Multitude Monday #9

It's been awhile since I've posted a Multitude Monday...a recounting of God's faithfulness and blessings in this season.  I am so thankful that though I desire to honor Christ, his love for me is an unchanging love, and not dependent on my performance.  He is faithful, even when I'm not.  THIS is true mercy and grace, and it makes me want to please him even more.

Things have been hoppin' in our household.  School is well underway, but some of us are still adjusting.

Picking up where I left off...

123.  Physical health.  It is so easy to take for granted a body that functions properly.

124.  Group exercise class at the local rec center.  I've been going twice or more a week for Body Pump.  It's weight training set to music, and it works each muscle group.  I definately feel stronger, especially in my legs and lower back.

125.  25 lbs. gone!  It took 5 months but slow and steady wins the race, right?  I'm aiming for 15 more by the end of the year. 

126.  Discounted clothing for my kiddos and turning a profit through the Weeusables Consignment Sale this week.  Just in time too because they both had outgrown nearly everything in their closet!!!

127.  Spiritual encouragment through the men and women in our Care Group and church.

128.  A dinner date with longtime friends--sans kiddos!  We figured out that we hadn't done that since starting our families 7 years ago. 

129.  Spontaneous squeezes and sweet whispers from my kiddos.

130.  Input for how to better steer my child's strong (STRONG!!!) will through H. Clay Trumbull's book "Hints on Child Training".  Though originally published in 1890 it is remarkably current--some things just don't change!

131.  Cool mornings!

132.  New people joining the Mom's prayer group for our elementary school.

133.  Our new church building!  We've officially been meeting there since the beginning of August.  After 30 years of paying rent, we now have the space for greater ministry and service.

134.  Patched drywall!  Seems silly, but after a year of having a hole in our living room ceiling (due to a mysterious roof leak) it is now fixed and awaiting a coat of paint.  Hurray!

135.  A benign test result.

136.  Adam doing an awesome job during his first trip to the dentist! 

137.  A steaming cup of coffee and a few minutes of quiet solitude.

138.  Book Club.  I just love it!  It challenges me, refreshes me, and is a once-a-month repose in this season of my life.

139.  Upcoming fall festivities--my favorite season.

140.  Homemade applesauce.

141.  Marigolds still in bloom.

142.  A great year of pastured poultry production!  Favorable weather for the most part, better equipment, and plentiful customers.  Our last batch is finished in a week.

143.  A prayer that reorients my heart when I'm foolishly self-reliant..."Jesus, please help me.  Because otherwise I can't be helped."

144.  My mom.  :-)  A trusted confidant, friend, source of wisdom, helper...I could go on and on but the screen is already blurry from the tears welling up!

145.  My hard-working husband.  I am particularly thankful that he has a job that allows him to be at home with us early in the evening, that he's willing to help Natalia with her homework despite the grading and lesson plans awaiting him each evening, and that he is a "hands on" daddy.  Love you, hon!

Her Favorite Subject

Horses.  No matter the task, topic, or activity, Natalia will find a way to connect it to a horse. 

She talks about them during dinner time, she makes up songs and stories about them, she pretends her near-daily trips to the neighbor's farm are for her "riding lessons".  (In actuality, she pets them, or simply gazes into their empty stalls and daydreams.)

So when she was with Grandma recently she started a watercolor picture of...A HORSE, OF COURSE!
(Using her little horse "Patches" as a model.)

We now have a series to hang on her bedroom wall.  :-)

So Sweet...

...the bugs can't help but nibble on him!

Poor kid. His ear was swollen and sore for 3 days!

 As you can see, it didn't affect his disposition.

Cousins

Last night the oldest 3 grandkids got to sleep overnight at Grandma's; then today the rest of the kiddos and mommies joined them for a fun morning outside.  The weather was gorgeous--sunny, but perfectly comfortable with low humidity. 

I scavenged a piece of chalk and drew a bike course on the driveway.  
Anyone remember the children's book "Bears On Wheels"?  At one point we had 5 "bears" on 12 wheels!  Hurray for no collisions!

Somehow I missed taking a picture of Liam, the youngest, but did get some cute shots of these two hams!
What a blessing to have close cousins--geographically and in age!

School Clothes...Or Something Like That

Apparently Adam is a returning graduate and Laura Ingalls has taken to wearing black leotards.

Just Another Day...

...of enjoying the uniqueness in my two babies.

My blue-eyed, independent, competitive, attention-lovin', service oriented girl...

...and my brown-eyed, detail-oriented, sensitive, action packed, affectionate boy.

Thankful to be their mama.

Just Like Daddy

Adam looked so cute yesterday with his play work goggles pushed up above his forehead, his tool belt stuffed with hammer, wrench, screwdriver and ruler. He is into all things handyman these days. I wish I would have gotten a picture!

BUT, later on when Pete was playing grease monkey, Adam quickly joined him and I did snap a few shots.

Hmmm, maybe this is to fit together like this?

I see this coming in handy someday! (Love the tongue sticking out!)

Goals for 2012

I am totally stealing this idea from my friend Briana:

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She writes:
I really enjoy setting goals, especially since becoming a mom. I think because the task of parenting is so incredibly daunting to me most days, and the goal of parenting often seems intangible, difficult to measure and impossible to obtain, I nearly crave goals that are otherwise.

So, at the start of each year, I take stock. As I consider the present circumstances, I anticipate the future possibilities as best I can given all things remain the same (which, of course, we all know they do not!)

To me, 30 days seems more doable than 365...I'm hoping that some of the things I attempt in the following 30 day challenges may just "stick" and last beyond 30 days, maybe even 365 days. We'll see!

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So, thanks to Bri's post (with a shout out to her hubby because it was his idea) I did alittle brainstorming and came up with this:

JANUARY: 30 mins. cardio, 3 days a week; 15 mins. toning/flexiblity the other 4 days

FEBRUARY: affirm/encourage my husband daily

MARCH: write a note of encouragement to someone each day

APRIL: memorize a verse of Scripture daily

MAY: fast from sweets

JUNE: spend 15 minutes daily improving a space in my home or yard

JULY: make raw fruits and vegetables 50% of what I consume every day

AUGUST: select something daily to donate or give away

SEPTEMBER: spend 15 mins. doing something "creative" each day

OCTOBER: affirm/encourage my children every day

NOVEMBER: repeat a 30 day challenge

DECEMBER: write down what I'm thankful for each day

Wordless Wednesday: I Say Socks, He Says Marshmallows

This Season...

...has been busier than I anticipated. Guess I thought life would settle down after we got into the swing of the school year. But life rarely adheres to my expectations. (I know, surprise, surprise.) How comforting it is to know that there is One who is infinitely wise and powerful orchestrating our lives.

Is it just me, or does this time of year seem to be extra "charged"? You can almost feel it in the air. Maybe it's the tension and stress in the people around you that seems more tangible. The holidays are just around the corner, the consumer-driven frenzy seems to have started even earlier (what is up with THAT?!), and to quote the Berenstain Bears, the "galloping greedy gimmies" are on full display. There are days and nights where I just want to stay home and completely shut out the world.

But the world does not go away.

And I am called to be in the world, but not of it.

I am charged to be the hands and feet of Christ to those around me. And if my eyes are open, the needs go on and on and on.

This season has been one in which numerous people in our circle of relationships have had pressing needs...so many are heavy in nature. My heart has been overwhelmed and burdened with the load I see them carrying. I aim to be bold but find myself hesitating because I want the assurance that it'll be the perfect "gift" at the perfect time. I vacillate between wanting to do something to alleviate their suffering, and worrying that I'll over commit myself (and our finances) during this season of already feeling the strain.

Then I remember who my Provider is, and who is the Giver of all wisdom, and I pray.

I pray for the discernment to know what I am to be about, each and every day.
To be lavish in my love towards others, not holding back out of fear or worry or selfishness.
To be wise, and full of faith.
To preserve family time together, and enjoy simple pleasures.
To point to Jesus in all situations, and to teach my children to be looking for Him too.

Lord, help us to be about You and your purposes in this season.

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...)

Multitude Monday #7

It's been 3 busy weeks since my last MULTITUDE MONDAY post...much to be thankful for!

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.

91. Protection from the devastating effects of Hurricane Lee. My hometown saw major flooding and a lot of property damage. Even loss of life. Thankfully we were spared, but oh my--I've never seen water like that.

92. Aside from Lee, we've had a pretty easy transition into Pete and Natalia's school year.

93. Getting to know the parents of Natalia's classmates as we wait together for pick-up.

94. Especially excited to connect with one particular mom, a Christian who lives in our neighborhood!

95. Walking home from school and hearing about Natalia's day.

96. Having my youngest brother Ryan and his fiance Sarah here for the week. They leave today (sniff, sniff) but we loved the time we got to spend with them.

97. A plethora of tomatoes, peppers and onions made into V8 juice to can. Will be super tasty in those wintertime soups and stews.

98. Shepherd's Pie. Recipe will be posted sometime this week. :-)

99. A new pair of silver earrings.

100. Having my family over for ice cream last night--our final chance to see Ryan before he returned to sunny CA.

101. Dinner with longtime friends, the Zimmerman's. We take turns hosting each month and always look forward to catching up on each other's busy lives. Ken and Lisa have been there since the beginning of our married life (our anniversaries are a year and a day apart) and there's something very special about that!

102. New sermon series on the book of Revelation. So appreciate our pastors and the way they serve us each week.

103. Going to a movie matinee with my mom. She and I both read THE HELP last year and wanted to see it on the big screen together.

104. Reading THE PRODIGAL GOD by Timothy Keller as a part of my quiet times lately. So good!

105. The smell of autumn in the air. It is by far my favorite season. I'm invigorated by the crunchy leaves, brisk mornings, brilliant earthy colors, and the flavor of cinnamon.

It Was Either Take Pictures...Or Cry.

I had just cleaned up a puddle.

A big-girl-I-waited-too-long-because-I-didn't-want-to-miss-any-of-the-video-puddle.

Right in the middle of making something on the stove that I really couldn't step away from.

*** Some of you can see it comin' already, can't you? ***

The culprit was to be napping.

I heard a faint bang of a closet door.

Turn off the burner, set pan aside.

Tend to daughter.

Race up the steps to find dry clothes for her.

*** Earlier that week I had just been singing the praises of the bi-fold door "locks" I had recently bought and how they were saving me SOOOOOO much time and aggravation because the kids couldn't get into their closets everyday. ***

See? Nifty, right?

I open the door and find...(shudder)...T.H.I.S.

I think I whimpered. Like I remember whimpering in the last hour of labor with my children.

My first thought was to melt into a puddle myself. Of tears, that is.

My second thought was "at least it's not poo."

The third, "poo would stink to clean up literally, but how am I to clean up TRIPLE PASTE diaper cream?!?!?! It's like the superhero of diaper rash creams."

So I removed said culprit from the room, stood him in the tub...and shut the bedroom door.

Denial.

It's the only way a mommy stays sane sometimes.

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Three hours later I worked up the courage to open the door again.

And it took three back-to-back washings, powerful laundry chemicals, the grace of God and some really strong coffee to make things right again with the world.

Wordless Wednesday

Multitude Monday #5

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.

Picking up where I left off last week...

60. Reconnecting with old friends face-to-face yesterday. We only see them once or twice a year, but we treasure their ongoing friendship. Thanks for making the trip up Jones family! (Posting some pictures tomorrow.)

61. Continued summer work for Pete.

62. That Adam has officially kicked his Nuks to the curb. (It's been over a month, and occasionally he'll ask for one, but after attempts to ween him off of it at bedtime we accidentally lost all of them and decided they were lost for good...and it worked!)

63. Natalia's cardiologist appointment last Friday yielded no new treatment...and that we got through the visit. She hasn't been on any medication since this spring when we had that 2 month trial (and it was definately a trial for all of us). Despite her being very uncooperative for the first 45 minutes of the visit, she turned on the charm for Ms. Jo who does the echocardiogram. (I think it was the new location, doctor and nurses coupled with Natalia's medical history and tendency towards drama--she WOULD NOT let them touch her despite my preparation and best efforts.) Ms. Jo is a familiar face and not only is she great at her job, you get to watch a video while eating a lollipop during her 1/2 hour procedure. *sigh* Thank you Lord we don't have to do this often and Natalia is healthy more often than not. So many struggle with much worse.

64. Natalia's new cardiologist seems to understand and be receptive to our past concerns.

65. That our Batch #3 chickies are healthy and thriving. They are 6 days old today.

66. Celebrating my Grandpa Stauffer's 86th birthday this past weekend. His birthday was actually in July, but 27 of us were able to get together on Saturday evening at Grandpa and Grandma's home. That he is still with us, doing so well with his physical therapy, and leaps and bounds from how he was faring a few months ago is truly a blessing and answer to prayer.

67. That I made out like a bandit shopping for Natalia's back-to-school clothes at 3 local consignment shops and ROSS! 4 pair pants, 4 shorts, 6 tees, 3 long-sleeve tees, a fleece hoodie, a skirt for church, and 2 pair of shoes for $68. (I had $22 credit at one consignment shop.) This daughter of mine outgrew her entire wardrobe all of a sudden! All but her raggedy "farm" clothes... which I decided wouldn't quite make the cut for Kindergarten. This was such an answer to prayer.

68. An insightful, heartfelt, and well-written book entitled "Washed and Waiting" by Wesley Hill. I originally was introduced to it on Tim Challies's blog. Homosexuality is an issue that some people I know and love have struggled with, and I wanted to wrestle with the issue to better understand what Scripture teaches and how to lovingly relate to them. Challies writes, "[Hill raises] questions the church needs to be willing and equipped to answer. We have to be able to do better than “Homosexuality is wrong.” And that’s what this book is all about." Please read his review--it is very good and biblically sound. You can find it here.

69. RAIN! It's amazing what a little rain every now and then can do!

70. Homegrown tomatoes, potatoes and peppers.

71. Warren Boettcher coming to preach at our church yesterday morning. Pete and I always enjoy hearing him speak. Warren is senior pastor at the Sovereign Grace church in Marlton, New Jersey and provides direction for our pastors at Crossway as well as a few other S.G. churches in the region.

72. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" ~Ephesians 1:7 I have never fully confessed my sin, been fully sorry for my sin, though I've sought to live as Christ would want me to. I am so thankful that my redemption is not according to the richness of my sorrow over or confession of sin. It is according to the richness of his grace. My salvation is dependant on Christ alone.

Multitude Monday #4

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.

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46. Safety for Pete on the job site this past week, and that the nailgun missed all the important stuff in his thumb. (Gives me the shivers just thinking about it!)

47. Educator's Open House Day at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and Strasburg Railroad. We got to enjoy both places as a family last Friday.

48. COLD, clean drinking water...as much of it as I want. I'm reminded of how many people in this world would consider that a luxury.

49. A stack of new (used) books from amazon that I couldn't get from my library.

50. Having the Coleman family for dinner last night.

51. Getting to walk around the site where our church building will be constructed in the coming months. They are still blasting and moving dirt around, but it is finally starting to feel real!

52. Sermons available online. I love that I can take a second listen.

53. Homemade lemonade.

54. Frozen chocolate-dipped bananas on a stick.

55. My children belting out silly songs.

56. A fresh haircut (AND a color...I told you I'm no purist!)

57. My mom and the many times she gladly watches the kids while I have an appointment or errand.

58. Cheering on my uncle, cousin, and friends who play in a local church softball league. It's like a family, high school, and youth group reunion in the stands!

59. A successful photo shoot with the kids.

60. Sweet corn from mom and dad's garden in my freezer...and having Nina along to play with Natalia and Adam while we worked.

