This website is a wonderful aid for Bible memorization. Such fun! It takes the portion of the Bible you are seeking to commit to memory, and gives you just the first letter of each word.
I've spent as much time as possible over the past few days preparing for this new school year. One thing I'm excited about is our memory binder. I put monthly memory work in tabs, including: a hymn, poetry, catechism questions, and Scripture portions. I think the website will really help with our Scripture memorization.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Around our house, the best way to eat banana bread is with chocolate chips and walnuts. Once again, I adapted a Cooking Light recipe (for Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread) to make it practical and easy for our family. (Why melt the chocolate and swirl it in? It was fun and fancy, but chocolate chips are so quick and tasty, and I feel great about our healthy add-ins.)
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
2 cups (freshly ground) whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sweetener (we prefer honey)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain yogurt (or kefir)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk well. (Sometimes we replace part of the flour with ground flax seeds.)
3. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well blended. Add mashed banana, eggs, and yogurt; beat until blended. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until moist.
4. Gently fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Bake one loaf at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from pan. (We often use the mini loaf pan and make 4 small loaves. These need to bake for about 40 minutes.) Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
2 cups (freshly ground) whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sweetener (we prefer honey)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain yogurt (or kefir)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk well. (Sometimes we replace part of the flour with ground flax seeds.)
3. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well blended. Add mashed banana, eggs, and yogurt; beat until blended. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until moist.
4. Gently fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Bake one loaf at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from pan. (We often use the mini loaf pan and make 4 small loaves. These need to bake for about 40 minutes.) Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Our usual pizza crust recipe for our weekly pizza night:
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
1 and 1/2 cups warm water (115 degrees)
3 and 3/4 tsp. yeast
1 Tbl. honey
3 Tbl. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
4 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground)
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Allow to rest 5 minutes while assembling other ingredients.
2. Stir honey, oil, and salt into 3 cups flour. Add yeast mixture and stir well.
3. Knead remaining 1 and 1/2 cup of flour into dough. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
4. Rub oil over a large mixing bowl. Put dough in bowl and loosely cover. Allow to rise in a warm place for at least 15 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 2 (or 2 large portions and one smaller) and stretch and roll dough to make crusts of 2 large stone pizzas (or 2 thinner crusts and one additional smaller pizza). Flute edges.
5. Bake, in a preheated oven, at 425. (Sometimes we prebake the crusts for 5 minutes before topping; other times we top and bake until the cheese is melty and ready to eat.)
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
1 and 1/2 cups warm water (115 degrees)
3 and 3/4 tsp. yeast
1 Tbl. honey
3 Tbl. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
4 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground)
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Allow to rest 5 minutes while assembling other ingredients.
2. Stir honey, oil, and salt into 3 cups flour. Add yeast mixture and stir well.
3. Knead remaining 1 and 1/2 cup of flour into dough. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
4. Rub oil over a large mixing bowl. Put dough in bowl and loosely cover. Allow to rise in a warm place for at least 15 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 2 (or 2 large portions and one smaller) and stretch and roll dough to make crusts of 2 large stone pizzas (or 2 thinner crusts and one additional smaller pizza). Flute edges.
5. Bake, in a preheated oven, at 425. (Sometimes we prebake the crusts for 5 minutes before topping; other times we top and bake until the cheese is melty and ready to eat.)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Happy 3 to T!
What special, wonderful boy this is!
It was such a joy to celebrate your third birthday, T. At dinner, we talked about the things that endear you to us and the ways you have grown and changed in the past year. You have learned to ride the little blue bike. You've become really helpful with taking the recycling downstairs and bringing up toilet paper to stock the bathrooms. You love to help pass out the JuicePlus chewies at meal time (we think you like it because you always give yourself more than two!). You relish your role as big brother to M; calling him your baby, and "isn't he lovely?" and "he has soft baby skin." Sometimes we find you laying on top of M- not sure if it is a snuggle or a little wrestle. You notice letters and numbers, and the ramp turnoff to Daddy's work. "There's your work road, Daddy!" you'll exclaim.
