Book Series Review

Annie's People
by Beverly Lewis

For a number of years I have enjoyed reading Beverly Lewis' novels. Her stories generally focus on Amish characters and are set in Pennsylvania. Lewis' latest series, Annie's People, consists of three volumes: The Preacher's Daughter, The Englisher and The Brethren.

Annie Zook is an Amish preacher's daughter caught between two worlds. God has gifted her with a talent for drawing and painting. However, her Old Order church forbids its members from creating fine art. She is torn between her love for art and loyalty to her family and community.

Beverly Lewis' novels are genuine and believable. Her attention to realistic detail makes the stories come alive. I especially like her vivid descriptions of authentic Amish cuisine. In fact, Beverly has also compiled a cookbook of Amish recipes. I was curious, so last week I also borrowed Beverly Lewis' Amish Heritage Cookbook from the library. Now I can make my own shoofly pie, if I'm ever so motivated.

After a busy day, Beverly Lewis' novels are a welcome diversion. Her characters are interesting and the stories take place in beautiful settings. The Annie's People series is a satisfying, relaxing read.

Word of the Day (Part 2)

I think my son may be reading the dictionary on the sly (thought I'm not sure when he learned to read...). This morning he used the following word:

Duplicitous: (adj.) given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech.

Granted, he didn't use the word in the correct context, but we're amazed he even knew how to pronounce it.

"Daddy, did you know taxes are duplicitous?"

Word of the Day

My four-year-old son has a new favourite word: sleek.

"Look at my sleek spaceship, Mommy!"

"Isn't this robot sleek?"

I'm not sure where he picked it up. That boy has ears like sponges.

Sleek: (adj.) trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined

Little Boys

I love how my boys are young and innocent. They've been sheltered and protected, I think even more so than most kids their ages. As they should be! My oldest boy is only four years old. He has plenty of time ahead of him for growing up. I think he should spend his days playing, being silly, and enjoying his boyhood.

Every day at lunch time I put on a DVD for the kids. For the past two weeks my boys have begged to watch the same video --- Elmo's World. I must say, I am getting pretty sick of that furry, red monster. But I'll keep playing Elmo's World as long as my boys request it for two reasons:

1. The boys agree on the movie and they enjoy watching it.

2. Elmo's World is not cool for most four-year-olds, but my oldest son doesn't care. Last week a five-year-old buddy came over to play. My boys asked to watch Elmo's World. The friend proclaimed, "That video is for babies!" but my sons didn't care one bit. In fact, my oldest boy gave his friend a look that said, "What are you talking about? Elmo is totally cool!"

Children stay little for such a short time. I don't plan to rush my boys' preschool years. They will grow up soon enough!

BookCrossing

I signed up for my own (free) BookCrossing account and bought a (not-so free) "Book Release Kit". Check out my bookshelf here. (My BookCrossing secret identity is ink-spot79.)

Some BookCrossing quick facts:

• More than 35,000 BookCrossing members live in Canada
• Alberta boasts over 4,000 members
• About 1,500 BookCrossing members live in Calgary!
• Hunting for "released" books can become a serious hobby. The BookCrossing website is updated with new releases every 20 minutes.

Freed any good books lately?
Commit random acts of literacy!

This Book's Got Legs!

I found a great idea for bibliophiles (like me!). I'm going to give BookCrossing a try. What's is all about?

1. Read a good book.

2. Register the book at www.bookcrossing.com, and label it with an ID number and instructions.

3. Release the book "into the wild" for someone else to find. (Give it to a friend, leave it on a park bench, "forget" it in a coffee shop.)

4. The book's finder can log onto www.bookcrossing.com and complete a journal entry on the book, then release the book again!

5. Every time someone records a journal entry on your book you will receive notification via email. You might be lucky enough to track your book around the world!

In 2004, the term BookCrossing was added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary --- n: the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

What a fun way to share terrific books!

Junior Kindergarten

Our big boy is officially a junior kindergartener! Today I secured one of the last spots for September's class. I am excited about the prospect. My son, however, is quite ambivalent about the whole thing ...

Buying Organic

I am slowly working at incorporating more organic and locally-produced foods into our diet. Buying organic food can be expensive, and I think it is probably more cost-effective to buy directly from farmers. I have been searching for a good place to buy organic meat, in particular. Last night my friend recommended a great place where I can purchase organic chicken.

Country Lane Farms is located near Strathmore. They accept orders for organic chicken, beef and fresh fish online. Country Lane brings the orders into Calgary on scheduled dates at specific times, and one of the drop-off locations is our very own church parking lot. (Why did I not learn this sooner?!). They also deliver to the Southcentre Mall parking lot.

Another good website I've found is Slow Food Calgary. This site has a list of many local producers, and many of them raise organic foods.

"More Pancakes, Mommy!"

I learned three things at breakfast time this morning:

1. Pancake batter is easier to mix in a blender than by hand. It's less messy too.

2. Silicone spatulas are not indestructible. I should have known better than to let mine touch the whirling blender blades. (I hope my husband remembers that "nothing says 'I love you' like a new spatula".)

3. Small, hungry boys are capable of eating their own body weight in pancakes, if given the chance. My two-year-old consumed five. The four-year-old ate six.

Mom's Buttermilk Pancakes
(from Dining On a Dime, p. 48)

2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. sugar
2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 C. flour

In a bowl, mix first three ingredients. Stir soda into buttermilk in a measuring cup. Add to bowl. Lightly stir in baking powder and flour, just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Mixture will be thick and lumpy. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat and lightly grease. Cook on a hot greased griddle. Flip when bubbles break on surface and the edges begin to dry. Makes 18-20 medium pancakes.

(Notes: I substitute whole wheat flour for white. Instead of real buttermilk I mixed 8 tbsp. powdered milk, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and enough water to make 2 cups.)

Our Big Girl

Baby Girl is already seven months old. She can nearly sit up on her own and likes to eat many different types of food. She enjoys rice cereal, barley cereal, bananas, apple sauce, apricots, sweet potatoes and carrots. This morning our girl even tried to eat a few (soggy) cheerios. Before we know it she will be toddling around, chasing after her big brothers!

Gobble, Gobble

"You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"
(Ebenzer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol)

.....................

A hush fell over the crowded auditorium. The house lights dimmed and the stage was illuminated by dazzling spotlights. A small, Oriental man strode across the platform. He was greeted by a warm round of applause.

"And now we bring you the highlight of our evening!" the man announced, "A new sport for your viewing pleasure!" With a sweeping gesture, the man pulled aside a heavy red curtain.

A tall, geeky man wearing shin pads and a helmet ran across the stage. The audience clapped and cheered. The man paused and assumed a ready position, preparing to kick what appeared to be a large, round, white ball.

