Some Glimpses of Fall.

Caption for sleeping princess photograph: " Alice in Wonderland was not as captivating as she thought it might be.".



Playing tag in the woods with shrill screams and laughter made my day so much brighter. Mercy was not very impressed with mommy running away from everyone, so she became my "helper" as you can see in the photo. (just in case you haven't tried it, holding a 30 pound toddler while playing tag does not help in any way!!) hahaha.



Turning, the colors are turning!!! This is by far my most beloved season - though i love each season as it comes and goes. *Sigh* I am thrilled that i've already worn some sweaters, and made some pies... but i need to search for my warmer socks... or buy some soon!! mmm. Now my morning coffee is a mode of warming up, once i have left the comfort of my blankets. I love the cooler weather, although it feels strange at the same time to be so cool now, when only a week or so ago my home was 85 degrees warm!!! strange.

Anyway, isn't this forest sweet and lovely?? I just adore the way the trees have alley ways between them.

Fail Post

Something is awry in the blogger-sphere... My photos have been denied posting three times now... hmm.. maybe another day. And it is such a shame too, so many pretty pictures to see.

Meal Day : Second week!

Well, I AM TIRED!! but!!! I have meals for the next 5 days ready and covered for refrigeration! Whew. I would tell you all about it, but maybe another day!! After about 3 collective hours of cooking, prep, and clean up... i'm ready to go PLAY WITH MY KIDS!! :) (( i did NOT do it all at once, it was over the whole afternoon)) haha.

Yum. is all i can say!! Delicious!!





Thank you to "Our Canada" for some great recipes.

Thank you to "Tenth Avenue North" for keeping my spirits up with your wonderful God-glorifying music!!

haha. good times. As for the cheesy pictures, i just couldn't help it!! :)

Oh and I just need to say:

Deb is my new Hero. She and her beautiful family of six are about to become a family of nine, when they adopt their three new daughters from overseas this coming year!!! Pray for them. :) wow. what a testimony of God's love!!

Autumn Rain

As the school year commences, programs have begun, and the leaves on our trees are turning, I stand in awe of our God who makes the seasons change. God knew i needed some variety in the weather, and i love our seasons as they come and as they go. :)

Rain this morning meant boots, jackets and umbrellas for all. I love this kind of day!!! (i can say that, because i don't get very many of them!!)

I LOVE hearing the rain and the wind conversing through the maple trees around our home.

I LOVE seeing my kids SO excited about boots and puddles!!

I LOVE hearing the crunch of the leaves beneath my shoes.

I LOVE the calm that fills my heart at the thought of a "rainy day indoors".

I LOVE that Julia started her day by reading her Bible. That was such a blessing to my heart!

A lesson for tonight.

Dear Blog-land Friends,

I read this tonight, and it moved me, so i wanted to share it with everyone. Oh, to have the brokenness and surrender that God desires of us. These words are penned by a dear woman of God, read with me:


"Roof Off, Walls Down.
True Christianity is indeed a lifestyle. It is a moment by moment lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of my heart and life. Not as everyone thinks it to be, but as He knows it to be. It's transparent honesty. Humility before God and others. Nothing between my soul and God. It's a heart that is penetrated by His Word. Soft.

I'm reading chapter 3 today in "Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness" by Nancy Demoss. The chapter is entitled "Biblical Portraits: Broken and Unbroken."

I would encourage all who have not read this book to get a copy.

Chapter 3 starts off talking about King Saul and King David - two kings who ruled the nation of Israel.

King Saul was guilty of what most might say are lesser sins compared with that of King David, but why then did Saul have to pay so dearly for his sins - the loss of his kingdom, his family, and his life?

David was guilty (in comparison) of greater offenses. He committed adultery in a fit of passion and then had his neighbor killed - a man who was fighting for his own army on the front lines.

When the story of these two men's lives were over, why is David than called a man after God's heart? While Saul is given no such title?

What made the difference between King Saul and King David?

Here is what Demoss writes of the account:

"... When King Saul was confronted with his sin he defended, justified, and excused himself, blamed others, and tried to cover up both sin and its consequences. Although he finally admitted, "I have sinned," when caught redheaded by the prophet Samuel, the true condition of Saul's heart was revealed in his next words:

"Please don't tell the people!"

(Sam. 15:30)

King Saul was more concerned about preserving his reputation and his position, about looking good, than about being right with God. His response to God's prophet revealed a proud, unbroken heart.

On the other hand, when King David was faced with his sin, he was willing to acknowledge his failure, take personal responsibility for his wrongdoing, and to confess and repent of his sin. The roof came off as he repented towards God. The walls came down as he penned two songs of contrition (Ps. 32, Ps. 51) humbling himself before countless future believers who would read his confession and learn of his failure.

Broken men and women don't care who finds out about their sin; they have nothing to protect and nothing to lose.

David's response when confronted with his sin was that of a humble, broken man. And his was the heart that God honored. Again and again, God's Word reveals that He is not as concerned about the depth or extent of the sin we commit as He is about our attitude and response when we are confronted with our sin."
______________________________________________________________
taken from: Resolved2worship.xanga.com
these are not my words, they belong to a woman i hope to be like some day.
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Time Savers.

Lunch tips from my kitchen this fall:

Make a large recipe of mac&cheese, push into a lasagna pan and chill. Cut a cube and send to school with an "icing" of ketchup. Freezes well.

yum!!

