An autumn stroll
The girls and I went out for an afternoon stroll this past weekend, while Dave was out...I love this time of year!
Applesauce Cake
This is a great and super easy cake recipe for the fall! My sister suggested it to me not too long ago, when I was short on time and needed to make a cake.
Applesauce Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup raisins
2/3 cups chopped nuts
Maple-Nut buttercream frosting (see below)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 pan or 2 round 8 or 9 inch pans.
2. Beat all ingredients except raisins and nuts in large bow on low speed for about 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into pans.
3. Bake rectangle pan 45-50 minutes, rounds 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
4. Frost!
Maple-Nut Frosting (frosts one 13 x 9 pan or fills and frosts one 8 or 9 inch 2-layer cake).
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts
1. Mix powdered sugar and butter until softened. Add maple syrup and beat until combined.
2. Stir in nuts Read more...
Pumpkin patch
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we went with the Sheffers to a great pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. Here it is...
Poor Jotham was not too fond of all the vines! Here he is, calling for help.
Mckenna chowing on an apple
Read more...
Laundry day
There is something about laundry day that I really enjoy. Around our house it's usually Monday when most of it gets done. There is often another day when I need to run an extra load to wash a needed "blankie" or something of the sort. But for some reason, I don't mind it...even all the sorting, folding, etc. I love the fresh smell of clothes and having all my favorite items clean to wear...it's almost like a fresh start to our week.
This week I thinking that, spiritually speaking, laundry day for me is how each new day is...fresh, with new mercies in it. Yesterday could have become soiled with anger or impatience or fear. For me, it always is. But because of the Cross, I can awake to a new day or moment or hour, washed clean by the blood of Jesus, and through repentance can have a clean, fresh start to honor and please my Savior. How grateful I am for new mercies that come with each day!! They provide hope for my soul when I am discouraged and aware of all my shortcomings. So, with each load of laundry I need to do, I want to use that opportunity to stop and remember what the Savior has done for me in providing a way for my heart to be washed clean and experience fresh mercies with each new day.
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:22-23
The past few weeks, part 3
Dave took a few days off in the beginning of this month. We stayed around the area and just did day trips. One day to Adventure Park, another to the zoo (forgot my camera), and a few times we went over to the Rio to eat and play.
At the Rio...
Adventure Park...
I love this one..."Papa, go long!"Please pray...
We have some family on the Castro side who live out in San Diego, a number of friends who are a part of the Sovereign Grace church, as well as Dave's company friends who are about an hour north. Some of needing to evacuate their homes due to the fires. Please keep them in your prayers.
Read more...God's steadfast love is better than life
I was reading a meditation by John Piper on Psalm 63 this morning. I started reading his book, Pierced by the Word. It is very good. As I have been battling fears lately, this definitely ministered to my soul and helped to further guide my prayers. In writing Ps. 63, David was fearing for his life and this Psalm is a response to that. Piper comments,
"Learn from David what to do in this brokenhearted, terrifying moment. He prays. The whole psalm is addressed to God. he asks for one thing - not protection, not victory, but God Himself, satisfying his soul, like water satisfies thirst in a dry and weary land. 'O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my flesh faints for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water' (vers 1). There are seasons of pain and loss and grief and darkness when nothing is worth asking for but God. Everything else seems trivial, even life.
That's why David said in verse 3, 'Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.' David may well be killed during the night by some plotting traitor sold out to Absalom. How do you sleep? You remind yourself that the love of God in the presence oGod is better than not being stabbed to death in the night. But this rest in God's steadfast love is not easily felt. We say the words. But do we feel the reality? David did not feel it as he wanted to feel it. That is why he cried out, 'Earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you.' David desperately needed God to answer his cry to come and help him taste- not just know, but feel- that God's steadfast love is better than life.
Oh, to know God like this! Would this not be everything to us? Would this not be more than all the riches and fame and success and health, indeed all the world can offer? God Himself coming near and making our souls drink from His love until all else fades from view, and fear is swallowed up in the unshakable security of everlasting enjoyment at the right hand of God. Oh that we would come to this place in our walk with God!"
The past few weeks, part 2
Now that fall is here, we are saying good-bye to all our summer flowers that we had on our deck and in our garden. We enjoyed them, probably Mckenna and I most of all. She loved to help me water and take care of them. A few weeks ago, the girls and I ventured out to get some fall mums and flowers to replace some of our summer ones.
