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A few days ago I was watching a show on the computer to make my task of cleaning and sorting through some drawers a little less boring.

The youngest was napping and the older two were playing together in one of the bedrooms. I was feeling pretty happy with the set up.

In between deciding whether or not to keep the half used crayons, I heard laughing and chattering between the two oldest kids.

“That’s nice,” I thought as I continued to dig through the mess I’d created.

More laughing and chattering . . .

It dawned on me that this was not a sound that will always be available for my ears.

I paused the show and stop my work.

Sitting back in the chair I listened.

Soaking in the giggles and smiling to myself, I wondered, “How did I get here? Me, who swore as a teenager that I would never have children, now with three of them!?”

A number of older women have told me that this time, when the kids are young and home, is one of the best times of life. Yes, it’s hard, but it’s good.

There is so much to be done and seemingly so little time to do it! This causes me to fly by the moments and forget to cherish and enjoy them.

“It’s so nice they are getting along.” I thought. “So nice, they are enjoying each other’s company.”

I thought about telling them later, but then remembered how quickly things can turn bad. This moment might only last a minute. My daughter could be yelling for me to help get her brother out of the bedroom in no time at all . . .

I decided to go in and tell them how happy I was that they were playing so nicely together before it was to late!

As I entered the room they smiled and told me that brother was making up a story which was very entertaining (that’s what all the giggling was about).

I kissed each on top of the head and said how nice it was to hear them having such a good time and treating each other so well. Sister piped up with, “I’m even letting him sit on my bed!”

They were both proud.

I was proud too.

Seizing the moment is not always natural or easy, but I’m determined to do it more often.

Yes, this was a delightful. The highlight of my week (I won’t tell you about the next day!).

Note to self: Listen and hear. Pay attention. The sounds will change and one day be gone. Soak it up while you can!

I’m thankful for these sounds!

I’m linking up with Bigger Picture Moments and Thought-Provoking Thursday and Thankful Thursday.

(I wish I’d been able to take my own picture, but my camera was among the messes described below!)

This afternoon I sat on a chair, acting as a barrier between my 18 month old and the floor. She stood next to me eating blueberries happily.

I looked at the table (covered in papers), the kitchen (with it’s counters covered and sink full), the clock (which beckoned me to start dinner), and felt frustrated for a moment.

Why can’t I get anything done?

I thought about this blog waiting to be updated.

I thought about dinner.

I thought about the messes.

Then looking at my girl munching blueberries, I remembered this time passes too quickly. Before long she will be able to sit without falling off a chair! And not long after, she will grow up and leave home. It goes that fast!

Sometimes the little things are the big things. Life is made up of everyday moments. Moments that flit by if we are not paying attention.

I have to keep reminding myself of these things because I’m not smart enough to remember them and I’m distracted enough to think that checking everything off my list means success. But it doesn’t always mean success. You and I both know that’s true.

True success is loving and nurturing the ones God has given me.

Sometimes we just need to sit and watch the little one eat blueberries (and make sure she doesn’t fall on the floor!).

Because Children Won’t Wait.

I’m joining the girls at Bigger Picture Blogs today, “capturing a glimpse of the bigger picture through a simple moment” (as stated by my friend, Hyacynth on her blog). The link up is at Alita Jewel’s Treasures if you’d like to participate or read some other bigger picture moments.

Here is a picture of my son doing a balancing act on his sister’s bed. (I’m sharing this as part of the MOB Society’s Boys in Motion Link-Up)

It seems my son is always trying to balance in some crazy fashion. As a toddler her was always falling off the kitchen chairs! He doesn’t fall as often these days, but still gives me plenty of reason to have a heart attack!

Sometimes I am completely in awe of the huge task before me: raising a godly man.

I wonder if I can do it. And then I remember: God gave him to me. He paired us together. A perfect match.

Parenting has pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I’m on a constant learning curve.

The brilliance behind this is that I must rely on God. I know I can’t do it alone. If I try to raise my children in my own strength, I won’t be very successful.

Even though I am behind in the 21 Days of Prayer for Sons challenge (remember the bad month), I am still pushing on slowly.

Praying specific character traits and scripture for my son has helped me see more clearly the areas we need to work on…both in him and in myself.

I would love give Brooke’s book to every boy mom I know. It truly has the potential to change lives (if it is put into practice).

Other Mom’s are linking up to the last 21 Days of Prayer link up today. Brooke says there will be another round; I highly recommend you get in on it! In the meantime, read through her posts (or buy the book). You won’t be sorry.

And don’t forget to join me on Tuesday for the Handmade Mother’s Day Link-Up!

What type of gift could little boys make for their mommies?

Yesterday the house was a mess. All I could rustle up for dinner was a batch of scrambled eggs because I was busy printing and cutting Bible verses for our Ladies devotional.

As I sat at the computer, I clicked over to Ann’s video. I knew I wanted to show it to the ladies at church, but I wasn’t sure if I should. Every time I watch it, I cry! I think I won’t, but I do!

My daughter heard my sniffling and came to see what was happening. We laughed about it and I told her that I wanted to show this video, but didn’t know if I could play it without crying (not a small tear, but a big sob!).

She said she didn’t think I could.

We decided to test it out and see. The goal was not to cry while watching it.

As we sat together, watching this beautiful reminder to pay attention to the little things, to savor the moments, I felt like I was.

She glanced up to see if there were tears, and smirked when I caught her eye.

I let her see me. Mess and all.

Those brief few minutes felt so important. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that she is now nine years old! I don’t know. But she was sharing this with me. Taking part.

I surely hope she will learn to keep a clean home and to provide a hearty meal for her family, but more than that,  I want her to know she is loved by her mother. I want that to funnel down to her own children too.

My heart’s desire is that she will value spending time with her children, sharing with them and including them in her daily activities. The best chance of that happening is for me to provide that for her. Right now.

Sometimes our days are filled with hard stuff, but these sweet moments shine through and remind me to simply love and share.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

I’m linking up to Bigger Picture Moments with Alita Jewel today

My daughter drew the picture at the top. It’s of the two of us together

It’s been 12 years since I spent Christmas in my homeland of Australia. I’ve definitely grown accustomed to the cooler weather that comes with living in the Northern Hemisphere! It’s taken some time to get used to the heat (and the mosquitoes). It’s been close to 35 and 40 degrees celsius, which is about 95 to 104 degrees fahrenheit!

My daughter is excited that my Australian accent has returned now that I’m here. She tells me everyone is nice and that people even laugh with an accent. The kids are trying hard to speak like Australians.  Which is very amusing.

We visited a small wildlife park and pet a koala. They are a lot softer than I thought they would be! I think I said that last time I had the chance to touch a koala! (Oh how quickly I forget things.)

To make things even more exciting, my little baby took her first steps. I was out of the room getting dessert and missed them! She has taken more since and I’ve been able to see those. The fun thing is my oldest daughter learned to walk on a trip to Australia too.

Happy New Year!

We will be getting back to regular posting soon.

I’m currently in a sea of suitcases, frantically trying to get my family ready for our big trip to Australia! Posting will probably be more sporadic than usual. But I figure you are all busy too.

This week we had a very early Christmas with my husband’s family, since we won’t be together this year. (By the way, I got THE coolest tripod for my camera from my mother-in-law. She is wonderful.)

I made the above little basket for my sister-in-law.

It contains:

Homemade Lavender Body Oil

This stuff is super quick and easy to make. And from everything I hear, it is more effective than lotion when it comes to locking in moisture. It smelled lovely and I can’t wait to make some more for myself after our trip.

If you want to make some, you can find the instructions at Crunchy Betty: Nourishing and Fragrant Body Oils

Hard Lotion Bar

I LOVE these things. Just rub it between your hands to moisturize them.

Again, they are very easy to make. Just three ingredients. All you have to do is measure, melt and pour (which is the way it is for most of the body products I make).

One reason I like these so much is because they are unique. Hard Lotion is not a well known product.

I followed the instructions from Made On Hard Lotion Bars: How to Make Hard Lotion (video and written instructions)

Her recipe yielded 11 round lotion bars (I used a muffin tin for the mold).

Lip Balm

Made from my tutorial over at Saving Naturally: Natural Lip Balm Tutorial

Also, VERY EASY!

The basket also included a bag of homemade granola. I made Cranberry Pecan Granola from the Earthbound Farm Cookbook.

And last of all, since my sister-in-law is interested in trying out some homemade body product and cleaner recipes, I printed out Crunchy Betty’s nifty recipe cards, added a title page and put a ring through them. Ta-Da!

I later thought it would have been cool to print those out and give her some supplies for making a few of the recipes. Maybe next time!

After spending a good chunk of change on our tickets to Australia, we are striving to be as frugal as possible. I didn’t calculate the cost of this little basket, but I’m thinking it was a good deal considering it would be quite pricey to buy all of those items from a store. Plus it was fun to make them!

What would you like to receive in a gift basket?

