One of the places I've been chomping at the bit to try is Tomato Pie Cafe in downtown Lititz. Formerly Glassmyers, this restaurant is nicely renovated but still maintains a bit of that historic soda shop feel. And it is situated just across the street from Lititz Springs Park, a wonderfully shaded spot to picnic, have a playdate, feed the ducks, or just relax.
My friend Lisa and I took advantage of our GIRLS DAY OUT last weekend to try this restaurant and we both ordered the Tomato Pie.
Mercy...was it delicious! I'm fairly certain the neighboring table heard some groans.
I am now determined to reinvent my current Tomato Pie recipe. I'm positive the difference lies within a homemade crust and the perfect blend of cheeses. When I asked one of the servers about the cheese they apologized and said even they don't know because the recipe is a company secret. It's no wonder!
Served with a lightly dressed bed of greens and an herbed scone that was also delicious, we both commented that everything was perfectly seasoned, proportioned, and priced.
I will definately be stopping in again, though it'll take some coaxing to order anything but THAT TOMATO PIE!!!!!
Excuse me a moment...I'm going to click on the link again to look at that scrumptious food and drool...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I'm Back...
...thanks to an updated browser, I can now sign into my blog and post again.
Lots to share by way of updates. Where to begin...
My hubby watched the kids all day Saturday so that a friend and I could have a GIRL's DAY OUT. And believe me, we had so much fun I came home at 8 o'clock and promptly went to bed, I was completely tuckered out! I think we went to 12 places!!!!! (I think it should become a Mother's Day weekend tradition...) So, not only did he bless me by giving me the day off, on Sunday morning he and the kids made breakfast for me and let me sleep in, AND he washed dishes and cleaned up the kitchen all weekend.
I know. He's a keeper!
Here they are on Day 1:
...and on Day 14--growin' like weeds!!!
Interesting poultry factoid: humans aren't the only creatures who struggle with gluttony!
These birds are a bit like teenage mutants in that they are bred to grow so rapidly they are finished at 6-7 weeks. So it's no surprise that they eat constantly. Joel Salatin calls them high octane birds...and they certainly are!
We've been vigilantly monitoring the brooder box temperature several times a day, checking to see if they're happy, and have been thrilled that we haven't lost a single bird! So it came as a worrysome surprise when on Day 10 we suddenly discovered they all had a bulge on the lower side of their neck.
Immediately we went online and searched for input. (What did people do before computers?!)
THEY WERE GORGING THEMSELVES SICK! And they actually can die prematurely if left to their own devices!
So we took away their food overnight and immediately the bulge went away. (They have a pre-stomach called the "crop", and when it is empty they eat. Well, their stomach was full AND their crop was full to the point that they were bloated!) No more bedtime snacks, you feather-brained birds!
Tonight I snapped a few more pics of them now that they are out in the pasture.
Can you pick out Adam in the picture above? (He likes to "herd" the egg laying hens with a stick.)
Batch 2 is in the brooder until we pick up Batch 3 in two weeks. (We've got 4 batches lined up almost back to back to take advantage of the optimal weather for growing these birds before it gets too hot.)
Well, that's all for now. I'll be posting again soon. I know you've all been on pins and needles. HA!
Lots to share by way of updates. Where to begin...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Had a wonderful Mother's Day!!! Natalia "got it" this year and was in full Mother's Day mode all weekend. She could hardly wait for me to open the card she had made at school and the picture she had painted in Art Class. Super cute!!!...and there is just something about the fact that none of it was mommy-initiated. I was soaking it up. My hubby watched the kids all day Saturday so that a friend and I could have a GIRL's DAY OUT. And believe me, we had so much fun I came home at 8 o'clock and promptly went to bed, I was completely tuckered out! I think we went to 12 places!!!!! (I think it should become a Mother's Day weekend tradition...) So, not only did he bless me by giving me the day off, on Sunday morning he and the kids made breakfast for me and let me sleep in, AND he washed dishes and cleaned up the kitchen all weekend.
I know. He's a keeper!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our first batch of chicks are now 2 weeks old and have taken up residence in the pasture pen.Here they are on Day 1:
...and on Day 14--growin' like weeds!!!
Interesting poultry factoid: humans aren't the only creatures who struggle with gluttony!
These birds are a bit like teenage mutants in that they are bred to grow so rapidly they are finished at 6-7 weeks. So it's no surprise that they eat constantly. Joel Salatin calls them high octane birds...and they certainly are!
