good to be home

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Shanda

“O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord

Until my very heart o’er-flow

In kind-ling thought and glowing word

Thy love to tell

Thy praise to show.”
Frances Havergal (hymn writer 1836-1879)

In direct opposition to all the local hype regarding this weekend’s winter storm, the snow fell gently and calmly over our town. I couldn’t help but wish that I hadn’t heard the numerous warnings that “The Snow Is Coming!”, why couldn’t it just fall without so much fanfare like it did when I was a child and, with no thoughts of snow, I would awaken in the morning to a surprising world of white and joy?

That’s how it was for dear Sarah who saw the snow and had to get outside in it to walk and play and taste. What a gift childhood is.

I am thankful for……. lovely snow days that bring cancelled events so we can stay snug in the rooms of our home, bring in friends, and have a day of slowness. The calm descends over me (rather like the snow) even as I busy myself making cookies, homemade meatballs, spaghetti, and listen to all the conversations at once.

Home is a place of contentment, prayers, music, naps, laughter, running up and down stairs, small arguments and resolutions, puzzles and games, freshly baked cookies, a delightful crackling fire in the fireplace, trips outside to breathe in the icy fresh air, marvelous books to read, blankets, throwing yet another log on, video games, movies….

yes, home is a place for beautiful messy L I F E and living, one thousand unspoken blessings each day, sharing, loving, enjoying……but mostly it is a place for the very best togetherness of friends and family. Here we are loved beyond measure.

“Wherever the heart wanders it carries the thought of home with it.”

black bottom muffins, etc.

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Shanda

The coffee shop on Jekyll Island sells these muffins and my Dad loves them. I was determined to find a recipe because they are delicious. Indeed, with the internet it didn’t take any longer than five seconds to discover what I was searching for….black bottom muffins….the name makes Sarah Joy giggle. “Did you say bottom?” she laughed.

The muffin is more of a cupcake. The chocolate cake part is soft and delicately sweet. The middle is cheesecake!

I made a batch yesterday (one batch=12 muffins) and they were gone in no time.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

(recipe source: the wonderful and convenient allrecipes.com)

You know what makes me sort of sad? When I was married 20 years ago I spent so much time dreaming as I turned page after page in my new cookbooks, planning on what I would bake next for my husband. I have a beautiful collection of books to this day….but do I look at them now? Hardly ever. I think one of my new year’s resolutions will be to make more recipes out of my cookbooks rather than from the computer. Just because.

This is a Sarah update.

She had a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday with her surgeon and new urologist. The surgeon was very happy with her healing progress. She does have a stent which will have to be removed in February which will entail another magical sleep in the O.R. At the same time, the Doctor will look with a scope into her kidney to make sure every stone fragment was removed during her first surgery.

The urologist went over her 24 hour urine sample results and sure enough, she is a stone-maker. He sent us to get blood drawn that day as well, which Sarah did not appreciate despite the fact that they had a cartoon playing right in front of the lab chair and she was sitting on my lap. She was just simply done with all the needles. But we managed just fine and she came away with another toy so……

He called with the lab results which were PERFECTLY normal (praise Jesus) –all but her vitamin D level, which was low (common for our area). So she is taking a supplement and I’m giving it to all the children in the house, too.

She has to eat an orange a day (and/or lemons, lemonade or limes) and drink twice as much as I was making her drink before. (ugh) She also has to avoid salt. In a few months we will do the urine test again to see if the diet change has helped.

Sarah went to school on Wednesday and Thursday. She did absolutely fine other than being a little more tired than usual. I kept her home today, however, because she was looking pale to me and although she has been acting fine here at home, I feel much better keeping her with me. She is currently watching a movie.

Ethan is home after getting done with midterms early. I went to pick him up (with Sarah) and we went through the Dunkin Donuts drive thru. We stopped at the grocery store where I left them waiting for me in the warm car eating their snacks while I ran in to get half and half and the ingredients for three bean salad.

It’s a beautiful day, sunny, and a freezing cold 27 degrees with an icy wind. When I look out the window at our ponds I think to myself that the ice must be about ready for skating. In the meantime, I am staying close by the fire that I made this morning in our fireplace. It is a comforting, popping and crackling sound, not to mention toasty warm.

Happy Friday, friends!

You are loved.

“Nothing is lovelier in life, than the spirit of contentment. Fretting mars the beauty of many a face. Discontent spoils all one’s world. Out of whatever window he looks — the discontented person sees something that is not pleasing.