No, wait. The audience gasped in surprise. The object rolling across the stage was not like any ball they had ever seen before.

It had a beak. Two orange feet ... And feathers.

In fact, the "ball" looked suspiciously like a turkey. (Perhaps a turkey that had swallowed a beach ball.)

The athlete ran towards the ball, drew back his foot, and gave the turkey a mighty kick.

"Squawk!!" bellowed the bird ball as it sailed through the air.

"Wait!" screamed an angry member of the audience, "Can't you see this is wrong?! This is animal cruelty! You can't just genetically engineer animals to suit your fancy. Turkeys were not meant to look like beach balls!"

The crowd murmured its agreement as the scene faded to black ...

....................

(Note to self: Just say no to pb&j sandwiches before bed.)

Quick Tip

I gleaned this tidbit from my Dining On a Dime cookbook. It works very well!

Wrap your celery securely in aluminum foil before you put it in the crisper of the fridge. The celery will last a long time without becoming pale and limp.

My School Kid

Yesterday morning my son and I paid an impromptu visit to his new preschool I wanted to pick up a registration form, and I had hoped we might take a look around. My big boy was terribly excited to visit the school.

Ben and I would like to register our son for junior kindergarten this September. The junior kindergarten program runs five afternoons per week, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. The class is geared towards four-year-olds ---- kids who are a bit too big for preschool, but not yet ready for kindergarten. The program focuses on pre-reading skills, an introduction to phonics, listening skills, play time, story time, and lots of crafts. The kids also spend some time working on computers.

The junior kindergarten class is very small. There are 20 children to two teachers. Early registration has already started, but we will not be allowed to register our son until Jan. 22. Three spots are still open in the class. On the registration day I plan to arrive at least half an hour early, and hopefully we will secure one of those last three seats! If not, we'll register our son in the three-day-per-week preschool program and put his name on the waiting list for junior kindergarten.

I was very impressed with the school when we toured it yesterday. The director was a kind, caring woman. She made a point of showing my son every classroom, and even let him play with some of the toys. The school has four large, bright classrooms, offices, and a computer lab for the children. We even toured the washrooms and the storage closet!

After reading all the resource material, browsing the web site, touring the school, and meeting the director and several teachers, I feel confident that our son will do well at this preschool. Our family will embark on a new season this September. I can hardly believe my little man will soon be a school kid!

What's in a Name?

I received a package in the mail today. It was my free "Bite Into Books" selection. (Another cereal box prize!)

Do you know what the return address was on the envelope?

1655 Inkster Boulevard
Winnipeg, MB
R2X 2W7

Everyday Wisdom

Perhaps my son should start a career writing fortune cookie messages. This evening my four-year-old imparted the following sage words:

"Wet or dry, any soap is ordinary."

"Girly" Toys

"I want my Lego!!" our preschooler wailed from the backseat, "You forgot my Lego at home!"

"Whoa, calm down, dude," my husband called over his shoulder. He kept his eyes on the road as he carefully pulled our van into traffic.

"But you said I could bring my Lego to Grammy and Grandpa's," our son sobbed.

"Nooooo. I don't remember agreeing to that," Ben replied, "I think you said you were bringing your Lego, Buddy."

I turned slightly in my seat and joined the conversation. "Besides," I added, "Auntie V. has Lego you could play with. She has that girl Lego."

"I can't play with girl Lego!" our son protested, "It's too girly!!" He burst into a fresh flood of tears.

Ben and I glanced at one another, sighed, and continued the short trip to grandma and grandpa's.

As we pulled into the driveway, our son sniffled and dried his tears. He bounded out of the van and ran to the front door. Once inside, he threw off his coat and boots. Our boy scurried downstairs and quickly immersed himself in his grandma and grandpa's play room. Surrounded by cool toys, he rapidly forgot his Lego-induced tantrum.

A few minutes later our son emerged from the play room, smiling and content. Apparently, he had found an interesting new toy to occupy his attention...

Our little boy clutched a dainty baby doll in one hand and a small pink brush in the other. He lovingly brushed the doll's long, blonde hair.

My husband cleared his throat, "Glad to see you found a toy that wasn't too girly, Son."

Our preschooler laughed, hugged his doll, and happily ran downstairs to play.

The Best Deal

I think most women like to go shopping, and many ladies enjoy snagging great deals. I have several friends who love searching for sales. They spend hours leafing through flyers, driving from one store to another, comparing and contrasting various products. I like shopping, too, but I don't have the time and energy to search through many stores. Instead, I have decided to try an idea I read about.

I am going to start a master spreadsheet. It will have columns for entries such as: product, brand name, size, price, unit price, store, and date. Every time I find a great deal on an item I use often (like laundry soap or mushroom soup) I will enter it into my spreadsheet. My theory is this --- some products are cheaper in some stores, but no one store sells every product I need at the best price. I'll save money in the long run if I buy large quantities of items when they are on sale, even if I must drive to two or three stores to find them.

For example, this week Sobeys had a great sale advertised in their flyer. They were selling frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4kg) for $27.95. That is about 25% off the regular price. I would not choose to buy all my groceries at Sobeys because their prices are usually quite high, but I made a special trip to the store simply to pick up some chicken breasts. They were all sold out, but I asked for a rain cheque at the customer service desk. Now, I can keep the chicken in my deep freeze, and I'll enter all the sale information into my spreadsheet.

Most stores advertise terrific deals in their flyers. These are called "loss leaders" because the stores don't make much (if any) profit on them. If I'm smart and disciplined, I can stock up on only the sale items. Of course, the stores try to lure me in with the loss leaders, hoping I will spend money on other things too. As I build my spreadsheet, I can compare the best prices for products I use all the time and buy larger quantities when they are on sale.

I figure now is a good time to hone my shopping skills, when our family is young. Ben and I are hoping God blesses us with many children, and we know He has called us to be good stewards of our resources. I am learning to find good deals for my family. That's partly what becoming a "Proverbs 31" woman is all about.

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!

(Proverbs 31: 10-31, The Message)

Mmmm ... Pie!

I have made a New Year's resolution --- I want to learn to make pie. This past weekend my mother-in-law sent me home with six freezer bags full of sliced apples. (She is a woman renowned for her subtlety...) Today I finally gathered my courage and decided to take the plunge.

I found an online pie-making tutorial on a website called Future Christian Homemakers. (Scroll down the page to find the Nov/Dec letter.) The instructions are incredibly detailed and easy for a newbie pie-maker to follow.

My first apple pie turned out great! I finished this pie with a crumb topping, but I think next time I will try to make a double crust. My husband is very pleased with my latest culinary venture. As he finished his dessert tonight he declared:

"This pie heralds a new era for our marriage!"

