O'Elia's ;)

I had been wanting to have our pastor and her husband (also a pastor of another ELCA church) over for dinner, and last night was a good night for it. It was the last day if school, their youngest just graduated, the Easter season is winding down, and we have been here for one year. We visited our church the first week last year and liked it a lot. However, we did want to compare it with other churches before deciding. All summer we wanted to come back and visit Edgwood, and we finally decided it was the church for us. Pastor Beth was very much a deciding factor, and with our one year anniversary this week, we wanted to celebrate with her. We really had a great evening!

I knew that the local Lebanese lunch shop is one of their favorites here, and we miss Elia's so much that I've spent the last year trying to reproduce our favorites from their menu. I've gotten pretty good at it! I'll post the recipes on the sidebar sometime this week. We had tabbouleh, falafel with pita, tapas-style veggies, hummus, shish taouk (skewered chicken), marinated round steak, and tzatziki and toum sauces. Dessert was baklava, and I made everything but the pita. That would've been overboard; even I know that! I forgot to get the spanikopita out of the freezer, and I figured we already had enough food. I love to make all the dishes so that I can mix different flavors into each bite. It's all fresh and pretty darn healthy and definitely delicious! I had used up all the store-bought plain yogurt for breakfast yesterday and thought I'd have to run to the store, but I found a quart of unopened homemade yogurt that was weeks old in the fridge. It was fresh and yummy! I used it in the chicken marinade, tzatziki, and toum. Such a relief when I surprise myself by being extra-prepared!

We don't have any real plans this weekend. We feel like we've been hit by a bus every week, so making plans is not our first thought, I'll admit. We'll keep it mellow and see if we have it in us to do anything special with the kids. The Jedis can't play Wii for an entire 3-day weekend!

EDIT: we're Bethlehem-bound in the morning!

Easter Preparations

I got moving this morning and managed to get 3 dozen Easter-themed sugar cookies rolled, cut, and baked. The challenge is to keep the kids from sneaking them before I can get them iced! I took a rest because of some Braxton Hicks contractions and then made baklava for the first time. It was so easy! I can't believe I haven't done it before, and it's definitely going to be a holiday tradition for us.

Dr. O' stayed home yesterday to help out and had to go in to catch up today on grading. M-girl was my constant shadow during baking and is down for a nap now, although I can hear that she's not sleeping yet. The Jedis are watching Veggie Tales and wearing capes because they're nutty. I-M helped me put the Easter tablecloth out, and we'll do a touch-up cleaning this evening. For now I am doing my medically mandatory relaxing for a few hours and watching Mad Men DVDs in bed. I get so constantly hungry with this bebe, and not gaining a ton of weight is a challenge!

I need to make a quick run for some new polo shirts for the guys to wear to church. Thankfully, M-girl has a box full of pretty dresses to choose from, and I'm set for a dress that I've worn while pregnant before.

Tomorrow's dinner will be a spiral-sliced ham, some kind of potatoes, broccoli and cheese, fresh bread, veg stuffed peppers, and Key Lime Pie, yummy! We'll be at church in the morning and enjoying some family time at home for the rest of the day.

Feeling more like myself

This transition to a new city has been a struggle, and the trials of first-time home-ownership, particularly of a century-old home, have kept me in a pretty constant state of anxiety, especially after I had a burn, a cracked kneecap, and a sprained ankle all on my right side this winter. I'm feeling like my home and my life are getting more settled, and the kids' routine is much more regular. Dr.O's semester is over in about a month, and the Jedis are off for the summer in 2 months. In the meantime, we have spring weather to look forward to, at least some day!

With my decreased time spent online, I've been getting more rest AND getting more done in my home. This week I've made 6 loaves of whole wheat honey bread, and Dr. O. has made two loaves of caraway rye. I've been making dinners that accommodate Dr. O's lenten meat fast and trying some new recipes. It's Friday, and I'm on the last load of laundry, and the rest is already put away. My sweet husband vacuumed the whole house last night and ran the dishwasher twice. Tonight's dinner is our traditional whole wheat pizza , which I haven't been making for the last few weeks.

