Wonderful Weekend

Well, our time away was just what the doctor ordered. The B&B was really nice. One surprise was that the common areas were also shared by the innkeepers' family...which isn't our preference, but it turned out to be okay anyway. Ben & Liz Ehrhart and their two young girls were so nice and made our stay very comfortable. And since there was only one other couple there it was still a quiet retreat for us.

Their log home is gorgeous! Our room was simply furnished with antiques and of course a homemade quilt. Liz's grandmother's needlepoint from when she was a girl decorated the walls. Clean, uncluttered, and comfortable. And our breakfast was oh so yummy--pancakes with homemade berry preserves, yogurt and fruit, sausages, cranberry nut bread, coffee and OJ. Loved it!

We had such a relaxing day walking around Lititz; the day brisk but full of sunshine. We made some new discoveries and great bargains.

Those of you familiar with The Herb Shop will be disappointed to know that they are closing down the East Main St. location, effective tomorrow. They will still have their stand at Central Market in Lancaster though. We came away with a big bag full of discounted items: flavored coffees, loose-leaf tea, dried mushrooms, spices, and a bottle of Burgundy Garlic Peppercorn sauce my mouth is watering to try with a nice juicy steak and mushrooms. YUM.

To my fellow chocolate and coffee lovers there is a great little place just starting up. It's called Cafe Chocolate and you can check it out here: http://www.chocolatelititz.com/ Pete was wired after "The Turbo"--classic hot chocolate with a shot of expresso. What's nice is that they use organic and fair trade ingredients whenever possible. Alittle pricey, but certainly no worse than the chain coffee shops.

We enjoyed a light lunch at the Glassmyer Restaurant. It used to be an old-fashioned soda shop, and though it now serves breakfast and lunch, it is one of the very few locations in all of Lancaster County that still offers egg creams and phosphates. Then we took a stroll through Lititz Springs Park as we munched on some Wilbur Buds.

We had a great time and highly recommend you check out this quaint little town.

What's On My Sidebar

Some of you may have already perused the items on my sidebar, but in the event that you haven't, let me explain a bit.

Under my Blog Archive is my Shelfari Bookshelf. This is a way that I can share my favorite books and recommendations. There's about 50 so far. You can click on the "shelfari" logo at the top to see all the books I have added, my ratings (1-5 stars), my favorites (designated by a heart), and my reviews (if I have written one for that particular book). Or, while on my blog, you can simply pause your mouse over a book, and a pop-up window will let you read my review. To see more than the 5 or 6 that regularly appear on my shelf, click the Next button at the bottom right.

Under that are some links. Kathleen Connally has a huge collection of her personal photos--most depicting rural life. She has kindly allowed me to use some for my header and I love to just visit her site from time to time. Clicking on her name will take you there. The Crossway Church and Sovereign Grace links are great if you are interested in finding out more about the church and family of churches that Pete and I have been so blessed to be part of since 2001. The last link, Plugged In Online, is a great resource to preview the content on today's music, movies and television shows. It cuts no corners in evaluating it from a bibilical standpoint. I like to use it as a tool--not a hard and fast rulebook for my listening and viewing. Often it helps me stop and evaluate if it truly will benefit me or my family...when I may be tempted to justify my own lack of discretion and laziness.

The last few things are pretty self-explanatory. Click on any of the blog titles if you want to explore my favorites. If you are a Yahoo User, creating an Avatar is something fun. It's just one more way modern technology makes it possible to express ourselves creatively...well, the computer does it for us really.

If you know of other sidebar fun to be had, let me know!
That concludes our tour ladies and gentlemen. :-)

It's My Party...And I'll Cry If I Want To!

Last night we were at my brother and sister-in-law's house to celebrate my nephew's 1st birthday. Both sides of the family were there and the kids and adults alike enjoyed catching up. It was a loud and crazy 3 hours with the kids (age 3 and younger) providing the entertainment. Lots of laughter that's for sure!