(Amazon links are affiliate links)

I whisked into Home Depot with my baby on my hip. I was quickly breezing in to get a few hooks for the bathroom wall.

Or so I thought.

As I trotted by one of the workers, she smiled and said, “Hi cutie (to the baby). You were in here yesterday.”

I was surprised that she remembered and wondered if she realized the baby was still wearing the same clothes! (It was a rough afternoon.)

Did she think I was a bad mom?

I stopped and chatted for a minute then went on to find the hooks I had picked out the day before.

We said hello again as I hurried to the check out and I thought that would be the end of our interaction.

Once through the line and ready to head out the door I noticed it was pouring down with rain. Really pouring down.

And my car was far away.

We turned around and made our way to the other entrance because it was closer to the car. Once I got to the door, we stopped. There was no way I could take a baby out in that downpour!

I imagined the screams if I tried to make a run for it. I wondered if I would slip over with the baby while trying to hurry to the car. I considered how long this rain might last and thought about wandering the aisles until the storm had passed.

Before I could decide on a plan of action, the lady who remember my baby from yesterday came walking toward us. Umbrella in hand she said, “I buy these for a dollar at the Dollar Store and I’d like to give it to you.”

Surprised and grateful, I thanked her and accepted the gift.

We made it to the car and I smiled all the way home.

A kind soul had reached out to me.

This happened during Giving Month (a month where I was attempting to focus on blessing others). It reminded me that gifts don’t have to be BIG to be meaningful.

What touched me the most was the care she took with her words. I felt that she really tried to make it easy for me to accept her gift. She let me know that it was not a big deal, even though it might have been (how was she going to get to her car?).

I appreciated that as much as I appreciated the umbrella.

I want to learn the art of giving. To give without being showy, without grand gestures.  To give for good of the other person (and not my own ego).

I’m grateful for you Home Depot lady. Thank you for gift and for the lesson.

It doesn’t always come naturally to give. Sure, giving out of the overflow is not too hard, but giving when it involves sacrifice, that is not so easy.

I figure the best way to become truly generous is to just keep on giving!

The 30 Day Giving Challenge is underway. Many are joining in to bless others every day during the month of November. My little family is going along for the ride too.

I’m not sure how or what I will blog about during this challenge. It seems a little awkward to tell you about our giving.  But I will share a few thoughts during the month. I am hoping this will make a big impact on my kids and help them to think of others more often.

We started a communal Giving Notebook which is holding all our ideas. The plan is to write about some of our experiences and thoughts throughout the month.

Yesterday I did a little interview with the kids and jotted down their answers in the book. It will be fun to look back on at the end of the challenge!

Here are a few of the questions and answers:

What gifts do you like to receive?

SugarBean(9 years old): Pencils or a notebook. Because I love to draw and keep a journal.

Little Mister (6 years old): Pencils and paper. So I can draw. I love to draw.

What gifts do you like to give?

SugarBean: Cards.

Little Mister: Dolls if they are girls. Scary toys for boys.

Why is it good to give?

SugarBean: Because they will probably think you are nice. And God will be pleased.

Little Mister: God will like you. He will be pleased about you. He will be thankful about you.

What has God given you?

SugarBean: Lots and lots of blessings. A really good Mom and Dad (smile). A nice warm home.

Little Mister: Love. Really good toys that does stuff for babies and kids.

Is Jesus a gift?

SugarBean: Yes!

Little Mister: Yes! Yes! Yes! (while jumping). He has powers and stuff. He’s really nice to people. He is with us. You cannot be afraid to go places. He is there.

How do you feel when you are given a gift?

SugarBean: Happy and thankful.

Little Mister: I would say, “Thank you. I’m really happy you gave this. Did you not really want it or not?”

Ahh, my kids make me smile!

My friend, Andie, had the smart idea to teach her children 2 Corinthian 9:7, “…God loves a cheerful giver.“ I decided to copy her and we are doing that too. After I told them this verse we talked about how to give and I pretended to give them presents grudgingly. They thought that was pretty funny!

It’s not too late to join in! Hop over to the 30 Day Giving Challenge to see what others are doing.

P.S. The pictures were drawn by my daughter.

A few years ago I was able to visit Earthbound Farm in Carmel Valley, California.  It was fun to go to the farm since I have purchased a number of Earthbound products over the years.  I was recently able to go back and had a lovely time yet again!

Spending some time with my family, outside, among fresh, happy plants, is a finer thing!

