Snow Day Tradition

(I meant to post this awhile ago...our snowy weather this week reminded me.)

Homemade doughnuts on the first "snow day" of the year.
We love when Daddy gets to stay home!

It's a once-a-year tradition, and we share the left-overs with a neighbor. That's how I'm justifying it! :-) Besides, there is always lots of shoveling to be done and a good hike through the snowy pasture to the neighbors.

Previously I had tried a yeast doughnut recipe, and while my family scarfed them down, they weren't my favorite. Too heavy. THIS recipe, we ALL agreed, was a keeper!

CAKE DOUGHNUT HOLES
A slight crunch to the outside, warm and spicey cake on the inside. Not heavy or greasy.

1 egg
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 c. all-purpose unbleached flour (I needed 1/4 c. more at the end.)
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. ginger
oil, for frying
powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Heat about 1" of oil in large, deep pot to 375 degrees. (I set my heat half-way between medium-low and medium. Double check temp. with a cooking thermometer. You could use a fryer, but I don't have one.)
2. In a large bowl, beat egg, add milk and butter and mix. Sift dry ingredients into mixture and knead into a smooth dough. Add a bit more flour if needed so dough is pliable.
3. Roll dough into one long log (about 1" thick) on floured countertop. Using a knife, cut in half until you have 36 even pieces. Roll slightly so they are ball-shaped.
4. Carefully drop in hot oil with slotted spoon and cook for about 1 minute, turning occasionally. (Do one piece first to determine cook time. Doughnut will be medium-brown in color.) Drain on paper towel and cool a few minutes. Then dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 36 (1-1/2") doughnut holes.

Favorite Things

I wanted to share some of my new favorite things.

First up...

1. GROOVESHARK.

This is a free, online, music website that allows you to create your own playlist. I've been a heavy user of PANDORA and enjoy the variety they offer, but at times want to listen exclusively to a particular artist. Enter GROOVESHARK. Go here to check it out. ***Every now and then it freaks out and won't open, like it did today of course. But if that happens, you always have PANDORA. :-)

2. and 3. They piggy-back on the first. If it'd be possible to wear out a playlist, I'm certainly trying. LEELAND and MEREDITH ANDREWS have been playing continously thanks to my computer in the kitchen. Love their lyrics, their sound, the way they help me worship in the midst of my day.

4. Ever check out the blogs people list on their sidebar? May I direct you to one, pronto?

SIT A SPELL is the blog of Aaron and Heather Hendrick, a young couple from Texas with 4 boys, the youngest one they adopted. Last August they moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I heart Heather. She says it like it is, even though she'd be the first to tell ya it ain't always pretty, she adores her hubby and sons, is passionate about the poor, the oppressed, and is putting her faith into action in the nitty gritty everyday life of one of the poorest countries on Earth. She makes me laugh and cry like no other. Must read!!!! Click here.

Some of my favorite posts from 2010:
(Scroll all the way down to the bottom of her sidebar to access her archives.)

• Aug. 30 Jumping in a Different Pool
• Aug. 31 A Day in the Life Series?
• Sept. 7 This is the way we wash the dishes...
• Oct. 19 The New Naked
• Nov. 17 Cereal Boxes = Hope
• Nov. 20 Living Skeletons

5. Vanilla Chai Pudding.

It couldn't be easier or tastier.

Warm 1 c. milk until steaming. Steep 2 Chai tea bags in it for 5 minutes. Add 1 c. cold milk to it and refrigerate till cool. Whisk in a box instant vanilla pudding. Chill for about 1 hour. Sprinkle with cinnamon (or go all out and use a spiced spekulatius cookie in place of a spoon).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, now share one of your favorite things in my comment box, pretty please. :-)

Dinner With The Atlases

Last evening Sarah's parents, Dave and Lori, kindly hosted our whole gang for dinner. We had a delicious meal, the kids were remarkably well-behaved, (need to figure out how to bottle that!) and we were able to enjoy some adult conversation! The Atlas's home is so warm and inviting, and it was a really great way to end our week with Ryan and Sarah.

The two of them are probably home in sunny California by now. But, before they left we got a family picture.