Here are the older three--obviously enjoying one another's company.

And the birthday boy! I think all the flashes and eyes trained solely on him was a little overwhelming. He did enjoy the icing though once he decided that indeed no one was going to take it from him. Too good to be true!!!

Happy Birthday Avery! We Love You, Little Man!"

I Love ALDI's!

Many of you are probably aware of the bargains to be found at ALDI's. Well, when we moved back to PA you can imagine my delight in discovering a new one had been built just 15 minutes away! It has saved us so much money on our grocery bill each week--that and The Country Store in Mount Joy.

Anyway...Tuesday night I was once again on the internet browsing Target's site. I've been looking for new wall decor for months now. My hope has been to find a large (at least 2x3') decorative metal piece for our living/dining room. Target had the cheapest price of anything I had found, but the one that fit our space was over $100! I thought this seemed too much, so I decided to forget about it...again.

Well, Wednesday morning I'm at ALDI's going about my grocery shopping. I turn into the next aisle and laugh out loud! This is what I saw with the price tag of $20--exactly what I was looking for! Now I just have to be patient until the room can be painted. :-)


I just had to thank God for that unexpected blessing and marvel at his sense of humor and timing!

So Excited

Those of you that we see on a regular basis have a good idea how busy Pete's school schedule has kept us lately. Finally, this week there's been a break in the "clouds" as he now only has his teaching load to concentrate on. Since August he's been taking online classes to work towards his masters--part of the ongoing requirement for his PA certification. Some lean more heavily on reading and writing, but all have taken a good chunk of his time and mental energy.

He has encouraged me by his perseverance--God has given much grace to him in this intense season. None-the-less, we are both breathing sighs of relief that it's letting up a bit. Back in February I knew that celebrating Valentine's Day with some time for the two of us wasn't a real option, so I booked an overnight at a B&B for this coming weekend. Thank you God--what perfect timing!

It's called Furnace Hills Bed & Breakfast and it's just above the Turnpike and 322, north of Hopeland. (About an hour drive for us.) We enjoy the outdoors and rustic types of places, but this seems to include all the comfort features you want too for a night away as a couple. Check it out...Yes, that's a hot tub on the back deck!!!





We'll eat out Friday night and spend Saturday enjoying downtown Lititz. There's the Herb Shop (our favorite place to buy loose leaf tea), Sturgis Pretzel Factory, Lititz Springs Park, and a host of antique and gift shops. We may catch a matinee after lunch, but really want to take some time to intentionally connect too. I found a helpful list of "date night questions" to guide us a bit. If you too sometimes struggle to make the most of your cherished times away, check out this link.
http://scott.andstuff.org/DateQuestions
It's got something for everyone and every season of life!

MSMD

No, it's not a new disease...just shorthand (or text talk for those of you who are tech savy) for the sydrome my daughter has developed. It stands for "Monkey See, Monkey Do".

This morning she was standing on her stepstool by the bathroom sink as I was blowdrying my hair. There we stood side by side in front of the mirror, she and I. First she wanted a hairbrush so she too could style her hair. Then it was the toothbrush. I let her play and wasn't particularly mindful of what she was doing until I saw she had picked up my tweezers.

Now, this is not something she's ever played with before, and I probably wouldn't offer it in the first place. But as I saw her lift it up to her browline, squint really hard and grimace, I couldn't keep from roaring. IS THAT WHAT I LOOK LIKE?!?!?! Oh my goodness...I laughed so hard! It was a good thing I was already in the right room.

Take 5 Tuesday

The question for this week:

What are 5 of your favorite breakfast foods (even if you don't always eat them in the morning)?

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Here is my list:

1. Toast with butter and either cinnamon sugar or lemon curd.

2. Vanilla yogurt with granola.

3. Hashbrown, sausage, cheese & egg casserole.

4. Scrambled egg sandwich (toast, cheese, egg & ketchup)

5. German Apple Pancakes (see my recipe box)

***a strong cup of coffee or tea and fruit included

Our Resident "Von Count"

On more than one occasion in the last two weeks, we have heard Natalia through the monitor, wake up and immediately begin counting. She does pretty well with the whole order thing, rarely skipping numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10...