Indeed ... I think I'll be needing to bake more pies.

(The boys seem to have enjoyed the pie as well.)

Preschool Antics

My four-year-old is going through a "sensitive" stage this week. He needs lots of love, hugs, snuggles and affirmation. He has been testing his boundaries, but he's been so cute about it! I find it hard to get angry with him. I try to be lovingly firm with my son but inside I am often suppressing gales of laughter. Who needs TV? Children provide much better entertainment!

............

As I buckled my preschooler into his car seat yesterday he rattled off the following rhyme. (I assume he made it up himself. I take no credit for teaching him the language.)

"Winter is cold, summer is hot ... and d**n is a bad word, Mommy."

............

Today I spent several hours working in the kitchen. With my little boy's help I put supper in the crock pot, started a loaf of bread, and baked an apple pie. Midway through the afternoon I heard Baby Girl wake from her nap, so I hurried upstairs and left my son in the kitchen alone. (He often plays downstairs on his own.)

When I returned to the kitchen my boy was nowhere in sight. I looked in the bathroom and behind the couch. I finally found him hidden under our small table in the living room ... clutching an open bag of chocolate chips. He had stolen the chocolate from my baking cupboard while I was busy upstairs! My son was so embarrassed when I discovered his misdeed, he hid under his blankie and wouldn't come out.

............

How else do I know my son is going through a sensitive stage?

Yesterday he borrowed the DVD Toy Story 2 from the library. We viewed part of the video today at lunch time. My little boy watched most of the movie out of the corner of his eye as he peeked around the edge of his sandwich. Who knew Woody and Buzz could be so fearsome? (My son also thinks Franklin the turtle, one of the most innocuous cartoons out there, is too scary right now.)

............

My little boy is precious. He is growing so fast, I sometimes wish I could keep him four years old forever. Who knows how much longer I will enjoy snuggling him on my lap, reading Eye Spy and Curious George? His preschool years will be over in a wink.

And every mom needs a good laugh now and then!

Thought for the Day...

I read the following quote today:

"Trying to take back a rumour is like trying to unbutter a slice of bread."

Snuggle Time

Today my four-year-old was feeling cuddly. This morning he wandered upstairs with his tattered, blue "nank" (blankie) tucked under his arm, searching for snuggles. I was busy cleaning the bathroom but I paused to pull him onto my lap for a short hug. (I suspect my little guy will soon grow "too big" to snuggle with his Mommy.)

"I sure love you, Buddy," I whispered into my son's ear.

"I sure love you too, Mommy," he mumbled around the thumb in his mouth. He rested his head against my shoulder.

Suddenly, my boy perked up. "Know what, Mommy?" he proclaimed, "I like to play with Mickey when we go to Grandma's and Grandpa's house!" (Mickey is my parents' cocker spaniel.)

"Oh, really?" I asked.

"Yeah," my preschooler continued, "Except for when he sniffs my nank. Mickey's breath is stinky!"

My son then hopped down and ran off to play, leaving me to ponder his insightful comment.

... I suppose when it comes to sharing tender moments with preschooler, a mom must be willing to take whatever she can get!

Preschool vs. Kindergarten

This topic has been weighing on my mind all week, and I think my son's fourth birthday sparked it all. Our boy is a "January baby". Because of the way the school system is structured in Calgary, we have a choice as to whether he starts kindergarten this fall (2007) or next (2008).

Originally, Ben and I had decided to send our son to kindergarten this year. We submitted an application to a local Christian private school (within walking distance of our house). The school has limited enrollment, and we've been patiently waiting to hear if our little guy has been accepted.

Over the past few weeks I started to doubt my son's readiness for kindergarten, though. He's a very bright boy and has a terrific vocabulary. He communicates clearly. He's great at building things, especially with Lego. Our son makes friends easily and plays well with other kids. However, I do not think he is emotionally mature enough for school. He still throws tantrums and occasionally has trouble following instructions. His drawing and writing skills are behind most four-year-olds. (His pictures are still basically scribbles). I suspect our son is an auditory learner, which might put him at a disadvantage in a traditional classroom.

Ben and I decided to look into alternatives to kindergarten for our little guy. I learned about a "junior kindergarten" program offered at a nearby preschool. (The school is only a few blocks away from our house.) The program runs five afternoons a week, and is geared towards four-year-olds. They work on skills like colouring, printing, learning letters and numbers, and listening to instructions. The classes are small (20 preschoolers to 2 teachers). I think our son could have lots of fun at this school!

I guess enrollment for the junior kindergarten program is quite competitive. The school director warned me that the class could be full before our scheduled registration date (January 22). If the class does fill up, we will try to enroll in the 3-afternoons-a-week program instead. Hopefully we will find a spot in one of the two classes.

I had a long talk with our son today, and he is quite excited about the prospect of attending preschool. He has several friends in preschool this year, and they often tell him how fun it is. He can't wait to go to a "big boy school". Our son seems quite content to delay his kindergarten education for another year. I am glad he is so agreeable to it all!

Bed Time Ritual

My husband and I believe in regular household rituals and routines. We think predictable daily patterns help children to feel confident and secure. For example, the bed time routine never changes for our little guys. We always clean up toys, brush teeth, bathe, put on jammies, read a Bible story, pray as a family, and tuck all the kids into bed. Our nightly ritual is always the same.

Well ... almost always the same.

Tonight our eldest son reminded us why we never change the routine. Our four-year-old is a boy who hates change. He loves to eat the same kind of sandwich every day for lunch, to play with the same toys, and to read the same books. Small variations to our son's neatly ordered world tend to throw him off.

Every evening our little boy says exactly the same prayer at bed time. I can quote it verbatim, as I have heard him say it roughly a million times:

"Thank you for God thank you for today thank you for my family too amen."

Tonight, however, our four-year-old decided to be creative. Good for him! His unprompted prayer went something like this:

"Thank you, God, for today. Thank you for my wonderful family ... and thank you for that lamp. Amen."

Prayer time ended and the boys hustled off to bed. Our eldest son climbed the ladder up to his new bunk bed and peeled back the covers.

"Mommy!" he cried, "Where are my sheets!" He burst into tears.

A few days ago I bought two new sheet sets for the boys' bunk beds. Earlier this afternoon I changed their old blue-coloured sheets for fresh, clean beige ones. Apparently, my son was not impressed with his newly laundered bedding.

"I want my old sheets!" he wailed, "You need to change them back! You need to change them right now!"

Change! Ahhhh! I should have known better than to mess with the bed time ritual. Attempting to reason with an over-tired preschooler at bed time is a losing battle. After several frustrating minutes I finally decided to take a sneaky approach.

"I'm sorry buddy," I said in a soothing voice, "I didn't know you wouldn't like your new sheets. I'll make a deal with you ..."