But a contented person sees only good everywhere. The happiest homes in the world are not those in which are the finest carpets, the costliest pictures, the most luxurious furniture — but those in which contented, joyful hearts dwell. A mind at peace, beautifies the plainest surroundings and even the hardest conditions.” J.R. Miller

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

a cat, Ethan wrestling, Grace’s friend, & my books

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Shanda

We can’t keep kids or cats away from our beautiful Christmas tree! And it makes me smile.

Hello my friends. Rich and I are together today. We went downtown for breakfast and then to the mall to finish up our shopping. We are home now. He has his feet up on the coffee table and my feet are on his lap along with his laptop. And, I have my laptop, too. Parker is next to me licking his leg loudly and Gentleman Gray is curled up on a blanket at the end of the couch. It’s dark and pouring rain outside. Poor Caleb will not get snow for Christmas this year, I’m afraid.

Have I mentioned that Rich is the head coach for our school’s wrestling team? The first tournament was on Saturday and I got right up at the crack of dawn with him and rode with the team on the bus to the location, which was an hour away. Seth and Sarah came, too. Grace came along because she’s the team manager. It’s a family affair.

Here is a picture of Ethan after he won a match. The assistant coach is talking things over with him, his name is Jim. Little brother Seth is hanging around wanting to say “good job” to his big brother. ‘Cause that’s what you do.

Ethan is pretty intense so it’s nice when he cracks a slight smile.

handshake

Later on, Ethan got bloody and lost a match. There’s his Dad in the background, and Coach Jim is about to take his arm and lead him to the trainer to get cleaned up. Oh and there’s Seth again.

Here is a picture of Ethan right after he won another match. All in all, he did very well. He wants to do nothing but win, his heart is in the right place, but this time he lost 2 and won 2. Ethan is a senior this year and we have high hopes that he will continue to do well in wrestling, and then he will move on to baseball. Before we know it he will graduate, and I hate to say this but it looks like he’s heading for the service after graduation. I’m trying not to think about it but stay tuned because by God’s grace that blog post will eventually be written.

THESE TWO ARE SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grace and her suitor. I took their picture from clear across the gym because I can’t help myself.

*****

I hope your Christmas plans are all coming together. I have decorated the house. I have bought and wrapped the gifts. I have planned a Christmas Eve brunch. I have made cookies….but they have all been eaten so I plan on making more if I can gather up enough interest…I feel as though I don’t really need to eat anymore cookies. I’ve been reading books instead of baking. One of my favorite authors is Janice Holt Giles, who wrote books in the 1960’s. “Pre internet” fiction is my favorite, it seems less spoiled and more sincere. I read her book, Hannah Fowler years and years ago–many times, and finally got around to reading several more of her books which I picked up at library booksales. I finished Tara’s Healing yesterday and then started Savanna. I would be interested in knowing if there are anymore Giles fans out there!

David’s bus will arrive in half an hour so I have just enough time to read a few more chapters before the late afternoon rush of children/homework/wrestling practice/dinner begins.

You are loved. ~Shanda

If you’re alone, I’ll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I’ll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I’ll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I’ll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I’ll just be me. ~Author Unknown

happenings

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Shanda

LOVE

JOY

PEACE

forbearance

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

self control

against such things there is no law.

Good evening, my friends.

Today is a wonderful day. I am finally feeling more like myself. Thank the Lord for doctors and modern medicine. After I got the kids out the door for school, my oldest son Jacob got up and showered. When he came downstairs he told me that he didn’t have to go to college today so I mentioned that I was going to go shopping in about an hour. I had some photos to pick up and some things I needed to get. He right away showed his willingness to go along with me without even being asked…he said, “Oh, than I can show you those legos at the mall that I wanted to get the boys for Christmas.” It made me smile that he wanted to go with me.

He drove me after I said I would give him gas money. Gas money is very important to 18 year old young men. He talked to me the whole time we were together. And if he wasn’t talking, he was singing along to his music. He and his girlfriend share a spotify music account now, isn’t that romantic? They also did community service together yesterday by picking up litter along some of the main roads in our area.

Jacob LOVES music. He has quite a varied collection, from classical to Christian metal.

We went to several stores, including Starbucks and Five Guys (burgers) for lunch. Then he drove us to his school so that we could pay for his next semester. He walked me around and showed me the library. He loves his classes, his professors, and the campus. I’m so thankful for the way he is adjusting and becoming independent. The place he works for originally hired him for the Holidays, but recently asked him to stay on full-time. He loves his job and the people he has met.