I list these things because they are signs of good mental health for me. When my laundry is running smoothly, and I'm grinding 32 cups of wheat to make bread, pizza, and muffins, and I'm excited to be making yogurt, and my counters are clean, and my feet don't have crumbs on them, I'm doing well! I had to throw out my previous yogurt-making gear because a mason jar full of yogurt had a hairline crack and burst while making yogurt, soaking the soft cooler. I'd had my doubts about the safety of our heating pad as well when it accidentally ran for 3 days under a pillow when Ian was ill. It had scorch marks on it, and I didn't feel good about using it for yogurt making anymore. I got a new one from Amazon this morning, so yogurt-making is back in full swing. I had a hard time finding one that did not have an auto-shutoff feature, which I'm sure is important, but I want to make yogurt! The one I got cycles gently up and down to avoid overheating, so I think it'll work and possibly save electricity.

I did yell at M-girl yesterday because she was dumping bins of toys immediately after I had picked them up, which I was doing so that my husband could vacuum. She and I made peace just fine, and it motivated me to be more patient and take the time to talk through tough moments with each of my children. It's easy to yell and leave physical and emotional distance between me and my children, but that makes it easier for them to only obey when I'm in sight and yelling. It takes touch and a calm and patient tone to change their hearts and make it easier for them to do the right thing the next time. It's the day-to-day training that really does make a difference in my kids' overall behavior, but it's also where my energy gets sapped. I am feeling hopeful after a morning of peaceful conflict resolution, plus M's nap is in 20 minutes!

An Unusual Answer to Prayer...

I ran to the Triadelphia Wal-Mart today for a few things, and I was in the baking aisle to grab a cake mix for IM7's birthday. On the bottom shelf were multiple 25lb bags of chemical-free hard white winter WHEAT! It is the same brand, size, and approximate price that I usually pay for it (about $13/25lb bag). This is tremendously exciting because I am a baking nerd. I prefer to grind wheat flour myself for really healthy and delicious bread that's also very cheap and has no non-food additives. I have moved away from an area where I had a nearby Amish bulk food store, and since our friends weren't able to bring some wheat from there this weekend, I was actually pretty close to running out. It was cool to show IM that God answered Momma's prayer. Not only did God provide a source for wheat, but it's close to home, at a place where I shop weekly, and at about the same price! There is a place 2 hours away in Ohio, but I'll keep buying it at Walmart for now. I could avoid shopping at Wal-Mart altogether in Indiana, but these days, it's my Brokeback Mountain: Wal-Mart, I wish I could quit you!

Cookie-palooza!

The immense cookie baking was put off this week by our sudden respiratory malaise, but we have recovered and gotten life back in order. Our friends the Hamricks couldn't come due to respiratory stuff on our end and illness in their household as well, so we have shifted our plans around significantly. I baked most of the day today and have hundreds of cookies neatly stored in colored buckets of all sizes. Dr. O' stayed home and helped with M, who is in full toddler mode and a Daddy's Girl, and we had a nice day listening to This American Life on the iPod dock he gave me early for Christmas. Nice to have our holiday back on track! I'll finish baking tomorrow, and then the celebrations and travel will commence!

I posted a list of links with my Christmas cookie recipes in the right-hand column. Merry Christmas!

My life or something (title suggested by my always-helpful IM)

I am drinking tea and listening to Handel's Messiah, thinking about how dark it is at 6pm now. With the huge hill in my backyard, by kitchen gets dark even earlier. My sons have birthdays at the beginning of winter (IM next Monday) and the beginning of summer, and I find the contrast in weather and daylight so interesting. We are in full-scale Christmas prep when IM's birthday comes, but we try hard to make his birthday a special day. We're discussing cakes now.

This is the last full week before Christmas break. I will be making cookies in the church kitchen Monday and Tuesday, and I'm thrilled to have access to huge counter space and industrial ovens, which will make my 1000-cookie-project much easier. We both have large families, so we do need to bring plenty!

Dr.O's grades are due tomorrow, and he has only a handful of items left to grade. He and I need to do a bit of shopping for IM's birthday and to enjoy some quiet days together before the travel, etc. starts.

