the flow of life

 

 

The creek was a matter of envy.  Every kid wants a creek in their back yard right.  Even Matthew, as old as he is, still wistfully tells me what fun he would have had with a creek in his backyard.  I love that my kids get to enjoy it now and that my grandfather did so long ago.  He had a club house down there and would roast chickens that his gang had "confiscated". 



This creek has seen many generations.  but it never ceases.  just keeps on flowing.  that's how life is.

  

 

 

 

I am grateful, everyday,

that I get the privilege of being a mother to these two beautiful souls as the flow of life propels us forward.

It brings me such Joy.

 



I understand with such depth that the flow of life will continue and they will not always be right by my side.

I see how much they have changed in only just a year. 

They are progressing with this flow. 

 

They are older, wiser, more independent.

  

They are moving forward with this flow of life no matter how that tugs at my heart. 

I understand that I cannot stop the movement of this flow and do not try,

though I sometimes long to.

I only sigh, and say I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be with them in this flow of life
and that we are forever a part of each other.

I am comforted that someday we will emerge at the same Life Spring.  

 

 

And Joy will once again be with me; a mother's companion.

 

 

I will again be grateful

that the flow of life brought us together, as mother and child,

and rejoice that we experienced those precious moments in time. 

 

The best portion of your life

will be the small, nameless moments you spend

smiling with someone who matters to you.

 -Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dance pictures

Just thought I would share Hannah's dance pictures. 

Love .. must always create sunshine,

filling the heart so full of radiance,

that it overflows upon the outward world.
                                                   -Nathaniel Hawthorne

       

To be happy you must be your own sunshine.

CHARLES EDWARD JERNINGHAM

Read more at http://www.notable-quotes.com/h/happiness_quotes.html#e6WbQIyRff4SP6uT.99

 





Practice was held at the church so that one of the parents could set up on the stage to take pictures of all these adorable dancers. 

Boy, those girls sure did have a lot of fun dressing up.  Girls are just like that.

It was so fun to be there for all of their giddy excitement. 

 

I know I am partial, but Hannah is one beautiful little girl.  Inside and out.

 

 

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”  
-John Keats

hummus

I have been posting all healthy recipes.  I figure that if I am going to send a recipe out it should be one that will strengthen both body and mind. 

So, today's healthy recipe is for red pepper hummus.

It is really good.  And good for you.

Ingredients:
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup drained and chopped roasted red bell peppers
1/3 cup tahini (sometimes I use 1/8  cup peanut butter instead)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (or 1/4 heaping teaspoon of red pepper flakes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 
Instructions:
Place all ingredients except for the oil in a food processor. Process until smooth, then add the oil in a steady stream and process until desired consistency is reached.  Chill for at least an hour if possible before serving. Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies or, our favorite, Triscuit crackers.


Bon Appe'tit! 

lucy moments

I allowed Hannah and Caleb the autonomy to make something all on their own while I was working on a moving project. 

I figured they would most likely choose cookies. 
Something sweet and something we have made about a hundred times together.  
Something they could easily do on their own.

Oblivious to me, they chose bread. 
Whole. Wheat. Bread. 

I have to admire their initiative but, man, that wasn't what I was thinking about when I walked into the kitchen and saw this.

They seriously said that this mound was their bread dough rising. Seriously.

The entire kitchen floor looked like this.

Hannah compared our situation several times to the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel make bread. 
Can you remember that one? 

I told her yes, she and Caleb had had a Lucy moment.  A big Lucy moment.   

They helped me scrub that kitchen down.

And then we salvaged that "dough" by adding some water and a little elbow grease.

We kneaded it into a loaf and two bears.

And baked it.

And then we sat down and ate that delicious homemade bread and laughed about our very own Lucy moment.


What about you, have you had a favorite "Lucy Moment"?

luck of the Irish

Our St. Patrick's Day Activities:



We read Green Eggs and Ham.

And ate green eggs and ham.

I love how Caleb's face looks like he is kind of grossed out about the whole green egg idea, but he ended up really liking them and sure gobbled them down quick.

We were Secret Leprechauns.

Our ward gave everyone the opportunity to be a Secret Leprechaun.  All those who signed up to participate were given a secret envelope with the name of the family they were to be a Secret Leprechaun to. 

We got the most beautiful little family.  My friend and her husband are 40 something and just adopted their very first child.  A beautiful "wee little lass".  She was only about a week old when we did this.  They make such a sweet little family and we were super excited to get to drop them off something every night around 9:00. 

This is what we gave them. 

Day 1 Shamrock Window Decals
Day 2 Leprechaun Brew

Day 3 A Rainbow 

Day 4 Cabbage and Leprechaun Gold (Ucon Gold Potatoes)

 

Day 5 Green Mint M&M's

We had a little note with a funny quote or poem that we included with what we gave them. 

Man we had fun. 

Caleb fell and rolled down the hill once.

Lots of giggles from those two each night.



We, also, had some fun Secret Leprechauns.

They left us

Lucky Charms Cereal

Chocolate Gold

and Sprite Soda Pop

One night, Matthew and I could hear a lot of commotion going on in the living room.  I walked out there to find Hannah and Caleb spying out the window on our Secret Leprechauns.  There was a knock and Caleb immediately opened the door and yelled, "I see you!  You are wearing a scout shirt!" 

That poor scout probably had such a heart attack!  I can just see the family trying to figure out who was going to draw the short stick to take the treat up to us the next night!    



We made Leprechauns.

The kids made Leprechauns the way I used to make elves and my Dad used to make elves and I suppose my Grandma used to make elves. 

Just carrying on the tradition with a little twist. 

Caleb sure did think the little guys were the funniest things ever.  

The kids made a leprechaun trap.

 

This is what they got in return.

Those mischievous leprechauns. 

Darn, those sneaky leprechauns got away.

 
Caleb laughed and laughed about what they left us.

 

 

We ate two family size boxes of Lucky Charms!

I like Lucky Charms but, man, was I glad when we finally had our last bowls.

We made rainbow bracelets. 

These things sure are popular out here.  All the kids have them.  Some have them going all the way up their arms. 

Well, that was our St. Patrick's Day.


May the Luck of the Irish always be with you!