"What is it?" my son asked between sobs.

"Well, your blue sheets are in the washing machine right now. They're all wet and soapy. Why don't you lay your head on your pillow while you wait, and if you're still awake when your sheets are washed and dried, I'll change them for you."

"Okay, Mommy," my son reluctantly agreed. He crawled under his covers and snuggled his blankie.

Weird ... my conversation with our four-year-old happened over an hour ago. I haven't heard a peep from his room since :-).

Precious Hands

The evidence surrounds me: rows of small shoes greet guests at the door, tiny fingerprints adorn the walls, a sticky sippy cup sits abandoned on the table. My house is inhabited by little people, and I am abundantly blessed.

God has entrusted these dear ones to my care for only a short season. Soon, my babies will be grown and gone from under the protection of my wings. I can pray and hold them tight for now, but God is patiently teaching me to let my little ones go ... one small baby step at a time.

Book Review:

Dining on a Dime
by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper

For the past few months I have received a weekly e-newsletter from Living on a Dime. Tawra and Jills' newsletter is packed with interesting recipes and money-saving tips. Most of them are taken from their book, Dining on a Dime. Just before Christmas I was tempted to place an order online for Dining on a Dime, but I decided to wait until after the holidays.

I'm glad I held off. My sister gave me a copy of the book for Christmas! Lori knows my tastes quite well, so it seems. She wasn't aware I received the Living on a Dime newsletter. She found Dining on a Dime in a bookstore and simply thought I would enjoy it!

I certainly do like my gift. I skimmed through the entire book this week. (Dining on a Dime is a sturdy, coil-bound volume, about two inches thick.) Tawra and Jills' book is filled with practical, economical recipes and advice. They includes classic recipes for family-friendly foods like apple pie, baked beans, pancakes, and chicken casserole. The book also has recipes for unusual things like homemade shake and bake (for chicken), taco seasoning, and homemade graham crackers.

Dining on a Dime is unique, however, because it includes many recipes for "non-food" items. The book has chapters titled "Kids", "Cleaning Cents" and "Pretty for Pennies". I am interested in trying some of the recipes for homemade cleaning products. (I believe they will be much healthier and cheaper than store-bought solutions.) I am also intrigued by the recipes for beauty products such as bath bombs and lip balm.

One of my favourite sections in Dining on a Dime is called "Mixes, Gift Baskets and Jars". I prefer giving homemade gifts, and this chapter has inspired me with dozens of new ideas. Tawra and Jill even include recipes for specialty coffee powder and gourmet hot chocolate!

Dining on a Dime has earned a place on the top of my cookbook pile. I believe it is an excellent, practical resource. I am looking forward to cooking up a storm in the new year, and I intend to use Dining on a Dime as my not-so-secret weapon.

Eleven Years

Today Ben and I celebrated our "other" anniversary. Eleven years ago, on a cold and snowy Wednesday afternoon, Ben asked me to be his girlfriend.

My sweet future husband packed a picnic lunch for us --- heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and juice boxes. We met at the train station and took public transit downtown to the Devonian gardens. Two silly teenagers, we ate our lunch on a quiet bench in the garden and traded nervous smiles.

I thought Ben was the cutest boy in the whole world.

I'll never forget what Ben said that afternoon: "Lindsay, I'm a little scared to ask you this question. The way I see it, our relationship will end up one of two ways --- either it won't work out and we'll break up, or we will eventually end up getting married. Both options make me feel pretty nervous! ... So, will you please be my girlfriend?"

The rest, they say, is history ...

Three years later Ben took me back to the same bench in the Devonian gardens. He knelt down on one knee and gave me a beautiful diamond ring. After another endless year we finally celebrated our wedding. (And three short years later we welcomed our first baby boy!)

Where has the time gone? In some ways it seems like a lifetime ago that we were two silly sixteen-year-olds, falling madly in love with one another. However, it also feels like the years have passed by in a flash. Sitting on that wooden bench, sharing pb&j sandwiches with a cute boy eleven years ago, I could not have imagined the rich life we would share together today.

Ben and I were young when we started dating. In many ways, we grew into adulthood together. We've been a pair for a long time, through some of the most formative years of life. Neither one of us could imagine life without the other. I am blessed to have such a caring, godly, funny, sweet husband. Ben is my best friend in the entire world, and I love him more than I can ever say.

Happy anniversary, Honey. :-)

Big Boy

Yesterday morning I opened the door to my boys' bedroom and tiptoed up to their bunk bed.

"Good morning, Birthday Boy!" I called to my son.

He tunnelled out from under a mound of blankets and sat up in his bed, a big smile on his sleepy face. "Am I a four-year-old now?" he asked.

"Yup! You're such a big boy," I replied.

My son sat up a little straighter. I saw his feet wiggle beneath the bed spread. "Hmmm," he said, "My legs are a bit longer today, don't you think, Mommy?"

Happy Birthday!

Our big boy turned four years old today. Those years flew past. Here's a little walk down memory lane, celebrating our son's very first birthday on Jan. 1, 2003.






Here's a lovely shot of our big boy now. If there's one thing he loves, it is Lego. As you can see, he won't even put down his Lego magazine while answering the call of nature .... Hmmm, I wonder which parent he inherited that habit from?

Recommended Reading:
A Lithgow Palooza: 101 Ways to Entertain and Inspire Your Kids



Who knew that buying a box of Cheerios could be so educational?

We received A Lithgow Palooza through the mail this week. The book was a free "cereal box prize" from General Mills, and what a treat it is! A Lithgow Palooza is crammed full of fun and funny ideas for kids. John Lithgow offers suggestions for dozens of creative activities (paloozas). Each palooza explores one of five artistic disciplines --- music, drama, dance, art and literature. I especially like the "extrapapalooza" sections, where John invites kids to stretch their imaginations even further. This is a great book for rainy days, birthday parties, weekends, vacations ... for just about any occassion.

Our family has come to enjoy John Lithgow's picture books as well. We own several titles (hooray for cereal box prizes!) including: Marsupial Sue, I'm a Manatee, and Micawber. You may take a look at John Lithgow's website here.

With another week of winter vacation remaining before kids head back to class, why not check out A Lithgow Palooza? This books is a fantastic boredom-buster.

Like Chocolate in a Pocket

Cold water splashed across my face as I wiped a wayward strand of hair from my eyes. I grimaced and grabbed a bar of soap. As much as I scrubbed, I couldn't remove the ugly brown splotch. I groaned in frustration and shut off the tap.

I am tired. Exhausted, really. Emotionally and physically drained. Totally over-stimulated.

I have to admit, the Christmas season is difficult for me. I'm an introverted, stick-to-the-routine type of gal. A solid week of parties, socializing, rich meals, and embarrassing overindulgence have worn me out. Several days of skipped naps and too many sweets have left our kids shell-shocked as well.

