Clarita

July 14, 2014

A Holiday Weekend.

Oh, that’s right.
It was actually, let’s see, a week and a half ago?
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Someone has turned time on fast-speed and I cannot keep up with life these days.

So we’ll just enjoy life twice, even if it’s 10 days late. :)

Who all loved that July 4th fell on a Friday??
*RAISES BOTH HANDS*
I mean, seriously. Not only was it a holiday, but it was also a 3-day weekend.
How much better does it get?!
Which meant Ben was home for three days.
Which meant it was lots of family time.
Which hasn’t happened much lately, so it was all the more blessed.

I posted that day:
It’s a cookie-baking, lemonade-making, pet-bunny-buying, daddy-at-home-deck-remodeling, red-white-and-blue-wearing, pool-swimming, flag-flying, holiday-celebrating, kind of day!

It really was just a wonderful kind of day.
Sometimes the most special days are those of just BEING TOGETHER.
I think I realize this more than ever, because of recent deaths in my family, and my dear friend passing…

So this post is just a celebration of that beautiful simple gift: of being together.

I suppose it’s a little tradition around here to take a few holiday pictures each July 4th, and it’s so amazing to see the change from year to year. But because it nearly makes me cry to look back on even last year’s pictures and see how much the kids grew, so I think we’ll just skip that part. (I’m all in sentimental-mom-let’s-just-freeze-everyone-right-here-mode.)

I’m a little fanatical about anchors right now. It’s a theme of my life, this Anchor of my Soul, so I have it on chalkboards in my house, and painted it on T-shirts for me and the kids. Hudson “cheeeeese”-ed for me in his shirt.

We also bought an early birthday gift for Zoe…
She has longed – and I mean LONGED – for a pet rabbit for years.

Granted, she’s only 6, but she’s been calling her daddy since she was 4, leaving voicemails,
asking if she could “pleeeeeeeeease have a pet bunny? Because it really would be so wonderful to have a pet bunny and I would take care of it and would love to play with it and they’re so cute and soft and I JUST REALLY REALLY WANT ONE.”

We live in the city (read: more like development), and having a pet of any kind (other than a goldfish) is a little impractical at best, and troublesome at worst. Our backyard isn’t fenced in, and how would a pet even work?

But, when you have a little girl with big blueberry eyes that nearly fills with tears because of her desire for a pet bunny for the past two years, it’s rather hard to resist. My mommy heart melted, and I didn’t care about the impracticals: I just wanted a pet bunny for Zoe, non-animal-lover that I am.

Her daddy’s heart melted too, and craigslist came through for us. Found: Netherland Dwarf Rabbits. As I mentioned, I’m no pet lover (after my best-friend-dog died when I was 10 and I cried for days and I’ve never loved another animal since. But that’s a story for another time, maybe I should go for counseling first.), but the sight of those adorable little fluffy bunnies, well, they really WERE cute.

Ben wanted to surprise the girls, so they were waiting on the front porch when he came home, eyes closed. Someone (we won’t mention names) needed to hold her eyes closed.

The look on her face…

You’ve got to admit, they really are adorable. :)
After 10 days, the newness has worn off just a bit for the kids, but they are still loved.
The rabbit hutch has yet to be built [because of the following deck project, see below]
so the bunnies are, um, in the house.
I can’t believe it either.

****************************

We did the “staycation” deal over this holiday.
If you can call working-around-the-house-day-and-night a staycation.
We were thrilled with the arrangement however.
When you are homeowners, you know that nothing is ever fully completed.
There is always SOMEthing to do.

This time, it was the back deck.
I suppose I haven’t shown many pictures of it.
And when I have, it’s been blurry, in the background, you know?
Camouflaged by pumpkin painting and flowers in vases that my little girl picked.
Not really something I’m ashamed of, but not really anything worth seeing.

Not when it’s had nails poking out everywhere, or rotten boards falling down.
Not when it hurts your feet to walk barefooted because of all the splintery things poking out everywhere.
We used it strictly as a place to get out of the house and into the backyard, or out to the car.
The table and chairs and everything else are only for looks, trying to make a café-esque feel to distract from the bigger elephant-on-the-deck, lest you’re wondering.

Well, we finally saved up money to replace it. (*yippee!*)
This was the perfect weekend to ~~complete~~ get started on the project.

