Thanksgiving 2014

Thankful for so much.

From Him all blessings flow.

God lovingly provides for me.  He gently guides me.  He constantly protects me.  He faithfully forgives me.

 

Even on the rough days I have so much to be thankful for.  :-) 

 

Wishing you a day of joy as you think on your blessings.

 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Pinterest Inspired...

 Recently, Hannah had been searching Pinterest for different ideas for her room.  She saw an idea for a jewelry board and thought it was rather brilliant.   She tweaked the idea a little bit to suit her needs, and this is what she came up with.

The only caveat to her project was that she didn't want to spend any money, if possible.

 

 

She began with a recycled, black frame that we were no longer using.  We also had left over chicken wire from this project.

For the clips she used small, wooden clothespins.  She painted them white, and then decoupaged strips of paper in the color theme of her room onto one side of the clothespin.

The clothespins, the white craft paint, and the scraps of paper we had on hand.

{Her colors are gray, yellow, and plum in spite of my photograph which makes her wall
look pink     :-/      ...which it is not.}

 

She did buy 1 piece of  12" x 12" scrapbook paper with a Paris theme for just 50 cents.

 

 

From the paper she cut "cards" that she then hole punched.  They hold her earrings and necklaces.

 

 

The dowel at the bottom slips in and out of eye hooks that hold her bracelets and sunglasses.

She bought the dowel for 1.99 and the eyehooks were a couple of dollars, but that was Eric's idea so he provided those. :-)  {Hey, what are Dads for?!}

 

 Here it is.   Her Pinterest inspired jewelry board for just $2.50.

 

FREE gift tags

So, I was looking through a catalog that arrived in the mail, and saw this cute idea for gift tags.

 

 

Not wanting to make an order

I was thinking I could go to the local craft store and pick up some supplies to make some, but then I thought of a better way.

 

I gathered up some tools: my cutting board, my triangle, a ruler and scissors.

 

and supplies: some Trader Joe's paper bags.

 

I cut open the bags, then cut pieces 2" x 3".

 

The fun part is that one side {the outside of the grocery bag} is printed and

the other side {the inside} is blank for me to write my message.

 

I measured and marked where I would hole punch.

 

 

Then I measured so I could clip off the edges 

to make it look like an old fashioned tag

 

finished off with some string or red and white baker's twine.

 

 

My gift tags....for FREE!

One little detail done for Christmas.

Thanks Trader Joe's.  Just one more reason for loving you.

 

 

Vietnamese Coffee

Eric and I went on a fun coffee date, and he introduced me to this special treat that I had never had before. 

 

Vietnamese coffee is served in a small, clear glass, which allows you to see the layers.

On top of the glass is placed a unique single serve metal French drip filter. 

Coarsely ground Vietnamese-grown dark roast coffee grounds

are placed in the filter, to which hot water is added. 

It  s l o w l y  drips down on top of the thick layer of sweetened condensed milk. 

 

Cream and coffee! 
  Once it has finished dripping, you gently stir to mix in the sweetened condensed milk which mellows and sweetens the strong, rich coffee. 

Another fun thing about the filter { cà phê phin } is the lid.

The lid also acts like a saucer when flipped over.  When the coffee has finished dripping into the cup, you remove it and place the filter on the lid/saucer.  Any coffee that continues to drain collects on the saucer, but the neat thing is that the saucer has a little spout {you can see it on the filter on the right.} so that you can pour the collected coffee into your cup to get every last drop, literally.  Often a small pot of hot water is served along side it so that you can repeat and have a second cup. 

 

My favorite thing about this coffee isn't the way it tastes {though it is delicious}, or the way it is brewed {though it is artsy}, but it is that it beckons you to sit a bit and linger.  Because it takes a few minutes to drip and it is a strong brew {much like espresso} it is perfect for slow sipping coupled with good conversation. 

 

We had such a sweet time together on this rare

middle of the week - middle of the day date.

