What to do with the cucumbers...

Smitten Kitchen is a great blog for fun and beautiful recipes. This one looks beautiful and yummy, and you can put some of those cucumbers to use! Happy Harvesting!

Maggie's

If you haven't been to Maggie's on Commercial Street you haven't lived! For a thrift store junkie like me this is true. It looks pretty frumpy on the out side, but inside it is really great. The prices are good and cheap. Today I found several items I had been wanting...tap shoes for Miss Ellie, a white button down shirt for me, a vintage tin for my counter, a vintage embroidered table runner, and a red/white gingham table runner that I am going to use for a dish towel...all this for $5.50! Things like this make me pretty excited. If any one makes a visit let me what you think, Happy Thrifting!!

New Favorite Blog

Nourishing Days is my new favorite blog. Mainly because she gives me hope and encouragement for our new diet. Some months ago I started feeling pretty rotten, everyday. We thought I was pregnant because I was nauseated and tired, what felt like all the time. I felt like this for months, I was afraid to go anywhere by myself because at times I thought I would pass out. A couple days of Daddy staying home from work and a blessed doctor's visit, we found out I had quite a few food allergies/sensitives. I never thought my symptoms could be food allergies. As soon as I cut those foods out my symptoms went away! Don't get me wrong, I still get tired --- I have two littles to love on all day long. But it isn't the fatigue like before, that was like fluish feeling --- wanting to crawl into bed and stay there. We have learned a lot about food allergies and the causes. You may have food allergies and not know it. Additives and preservatives, stress, eating too much of the same food, and other factors are all causes. But, our bodies have the ability to heal themselves and we are hoping mine does.

Our food budget is the highest it has ever been, and me, miss cheapo is okay with that. My food prep sometimes takes a little longer. And it is tricky when people invite us over b/c I have to ask what they are preparing and I feel awkward doing so. I feel awkward because before this I thought "what is the thing with all this gluten free???" And I pray they are not thinking that. No compassion. That's the great thing about suffering, compassion and obedience are produced. I am SO thankful this happened to me. We are eating healthier than we ever have, and I have only scratched the surface --- I am much more understanding and prayerful of peoples needs --- and I feel closer to our Lord than I have in a long time. Anyhow...enough about me and my food issues :) check out this blog and look at her recipes and try one. Just do it, I get intimidated and then I do try something and think "why did it take me soooo long to try that?" :) Bon Appetit! (from Julie and Julia, good movie.)

Ellie Speaks~

So the house across the street is getting a lot of remodeling done. Ellie is looking out the window, "Mommy, they are naked!" Can you guess...two of the guys do not have their shirts on. "Mommy are they honoring themselves, they are wicked." I then proceed to explain that yes, they are honoring themselves, but sometimes people do not have someone to teach them how to honor God and obey him, like you do Ellie. We don't want a little three year old pharisee around the house. :) (We have been reading through the psalms so she hears a lot about the wicked! )


Tonight Clay were sitting on the couch and the kids were in Ellie's room, which is off of the living room. They were playing and jabbering away when we hear a "clunk" then, "a baby's cry" and then sweet Ellie, "Oh! I'm sorry Buddy! Will you forgive me?" She runs into the living room, "I hit brother on the head with a toy, but it was an accident." And then she also asked us to forgive her. :) Back into the room she goes...we were cracking up.

The other day in a store she was in the cart and we were going past this other family, the kid was flipping out. Ellie says, right there in front of them (and loudly), "What is wrong with him??" Go faster! Get away! Is all I thought. She will also tell kids kids to "Stop it" if they are throwing a fit. Fortunately, she usually whispers this under her breath in this very serious voice. She is crazy, I love taking her places. :) It is always a little bit more exciting.

When it Rains it Pours...and Then There is Sunshine!

Do you ever have one of those days? I know you do, we all do. I didn't really feel like I had those days until I became a Mommy! I didn't really feel like I had trials until I became a Mommy, what was I learning before then?? :) Well we had a day this week that was a testing of faith for us. A.) Athanasius came down with the chickenpox B.) Our car broke down and my husband had to get a ride home from work. C.) Our dentist sent me a bill for a visit from last month, which I had paid at the time. "I will not freak out, I will not freak out. God loves us, and He is good." This is what I kept telling myself, a lot. This all happened on Wednesday. When my husband called our mechanic he said he probably wouldn't even be able to LOOK at it until Monday. Clayton took his chances since he likes this guy. Thursday rolls around and the car is towed that morning, the dentist office made a mistake, Athanasius still had the chicken pox and will for a little while, but $500 later with a new starter and battery our car came home! Our mechanic found out it was our only car and fit us in, I don't how. Look at all that sunshine! And also, my husband came home with a rifle! Bizarre, I know. The fellow teacher that was going to take Clayton from work to the auto place just invited him home to hang around there (the car wasn't going to be ready for a couple hours) and they started talking about guns. Clayton has been wanting a gun for awhile but it never seems to make it on the priority list, so he was really blessed by this. It is crazy big and I'm not what I think about it. But Ellie was trying to comfort me and said she wanted a pink gun and asked if I wanted a yellow or purple gun? :) She is so sweet. Since it has mostly been an indoor week for us, which isn't the norm, Clayton took Ellie on a date to the zoo. She was so excited! I asked her to look at the giraffe for me because they are my favorite. She said, " Well, probably I will look at the monkeys, I like them more."

I hope you have a good weekend, enjoying Christ, no matter your circumstances.

Picking the Apples of Your Life

My husband wanted me to read this. It encouraged and blessed me, as I hope it will for you -- if you need it.

Three years ago...

...A little girl was born at home (with the assistance of two wonderful midwives). Two weeks early she came at 8lbs. 3 oz. --- we were thankful she was early. She had a head full of dark hair that is now blond, and beautiful blue eyes. She isn't a baby anymore but a three year old little lady. Eleanor is sweet, talkative, crazy about her little brother, Mommy's helper and Daddy's partner. When Ellie was born we didn't know ANYTHING about babies, I remember calling a friend from church about all the ways to burp a baby! Poor Ellie...I'm so thankful she is still alive! ha ha--- In these three years we have learned so much. We know how to burp a baby now, but God has mostly taught us about love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, compassion, self control, creativity, prayer, faith, trust, and joy. Children are an inheritance and HAPPY are Clay and I because our quiver is getting filled. Those that put off children are missing out, not just on the fun and hilarity that kids are, but their sanctification process --- you want to learn all the stuff Paul teaches us to be with each other, the body of Christ, have kids. Have children, trust God, and enjoy the ride!

So, back to Eleanor...the other day she was telling me that a turtle is a turtle but a shark is...bigger. And today, Clay was talking about an ipod he wants to purchase and she keeps calling it a seedpod. That's my girl! What a gift God has given us, us who are young and clueless --- but us who are trying to live faithfully. We love you Ellie!!

Now...one year ago Athanasius was born! He was also born at home, with a head full of hair, three days over due weighing 8lbs. 1oz. And BOY what a blessing he has been to our home, he spiced up the personality just a little bit more. He is a boy, he loves to bang things, pull things out of my cabinets, play with big sis or take what big sis has. He looks little but he is strong and precise, he isn't clumsy. He is my cuddle bug, and loves when Daddy comes home. He has received three haircuts thus far. And Ellie everymorning, with out fail ask, "Can I get my brother." :) We love you Athanasius!! Happy Birthday to our babies and thank You God for allowing us to love and shepherd them!