We've been vigilantly monitoring the brooder box temperature several times a day, checking to see if they're happy, and have been thrilled that we haven't lost a single bird! So it came as a worrysome surprise when on Day 10 we suddenly discovered they all had a bulge on the lower side of their neck.
Immediately we went online and searched for input. (What did people do before computers?!)
THEY WERE GORGING THEMSELVES SICK! And they actually can die prematurely if left to their own devices!
So we took away their food overnight and immediately the bulge went away. (They have a pre-stomach called the "crop", and when it is empty they eat. Well, their stomach was full AND their crop was full to the point that they were bloated!) No more bedtime snacks, you feather-brained birds!
Tonight I snapped a few more pics of them now that they are out in the pasture.
Can you pick out Adam in the picture above? (He likes to "herd" the egg laying hens with a stick.)Batch 2 is in the brooder until we pick up Batch 3 in two weeks. (We've got 4 batches lined up almost back to back to take advantage of the optimal weather for growing these birds before it gets too hot.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are less than 4 weeks of school left for Pete and Natalia. Whoo hoo! Though I know Natalia will be really sad and miss her teachers and friends. I'm thankful for the friendships she's made as well as the moms I've gotten to know, mainly through the prayer group that meets each week. And so many of those families live within 5 minutes of our house, so I'm confident we'll plan some time together this summer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My eating and exercise goals have been going well. I've lost a few more pounds in the last weeks, and I'm much more motivated, thanks to finding some like-minded friends to keep me accountable. Just as important are the things God is showing me through the book my mom and I are reading together and discussing weekly. I will continue to recommend MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst wherever I go, because while it's geared mainly toward taking care of our bodies in a way that is healthy and glorifies God, it can be applied to whatever issue we're struggling with and the desires/cravings that motivate us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preparations for our trip to POLAND this summer are going well. I have my new passport, found a dress for the wedding, and an AWESOME pair of flipflops that are the most comfortable thing I've ever worn in my entire life (OOFOS, from RBShap). I struggle with pain in my lower legs and feet if I don't have super cushiony heeled footwear with lots of arch support. And while I would go barefoot for most of the year if I could, flip flops are typically horrible for your feet and spine. I am now in flip flop heaven...
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Spring Prep
The last few weeks have been busy as we've been making calls, gathering supplies, and preparing in general for our pastured poultry operation again this year.
In less than two weeks we pick up our first batch of baby chicks. This year we're trying out an even more local hatchery, so we'll get them hours after they're born instead of day-old, and cut out the middle man (post office). It'll save some money, decrease our carbon footprint, and make life as comfortable for our chicks as quickly as possible.
Another change we're incorporating this year is a brooder box out in the pasture. A brooder is basically a transitional house for the first 2 weeks. It protects them while they're young and vulnerable, and gradually prepares them for the outdoors while their feathers grow in.
A few Saturday's ago my dad and Pete took advantage of the cold rainy weather and spent a number of hours in my parent's garage. They put some items from Dad's highly organized pack-rat collection to good use, did that male bonding thing, and at the end of the day we carted this behemoth home. I'm sure we drew a few glances driving through the square in Manheim.
The fiberglass roof allows for perpetual sunlight while the two screened doors allow for ventilation and protection from predators. And we can prop the fiberglass roof at different heights depending on how much ventilation we need.
We'll put 18" of bedding (fine wood shavings) down and use heat lamps to help maintain the warmth crucial for the chicks--they need a stable, dry, 90 degree environment for the first week especially.
This has been such a learning experience for us, and we're still learning. But it has been such a blessing to be able to grow our own meat birds. It's given us a much greater appreciation for how our food gets to the table each and every day, and deepened our respect for the animals too.
We look forward to what this year will bring...challenges and all.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
How I'm Doing
Slow but steady.
It's been an insanely busy few weeks. I usually am pretty good at not overloading my calendar, but add in a few unexpected doctor's appointments, a holiday, and just life...I'm tired.
BUT, God's unsurpassing peace has faithfully been quieting my heart, I've been exercising and sticking to my food goals, the important things have gotten done (though my house is in need of a serious cleaning), I survived my first mammogram and heard the word "benign" (Thank you, Jesus), I just got 2 really good and long nights of sleep, and I lost 8 lbs.!
Some tidbits from MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst that have been resonating with me:
Define your week by obedience, not by a number on a scale. The scale does help measure our progress, but it can't tell us everything.
We will hear careless comments along the way that will threaten to crush our spirit. We can literally say to a comment: "Are you true? Are you beneficial? Are you necessary?"
We are never supposed to get the satisfaction our souls desire from our looks.
How many times have I claimed to be a woman of faith but rarely lived a life requiring faith, God's faith, to see something through?
