new year's

Brad and I have agreed that this was not only one of the best new year's ever, but that is was also one of the best times we have ever had period.We got to go to the amazing Chalupsky Retreat and bask in the presence of long-time friends (being Jessa, Aren, Silas and baby, Michele, Phil and Lucy, Chet, Luke, Nicole, Jude and Max, Brian and Amy, Joe and Gen) , our kids, Patty and Stu, and their ever welcoming hospitality. I hardly want to write about it so as to classify it into words and in that way limit my feelings to what I can express though man-made terms. But for your sake, and mine I will:

The Chalupsky's is a home that feels like a safe fort, clubhouse, tree house and at the same time a place you can continually add in more and more and more people to join in on the fun. It is somewhat magical and seems to always hit you exactly where you need it the most. This is largely due to the fort leaders: Patty and Stu Chalupsky, they are incredible and allow God to work through them and welcome in person after person just to see what God has planned. They sit back and watch as God's maps unravel before their eyes, and then they follow His lead. I am not saying they are perfect, they are people and we are all flawed, but they choose to live with passion in the moment and bless so many others by doing so.

It started out slow, jackson and oliver crying at bedtime, other little babies waking and all things Jesus being unheard of in conversations, except the all-trendy discussions of hymns vs. modern worship songs and women pastors being okay or not okay. God chose to meet us though, when we hadn't asked, in a way that we did not expect. He took our hearts and challenged and healed and poured into them. ahhhhhh! That feeling is just incredible. Gifts were drawn out and Jesus did what He wanted, and that was not necessarily what we wanted, but we knew it was safe to follow. He took us to a place where we weren't concerned with what we disagreed about, and right there we were surrounded by a sense of unity, a bonding and a strength. Some cried, some smiled, some prophesied, some prayed, some sang songs, other tongues were spoken and God's words came forth. He chose to use the broken and struggling to impact us all, and pulled words from the mouths of lips closed for too long. He puckered His lips and blew dust off our beautiful gifts that were used and then forgotten like day-old Christmas toys. He did it, we watched it happen. I felt a sigh, a sense of relief, a burden lifted...He had been trying to do this for a long time, but this New Years was when He chose to do it.

corn chips

Recipe for homemade corn chips:
(found on p. 310 of More-With-Less: a world community cookbook)

Corn Chips:
(I would double this one too, but I always double)

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

Combine in mixing bowl:
1 C. yellow cornmeal
2/3 C. flour
1 t. Salt
1 t. baking powder
1T. dry milk solids

Stir together in separate bowl:
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. oil
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. Tabasco sauce

*Add liquids to dry mixture and stir with fork.
*Knead a little until smooth.
*Grease two cookie sheets (10 by 15") and sprinkle each with cornmeal.
*Divide dough in half directly onto cookie sheet with floured rolling pin, rolling dime thin.
*Sprinkle lightly with paprika, salt, garlic, or seasoned salt.
*Run rolling pin over once more.
*Prick with fork.
*Cut in squares or triangles.
*Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

ENJOY!! (hummus is great on these, or salsa or a soft cheese!!! YUM!)

scones

Scones...these are so amazing, and such a staple in our baking diet that I have to add the recipe. For you to share with me. I initially printed this off from joyofbaking.com in 2004 and have used it very frequently (as in "like a ton") here it is, this is my version of it :

Cream Scones: (I ALWAYS double the recipe!)

2 C. flour
1/3 C. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1/3 C. unsalted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

Egg mixture for brushing tops of scones:
1 large egg
1 T. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


*Wisk all scone ingredients together, do not over mix.
*Knead dough gently on floured surface.
*Roll and cut (pizza cutter works really well).
*Brush scones with the Egg mixture above.
*Bake for 15 min. or lightly brown.
*Transfer to wire rack to cool.
*Serve with devonshire cream and or jam.

These scones freeze very well.
You can add whatever you want to them. I don't make the plain ones. I have mainly made chocolate chip and lavender. For lavender add 1 t. dried lavender (per batch).

gifts under the tree and family to give them to:

We had Christmas at our house this year! It was really fun, and way easier with the little ones.
They were dressed in their pj's from the start. We had dinner and then opened our presents with Susan, Ellyn and Andrew on Christmas eve. It was pretty fun!

happy new year!

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! I pray and hope that in 2008 we all fall more passionately in love with Jesus, and reach a greater understanding of all that he gave for us.

For myself I have never actually made a new year's resolution...not ever. I don't believe there is any magic in this date. What I do know is that you can have a new beginning any day of your life, until it is ultimately too late.

Each day I would like to be more selfless, less keen on living full-on for myself. Each day I would like to be more passionate...not complacent, not falling into a rut of life and just living each day as it comes but purposefully living beyond my own expectations and dreams. I have dreams, goals and now as I have seen things unfold through my short years I know that in no way do they measure up to what is actually planned for my life...and what God has called me to be.

kitchenaid love

My mom got me this B-EAUTIFUL! bright red kitchenade for Christmas. I have been wishing for one for a long time. It has been incredibly helpful so far, and I know what I will use it until it dies. This weekend I made:

-4 batches of scones (lavender and chocolate chip)
-8 loaves of bread
-a double batch of chocolate chip cookies
-a doubled batch of corn chips

I am so over mixing by hand! I have to say though that I have good muscles for a skinny girl...due to the bread kneading and the mixing of tons of stuff. We are trying to not buy any pre-made things...at all. (key word "TRYING") our goal is to make/bake/cook and eat things that we know what is going into it...to the best of our ability. That is why this bright red kitchenade comes in handy...THANK YOU MOM!!!

tell me what you see:

This Christmas eve we gave our family the equivalent of an inkblot test...not really meaning too, but that is the way it worked out. Here you are able to see what each of them is thinking about.


Oliver drew: what do you see in this picture? (maybe he was hungry!?)


Ellyn : I think it is obvious that she is anticipating a perfect wedding! yay! (do you see the back of Andrew's van ready to go? fun stuff.)

Brad: this one he drew for me...it is our future yurt home, a wonderful garden...oliver is climbing a tree and jackson is the goat herder. I think he put himself sitting and drinking coffee...and just observing the beauty of it all.
Andrew: He is thinking about his next feat to travel around the US of A! ( according to him the person in the back seat is Ellyn)
Jackson: Well, since it was Christmas eve...guess what he was thinking about? here is a Christmas tree with a smile and a lot of pretty lights.

greetings:

Hey...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE. yay!

Karma and Other Stories

Karma and Other Stories by Rishi Reddi

This is a book of short stories that I loved. It is about slightly interlocking stories about new beginnings, transitions, cultures clashing and living life.
I loved most of the stories, and really liked the rest. Every time one was over I was wanting to know more about the characters! This is a great book. Reminds me of Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, which won the Pulitzer Prize if you have not read that one I highly recommend that one too.

galimoto

GA-LI-MO-TO, you know! right? If not...let me tell you about my latest thing: those vehicles, usually bikes or cars or trucks that the kids make in several developing countries around the world....some in Kenya, and I saw that they are made in India as well. I went to our local "Ten Thousand Villages" here in Lebanon...it is a beautiful store and I just fell in love with these "galimotos" ! I decided not to buy them for the boys yet because they would be too hard on them. I just cannot stop thinking about them.
They are only $6 and they are incredible. I think I should by some and then make some more! The kids in these countries make them out of the scraps they can find and they are amazing to look at. When you roll them along the ground the little man's legs look as though they are pushing the pedals. I think I will have to go back and buy several. I am thinking of making it the theme in the boys new room...."international fun stuff" or something. Maybe it would be better to decorate my own room in them since I am the obsessed one. yeah?