She really enjoys watching Sesame Street while she eats her breakfast, and so far Elmo has been the obvious favorite. But lately, she has started to mimic "the Count" as he waits for the number of the day to be revealed. 1, 2, 3, AH, AH, AH!

Now, she can be heard inserting the AH, AH, AH quite faithfully! Too funny.

Miscellaneous Monday

I hope everyone had a relaxing (we can dream, right?) holiday weekend! Things have been busy in our household this past week, and there were multiple things I thought I could blog about today. I decided to give you a photo recap instead. Enjoy!

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Some church friends from Maryland recently moved back to Lancaster, (maybe we started something!), and since their son Brayden is 3 months younger than Natalia, a playdate was definately in order.

Fun with pots and pans! (This pic is actually from the week before when I babysat Brayden for a few hours.) They were hard at work making "soup" for 10 whole minutes! ;-P

I FINALLY got my hair done--after 4 months of ponytails and pulling out too many gray hairs! I stuck with my natural color, added some highlights, and got some chunky layers. I feel like a new woman!

Easter at Babcia's house. Natalia loved riding the horsie!

Yummy Polish Easter lunch: ham and sausage, artisan bread, hard-boiled and warm stuffed eggs, vegetables, fried trout, and tea. We also stayed for the bigger dinner but I only remembered to take a picture of the cake! We had baked ham, my cheesy mashed potatoes, red beet barszcz, vegetables, and babka (cake) and ice cream with strong coffee for dessert.

Following lunch we took a walk through the neighboring park. Natalia was fascinated by these bronze figures.

Ring around the rosies...

I'm one hip 2 year old!

Teething

This week has been a little rough for Natalia--various points are breaking through on not one but THREE of her 2nd year molars. Fun, fun, FUN! She's been acting alittle wacky...poor girl.

I guess the cold water from the squirt bottle I use on her hair, and chewing on the comb (?) felt good on those gums.

Here I Come Thighs!

Okay...I must tell you all about a wonderful thing I discovered today!

I was finishing my grocery shopping this morning, when lo and behold...what dost mine eyes see? The words STARBUCKS, CHOCOLATE, and CHAI TRUFFLES--all on one beautiful little box! I was enraptured.

Now, the price isn't too pretty. $4.59 for 10 pieces of "just inject it into my thighs" chocolate--probably not my wisest purchase of all time. But...can I ask what perfection would taste like to you? Because that is what came to my mind. Seriously, whatever they put into that little wrapper is going to be my undoing! I'm kidding of course...well, kind of. :-)

If you're a fan of chai tea, this is a must try. The only thing is, Starbuck's stores don't carry them. YET. I found them at Darrenkamps, but would venture a guess that Giant or Weis would have them too.

Take 5 Tuesday

I thought I'd try something new...
Each Tuesday a new topic will appear. Just list your 5 answers in my comment box.

Today's Take 5 is this:
What are 5 jobs that you've had or would like to have?

1. I helped to make and serve breakfast, change & launder linens, and clean the rooms at a bed and breakfast during high school.
2. I worked for a summer in a sewing factory making ladies nightgowns and robes.
3. I did a short stint in a metalworking shop over Christmas break during college, spot-welding, bending pieces, etc. I came home looking like a grease-monkey every day.
4. I worked in a bakeshop, helping customers, making pastries, and decorating cakes...and quality taste-testing! :-)
5. I also taught in our former church's high school for 4 years: English Lit. & Composition, Speech, World History, Geography, and Art. Loved it and miss the people!

Let's hear from you folks! :-)

Mommy's Little Helper

If you've been reading some of my recent posts you'll know how much Natalia wants to copy my every move these days. She's my little shadow.