I feel like I'm a sticky, yucky, mess of melted chocolate. Chocolate is a tasty treat --- something to be savoured once in a while. God created chocolate, and it is good! However, too much chocolate leaves me with a sore tummy and a chocoholic-hangover in the morning.

This holiday season I am feeling overwhelmed. I feel spent and worn out. This is the first Christmas I've been a mom of three little children. Keeping up with the kids is a marathon at the best of times, but this week it feels downright impossible. Like the gob of gooey chocolate I found hiding in my two-year-old's pocket this evening, I feel melted, wasted, and destined for the trash pail.

This evening I carefully rinsed my toddler's clothes. I sprayed his shirt and pants with stain remover and draped them over the side of the laundry hamper. Absentmindedly, I grabbed the newest Focus on the Family magazine and stretched out on the bed for a short rest. Near the end of the magazine, a Bible verse touched my weary heart:

...He gently helps those who have young. (Isaiah 40:11)

During this busy season of life (and harried week on the calendar) I must remember to keep my eyes fixed on God. I quickly feel tired and overwhelmed when I try to do everything on my own. I need to allow my Savior to lead me and guide me. God will help me to be a good wife, a patient mommy, and a godly woman. I need to find my strength and solace in Him.

God's promises are sweet --- better than the finest chocolate. They are like delicious food for my weary soul. I plan to tuck His Word away in my pocket, ready to comfort me on exhausting days. God's words are trustworthy and true...

...and they aren't likely to melt if I forget to eat them. ;-)

"Kill a Watt"

I borrowed a neat gizmo from the library yesterday. It's called a "Kill a Watt" device, and it tracks the energy consumption of small and large appliances. Enmax has partnered with the Calgary Public Library to provide these devices to the public free of charge. Anyone with a library card can check out a "Kill A Watt" meter on a one-week loan.

The "Kill A Watt" seems easy to use. You simply plug an appliance into the socket on the device, and then plug the meter into an electrical outlet. It's best to leave the appliance plugged in for 24 hours in order to get an accurate reading. The "Kill A Watt" records the KWH usage of the appliance. You can use your readings to calculate the cost to run your appliance.

Tonight I plan to plug our fridge into the "Kill A Watt". I'm curious to see how much energy it uses. One of my New Year's resolutions is to make more earth-friendly decisions at home, one baby step at a time. I plan to do small things like shut off lights and unused appliances, switch to energy-efficient bulbs, and turn down the thermostat. I figure a bunch of little steps can eventually add up to a big change.

Hip to be Square

I have a not-so-secret obsession I need to confess ... I love grids.

It may be weird, but I think squares, cubes and checkerboards are wonderful. I enjoy simple lines and regular patterns. The sense of order and serenity inherent in grids make me feel secure and organized. When I was in art school nearly all my paintings incorporated grid-like patterns. Even today, my home's decor is influenced by my obsession with squares.

I received an interesting board game for Christmas this year. It is called Blokus. We cracked it open for the first time this evening. I love inviting friends over to play board games. (I also think games make terrific gifts.) Tonight was fun because we combined three great factors --- an interesting game, a long-time friend, and a grid!

I've heard that Blokus has won many awards. It is a game of strategy, and reminds me a bit of Tetris. You may play the game online or on a board, and it's easy to learn. Check out the official Blokus website here.

This is what Christmas holidays are all about. Sitting in the middle of the living room rug while snow is falling outside the window, sipping hot tea, enjoying good conversation, and playing an engaging game.

And if grids are involved ... well, all the better!

Christmas Highlights

Christmas season celebrations are still in full swing for the Inkster Clan. We lovingly refer to this week as "the marathon". With most of our family living right here in Calgary, the party shifts from house to house for days and days! This week we will celebrate (or already have celebrated) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, our wedding anniversary on Dec. 29th, "Christmas" with my family on Dec. 30th, New Year's Eve, and our son's birthday on New Year's Day.

Some highlights of this holiday season:

• The children slept in past eight o'clock Christmas morning. The boys snuggled in our bed for another half-hour before they finally wandered downstairs.
  
• Our two-year-old unknowingly sported a wrapping paper "tail" for most of Christmas morning.
• Our (almost) four-year-old shouted "STAR WARS LEGO!! This is soooo cool!" when he opened our gift to him.
• My dear husband gave me a subscription to Craft magazine. I gave him a subscription to Make. Both gifts were a surprise!
• Grandpa Merv built our boys new bunk beds for Christmas. Grandma Marilou sewed our toddler a Bob the Builder quilt for his "big boy bed". (Big brother already has a matching quilt for his top bunk.) Our two-year-old could hardly wait to go to bed last night. He sat on his bottom bunk singing and talking for almost an hour after we turned off the lights.
• Baby Girl giggled and smiled at her fluffy new puppy puppet.
• Ben and I had a Veggie Tales: Dance! Dance! Dance! competition far into the night yesterday. We looked like goofs, but it was so much fun we just couldn't stop.
  

Creativity

I found this picture on the Craftzine blog and thought it was amazing. The artist, Pete Goldlust, carved wax crayons to create these intricate sculptures. I enjoy art that transforms everyday objects into extra-ordinary works of imagination.

You can take a look at Pete Goldlust's web site here.

Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! I pray that you enjoy a restful day tomorrow, and that the reality of Christ's love will touch your heart this year.

Much love,
Lindsay and the Inkster Clan :-)

Men O' War

"Daddy, Daddy! Let's watch a movie on your computer!" exclaimed our excited preschooler.

"Sure, Buddy. What would you like to see?" asked Ben.

"Let's watch that Lego movie. You know --- the one with the pirates!" our giddy son suggested.

"You mean Men O' War?" Ben clarified.

"Oh yeah. It's sooo cool, Daddy! It has bad guys and good guys and a battle and that sea captain ... What's his name? Oh, I know. I think it's Log. You know, Captain Log?"

Ben stifled a laugh. "Captain Log? I think you mean 'captain's log'."

"That's what I said, Daddy. Captain Log." Our son gave an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes.

"No, Buddy. His name isn't Log! Every captain keeps a log, like a journal, on a voyage. The log is a diary of everything that happens."

"Ooooooh," said our three-year-old, as understanding slowly dawned. "Well ... the captain is still a cool guy, you know."

"Yup, he sure is."

...........................

Men O' War is a very cool animated short. It was created by a Christian family from Australia. The quality of the CG modelling and animation is incredible. Check out their web page here.

True Love

"You are neurotic, you know," my husband complained. He crouched on his hands and knees, wiping the floor with a wet rag. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Umm, I think it's around eleven thirty," I mumbled. I wiped a stray piece of hair from my eyes and scrubbed a sticky spot behind the fridge.

