookie sheets - such as they were.
"Mom, I think I gave you new pans. Do you like the new look?"
She didn't reply.
Have you ever seen the wall treatment where the painters mix sand in the paint, and coat the walls in a lovely textured finish? Picture that. Paper thin. Black. On cookie sheets.
"Did you have a recipe, Amber?"
"No, Mom. ...But this is what I've heard works!"
You must forgive my brothers, but they started snorting at this point. I felt like joining them, so it didn't bother me in the least.
"Whose turn is it to wash lunch dishes?" Curtis sounded worried.
"Mine," Heather said. "Am, you can either wash all the other dishes, and I'll scrub those, or you can scrub those."
But she didn't carry out that threat. I cleared the dish rack for her, and she washed those pans while I finished my lunch. Isn't she the sweetest sister ever?
I was very relieved that the pans weren't ruined.
Now, here's the slightly insane part of the story: after I finished my lunch, I decided to use up that leftover batter.
Yup, I wanted to try again.
This time, I oiled the pan.
REALLY well.
And the dough...well, it fried.
I checked it every two minutes, and each time it was still soggy. I finally just turned the oven off and let it sit in there to dry up.
When it cooled some, I took it out and scraped it into soggy flakes. It wouldn't have made 1/4 a bowl full.
They actually tasted good! Like sweet bran flakes. Um, I mean sweet oily bran flakes. (Yup, I tasted them. All five flakes.)
Now you cast your vote: does this experiment qualify as a success, or should I put it on the list of "Amber's Flops and Falls and What She's Learned from Them"?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Pride goeth before the charred remains
Never give in to the temptation of acting like you've gotten everything together, just because you're older.
Never.
My younger sister, Tiffany, and I made breakfast together this morning. She asked for a day to do all the baking, and Mom gave her today. When I think of how old I was before I had the idea to make a similar request, I am a little envious of my younger sisters - they get all our ideas earlier than we did!
Anyway, Tiffy's been assigned as Queen of the Kitchen today, but she wanted my help with breakfast. We planned to make egg biscuits. You know; flaky golden homemade biscuits, with cheese, sausage, and eggs inside. It's one of my favorite breakfasts.
Mom and Dad grew up eating bread or rolls, not biscuits, and Mom rarely makes biscuits. A couple years ago, however, I became interested in learning how to make biscuits. Really, really, good biscuits. After a lot of trail and error, my biscuits actually starting turning out high and lovely. Yes! You know how wonderful it feels to succeed with something? You know how wonderful it feels to have people ask for your biscuits? Nice feeling.
Well, I hadn't made biscuits in...oh, I don't know....a month or two, maybe, but I was confident this morning that our breakfast would turn out lovely.
Tiffany and I dug out the recipe (I was careful to inform her that it was the recipe I had created myself), and put all the ingredients on the table. Together we mixed up the dough. I carefully instructed her through each step, trying not to sound patronizing...but failing, I'm afraid.
Well, the dough turned out very well. I rolled it out, and Tiffany cut the biscuits. She was great. We shoveled the pan into the oven, and I told Tiffany to set the timer for 25 minutes.
"Even with speed bake on?" she asked. (We have a fan in our oven, which circulates the air, and that cuts 1/3rd of the baking time off most recipes.)
"Well, I don't remember if I factored speed bake into my recipe or not...just set it for 25 minutes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Of course I was sure. I am the older sister, right?
Two minutes later, Tiffany excitedly peered through the glass part of the oven door and exclaimed "Hey, they're rising already!"
"Good. Let's not peek at them until they're done baking, and then we'll be surprised at how much they've grown."
"What if we get a black surprise?"
"Oh, we won't. If 25 minutes ends up being too long, they won't turn black in a few extra minutes of baking time. Brown, maybe, but not black."
"Okay," Tiffany agreed in a hesitant voice.
We sat down at the kitchen table to read our Bibles together, and slowly a deliciously tantalizing scent filled the air. We grinned at one another, and jokingly pretended that we were struggling hard to keep from peeking in the oven.
Exactly 25 minutes later, I opened the oven door while Tiffany was cutting sausage.
"Uh-oh."