There are the conversations with her baby and stuffed animals in which she clearly is mimicking the things I say to her (which is really funny because she even has the intonation part down to a T!). The endless announcements that she's going shopping, purse slung over her shoulder, baby in arms, and shopping cart in tow--all with a cheery "See ya later, bye!" Bringing Pete and I cups of "strawberry tea" after dinner, because we usually do have something hot to drink to end our meal. (This is a plastic strawberry in a tea cup.) And whenever she is being "mama" to her baby doll, she's saying things like "Is dat better? Dood Dirl. No no no. I yuv you! Ok, here we go!"

And she always comes running when the dishwasher door opens up. At first I was always saying "No no" and "don't touch", when one day Pete wisely offered to help her put away the silverware. (Sharp things removed of course.) This has become her job now, and she does pretty well at getting things in the right spots!

Initially I had to take a step back and admit that my first thought was, "but I want it done right!" Then it dawned on me that this was because that served ME better. But what is going to serve her in the long run? Well, probably me taking the time to instruct her and giving her opportunities to practice. Yeah, eventually she'd learn where the silverware goes, but why not take advantage of her enthusiasm for it now?

Anyway, that got me thinking. How do all of you out there involve your kids (at all ages) in the day to day work of your household? What other things can I start to teach her in the next few years, besides putting her toys and the silverware away? I'd love it if you fill up my comment box with your suggestions!

Local Lenses

Today after the mud sale, (read the next post), and a good long workout at the Rec Center, I thought I'd take a few snapshots of my favorite views from around our house. These are all within 2 miles of our place, and most along the route I walk with my neighbor Jen. They're also on Pete's 10 minute commute to school.

Mud Sale--But No Mud

Some of you may be wondering, what in the world is a mud sale? Who would want to buy mud?

It's not actually that. The name comes from the frequent occurrence of mud at these spring-time sales which the conservative communities (mostly Amish) host. Today I got to experience one for the first time.

Imagine numerous big tents and food stands set up in a vacant lot or empty cornfield. In this case a local Amish school/community and nearby fire company co-hosted the event in an effort to raise funds. There was so much good food! Chicken Barbeque, Soft Pretzels, French Fries, Hot & Cold Sandwiches, Chicken Corn Soup, Shoo Fly Pies, Whoopie Pies, Apple Dumplings...and everything was homemade. (We went primarily to see what was being sold and to have lunch!) Outside, each tent was auctioning a certain thing: antiques, bulk food/household supplies, furniture, quilts, and lots of knick-knacks. There were also open areas selling farming equipment, hay, feed, miniature ponies, sheds and shrubbery. It was really interesting to see!

Natalia's favorite part, aside from spending some time with Grandpa and Grandma, was riding the big yellow school bus that shuttled you to the sale. She actually said to my dad, 'I wanna' ride da bus!" I enjoyed the whole experience...and am really looking forward to the apple dumplings I bought for Pete and I. My mouth is watering now!

Life Journals

Last week my mom handed me an article she had saved from their newspaper. It told the story of two sisters who, after losing a sister early in life to cancer, created a Know Me journal to help preserve what they knew about their sister for her children. They now are making them available online. The questions are universal, and there isn't a whole lot of space for answers as the goal is to create an overview of sorts. Childhood, Likes & Dislikes, Adulthood, Aspirations, Opinions, Personal Tastes, etc. They've also gone on to create different versions for special occasions, for the graduate, the bride-to-be, etc. I thought this was a great idea, and so I decided I would create my own version.

Some of my questions were things like:
*Describe a typical dinner growing up—the foods, smells, and routine.
*What was something that frightened or worried you as a child?
*Describe your first job, how much you made per hour, hours worked per week, etc.
*How did becoming a parent change you?
*What physical attributes do you have of your father and of your mother?
*What is your favorite time of the day and why?

I plan on buying some pretty paper and printing out the 50 or so questions before binding them. My hope is get each of our parents to fill one out. And of course we'll do one too! There are so many things that we don't share until prompted...and I think they can be a real window into our lives to future generations. Besides, there's nothing like a written record!