// back deck before //

// My view out the kitchen window, beginning the tear-out. //

// Olivia and I made them fresh lemonade and fresh cookies //

Day two: leveled to the ground

Day two: rebuilding began

As I speak, er, write, it is still a work in progress.
We teeter across 2X6 boards standing on end 18 inches apart as we go out to the car because we haven’t had time yet to put down the floor boards.

I tell my husband I’ll gladly learn how to saw the boards and use the drill to put them down myself, but he’s not so keen on that idea. So I tell him I’ll also gladly – GLADLY- be his right-hand assistant, whenever he has time. Which he says may be today. I’m really trying not to get my hopes up too high, and my lips will speak nary a reminding word. I’ll just offer him fresh-squeezed lemonade and (microwave-warmed) cookies. :)

As a grand finale on the lovely day, we went to a local blueberry patch and picked blueberries. I forgot my camera, but I have an Iphone picture. Kids in a blueberry patch are just so precious. My son was too adorable ~ grabbing blueberries from bushes, from our buckets, and stuffing his little mouth. I laughed at him all evening.

My sister Ervina worded it so beautiful when she said, “I’m so thankful most of all that freedom is not a flag, but a cross.”

I am thankful for the freedom of the flag represents, yes. But the Cross purchased the truest freedom, one that can never be taken captive. Thank you, Jesus.

Happy Monday, you all!
Mine is off to a busy start, including a bowl of cereal and milk spilled all over the floor, and little boy in the throes of potty training. Yep. I’m choosing joy, peoples. :)

July 3, 2014

Hello Again.

So it’s been nearly two months?
I feel like we need introductions again. :)

Thank you so much for those who have expressed care and love to our family, as well as to my sister and her husband during the past few months. We still grieve the loss of dear little Kenny so deeply, and miss him every day. There have been so many of you that have cared that we could never thank you all personally, or express our gratitude and tell you how much it has meant to us.

The combination of life events and various commitments to some bigger things the past little while has been the reason for the blog hiatus. The Lord has been so faithful to us, to me. His faithfulness doesn’t mean that the difficulties of life simply go away and all is ease, but that He is walking so closely, so tenderly, with us through it all. And it has given us a perspective of eternity like a life void of heartache could never do. Heaven is ever more precious, and what feels like Home, even before I arrive.

I really don’t even know where to start catching up from the past few months. This year in general has been the most sparse with blogging that I think I’ve ever done, since I started writing on this little pad. :) Instagram has taken the place of blogging, I suppose, and I put little life snippets there. So, I don’t know if I’ll try to do some catchup-posts [because we’ve had some special things like birthdays and a family wedding (on my husband’s side) and surprise visits from family and some house projects] or if I’ll just start from here and go forward. But I’ve missed this space and the connection with you all here, and hope to be back more often.

Also, the look of this blog may be changing just a bit, just a little experimenting with headers and fonts and such. Just giving you a heads-up if you come here and think someone with ADD keeps changing things around. :)

And because no post is ever complete without pictures – at least on my blog – here’s a few of that one time we pretended to be hipsters. :)

that one time we pretended to be hipsters

i love my little family

wanna-be hipster family

It’s true. We were total wanna-be’s. :) We girls tried to dress the part, in the full 10 minutes we had to prepare, and my sister asked me, “Uh, aren’t you, like, trying too hard?” You know, she was totally right. And obviously Hudson was there in his jammies and Husband didn’t know he’s get conned into being in the picture. But we had fun anyway. Ha!

the three littles

My brother [ a true hipster, and one who loves Jesus so much] is the owner of this super rad vehicle. He has plans to take a west-coast road trip in Melody [his name for this VW bus] with some guys later this fall. I’m just a little jealous.

with the yellow bus

// James, one of my brothers, and two of my sisters.//

This was a fun early morning when my brother rattled up to have coffee with me, and then we snapped a few pictures before everyone left for church and we returned home to the south.

four of we

Sorry girls. To get to him? You go through US.
[We were trying to look fierce and scary. I don’t think it worked.]

to get the bro, you have to go through us

Have a lovely weekend!

Remember you are loved by your Creator. ♥

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May 5, 2014June 25, 2014

Of Hope and an Anchor.

