Yesterday I had...

But oh, the results were worth it. : ) I'll be posting about them soon.

I hope to work ahead on a few blog posts and publish them little by little, but my posting might still be a bit sparse the next couple of weeks. There are several reasons for this:

1. Benjamin is in the middle of the flurry of work surrounding his senior project. Unfortunately, his computer chose this perfectly hectic time to die, so he's using mine. A lot. Which means that I can't use it as much.

2. We are going to some friends' wedding in Colorado this week. I need to pack, clean, alter dresses, teach music lessons, and practice the music we'll be playing for their wedding before it's time to leave on Thursday.

3. When we get back from the wedding, I'll need some time to recover. I would also like to get my garden in next week.

So, yeah. All that to say that my world is crazy-busy right now, and that even if this space gets neglected for a while, I'll be back.

i remember

i remember

when, tired from the trail

i rode on my Papa's

strong shoulders

convinced myself

he wasn't balding but rather

growing back his hair

admired the scenery

yet ultimately fell asleep

lulled by motion

now i see my little son

pleased with the arrangement

riding on his Grandpa's

strong shoulders

history repeats

family ties bind close

joy floods

i teach

i teach

passing on my craft

of weaving the written notes

into floating melodies

embouchure, diaphragm

fingers, and tongue

moving in harmony

to mold fluid melodies

notes, round and full

notes, sharp and clear

notes, loud and soft

fuse seamless melodies

melodies

that linger in the air

then slowly dissipate

until they are gone

thought they aren't really

pillow fight

"Daddy, I want to wrestle you."

he pleads

"Sit up! I want to knock you down with a pillow."

he bossily scripts

fierce affection

tackle, tickle, knock

roll, climb, bounce

panting collapse

sheer delight, utter joy

i watch breathless

life is beautiful

cement trucks rate up there with trains

We have a friend who is a contractor. The house that he's building now was scheduled to have the cement slab for the garage poured yesterday. We were invited to come along and watch with his wife and two boys.

It was an enjoyable expedition. The weather was perfect: sunny, warm, and not too windy. We had fun hanging out with our friends as well as learning about cement.

The driver pulled up in the big cement truck and got the slide ready for the cement to come rushing down.

The workers used shovels to help the truck spread the cement and smoothed the surface with a long board and some special cement tools.
The big boys watched, alternating between nervousness over the loud noises, excitement, fascination, confusion over not being able to help or walk on the wet cement, and distraction (because even a good attention span for a two-year-old is relatively short).
After a while we lined up the four boys in a doorway to watch the work are to refresh themselves with tasty snacks.

The little boys were more interested in discovering that they can interact with each other than in the cement truck, but at least they got some fresh air and sunshine.

When telling his Daddy about the fun experience later in the afternoon, Little Man enthusiastically summed it up with: "Cement trucks and trains are the best!"

Recipe Reviews

I tried two new recipes last week. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos for the first one and only a somewhat unsatisfactory photo for the second. Not to worry, though, if you click on the link, you'll find excellent photos on which to feast your eyes.

The recipe: I purchased the lemon for Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares quite a while ago, and last Friday was finally the perfect time to make it. We shared these delightful treats with my parents who had asked us over for dinner.

The mods: Benjamin isn't wild about the bitterness imparted by copious amounts of lemon zest, so I reduced the amount of zest to about 3/4 of a lemon's worth.

My impression: These cookies are wonderful! They are a perfect balance of crumbly and soft while still holding together beautifully, and the lemony richness is sweet but not cloying. Plus they are quite easy to mix up. Even Benjamin (who in general doesn't care for bar cookies or things with lemon zest in them) pronounced them tasty, and those of us who like lemon and bar cookies were thrilled.

The recipe: The other recipe I tried recently was Chocolate Cobbler. I made it to share with our home group friends last week, and there wasn't even a teeny tiny little bit left afterward!

The mods: I used 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder in the battery section because, well, 4 tablespoons are easier to measure than 3 tablespoons. Plus you can't go wrong by adding a little more chocolate. In addition, I used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar and served it with whipped cream instead of ice cream.

My impression: This recipe was so quick and easy and so delicious that I'm sure it will be one I come back to again and again. The balance of sweetness and chocolatiness was perfect, and the addition of whipped cream just made it better. I got nothing but rave reviews from everyone who tried it.

The only comment I have about it is that the estimated 10 servings might make the servings just a little skimpy unless you are serving to a crowd with small appetites. Of course, the addition of ice cream would have made it stretch further, so perhaps I can't complain after all. : )

garden spinach

My spinach last year was unkempt and went to seed.

This year we have benefited from an early and generous crop

of volunteer spinach plants.

Last weekend I harvested my first baby spinach salad

of the spring.

Satisfying, fulfilling, crisply green.

Delicious.

nine months

Each month seems to fly by faster than the next. I know I say something like this on every one of Brother's month-birthday posts, but I can't believe how quickly he's growing. It's delightful to see his own unique personality shine more and more.

Right now Brother is:

sleeping through the night more and more often

starting the clingy i-love-mommy-and-want-to-be-near-her stage

chirping "Da-da!" or "Da!" when he sees his Daddy

playing with Little Man and his toys

getting bored with baby toys

trying to get into the Daddy-Little Man wresting matches

getting bored with baby toys

working on growing his two new top teeth

still putting almost everything in his mouth (yes, even that pine cone)

enjoying an ever broadening range of finger foods

delighting in blowing his baby food all over and making a huge mess

beginning to understand "no" and stop what he's doing when told "no"

pulling himself up on almost anything he can get his hands on

trying to travel while pulled up on furniture

falling and getting frustrated

walking with help

vocalizing along with music

learning to recognize "nose"

getting enough hair that I'm afraid I'll have to cut it before his birthday

charming the world with his winsome smile

sweet fellow, I treasure

each day I have to see you grow

every night I get to hold you sleeping

the smiles shared, the laughs they spark

the moments in between

Monday Menu

Here is what I'm planning on cooking this week:

M-Pasta with red sauce and spinach

T-Steaks, potatoes, and broccoli

W-Tacos for home group

Th-Frozen pizza and fruit (busy evening)

F-Make chili-dogs over an open fire in the park

What are you making?

some days

some days

need more grace

than others

sharp words cut

worries rise

disappointments sting

decisions loom

unknowns gape at me

the boys sleep

and i make a dash

for the shower

where i try to calm

my run-away mind

start to pray

hum a snatch of song

hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me

hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away

God and His powerful grace

the very constant

on which i must focus

i will be still

i will trust

i will see His work