halloween

We don't do halloween. There, I said it. You may not agree with me or understand why and that's okay - I'm not here to push it on others, but I personally don't think that Christianity and halloween mix very well. I was inspired by Vicki's post yesterday and I couldn't have said it better. I am, in fact, puzzled by how many Christians do celebrate halloween... to celebrate a holiday glorifying death and fear directly conflicts the life and peace that Jesus teaches... but like I say, it's up to each one personally and although God has convicted me on it, I can't speak for the rest! So my kids will not be dressing up and going door-to-door tonight and they actually don't know the difference. I'm still muddling through the details because our kids are pretty young and we haven't really set a lot of traditions yet... I think it's fun for kids to dress up and knock on their friends' doors, but I think we'll try that another night!

wordless wednesday

pumpkins and pralines... mmm...

Something about this time of year, with the colorful leaves on the ground, the chill in the air, and the harvest done... is magical, beautiful... and the one thing to me that symbolizes fall the most is the common pumpkin. I opened an email from Better Homes and Gardens the other day, and they had included quite a list of recipes using pumpkins. Of course I bookmarked a few of them, but the one that really got me hungry was the one for Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake. I made it last night and it really is yummy. Confession: I'd never made a baked cheesecake before, I just got a springform pan and had to try it out!

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Pecan halves (optional)

1. For the praline mixture, line a large baking sheet with foil; set aside. In a heavy skillet place the 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally until sugar begins to melt. Do not stir. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the chopped pecans; cook about 3 minutes more or until sugar is golden brown and pecans are toasted, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with a wooden spoon as thin as possible. Cool. Break or chop the cooled praline into 1/4-inch pieces. Place remaining broken pieces in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until ground. Set aside for topping.

2. For crust, in a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the 1 cup flour. Beat on low to medium speed just until combined.

3. Pat dough onto bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in a 375* oven about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool crust on a wire rack while preparing filling.

4. For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the 2 tablespoons flour with an electric mixer on a medium to high speed until combined. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the coarsely broken pecan-praline pieces, reserving the powder for the topping.

5. Pour filling into the crust-lined springform pan. Place the springform pan in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when shaken.

6. In a small bowl combine sour cream and granulated sugar. Spread over top of cheesecake.

7. Remove springform pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake in springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small metal spatula to loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more. Remove side of the springform pan. Cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

8. Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed praline over sour cream topping in center of cheesecake and garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

*Note: Be extremely careful when working with the hot sugar mixture for the praline. Total attention must be given as things move quickly when the sugar reaches the proper temperature to caramelize. Store praline powder in an airtight container until serving time. If desired, the praline powder also can be used as an ice-cream topping.

No, it's not the easiest recipe out there, but is it worth it? You decide, but my answer is a "Yes!"

mixed mother thoughts

Buster truly is growing up... hard as it is for this mama, I know it's bound to happen and honestly I don't want to stop it. But! Any of you moms will know what I mean... Saturday night when Tech Guy was putting the boys to bed, he called me in to their room for a surprise. Buster promptly read me 2 whole pages out of Go, Dog. Go! I knew he had been reading simple words like "cat", "stop", etc. but I had no idea he could sound out so many words and string them together. I think I can see now why so many moms choose to homeschool. It is so rewarding to be there when the light dawns for your own child. And even though I know a lot of moms have no choice but to work outside the home, I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom and watch every little development along the way. It's something I'm learning not to take for granted, even though some days I'd give anything for a little adult conversation!

furniture

I've got furniture on the brain lately... for obvious reasons, with my table refinishing project on the go, but other reasons as well. In our 8 years of marriage, we have not purchased any master bedroom furniture. We had an old cheap particle board set that Tech Guy's parents bought for him when he was about 12, but I never liked it... mostly because it looked exactly like a 12-year-old's room. Being the frugal and submissive person I am (ahem... cough...) I never said anything until about a year ago when we were preparing to move. I had a garage sale, and I sold the bedroom set! So actually at this point we have no headboard, no nightstands... just an antique dresser that happens to be my first refinishing project of about 7 years ago. But I've been looking... and dreaming... and I've found the perfect set for our bedroom. It has all the elements I'm looking for and although pricey, it is exactly what I can envision in our Sassy Green room:

Another (much more economical!) idea I've been toying with is DIY headboards, and this is the one that caught my eye:

Oh, and that table I've been talking about? I took the plunge and bought polyurethane... with much trepidation, I started applying the stuff and amazingly it's been working great! So far I have 2 coats on & I think 1 more should do it! I can't wait to use our "new" table...

big projects

I've been having huge writer's block lately and I think I've lost my readers... please stick with me, guys! We've had a lot going on... and for some reason I've found that when I know the people reading my blog, I labour over every word. I guess I should have kept my blog anonymous and maybe my creative juices would flow a little more!

