Multitude Monday #8

It's been over a month since I've posted for Multitude Monday. And while life has been quite busy these last few weeks and I've put my blog on the back burner, God has been so good to give us all we need and more.

Multitude Monday is about intentionally fixing my eyes on God's blessings, big and small, whatever the season, whether life is good or the road has been rocky.

106. A successful consignment and purchasing experience at the Weeusables sale, end of September. I was able to find everything I needed for Adam, who is growing like a weed, so believe me there was a list!

107. A date night and a day trip with my man. So thankful for uninterrupted time with him!

108. Applesauce in the freezer! I was alittle more ambitious this year, bought 3 baskets, did it solo, and netted 38 quart jars. We like our sauce!

109. Connecting with old friends.

110. Building upon new friendships.

111. An autumn snowfall!

112. Finishing our 5th and final batch of chickens. My freezer is stocked!!!

113. Shoo fly cake. Great paired with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and a mug of strong coffee.

114. Restored health. Our whole family had colds for about a week.

115. Sunshine-filled, crisp autumn days.

116. Witnessing another baptism at church yesterday morning. My faith is always stirred, my heart always full, my cheeks always wet with tears. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me eyes to see my need for a Savior.

117. A new-to-us entertainment cabinet for a great bargain. No longer is our bulky TV, DVD and VCR players, and accompanying stuff piled onto an old kitchen table in the basement.

118. An additional upright freezer--another provision from the Lord. Friends of ours were downsizing and asked if we were interested. It couldn't have come at a better time!

119. A very handy and hard-working husband. Our water heater kicked the bucket last week and my hubby once again saved us alot of money by doing the work himself.

120. Time away from our everyday...just the four of us. Literally. There was no one around except for a deer and some squirrels.

121. A successful shopping trip to find new jeans for myself. I loath shopping for jeans. Quite honestly I don't enjoy shopping much either. But, my one and only pair of jeans got a rip in them so I was thrilled to find 2 pair on sale with an awesome coupon to boot!

122. Our care group from church. They are such a means of grace in our lives. And boy, do we have alot of fun together!

All About Adam

This little boy brings such joy and laughter into our lives...and challenges, certainly. Here are a few observations about Adam as he is nearing 3 years old, and some sweet and funny moments.
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Adam is intense. Whether it be intense activity and energy, or intense concentration as he absorbs everything like a sponge. He has definately become more independent and expressive in the last 6 months. His sister has definately noticed the difference--she can't get away with pesting him anymore.

The alphabet is his thing right now...to the point that he is constantly calling out the letters he sees. On books, road signs, in stores. I get a weekly recital of the "INCREDIBLE VALUE EVERY DAY" that is printed above the bagging counter at ALDI's--letter for letter. It started with the wooden letters spelling each of the kid's names on the wall in their rooms. I'd practice his name with him and then ask what it spells. At first he said, "Me!" but now he says, "Adam". And both of the kids really enjoy SuperWhy and Word Dog on PBS right now. Both shows are all about letters and solving word puzzles.

The other day I noticed that Adam had gone upstairs and after about 2 minutes of it being too quiet up there I went to check on him. He was standing on the kiddie stool in front of the bathroom vanity with a pretty good mascara goatee painted on himself. It was all I could do not to laugh! Unfortunately, my sober game face was in vain because my husband came upstairs and couldn't contain himself. *sigh*

Cars, trucks, tractors, trains all fascinate my boy. His favorite things is to line them up perfectly in rows to made a "pah-king wot". He'll get absorbed in this for a good half hour!

When taking a dose of medicine today he smiled at me and exclaimed, "It tastes wike gumble gum!" He's never had gum so that factoid must have lodged in his brain the other day when I told him it was bubble gum flavored.

Recently my mother-in-law returned from a trip to POLAND, and brought back a copy of the animated movie "Cars" for the kids. We've always thought the movie was great and have been wanting a copy dubbed in Polish. (Friends who have raised their children bilingually shared that it helps if you buy movies the kids already like instead of obscure ones.) "Whitening McWeen", "Mater" and "Kah-chow!" are now a part of Adam's daily vocabulary.

One night at the dinner table we got on the topic of birthdays. Then both kids began vying to see who could sing "Happy Birthday" and "Sto Lat" (the Polish equivalent) the best. Pete couldn't help but beam with pride as Adam belted out "Sto Lat" loud and clear. (Mommy is still working on her pronunciation.)

We often ask the children if they would like to pray before we eat our dinner, and most of the time they are both very willing and eager to do so. Adam can get pretty adamant though about being the one to pray "God is Great" and will often add "I don't need ANY help!" (Which is the opposite of what prayer is all about but we'll work on that!)