You still suck you first two fingers and like to have your other hand on skin, usually under your shirt (stretching out your shirt necks) or up your shorts! You love to listen to books and you have portions of your favorites memorized. The story of Jesus being arrested in the Garden is your favorite Bible story, and you can flip to it in seconds and say it word for word along with me.
L thinks you are wonderful for playing pretend with her. You two play a lot while Mommy does school with the big boys. (Your play often involves mud.) You also enjoy being rough with your big brothers, wrestling and jumping on the trampoline with them. Daddy and I think you are the strongest boy yet; you have an intense tackle and are a force to be reckoned with! Yet, you also have sincere prayers and heartfelt apologies. You are sensitive to others' needs, always the first to pass things at the table and quick to run to the kitchen to refill others' drinks or retrieve forgotten items. You still say "I love you" more often than anyone else and it breaks your heart if Mommy or Daddy leave without giving you a kiss and a hug goodbye. "Don't go because I'll miss you because I love you!" is one of the things you are known to say.
Oh, we reminisced about your birth and your first joke and and your scrapes and blood. We relished the three year's worth of memories that we have. You have been a blessing to us. We love you SO much, always and forever, no matter what. Happy third birthday, T!
Friday, August 20, 2010
And Yet
I'm still working to apply 4:8 thinking. I'm grateful for:
216) The anticipation of a date night tomorrow!
217) My husband's analytical, practical, lawerly mind
218) Tears
219) Long embraces
220) Being found truthful and honorable
221) A boy bringing me water with ice because he could tell I was hot
222) Boys playing piano
223) Baby breath (I've probably said that before, but it's my favorite smell)
224) Shiny new paint
225) The sense of accomplishment of cleaning out and getting rid of things
226) Yummy chocolate fondue. . .on sweet faces
227) Obvious, unchecked excitement of boys- getting ready to camp in the backyard
228) Unexpected connections with people, clearly of the Lord
229) Fresh flavors of salsa with tomatoes from the garden
230) Growing families; how sweet to be an aunt- and again!
216) The anticipation of a date night tomorrow!
217) My husband's analytical, practical, lawerly mind
218) Tears
219) Long embraces
220) Being found truthful and honorable
221) A boy bringing me water with ice because he could tell I was hot
222) Boys playing piano
223) Baby breath (I've probably said that before, but it's my favorite smell)
224) Shiny new paint
225) The sense of accomplishment of cleaning out and getting rid of things
226) Yummy chocolate fondue. . .on sweet faces
227) Obvious, unchecked excitement of boys- getting ready to camp in the backyard
228) Unexpected connections with people, clearly of the Lord
229) Fresh flavors of salsa with tomatoes from the garden
230) Growing families; how sweet to be an aunt- and again!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Way Things Are
People are asking us about our move and our plans. Much as I would like a wonderful, standard answer to give, I don't have one. And I feel it's important to give more of an answer than the cliches that so easily roll off the tongue- if only to avoid mindless chatter.
B starts September 1 in Richmond. He will be living there, but we still don't know where. We can't afford a mortgage payment and rent, so we need to find something as inexpensive as possible. He plans to drive over for the work week and then drive back to Lynchburg for the weekends.
So, the next issue is the vehicle. We only have one, our (gift from God) Honda Odyssey. B can drive it to Richmond and I plan to avail myself of the public bus stop that is near our house. B's current employer has allowed B the use of his truck over the past year when logistics made that desirable. He has generously offered to allow B to take the truck to Richmond. We're still thinking on this.
The house is for sale. It was for sale by owner for a week with only two phone calls and one showing. Then, we listed with a friend of ours who is a realtor. It has been on the market (with Long and Foster) for two weeks with one showing. Tomorrow we have an open house from 2-4 (though we still aren't sure what we will be doing during that time.)
If/when the house sells, we will begin packing in earnest and then we will look for residence in Richmond. Until then, life continues much the same as always, though there is heightened awareness and sensitivity to keeping things tidy. We're also spending more time on home-related activities. B and the boys spent the entire morning spreading mulch and B worked in the yard until well into the afternoon. I've been painting and touching up during nap times and amassing bins of items to yard sale or give away.