Natalia's Little World

These snapshots are from this past week. Can you tell she's into mimicking everything I do?

She's so interested in seeing the pictures on the camera flip screen that she barely poses anymore...which is what happened here. She wanted Pete to help her put her winter things on her baby (who is without clothes--sorry baby).

Mom, is she a woman after you're own heart or what?! :-)

She is constantly dragging the dust brush and pan out of the cupboard--and there's no shortage of crumbs to spread around!

German Apple Pancakes

This is something my father-in-law would make when Pete was a boy. It's one of those things I like to cook up after church on Sunday when it's just us. We usually sprinkle cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar over the top, (pancake syrup works too), and have turkey sausages and applesauce as sides.
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1 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c.--1 c. milk (according to preferred thickness; I use a full cup)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, thinly sliced, then chopped

Sift dry ingredients together.
Beat egg & milk together. Add to dry ingredients; stir until batter is smooth. Add apples.
Cook in skillet w/1 Tbsp. melted butter over med./low heat. If using a non-stick skillet, you can probably omit the butter.
Makes 8 pancakes.

Shopping For Time--Part I (What's Most Important)

Being consistent in having my Quiet Time has always been a struggle for me...namely because of my pride and idol of sleep. Last fall my mom and I attended a Saturday seminar at a local church that was devoted to this simple but oft neglected spiritual discipline. It really was the kick in the pants that I needed.

As always, we encounter seasons, that suddenly seem so full that this is the first thing to go...uh, guilty! Whether the busyness is imposed upon us, or self-imposed, the tendency (at least for me) is to justify that extra half hour of sleep, veg time at the computer or nose in a book during naptime. I claim it's for my sanity... :-P

This post is not to inflict guilt on all of you out there--just to share where I'm am in all of this. Which is under fresh conviction. I've been reading this little book called "Shopping For Time: How To Do It All And NOT Be Overwhelmed" by Carolyn Mahaney and her 3 daughters. It's an easy read in that it's only about 80 pages, very practical, with firm (aka "kick in the pants") but grace-filled encouragment.

I highly recommend this book, because their content and phrasing really emphasize a gospel of grace while clearly communicating "let's be real ladies--what is most important?!" Here are two quotes that have hit me between the eyes and encouraged me to press on.

'Referring to Bible reading and prayer, author John Piper offers this advice:
"I earnestly recommend that it be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over his Word and in prayer, is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons. The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart...We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer."'

'We think that we can effectively manage our time, walk carefully, and flawlessly [make the best choices], independent of sitting at the Savior's feet. We're like a little child who wants someone to watch him create a masterpiece or conquer an endeavor. "Look at me," he'll say, "I can do this all by myself!" It's cute when children assume they can create or accomplish something all by themselves. However, it is altogether different and more serious if we conclude that we can grow in godliness, conquer sin, or spend our time wisely all by ourselves...sitting at Jesus' feet [rightly] says to God: "I need you!"'

If interested, check out the book here: ttp://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Resources/Resources.aspx

Hold Onto Your Hats

What a wierd day of weather! Heavy downpours, sunny skies, wind, drizzle, and repeat. It seemed it couldn't make up it's mind WHAT it wanted to do! Late this afternoon I was upstairs with Natalia when our electric started turning on and off. The wind was blowing so strongly through the trees behind our house, her eyes got big and wide. Then when some building supplies from the new Amish barn behind us starting to fly through the fields, we had to go to the window and investigate. As the man and his boys were running around securing everything they had to hold onto their straw hats. Minutes later the sky turned sapphire blue and the sun came out. It looked like one of those glorious autumn days. Not for long though...the clouds and rain wanted to have the last word.

I'm just glad the electricity was on long enough to fully cook dinner.