My favorite part was the organic herb garden.  I didn’t realize that so many herbs had multiple varieties. And every herb has a nice little sign so they can easily be identified. It was very educational for me!

You can snip fresh herbs and buy them.  But I was inspired to get my herb garden going at home!  So many of them grow like weeds, which is prefect for a lazy gardener like me

The kids really enjoyed the Kid’s garden.  They ran around and around.

The baby enjoyed being outside and even got a bite of ice cream!  She wasn’t sure what to think about it though.  We also put a chamomile flower between her toes

Wish this picture didn’t have my shadow in it!

They have a little store with  fruit, vegetables, and some specialty items. I bought some roasted walnut oil for a salad dressing I’ve been wanting to make.  Recipe to come…if it’s good

Last time I visited Earthbound farm I purchased co-founder, Myra Goodman’s book, Food to Live By.  It has become a favorite. Especially the Maple Almond Granola recipe.  Mmmm.

You can find out more about Earthbound Farm on their website.  They also have a bunch of recipes.

This post is part of Finer Things Friday at Amy’s Finer Things.

My husband had a wonderful Grandmother.  I mean, really wonderful.  I count her as one of the most amazing women I have ever met.

When she died last year, I knew I would miss her.  Lots of people do.  She was the adopted Grandma of so many I couldn’t begin to count.

One thing I always enjoyed discussing with her was food and cooking.  She was an awesome cook.  My husband says her food tasted so good because she didn’t scrimp on fat!  I think he is right.

As a newly-wed I was extremely inexperienced in the kitchen.  She showed me how to make a number of things and answered many of my questions over the phone.  I often had trouble following her recipes because she really didn’t use recipes! I remember her showing me how to make pie crust…she just scooped the Crisco out of the container with her hand and said, “You need about this much.”  The same thing when she demonstrated her method of cooking oatmeal: “Just fill the pot with some water and then start sprinkling the oats over it.”  How much water?  How many oats?

Her methods were her own, and they worked very well.  I still wish I could ask her advice (and not just about cooking either!)

Recently I decided to try making some San Francisco style sourdough bread (it’s my husband’s favorite).  I started hunting recipes.  To my surprise, I found a big sheet of paper filled with instructions for making San Francisco Sourdough from his Grandma.  And in her very own handwriting too. She had sent them to me years ago, but I had not yet tried it.

I got to work on the bread and it turned out well.  Actually, there are two recipes in the instructions.  I’ve only made one so far and plan to try the other later this week.  It was a real treat to read her words and follow her advice.  Her handwriting is unmistakable, so I couldn’t help but think of her sweet character each time I looked at the page.

We enjoyed the bread and I am making it again today.

I didn’t plan to share the recipes because I wanted to post mostly healthy, “real food” recipes on this blog.  But I changed my mind.  The truth is, we eat real food most of the time, but do enjoy treats on a regular basis

I usually grind my own wheat and make this soaked, yeasted loaf from Sue Gregg. It is good, but I have read that sourdough is better for you than yeasted bread (here is an informative article from The Nourishing Gourmet).  However, so far my whole wheat sourdough has been a flop.  But I am working on it.  Actually, Wardeh from GNOWFGLINS is starting a sourdough e-course this week.  I am excited to participate in it and hope to get very comfortable with sourdough.  I figure homemade sourdough with white flour is still better than store bought.

Here is Grandma’s recipe.  She called it Sourdough Jack. (I’ll share her second recipe after I try it.)

Sourdough Jack

Makes Extra Sourdough Bread

Put 1 cup of sourdough starter into a large bowl.

Stir in 1 cup of warm water and 2 cups of flour.

Mix well.  Let stand, covered, for 14-36 hours.  The longer it stands, the more tang it will develop.

Work in:

• 2 teaspoons of sugar

• 2 teaspoons of salt

• 2 cups flour (more if mix is sticky)

Turn dough onto board and knead until silky smooth.

Let rest 10 minutes.

Shape into 1 or 2 loaves.  (I did 2 loaves and they were quite small.)

Let rise on cookie sheet for 30 minutes in a warm place. (I let mine rise a little longer than this.)

Put shallow pan of water in oven on lower shelf.

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Make diagonal slashes on bread.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until crust is medium/dark brown.

Set on rack to cool.

I purchased my San Francisco Sourdough starter from Cultures For Health and am very happy with it (and with Cultures for Health for that matter).  You can make your own.  But I have not done so yet.

Finding this recipe was certainly a Finer Thing!  This post is linked to Finer Things Friday at Amy’s Finer Things.  Hop on over there to be encouraged!