Here were some of the last of our summer flowers...
A friendly spider made his home above some of the flowers and it looked really cool when we watered.Crock-pot recipe
I love the ease of crock-pot recipes, but Dave isn't always so keen on the "mushiness" of them. This one, however, was a winner! Very easy and so yummy. If anyone else has a favorite crock-pot recipe, I'd love to know it. If you can, share it with us in the comments section.
Split Pea Soup
Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
Serves 8
Read more...
- 1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
- 1 meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
- 1 1/2 qts. hot water
Serves 8
The past few weeks, part 1
I am going to attempt to catch up a bit on the past weeks. I got all my pictures uploaded and over the past few days have gone through them (all 500+). It was fun!
One of the big events was a wedding in FL that Dave and I attended. My cousin, Mike got married and we decided to make a short trip down for it. Last minute we decided to take Selah (because she could fly for free), which turned out to be fun. It was a great time of seeing family, some of which I have not seen since I was very little.
Mike & Jess...just married!
Amazingly, Selah made it through the service...with the help of this pencil.
First dance
Dave's neice, Nina. She and Selah won were too cute!
Read more...
We haven't disappeared
It's been so long since I have posted and much has been going on in our family. As for my computer...well, as soon as we got it back last, it had to go right back. It still wasn't right. But now, I have it and it works great (apparently, but I'm still convinced that I got a lemon ;o). Anyway, this is where I am glad Dave got a warranty. After a few visits to the Mac Dr., my computer took over $800 in repairs. Hard to believe, but am grateful we didn't have to pay for it.
Then last week, Dave took 4 days off for an at-home vacation. We took some day trips to the zoo and Adventure park and just enjoyed being together. It was a busy week and we had lots of fun. I took loads of pictures, but I can't seem to upload them to my computer. I think Dave needs to reinstall my camera software...BUT, he's away all this week in Lake Tahoe on a trip with some co-workers...playing golf, hiking around the crystal blue lake, having fun, and oh yes, a few business meetings! We miss him, but I am glad he gets to get away and see new places, and have some fun. So, I can't share any pictures yet, but hopefully soon.
With Dave gone, we went out to see my mom and grammy on Monday and stayed the night. Then on Wednesday we went to this great pumpkin patch in Damascus with the Sheffers. For some reason, I have found it hard to come by REAL pumpkin patches these days, the kind where the pumpkins are still on the vine. But this place had a real patch and was filled with a variety of pumpkins...with stripes and brights colors. We also got a big bag of "seconds" apples and Mckenna and I made lots of applesauce when we got home.
After all this fun for a few weeks, we desperately needed a "home" day. So, that's what we did today...got back on our schedule, went for a walk in this wonderful cool, crisp weather, and got some things done at home.
Enjoy this cool fall weather!
STILL no computer
So, Dave finally gets my mac back on Friday. Apparantly the whole hard drive was failing and they replaced it...but, obviously more than that is failing...
I was so excited yesterday morning to open up my computer and start it up in hopes of it having "like-new" speed and capability. HOWEVER, after being on it about 2 minutes, the whole thing just went black and died on me....I stared in disbelief at this blue-gray screen that eventually just went completely black on me, not really knowing what to do.
All that to say that Dave thinks maybe the screen didn't get connected all the way to the computer, so the screen is blacking out, but it doesn't even sound like the computer is on....but maybe it is???
So, no pictures and no great updates coming from the Castros...and probably not for a little while as my little iBook, once again, goes back to the Mac Dr.
No Computer
They say that you don't realize how grateful you are for something, until you don't have it anymore. And I will add, how reliant you are! Very true. Yes, my computer has many issues and is, once again, at the computer doctor...and according to Dave, this will be the last time. Our warranty is up in a few months, so we took advantage of it and are getting it in working order to try to sell and then get another one.
That's why you have not heard from us in awhile or seen any pictures. I won't be able to upload them until I get my computer back (I'm on Dave's right now...and I forget PC's...keep messing up all the commands).
On another note, it's made me aware of how much I rely on my computer for internet..even simple things like looking up a phone number and my calendar, which has my schedule and recipes. But, on the other hand, I also realize how distrating my computer can be. Not having it has has given me the opportunity to do some other things around the house like painting a wall that I have been meaning to do for...well, too long! This past week, I had the idea of having one day a week when I would not use the computer at all, except for first thing in the morning and at night, like I am now. I see how it can be good for my schedule, allow me to give undistracted attention to things that I might not do otherwise and I see how it would also be good for my soul. It could help me evaluate if I am giving too much time to email, etc. and to evaluate if my computer time has become an idol.
Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to post some more soon again and get some pictures up.
Redeeming the day for good
Selah woke up in the middle of the night and felt fairly warm, so I gave her some tylenol. She went back to sleep finally and woke up again 2 hours later for the day (5am). She was restless, fussy, yet sometimes lethargic, just wanted to be held and wouldn't really eat. She took a great morning nap. When she woke up, I tried out a brand new thermometer cause I couldn't find the one I usually use. I put it under her arm and it registered only around 99 or slightly below. I held off from giving her anymore meds. All day she was miserable. Again, after her afternoon nap, she felt warm to me and I took her temperature - 98.6 - perfect....but not really! After more crying, I finally did the old butt method and right away, it shot up to close to 103. I felt terrible!!! Oh well, the Lord used it all! It was a very sanctifying day and I threw my schedule out the window and just did the essentials. After another dose of good ole tylenol in the late afternoon, little Gracie was running around and even laughing a bit, and wanted to go outside.
Right now, we have clean clothes (somehow I did manage to get some laundry done), everyone is fed, and my soul is at peace...even though not much else got done today. So, I am going to bed tonight giving thanks to my Savior for the grace He provided today, even in the midst of my many sinful moments. It's days like today that make me aware, all the more, of how dependant I am....and just like Selah was very needy for Mama to hold her non-stop, so I am very needy for my Savior to hold me up and carry me in His arms with fresh mercy for each day.
Finishing up the letter "A"
This week Mckenna and I continued on the letter "A." She has gotten much better at writing the letter and can tell the uppercase and lowercase apart. We did a few fun crafts and yesterday made some applesauce together from the apples we picked last week. How I love the smell of fresh apples cooking on the stove! I have many fond memories of my mom making applesauce when I was growing up. Here is her very easy recipe:
APPLESAUCE
It's best to choose apples that are more of the sweeter side.
Cut up apples to fill a pot of choice. Boil until very soft. Drain.
If the colander you use has large holes, set it in a bowl and pound the apples with a meat hammer or potato masher. This should push the apple flesh through the holes, leaving the skin.
If you find that this doesn't work and your colander holes are not big enough (as in my case), I pulled out my food processor and put the apples in, even with the skin. You might want to add a tad bit of water.
Add cinnamon to taste and enjoy!
Learning the purpose of a schedule
Starting about 2 weeks ago, I started myself and the girls on a stricter schedule than we have had in the past. I went away for the day and came up with up with what each day of the week would look like in an "effort" to align my days to the priorities I believe God has called me to. This part took much longer than I anticipated, but once in place and Dave had gone over it, I sought to put it into practice.
So far, it has gone very well, actually much better than I had anticipated. However, I am learning that the purpose of this schedule is to serve my family and me, not for me to serve the schedule. For instance, just yesterday an unexpected meeting came up in the evening that Dave wanted us to attend. Instead of cleaning bathrooms, which was on the schedule, I needed to prepare some food for the meeting. This morning I had a brief moment of thinking, "ugg, the bathrooms never got cleaned." It was more of a complaining heart than it was a grateful one for being able to do what we did last night and be with friends. I reminded myself what Dave has often told me..."the bathrooms will always be there." So, the schedule was not kept to a "T" ...in fact, it rarely is! I often am tweaking it and adjusting it to best serve my family. So, instead of complaining because I don't get things done, usually the things I want to do, I need to be grateful for God's plan for each of my days...that can often look very different from what I desire. But, as a friend recently told me, interruptions are God's interventions in our day and, I might add, our schedules. That's truth I must seek to remember!
Talking away
Selah is trying hard everyday to say something new. Her vocabulary is rapidly growing. Her farvorites continue to be Papa, uh oh, and ma ma ma ma...usually only when she wants me to hold her.
A few new words are bubble, baby (this came with baby June!), ba ba (bottle), thank you, help (which sounds more like "hop") among others.
It's too cute and we are thoroughly enjoying listen to her gab away. Mckenna loves it when she says something new and is quick to point it out and encourage her.
Not much is new around here. Today was crisp and cool, especially in the morning...a taste of Fall, I can't wait for it to arrive!
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