"Why do we have to do this tonight?" he continued, "What's the big emergency?"

"Ben," I said quietly, "You said you would help me do this. I want to get it done before Christmas. If we don't wash the floor tonight, when else will we have a chance?"

"Why does it have to happen before Christmas? Just so you can check one more item off your almighty list?"

"No," I said. I paused from my work and sat back on my haunches, "I just want to have a clean floor because people will be coming to visit this week. Is that really so weird?"

(Three separate families had dropped by our house unexpectedly that very night. Sure, it was nice to feel popular. It was less nice that my house was in total disarray because I was preparing to wash the floor.)

"Don't you think it's more than a little odd that we're moving the piano and inhaling floor polish fumes at a quarter-to-twelve on a Thursday night?! I can think of much better things we could be doing at a quarter-to-twelve!" Ben paused, "You're neurotic!"

I sighed dramatically and turned back to my work. I hid my smile and dipped my rag in the mop bucket. Peeking out from behind the fridge, I caught Ben giggling to himself across the room.

................

Ben and I have a very good marriage. In most areas our personalities balance beautifully. Ben is spontaneous. I prefer to plan. Ben sees the big picture. I zoom in on the details. Ben is easy-going. I can be (a tiny bit) neurotic. Ben teaches me to relax. I teach Ben to be disciplined. God knew what He was doing when He matched us up as husband and wife!

I know I have a caring husband because every now and then he indulges my quirks. He didn't have to spend an evening helping me scrub the floor. He sacrificed his time (and the knees of his jeans) to complete a boring, tiresome task. Ben knew that a bright, shiny floor would bring me pleasure, so he was willing to help. That's true love!

................

This morning I woke up to the sweet scent of floor polish and sun streaming through the bedroom window. My husband groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

"Uggg, what time is it?" he moaned. (Ben is decidedly not a morning person.) He rolled over and within seconds was softly snoring. For a few seconds I quietly admired my husband's mussed hair and stubbly chin. I leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"I love you too, honey," I softly whispered, "I love you too."

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza!

I am feeling so much better about Christmas. I feel pretty much on top of things (finally!) as the big day is fast approaching. I have mostly "fun stuff" left on my to-do list, things like baking and wrapping presents. The only daunting chore looming on the horizon is washing and polishing the floor. (Yuck! At least my dear husband has committed to help me with that one.)

Have I mentioned that I love baking Christmas cookies? This afternoon my son and I made a classic recipe --- snickerdoodles! They turned out great. My son declared our cookies, "Very, very yummy."

We still have four days to go until Christmas. I figure we can get in a few more recipes before then!

Penny Snickerdoodles

1 1/3 C. all- purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400C. In a medium-size bowl, sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 C. sugar. Stir in the egg until thoroughly blended. One third at a time, stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into balls the size of marbles (a fun job for kids). On a plate or in a shallow bowl, mix the cinnamon and 2 tbsp. of sugar. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass or jar (dip it into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to keep it from sticking).

Bake the cookies for 6 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned along the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack. When they're thoroughly cool, store in an airtight jar. Makes 10 to 12 dozen cookies.

Festive Shortbread Cookies

Yesterday I caught my son leafing through the December issue of Canadian Living Magazine. A page filled with colourful illustrations captured his attention.

"Mommy! I want to make these!" he exclaimed.

The magazine article was titled Kids in the Kitchen, and its cookie recipe was very easy for little guys to follow. We mixed up a double batch of dough and baked our cookies yesterday. This morning the boys and I had a blast decorating our creations with chocolate and candy sprinkles.

These cookies look so pretty. I have hidden them away to ensure they last until Christmas!

3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Decorations:
1/2 C. milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. vegetable oil
Candy-coated chocolate pieces, coloured sprinkles or stars

1. Get ready

• Wash hands.
• Measure out ingredients.
• Get out equipment.
• Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place oven rack in centre of oven. Heat to 300F (150C).

2. Make dough

• In mixing bowl, whisk flour with cornstarch.
• In large mixing bowl and using wooden spoon, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, half at a time, to make smooth dough with no streaks.

3. Roll into balls

• On lightly floured work surface and using hands, roll dough into two 9-inch (23cm) logs; cut each log into 9 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
• Place, 2 inches (5cm) apart, on prepared baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies

• Bake, one sheet at a time, in centre of oven until bottoms are golden brown, 30-35 minutes.
• Wearing oven mitts, transfer baking sheets to rack. Let cool for 2 minutes. Using metal spatual, transfer cookies to rack and let cool completely.

5. Decorate cookies

• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• Pour enough water into small saucepan to come 1 inch (2.5cm) up side. Heat on stove over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.
• Place chocolate chips and oil in heatproof bowl. Weating oven mitts, place bowl over hot water; stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. (Be careful not to get any water in chocolate or it will clump.) Move bowl to work surface.
• Dip cookies, one at a time, halfway into chocolate, shaking gently over bowl to remove excess. Dip into desired decorations. Set on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm and shiny, about 30 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.
  

Baby Bliss

During this Christmas season I am reminded again and again that my children are an awesome blessing from the Lord. They are healthy, happy and beautiful. God is so good!

Lazy Day

I love Sunday afternoons. Sunday is a "day of rest" in the Inkster household. We slow down, relax and spend time together as a family. All of the kids take naps on Sunday. Usually, Ben and I lay down for a nap as well.

This afternoon I dozed in my bed, cozy and comfy. I heard my two-year-old cry out from his room. He had just woken up and was feeling snuggly. I carried him back to my room and we burrowed under the covers together.

My little guy loves to cuddle. He also loves to talk. (He is his father's son!) We lay on our backs in the bed, admiring the late-afternoon sunlight streaming through our west-facing window. My son kept me well entertained with a steady stream of conversation.

"Look Mommy! Bugs!" he said, pointing toward the ceiling. Tiny dust particles danced through the air, caught in a sun beam.

"Bugs!" I exclaimed, "What kind of bugs?"

"Worms!" he said with a giggle, "It's yummy worms!"

"Oh, I see ... are they chocolate worms?" I asked.

"No," my son laughed, "They orange juice worms!" He pretended to catch the "worms" out of the air.

"You're a silly guy! Sing me a song," I prompted. (Nothing is cuter than a two-year-old singing.)

"Tinkle, tinkle little star ..." he sang, and made it through the entire song. He even got most of the words right! Ben quietly slipped into the room.

"Now I sing 'nother song," my son exclaimed, "It's orange juice song!"

The lyrics to the orange juice song went something like this:

"Orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song, orange juice song ..."

My son's singing trailed off. "What happened? Did you lose your place?" Ben asked.