Tiffany turned around and saw the deep brown color of our biscuits.
She didn't even need to say it. I wasn't looking at her eyes, but I could almost hear "I told you so" spoken in her gentle way.
Later on, she did say it. I think she got a kick out of being smarter than her older sister. I insisted, of course, that I had been right; the biscuits did NOT turn black. Not one speck of black! Only lovely, deep....deep...deep brown.
But we both knew the truth:
Ambers aren't always right.
Duh.
(P.S. Sorry about the "duh." I don't usually use that word in everyday conversation, because it sounds a little coarse to me. But I make an exception if I'm talking to myself. After all, when you are reminded of the obvious [like "I'm not always right"] what is there left to say to yourself but "duh"?)
Never.
My younger sister, Tiffany, and I made breakfast together this morning. She asked for a day to do all the baking, and Mom gave her today. When I think of how old I was before I had the idea to make a similar request, I am a little envious of my younger sisters - they get all our ideas earlier than we did!
Anyway, Tiffy's been assigned as Queen of the Kitchen today, but she wanted my help with breakfast. We planned to make egg biscuits. You know; flaky golden homemade biscuits, with cheese, sausage, and eggs inside. It's one of my favorite breakfasts.
Mom and Dad grew up eating bread or rolls, not biscuits, and Mom rarely makes biscuits. A couple years ago, however, I became interested in learning how to make biscuits. Really, really, good biscuits. After a lot of trail and error, my biscuits actually starting turning out high and lovely. Yes! You know how wonderful it feels to succeed with something? You know how wonderful it feels to have people ask for your biscuits? Nice feeling.
Well, I hadn't made biscuits in...oh, I don't know....a month or two, maybe, but I was confident this morning that our breakfast would turn out lovely.
Tiffany and I dug out the recipe (I was careful to inform her that it was the recipe I had created myself), and put all the ingredients on the table. Together we mixed up the dough. I carefully instructed her through each step, trying not to sound patronizing...but failing, I'm afraid.
Well, the dough turned out very well. I rolled it out, and Tiffany cut the biscuits. She was great. We shoveled the pan into the oven, and I told Tiffany to set the timer for 25 minutes.
"Even with speed bake on?" she asked. (We have a fan in our oven, which circulates the air, and that cuts 1/3rd of the baking time off most recipes.)
"Well, I don't remember if I factored speed bake into my recipe or not...just set it for 25 minutes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Of course I was sure. I am the older sister, right?
Two minutes later, Tiffany excitedly peered through the glass part of the oven door and exclaimed "Hey, they're rising already!"
"Good. Let's not peek at them until they're done baking, and then we'll be surprised at how much they've grown."
"What if we get a black surprise?"
"Oh, we won't. If 25 minutes ends up being too long, they won't turn black in a few extra minutes of baking time. Brown, maybe, but not black."
"Okay," Tiffany agreed in a hesitant voice.
We sat down at the kitchen table to read our Bibles together, and slowly a deliciously tantalizing scent filled the air. We grinned at one another, and jokingly pretended that we were struggling hard to keep from peeking in the oven.
Exactly 25 minutes later, I opened the oven door while Tiffany was cutting sausage.
"Uh-oh."
Tiffany turned around and saw the deep brown color of our biscuits.
She didn't even need to say it. I wasn't looking at her eyes, but I could almost hear "I told you so" spoken in her gentle way.
Later on, she did say it. I think she got a kick out of being smarter than her older sister. I insisted, of course, that I had been right; the biscuits did NOT turn black. Not one speck of black! Only lovely, deep....deep...deep brown.
But we both knew the truth:
Ambers aren't always right.
Duh.
(P.S. Sorry about the "duh." I don't usually use that word in everyday conversation, because it sounds a little coarse to me. But I make an exception if I'm talking to myself. After all, when you are reminded of the obvious [like "I'm not always right"] what is there left to say to yourself but "duh"?)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The things they say.
I'm not sure why I'm writing this, but perhaps it's just because it gave me a smile, and I needed a smile. Maybe you do too.