'we have this hope as an anchor of the soul' chalkboard
This little blog has been very quiet of late.

The circumstances surrounding these days have been such as need no apology for the quiet, and the thoughts and feelings such as are difficult to translate into words. Pen to paper, or words to computer page, are normally how I can easily express myself. These days, articulation is difficult at best in any form.

It is not a question of my faith, or a shaking of what I believe. It is more a deep feeling for those I love so dearly, that are facing such loss in varied ways… It may be a death, or the losing of a family member in other ways that are equally painful. The details are not mine to tell, but probably all of us know of times in our own lives or in those we love, when we suddenly saw life as the battle is really is: the blissful carefree perspective disappeared, and the reality of the sorrow of life nearly takes your breath away, it’s so severe.

Sometimes my heart feels torn in two for those I love, and the how they experience such raw agony. I wish there was some way I could take it away for them, make life happy and carefree again… and I can’t.

anchor of the soul chalkboard

Quote from The Church Initiative, Inc

“Grief will either make you a better person or it will cause you to harden your heart as you resist its lessons. You have the opportunity for unparalleled spiritual growth. This will not happen quickly, but you can grow deeply. By learning that life is a precious gift, you can do more than just exist; you can live on a higher plane.

It was when Isaiah’s friend died that he had a deeper experience of God.

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory'” (Isaiah 6:1-3). ”

[end quote]

…Grief will either make you a better person, or it will cause you to harden your heart…
Yes, I can so see how this is true.
I so much want the first one, to be come a better person, to grow a deeper heart in relationship with God. Grief has a way of revealing what a person is truly made of, and of what truly matters in life – that it’s GOD that matters most of all, that life here on earth is so transient, so short, in light of eternity. And it’s PEOPLE and relationships that matter…

There are days when I wake up and feel that I could never be exasperated or upset with my kids again – I mean, how could I be, when I’ve been given three of them as such precious treasures, when some women long for even just one baby of their own?

And then, that very same day, real-life happens.
…Food gets strewn all over the floor at lunch time (and maybe even breakfast).
…Little guy cleans off the chalkboard so sweetly with a wet paper towel, and I suddenly realize that the only water he can reach is the toilet! So into the bathtub he goes, along with his sister who needed a bath anyway.
… I hear water splashing outside, and try to think of when and how I left a faucet on somehow. I look out the door and see the two freshly-bathed kiddos splashing in mud-puddles they’ve made, jumping and laughing, and muddy from head to toe.

And this all happened, for real, in one day. Disasters? Not at all. Exasperating? You betcha!!

Never becoming exasperated again? Maybe that will start tomorrow. :)

It’s in these times ~ in the great heartbreaks of life, of deep loss, of pain to the core of our beings, of relationships that are imperfect and painful, and yes, also in challenges of mothering when I’m brought to ~~near~~ tears – I realize so much how I need my Anchor.

anchor chalkboard mantel

I changed out the chalkboard in the living room recently with the verse that’s been on my heart so much the past six weeks, through various heartbreaking things we’ve lived through and heard, and through the daily responsibility and gift of being mommy to three little people.

“…It is impossible for God to ever prove false or deceive us, so we who have fled to Him for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope set before us.

“We have this hope, as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast…”
[Hebrews 6:18-19, Amplified]

What hope? The hope of Jesus Christ, the truth, and the knowledge that He IS everything I need. He never promised that life wouldn’t disappoint, or that circumstances wouldn’t be hard. But He did promise that HE would never disappoint us.

I don’t profess at all to know the great “why?” behind so many questions… The why of little babies born to a godly father and mother who wanted them, who prayed for them, who would teach them in the ways of God, and then tragically taken. The why of babies born out of sin and lust, put into families that are full of the flesh, that are determined to live their own way no matter what God says, and living in the midst of sin. The why of babies born and growing up, sold into the sex trade (1 million every year). The why of families enduring pain as the result of a father making bad choices, and the innocent are left to suffer and pick up the broken pieces. The why of health challenges, of sickness that is incurable.

Did you know that many atheists have come about not as a mere logical conclusion, but as a result of being angry at God, for all the sin in the world? And so they deliberately turn their backs on Him, refusing to have anything to do with a God who tolerates such pain in His created world.