The chickens get bowls of old leftovers and they love it. It looks sickening to us humans, though. I always have to laugh when I hand a bowl over to a child and say “run this down to the chickens” and they do, while gagging.

Just beyond the hens, in that spot that looks like briars, is a small little pond nestled down a bank. I love that little pond, and so do the chickens. They make their way down and drink from it. Beyond that (the building you see) is our garage.

Holiday FIESTAWARE display!

precious children coming home off the bus

Dear teachers, your students notice everything you do. The other day I told Sarah she would make a good teacher someday and after sitting there thinking about it she said, “No I don’t think so. It’s such hard work! And I don’t know how to make a star!”

Tis the season for gingerbread men. She brought another one home today. It’s a paper plate painted brown, with a circle at the top of it for a head and oval arms and legs decorated with glitter. Only it looks more like a brown turtle then a gingerbread man.

Saturday morning these guys went to a wrestling practice.

Grace brought her rabbit inside for a little while and we had such a time watching funny Gentleman Gray visit with him from the top of the cage.

I put a small box inside of her cage yesterday and she had a great time chewing it up into a bed.

beauty in an apple core

beauty outside the door

Going back to the aloe vera plant. Just a few months ago the planter contained one big “mama” plant that was so big that it was tipping the whole planter over unless I balanced it against the wall. The appearance was beginning to bother me so I cut it right off and threw it away. It has been a delight to see so many baby plants grow up in it’s place. I hope to divide it soon and share with friends. I’m sure there is a parable in there somewhere.

Tonight I am picking my dear friend Hannah up from the airport and I cannot wait.

sarah wants to show you her new pants

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Shanda

Aren’t they adorable? As soon as I saw them I had to get them for her. She LOVES big cats.

Praying for all my blog friends today. You are loved.

short and simple

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Shanda

There is snow falling in blog-land!

How are you, my friends? I hope you are well, and if you’re anything like me, not feeling your best and trying to be patient while your medication starts to kick in then I hope and pray for you. Be kind to yourself. If you’re staying at home too much, get out of the house and go shopping. That’s what I did today and it helped tremendously.

Everything is going to be okay.

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, because a smile is the beginning of love.” Mother Theresa

I bought a decorative plate holder and added a vintage yellow fiesta chop plate to the top of my cookbook shelf, right underneath Aunt Colleen’s painting. I like this little spot in my house. I put the stool there yesterday and Sarah promptly sat down to sing to herself and color. While she’s at school, Gentleman Gray sits there and tells me what to do.

He wanted me to put the camera down and pet him.

But I wanted to show you a picture of my new moccasins. Grace and I each got a pair this weekend. They are so comfy and just like wearing slippers. She said with a little laughter, “I love these shoes, why didn’t we get these sooner?”

Dave just got home from school.

“This would make a good picture, Mom.”

My little Christmas tree.

Aunt Amanda and Sarah made this paper chain. I helped a little, too. Every day we tear a chain off until Christmas comes.

the boys

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Shanda

had their hair cut today.

this was a good idea

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Shanda

Last night four of our seven children were away. Two of them went to youth group and two of them went to see the movie “The Martian”. Rich and I found ourselves at home with the three youngest ones, and as we worked on putting them to bed I started looking forward to some peace and quiet with my husband watching TV. This thought naturally led to a craving for ice cream but alas, we didn’t have any. As we passed each other on the stairs I may or may not have batted my eyes at him. “Do you want to go downtown and get us some ice cream? You don’t have to, but we don’t have any in the freezer and wouldn’t it be nice…..?”

Although he did make eye contact and listen to my request, he didn’t reply, only sneezed violently. But as I tucked Sarah into bed and gave her a pillowcase with a soft tag, a drink of water, and a hug and kiss, I heard the front door open and shut and he was gone.

I didn’t have the chance to tell him exactly what kind of ice cream I was craving but I wasn’t worried, I assumed he would get a nice half gallon of whatever–cookie dough, maybe.

I tucked myself up into the corner of the couch with a blanket and the TV remote and in no time at all, in he walked with a weather report, “It’s COLD outside!” and his offerings. Bending over the back of the couch, he reached into his shopping bag and handed me……a bunch of bananas…..which I immediately rejected.

