Henry’s Puzzle

Henry did this puzzle by himself yesterday afternoon.  Dee Dee taught him how to do puzzles .

January in Maryland

I have gotta say – never been much of fan of January.  It was the depth of winter where I grew up in Maine.  No light at the end of the tunnel in sight.  I have changed since moving to Maryland the second time.  January is rather a pleasant month.  It does get cold, but God sprinkles some 50 and even 60 and sometimes 70 degree days in the midst.  I LOVE it.  So love it.  This week has been so nice.  Yesterday we drove to the zoo forgetting it was closed during the week now.  So we went to the park instead.

 

Photos from my phone.

Babies in the Morning…

We are preparing to go to Maine next week for my sister’s wedding.  So far God has completely taken car of us as always.  I was going to rent a car from the airport but it’s $100 more than renting 5 miles down the road.  I was prepared to take a cab with two children, two car seats and luggage by myself to save the $100.  Then my friend Heather texted me and offered to pick us up at the airport and drop us off at the car rental place!  Thank you Heather.  So sweet of you.  Please pray for our little adventure.

We went to look at another house a few days ago.  It has a pool.  The reason I mention that is Henry didn’t want to leave the house.  He told me and my realtor, who happens to be my best friend’s mother, that our house is gross and he didn’t want to go back there.  Very funny.

Hudson is becoming more and more mobile.  He gets around without full fledge crawling.

Ice Cream Recipe Take II

I am still having fits of laughter.

It reminds me of a night when Stacey cooked us a dinner at her house and then watched as we took the first bite.

I prepared the recipe which boasted of creamy and easily frozen coconut milk ice cream.

It was actually VERY fun to make.  I liked beating the egg whites into frothy white mountains.  I think it’s so cool they do that.

So the mixture ended up being quite a lot and didn’t quite fit into the ice cream maker.  So I kept adding more and more as it froze.  Not something I will do again.  I am learning as I go.  And I am realizing smaller batches come out better.  I do need a recommendation on storage.

So towards the end (the mixture was of a soft serve consistency), I added chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and small marshmallows (for Henry).  It didn’t get as solid as I had hoped – going back to that adding too much mixture thing.  But it was quite tasty.  I did a vanilla coconut milk recipe.  We bought a high quality, full fat, canned coconut milk.  It was MUCH better than the previous brand we had used. 

Over all it was a very nice experience UNTIL I mentioned it.

I gave Dave a large bowl of which he had consumed half.  I told him I hoped we were all okay eating raw eggs.  He didn’t believe me at first because it might be some weird thing I could throw out there to get a laugh.  Then he realized I was serious but laughing anyway.  I am still laughing.  And Dave now has a psychosomatic illness. 

I think I’ll use a different recipe next time.  I’m not really into the raw egg thing either.  

Making Homemade Banana Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Thanks to Grandpa Butch and Grandma Linda we are making homemade banana ice cream from coconut milk/cream.  We will let you know how it turns out.

yum yum yum

we are all recovering from what now seems to be our end of year/ beginning of year cold. 

****note**** we made the ice cream and mommy needs to revise her recipe. was okay but will be much better next time!

Happy 2013

Praise God for another year, day, hour, minute.  It’s all a gift. 

Rejoicing in so many things about 2012 – Hudson, new work, time with family and friends to name a few.  My God, my faith, my church. Looking to God for great expectation for 2013. 

I had such a late night with my team and so much fun at the in laws’ I can hardly think straight.  I am really looking forward to making ice cream in my our new ice cream maker from Dave’s parents.  Already lining up my recipes. 

I loved Outrageous Grace by Grace Fabian.  My mom got it for me for Christmas.  Dave got me a stack of books and I had a hard time choosing which one to start first.  I am so in love C.S. Lewis that I was reluctant to begin with Mere Christianity.  I hate to start it because then I know it will end and it’s been on my must read list for years now.  But I did start it.  I am so in love.  Maybe it will be one that I read over and over.  It’s already one of those books.  Like Watchman Nee.  I love his too.