Our two-year-old assumed a serious expression. "Oh, yes," he said, "I lose my place." He gazed toward the ceiling, trying to remember where he left off in his song.

"Oh look! Bugs!"

Compromise

I feel so behind on everything this Christmas season. I am so close to finishing my Christmas shopping. (Only one gift left.) I still need to wrap all of the presents. I would like to do some more Christmas baking. (Baking is one task I really enjoy.) I also have grand plans to super-clean my house before next weekend.

We'll see how much I actually accomplish.

Last night I was pleased to cross one big item off my to-do list. I finally finished my all of my Christmas cards. They're signed, sealed and ready to go!

(Well actually ... I have a confession to make. I sort of didn't do real Christmas cards this year.)

Don't get me wrong, a few weeks ago I had lofty plans to craft homemade Christmas cards with cool stamps and stencils. I wanted to include a beautiful picture of our family and a tasteful letter in each envelope. I planned to address every card by hand in delicate calligraphy. My Christmas cards were going to be a work of art.

Then life took over, the kids all got sick, and suddenly it was the middle of December. I ditched the homemade cards idea and did what any self-respecting mother of three preschoolers would do at Christmas time:

I bought a large box of generic Christmas cards from Superstore for $3.97.

Another week slipped by and the box of cards sat abandoned on my kitchen counter. I found my Christmas mailing list from last year on the computer. (It had fifty names on it.) As much as I tried, I just couldn't bring myself to hand write a cheerful holiday message to fifty of our closest family and friends. Do you know how long it takes to address fifty cards by hand? I grew exhausted just thinking about it.

Feeling desperate, I finally moved on to Plan C. I wrote a cheeky little Christmas letter, spent $15 at Staples for snowflake paper and envelopes, and printed off a stack of mailing labels. I abandoned my pride and stuffed the letters in the envelopes without even personally signing them. I slapped on the sticky labels, and the entire chore was completed in a couple of hours.

No personal touch. No homemade decorations. Just a cheesy form letter.

Oh well. At least the people on our mailing list will know we haven't forgotten about them ... that is, if I remember to actually mail our letters before Christmas. They are sitting in a pretty stack on the top of my piano right now.

Another chore for another day.

Maybe I should get a jump start this week on my Christmas cards for next year ...

Nursery Rhyme (With a Twist)

"Hey Mommy," my three-year-old called out, "Listen to this rhyme!"

Hey diddle diddle
Three blind mice
Cut off their tails with an exacto knife!

He may have gotten his nursery rhymes a bit scrambled. ;-)

Honey Bear is Growing Up

Our Baby Girl celebrated her six-month birthday yesterday (and she generously gave Mommy the gift of sleeping thirteen hours straight through the night!) Our girl is growing up quickly. She loves to babble and squeal, and is learning to grab and hold onto toys.

This afternoon my boys "helped" me feed their baby sister her first taste of solid food. She enjoyed a delicious meal of runny, sticky rice cereal. Most of the cereal managed to get smeared on her face and hands, but no matter. Baby had a great time sitting "like a big girl" in the high chair. She definitely enjoyed the careful attention of her brothers.

Our little girl is certainly an angel baby.

"Popsicle Sticks Galore"

I tickled my darling baby's toes as I changed her little diaper. She giggled and smiled up at me. Baby Girl had just woken from her afternoon nap, and was ready and eager to face the world.

As I pulled socks onto my baby's tiny feet I heard a CRASH! in the kitchen downstairs.

"Popsicle sticks galore!" my preschooler called out happily. His cry was followed by the soft tinkling of a thousand popsicles sticks raining down onto the floor. I heard my toddler giggle.

"Ahhhggg! What are you guys doing?!" I yelled. I grabbed Baby Girl and raced down the stairs. I nearly tripped on several popsicle sticks haphazardly deposited on the steps.

I rounded the corner and entered my kitchen. I nearly fainted. One thousand small, wooden popsicle sticks covered every surface of the room.

They carpeted the floor, decorated the counter and lay across the table. Popsicle sticks were strewn across the top of my piano. They were under the fridge and crammed between the couch cushions. I found wooden sticks resting in the branches of our Christmas tree. Even Baby Jesus' manger scene sported popsicle stick accents.

My boys, the co-conspirators, grinned up at me. "Fun, Mommy, fun!" the two-year-old exclaimed.

I sighed in defeat.

I suppose that's what I get for buying an economy-sized box of popsicle sticks to make giant M&M cookie pops. It also probably didn't help that I allowed my preschoolers to help me sort M&Ms as we mixed the cookie dough. (Funny how fewer M&Ms made it into the cookies than into their tummies.)

I gingerly worked around the carnage for the remainder of the afternoon. My boys had a ball depositing popsicle sticks throughout the house.

... and my dear husband cleaned it all up when he came home in the evening.

Barely Coherent

I'm tired. Very, very tired. This is the first time I've had a chance to put my feet up all day.

Grandma looked after the boys for a few hours. I shopped my brains out. Finished 80% of my Christmas list. Hooray!

Babysat two little boys tonight --- a newborn baby and 18-month-old toddler. We had five kids under the age of four in the house. Went extremely well. We got them all into jammies and asleep!

I have a million things I could be doing now. Going to bed sounds like the best idea. Tomorrow is another day ...

Fancy Schmancy

Ben and I went out for a night on the town yesterday. It was a hot date (without the kids) to a fancy restaurant.

We went to my friend's engagement / wedding celebration. She reserved a private room in an upscale restaurant downtown. We enjoyed thick steaks, delicious seafood, sinful desserts and engaging conversation. Ben even indulged in a glass of red wine.

As our evening progressed, I finished my beverage and waited for our server to refill my glass. He promptly brought me a small wine carafe filled with a caramel-coloured liquid. The server reached past my shoulder and deftly poured the liquid into my empty glass.

"Mmmm, what drink is that?" one of the guests at our table asked, thinking I had ordered something exotic. Most of the other party-goers were drinking wine or cocktails.

"Oh, um, well," I blushed, "It's ... iced tea."

Everyone at the table laughed.

At that moment I realized I wasn't in Kansas anymore. I suppose I should have know that such a quality establishment would serve iced tea of only the finest vintage.

A Fine Wit

My almost-four-year-old son is working on the finer points of humour. He often comes up with hilarious lines, but most of the time his jokes are unintentional. Sometimes, though, my son invents his own punchline. Most of his jokes are just plain weird. His jokes are funny simply because they are so bizarre ...

"Hey, Daddy," my son called out at lunch time today, "What's the difference between an elephant with two tongues and a dead elephant with two tongues?"

"Umm, I don't know," my husband replied, "Could it be that one of them is dead?"

My son grinned at his daddy and winked over the rim of his juice cup.

