Company and A Wee Break

We are off to the airport this afternoon to pick up company, they are staying for 9 days, so I think I will take a bit of a break. I may pop in to post little things, but for the most part will be gone.

This works great because I seem to have a bit of bloggers block. Kind of like writer's block. Food is not currently my friend, and I am too tired to do a good job of house stuff, and my quiet time has been nice but nothing to share here. So I am out of material! (I could not even bring myself to type the requested recipe for Granola Oatmeal - I have not forgotten, it is coming!)

Be back soon.

In the mean time, please be sure to share any blogging ideas with me! :-)

Sharing what we have

This afternoon I started a much bigger project that I realized it was going to be. A friend of ours was displaced by the San Diego County fires in the fall. Her house was severely smoke damaged. She has moved back into her house, but her entire pantry, freezer of food, fridge of food, and most household items were garbage.

So today we went through our pantry and other assorted stashes pulling out what was extra to share. I had been planning to do this, so was buying extra when I could make it work in the budget, but with morning sickness that lasted a lot longer than the morning I was also mowing through a lot of our stash.

Well, we are taking 2 boxes and 2 Target bags of stuff.

I was really surprised by the amount we had, but was also pleased because it was all part of our grocery budget. I am constantly surprised how much further my grocery budget is going! It not only covers our groceries but also our household needs, paper goods and toiletries (including over the counter medications). And there is an abundance to share! The Lord constantly amazes me!

As for the boxes, we will be in our friend's area tomorrow and will drop them off. I think of it like a housewarming present.....

(Plus she is also near my all time favorite bakery, and I have a little money left in my monthly budget!)

Curling Fun

If you are curling fan like I am, and it is hard to do in Southern California, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is on this weekend, and the playoffs just started! (For you non curling fans, that is the big Canadian Women's National Curling Championship) If you were sad that you could not watch the games like I was, go to www.tsn.ca - you can watch the playoffs live on your computer!

For you non curling types, and I was shocked to realize that there were many of you, yes, this the game where you throw rocks at a house..... but it is not what it sounds like.

The winner of the tournament will be named Team Canada and will represent Canada in all international competition for the next year, and because Canada is a strong curling country, there is lots of it! Curling is huge internationally, just really minor in the US. Also, if this was the year of the winter olympics, they would be the team going. They also automatically get into the tournament next year and play under the name "Team Canada" rather than the provincial name. So this year Team Canada was from B.C., so B.C. had two teams in the tournament!

Any questions about how I will be spending nap time?

Stretching the Grocery budget

I have posted and talked quite a bit out stretching my household/grocery budget money, and how I am doing better. I am consistently hitting my budget, usually just under, but with the cost of groceries continually on the rise, and the desire to have a nicely stocked freezer of meals for September's special arrival, we have not decreased the budget.

But, with all the freebies I have been getting at CVS I have been sharing my stockpile with a friend who is finally moving back into her home after extreme smoke damage from the fall fires in San Diego County.

Plus, this weekend there was enough to pick up a beautiful bouquet of daffodils, one of my very favorite flowers!

It is so much easier to work hard on these things with little rewards!

Also, with nice full cupboards I have been able to take it a bit easier on myself during this season, which has been a tremendous blessing

Morning Burst of Energy

You can certainly tell that Mr. Pear will be home tonight. I had an unexpected burst of energy this morning - a rare treat this week!

So we:

1. Put everything for bread in the bread machine
2. Baked a double batch of hot cross buns (they are cooling so we can frost the crosses on)
3. Cleaned the kitchen
4. Cleaned the master bathroom

Gee, when I type it out the list is pretty small, it sure felt like I had accomplished more than this! Oh well, energy will return soon I am sure! :-)

Well, it has begun

Somehow, every time Mr. Pear goes on a business trip I kind of feel like I am being made to walk the plank or something equally disastrous. Even though he is going to Mexico, it is a safe town, and they are staying on the US side, so that makes me feel better. And even though Miss Pear and I always survive, it is always hard for both of us.

We are a family who loves being together! Even if we are each doing our own thing, we still want to be in the same room together - we are funny that way!

I was incredibly blessed to serve as a volunteer in Miss Pear's BSF classroom this morning. I had a fabulous time, and there is nothing like singing praises to the Lord with preschoolers! And I learned lots too!

Miss Pear has had a very hard time getting to sleep with this sinus cold of hers, which leaves her tired during the day, so after she fell asleep in the car on the way home and barely woke up when I carried her in the house, I decided an early nap would be beneficial to us all, and maybe just what she needed to get back on track.

This afternoon we are heading out to Target. Miss Pear is showing me that she wants to write, and we need something before tracing sheets - after all, she is only 2 and 3/4, so we will see what we can find. Plus I need my supplies to survive until Thursday night - book and chocolate! It is very cool and damp here, so this will get us out of the house and burn off some energy, and kill some time. The first day is all about the distraction and killing time.

Tomorrow, if my stomach stays calm, we are going to bake bread and cookies in the more morning as it is supposed to be rainy, which translates into cook and damp, so I like to bake to warm us up! In the afternoon we will make our CVS run - I have ECB's expiring, and do not want to lose them.