Recently I was putting on some makeup when Adam asked what I was doing. I said I was using mascara to make my eyelashes pretty. He smiled sweetly and replied, "I wike your wah-shes".

And, because he is figuring out that you assign certain characteristics or titles to boys and girls, like boys/men are "handsome" and girls/ladies are "pretty", and when you should use "he/him/his" and "she/her/hers", he thought he had it all figured out tonight when he declared, "Mommy and Natalia are Sirs, and Daddy and me are Ma'ams."

(...a momma's work is never done...)

Wintry Weekend

What a snowy surprise we got this past weekend! Our family of four had already planned to spend some time at the cabin, and once I heard the weather forecast I threw our snowgear onto the pile to pack into the car. Just the drop in temperature was startling, but in my opinion it should be cold when at the cabin.

I love the smell of a woodstove, and though the cabin is definately a hunting cabin (or what I lovingly refer to as a "shabin"), not a vacation home in the mountains, it is perfectly suited for what we use it for. Time away. A place to enjoy our family and God's creation. An interruption and schedule-free zone. I haven't been to the cabin in probably a decade, but as a kid I spent at least one weekend there every year if not more. Pete and I went once after we were married, before we had the kids, and I was excited to finally share a piece of my childhood with them now that they're old enough to enjoy it. Till the storm was past we had received quite a bit of rain and 6 inches of snow. Losing power from noon until 6pm meant our inside activity was quite limited too, but we dug out the oil lamp, used the natural light from the windows, and cooked our supper in and on the woodstove. Beef stew and potatoes never tasted so good!

We took a walk on Saturday morning after we had received about 2 inches. The colorful autumn leaves were beautiful against the white snow.

We had no traveling issues due to the snow. My dad remarked that once we got to the cabin we'd be okay...everything is literally downhill from there. :-)

Natalia was the only one to see a deer. She was standing by the table looking out the window and saw one (she said she saw antlers) crossing the driveway. We were sure to wear some bright colors and make plenty of noise during our walk...it's archery season.

I was hoping to spend more time outside, letting the kids play in the woods, built a teepee, and collect some pretty leaves, but having snow was very memorable and the kids were so sad to leave.

I devoured a book, Pete caught up on his Reader's Digest reading from the last 20 years, and the kids had a great time being monkeys on the bunk beds and playing "house".

A wonderful family memory to file away.

Horses, Horses, Horses...

...and a few cows. But really, this post is about the horses.

Since spring, my daughter has been anticipating a visit to the farm where my Mom's friend's friend boards her horses. (follow that?)

Sunday afternoon the time finally came. My younger brother's family was there, my mom, and Natalia and I, and the kids were soooooo excited. Even little Eli had been saying "pony? pony?" all morning. My mom's friend Teresa kindly gave each of the children a pony cart ride, let them lead Moakey around and brush her. Then the oldest 3 got a ride on a wonderfully gentle 12 yr. old "real-sized" horse named Max.

It was a beautiful autumn afternoon, the air brisk, the leaves bright red and orange and yellow.

Grandpa even stopped by on his way home from his bike ride.

My girlie was in horse heaven.

And I was excited to learn that you can be an owner-less 4H equestrian participant once you turn 8. A much cheaper alternative to riding lessons, especially for a beginner. I'm definately filing away that tidbit for the future!

Belated Anniversary

Our 11th wedding anniversary was actually the 24th of June, but Pete and I have rarely celebrated it on the real date. Usually we plan a weekend away sometime in the summer months. This year we split the weekend into two parts: a Friday evening, and then a Friday overnight with a full day on Saturday.

Our Friday night date took place about a month ago. We ate out at a local Mexican restaurant and bowled a few frames thanks to a merchandizer double deal coupon. We both hadn't bowled since college...at least 12 years ago. It was rather humorous, I must say!

Our Friday overnight and all day Saturday took place a week ago. You may recall that last year we took a day trip to Washington D.C. and visited the Natural History Museum and the National Art Gallery. This year we were interested in going to the American History Museum as well as taking in the free Clock Tower tour in the Old Post Office and visiting the WWII Memorial. If we had had more time we would have visited the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial too. Alas, IKEA was calling our names and we wanted to beat the traffic out of D.C.

When we lived in Maryland, the White Marsh Mall IKEA was 15 minutes away. It was a dangerous but very handy store for us as newlyweds. This trip was primarily to pick up an inexpensive coffee table. And we set a new personal record! We were in and out in 15 minutes! If you aren't impressed, well then, I'm guessing you've never been to IKEA.