And we wait. We know that the Lord is sovereign and we rest in that. Surely, I can believe His Word that He will never give us more than we can bear. When so many of my friends are facing extended periods of time away from their spouse, I feel so grateful that B will only be 2 hours away. It will be a challenging season, no doubt. Yet, B is very excited about his position and I'm looking for the Lord's goodness and faithfulness in this. I expect that I will grow in humble dependence upon Him through the next months. Because we don't know when we'll move, I have not joined any homeschool co-ops or any other groups or activities. This is okay with me, though I admit there is appeal in fellowship and community support while my husband will be absent and I'm trying to manage it all (and nurse the baby!). How grateful I am that we have a wonderful church family.
Please pray with us. The sooner our home sells, the sooner we can be reunited as a family. Nonetheless, even though we would like our home to sell quickly, we also know that any profit can be applied to debt, which is so important to us. We really are looking for a situation where God clearly brings the right buyer at the right time. We don't know who or when that is, so we wait and trust.
B starts September 1 in Richmond. He will be living there, but we still don't know where. We can't afford a mortgage payment and rent, so we need to find something as inexpensive as possible. He plans to drive over for the work week and then drive back to Lynchburg for the weekends.
So, the next issue is the vehicle. We only have one, our (gift from God) Honda Odyssey. B can drive it to Richmond and I plan to avail myself of the public bus stop that is near our house. B's current employer has allowed B the use of his truck over the past year when logistics made that desirable. He has generously offered to allow B to take the truck to Richmond. We're still thinking on this.
The house is for sale. It was for sale by owner for a week with only two phone calls and one showing. Then, we listed with a friend of ours who is a realtor. It has been on the market (with Long and Foster) for two weeks with one showing. Tomorrow we have an open house from 2-4 (though we still aren't sure what we will be doing during that time.)
If/when the house sells, we will begin packing in earnest and then we will look for residence in Richmond. Until then, life continues much the same as always, though there is heightened awareness and sensitivity to keeping things tidy. We're also spending more time on home-related activities. B and the boys spent the entire morning spreading mulch and B worked in the yard until well into the afternoon. I've been painting and touching up during nap times and amassing bins of items to yard sale or give away.
And we wait. We know that the Lord is sovereign and we rest in that. Surely, I can believe His Word that He will never give us more than we can bear. When so many of my friends are facing extended periods of time away from their spouse, I feel so grateful that B will only be 2 hours away. It will be a challenging season, no doubt. Yet, B is very excited about his position and I'm looking for the Lord's goodness and faithfulness in this. I expect that I will grow in humble dependence upon Him through the next months. Because we don't know when we'll move, I have not joined any homeschool co-ops or any other groups or activities. This is okay with me, though I admit there is appeal in fellowship and community support while my husband will be absent and I'm trying to manage it all (and nurse the baby!). How grateful I am that we have a wonderful church family.
Please pray with us. The sooner our home sells, the sooner we can be reunited as a family. Nonetheless, even though we would like our home to sell quickly, we also know that any profit can be applied to debt, which is so important to us. We really are looking for a situation where God clearly brings the right buyer at the right time. We don't know who or when that is, so we wait and trust.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
BLTOC Salad
Oh, Yum.
Tonight, I made our version of Cooking Light's BLT Bread Salad. I wish I had photos to show you! It was a gorgeous bowl full of greens and fresh onions and tomatoes, drizzled with dressing. After refraining from pork for years, the bacon was a splurge and gesture of love to the men of the house. They gobbled this up and O even muttered that it was, "awesome," between gargantuan bites, of course.
BLTOC Salad (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Crouton)
6 cups (1/2 inch) cubed firm bread (we used 1/2 a loaf of sesame)
Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons purified water
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
dash of ground red pepper
Salad:
6 cups torn greens
4 cups chopped tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
4 thinly sliced green onions
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
sliced avocado, optional
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Put cubed bread in a single layer on a jelly roll pan (or stone). If using a pan, spray lightly with cooking oil. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until golden.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk (if you want one bowl. Otherwise, mix dressing separately; we didn't use this much).
4. Add toasted bread, greens, tomatoes and onions to the bowl. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.
Tonight, I made our version of Cooking Light's BLT Bread Salad. I wish I had photos to show you! It was a gorgeous bowl full of greens and fresh onions and tomatoes, drizzled with dressing. After refraining from pork for years, the bacon was a splurge and gesture of love to the men of the house. They gobbled this up and O even muttered that it was, "awesome," between gargantuan bites, of course.