I don’t profess to know the answers to these hard questions. I just know that I cry tears as a result of this sin in the world, of the pain and brokenness. And I am don’t understand how God can respect the free will of man, even when it results in such sorrow and disaster. But I know that sin is responsible for all the sadness and agony in the world: this was not God’s design.

But can I trust God in the middle of all this? In the wreckage of humanity? In the sorrow of loss?

It comes down to a belief: Either God IS who He says He is, in every situation, or He isn’t. He is either faithful and trustworthy at all times, or none of the time. He is either kind and good in all things, or in nothing.

I choose to put ALL my stakes in with the first – He IS trustworthy in everything, He IS good at all times, He IS God.

anchor chalkboard

Because He is an Anchor. When life brings storms and everything is torn apart, He never changes. He gives peace, even when it seems unfathomable that there should be peace. He brings comfort in sorrow. and we grieve with hope because we know HE will have the last word, and this life isn’t the end of the story.

And if you want a beautiful, powerful song to listen to, go here. Music ministers so deeply…

Happy Monday, my friends! Rejoice in the Anchor of our souls!

And thank you, truly truly thank you for the great outpouring of love and support we’ve felt from so many people – through words on the previous blog post, messages, texts, but also cards and love and even food brought to us and to my family. The family of Christ is just so precious. We could never repay you. ♥

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April 11, 2014

gone a little before us.

It’s been almost three weeks now, since I became an auntie to the most beautiful, perfect little baby boy. My first nephew.

Not a one of us ever even had an idea of what these weeks would hold ~ weeks we thought would be brimming full of joy, and excitement, and wonder at a new little life, turned into weeks overflowing of tears and sorrow and how can this be true.

They have been weeks when the grief washes over and over us, like waves at the ocean, never stopping, just sometimes bigger waves than others.

I’ve been so excited about my first niece or nephew arriving on my side of the family. Ervina’s Southern Maternity shoot was taken last fall when she visited us to excitedly document 20 weeks of pregnancy, and I had so much fun preparing little clothes and accessories for the little love. We were so in love with that sweet baby, even before meeting him.

I come from a long line of baby-lovers. And by that, I don’t just mean the women gushing over a baby. But in my dad’s family, even the men absolutely adore babies. They are seen with a baby in their arms as often as the mother is, talking in sweet tones, chuckling and teasing and adoring. And I have to say, my brother-in-law Kenny topped even that. I had never seen a father-to-be more excited about his baby! So many people talked about his excitement.

When Ervina comes to visit 557

The day finally came when my sister went into labor, and at a checkup before heading to the hospital came the shocking, gut-wrenching news, “Your baby is not alive.”

There is nothing in the world that can prepare someone for words like those. All had been fine just one week earlier at the checkup, and even the day before the baby was moving. There was no warning sign at all that anything was wrong.

Little did we know, as Kenny & Ervina were preparing a nursery for their baby, the most beautiful nursery I’ve ever seen in all my life, that Jesus was also preparing a home in Heaven for their precious baby boy.

Little Kenneth, named after the man who was so proudly anticipating being his daddy, weighed 7 pounds, and 11 big ounces, and was 22 long inches. He was born on March 22, 2014, safe in the arms of Jesus.

Baby Kenny

[photo courtesy of Ervina Yoder]

Whoever knew that a little life could mean so much to us, to me? I am not even the mother, but my heart had all kinds of butterflies when I thought of that little baby joining the family. When he was overdue, I was trying to stay busy and occupy my mind because those six days seemed like an eternity! And now, the loss feels so so deep, a continual ache. And I’m just the auntie, not even the mother. My heart breaks for my sweet sister.

These are her words, about a week after his birth…

It’s been six days since Kenny and I found out we’d never get to see our precious baby boy, the delight and expectation of our hearts, take his first breath. The anguish of this has pierced our hearts beyond what we could have imagined possible. We’ve needed Jesus more than anything and have found Him to be so near, so faithful, so sufficient, so redeeming. We miss our son desperately, but through your prayers, words and presence, God has shown His comfort through His Body… we are humbled and grateful.

“I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” [The Apostle Paul, Philippians 1:12]

We have been slammed headfirst into the Grace of God, as my sister Claudia speaks of it. That doesn’t mean the tears stop, or that the hurt goes away. But it means that the presence of God is so precious, He is so faithful. As big as the need, He is bigger still. Jesus is everything.