Last week i made up an entire loaf of bread into tuna sandwiches and ham sandwiches. there were more than enough for dave's days at work, and extra to put into Julia's lunches when she needed variety from the mac&cheese, or the mini-muffin-sized fritatas (omelet) .


= more time to play on the floor with sam, more time to read, more time to sit with dave once the kids are in bed. yes!

Menu Planning: The Fall Session

I love the scents, tastes and sights God brings to us in the Autumn. We are blessed by the fruits, vegetables and clear blue skies. *sigh* The apple pie, peaches, stews and fresh air help to lessen the stress of organizing yet another year of activities, school, and "family-fun" events. As posted in my last communication, i have a few things i want to ensure are on my "to do" list, and so i make extensive schedules.(And i have so much fun doing this, i love writing things down! ) In the past, i have noticed that making a list of priorities and then setting a specific time for them is the only way to not feel guilty that i am forgetting something of value to me. Because i am of the personality to feel overly guilty for things that may not require a guilty feeling. :) ha. :)

Anyway, where was i going in this autumn wander?? hmm.... past the pies, through the leaves, toward the tall brightly colored trees....

ooooh yes, menu planning. I talked this over with my Mom a couple days ago, and she wanted to see my 4 week rotation of meals, so here they are.....

Week One:

white Chili (double to freeze/or give away)
Speedy Minestrone (double to freeze/give away)
Pork Chops with veg. sides
Taco Salad
Quiche
Broccoli Soup/Bread/Cheese

SOooooo, what actually happened this week?

Well, the plan says to cook this all in one day to cut down on the amount of time wasted in Set Up and Clean Up daily. So today I managed to make a Double batch of white Chili, broccoli Soup, Squash Casserole (instead of quiche, because i had a bunch of squash handy) and a veggie tray for lunches. Two days ago i made up the Minestrone. the T.Salad, and the P. Chops are really simple meals to prep, so i made those on the days we ate them instead of ahead of time ( i haven't completely started my fall routine yet, that takes a couple of weeks!)

Kitchen time today: approximately 2 hours to produce three dinners and a lunch. (including kid and phone disturbances)

Week Two:
Easy Bistro Chicken (kraft canada recipe)
Baked Meatballs in wine (with noodles or rice)
Classic Corn Chowder
COuntry Veg. Soup
Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding (roast veggies)
Meat Pie (made with all the leftovers of the R.Beef and veg dinner)

Week Three:
Lasagna (double or triple to freeze)
Roast chicken dinner (buns and veggies)
Chicken soup and bread (with the leftover roast chicken)
Curried sweet meatballs and rice (excellent recipe from my mother!!)
chili and cornbread (double)
Fish, veggies and rice

week four:
Chicken Parmesan and noodles and veggies
spaghetti, noodles and veggies (double)
Fish, rice, veggies
steak (marinade), potatoes, salad
Beef Stew
Homemade Pizza and Salad

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Yum. Now i'm hungry!!!

Okay mom, there you have it! That is my next month of eating!! :) hahaha. maybe i'll let you pick which weekly menu i make when you come to visit me!! :) start thinking about it now. hahah.

Okay, time to read a book.

fall-ish

First Day back to school!!
We all awoke for the special event of "First Assembly"!! As a family we sat and listened to the principal (Oma) give a welcome to all the new families (16 new this fall!!) and then call each of the classes up one by one, so we could see all the students!

we enjoyed visiting the classrooms, and saying goodbye to all the excited kids, as day one commenced!

I love routine, but my head was exploding today with all the new things i must keep in line. New carpool times, new activity dates, new doctor papers to sign, passports due, lessons to book, cheques to write, after school activities to plan (for days when i take care of Julia's buddy from school), choosing days to cook for the week and days to clean for the week, finding the right times to teach sam and mercy the "basics" at home, time to study my book for bible study, time to pray and read my bible, time to go on dates, time to write birthday cards, time to sllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. :) ha.

I am so blessed to be able to schedule all of these things. There are so many places in the world that don't have the opportunity to enjoy good education for their children, or swimming lessons, or date nights! I am blessed, and i just hope i continue to feel that way, instead of falling into a habit of feeling "too busy" for the important things in life. :)

anyway. ABout the Last Picture of this blog:

Julia and sam went downstairs one morning, before we had dragged our weary bodies from bed, and proceeded to build breakfast for the family. Julia made all the toast, and i assume sam pulled everything out of the fridge. (when i say "everything" , it isn't much of an exaggeration!) although i feared for the worst as i heard doors opening, toasters popping, dishes clattering... it really was a sweet and wonderful thing to see my kids working together to serve us. Praise the Lord for sweet moments like these.

These two pictures were captured today as i realized how precious each little moment can be, if i take the time to notice. I was cooking, or cleaning, or organizing .... and then i saw it. Sam had made this little "throne" for Mercy (He said it was a "freighter boat" ) and was giving her pillows, blankets, and toys. Mercy LOVES sam, laughing hysterically at him when he comes close to her, and mimicking nearly every word he says. Then, from this noisy, silly crew i looked over to my eldest. She was sitting quietly on the porch talking to herself. She tells herself stories and lives in another worth at times (just like I did at that age!) . I don't know this because she shares her Make-Believe world with me, but because i can see she is in another place when i look at her.






This was a crazy good family day. walking with friends in the morning. Biking in the afternoon!! We biked to fly a kite on this lovely, windy day. True blue sky, glorious fluffy clouds, aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.... sigh * so lovely!