Scene: Amber and Lezley outdoors. You'd hardly imagine there's been an ice storm yesterday, aside from the branches down all over the yard. The weather is clear, sunny, and almost approaching warmish. Amber is cleaning the cage of her rabbit, "Snickers," and Lezley is watching.
Lezley: "Why aren't you cleaning out all the bedding?"
Amber: "Because that part isn't dirty."
Lezley: "But she peed on it."
Amber: "No, this is just rain water that I'm draining out. She goes pee in her litter box."
Lezley: "How did the rain get in there?" (she gestures to the roof above the wire caging.)
Amber: "It blows in the sides."
Lezley leans closer, to inspect the contents in the waaaay back of the tray Amber is cleaning.
Amber sees, at the same time as Lezley sees, dark round balls in the corner of the tray.
Lezley: "Well, I can tell you one thing; she goes poop in here, because no rain ever went poop."
Scene: Amber and Lezley outdoors. You'd hardly imagine there's been an ice storm yesterday, aside from the branches down all over the yard. The weather is clear, sunny, and almost approaching warmish. Amber is cleaning the cage of her rabbit, "Snickers," and Lezley is watching.
Lezley: "Why aren't you cleaning out all the bedding?"
Amber: "Because that part isn't dirty."
Lezley: "But she peed on it."
Amber: "No, this is just rain water that I'm draining out. She goes pee in her litter box."
Lezley: "How did the rain get in there?" (she gestures to the roof above the wire caging.)
Amber: "It blows in the sides."
Lezley leans closer, to inspect the contents in the waaaay back of the tray Amber is cleaning.
Amber sees, at the same time as Lezley sees, dark round balls in the corner of the tray.
Lezley: "Well, I can tell you one thing; she goes poop in here, because no rain ever went poop."
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Another Gift
Today I'm showing the gift a gave my other little sister for Christmas. This one, too, was made without a pattern, but somehow it turned out right the first time!
No, it's not a Bible carrier, though Lezley's Bible fits in it.
It's a purse!
Though you can't tell from the photos, this purse is made of scraps. The outside striped fabric is from an old skirt that I had already used to make something, and all that was left was bits and strips. I had to piece things together to get enough fabric that was wide enough for these pattern pieces. The inside fabric was easier, since I was cutting from a nice amount of yardage.
There is batting between the layers, and in the handles. The front strap attaches with a snap, and the bows are simply tacked on for decoration. There are three pockets in the middle section, which is only attached at sides of the purse, not the bottom.
Now, for my favorite attraction: ....
First, I must say that Lezley used to make a habit of asking to borrow my pocket mirror every time we got in the van to go to church. She'd use it to check her appearance and touch up her hair. (Hmmm...where did she learn that from?) I would have to dig it out of my purse, hand it to her, and remind her to give it back to me before we got out of the van.
But no longer.
Now she has her own mirror:
And she can't lose it. ..At least not so long as she doesn't lose her purse. That long strip of fabric is sewn into the bottom of the center pocket. I'm not sure if you can read the words I wrote on there with fabric marker, but it's Proverbs 30:31; "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
I love the response I got when Lezley unwrapped this. She squealed and threw her arms around me, and laughed so hard she could hardly say thank you.
I later found out why she was laughing; her gift to me was a purse, too!
No, it's not a Bible carrier, though Lezley's Bible fits in it.
It's a purse!Though you can't tell from the photos, this purse is made of scraps. The outside striped fabric is from an old skirt that I had already used to make something, and all that was left was bits and strips. I had to piece things together to get enough fabric that was wide enough for these pattern pieces. The inside fabric was easier, since I was cutting from a nice amount of yardage.
There is batting between the layers, and in the handles. The front strap attaches with a snap, and the bows are simply tacked on for decoration. There are three pockets in the middle section, which is only attached at sides of the purse, not the bottom.
Now, for my favorite attraction: ....
First, I must say that Lezley used to make a habit of asking to borrow my pocket mirror every time we got in the van to go to church. She'd use it to check her appearance and touch up her hair. (Hmmm...where did she learn that from?) I would have to dig it out of my purse, hand it to her, and remind her to give it back to me before we got out of the van.
But no longer.