Our flesh buys right into Satan's lie that it's not fair for things to be withheld from us. So we bite into the forbidden fruit and allow Satan to write "shame" across our heart...having a pity party was a clue I was relying on my own strength, a strength that has failed me before and would fail me again...compromise built upon compromise equals failure. Instead, resisting temptation [food, or otherwise] allows promise upon promise to be built up in my heart, and that creates empowerment. [God's power at work within me. His power made perfect in my weakness, a reality.]
Don't mistake skinny for healthy...being little doesn't make a person any more happy or faithful or joyful. The struggles are the same (or at least similar), just in a different size package.
Onward. :-)
It's been an insanely busy few weeks. I usually am pretty good at not overloading my calendar, but add in a few unexpected doctor's appointments, a holiday, and just life...I'm tired.
BUT, God's unsurpassing peace has faithfully been quieting my heart, I've been exercising and sticking to my food goals, the important things have gotten done (though my house is in need of a serious cleaning), I survived my first mammogram and heard the word "benign" (Thank you, Jesus), I just got 2 really good and long nights of sleep, and I lost 8 lbs.!
Some tidbits from MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst that have been resonating with me:
Define your week by obedience, not by a number on a scale. The scale does help measure our progress, but it can't tell us everything.
We will hear careless comments along the way that will threaten to crush our spirit. We can literally say to a comment: "Are you true? Are you beneficial? Are you necessary?"
We are never supposed to get the satisfaction our souls desire from our looks.
How many times have I claimed to be a woman of faith but rarely lived a life requiring faith, God's faith, to see something through?
Our flesh buys right into Satan's lie that it's not fair for things to be withheld from us. So we bite into the forbidden fruit and allow Satan to write "shame" across our heart...having a pity party was a clue I was relying on my own strength, a strength that has failed me before and would fail me again...compromise built upon compromise equals failure. Instead, resisting temptation [food, or otherwise] allows promise upon promise to be built up in my heart, and that creates empowerment. [God's power at work within me. His power made perfect in my weakness, a reality.]
Don't mistake skinny for healthy...being little doesn't make a person any more happy or faithful or joyful. The struggles are the same (or at least similar), just in a different size package.
Onward. :-)
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Recalculating
I've been wanting to post an update on the 30 day challenges I set for the year back in January. But blogging has fallen by the wayside in the last few months. Things have come up that have been given precident. Things like broken elbows, for instance. :-)
Each month I've tried to concentrate on the particular challenge, and though I didn't meet my goals exactly, it was still beneficial. My husband really appreciated February's encouragment Post-It notes and I noticed the exercise really influenced my words and attitude toward him. Win, win! However, I've been sensing that I need to make my goal for January my only goal for awhile. When I'm taking care of my body everything else just goes better!
I've also picked up my copy of MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst again. I had read through it last year, but not quickly, so my attention wasn't as concentrated. I asked my mom to read through it with me this time, 4 chapters a week with a phone call to discuss it on Fridays. I needed the accountability and momentum of reading it with someone.
Each month I've tried to concentrate on the particular challenge, and though I didn't meet my goals exactly, it was still beneficial. My husband really appreciated February's encouragment Post-It notes and I noticed the exercise really influenced my words and attitude toward him. Win, win! However, I've been sensing that I need to make my goal for January my only goal for awhile. When I'm taking care of my body everything else just goes better!
The hubby has recommitted to getting up early to exercise too, so that helps me greatly. I'm still working on strengthening my knees by walking, especially while the temp's are in the 30's and 40's before dawn. It's easier on the joints and I don't get shin splints as much.
I have a tangible goal in mind too.
This.
Later in the summer Pete and I are traveling to Poland for his brother's wedding. And this is Morskie Oko, a set of glacial lakes in the Tatra Mountains along the southern border with Slovakia. It's a 2 hour hike to the top.
I've also picked up my copy of MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst again. I had read through it last year, but not quickly, so my attention wasn't as concentrated. I asked my mom to read through it with me this time, 4 chapters a week with a phone call to discuss it on Fridays. I needed the accountability and momentum of reading it with someone.I've set some very attainable food goals too, though regular exercise is what I feel I need the most. BUT, by limiting my carbohydrates and choosing whole grains, piling on the fruits and veggies, reaching for a handful of almonds for a snack, and limiting my sugar, I'm hoping to shed pounds that way too.
All in all, I just want to be healthy. I want to take better care of the body the Lord has blessed me with. I want to be an example of discipline and self-control for my children.
Onward. :-)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
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.
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