Our special friends the Hamricks will be here Friday afternoon (yeay!) to spend a day on their way to visit grandparents. The boys will have school on Monday and Tuesday next week, with me helping out in IM's class for the Christmas party. Then on Tuesday afternoon, we will head to visit Grammy and Papa and stay through Christmas Eve morning. We'll attend our church's Christmas Eve service, celebrate Christmas day at home, unpack, do laundry, re-pack, and leave for Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's for a few days. By the time we get home, most of Christmas Break will be over for the boys. It'll be a busy semester, ending with the anniversary of our first year in Wheeling.

Hooray, God provides!

I've been a bit low this holiday season. It's hard for me to not be able to focus entirely on Advent, but it's for legitimate reasons. My husband had a miscommunication with his employer resulting in our not getting reimbursed $500 he paid for a conference put on by his publisher. This $500 was the bulk of our Christmas fund. We also have important birthdays and travel that will cost money. It's just discouraging. However, we have a gift for the boys that we know they will love and that we can add to later. (Shh! It's a Wii that we're getting second-hand from my brother). My 1000-cookie-bacchanal won't be that expensive, and it provides a source of gifts for friends and family. Any money that we get from our parents for Christmas will pay for us to get home (maybe that's why they give us cash! ;).

I get upset from time to time when I think about this lack of funds, but I have to realize that we put out $800 for this conference over 3 months. After grad school poverty, I marvel that we paid all our bills and still managed to sock away enough to pay for Dr. O' to go to Atlanta.

I took IM today to JCPenney's because we had a 20% off coupon from a church friend. The coats were at least 50% off to begin with, and we got to use the coupon, so I bought him larger snowpants and some nice Thinsulate gloves. The original price for all was $135, and I got all for $45 with tax. Thankfully, his boots still fit, at least until they go on clearance in a month or two! The best part of today was some one-on-one time with the son who is growing up so fast. He turns 7 in 2 weeks! We had a late lunch at Panera and did some quick grocery shopping. What a huge blessing to get affordable and durable outerwear and get some time with my not-so-little guy!

When I get a little annoyed, thinking that my kids deserve I deserve to see a HUGE pile of presents under my tree, thinking that our present unwrapping should take even a scant hour, I remember that I've been given far more than I could ever hope to be worthy of. I want my kids to be so immersed in Advent joy that the Christmas Day materialism becomes part of Christmas but not the sum total of Christmas.

I thought about getting a credit card to make it through Christmas, but I'm not going to. I just can't put my faith in a piece of plastic with the expectation that "it'll all work out". If it'll work out when I pay off the debt, why not trust that things will work out now? God provides. Not all at once or always in the ways I think He should, but He has blessed us abundantly. Philippians 4:19

UPDATE: As usual, everything has worked out fine. We have been abundantly blessed with new clothes and new shoes and thoughtful gifts of all kinds by our family. We have had enough money to be able to travel to Indiana and Pennsylvania. My brother charged us $25 for the Wii, which came with 2 games and 4 controllers. We bought the Jedis a Star Wars LEGO game for the Wii and a table and chair set for M. Dr. O' got a great deal on an iPod dock for me, and I've been enjoying it throughout the Christmas season. Dr. O' bought all of his own gifts at his conference in Atlanta, where he can find the best deals on books each year. We have what we need, and then some! Thank you, Lord!

Gearing up for Cookie Day - Packing list to take to the church

My shopping list:
25lb all-purpose flour
25lb sugar
72oz chocolate chips
1 can shortening
10lb butter
5lb powdered sugar
molasses
5lb brown sugar
4 dozen eggs

Already have:
Using church's industrial ovens - Hooray!
1000'x18" roll of paper for rolling cookies on and for putting cooled cookies on
Enormous stand mixer
cooling racks and cookie pans
raisins
coconut
cranberries
almonds
baking soda
salt
baking powder - aluminum free!
parchment
vanilla
orange oil
lemon juice
cinnamon
ginger
allspice
nutmeg
cloves
cocoa powder