Waiting

Well, the initial transition of our move and settling into our house has passed. Yet I feel a bit stuck in this place of waiting and anticipation. Waiting for spring. Waiting for this incredibly busy season of classes, and schoolwork, and required meetings for Pete to slow so it seems I have my husband back. Waiting for these pounds to come off--grrr. Waiting till Easter break so we can paint more rooms. Waiting for 2 close friends to have their babies, and hoping for a + sign of our own.

I don't like to wait.

I'm so used to the fast-result culture we live in. Instant gratification. If you do "x" and "y" then you should (quickly) get "z". It takes God's grace and a soft heart to hear those words of Truth in the midst of our day. Words like...

"rest in me and my provision",
"my ways are higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts",
"I always have your best in mind",
"there's something I want to teach you in this valley",
"I'm right here, dear one",
"I am the faithful One",
"you can know joy and peace in the waiting"...

If our heart is postured to listen, we will hear. Will you join me?

Caption Contest #2

Here is a favorite picture of mine from when Natalia was about 15 months old. I had just finished taking a few shots and this was the last.

How would you title this pic?

Marysia's Goulash & Polish Cucumber Salad

This is a family favorite passed down from Pete's mother Maria, and is one of those cold day comfort foods. I like making a big pot of it and freezing half since it makes enough for 8. We usually couple it with bowtie or egg noodles and a refreshing cucumber salad. It has a slight kick to it but nothing to shy away from. I'm not a fan of hot, so I like that the salad mellows it even further.
It's also one of those recipes I like because the most laborous part is in the beginning and during naptime. The chopping and browning takes me about 30 minutes, then it's simmer, simmer, simmer for 2 hours.
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INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. pork or beef for stew, cut into 1” cubes
2 med. onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. veg. oil
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
2 c. water
2 tsp. caraway seed
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste
2 red (or green) peppers, cut into strips
1 tsp. crushed hot red pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
1. Toss meat w/flour & fry quickly in hot oil until mostly browned; put in 8 qt. stock pot.
2. Fry onions in pan until golden color and add to pot along with all ingredients up to salt & pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med/low and simmer COVERED for 2 hours.
4. Add both peppers and tomatoes and simmer for another ½ hour.
5. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve over medium egg noodles or bowties.
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INGREDIENTS:
2-3 cucumbers
¼ c. Hellman’s Light mayonnaise
½ c. +/- sour cream
1-2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
dill, optional

DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel and thinly slice cucumbers. Layer in mixing bowl, salting each layer.
2. Let cucumbers release their juice at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Then mix with mayo, sour cream and pepper. Let stand for 5 more minutes.
3. Stir one more time (creamy juice should appear thin and well-incorporated) then pour into serving dish and sprinkle lightly with dill.
(Serves 4)
***This is a very liquid salad so you may want to provide small bowls.

What I Love About My Man

Many of you know my husband Piotr, but with him being a typical Eastern European, unless you spend a good amount of time around him, you may not realize what's beneath that serious surface. I say he's the best-kept secret...so I'm going to brag on him today.

We met in August of 1997 at the Millersville International House. I had finished my first year at the university and was taking some time off from school to determine where the Lord was leading next. I had discovered that studying Art and learning new techniques was fun, but not something I wanted to devote myself to in the work world. So I agreed to take the Hostess/Housekeeper position at MIH for the next 12 months. Pete was heading into his senior year at MU as a Physics major with a teaching certification. He had just accepted Christ as his Savior in July and was full of questions. And so when he moved into a room in the smaller house at MIH and I was next door on the girls' floor of the big house, it wasn't long before we became good friends.

SIDE NOTE: Now, MIH is quite an interesting place. Its purpose is to provide housing for mainly international college students, while the staff and a few North Americans are there to be "salt and light". While I lived there it was not uncommon to have 30 residents representing 12 different nations, many more languages, and religious beliefs. I loved it!

Over the next 3 years our friendship and budding interest in one another went through many highs and lows, but in January of 2000, with our parents' blessings, we became engaged. On June 24th of that year we were married--one of the happiest days of our lives--and you could say the rest is history! :-) A grace-filled history.