Thursday will be the home stretch as we will be going to the airport to pick up Daddy, Miss Pear is already talking about it, so clearly we are looking forward to it.

So 2 nights. It is not so bad, we have had longer trips. But the nights always seem so long, and I always feel so cold. Oh well, I guess it will be chocolate, a book, tea, and an extra blanket tonight.

Weird Email

So every once in a while I get an email that makes me stop and laugh, not always in a good way.

Today I got an email (as part of a distribution list) that included the following:

[a television network] is currently producing a new television show about married women who put their careers on hold in order to stay home and raise their children, but the passion they had for that career is still inside them.

Ummm.....I abandoned my career at a running pace, fleeing as fast and as far from it as humanly possible. Please don't make me go back, I'll be good!

I showed my husband the email as a joke, and he was wondering if they were actually finding anyone to take them up on this!

I have never met anyone who stayed home at least while their children were little who regretted it. In fact, I have had people compliment me on what we are doing (me staying home) and say that they wish they had done the same. Which is nice on a day when things are not exactly going according to plan!

So, I am curious - do you stay home? Did you leave your job when you got married, when children were on the way? Do you feel like you are missing out and want to go back?

I quit when I was finally burned out and it became financially possible. Our daughter was born over a year later. If possible, I have no intention of returning to work, I love caring for my family.

Important Stuff!

Yes, I truly teach my daughter all the important things.

We were getting ready for her bath tonight, and she said, "Ladies like bubble baths!"

And I responded with the absolute truth, "Yes, especially sophisticated ladies like us!"

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is very special around our house. It is not just a Hallmark holiday.

9 years ago today, my college sweetheart and God-given love asked me to marry him. Of course I IMMEDIATELY said yes!

He gave me my ring in a beautiful box shaped like a rose. It was so unique and sweet - I still have it!

So much has change since then starting with when were planning on getting married (we had to pull in the date because we were suddenly moving to California...from Canada)!

But one thing is for certain. Each day brings new reasons why I love my husband, each day finds our love growing deeper and maturing into a sweetness I never thought possible, and each day finds my thanking God for His wonderful gift to me of my husband.

P.S. Today's reason to love my husband even more is that he came home from work (with chocolate) and immediately started taking care of his two very sick girls, including making us supper and tucking us both in. With no complaints, just lots of love.

My week suddenly looks lighter...

...I was looking at this week wondering how I had allowed myself to be so over booked - then I remembered. One event that I was committed to pulled in a week, and a birthday party for a dear friend got thrown in amongst the other commitments.

In my continuing belief that God has a sense of humor I will share how my week suddenly got a lot lighter.

Miss Pear and I both woke up sick with colds today.

Voila! Events canceled.

Besides, nursing my sick little one is much more important than an event! (Even if she seems convinced that napping is optional this afternoon!)

Nostalgia

Today is very hot here - think shorts and t-shirts. Very weird for February.

After playing in the park, we had a very nostalgic lunch, at least for me. Bologna and cheese sandwiches with million dollar relish on them and a side of apple slices. I can not count the number of times I had that for lunch as a child growing up! And Miss Pear loves it too.

I could be wrong, but I think that the relish tastes better because I made it. I have started 3 homemade pickle cucumber plants for the garden this year, I am planning on making lots of relish and pickles!

Oh, and Menu Plan Monday is going to be missing until I am feeling better because frankly, I would be embarrassed for you to see my menus. (Unless frozen lasagna is on everyone's list this week....)

So, what meal makes you nostalgic???

Saturday

Oh, so it is Saturday. Really? What happened to Thursday and Friday?

Actually, now that I think about it, I know exactly where they went.

In an effort to help curb my nausea and reflux I slept with a thicker pillow, which initially did help, but it irritated my neck and shoulders, which made me feel like I had a tension headache, which made me even more nauseous. Clearly my plan was not a good one, and did not work overall.

And I cannot take anything.

So I saw a chiropractor, and that is helping, but I was just feeling ick this week.

But I just wanted to broadcast my adventure in case you were wondering what happened to me this week.

I anticipate numerous unplanned short breaks, but at least my neck should be back on track by early next week!

In good news, we may have found the magic formula for me to be able to take vitamins and not, well, you know.

A Sweet Compliment...

...from a sweet and joyful blogging buddy.

Julie over at Joyful Days blessed me with a sweet award!

At first I thought it was rated E for everyone, because that would be true, so you can imagine how flattered I was when I properly read the fine print!

Julie said, "Who is more organized and thrifty? Who has such good menus and recipes? Mrs. Pear is a wealth of information that she generously shares. I leave her blog hungry, though...and I am NOT as good a cook--but learning!"

So then I was highly flattered!

And Julie, if you can read and follow directions, you can cook and bake just as well as I can! I promise! And if a recipe I posted does not cooperate, comment on it, I will help!

Thank you so much!

So now to pass this sweet gem of an award on....

