Right now...

Drinking...Earl Grey in my new favorite mug (a Christmas gift from Brent).  I love the weight of it.

Smiling...because of how excited the children were to show me their discovery of the moon setting beautifully this morning over the horizon.  Pictures don't do it justice. It was spectacular. I love how they appreciate the beauty of the created world.

Thinking...about today's schedule.

Wearing...fuzzy socks and my Croc sandals.  Standard while at home. :)

Listening...to little voices singing made-up songs and Christmas songs from Slugs & Bugs. Love.

Enjoying...a new scrapbook project for a new year! More on that later this week!

Needing...to plan my classes for CC. One more week of our loooong Winter break! (We've been on break since before Thanksgiving!)

Planning...on making some scones this afternoon! Meyer Lemon & Strawberry, to be exact!

Missing...my little sister.  New York is too far away.

Hoping...that this week is a productive one!

Happy Monday!

The Books

I have been slow in determining my goals for this year.  I like to set goals.  I like to have something to work towards.

One of my goals (which it seems to be every year) is to read more.  I love to read...and while I did read a lot in 2011, I felt like my reading wasn't quite as well-rounded as I'd like it to be.  I mostly read current fiction, homeschool-related books, and all of Harry Potter. (Yep. Started in July and finished the last one just a few days before the end of the year.)

Brent decided he wanted to read at least one book a month this year.  He pulled out the ones he wanted to read and set them in the living room.  (He wanted to be able to see them. To remember this goal.)  I cleared off a little table in our bedroom and made a nice arrangement of them for him.

And then I decided to do the same thing:

This year's books consists of some rereads (Anne of Green Gables...I have no idea how many times I've read this favorite, The Practice of Poetry...which will require some writing too, and The Chronicles of Narnia...which Brent is almost done reading to our children. They are on The Last Battle.)

I plan on taking my time with Piper, Packer, and Newton...and reading some fiction during the same time.

I've started with Anna Karenina...as I've begun it once before a long time ago before having children...if you can count 15 pages as a beginning.  I can remember curling up on the couch of our first home, beginning it.  Telling my sister I was reading it.  And then never finishing.  So far so good.  I am past my initial stopping point!

I will probably add some more to this list, but hope to be able to reach the end of 2012 with these books sitting happily read on the shelf.  I'll keep you posted!

What are you reading right now?  What do you plan to read this year?

Cheese and Macaroni

Is there a better comfort food?

I have tons of mac and cheese recipes...always in search of the perfect blend of gooey cheese, perfect pasta, and crisp topping.  (Seriously, I have at least 5 mac and cheese recipes pinned on Pinterest.)

I tried a recipe for Gnocchi Mac and Cheese recently, but as I was unable to find any gnocchi locally, I ended up buying this yummy trottole pasta.  I can't remember the brand, but I'll update, as I will be buying more of it!

The kiddos loved it.  I loved it.  We almost finished off the dish for lunch that day.

Trottole Macaroni and Cheese (but you could substitute the gnocchi)

1 pound trottole pasta or gnocchi
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and place pasta in a single-layer in a greased 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish.

2.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

3. Combine Gruyere and Fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

4.  Pour sauce over pasta and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.


I found some gnocchi while traveling over Christmas and have plans for trying it in this recipe this week!  Enjoy!

A Change and A Constant

The change:

Last year, I decided to try technology one more time to keep track of my schedule.

I've had a planner for a long time.  I believe my first was a Valley Springs Middle School agenda...followed by the T.C. Roberson edition for my four years of high school.  I had several Mary Englebreit ones in college...a lovely leatherbound one for many years of marriage...a refillable Covey planner from Target...and a MomAgenda. (Apparently we've discussed this before.) ;)

When we were newlyweds, Brent bought a Palm Pilot for himself and then bought me one too.  I loved it, until I forgot to charge it once (while Brent was deployed) and I lost all my stored info.  Then, I decided that I much preferred things on paper.

Last year, I decided that between my iPad and iPhone, it would really make sense to use the calendar feature, as I already always carry them with me. I tried. I promise I did.  But I found that I am less likely to jot down the little everyday things (that I have an easy time remembering) in my phone.  I like writing them down.  Seeing everything in a monthly or weekly glance.  Being able to look back several months and visualize what was happening in the day-to-day.

So this year, I changed the plan and went back to the trusty ol' planner.  I found Erin Condren's planner...and I am pretty pleased with it so far. You can customize designs with pictures...change the colors to better fit your style...and oh, the packaging.  Definitely happy mail.  And with plenty of freebie labels to make you want to order more! 

So far, so good.  There's only one thing I'm not head-over-heels about (the way she splits up the weekly view when one month ends and another begins) but otherwise, I'm really enjoying it.  I'm sure this will become another annual topic!