I spoke with Ervina about a week after the death and birth of her little son, and asked her how she can go on from here, what the anchor of her soul is through this. And her words were powerful and tender… “I don’t know why this happened, and it hurts so much. But, I know my God. I know Who He is, and even in this, I can trust Him.”

In times of deepest grief and tragedy, what truly is within a person comes out. And in Ervina and Kenny, there is a sweetness and strength even in the middle of the agony. The foundation of their lives was built on Jesus long before this tragedy ever happened.

We as a family are so grateful for Jesus, for the promise that He is good, even now. Even though our hearts are breaking in the loss of little Kenny, and seeing our precious sister and her husband walk such grief, we choose to believe Him, and trust His faithfulness to us.

the coming joy [ via]

Without the perspective of eternity, of a Sovereign God, life is hopeless. But Jesus makes all the difference in the world. He gives us strength to endure the pain of today because of the joy of eternity. One day, all tears will be wiped away, and one day, sweet little baby, we will be with you again.

we have not lost him.

Just about a week before the birth of little Kenny, I wrote this quote in my journal, being deeply impacted by the truth of it, and also deeply missing my friend Ruth. And now it touches me so much again, healing and ache all in one.

“We have not lost him, He is only gone a little before us. There we shall soon find him, and enjoy him again and forever – far more than we ever did in this life.” [E. D. Griffin ]

Yes, the loss is still felt so deeply, achingly so. But there is a perspective greater than the pain, that of Jesus, of the preciousness of eternity. For that better world to come, that HOME to come.

Eternity, and Heaven, are all the more real, and precious. We were not made for this world, for all the pain, for the sorrow and agony, for the effects of sin. There IS a bigger reality than what we can see: there is a Heaven, there is a Hell. And it’s real. The life we live here matters. The choices we make on earth matters. ETERNITY MATTERS.

Ten thousand more words could be written, and it still wouldn’t sum up the emotions, the grief, and the way God has carried us these weeks.

But we also want to say we are so grateful for the outpouring of support to our extended family, and especially to Kenny & Ervina. We are seriously blown away by the kindness and care of so many people. The body of Christ has become ever more dear to us. Thank you, thank you…

Please continue to take Kenny & Ervina to Jesus in prayer…

March 20, 2014

Hello Spring!

spring fever quote

Ahhh, yes, hello Spring!
We’ve been seeing hints of your arrival for the past month, but this week especially we knew you were near.

This morning we woke up to beautiful warm sunshine, and it was the perfect start to springtime. All winter I was jealous of the snow in the north. But now? The north can have their snow. I’m happy to take Spring. :)

This little southern town is simply wreathed in dogwoods and Bradford pear trees and azaleas. It is the most beautiful time of the year here, and I always anticipate all the lovely blossoms everywhere.

There are little bursts of sunshine all over the house, and little touches that say,
“I’m happy spring is here!”

// In the kitchen //

Tulips in silver pitchers – I do the same thing every year, just cheap grocery store tulips in a an elegant thrifted pitcher. I love it so.

spring in the kitchen

// Dining Room //

First blooming Dogwood branches! They are my very very favorite springtime blossoms.
I just cannot get enough of them! They are dainty and soft, they are elegant and beautiful, they are unique and dazzling.

spring world

lovely spring

// Living Room //

Springtime mantel. It’s done very simply this year, with an oversized chalkboard with my favorite quote at present. It’s something I saw online, and I wish I could remember where, but I knew it must be in our home. Truly, the Gospel is all I have. Without it, I am nothing, and have nothing.

the gospel is all I have

spring mantel with fresh blossoms

// first bouquet //

Zoe is a little flower girl, always bringing in little ~~weeds~~ blooms and blossoms she finds. Then she carefully arranges them in vases and bottles of her choice. I love this about her. I found these two sitting right here on the patio table.

Zoe's first bouquet

// gardening //

Perhaps it’s more rightly called, “hopes of gardening” because there is no garden at present.
But, husband buys lots of tomato plants anyway. :)
And I am excited right along with him.
This post has me dreaming and planning… at least in my mind.

young tomatoes

// new discoveries //

On one of the first 80 degree days we had, we abandoned the house and spend the whole afternoon outside. It was glorious! Fresh sunshine does wonders for a human soul!

