outside my window... it is a bright beautiful blue sky day! it is supposed to be in the 90's - a mild summer day around here.
i am thinking... about an upcoming guest post i am doing. watch for it! i will let you know when it is up and give you the link to go check it out.
i am thankful... for so much! one thing in particular is that i was able to spend time with a dear friend who happens to also be one of our partners (and who was also one of my college roommates). i love when there is a still that heart connect with someone over the years even when we do not live in the same place or get to talk all the time... but it is still there. i think it is evidence of the Holy Spirit.
remembering... how fast this past year has flown by when i look at my little guy cruise around furniture and realize he is almost 1! how do little ones grow up so quickly?! i have adored each and every season of their lives, but i must say i always have fond memories of the baby days. i think i am a baby addict.
from the learning rooms... well, since it is summer, we decided to do a library reading program with our kiddos. asher has flown through the simple bookmarks where you color in the picture for each 20 minutes that you read. he is reading sometimes 2 hours a day or more! right now he is working on re-reading (yes, i just did say re-reading, as in reading for the 2nd time) the entire chronicles of narnia. did i fail to mention that he is 7, just finished up with 1st grade? i do not know how to keep up with this kid. if we home-schooled him, i bet he could graduate in like a year or two! okay, so i kid. kinda. there is no way i would let my genius child graduate at 9.
from the kitchen... so... you may think i am a bit strange and crazy (unless you are a strange crazy real foodie like me), but lately i have been really into water kefir. i know, several of you may be scratching your heads thinking, what? she is fermenting water?!! yes, it is true. probiotics, you know? though i do not write about food much here on my blog, lots of the blogs i personally subscribe to in my google reader are blogs about natural living and real food. my own dad wonders where i came from?! oh my.
i was making homemade yogurt for the probiotic benefits, but two (and a 3rd suspect) of my kids struggle with digesting lactose, so i am trying the water kefir route to avoid the dairy yet get all the probiotic benefits. so far, so good. my favorite one right now? well, i have been adding a bit of vanilla extract (homemade of course) and half a cinnamon stick and it is creme soda-ish. i have also been adding it to our summer smoothies. even bill approves, but he is always up for my crazy food schemes.
i was making homemade yogurt for the probiotic benefits, but two (and a 3rd suspect) of my kids struggle with digesting lactose, so i am trying the water kefir route to avoid the dairy yet get all the probiotic benefits. so far, so good. my favorite one right now? well, i have been adding a bit of vanilla extract (homemade of course) and half a cinnamon stick and it is creme soda-ish. i have also been adding it to our summer smoothies. even bill approves, but he is always up for my crazy food schemes.
i am wearing... well, i am not quite ready for the day yet... but i assure you today i will be in shorts, a tank and flip flops. that is the way we dress around here in the summer.
i am creating... more headbands for my lovely etsy store. i am sorry i have neglected it as of late, but life has just been so busy and flying by! the good news is i listed a new one last night and it was already featured on a treasury. so fun!
i am going... to an all house of prayer gathering in roseville this weekend. i am looking forward to connecting with the other house of prayer folk in california. i am hoping for some good heart connects and encouragement.
i am reading... the book of luke in my Bible reading challenge. i am both enjoying reading the gospels and being so challenged by the words and life of Jesus as i read. so many times christianity can become so status quo, at least for me personally, and then when i come face to face with our Savior and His life i am challenged to change and shaken out of the comfortable.
i am hoping... to go camping this summer. we are working out the detail of a little trip to lake siskiyou and i am so looking forward to it.
i am hearing... the sound of the boys' pencils coloring on paper and coloring books at the table and the baby boy crawl around exploring. it is actually pretty quiet in here for 4 little boys, and yet no one is "into" anything.
around the house... i have been rather overwhelmed by this area of my life. does it not seem like there is no possible way to catch up or keep up on the house? it is such a huge job and i would love to hire like a dozen people to knock off all the things on our to do list around here! anyone willing to work for the dazzling pay of a good dinner?
one of my favorite things... is summer time. i just love blue skies, sunshine, (even the heat, yes even the heat), hanging out by water, spending time outdoors, big salads as the main course, fresh fruit and lots of it, camping trips, longer days, and on and on.
pondering... the topic that i am writing my guest post on... in working on it i have had the opportunity to reflect on past seasons of my life which felt excruciatingly difficult and it is amazing to realize God's faithfulness in the midst. they say that hindsight is 20/20 right? (who are they infamous they anyways? they always say the smartest things.)
a few plans for the rest of the week: i already mentioned how we are going to spend time with other houses of prayer in california. other than that, i believe our weekend consists of going to church and spending time with my family. sunday for us is always family time. we have had sunday lunch (which 90% of the time is pizza) with my parents and siblings every sunday for, well, forever. it is a great tradition.
i am linked up with other lovely ladies at the simple woman's daybook.
charis