 

. . . . .  

 

 

Smart gnome

Caleb has the Northwest look, beanie and all.

Lime green makes him visible on the slopes.

It also makes him look a little like a gnome....a smart gnome.

 

He passed another CLEP today! 

 

Chocolate milk to celebrate and a night or two off before he begins again.

 

Nice Work, Son.

 

Sugary amazingness

Abbie and I were looking over some of my Pinterest boards when we found a donut recipe, and decided that today was the perfect day to make them.  

 

 It was a simple recipe.  Mix the dry ingredients.  Mix the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet into the dry

until incorporated.

Spoon into a greased donut pan

 

and smooth around.

 

 Bake at 350 for 9 minutes, and cool on wire racks.

Melt chocolate and shortening to make a frosting.

Hannah joined us for this part.

Add sprinkles, if you like.  Abbie liked.

Frost and sprinkle, frost and sprinkle.  They made a good team. 

Looking good!

A sister selfie

Hannah insists that, "Donuts are sugary amazingness."

 

Hannah asked me if I liked this recipe enough to keep.

Well....maybe

1. The cake part is gluten free. {+}
2. In batter form, it doesn't taste very good. {-} 
3. The recipe calls the frosting a "glaze", but instead of a thin glaze, it was a thick frosting. {+/- depending  on your preference.}
4. The final product is delish. {+}

It's a keeper.

Next time for a thin "glaze" I think I will try mixing espresso with powered sugar.

If you'd like to try the original recipe go here.

To see more of my pinned Sweet treats go here.

 

What's cookin' in your kitchen?

 

Things that make me smile

Some satsumas and a lime

{reminds me of works of art with equally profound titles  ;-)  }

. . . . .
 

 
Flowers from my Knight in Shining armor.
{He's the sweetest!}
. . . . .

 Pilgrims

{I think they are thankful for each other.}

. . . . .

My first pumpkin smoothie of the season.

{YUM!}
. . . . .

Before I know it there will be turkeys to cook, pies to bake, friends to visit.  There will be gifts to wrap, carols to sing, cookies to exchange, and trees to trim, but for today
it's the little things that make me smile.

Ever so thankful

My little daily reminder...

 

in ALL things...give thanks.

 

This is now even more poignant than ever.   

 

It's everyone's worst nightmare to receive one of  "those" phone calls.

This morning, I received one from Eric. 

As you know, Eric skateboards from the bus depot to his office every day, rain or shine.

He is a very experienced skater, but still he knows the dangers, so he wears his body armor, a helmet, and a light so he can be seen.

 

A driver, stopped at an intersection, didn't look both ways before she pulled out to enter into the busy commuter traffic, and hit Eric.

MIRACULOUSLY HE IS SAFE.

He is quite sore, but no broken bones, no concussion...or worse.

He is resting, here with us, at home. 

 

When Eric first called me, all he could tell me was that he had been hit by a car, and was in an ambulance, on the way to the hospital.  Which hospital, he didn't even know.

Immediately, I found my mind racing ~ going places it ought not go. 

Scripture was and is my biggest comfort.

 

....."Take every thought captive"....

2 Corinthians 10:5

 

* This is the day that the Lord made - even with this event.

Psalm 118:24

 

* God is sovereign and knows all the details.

Isaiah 46: 8-9

 

* God knows what He is doing and He is trustworthy!

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

Keeping one's thoughts is a definite act of the will, and it is not easy to

focus only on what I KNOW to be true.

Concern and worry were on the faces of the older children, the little ones broke down in tears as they feared the worst, but we prayed giving thanks to God.

 

God's Word instructs us to "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

 

Tonight our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness.

Thankful for our great God.

Thankful for how He tenderly cares for us.

Thankful for His Word that guides us.

Thankful for answered prayer.

Thankful for more time,

for more gentle kisses,

for more tender I love you's.

 

Ever so thankful!

 

. . . . .