Repost: Ash Wednesday

Today marks the beginning of the 40 day period of Lent leading up to Easter. It's a solemn yet rich and beautiful time of focusing on fasting, giving, and praying with the ultimate goal of going deeper in relationship with God and preparing our hearts to more fully experience the celebration of Easter. In our family, Lent has come to be so much more about what we're gaining than what we've given up. The sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of Easter reach new magnitudes for us after journeying through these 40 days.

A blessed Lent to all.

(I've posted some lenten resources on my sidebar including a new one I snagged from my friend Susan. Thanks, Susan!)

This is what too much snow will do to you.....

Which of us are you most like? Your Result: HerMajesty   HerMajesty, an aspiring editor and author. You love to get a hold on your sisters' or friends' papers and edit them. You LOVE to write also. You love being the oldest!!
SillyGal
MissVivi
Joojoo
Which of us are you most like? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Apparently the girls have taken to creating quizzes. Why does it surprise my first-born so much that her mother, who also happens to be a first-born is so much like her?! ;-)

If you have a burning desire to know which of the girls YOU are most like, you can click above where it says "Which of us are you most like?" and it will take you to their quiz.

Recipe Rave: SALSA CHICKEN

On my left sidebar, you will see that I'm currently reading (or maybe I should say we are eating our way through) a newly published slow cooker cookbook - Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking. I haven't been much of a slow cooker fan because I like my meat with texture and my veggies with crunch and most crockpot meals I've attempted seem to cook everything to mush. But I will admit I'm a much sweeter and gentler mama when dinner is already well underway by early afternoon so I was intrigued when I heard about this new book. Also, the fact that every recipe is gluten free was a draw as well - since we've got a wheat allergy in the house.

Apparently, the author made a New Year's resolution to use her slow cooker everyday for the entire year of 2008. You can read about her experience on her blog - A Year of Slow Cooking.

Since all the moms I know are always looking for ways to maximize their time, I thought it might be fun (and hopefully helpful to some of the moms who stop by here) if I share some of the recipes that we try and really like. (Many of her recipes are on her blog and I'll link to them when possible. If they're not on her blog, I'll likely not share the entire recipe but rather encourage to look for the book at your local library.)

Tonight we had Salsa Chicken. While I can't say it was a hit with everyone, I, personally, really enjoyed it. Could it be because we adulterated it with Velveeta and Rotel dip? Who knows! But it's very likely I'll make this one again.

Quotidian Quips: On Surprises, Vanity and Strategic Planning

"Quotidian" - belonging to each day; commonplace; ordinary

"Quip" - a witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment

I've long missed my "Couch Chronicles" posts from my bedrest days. (Just to clarify, I DON'T miss the bedrest, just the time to record the frequent funny conversations heard around here. Also, no longer confined to the couch, the name didn't really apply anymore, and it really bugged me to be without a catchy title. Nothing says "quotidian" to me more than the chore of emptying the dishwasher - or disciplining a naughty puppy! )

Olivia: "I think it would be really fun to have a surprise party."

Marina (my tell-it-like-it-is girl): "Yea but what if you didn't look right.....like Mom's shower." (What?!)

Olivia (my practical girl): "Well, then you just make sure you always look nice around your birthday..........especially on the weekends."

Our Miracle Girl

Almost 11 1/2 years ago, we learned that the sweet little baby girl I was carrying at the time was not healthy. That news was the beginning of a very emotional and trying journey through the rest of that pregnancy. It was a pregnancy filled with ultrasounds, consultations, tears, and much much prayers as we wondered if we should prepare for a birth or a funeral. Friends cried and prayed and waited with us. Through it all, our faithful God stayed very close to us and kept His mighty hand on that little girl.

Today she is eleven.

A handful of ultrasounds, x-rays, CT Scans and one very scary lung surgery later, she continues to bless us daily with laughter and creativity.

We love you Juliette!

Irresistible....

I know every mother thinks her baby truly is the cutest to ever walk the earth but really........couldn't you just eat him up?!

Thoughts on a New Year

I thought I would be thrilled to see 2009 (with all it's trials and tribulations) go. But the fact is, in those weak moments, God met us mightily and in the end, He was glorified in all of that mess. It feels a bit melancholy to be facing a wide open new year with all of it's unknowns. (God, really, I'd be just fine with a terribly boring and uneventful year - thank you very much.) I'll be posting my reading list soon which will likely give some clues as to what I'm being prodded to work on this year. In the meantime, I'm prayerfully pondering this blog's place in our family. Happy New Year to all of you and your families.

**After posting this entry earlier today, I perused my Google Reader and found this. (You may remember my friend Colleen - really a "cyber-aquaintance" who reached out to me during my bedrest - who lost sweet Bryce in September.) The things she writes often resonate in my own heart. Today is no different. Lots of wisdom there.