It's not perfect, but captures the season of family life that we're in and the gynmastics involved in group photographs these days. :-)



This perhaps was the real reason the kids were so quiet.

Cupcakes Anyone?

Thinking of starting a family business...

It's Electrifyin'!

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Sarah give the funnest gifts!
(Yes, even former English teachers use bad grammar--consider it poetic license.)


Case in point--these foam velcro squares!



There is no end to the fun in sight. And lots of static pictures to boot! (It just doesn't get old, does it?)

Family

Another crazy, laughter-filled, evening spent with my wonderful family.

Looking forward to more family time throughout this week while Ryan and Sarah are here, braving these frigid East coast temps. Quite different from sunny Berkeley to be sure!

Upping The Ante

5 out of 6...

At this rate, I'm considering buying iron-on patch stock.

(And these are only my girlie's jeans!!!!)

At least she'll have lots of play shorts come summertime! :-)

Functionally Godless

I love our church. We are incredibly blessed and well-served by our pastoral team, and this past Sunday was a prime example.



Steve Heitland spoke on the Resurrection and Grace of Jesus Christ--the fact that Christ's body actually rose from the dead, AND why that resurrection is vital to the Christian faith. It is the crux of grace. Grace for true and lasting change.



I encourage you to take a listen to his message here. It's alittle over 30 minutes long. The latter part includes a very personal testimony of his, and it was just what I needed to hear. He shared about an area of his life that has been "functionally Godless". I could identify with his struggle so closely.



I thought I'd share a bit of my story with you all. Maybe you can identify. I hope you'll be encouraged and filled with fresh hope, as I am.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



I've always struggled with my weight--both ends of the spectrum.



As a young girl I was thin and very athletic. Around the time that I entered junior high, I began to notice the other girls in my class and constantly compared myself to them. I also took note of the way my figure would attract attention from the boys. I felt so very insecure about every other part of my appearance, but my body was one thing that bolstered my confidence. And it became an unhealthy obsession...idolatry.



I began starving myself. I took pride in how little I could eat in a given day. Yet, I'd experience bouts of depression and would eat for comfort. Immediately afterward, waves of guilt and shame would wash over me and I'd begin the cycle all over again. And I'd lie to everyone who loved me to continue the farce. Later on, I'd come to realize how out-of-control this part of my life was, yet at the time I felt it was something I genuinely COULD control, and that gave me such satisfaction.



Thankfully, after graduating from high school I entered a missions program that would take me to Central America for a number of months, and the spiritual training prior and the cross-cultural experience itself would transform my life. During this season, God graciously allowed me to see my sin, my deception, grant me freedom from fear, and birth in me a desire to live differently. It would be a start in a new direction.



Years later though, I'm married, working, finishing my degree, and then we start a family and I'm at home full-time. I'm putting on pounds and becoming a lot less active. I make goals for myself and quickly fail. I try and give up again and again, feeling hopeless to change.



God's grace was always available to me, and I'd recognize my need for Him when conviction would come after a period of doing nothing. But, as soon as I'd begin my course of action, I'd leave God out of it. I believed He was part of the solution, but functionally I was living like He wasn't. I was depending on my own ability to "get serious" or "put forth more effort". Looking back over my track record it's not hard to see how futile my attempts were. (Besides, I'm convinced that any success I've had doing things on my own has only tempted my heart towards pride and self-righteousness!)



In this particular area of my life, I have been functionally Godless.

(Boy, that is so hard to say, yet it's the truth.)



Today, tomorrow, and the next day, and as many days after that as it takes, THIS is my prayer and resolve:



Because of Christ's finished work on the cross to save me, a sinner, I have the Holy Spirit to help me change. I am powerless to do it on my own.



I am loved and accepted by God, regardless of my failures and successes. But, He is committed to finishing all the good purposes He has for my life, in and through me, and I'm going to cooperate with Him. I'm inviting Him into this area of my life. I'm giving Him control.



Boundless grace and hope for change are mine. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Pray for me, will ya?

Favorite Pictures from 2010

Faster!