But wait, there was more. He next offered……..a container of Ben and Jerry’s, my favorite!

And then, another.

And another.

He exceeded my wildest dreams.

animals, brownies, & liberty fabric

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Shanda

Ideally, my blog posts should be nicely organized by single topics. But I have all these pictures that I’m anxious to share, plus a brownie recipe, so we will have a post devoted to three topics today:

Animals
Brownies
Liberty Fabric

It would be a crime NOT to have chickens on this property. Every morning, I let them out of their coop and the entire flock spends the day making rounds to all their favorite places; the pond, the nice dry leaves under the trees, soft dirt in order to take dust baths, under the wild berry bushes, the bank behind the house.

Whenever the urge to lay an egg happens to a hen, she makes her way back to the coop for a nesting box or the garbage barrel. Sometimes there are a few eggs in the box when a chicken arrives, and I find them kicked out later on…..at least I imagine that must be how they end up on the floor amongst the wood shavings?

I’m happy to gather the eggs in my shirt, some of them still warm, and bring them back to the kitchen like treasures.

Gentleman Gray took an all-day nap in the sock basket. He dreamed he was back in his litter, curled up with his brothers and sisters.

Sherlock the big and handsome bright orange cat, sleeps on my bed all day.

Ethan with his dog. Or shall I say Dog with his Ethan?

Emily our neighbor friend, with her big beautiful boy dog, Benji. Benji comes for playdates with Parker.

The day after playdates always leaves Parker and me kinda tired. So we took naps on the couch yesterday when everyone was back to school. (they had the day off on Wednesday).

So, what to do with all those delightful eggs? The #1 thing to do is make a big batch of brownies.

2 cups vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp vanilla
8 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Blend oil, sugar and vanilla, then add eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased 11 by 13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. All brownies are best slightly under baked.

I first fell in love with Liberty Fabrics after seeing the blog Posie Gets Cozy. The lady on that blog (Alicia) has made so many beautiful things with that fabric line and I only dreamed of doing the same. Alas, that dream has still not come to fruition, because I did not MAKE Sarah’s little blouse, I bought it on super-duper clearance and I was so happy to do so!

It’s thin and light and perfect for her because she gets too hot at school sometimes. It makes a nice layering piece and it’s so pretty.

Yes, I have a lot of fun with my little girl. Rich teases me.

We think the kitten is saying “help me”.

today, I will be grateful

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Shanda

Reading to the kids…always and forever because maybe by the time my own children don’t want a story read, I’ll be a grandma.

Ethan sick and snuggling with his dog.

Thankfully this was taken by my husband last week and no one is sick anymore.

I found Sarah measuring her doll just like I measure her.

She loved playing with the new Madeline dollhouse….for hours.

We finished up with football season this weekend. Our boys are superstars.

Rich made me leave the house and go on a date. 😉

I found perfect fitting flare jeans at GAP.

I read this book and recommended it on the blog years ago. I just picked it up and read it again. It’s called The Light on the Island, by Helene Gliddon and was just as good the second time around. Helene was the seventh born of 13 children and spent the majority of her growing up years with her family on an island. Her parents were the lighthouse keepers.

She wrote about the trees and animals that the children loved and visited, and I took a picture of the description of Puffy the toad to send to my friend Joanna.

I want a pet toad, too. But in the meantime, I’m going to adopt a tree for my very own. We have a lot of trees. Did you know it’s very comforting to hug a nice solid tree? There’s life inside of it that seems to refresh a person….trees are such nice plant-companions. With all the appeal of electronics inside, I never want to forsake good old nature, or have my children miss out on the wonders that are outdoors.

Grace’s embroidery.

Right before I got off my butt and cleaned off the coffee table.

Oh, wait, I think it was Ethan who got off his butt because I told him to.

This evening I am making pasta for dinner and taking 13 year old David for a check up at 5:30. I was supposed to take him at 10 this morning but somehow missed the reminder call. They had to call me to tell me I missed it. Thankfully, the Doc allowed me to bring him later and not have to pay the missed-appointment fee.

Tomorrow Caleb has an appointment at 8:30 in the morning and then Sarah at 3:45.

The appointment for Sarah is in regards to a surgery she has to have soon.

I had some anxiety this morning but after praying and working on cleaning, writing snail mail and watching TV with Michael, I took a 2 hour nap which helped a great deal.

Happy Monday, friends! tell me all your happenings.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” Ashley Smith