I have seen this man truly become a man. God has grown him not only in his personal Christian walk, but as a servant, as a leader, as a gracious husband. He not only takes very good care of Natalia and I, but seeks to serve and honor his mother by helping her keep her household in working condition. Since she lives alone and still works full-time I know how necessary this is, and how it blesses her. She gave up so much when she left Poland and brought the boys here to join their father/her husband in 1987. Can you imagine having to learn a new language at the age of 42 and starting all over in a new country/culture without your family and friends? I have the utmost respect and admiration for my mother-in-law.

Our move from Maryland to Pennsylvania this past summer was largely due to the desire to be closer to our families. One result is that Pete left a WONDERFUL job behind. He had his own room, loads of technology at his fingertips, great support staff and administrators, and a strong department much to his credit and hard work. Much of that has changed at his new job...though we still agree this is where he is to be in this season. But I know how these factors play into his every day, and I so admire his perseverance and trust in the Lord.

You know, when I first met him in '97, my thought was not "this is the man I want to marry". He wasn't the type I'd grown up envisioning. I assumed I'd marry a local Mennonite boy--someone who's upbringing and life basically mirrored my own. (Now I'm not speaking against that in any way!) But, God knew just the vessel to sanctify me, encourage me, lead me, and reveal His tender love.

This is the man I want to grow old with. He makes me laugh--oh, you'd be surprised at how silly and goofy he is! He is my faithful teammate. He is my lover and my friend.

Kocham cie Piotr!

Childhood Vignettes: Winter

It seems as though my definition of WINTER hasn't matched the reality of our recent winters. With the exception of a few scattered blizzards in the last decade it seems winter has taken a long hiatus. Now, I am a fair-weathered creature. Autumn and spring are my favorite times of the year here in the northeast. But there are aspect of winter that I really enjoy. A good blizzard, shoveling out of at least a few inches of snow, coming inside to a cup of cocoa with marshmallows, curling up with a blanket and a book...and the smell of a woodstove when the air has a bite to it.

This post is a glance at one of my childhood memories to that end. For where you have a woodstove, you have the continual need for wood--and in my household that meant... filling the woodbox.

Now that task usually fell to me and my brother Joe, who is about 3 years younger than I. We groaned, we moaned, we pleaded..."but it's cold outside"! When it was bitterly cold my dad did it, but usually it was just our own laziness that turned it into a tasking chore. Really, when I look back on it now, it was quite a simple process. Load up the sled, pull it about 50 feet to the house, and drop it into the box. The sled was fashioned from a retired metal windowwell with two holes and a rope to pull. The woodbox was a recessed 4 x 4 x 5' cement-blocked hole with a door that opened into our basement furnace room wall. This meant that if the box was empty, you had to strategically throw the cut wood till it was high enough to stand on--important if you wanted to get out! And of course this process was that much easier with two set of hands.

I know it probably took Joe and I, and then years later Joe & Ryan, twice as long as necessary to do the job--there were the snowball battles and snow angel diversions, pretend horse-drawn sleigh dramas, and various other ways we sought to make it fun. But it's one of those nostalgic flashes from the past that comes when winter weather hits. All it takes is a thick blanket of fresh snow, a chill in the air, and the smell of woodsmoke.

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore & Amaretti Cookies

They're Gluten-Free Folks! (I'll explain in a bit after the recipe.)

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-11.5 oz. can V8 juice, GF
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper (I like pepper so I did 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. celery seed
1 bay leaf
¼ c. white wine, Holland House is GF
6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

DIRECTIONS:
Mix everything together, adding chicken last. Can be frozen in a ziplock for later, or immediately cooked in a crockpot for 6-8 hours on LOW or 2 ½-4 hours on HIGH. Serve over pasta.