This little guy discovered the water hose, and I spent at least an hour just giggling at him. He was being such a little BOY, turning the hose on his sisters and hearing them shriek, and then he’d had to stop and LAUGH and laugh to himself at how much fun it all was.
Oh goodness, he just melts me in a puddle!

my darling son

hello spring!

spring beauties

// twirl //

There is something about little girls, sunshine, and twirly skirts that speak of innocence and delight, of how the world was meant to be.

One night after supper, when the evenings were getting longer and daylight stayed close to bedtime, Zoe and Olivia were running about the yard. They had chosen matching dresses earlier in the day “Because we want people to think we’re twins!!”. I looked out the window to see them laughing and twirling, arms stretched out wide, spinning until they tumbled, and then back up again, doing it all over.

I was mesmerized. It was so carefree, so uninhibited.
It was living fully in the moment, simply delighted with sunshine and each other and skirts that spin wide.

It was worship.
I want to live like that.

spring twirlers innocent happiness

Happy Spring, my friends!

Let yourself be loved of God today, and twirl.

March 12, 2014

Gingerbread Biscotti (with White Chocolate Icing)

A week ago I was part of a little cooking demonstration with ladies from our church. It was a fun, informal event, and the basic gist of the evening was that different women were asked to show how to make particular dishes.

One woman showed how to make THE pie crust (which I am so excited about trying, because all my pie crusts have been epic fails!), another how to decorate a cake using various tips, and still others on butter making, Bourbon Chicken, and Gyozias. It was so fascinating! Plus, our church ladies love to talk, so any spare minute we were busy chittering away. :)

My part of the evening was to talk about Making Biscotti. Since I’ve given a few biscotti recipes on this blog before (Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Spice) I thought I’d include a third recipe here, along with a few tips I gave that evening.

Let me just preface by saying it really did tickle me to be giving tips on making biscotti. My roots are European of various kinds, but Italian is not one of them. So basically I’m a work-horse German giving advice on an Italian treat. It’s kind of like an Italian giving a class on Amish cooking. Kind of humorous, right? :) But it really is amazing the various cultures of foods we have available to cook and eat in our modern day!

________________________________________________________

This is quite possibly my favorite recipe. I created it several years ago, and although it could be seasonal during the winter, it’s also perfect anytime of the year.

The Ingredients For Gingerbread Biscotti:

Cream together until fluffy:

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar

Then add:

3 eggs, beating well after each addition
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup molasses

Sift together dry ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, then stir in:

1 cup slivered almonds

Grease a jellyroll pan (which is slightly smaller than a cookie sheet). Divide dough in half. Using heavily floured hands, shape each half into a log form, and place on a jellyroll pan, on the shortest length of the pan. Continue to shape, making each log approximately 5 inches wide.

Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 35 minutes, or until the top is firm. Remove from the oven and cool, then cut each log into 1-inch slices using a sharp serrated knife or electric knife. Return to the oven and bake at 200 degree, or the lowest temperature, 7 hours or overnight Bake until completely dry. Cool, then frost with white chocolate icing (Ghirardelli melting chocolate).

Gingerbread Biscotti for a coffee party

A few pointers:

Many people are scared of making biscotti and think them intimidating and difficult. Let me just say: biscotti may take some time to make, but the truth is – they are really very easy. If you can pull out a mixer and put ingredients together, you can make biscotti. The twice-baking is what makes biscotti unique from many other cookies or specialty baked items.

In the recipe, there are a few basic instructions that factor into the biscotti of your dreams. :)

1. Softened butter vs. melted butter: This makes a difference in the final texture of the dough, making a soft dough rather than a watery texture.

2. Beating each egg well: Beating each egg well helps with dough elasticity, resulting in a final product that holds together well and isn’t crumbly/doesn’t break apart. Often homemade biscotti tends to fall or crumble apart, and it may be because of this small step.

3. The log size: Remember that the dough rises because of the baking powder, so be sure to spread the log wide (about 5 inches) rather than short and fat. The final product will look bigger than the pre-baked log on the pan.