Now she has her own mirror:
And she can't lose it. ..At least not so long as she doesn't lose her purse. That long strip of fabric is sewn into the bottom of the center pocket. I'm not sure if you can read the words I wrote on there with fabric marker, but it's Proverbs 30:31; "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
I love the response I got when Lezley unwrapped this. She squealed and threw her arms around me, and laughed so hard she could hardly say thank you.
I later found out why she was laughing; her gift to me was a purse, too!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Gifts!
I'm finally posting pictures of some of the gifts I gave out at Christmas. I admire folks who can think of something to sew for every member of the family, but I only sewed things for my sisters this year. (Have you ever noticed that boys are harder to sew for?)
My gift to Tiffany was a dress: (Edited to add: My apologizes to those of you who couldn't view these the first time around! Thanks to my Dad, I think the problem has been fixed. Please let me know if there's still a problem.)
Don't I have a purty sis?
The dress was a bit difficult to make, simply because it was made in secret, and I didn't use a pattern. Everything was guesswork!
The skirt was not hard; all I needed was a waist measurement, and I could draft a simple a-line skirt. (It is fuller than it looks in the pictures.)
The bodice was more difficult.
I traced a sweater that I knew fit Tiffany, to get an idea of her size. Thinking back, I wish I had used a blouse or something non-stretchy, instead of a knitted sweater, but at the time it was the first thing I saw, so I grabbed it. When you're snooping around in a sister's bedroom, you don't waste time!
I decided to design the bodice in six pieces; an upper and lower front, and two upper and two lower back pieces. All bodice pieces are lined with muslin. An invisible zipper closes the back. The sleeves are each made of two pieces, with interfacing stiffening the cuffs. A burgundy waistband, also reinforced with interfacing, finishes the bodice. All places where the burgundy and plaid meet are decorated with top stitching.
As it turned out, everything fit nicely (even the sleeves - yeah!) ...except for the neck area. I had made the shoulders too wide, and the neckline therefore was too wide, and a little too deep as well. Thankfully, it wasn't hard to fix after Tiffy tried the dress on Christmas day and I saw the problem. I just added plaid fabric above the burgundy fabric. (See photos)
The dress is made from 100% cotton plaid, and solid burgundy cotton fabric. I pre-washed both fabrics, and they wrinkle less than I thought they would. I chose the plaid because Tiffany has a special liking for plaid, checked, or otherwise "old-fashioned looking" cloth.
She seemed to be very pleased with her gift, and I am pleased with the way she looks in it. She's so much fun to sew for!
My gift to Tiffany was a dress: (Edited to add: My apologizes to those of you who couldn't view these the first time around! Thanks to my Dad, I think the problem has been fixed. Please let me know if there's still a problem.)
Don't I have a purty sis?
The dress was a bit difficult to make, simply because it was made in secret, and I didn't use a pattern. Everything was guesswork!
The skirt was not hard; all I needed was a waist measurement, and I could draft a simple a-line skirt. (It is fuller than it looks in the pictures.)
The bodice was more difficult.
I traced a sweater that I knew fit Tiffany, to get an idea of her size. Thinking back, I wish I had used a blouse or something non-stretchy, instead of a knitted sweater, but at the time it was the first thing I saw, so I grabbed it. When you're snooping around in a sister's bedroom, you don't waste time!
I decided to design the bodice in six pieces; an upper and lower front, and two upper and two lower back pieces. All bodice pieces are lined with muslin. An invisible zipper closes the back. The sleeves are each made of two pieces, with interfacing stiffening the cuffs. A burgundy waistband, also reinforced with interfacing, finishes the bodice. All places where the burgundy and plaid meet are decorated with top stitching.
As it turned out, everything fit nicely (even the sleeves - yeah!) ...except for the neck area. I had made the shoulders too wide, and the neckline therefore was too wide, and a little too deep as well. Thankfully, it wasn't hard to fix after Tiffy tried the dress on Christmas day and I saw the problem. I just added plaid fabric above the burgundy fabric. (See photos)
The dress is made from 100% cotton plaid, and solid burgundy cotton fabric. I pre-washed both fabrics, and they wrinkle less than I thought they would. I chose the plaid because Tiffany has a special liking for plaid, checked, or otherwise "old-fashioned looking" cloth.