BLTOC Salad (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Crouton)
6 cups (1/2 inch) cubed firm bread (we used 1/2 a loaf of sesame)
Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons purified water
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
dash of ground red pepper
Salad:
6 cups torn greens
4 cups chopped tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
4 thinly sliced green onions
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
sliced avocado, optional
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Put cubed bread in a single layer on a jelly roll pan (or stone). If using a pan, spray lightly with cooking oil. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until golden.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk (if you want one bowl. Otherwise, mix dressing separately; we didn't use this much).
4. Add toasted bread, greens, tomatoes and onions to the bowl. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
One Week, One 2 YO Boy
It seems to have been an unusually busy week for a certain 2 year old boy at our house. I promise that I haven't left him alone for more than ten minutes; which is obviously far too long. Here is a partial description of T's week:
- Writing with crayon on the yellow table
- Using the potato scrubber and veggie wash to clean the garbage can
- Then, using the potato scrubber to clean the inside of the toilet bowl
- Writing with pencil on the back porch walls
- Cutting his chin when he fell off the skateboard
- Using toilet paper to clean the slide
- Cutting his face with a razor while in the bath
- Writing on L's carpet with marker
- Bloody nose at friend's house
- Writing on a radiator with a pencil
- Gluing paper to the dining room table
- Writing all over himself with markers
Saturday, August 7, 2010
What Makes a Good Mom?
In my opinion, it takes a lot to be a great mom (love on each child daily, lead them toward maturity and godliness, and also read to them, feed them nutritious food, keep them well clothed, and supervise their education, etc.)
In my kids' opinion, it's very simple. I'm a great mom when I buy a giant bag of pretzels at Sam's Club. (whatever came over me?!)
In my kids' opinion, it's very simple. I'm a great mom when I buy a giant bag of pretzels at Sam's Club. (whatever came over me?!)
Lemon Water
Next to drinking plain purified water, drinking lemon water daily is a simple, yet important thing you can do for your health. Not only do we use fresh lemons in our water, but I love to use lemon essential oil. No buying, slicing and storing lemons; the oil is in the cupboard above my water pitcher, so it is easy to add a drop or two to the pitcher when it is filled.
Some of the benefits of lemon, found at naturalhealthezine.com are:
:
Some of the benefits of lemon, found at naturalhealthezine.com are:
- lemon juice cleans your mouth
- it controls excessive bile flow
- it dislodges phlegm
- it aides in the digestive process
- lemon water helps alleviate constipation
- it helps prevent vomiting
- it helps with throat issues
- cleanses the liver and kidneys
- works as a natural skin cleanser
:“The medicinal value of the lemon is as follows: It is an antiseptic, or is an agent that prevents sepsis [the presence of pathogenic bacteria] or putrefaction [decomposition of tissue]. It is also anti-scorbutic, a term meaning a remedy which will prevent disease and assist in cleansing the system of impurities.”
Friday, August 6, 2010
I'm Learning, He's Great, BUT
He is still a baby and I still have a lot to learn.
Let's just say it was a looooong day. I messed it up to begin with, because even though I know it works to nurse between 5 and 6 a.m. and then lay M back down, I overslept until 6 a.m. and didn't wake M until nearly 6:30. Then, others were up and M was just so darn cute that they were talking to him, picking him up... needless to say, he didn't go back to sleep. M was up most of the morning (sucking his fingers and either cooing or fussing depending on who was around) and didn't sleep well during his morning or afternoon naps. Instead of feeling great (like I do when I'm "accomplishing" things), I wore M in the Bjorn and felt like it was hard to keep anything on track.
We had to cancel plans with friends because the children were struggling this morning with disobedience and diligence in their tasks. We couldn't go anywhere because B had the van today. I felt a bit stuck.
It seemed all day as if I couldn't quite get my footing. Having a(n unpredictable) baby will do that.
Just keeping myself humble and keeping things real around here.