And that was the joke.

Man Stuff

A stern expression covered my three-year-old's face this morning at the breakfast table. He screwed up his eyes, clenched his fists and groaned.

"What in the world are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm trying to grow a mustache," he grunted.

"I see. And how's that going for you?" I asked.

"No mustache yet!" he replied.

"Well, buddy," I said, "It's pretty hard to grow a mustache unless you are a man."

"Yeah, I guess so," he conceded.

My son thought for a moment before he added, "You know, Mommy, growing a mustache requires a lot of flatulence."

An Evening at the Inksters

Here's a sample of a typical evening in our household. Hope you enjoy a glimpse into our family life!

My Big Boy

The children and I had some excitement this morning. We volunteered at preschool drop-in gym at the YMCA, as we usually do on Wednesday mornings. Whenever I volunteer my boys play in the gym with me and Baby Girl spends a couple of hours in the babysitting room. This was the arrangement we had today.

At the end of our shift we put the play equipment away and cleaned the gym. I took my boys into the foyer and started putting on their coats and boots. Suddenly, we were startled by a sharp, clanging alarm bell. Red lights began to flash. My boys looked at me with round, frightened eyes.

The building fell into a flurry of activity. Every person needed to leave as quickly as possible. I rushed to pull on the boys' boots and coats, and attempted to herd my frightened children out the door.

"Mommy, Mommy!" my three-year-old cried, "We can't leave!!! We forgot to get our baby girl!"

I was worried about my little girl. She was not with me, and my first instinct was to run to the babysitting room and gather her into my arms. However, I also knew that the YMCA staff are well-trained and would take good care of my precious girl.

"The babysitting ladies are taking the babies to a safe place," I told my big boy, "Don't worry. Our Baby Girl is safe."

"NO! Mommy! We have to save her!" My young man burst into sobs. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

My heart melted. My boy loves his baby sister very much. Though he was frightened by the loud alarm bells and pandemonium, his greatest concern was for his sister. He would have charged straight through the building and into the babysitting room to rescue her if he could have.

In the end, it was all a false alarm. We found our Baby Girl in the caring arms of a staff member as we re-entered the building. Baby was smiling, cooing, and enjoying a great adventure. My boys calmed down, and my son smothered his sister in a million kisses.

I was proud of my little boy this morning. He showed that he is a caring, protective big brother. Clearly, he loves his baby sister a great deal. He may be only three years old, but my son is already learning what it means to be a man.

Classic Christmas Cookies

I feel so behind this Christmas season. I've made my list (and checked it twice), but now I need to get to work!

Yesterday I made yummy cookies with my boys. Christmas baking is hardly a chore, in my opinion. I love filling my freezer with tasty sweets, and giving them away as gifts or serving them to guests. Baking is one of my favourite parts of the holidays.

We made two recipes yesterday. I always enjoy making classic, comforting recipes. Both of these turned out perfectly. I found them in FamilyFun's Cookies for Christmas.

Molasses Cookies

14 tbsp. butter
2 C. sugar, divided
1/3 C. molasses
2 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the sugar along with the molasses. Cool for 15 minutes, or until tepid.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Beat the egg into the butter mixture in the saucepan, then gradually add the flour mixture and stir until well combined (the dough will be soft).

Pour the remaining sugar into a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the sugar. Place the balls on the foil-covered baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies have flattened. Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Sealed with a Kiss

1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. sugar, plus extra for rolling
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1, 9 oz. package chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream the peanut butter, butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together. Combine with peanut butter mixture.

Shape the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll them in the extra white sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, and press a chocolate kiss into the centre of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 40 to 50 cookies.

True contentment is ...

• Waking up early and sharing a bowl of cheerios with my boys
• Laughing at my two-year-old's knock-knock jokes
• Making Christmas cookies with my excited preschooler
• Nursing my sleepy baby
• Listening to worship music and dancing around the living room with my kids
• Snuggling my cranky toddler on the couch
• Reading Eye Spy books over and over again with my boys
• Making my baby girl giggle
• Explaining the legend of St. Nicholas to my children
• Helping my preschooler build intricate Lego spaceships

I enjoyed doing all these things with my children this morning. I am so grateful to have a beautiful home, loving husband, and three healthy children. I am a very blessed woman, indeed.

A Decisive Young Man

We were running late for church (again). I rushed around the kitchen, wiping sticky hands and scraping soggy cereal into the garbage. Our family needed to leave the house within five minutes. My three-year-old son busily played Lego in the living room. He was still wearing his pajamas.

"Quick buddy!" I said, "Take off your jammies and go pee. You need to get your clothes on."

My preschooler looked at me with a stern expression. "No, Mommy," he said decisively, "I do not plan to pee today."

Hmmm. He did not plan to pee? Funny how my son's plan changed when I threatened to take his Lego away unless he used the bathroom ...

Book Review:

Divine
Karen Kingsbury

I always enjoy escaping into the pages of a Karen Kingsbury novel. Lucky for me, she is a prolific author. Karen Kingsbury's novels often challenge me to re-examine my faith in God. Her stories encourage me to look into my heart, to test my convictions. I find Kingsbury's books to be gripping and well-written. Divine is no exception.

I like Karen Kingsbury's novels because her characters are real. I think that many Christian authors fall into the trap of idealizing their characters --- they write about perfect Christians who have no faults. Kingsbury creates flawed characters. She writes about real people, with real struggles. She allows her characters to fall (sometimes with tragic consequences). Her characters doubt, sin, and get hurt.

The main character in Divine is Mary Madison, a woman who is used and abused. Her life is marred by horrors no woman should be forced to endure. Mary's story is based on the Biblical account of Mary Magdalene. Though Mary's life is filled with pain and sorrow, her story does not end in tragedy. Instead, Mary is redeemed by the mighty hand of the Savior. Jesus transforms Mary's life through through his divine power and unconditional love.

Divine is a difficult book to read. The account of Mary's childhood is especially hard. However, Divine is ultimately a book hope. Through Jesus saving grace, Mary overcomes her horrible past. Her sins are washed away by the blood of Christ and she becomes a new creation. Mary learns to love and to trust. She overcomes her troubled past in order to bring glory to an awesome God.

Housebound

The kids and I have spent a lot of time cooped up inside the house this week. I think we are all going a bit stir-crazy. By supper time this evening I was ready to do anything to get out of the house, so our entire family went with Daddy on an errand to the bank.

Our three-year-old kept up a steady stream of conversation as we drove in our van. When we pulled into the bank's parking lot he made the following comment:

"You know, I am starting to feel a bit housebound. I think I need to get out of the house ... and move into a tent."

It's well below zero and several inches of snow cover the ground, but I suppose those are minor considerations!