She seemed to be very pleased with her gift, and I am pleased with the way she looks in it. She's so much fun to sew for!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Today at Lunch
Lezley said "Mommy, for supper tonight, can we have a pillow dinner?"
All 6 of us around the table stopped eating and looked at her.
Undaunted, Lezley turned to her sister. "Tiffy, tell her what I mean." Then she turned back to Mom. "You know, the little pillows. They're stuffed with meat and cheese and stuff. Can we have pillows for supper?"
Tiffany explained. "She means ravioli, Mom."
"What's ravioli?" Lezley asked.
"What you've been describing." Mom smiled.
All 6 of us around the table stopped eating and looked at her.
Undaunted, Lezley turned to her sister. "Tiffy, tell her what I mean." Then she turned back to Mom. "You know, the little pillows. They're stuffed with meat and cheese and stuff. Can we have pillows for supper?"
Tiffany explained. "She means ravioli, Mom."
"What's ravioli?" Lezley asked.
"What you've been describing." Mom smiled.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Pray for us
Hey, I'm posting this quick before going to bed, 'cause I know I won't have time tomorrow.
My older sister, Heather, is having hip surgery tomorrow in another city. She'll be having metal plates and screws removed from both hips. (She's had previous surgeries...obviously.)
I'm staying here with my four younger siblings. Mom and Dad will be in the waiting room of the hospital.
Please pray for all of us. I don't have time to list all the requests; successful surgery, witnessing opportunities, a peaceful home, ...but you can think of them on your own.
Thank y'all in advance.
Rejoice! God is good!
My older sister, Heather, is having hip surgery tomorrow in another city. She'll be having metal plates and screws removed from both hips. (She's had previous surgeries...obviously.)
I'm staying here with my four younger siblings. Mom and Dad will be in the waiting room of the hospital.
Please pray for all of us. I don't have time to list all the requests; successful surgery, witnessing opportunities, a peaceful home, ...but you can think of them on your own.
Thank y'all in advance.
Rejoice! God is good!
Friday, November 14, 2008
A Realization
You know, I was thinking lately about friendships with girls younger than myself.
I've mentioned that topic a few times before here, but the idea was brought to my mind in a new way this week.
As a part of a good-size homeschooling family, I have been raised very close to my siblings, and been in fellowship with other families that do the same thing. In social interactions, the world around me has always said "segregate by age," but that concept wasn't adopted by my parents, and thus I never thought much about it myself.
Sure, I went to Sunday School classes that were separated according to age, and I was puzzled every once in a while by a mother who inquired to my age and grade, as if that determined whether I was a fit playmate for her daughter. I even learned to ask girls how old they were, first thing, as if they had to say the magic age or I wouldn't associate with them.
But I don't remember ever turning down a friend because she said an age that was younger than my own. I was too busy trying to understand why "the older girls" didn't want me around.
I remember that feeling very well. That feeling of being invisible. Those "older girls" were never once mean to me. They never said cruel words, that I can remember. I can remember them walking away from me, but I don't believe that even that was done on purpose. The reason it was done was the reason I felt hurt; to them, I wasn't there. They really, honestly didn't notice me. Some magic of social law said I was not worth recognizing if I wasn't their age, and they had unconsciously acted upon what they had been taught.
"Something isn't fair!" Though I didn't understand what caused this heartache in me, I sorta declared war on whatever it was that made folks act like that. I purposed in my heart that, when I reached that elusive age, I would give my utmost effort to spotting the younger girls and talking to them.
Looking back on that decision now, I think that it was a good one. Though I am aware of the times I threw caution to the wind, stuck my pug nose in the air, and tried to act like one of the "older girls" I remembered, those times were short-lived and much regretted afterward. In general, I saw younger girls as just as much potential friendship material as girls my own age.
After all, I have sisters! One is close to my age, and there are two little ones. I will admit, there is a difference between my friendships with my older sister and younger sisters. I can't have the same relationship with a person eleven years younger than me as I can have with one two years older than me. Our friendships are different, but they are all very good. I loved being friends with my little sisters! So why shouldn't I want to be friends with other young girls?