4. The slow baking times: I do not recommend a baking time of higher than 300* for the first baking, and 200* for the second. Of course, it’s very possible to bake at a high temperature the whole way through for both baking times and have a finished product much faster. However, I have a theory [and it’s only my own theory, but it has held true for me]: a fast baking, whether in biscotti, granola, or a few other things results in a bit of a “burnt” taste in the final product. Yes, it is finished faster, but there is a hint of a burnt flavor. A SLOW baking time, in my opinion, not only doesn’t have the look of the dark edges, but it also seems to enhance the flavors of what it being baked. A bite into a slow-baked biscotti, such as gingerbread, and you will be able to taste the ginger, the molasses, and maybe even some of the other spices. The flavor is incredibly richer. The overnight baking at the very lowest temperature your oven will do (180 or so) is what I’ve found to be perfect.5.

5. The melting chocolate. A friend recently introduced me to the Ghirardelli melting chocolate, which is amazing in and of itself. If you’ve worked with melting white chocolate chips before, you know that sometimes it turns out perfectly and other times it’s a sticky hard lump that you can hardly spread with a knife! The melting wafers are amazing. It’s the perfect melted consistency which you can then pour into a condiment bottle and use to drizzle on the icing. Melting instructions of various kinds are even on the back of the packaging.

frosting Gingerbread Biscotti

So there is my favorite recipe and all the things I’ve learned by trial and error tricks up my sleeve. Hopefully it will help someone out. :)

Enjoy!

March 5, 2014March 6, 2014

First Beach Day.

Hellooooooo, March!
I am very happy to see your arrival, because it marks the beginning of a most happy month (namely, the birth of my first niece or nephew)!

However, February passed by ever-so-fast that it seems a blur,
so, the next few posts may just be back-tracking…
There may even be a few Valentine’s Day pictures, how sad. :)

But today, here are a few pictures of our first day at the ocean this year!
[Well, technically, it was our second, since we were there on a colder day bundled up a bit.]

This was a sunny, warm day in February, when some friends were in town.
And what better way to enjoy an 80 degree day in February than be at the coast?
We may not have snow days, but we do, on occasion, have beach days. :)
#perksoflivinginthesouth

And, it was one of the first 80 degree days of the year,
which seems crazy while 7 hours north there are still snowstorms,
but hey! We’re all trying to choose joy, right? :)

We joined three other moms and their kids, so it was a party for the kids.
Unfortunately, we arrived late because it was a last-minute morning-of decision to go
and I realized the kids had grown out of their swimwear from last year.
Enter quick shopping trips and lots of time lost looking for cute swimwear that didn’t exist.

[Also, since when is little girl swimwear so provocative?? Frustration is the mildest emotion of what I was feeling, as I looked at the little strings my six-year old was expected to wear.I shopped online after returning home and decided it’s worth it to pay more money for swimwear that is both cute and modest, so the next beach trip we’ll be better prepared. Lands End and DownEast Basics offer several options ~ thanks to Anita for the referrals! I’m off my soapbox now.]

// little boy child, enjoying the sunny blue day //

But, even the few short hours we spent at the ocean were so worth the trip.

Warm sunshine,
sand between my toes,
kids laughing and playing, even in freezing cold water,
sitting with friends…

Ocean days are the very best kind of days. :)

// little girl child, always running and laughing //

// Sibling snack break //

One of the things I enjoy most about living in the South IS living close to the coast.
The ocean is therapeutic; the sound of the waves, the warm sunshine, the time to quiet.

But the greatness of God is so very evident there, and I love that the most.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed by life, by the challenges & unknowns,
all I need to do is walk by the water, or sit in the sand,
and my heart KNOWS.

I KNOW that my God can handle anything that is present, and anything that may come.
He is big enough, He is sufficient, He is more than adequate.
His resources know no limits.
His wisdom has no end.
His strength isn’t ever maxed out.
His love is always there.
His faithfulness will always continue.

How can I not trust this kind of Savior, this Lord who has given me all of Him?
My only response can be giving Him all of me.

Until next time, grand ocean…

/Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made/
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade/
To write the love of God above/
Would drain the ocean dry/
Nor could the scroll/
Contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky

Oh love of God! How rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure/
The saints and angels song!/

{a favorite song of mine, and of my beloved friend Ruth,
who now sings in the very presence of our Sweet Jesus}