Let's just say it was a looooong day. I messed it up to begin with, because even though I know it works to nurse between 5 and 6 a.m. and then lay M back down, I overslept until 6 a.m. and didn't wake M until nearly 6:30. Then, others were up and M was just so darn cute that they were talking to him, picking him up... needless to say, he didn't go back to sleep. M was up most of the morning (sucking his fingers and either cooing or fussing depending on who was around) and didn't sleep well during his morning or afternoon naps. Instead of feeling great (like I do when I'm "accomplishing" things), I wore M in the Bjorn and felt like it was hard to keep anything on track.
We had to cancel plans with friends because the children were struggling this morning with disobedience and diligence in their tasks. We couldn't go anywhere because B had the van today. I felt a bit stuck.
It seemed all day as if I couldn't quite get my footing. Having a(n unpredictable) baby will do that.
Just keeping myself humble and keeping things real around here.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I'm Learning, Or He's Just Great
Something is different this time around. M is 3 months and he feels so easy (at this moment). Life speeds on, full of activities, work and play. Having a baby doesn't seem like such a challenge.
Is it me? I daresay I haven't become more accomplished. Through four children I've learned that I like to establish and follow a routine (very rigidly with O, much more loosely with T). I'm committed to nursing; but I always have been. I will nurse routinely for nourishment, but I will also nurse for comfort. I'll nurse at night, if need be, to maintain a strong supply, but I prefer to stretch the night feedings out in an effort to phase them out completely. We follow nursing with a wake time and then to a nap.
It is probably just M that is making things so easy. He and I have established a consistent nursing routine of about three hour intervals. The crucial piece, for me, was having a consistent start to our day. It seems he usually is awake between 5 and 6 am, so I determined that this would be the first feed of the day. I'm committed to getting myself up after that feeding so that I can start my day. If he doesn't wake by 6:30, I wake him, nurse, and lay him back down. This is the key! Even though he is awake after this feed and I can hardly keep from cooing at him, I know it is best for me to put him back down (with just a few sweet words!). He will then typically rise between 8:30 and 9 am.
I have never had a child do this! Either I just thought that they were up for the day at 6 am (as I was), or they weren't so easy to put back down. M is a dream. When he wakes before the 9 am nursing, he rolls to his back and looks around and makes happy noises. What a joy! I remember reading Baby Wise and taking to heart that you should wait for your child to be happy before you pick them up. . . but that simply was NOT happening with other children. (L, especially, I put a concerted effort into trying to train to be happy- to no avail. She still wakes up without a cheerful disposition.) Perhaps M is, as The Baby Whisperer would say, just an "angel baby."
So, I don't know if I've learned much, but I do know that my days are running so smoothly when I can depend upon M's waking. I'm able to have a quiet time, start laundry, make breakfast, exercise, and organize my thoughts before we are full on. Bedtime is similar. I put M down around 6, then nurse again when I'm going to bed (around 9 or 10). It's much simpler to read to everyone else and complete our bedtime routines with my hands free. It doesn't always run like this, but things are more predictable than not. . . and I'm SO thankful. M is great.
Is it me? I daresay I haven't become more accomplished. Through four children I've learned that I like to establish and follow a routine (very rigidly with O, much more loosely with T). I'm committed to nursing; but I always have been. I will nurse routinely for nourishment, but I will also nurse for comfort. I'll nurse at night, if need be, to maintain a strong supply, but I prefer to stretch the night feedings out in an effort to phase them out completely. We follow nursing with a wake time and then to a nap.
It is probably just M that is making things so easy. He and I have established a consistent nursing routine of about three hour intervals. The crucial piece, for me, was having a consistent start to our day. It seems he usually is awake between 5 and 6 am, so I determined that this would be the first feed of the day. I'm committed to getting myself up after that feeding so that I can start my day. If he doesn't wake by 6:30, I wake him, nurse, and lay him back down. This is the key! Even though he is awake after this feed and I can hardly keep from cooing at him, I know it is best for me to put him back down (with just a few sweet words!). He will then typically rise between 8:30 and 9 am.