Henry has grown by leaps and bounds this year.  He is developing rapidly mentally.  I just can’t get over the things he says and how brilliant he is.  I need to start writing them down.  He’s definitely large (in personality) and in charge.  Also very emotional, sensitive, creative, energetic, and social.  Doesn’t want to miss A THING and doesn’t for the most part.  Henry still loves farms, is always playing pretend and absolutely adores television which happens to be an excellent babysitter unfortunately.  He wants to eat pancakes every morning but sometimes will settle for eggs over easy on toast or cereal or a toasted peanut butter and jelly.  Some of his favorite foods are chocolate, chocolate and chocolate.  Seriously, but also he loves coconut milk yogurt, turkey meat loaf, Chipotle’s chips, grapes, bananas, homemade chicken fingers, honey, and ice tea.  He loves to go to grocery stores, libraries, meet new people and interview people when he meets them.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Hudson is sitting up on his own.  He moves around the room but isn’t technically crawling in the proper sense.  He is so much like his brother in that he loves to laugh, is very social, doesn’t want to miss a thing and will lose sleep over interacting and checking things out.  He loves to be with his mother and will start bawling if he wakes up and sees me missing.  He loves to be held and sung to.  He will actually sit on my lap where as Henry had to be nursing at all times if he was near me.  Hudson is eating baby food now.  I started making my own and then got lazy.  He pretty much has liked everything but mango so far.  I love to watch him watch Henry.  He’s madly in love with his older brother.  It’s one of my favorite things to see the sibling relationship form.  The sibling relationship is so interesting to me because of my brothers and the death of my brother.  And also my mother and her siblings. 

Dave is still working at Bank of America and going to Bible College.  He only took one class last semester because of the new addition to our family – our little superstar Hudson.  He works in mortgage now as opposed to Risk.  He likes it and, of course, excels at what he does as always.  He is also very active with a church planting team in Dundalk.  Dave loves our little family and really enjoys being home with us.  We are really enjoying our time together.  He is an excellent father and care giver to all of us.

My grandfather went home to be with Jesus.  I am so thankful that God gave him a full life with a large family and many blessings.  My heart goes out to my grandmother who spent nearly 60 years married to him and 20 years nearly almost everyday all day together.  What gift and what a loss.  My heart also goes out to my father, Aunt Rita, Uncle Rob, Uncle Gerald, Aunt Teresa, Aunt Annie and Uncle Pete.  And my cousins. 

We loss our beloved Maggie this past year.  We had a real sad spell around Christmas because we miss her so.

We have been praying much for my dear friend Dee and God has done some miraculous things the end of 2012 and I believe there are great things in store for her this year.  Thank you for praying.  She still is not home but we expect it to happen really soon. 

My cousins moved home from London this year and my other cousins moved to Budapest.  I am so excited for Annie & Pete beginning their life in America in their new-to-them home in Chicago area.  I am super proud of Rye and Tim’s leap of faith to go on the missionfield and begin teaching in the English speaking Christian school in Hungary.  It is my prayer that our little family can visit them soon.

I am also proud of all of my cousins.  Many who are working on businesses like Kat, Nate and Victor.  Some who started and are starting college soon like George and Eva.  I am so happy for Will & Norita’s faith adventure to Tennessee.   Just to name a few things.

My brother Zac started a business and has done so well this past year too.  He is a very good father and I am so proud of him.  My brother Robbie got married in August and we were unable to attend because of a new baby.  My sister Jana gets married this month and I will be reading in the ceremony.  I am very excited about our trip to Maine for that.

I have many family members to be proud of – my parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, & friends.

2012 marked the only year of my life on earth I didn’t step foot into the state of Maine.  I don’t think I have gone more than six months without being there and so far it’s been almost a year and half.  Lord willing I will be there in January.

I have reunited with many friends I have been out of touch with, made some new friends this year.  I am so thankful to God for this.

I have done many Bible studies this year on my own, by the grace of God.  So thankful for them and the internet because it’s a little challenging being in the mothers’ room at church and having anything penetrate this thick skull.  Thankful my church records messages so I can listen to them after the fact.  Also extremely thankful for the provision of the mothers’ room and all who make that possible. 

Very thankful for the servants of God at our church and all servants of God world wide.  Where would we be without the body of Christ? 

I am thankful for the provision of Melaleuca that has been so timely for our little family and the people I have been and will be working with along the way.  What a gift.

Now that was a random post.  But it’s what came to mind.

I also want to note that I am extremely proud of my aunts Teresa and Rita who have stood with dignity and grace and looked to God in a very, very difficult year.  I am believing God for great things in their lives.

It goes without saying that who I am by the grace of God would not be possible without the love of God, the body of Christ and my loving family.  My mom, grandparents, Molly, Stacey, Vick and Zac to name a few.

I also dearly love my in-laws – Valerie, Butch, Linda, Desi, Glenn, Tricia & fam, Kelly, Tom, & Colby and Michael and family.

I am proud of my Aunt Lynne for publishing a book this year!!!  Go AL!

Proud of my Aunt Annie for stepping up to the plate to be the point person in managing my grandfather’s care during his brief illness and death.  You are amazing, Aunt Annie.

Moosey Moose