Winter Wonderland

Snowy Farm

Fresh Flowers
Turquoise

Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen

No Such Thing As Too Many Sticks
Buddies
Pretty in Purple
Walk With Me

Affection
Chickies
Beat The Heat
Fading Daylight
Taking It All In
Delicate Balance
Real Men Aren't Intimidated By Pink
Steinman Park Fountain
Cheap Labor
First Glimpse of Winter

Temple Grandin

Last night Pete and I watched a film we rented through Netflix and it was PHENOMENAL! I had to share it with you all.

First, here is the synopsis from the slipcover:

"Emmy winner Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, a brilliant young woman coping with the stigma of autism at a time when it was misunderstood. With the support of her loving family, Temple dedicates herself to learning and becomes a famed animal behavorialist. Her passion for animals gives her a unique ability to understand them, and she fulfills her love of education by teaching about autism and the most humane ways to treat both livestock and pets".

Okay, so that sounds somewhat interesting, right? Ten minutes into the movie, Pete remarked, "WHY has this been sitting on our shelf for the last 3 weeks?!" That should tell ya somethin'.

Secondly, take a look at this. Who would have thought a wikipedia entry could be so inspiring?!

I haven't seen a film in a long time that moved me to the extent that this one did. Claire Danes was superb! Winning the Best Actress in a Drama for her role was certainly well-deserved!

Add this one to your queue, get ready to laugh, cry, and be captivated by an incredible true-life story!

Sit Like A Lady

I guess she's only doing what I've told her to do...though usually there is a skirt or dress in the equation.

It just make me laugh. It's like she's 5, goin' on 15!

See? Attitude and everything! :-)

Wordless Wednesday--Almost

Evidently I didn't do it the RIGHT way. Instead, the freshly-laundered washclothes should be flat, stacked, smack dab in the middle of the floor. (At least my kitchen floor was clean.)

The Warmth Of Other Suns

I know I just posted a long list of books, but this particular piece of non-fiction was one that I wanted to highlight.



While I only gave it 4 stars (Very good!) it is one I'd highly recommend. If you enjoy history from the perspective of those who've experienced it, this is the book for you.



The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story Of America's Great Migration
by Isabel Wilkerson



Almost 6 million people fled the South for northern cities in the span of 55 years, from 1915-1970.



While I was generally familiar with the racist policies of the South, it was all the more poignant to hear it in the personal stories of three individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, George Starling, and Robert Foster. They all had different reasons for leaving, but their experiences shared many similarities. Ida Mae and her husband were sharecroppers, barely surviving--they left in the 30's. George Starling stirred up trouble by trying to unionize in the citrus groves--he left in the 40's. And Robert Foster dreamed of putting his education to use in the medical field--he left in the 50's.



There was little available to them in the Jim Crow South, where segregation and hatred made it not only difficult to make a living, but to live safely. Although the North did provide significantly more freedom than the South, it was not perfect. What was most heartbreaking was how much prejudice the migrants continued to face, even in the North where Jim Crow did not legally exist. In the South, a person of color knew where to sit on the bus or train, what establishments they were allowed to enter, etc.--it was clearly posted. In the North, there were no signs, but that did not mean places were any less segregated. A person of color had to forge ahead in order to find out. Sometimes that meant humiliation and rejection, but the potential for something worse was great.



One section that especially stuck with me was the difficulties the migrants had finding housing in the northern cities and the extreme lengths the whites took to ensure their neighborhoods remained white. Real estate codes that kept blacks confined to a very small section of the city, the overcrowding in the tenements to the point that as soon as you left your bed, there was someone waiting to occupy it, arson, bricks thrown through windows, fiery crosses on the lawn of a property a black family had purchased even before they could move in. It greatly disturbed and saddened me. To think this happened only 50 years ago!



She also highlights the perilous journeys of those most determined to escape. People nailed into coffins and ferried from one hearse to another. Others shipped themselves in tiny freight boxes that required a fetal position for up to 2 days, sometimes right side up. Some drove for days on end, beyond exhaustion, without being able to find someone willing to rent them a room, even as far away as Arizona!



It's a hefty book! The epilogue starts on page 526. But oh so worthwhile!



I thought history was dry in high school. I've been proven wrong time and time again since then. This book is a prime example of that!