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Well, I normally do not need to cook with gluten in mind (thank you Lord!), but recently have become much more aware of what a blessing that is. In the last few years, more than a few of my friends have had to deal with strange and sometimes multiple BIG food allergies. Wheat, dairy, corn, nuts, you name it. This, and the following one, are two recipes I devised for a friend of mine, though I left the pepper out of the chicken dish for her. We found them so tasty they're now in our regular rotation. Enjoy!
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AMARETTI COOKIES:
3 cups whole almonds
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Process almonds until they are finely ground.
Add sugar until they are combined.
Add egg whites and extract. Mix until well combined.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop almost a tablespoon amount for each cookie, rolling with hands.
Bake for about 15-20 mins., the bottoms should be a light golden brown. If you like very crisy cookies, bake for about 5 mins. longer.
(Makes 2 dozen)

Caption Contest #1

Well, let me just first say I am very thankful that Pete and the rest of the school's ski club got home safely. I was in the middle of a REM cycle when he made his appearance last night..er this morning...so I have yet to ask more about the weekend. But, from our other conversations it sounds like it was a fun trip. I'm just grateful that he had this opportunity to get in some good snowboarding. He's been working at an exhaustive rate since we've moved and I knew some time away from it all was what the doctor ordered.

So Natalia and I had some special things planned this past weekend. We had a long-overdue visit with Great Grandpa Lentz and Nana Ruth on Saturday. Natalia was absolutely fascinated with the two birds Ruth has and of course both she and my grandpa LOVED seeing how much she's grown. We had lunch together and then we headed home since it was naptime. I meant to take a picture of our time together but I'm not quite in the frame of mind to remember to do so. The camera lay forgotten in my purse. (Any pointers Aunt Jeanie?)


Sunday afternoon was spent at my parents house. My younger brother Joe's family was there too. We had a fun time as always--with 3, age 3 and younger, it's never dull! Toys everywhere, toy mediation, and all in need of a nap...it sure is entertaining! Check out our resident "Rachael Ray-in-training", Morgan, making a gourmet dish of winoachia's. Something she made up of course--and she claimed it was an "Italian recipe"! What a hoot. :-P (As usual Natalia has something in her mouth like a nuk and she's just watching Morgan going at full speed.)

And to finish out this post I thought I'd include all of you in the fun--a Caption Contest. Here are the kids, Morgan, Avery, and Natalia (ages 3, 11 mos., and 2).

How would you title this pic?

Where Did My Baby Go?

I know this is nothing new...kids grow up. It's inevitable! It just catches me by surprise some days.

Today when Natalia woke up from her nap, I walked into her room and she was standing in her crib with that cheerful well-rested look on her face. I stood there at the rail and asked, "Did you have a nice nap, sweetpea?" And she proceeded to talk to me for a few uninterrupted minutes (and I even understood what she was saying!) as though we were old friends catching up. It just seemed so grown-up!

And that's when it hit me again--my baby is long gone! She's developing and growing at such a fast rate these days that I'm tempted to give her a long tight squeeze in hopes that time would somehow slow.

She is the joy of our lives. What did we ever do without her?

Okay, the tears are welling up--gotta' stop. Between the hormones and Pete being in Vermont for 3 days I'm in trouble! :-)

Broccoli & Carrot Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

4 c. chopped broccoli
2 c. chopped carrots
9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 can cr. of mushroom & roasted garlic soup
1 can cr. of broccoli soup
¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese
¾ c. ricotta cheese (or cottage)
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine soups, ½ c. both parm. & ricotta cheeses, and 2 c. mozzarella. Mix well and set aside 1 ¼ c. of mixture.
2. To remaining sauce, add veggies & seasonings. Set aside.
3. In a greased 9 x 13” dish layer 3 noodles, ½ of veggie mixture, 3 noodles, rest of veggie mixture, 3 noodles, reserved 1 ¼ c. cheese sauce, remaining 1 c. mozz., then remaining ¼ c. parmesan.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 mins.; let stand for 10 mins. before removing foil and serving. (Makes 8 servings.)