My Quiet Corner - as you all know, I read this blog each and every time it updates - no waiting for entries to pile up! And each post has some impact on me - makes me laugh, encourages me, makes me think, makes me stop to pray, and the Precious Promises are more often than not written for just where I am at - oh the blessing of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers! We joke in our house that it is all MomRN2's fault that I blog - thanks, I needed the outlet! If you are not reading My Quiet Corner you are really missing something very special!

Country Roads - Revee shares what is going on, and gives me hope that homeschooling is doable, that it is a sweet blessing to a family. She also encourages me that all the crafting things I love do not have to fall by the way side while I am a mom.

Homespun Heart - I love this blog, especially around each holiday when Monica shares ideas for themed crafts. And while she is incredibly talented, she makes it seem like anyone can do these things! I love that!

Making a House a Home - Mrs U is so encouraging to me, she reminds me that caring for my family and loving them to pieces is so important, and I am always reminded not to get so carried away with the everyday that I forget why this is so important! I am always encouraged as a wife and mom when I read over at her place!

These are my top 4 favorite blogs to read, allowing for the fact that I do not believe tag backs are allowed!

How about you, what 4 blogs do you love the most?

Big News

We have very big news around here...actually, the news is still very little but growing fast.

We are expecting a baby around September 19!

We had our first doctor's visit today, and it went very well. We were able to see the baby's heart beating away, and everything taking shape!

It is kind of odd to think that the doctor who delivered Miss Pear will not be delivering this baby, but we are adjusting, and really do like our new doctor, so that is wonderful!

So far I have been very tired, and often napping through my blogging time, in case you were wondering what has been going on. The nausea always stinks, but has been manageable.

We are thrilled to be expecting a baby! Miss Pear is holding out for a little sister.

Monday Morning Meanderings

I know that usually Monday morning is Menu Plan time around here, but, ummm, I haven't gotten around to it yet. We are basically eating from our freezer for supper, and have lots of fruit, yogurt and good stuff for breakfasts and lunches, so I think we may just wing it this week. Plus, I have a brand new freezer inventory list from when we defrosted the freezer Friday night (big night at our house! giggle) It had to be done before we did our only Costco trip for February Saturday morning.

Saturday afternoon found us at the paint store with fabric samples etc looking at paint colors. We are going to paint our room the same color as our old home as we loved it, and have found a nice light purple to match Miss Pear's room.

Sunday afternoon found us at a Superbowl game hosted by our church (there were a couple parties and you attended the one that was hosted by your elder). It was a lot of fun. I missed the third quarter and almost half of the fourth quarter watching princess movies with the kids, but did catch all the excitement of the end. That was some ending!

Although us Canadians always joke that we cannot understand why the NFL needs 4 chances for 1st down when the field is so small! (CFL has a bigger field and only 3 downs).

Today is catch up day. Get the kitchen clean and organized again (after a whirl wind weekend it was in pretty sad shape, but it was more important to me to have fun with my family!), do 3 loads of laundry, and some general organizing.

Just enough to keep us busy today.

It will be a long day because Mr. Pear will not be home until after supper tonight, he has to work late. But at least we know early, and it is not a last minute surprise, and he is being treated to supper because of it.

And my big mental exercise is to plan a CVS trip to use up my $12 ECB that expires tomorrow - anyone know of any good CVS coupons? I burned a number of them over December when Miss Pear was sick and we needed a new vaporizor and a few other things, so I would like to build them up again so that I have a nice emergency stash!

So, I guess I should get to work, but I have to tell you, a cup of tea sounds better.....

Coconut Oatmeal

For years you never would have convinced me that there was such a thing as special occasion oatmeal, but then I found this delicious recipe that I now make a couple times a year:

Coconut Oatmeal

4 cups whole milk
14 oz can coconut milk
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups instant oats
1 tbsp butter

Bring milk, coconut milk, brown sugar, cinnamon stick and salt to a boil in a large, heavy sauce pan, stirring with a whisk.

Reduce heat to moderate and stir in oats. Return to a boil. Cook while stirring for 1 minute.

Stir in butter, then remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Remove cinnamon stick and stir oatmeal before serving.

Cinnamon Flop

I made this cinnamon flop on Sunday for a sweet ending to supper with friends, naturally I topped it with vanilla bean ice cream!

I must say, it was not a flop at all, everyone wanted seconds!

(Oh, and I have not forgotten the two recipes I promised to post, but it has been a very weird week, I will get to it, I promise!)

Genesis 18 Thoughts

In early January I was reading through Genesis as part of my quiet time, and I got to Genesis 18 where Abraham intercedes for Sodom:

And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”
So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Genesis 18:17-33 NKJV

I was thinking about this passage, and there are two questions that keep running through my brain, in fact, they are still running through my brain and I have no answers.

1. Abraham quit interceding at 10. What would have happened if he had continued? Would his prayers have save the city?

2. How were there not 10 righteous people in the whole city? Already we have four - Lot, his wife and his two daughters, so I guess I am shocked that 6 more could not be found in the entire city!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this!