Sadly, I've never learned to look at older girls and automatically see friendship possibilities. The idea that "older girls" are looking down their noses at me was almost branded into me at a young age. I need to pray about my preconceived bias, because it hinders me a little bit. You see, not all older girls are like that. I've been pleasantly surprised several times by older girls who are very opening and loving towards me, and each time it happens I nearly melt.
I've seen that look in a younger girl's eyes when I offer friendship to her. She can't believe it, either. Everything in our society has taught her to expect the opposite. Sometimes she refuses my offer. She can hardly believe I'm in earnest.
And you know what?
Sometimes I'm not.
This is the new angle of thought that hit me this past week. I've become so caught up in being the "lady on a white horse," if you will, that I have almost stopped considering my motives.
Is it really fair for me to offer companionship and friendship to a timid young girl out of pity or feelings of "well, it's the right thing to do,"...and then let her think I did it because I really saw something in her that made me want her to like me? Is it fair to enter into a friendship feeling as if I'm being a benefactor? Isn't true friendship more... equal ....than that?
I know it is. Jonathan was likely older than David, as well as richer, higher in the social strata, and held more power, but I challenge anyone to find anything condescending about the way he related to David. They were equals. When Jonathan gave David those princely gifts, I guarantee you there was nothing patronizing or false about it. I don't believe for one minute that Jonathan was just trying to "do the right thing." First Samuel eighteen one says, "...the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."
I would call that genuine, equal, from-the-heart friendship, given by an older youth to a younger youth. And that was what I was failing to start out with when I was offering friendship to those girls.
I know I can't be close, knit-to-the-heart friends with every young Christian girl on the planet. But if I'm going to offer even a light friendship, it ought to be sincere. It isn't fair to offer anything else.
And those were the thoughts going through my head this week. I felt so ashamed of myself.
Why did I think about that this week? Because I was suddenly slammed with all sorts of memories. ...Memories of the ways my "young" friends have blessed me through the years. They've been true friends to me. They've been loyal to me in a way that even other "my-age" friends haven't been. Because I felt secure, more like an older sister, I had been more of myself with them. There was no flattery, no playing the game of keep-the-friend. They saw some of my nasty self at times.
And they loved me anyway. I am so amazed. They love me anyway.
And I discovered that I love them, too. I know I started some of those friendships with totally the wrong motives, but it was a wonderful feeling to suddenly realize that I had been blessed; God had not allowed me to stay in that same state of mind, but instead had changed my heart without my noticing it.
I love the friends I don't deserve to have! Girls who started out as "mission work" for me have become dear sisters in Christ. When did that happen?
I don't know.
But I sure am thankful for all those dear girls who have given me so much more than I have given them. They gave me true friendship, without asking for anything in return.
I was never the benefactor. I was the one who received. I was the one who was blessed.
Thank you, sisters.
I've mentioned that topic a few times before here, but the idea was brought to my mind in a new way this week.
As a part of a good-size homeschooling family, I have been raised very close to my siblings, and been in fellowship with other families that do the same thing. In social interactions, the world around me has always said "segregate by age," but that concept wasn't adopted by my parents, and thus I never thought much about it myself.
Sure, I went to Sunday School classes that were separated according to age, and I was puzzled every once in a while by a mother who inquired to my age and grade, as if that determined whether I was a fit playmate for her daughter. I even learned to ask girls how old they were, first thing, as if they had to say the magic age or I wouldn't associate with them.
But I don't remember ever turning down a friend because she said an age that was younger than my own. I was too busy trying to understand why "the older girls" didn't want me around.
I remember that feeling very well. That feeling of being invisible. Those "older girls" were never once mean to me. They never said cruel words, that I can remember. I can remember them walking away from me, but I don't believe that even that was done on purpose. The reason it was done was the reason I felt hurt; to them, I wasn't there. They really, honestly didn't notice me. Some magic of social law said I was not worth recognizing if I wasn't their age, and they had unconsciously acted upon what they had been taught.
