Snow Cream

We are in the middle of a Winter Wonderland.
Very exciting - especially for the girls.
Isabella and I have been maintaining the fire & hot cocoa supply while Bill & the big girls venture out over and over
and over again.

Last night we made snow cream for the first time.
Yum!

Here's the gist of the recipe we followed,
but there are a bunch out there to choose from:

Collect about a gallon of clean snow.
Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
Add 1 cup of milk or half & half (I used evaporated milk).
Add in crushed oreos (or whatever your heart's desire).

Enjoy!

Photo by: Rob Stites

Sweet Sweet Salsa

The husband loves chips & salsa.
There's no going wrong with those two items in our home.
With my recent cooking endeavors under my belt,
he suggested I find a good salsa recipe.
Lo and behold, my fave of all faves posts this:

Doesn't it look lovely?
I'm excited to make it.
Bill probably can't wait either.
Photo by: Ree Drummond

Awesomeness

I just mentioned this song the other day,
but I have to say it again.
This song is amazing.

Simply amazing.

Typical Tuesday

Today's not Tuesday.
Yesterday was.
It wasn't typical, either.
It is representative of the chaos that
normally occurs in our household.
I guess that wasn't a very good post title.
That's ok - I still like it.
You've got to love alliteration.

For those of you who are interested
(no need to read on if you're not),
here is what "normally" goes on in our home:

3:34 AM
Isabella wakes up needing some momma time
4:39
Gianna needs to go potty
5:42
Isabella is ready for her milk...
5:44
...and a diaper change...
5:45
...and her milk
5:47
"get ready for the day" morning routine
6:11
oatmeal & coffee
(need this ASAP)
6:16
Hebrews 5
6:46
Gianna wakes up and plays while
I finish with Hebrews
6:50
Bill leaves for a morning meeting
7:00
dinner prep
7:06
Isabella wakes up and watches
The Wiggles with Gianna
7:16
Isabella would like breakfast NOW, please
7:18
let Sadie out and feed her
7:20
more dinner prep
7;54
Gianna wakes up Espy
the big girls get dressed for school
8:02
make pancakes for the big girls
8:09
Bill comes home and takes care of a
fit-throwing Isabella
8:14
my turn to get dressed AND make the bed
(it's a problem I have)
8:45
jackets, backpacks, gloves & scarves on, please
8:48
Bill takes Gianna to school and
Isabella & I take Espy to school
9:11
post office stop
9:21
get the fire going that Bill started for us earlier
9:30
wash the morning dishes
9:41
cornbread baking session
10:16
cornbread in the oven
10:18
change Isabella's diaper, clothes, and
fix that crazy hair
10:35
cornbread dishes
make a fresh pot of coffee
(please!)
10:42
Regan comes over for a visit
11:40
let's pick Gianna up from school
12:45
lunchtime
laundry folding
coffee drinking
Barbie playing
Wiggles watching
awesome conversing
2:08
naptime Isabella
3:10
bye Regan!
3:12
dinner taste check
3:13
Isabella wakes up from her nap
3:32
bathtime for Gianna & Isabella
4:01
Bill & Espy get home
(yay!)
4:10
showers for me & Espy
5:04
vegetable soup & cornbread with the family
dinner dishes
5:50
off to small group
great phone conversation with an encouraging friend
6:00
delicious jalapeno popper dip with bread
small group with the amazing Bev & Joanna
Mocha Pie & art projects galore
9:24
Thanks for watching the girls, Bill.
You're awesome with a capital A.
9:38
Yes Espy, I'll rub your back.
It's time to go to bed!
9:43
morning prep
final email, FB, twitter, GoogleReader check
"get ready for bed" routine
11:11
Good Night!

Wednesday @ 5:24 AM
And so it begins again...

Photo by: Jessica F.

Fashion Forward

The girls have......a fierce sense of style.

Clearly.

The More I Seek You

the more i seek You
the more i find You
the more i find You
the more i love You

i want to sit at your feet
drink from the cup in Your hand
lay back against you and breathe
feel your heart beat

this love is so deep
it's more than i can stand
i melt in your peace
it's overwhelming
Lyrics by: Zach Neese

Treadmill for Haiti

We have a treadmill in our living room.

I was VERY excited about the treadmill when we bought it,
and used it on the regular once upon a time.
Now the treadmill is used for tumbling, dancing, and swinging.
It's time to say goodbye to Mr. Treadmill.
Besides, the husband insists I run outside (when I do) so I can train for all these races he thinks I'm going to run.

Here's the thing - Haiti's been on our hearts ever since the earthquake. We've given some, but we want to give so much more. We're selling good ol' Mr. Treadmill - and by old, I mean two years old. I'm thinking whoever offers the best price gets it. Ingenious, I know.

All the money we get for Mr. Treadmill will go towards
Churches Helping Churches.

If you're interested - please leave a comment here, write me at graceundoneblog@gmail.com, or send me a FB message.
What? We're not FB friends??
Well, we should be!

Hampton Roads area residents only, please.
Bidding starts at $75.
I bet the husband will even deliver the treadmill right to your house!
Ok, I'll ask first - but I'm sure he would.

I hope we can sell Mr. Treadmill.
I'm excited about helping Haiti.

Good Ol' James (II)

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
.:James 1:13-18:.

The husband is speaking on this passage today.
James is awesome.

Photo by: Filipe Ferriera

Window Wonderfulness

I would like to make one of these for our kitchen:

Photo courtesy of: Apartment Therapy

I saw this idea on one of my favorite blogs.
I know, I know.
I have to finish my paint project first.

Isn't it adorable, though?

Paint Project

I'm excited about painting this...

...for our dining room.