Tech Guy was gone for a few days and I decided to get a few projects going to surprise him. Top of my list was refinishing my dining room table and little computer desk (a cute mirror-less vanity I found at at thrift store for only $13!). So with my mother-in-law's help, we stripped and sanded and stained... and wow! The table is now a rich ebony colour and I'm so in love! I'm kinda stopped at the lacquering stage because I've never done that before and I know a bad finish can wreck a great table. I'm hoping I can take it to a local woodworking shop and get it done professionally, but that would ruin the whole economical DIY attitude, wouldn't it!? I also hung up curtain rods in our bedroom finally, we've just been using a tension rod which didn't look that great... so I'm actually pretty proud of what we all got done - I'm thinking my husband needs to leave more often!!

miracles... and a challenge

Today I sat beside a friend who, just 4 weeks ago, lost her full-term baby, stillborn for reasons even the doctors don't know...

...and I got to thinking that every baby born well is a miracle, every day we live is a gift. And yet we live our lives, complaining and whining about minor grievances - big in our minds - that really have no weight compared to the suffering of so many people around us.

I'm going to experiment a little, and try to do one thing each day, for someone else, that brings a little sunshine, a little less pain to their day. And I challenge you to do the same. Think outside yourself, your problems & your pain. Reach out to your neighbor, your nemesis or even a family member... go out of your way, be unselfish and show the love! Then, come back here, and tell me about it...

beef stroganoff

Here's the recipe for beef stroganoff that, when doubled, can feed 18 people... 10 of whom were growing boys ranging in age from 3-20! It goes over super with all ages and is the easiest thing to make. Have at 'er!!

Beef Stroganoff

• 3 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic salt
• Cayenne
  
• Oregano
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• Grated Cheddar cheese
• Cooked rice

Fry hamburger with the onion. Turn heat to medium and add the spices. (Don't be shy with the spices, since the sour cream and cheese tame the flavor down quite a bit.) Turn to low and add the soup and sour cream. You can serve it one of 2 ways:

1. Pour meat over rice in casserole, top with cheese and bake at 350* for 3o minutes.

2. Simmer meat for 10-15 minutes, and serve separately from rice and cheese. Guests can make their own combination at the table.

holidays, etc.

We had a great weekend away, made a pile of memories & it was just good to be on holiday time, even though we did a lot of driving! The Body Worlds exhibit was incredible, everyone should see that in their lifetime. I won't even attempt to describe it, words wouldn't do justice. What were the most impressive to me, obviously, as a mother, were the exhibits on the beginning of human life: the embryos at each stage and the pregnant mother with the cut-away torso. When I was pregnant, there was so much mystery surrounding the whole "what's happening inside my body" and it was just so incredible to see that all.

We stayed in Edmonton Friday night, did the Body Worlds and some shopping on Saturday and then drove the 3 hours or so to my brother's place for night. Sunday morning we continued on another 2.5 hours to my parents in time for a big ham dinner. More family arrived and we just hung out the rest of the day. Then Monday we had a lazy holiday morning and headed back home, 8 hours total driving time! The boys were exceptionally glad to be out of the car & bed felt really good about then.