The constant:

Last year, one of my favorite purchases was my Five Year Journal from Levenger.  

This falls into one of the "one line a day" journals...to keep track of moments you don't want to forget, little details of the everyday, funny things your children say...but with the commitment of writing pages upon pages.

I've kept it up all year {mostly}.  Every once in a while, I've missed a week or two and tried to play catch up.  I have loved recording in it.  But I am so excited for this year...to see and compare these days with the memories from last year! 

I know there are several of these kind of journals out there...but this one is gorgeous.  A light brown cloth hardcover with a leather label, that can be monogrammed with your initials. I love it.  

What will you be using to record the events and plans of this year?  I'd love to know! (As you can tell from my planner fetish, I love learning about new sources!)

Twenty Twelve

Why, hello there.

The new year always seems to sneak up on me.  But here we are.

I love all that is associated with a new year beginning.

New calendars.

Goals.

Black-eyed peas (but no collards, thankyouverymuch).

Uncluttering the house after Christmas.

Trying to remember to write 2012 when I write checks.

And this year, I loved beginning the year in worship...with a timely and wonderful sermon on Psalm 39.

Happy New Year to you...may it be a blessed one.

the last day of the year...

Last night, we had a great evening with several family friends for Brent-made pizza, movie (for all the kiddos), and games for the adults.  Great conversation...great friends...lots of laughter...we were repeatedly reprimanded by our children for being too loud. (Apparently, we were drowning out the movie sound!)

But today, we shared a very laid-back family day.

Madeleine kept asking to paint, so we decided to make snow scenes...they had fun using stamps...and different objects as paint brushes (q-tips, toothpicks, bits of sponge).  Now, if only we could see some snow on our own landscapes!

Brent baked some delicious ciabatta bread to accompany our French Market Stew...I could eat freshly baked bread every. single. day.

But this is the moment that I will remember from New Years Eve...

My three, precious children. Snuggled together in the chair where I rocked each one of them as infants. Whispering.  Cuddling.  Planning.  Laughing.  Enjoying.  Together.

I hope you, also, spend this New Year's Eve with those you hold dear.

An Apprentice

For Christmas, I bought Brent a book he's been excited about for awhile: The Bread Baker's Apprentice  by Peter Reinhart.  We love a good baguette...and since we don't have any good options for buying one locally, we started making them a while back.  Brent decided to take a go at the baguette recipe I had been using, but he wasn't completely pleased with his results...and a friend of his mentioned this book and shared a recipe from it.  

So it began. :)

In the five days since (and including) Christmas, the smell of rising dough or baking bread has wafted through our home.  (I'm currently enjoying the smell of four baguettes right now...three for friends, one to keep.)

I love seeing my boys in the kitchen...and in their "tough guy" aprons!  Wish you could see Nathanael's Star Wars apron here.  I love how he loves being with his Daddy...whether building with legos, cooking in the kitchen, wrestling in the living room, or having epic light sabre duels.

I think I could get used to this...Brent home each day (gotta love vacation time!) and fresh bread on the table!

Warmth.

When I think of a drink that warms you through, I think of a Chai Latte.  Warm, of course, temperature-wise.  But warm with spice too.  Soothing, smooth, and warm.

A Chai Latte was my "crossover" drink in college.  That and Frozen Milky Ways.  (I happily blame Common Grounds.) The drinks that made me venture from a strictly hot chocolate/hot tea drinker to actually enjoying coffee.  Because if I liked a tea that was a latte, surely an espresso-based latte would be good too, right?

But I digress.

Chai.  I've never attempted to reproduce a chai latte at home until recently, when a recipe in Southern Living this fall peaked my interest.  I altered their recipe a bit, as I really like a vanilla flavor in my chai...and I love frothed milk.

Chai Latte

4 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
6 cardamom pods
1 star anise
1/4 tsp. whole cloves
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1 vanilla bean (or 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla)*
4 regular-size black tea bags
cinnamon and star anise to garnish

1.  Bring milk, cream, sugar, ginger, cardamom, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, and vanilla bean along with 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

2.  Add tea bags and cover.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.  Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher.  Discard all solids.

3.  Pour a small amount of chai latte into a frother, until latte has doubled in amount.  Divide remaining latte between mugs, top each with some of the foamed chai.  Garnish with a dusting of cinnamon and a star anise.

Yields 7 cups.

*You could also substitute 1-2 tsp. vanilla syrup, stirring the syrup into the latte immediately before serving.

Happy Birthday Matt!

Happy Birthday...

 to an encouraging and fun,

 playful and silly,

wonderfully lovable and sweet

Uncle, Brother, and Friend.

We love you so much Matt...

and we hope that you have a fabulous birthday!

Emmanuel!

From our family to yours,

Merry Christmas!

May the Joy of knowing Christ fill your hearts this Christmas

and throughout the New Year!