Here's to hoping for good art!

Mocha Mocha

Did I show you the most awesome thing NeNe & PaPa
gave me for Christmas?

I love it.
That's just a random thought.
It kind of ties in to something I just saw pop up on my TwitterFeed.
(Do I sound oh so technological? Don't believe it - I'm not. I don't know if that's even what it's called. So don't quote me on it.)

Anyway, this is what showed up on what I call my TwitterFeed. It has now jumped to the top of my Baking/Making/Eating ToDoList:

Photo by: Ree Drummond
Mocha Silk Pie.
Doesn't it look delicious?
I'll let you know how it turns out - you should make one, too!

All Over Now

I get sent little gems like this from time to time:

I like this song. A lot.
Thank you, Pandora!

Picture Perfect

And...

...this is why we don't have many good pictures of us together.

How Many Does That Make?

Just because I think they're so entertaining myself, here's another conversation I had with one of our daughters:

ESPY
Momma, do you want to know what I want to be when I grow up?
GRACE
No, what?
ESPY
A mother.
GRACE
That's awesome.
ESPY
You know why I wanna be a mother.
GRACE
Why?
ESPY
Because I want to have babies.
GRACE
Who are you going to marry?
ESPY
I don't know - God can choose.
GRACE
Well, how many babies are you going to have?
ESPY
Probably a lot.
GRACE
How many is a lot?
ESPY
Probably like ten hundred.
GRACE
Wow, that's a lot.
ESPY
How many does that make?
GRACE
How many does what make?
ESPY
How many does ten hundred make?
GRACE
That would be a lot of babies, sweetie.

The conversation goes on from there, but it's pretty much repetitious.
Basically, our oldest wants to have a lot of babies.
She doesn't know who she's going to marry,
but they're are going to be lots of babies to be had.
Oh the naivete of a little girl's imagination.

Good Ol' James

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
.:James 1:1-12:.

The husband is preaching on these verses this morning.
Sweet.

Photo by: Worapol S.

Mommy Things

It may sound trite, but I am at a point in my life where I'm trying to keep things simple. I could go on and on and on about that - but we can talk about that later.

I love reading all sorts of blogs - but,
that's another post for another time as well.
I enjoy reading other people's thoughts on motherhood. Simple Mom in particular is great for my new desire for simplicity.

Speaking of Simple Mom, she's having a great giveaway of Jamie Martin's new book Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood.

To all my mommy friends: stop by her blog to enter the giveaway.
I did!

Photo by: D Sharon Pruitt

Party Time

Our friend Bob had open heart surgery on Tuesday.

I love Bob.
Bill loves Bob.
My girls love Bob.
We love Bob's family.
Lots of love going on around here.
Trying to explain open heart surgery to a three and five year old is not an easy task. Bill is so much better at that stuff than I am.
Thank goodness.

Anyway, Espy & Gianna have planned a birthday party for Bob because of his heart surgery.

?

Bob's birthday is in June.
I told the girls that. They still want to have a birthday party for him.
I also told the girls that Bob would be in the hospital for several days.
They still want to party.
I also told them that it would be awhile before
Bob could come over to our house.
They're still party planning.

There's a plethora of homemade decorations
on our dining room table for Bob's "birthday" party.
We also have lots of band-aids for Bob's boo-boos.
Plain or Hello Kitty.
Espy says he can pick.
Gianna also has great plans of Bob getting comfy on our couch and
spending the night "if he wants to."

The birthday party might not happen (if it all!) for awhile,
but it sure is cute watching the girls get ready for it.

Photo by: D Sharon Pruitt

Rock It

The girls are playing a game together.
I love listening to them talk to each other.

ESPY
Ok Gianna, I'm going to do my best.
GIANNA
You have to rock.
ESPY
Yeah. I'm going to rock this place.
GIANNA
Yeah.

Photo by: D Sharon Pruitt

The Chain

Love this song.

Don't you?

Our Men

Have the men in your life read their letter from Satan yet?
Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Men✫
Make sure your husband, your brother, your son, and your father
get a chance to read it!

Photo by: Charlie Harvey
✫Thanks to Rob & Bill for sharing this post!

At the Moment

You might remember me doing this in a previous post.
Here's what I happen to be doing these days:

.:READING:.
James
also known as
James: Christian Living for Dummies by my friend, Rachel.
Awesome, awesome, awesome.
If you haven't read it, you should read it. Right now.
If you have read it, you should read it. Right now.

Also,
Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit
by Francis Chan
Good, good stuff.

.:KEEPING:.
my new piece of jewelry clean.
(Yay!)

.:BAKING:.
Apple Dumplings - possibly for the third time in two weeks.
I love them because they are so easy to make and so amazing to eat.
SO. AMAZING.
If you make these, I promise you'll love me
and The Pioneer Woman forever.
Promise.

Photo by: Ree Drummond

.:WATCHING:.
The Wiggles
(Isabella's favorite these days)

.:TRYING:.
to get up early in the mornings.
It's so hard, but the alone time is so very worth it!

.:MAKING:.
a coffee date with a sweet friend.

.:CONGRATULATING:.
an adorable family on the birth of a new baby girl!

What do you happen to be doing at the moment?
Leave your thoughts, I'd love to know!

Always Forever

You are the hand
that catches my fall
You are the friend
that answers my call
You are my day
You are my night
You are my love
and all of my life

You are the love i need
You are the air i breathe
You are my love my life
always forever
i would lay down my life
just to be by Your side
You are my love my life
always forever

You are the grace
that covers my sin
You’re everything
the beginning and end
You have my soul
my heart and my mind
You have my love and all of my life

hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
forever
Phil Wickham

Photo by: D Sharon Pruitt