I have never had a child do this! Either I just thought that they were up for the day at 6 am (as I was), or they weren't so easy to put back down. M is a dream. When he wakes before the 9 am nursing, he rolls to his back and looks around and makes happy noises. What a joy! I remember reading Baby Wise and taking to heart that you should wait for your child to be happy before you pick them up. . . but that simply was NOT happening with other children. (L, especially, I put a concerted effort into trying to train to be happy- to no avail. She still wakes up without a cheerful disposition.) Perhaps M is, as The Baby Whisperer would say, just an "angel baby."
So, I don't know if I've learned much, but I do know that my days are running so smoothly when I can depend upon M's waking. I'm able to have a quiet time, start laundry, make breakfast, exercise, and organize my thoughts before we are full on. Bedtime is similar. I put M down around 6, then nurse again when I'm going to bed (around 9 or 10). It's much simpler to read to everyone else and complete our bedtime routines with my hands free. It doesn't always run like this, but things are more predictable than not. . . and I'm SO thankful. M is great.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Really Good Chocolate Avocado Fondue (Really!)
Chocolate Avocado Fondue
1Tablespoon butter (or coconut oil)
1/2 cup avocado puree (I used 1 avocado)
1/4 cup carrot puree (I used 2 small carrots)
1 cup powdered sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
OR 1/2 cup quality dark chocolate pieces
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add purees. Whisk in powdered sugar. Add chocolate and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Serve warm.
For my recent Chocolate and Wellness Nights, I tried this recipe from Deceptively Delicious (Jessica Seinfeld). I had one avocado on hand, and this seemed a simple way to use it up. Plus, I could stretch my chocolate, and healthify a very delicious snack.
This was very yummy! We could have eaten the entire container in one sitting, happily dipping our strawberries, bananas, and pretzels.
1Tablespoon butter (or coconut oil)
1/2 cup avocado puree (I used 1 avocado)
1/4 cup carrot puree (I used 2 small carrots)
1 cup powdered sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
OR 1/2 cup quality dark chocolate pieces
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add purees. Whisk in powdered sugar. Add chocolate and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Serve warm.
For my recent Chocolate and Wellness Nights, I tried this recipe from Deceptively Delicious (Jessica Seinfeld). I had one avocado on hand, and this seemed a simple way to use it up. Plus, I could stretch my chocolate, and healthify a very delicious snack.
This was very yummy! We could have eaten the entire container in one sitting, happily dipping our strawberries, bananas, and pretzels.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Joy In the Circumstances
More from The 4:8 Principle (Tommy Newberry):
"Look at your circumstances with the eyes of faith and see what could be if you would change your attitude and allow God to work in the situation. . . Ask, "How would I act if I were bubbling with joy?"'
"Paraphrase Goethe's wisdom by saying, "Treat your husband as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be and should be, and he will become as he could be and should be. Treat your son as he could be and should be, and he will grow into what he could be and should be."
I need to purposely go to JOY today.
201) My husband's happy anticipation of his new job
202) Sweet baby in my arms
203) The celebration of my sister's first baby
204) Boys cleaning out the shed
205) L writing letters and sealing them in envelopes to mail
206) A clean house for the would-be buyers (wish they would come!)
207) The mystery of God working out things, going before us
208) Dinner out with friends
209) Baked potatoes; simple supper
210) Cooler air and open windows
211) Proverbs after breakfast
212) Nectarine juice running down chins
213) Blackberry stained hands and faces
214) Familiar sight of neighbors out walking
![]()
"Look at your circumstances with the eyes of faith and see what could be if you would change your attitude and allow God to work in the situation. . . Ask, "How would I act if I were bubbling with joy?"'
"Paraphrase Goethe's wisdom by saying, "Treat your husband as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be and should be, and he will become as he could be and should be. Treat your son as he could be and should be, and he will grow into what he could be and should be."
I need to purposely go to JOY today.
201) My husband's happy anticipation of his new job
202) Sweet baby in my arms
203) The celebration of my sister's first baby
204) Boys cleaning out the shed
205) L writing letters and sealing them in envelopes to mail
206) A clean house for the would-be buyers (wish they would come!)
207) The mystery of God working out things, going before us
208) Dinner out with friends
209) Baked potatoes; simple supper
210) Cooler air and open windows
211) Proverbs after breakfast
212) Nectarine juice running down chins
213) Blackberry stained hands and faces
214) Familiar sight of neighbors out walking
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