Our timeline was tight by this point because we were determined to finish out the day at our favorite Mexican place in Bel Air. (Can you tell we like Mexican cuisine?) LA TOLTECA is this tiny restaurant housed in a former bank, with delicious, authentic Mexican food, perfectly proportioned servings and value, and an absolutely fantastic staff. And they bring you warm tortilla chips, salsa and a spicy white sauce as soon as you sit down. That white sauce single-handedly won us over the first time we dined there.

It was a beautiful day weather-wise to be walking around, enjoying the sights. Cool but sunny. Hardly a cloud in the sky.

Here are a few pictures I took while we were downtown and up in the 315 ft. Clock Tower.

Brunch

I love brunch, and I love the ladies in my care group from church.

I invited them all to my house this past Saturday for a time of fellowship. The simple joy of sitting undisturbed around a table, enjoying a leisurely breakfast, sharing our hearts and news of our families...it was nourishment for the body and soul.

I kept thinking, I must remember to take some pictures! Guess what? I forgot to take some pictures. Here are a few of the table at least. Simple, natural elements of autumn. My favorite type of decoration.

When it comes to hosting I know you're never supposed to try out a new recipe, but I kind of did anyway. I combined two of my trusty recipes into one, and added 2 ingredients to another, so it wasn't too risky.

Here are the recipes if you're interested.

Potato, Spinach & Sausage Breakfast Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

8 frozen hash brown patties

1/2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. shredded Mont. Jack, or white cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

a dash of basil, parsley & dill

4 frozen sausage links, chopped

1 dozen eggs

1 cup whole milk (or half-n-half)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease a 9x13, create a single layer of hashbrowns in the bottom, and preheat the oven to 350.

2. Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat and saute onions and garlic for 4 minutes. Mix with cream cheese and spinach in a small bowl, then spread evenly over hashbrowns.

3. Layer shredded cheese, chopped sausage and seasonings next, then whisk together eggs and milk and pour over top.

4. Bake for 50-60 minutes till set, and let stand at least 5 minutes before serving. Makes 12 generous servings.

Baked Apple & Raisin French Toast with Praline Topping

INGREDIENTS:

1 loaf French bread (sliced 3/4" thick)

8 eggs

1 c. milk

1 c. half-n-half

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded

1/2 c. golden raisins

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 1/3 c. chopped pecans

3 Tbsp. honey or molasses

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together eggs, milk, half-n-half, and vanilla, then set aside.

2. Grease a 9x13 and put a single layer of bread in the bottom. Combine apple, raisins, nutmeg and cinnamon and then spread over bread. Finish with another layer of bread.

3. Pour egg mixture evenly over top, cover dish and refrigerate overnight.

4. Combine butter, sugar, pecans and honey (or molasses) and spread over top just before baking in a preheated 350 oven for 50-60 minutes.

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Someone recommended Lake Tobias Wildlife Park to us as a great place to take kids that was semi-local and affordable, we just can't remember who. But it's been on my radar for awhile now, especially since I acquired 2 coupons for "buy one get one free" safari tour passes that expired end of this month. We had put it on the calendar for this past Saturday and were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day of weather!

Pete's mother joined us and the five of us spent about 2-3 hours enjoying only part of what Lake Tobias offers. It's located about 10-15 minutes north of Halifax, a little over an hour's drive for us. Admission is $5 for those over the age of 3. The safari tour is an additional $5 but the 45 min. excursion in the camouflaged convertible school bus is so very worth it!

If you go on the safari tour, try to sit right at the front! We didn't plan it, but our front seats offered THE BEST opportunities to touch the animals.

TEXAS LONGHORN CATTLE and OSTRICH

This NORTH AMERICAN BISON was just a baby, but absolutely massive!

ASIAN WATER BUFFALO

A mama YAK with baby that was 3 days old!

An ELAND, the world's largest anteloupe, found in South Africa. They are typically 6 feet tall at the shoulder.

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CATTLE

A cross between a zebra and a donkey: ZEBKEY, ZEDONK, DONKRA, DONKZE...

ELK (female) She came onboard to retrieve some animal "crackers" from our tour guide.

Lots of deer, llamas, ostriches, and then back at the park were some large cats, bear, camels, armadillos, reptiles, monkeys, birds, farm animals, etc. Both of the kids got to pet a constrictor snake and a caymen alligator.

Not only are the exhibits great, there are playgrounds for the kids, lots of pavilion space and picnic tables. We packed our lunch and enjoy the canopy of pine trees on a little peninsula in the lake.

We will definately go back sometime, probably a weekend in October since the weather isn't so hot and our tour guide said it gets crowded in the summer.