Multitude Monday #1

My friend Danielle has been doing this for awhile, and she borrowed the idea from Ann Voskamp's blog "A Holy Experience".

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.
Here it goes, in no particular order:


1. My husband. Pete works so hard and diligently, not only to provide for our family, but to bless others. Renovating? He's there. Moving? Check. Fixing and helping maintain household things for his mom? No hesitation. His gift is serving. And I am on the receiving end of it on a regular basis. Love you, Honey!

2. Iced coffee. Since I rarely drink juice or soda, this is my beverage of choice after water. Okay, sometimes before water.

3. Our home. It's just the right size for our family of four. I can be tempted to fret when we have people over because it gets tight and loud quickly, but I'd rather a small, cozy home than one where everyone spreads out and doesn't interact until it's necessary. Personal space is important, but you learn valuable life lessons by sharing small quarters. Our home is God's good provision.

4. My grandfather is home. It's been a long road to recovery since his heart valve surgery in mid-March (followed by stroke, pneumonia, a pacemaker and feeding tube). Throughout his stints in the rehab center and the retirement facility, he worked with a physical therapist, re-learning how to do basic everyday tasks. They say he is a poster child for PT! I'm so thankful and proud of the way that he and Grandma walked through this very difficult season.

5. The sweet scent of my children's skin after their bath.

6. Watermelon. LOVE IT! I'd eat it morning, noon, and night if I could. It's also a great healthy snack that doesn't thwart my plan to eat right.

7. Our church family at Crossway Church of Lancaster. Last Sunday night we broke ground for our new building on the church farm property! So exciting! After 29 years of renting space it has been thrilling to recall how God brought this all about, and to consider what it will be like to (hopefully) celebrate our 30th anniversary next summer in our new building!

8. My DOGGERS. For less than $10 my feet have been very happy to not be in flipflops anymore. I balked at the whole Croc fad, disliking the bulky, floppy fit, thinking that my feet would sweat in them. My DOGGERS are narrow-fitting, dark brown, cushion my heel, support my arches, and don't make my feet stink. Cheers all around!

9. Chicken in my freezer!!! Last Monday was our first processing day of 2011--a busy day, but totally worth it. We ♥ Pastured Poultry!

10. Celebrating Natalia and Adam's 1/2 Birthdays this past weekend with my parents, Pete's mom, and my brother Joe's family.

11. Having Pete home to work on numerous house projects that have been on hold for the last year (some longer). I'm thankful for his wide range of handyman skills. He's a keeper for sure!

12. The way Adam wraps his little arms around my neck, squeezes hard, and says "I wuv you!"

13. A big box of blueberries to freeze, fresh raspberries, and corn-on-the-cob.

14. Developing friendships with women from church. Anytime you move or go through a significant season-of-life change, it can take a long time before you're able to name your closest friends. I've really struggled with this since we moved back "home" to Lancaster 4 years ago. I have many acquaintances, family closeby, and a number of people I was once close to in this area, but that's completely different from having 2-3 "sisters" who know me well enough to grow me, who I can call about whatever, whenever. God has been answering this prayer of my heart, slowing but surely.

15. That God is a perfectly loving, redemptive, and patient Father. I grow so weary of my sin, yet continue to fall short every minute of every day. But my failure serves a great purpose--to remind me of my need for a Savior. He is not surprised that I sin. He is capable of loving me anyway. He will never look at me in my pitiful state, having committed the same sin AGAIN, and say "That's it! You've used up your allotment of grace. We're through." No. His mercies are new EVERY morning, and I am His forevermore. Thank You, Jesus.

Wordless Wednesday--Something Missing From That Smile!

Flowerpot Bounty

Earlier this spring I planted basil, parsley, spearmint (and a marigold to keep the squirrels at bay) in a large planter pot on our back deck. It EXPLODED into an herbal bush while we were gone last week.

According to a source I found online, herbs with a higher water content like these do well if frozen. I think I may try that, as there is no way I'll use all of these up before I need to clip some more!

I feel like a food network personality with these in my kitchen! :-)

What are your favorite ways to use fresh herbs?