She loves them...

...and they love her.

Before I had Clara, I knew it was going to be great for the boys to have a sister.  But I could not have guessed how it was going fill my heart to bursting.  How gloriously joyous I would feel watching them with her. 

Every day when Matthew gets home from school, he asks me what Clara and I did that day so he can talk to her about it.  "Oh!  You went to Target, baby?!  Was that fun?"  And when Jack is here with her in the afternoons, I put her in her Bumbo on the table, where he sits and colors or does crafts.  And he talks to her the whole time. "Do you like this color, Clay-a?" and he'll sing to her and talk to her and hold his art projects up for her approval.  And she just sits and watches, content.  I've come to refer to them as "your Matthew" and "your Jack." 

And she never lets them out of her sight.  If they're in the room, she's checking them out.  Sometimes I have to stop Jack and say, "Clara is looking at you; say hi to her."  She looks at them with such adoration, I almost can't take the fullness in my heart.

And her papa.  Good grief, she loves that guy.  Same thing. She adores him.  And he adores her.  Sometimes I will go on search for them, and find them laying on the bed in our room, talking.  Or I'll find her on his lap when he's watching TV or playing video games. 

How lucky is my little girl?  How lucky am I?

When I think back to all the apprehension I felt a year ago when I was first expecting her, I am sorry I wasted a minute worrying.  It reminds me to be patient, and to trust.  Because everything happens for a reason, at exactly the right time.  The love for this baby is absolute proof.  My cup runneth over. 

Sharing the Love: Butter Croissant Rolls

Cory says I'm the only one he knows who bakes their own dinner rolls.  Truth be told, I'm a bit of a bread snob.  I love homemade bread.  I got spoiled by my mom growing up.  And in the day of the breadmaker, it's just so easy!

This is my sister Amy's recipe.  I can never get them consistent in size, but that's part of their charm, I think.  The thing about homemade bread is because there are no kind of preservatives, it's really best the same day.  But if you wait until they reach room temperature and then freeze them, they'll taste fresh whenever you pull them out of your freezer!  Make these for your holiday dinner; you won't regret it.

7 oz warm milk
1 egg, room temperature
4 T room-temperature butter
2 3/4 c bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
2 tsp yeast.

Put ingredients in your breadmaker according to its directions.  Run on dough cycle. When it's finished, roll into a 12 inch circle on a floured surface.  Cut with pizza cutter into triangles.  Amy does 12; I do 20.  (I cut it into quarters and then cut five slices out of each section).  Roll up wide edge to point.  Place point-down on a greased cookie sheet (I just line with parchment instead).  For Amy's size, bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  I've found that my size is perfect at 325 for 20 minutes.  Brush with melted butter.

Enjoy!

Sharing the Love: Focaccia Breadsticks

A couple people have asked for this recipe.  Perfect weather for soup and warm breadsticks!

Foccacia Breadsticks
9 oz warm water
3 T olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
3 c flour
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients according to your breadmaker instructions. Run on dough cycle. Lay flat on greased cookie sheet. Top with a little olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt (and rosemary and/or parmesan cheese if you have it!). Cut into narrow strips with a cookie cutter. Bake at 400 for 20 - 25 minutes. Break apart and enjoy with soup!

Christmas Cookies

I'm gearing up for my holiday baking!  I'm one of those people who only makes her favorites.  I almost never try anything new because there is something comforting about tradition.  Plus, why waste the calories on anything you aren't absolutely certain you're going to love?!

I make:

Peanut Butter Temptations
Peanut Butter Bark
Fudge
Chocolate-dipped pretzels
Nut Goody Bars
Ginger Crinkles

What do you make every year?  Your go-to?  Share the recipe...and happy baking!

Thankful 2012

I'm hosting my family, so the next few days are going to be a little crazy.  But lest you think me ungrateful, I will post this now.  Here are the things I am most grateful for this year.

god.
the captain.
clara.
the rugrats.
a respectful teenager.
re-election.
knee-high boots.
my health.
my childrens' health.
opportunity.
jax teller.
forgiveness.
winning bets.  (you know who you are.)
carbs.
this side of pregnancy.
yoga pants.
dr. brown.
hope.
a recovering real estate market.
laughter.
progressive talk radio.
daily manna.
my mom.
understanding.

Wishing all of you a happy holiday and blessings as you celebrate your own gratitude.  God be with you!

 

The other night, I laid my head on my pillow with my gorgeous and loving husband next to me.  I thought of my teenager sleeping downstairs, rapidly outgrowing the twin bed he's always slept on.  I imagined my two rugrats sounds asleep on their bunks.  And my sweet baby girl, across the hall, taking sweet little baby breaths all swaddled up and warm.  And I thought that if I had no other possessions in all my world, but these -- this roof over our heads, and this safe place to be together, it would be enough.  Lord, let me always determine my value by these gifts alone.

Thank you, Jesus.

Discussing the Discussion

This weekend, a couple of my sisters and I had a short conversation about the Voter ID Amendment on the ballot in Minnesota.  Instantly, we were silenced by my brothers.  "I make a motion to not discuss politics!"  And someone seconded it, so I shut up.  But I'm not going to lie, I didn't do so happily.  I stewed about it for awhile, and I'm still kind of mad.

It's often said that we shouldn't discuss politics and religion.  I often say that those two subjects might be the most important subjects of all (in addition, I think a world without them is boring.  It's when I've been most deeply challenged that I've learned the most.).  And I'm sure there are situations where it's not appropriate, but among a couple sisters, who want to discuss it, five days before a national election?  Yeah.  That's appropriate.

I admit that I took their muzzling personally.  How can I not?  Out of this family of eleven, I am the only one who is political.  I am most certainly the only Democrat.  And frankly, it's not easy. One brother actually said he didn't want to stand by "the Democrat" in our family picture.  A joke?  Not funny.  Sometimes I wonder how it could be, that I'm the only one among 20 adults with these worldviews.  I genuinely think that I'm respectful when I talk about the things I care about.  Are you really so offended if I share my perspective?  Or do you just find it boring?  What do you think is going to happen if we spend half an hour talking about politics?  I think we might just have an interesting conversation.

In my house, we will discuss politics.  We might not agree, and we might have passionate debates.  But we're going to be informed, and we're going to be involved.  We're going to talk -- nothing will be offlimits.  I want my kids to not only understand the issues, but understand how to make their point, and how to discuss the merits of their argument.  Intelligent people can disagree. And they can have a conversation that includes current events, and politics, and religion.  Because at the end of the day, those are the things that matter most -- our convictions and our beliefs.  In my house, I will not be silenced, nor will anyone who wants to talk.  Come on over.