"Something isn't fair!" Though I didn't understand what caused this heartache in me, I sorta declared war on whatever it was that made folks act like that. I purposed in my heart that, when I reached that elusive age, I would give my utmost effort to spotting the younger girls and talking to them.
Looking back on that decision now, I think that it was a good one. Though I am aware of the times I threw caution to the wind, stuck my pug nose in the air, and tried to act like one of the "older girls" I remembered, those times were short-lived and much regretted afterward. In general, I saw younger girls as just as much potential friendship material as girls my own age.
After all, I have sisters! One is close to my age, and there are two little ones. I will admit, there is a difference between my friendships with my older sister and younger sisters. I can't have the same relationship with a person eleven years younger than me as I can have with one two years older than me. Our friendships are different, but they are all very good. I loved being friends with my little sisters! So why shouldn't I want to be friends with other young girls?
Sadly, I've never learned to look at older girls and automatically see friendship possibilities. The idea that "older girls" are looking down their noses at me was almost branded into me at a young age. I need to pray about my preconceived bias, because it hinders me a little bit. You see, not all older girls are like that. I've been pleasantly surprised several times by older girls who are very opening and loving towards me, and each time it happens I nearly melt.
I've seen that look in a younger girl's eyes when I offer friendship to her. She can't believe it, either. Everything in our society has taught her to expect the opposite. Sometimes she refuses my offer. She can hardly believe I'm in earnest.
And you know what?
Sometimes I'm not.
This is the new angle of thought that hit me this past week. I've become so caught up in being the "lady on a white horse," if you will, that I have almost stopped considering my motives.
Is it really fair for me to offer companionship and friendship to a timid young girl out of pity or feelings of "well, it's the right thing to do,"...and then let her think I did it because I really saw something in her that made me want her to like me? Is it fair to enter into a friendship feeling as if I'm being a benefactor? Isn't true friendship more... equal ....than that?
I know it is. Jonathan was likely older than David, as well as richer, higher in the social strata, and held more power, but I challenge anyone to find anything condescending about the way he related to David. They were equals. When Jonathan gave David those princely gifts, I guarantee you there was nothing patronizing or false about it. I don't believe for one minute that Jonathan was just trying to "do the right thing." First Samuel eighteen one says, "...the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."
I would call that genuine, equal, from-the-heart friendship, given by an older youth to a younger youth. And that was what I was failing to start out with when I was offering friendship to those girls.
I know I can't be close, knit-to-the-heart friends with every young Christian girl on the planet. But if I'm going to offer even a light friendship, it ought to be sincere. It isn't fair to offer anything else.
And those were the thoughts going through my head this week. I felt so ashamed of myself.
Why did I think about that this week? Because I was suddenly slammed with all sorts of memories. ...Memories of the ways my "young" friends have blessed me through the years. They've been true friends to me. They've been loyal to me in a way that even other "my-age" friends haven't been. Because I felt secure, more like an older sister, I had been more of myself with them. There was no flattery, no playing the game of keep-the-friend. They saw some of my nasty self at times.
And they loved me anyway. I am so amazed. They love me anyway.
And I discovered that I love them, too. I know I started some of those friendships with totally the wrong motives, but it was a wonderful feeling to suddenly realize that I had been blessed; God had not allowed me to stay in that same state of mind, but instead had changed my heart without my noticing it.
I love the friends I don't deserve to have! Girls who started out as "mission work" for me have become dear sisters in Christ. When did that happen?
I don't know.
But I sure am thankful for all those dear girls who have given me so much more than I have given them. They gave me true friendship, without asking for anything in return.
I was never the benefactor. I was the one who received. I was the one who was blessed.
Thank you, sisters.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Psalms 127... Adapted
Scene: The Littlest Sister is skipping around the living room, broom in hand. She begins to sing the words to a familiar chapter of the Bible.
Amber, elbow-deep in the dishpan, realizes that something is different.
Little sister bellows out, "...Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that clean it!"
Amber thanks the Lord for siblings, to bring smiles to days when she doesn't feel like smiling.
Amber, elbow-deep in the dishpan, realizes that something is different.
Little sister bellows out, "...Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that clean it!"
Amber thanks the Lord for siblings, to bring smiles to days when she doesn't feel like smiling.
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