Tonight the men were working on the retaining wall again, actually got it finished so we're ready if the snow flies! I fed 18 people for supper, did a simple meal of Beef Stroganoff in vast quantities and it went over extremely well. I'll post the recipe tomorrow, so stick around...

happy thanksgiving

We're off for the long weekend, so Happy Thanksgiving in advance for all you Canadians... We're heading to Edmonton with friends for night and checking out the Body Worlds exhibit tomorrow. Then off to Saskatchewan to be with my family for the rest of the weekend. Have a great weekend, whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving now or not! Ciao...

cool shades

After we moved into our new house, we shopped desparately for window blinds. Not used to living in town, I craved some privacy, as well as shade from the bright summer sun. After perusing so many catalogues and stores and websites that my retinas were pretty much shot (the blinding sun every evening didn't help!), I came across a company called Select Blinds Canada. They are... drumroll, please... Canadian-based! The blinds are custom-made in 1/8" increments. They also ship for free within Canada right to your door and it only takes about 3 weeks. If that isn't enough to sell you, then check out their awesome selection of any style or colour. I ordered these shades for the living room, in the colour Elisa Mahogany. The only thing I would do different is order a privacy or blackout lining because these are more light-filtering.

computers and kids

We were at friends last night for the evening, had a great time just kicking back and catching up. The boys were playing happily so I wasn't worried about them until I realized it had been quiet for too long. I went downstairs to check on them, and here they were playing on the computer. Okay, these friends only have one kid who's 1 and they're definitely not used to having their computer used for a toy. I was rather horrified that my boys had made themselves so at home. The thing was, they had no games on the computer, so Buster had opened up a browser and typed "kids" into the Google search box, and found this website. I have to admit, I didn't realize that my 5-year-old was growing up quite that fast... We do let him play on the computer when Noodle is having a nap - Buster goes crazy playing by himself. We don't buy games for the boys usually, partly because the cd's just get wrecked anyway so what's the point. We have parental controls (thanks, Vista!) set to restrict his playing times, also I have to enter a password before he plays so he can't just go anytime he wants. And we have it set so he can click on an icon and go to PBS Kids' site, which has all his favorite characters, like Thomas, Clifford, Curious George, etc. but he can't go anywhere else online... until now, I didn't realize he really know how to go online... it is so amazing how fast kids catch on to stuff! So, I'm wondering how other moms control their kids' computer time? Any suggestion or ideas? And also how do I keep Buster occupied other than computer activities? I basically have to shove him out the door on a nice day; he'd much rather play inside... help!!

on thunder and the trinity

Today Buster said to me, "Mom, God didn't make thunder." Baffled, I asked him why he thought that. He replied, "Well, when Jesus was in the boat and it was storming, he was sleeping so he couldn't have made the thunder!" Okay, how do you explain the Trinity to a 5-year-0ld???

how big is your God?

A question that's been on my mind lately... How big is my God? Do I limit Him? Do I tap into the Power Source enough? When my dad successfully came through triple bypass surgery, and one of my friends commented, "God obviously does answer prayer", I inwardly thought, 'hmm, he would've probably been okay anyway'. Where was my faith?

People let us down. It happens all the time, and always will. Maybe someone we've looked up to our whole life, in one swift moment, shows their mortal nature and we feel like we've lost our innocence... Maybe our spouse, or a parent, or a close friend... or even an admired celebrity stumbles, and we feel grief at how mankind has let us down. Again.

We ask our kids at age 1 or 2, "How big is baby?" And they reply, "So big!" and reach up to the top of their heads. My God is so big! He will take care of me, from the little worries and cares of each day, to the big mountains of spiritual discouragement and financial let-downs. Let's not put God in a box, or take Him for granted.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 HCSB

rupert

Check out the story behind this incredibly cute little fawn, delivered by C-section when his mother was hit by a car.

right here right now

It's been crazy. Busy. Crazy-busy. I feel like I've been yanked and pulled and needed in so many directions. And I've had a terrible case of writer's block. So yeah, I honestly don't have a lot of inspiration right now. I've spent my days fielding calls from concerned family members, asking about my dad. It's great, but I'm just exhausted from the whirlwind our life has become. And I think my strep didn't totally take to the Penicillin, and it's wearing me down... I hope that's all, because this feels a lot like the baby blues did after Buster was born... and I'd really rather not relive that right now.

But on a positive note, the weather has been stellar - we are getting the summer that we wished for all summer! This afternoon was the local Food Grains harvest, so we headed out to the BBQ supper. The boys would have loved to watch the combines earlier in the afternoon, but we actually all had a little nap & didn't make it. Hopefully the weather holds and we can get our retaining wall built yet before the snow flies.