Sticks

I like to decorate with sticks.
We have trees in our yard that have lost small branches in storms, and so I have scavenged my yard and been very pleased with the results.
In the corner of the living room-I thought it was rather "punny" that I put branches with my Willow Tree figurines. :)

I put them on my table, too. Wow...bare branches pack a lot of punch! I love it!

Have you ever used sticks to decorate?

This week...

has been crazy. Ava started running a fever on Tuesday night, and by today was such a mess that we decided to visit Dr. Renze. Miss Ava has Influenza B, so while she does not feel better, at least we know why she is sick, and hopefully the medicines will help (especially for her to sleep), and we are trying to get a lot of fluid in her.

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A fun highlight this week: I hit the 31 week tomorrow, and I actually took a picture of the baby bump! This is definitely second child syndrome kicking in-I had a picture every month with Ava, and this baby has had two whole photos intentionally taken of him/her so far. But I love every inch of this child, and I'm glad I don't need pictures to prove that. :)...........................................................................................

So, while our plans have shifted, and suddenly we remember why sleep is a gift and special privilege to parents, we are learning even more about patience and flexibility. One thing in particular is standing out to me right now: My hubby made a point of being extra sweet tonight, and that spoke volumes after a very tiring day. Wow. The way he ministered to me without second thought was special and sweet-and I saw the tremendous value in going out of one's way to do something ordinary in an extraordinary way. Thank you, darling, for being such a wonderful head of this home and showing such love. You are fantastic.

Shelves!

Here is the corner we made the office, in our lower level family room. This was before we moved. I think it's safe to say we have filled up the space quite nicely.
We (meaning Hubby, who did all the moving around) switched the location of the sewing machine and the filing cabinet. I'm planning to get some canvas bins to help sort my fabric.
I love having more shelving!

(I have to say, it's not always so messy. Hubby does a great job of cleaning up in between projects!)

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

The Effects of Sunshine

Sunshine has a way of keeping my up-way-too-early toddler happy until naptime.

And when the sun comes in the window, it makes my roses glow...

Elijah Came to Play

He is seven months younger than Ava, but gave her a run for her money. :)
It was exciting to see Ava willingly share toys, even though there were moments where she wanted whatever he had, and nothing else could replace that.

Seriously, he is so cute, laid-back, and amiable. Now I want to have a boy. :)

We had fun watching Elijah so his mommy and daddy could go be a part of giving their pastor a huge surprise/blessing as a thank-you for twenty years of ministry. They enjoyed their evening, and we enjoyed ours!

The BK "Hat"

It was getting late,
and we were all hungry.
Burger King is yummy for fast food,
and they have their signature BK Crowns.
Ava calls it a hat.
She really likes to wear it.

Maturity

While in the car today I listened to part of a message on maturity by Charles Swindoll. Since it's not recommended that you take notes while driving, I was thankful to find a bit in summary on his website. Here is a summary of what he states in his message on maturity; I was challenged and wanted to pass this on.

"Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing."

I appreciated this list as well. It sums up the marks of maturity:

• Concern for others that outweighs personal concerns
• Detection of the presence of evil before it's obvious
• Self discipline
• Compassion and involvement
• Tempered emotions
• Consistently growing in God's Word

Would you agree with me when I say that we are never done maturing? Would you also agree with me when I say that we have no excuse for allowing immature behavior in our lives? Consider this passage, also shared by Swindoll as his source for his "maturity checklist":

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “ He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8-12

May we be mature, in order to be discerning about our lives.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Make a pizza crust.Top with your white sauce.
Add chicken and diced tomatoes.
Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake until browned and bubbly.

Eat, and enjoy!

Pizza Crust:
1 1/4 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 T. or 1 packet of instant yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
cornmeal
1. Put 1/4 c. warm water into mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, add sugar, and mix. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Once yeast is activated, mix in remaining 1 c. water, olive oil, and salt. Gradually add flour until a soft dough forms. (I find the best doughs are the ones left just a bit sticky.)
3. Gently knead dough 10 times, then place in greased bowl to rise for an hour. (I have let it rise just 20 minutes. This does make a thicker crust, since it continues to rise in the oven.)
4. Sprinkle cornmeal onto pizza pan to prevent sticking. Spread dough onto pan, and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
**I have made several crusts and frozen them for up to a month, using when needed.

For our pizza tonight, we used this white sauce recipe (halving it for just one pizza), cut up cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizza at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. This made a 16" round pizza. (Double dough recipe for large baking sheets.)

February Sweetheart

We found a red dress, some lace, and some Valentine hearts,

and then we took some pictures: