Life

A friend wrote this on their wall on Facebook.  I thought about writing a comment but then as thoughts were running through my mind it is so much more than one comment.  For me, it is a way of life...the answer to this question.

I've been sitting here, trying to write a question about how one overcomes feeling unfulfilled by their career.

So friends, if you had to go through a career change, can you share the good and bad of that experience?

Unfulfilled... Unsatisfied... I've felt those before.  As much as I have a hard time adjusting to change, it happens, it's necessary.  I went to college and it was difficult.  I was often very overwhelmed.  I decided to take a break, not knowing if I would ever go back.  I worked full-time at a Christian business.  It was nice, it was encouraging, but it had negatives just like any other job.  So, as I was considering whether to change "careers" or just stay and bear it, I realized that no matter what situation - job or otherwise - that we are in, there is always going to be dissatisfaction.  It may start all rosy and wonderful, but there are going to be times where you never want to go back.  I realized I couldn't run away from something that had a bit of "hard" in it.  I had to face it or realize that the next situation is going to be the same way - eventually.  

 As I look at the world, I see the same thing.  Products I buy new are not going to be perfect.  They are going to break or wear out or quit.  Now, I could run to the store and ask for a replacement or I can realize that this is just how life is.  We live in an fallen and imperfect world.  Stuff doesn't last, people aren't always kind, food goes bad (check out the mango).  You may feel this outlook is depressing, but for me...I have found freedom.  

I can fix tears and wear the clothes.  I can use the good 4/5s of a sweet potatoe.  I can compost that rooted mango.  I can forgive and love the people that aren't perfect (myself included).  I can choose to see the positive in people. 

2 Corintians 4:16-18 says, "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

I sure do look forward to a day when everything will be made perfect! 

Strange Mango

So, two weeks from now, Kevin and I are going to try to get a good night's sleep to prepare us for a day-long journey to a beautifully green location.  Ecuador!  I am looking forward to really good fresh fruits and veggies.  Nothing like this mango that I picked, kept on the counter too long, finally put in the fridge for a few more days and then peeled...  What is that?!  Kj thought I should have cut it open to see if there were ants inside.  I didn't.  Those were roots...why didn't I investigate to see what was rooted in this mango.  Maybe I could have planted it.  Obviously, I won't be going to get groceries in 2 weeks, I'll leave that for the experts!

Did it Again...

I have spent the last couple of days recounting things I said I wouldn't do and then have...

• Facebook...I thought I would never get on Facebook and then I hijacked my husbands.
• Pinterest...Nope, I'm not going to do that, I don't need another time waster.  Well, I started on that, but it hasn't been a time waster like Facebook.  I hope to keep it that way!  Some of my goals on Pinterest:  Try not to repin unless you actually used the idea.  Pin things I have tried. 
• ...oh, I'll think of more...
• Home Business...

That's what I am here to talk about.  I am NOT a party person.  Initially, it was because I could not afford to buy anything but that orange peeler or paring knife.  Then, just because that was still my mindset.  Also, because I usually don't NEED any of that.

Well, on Tuesday night, Kevin and I were talking about something and he said, "I'm ok with you not having a home business."  Direct quote.  The next day, friend K came to my house to set up her Blessings Unlimited things and we had a Blessings party in my house.  I agreed in support of a friend, not because I like to ask my friends to buy things, not because I am a salesperson, but because I love my K.  She was telling another friend about the business side, trying to talk her into selling.  It sounded "no pressure".  Then the two friends started trying to get me convinced to sell it.  I told them what Kevin had said the night before and said that they would have to convince him.

K was staying overnight and later that night, after the party, when Kevin came back home, she started telling him about the business.  THEN, they both started telling me what a good idea it was.  Kevin and I talked more when we went to bed and again in the morning.  I ordered the "starter kit" and decided that I would be a no "pressure party" person.  I can try it for a year for "free" (bought the starter kit, which had several things that I wanted to purchase), and then I either have to sell a certain about or pay $50 to still be a consultant.  So, I am a:

Goal: be as paperless as possible, have 1 party per month, have fun, be no pressure...because I don't "need" to do this, I don't "need" to sell everything to everyone. 

Hold me to this, ok?!

FYI: online catalog here.

Calzone...maybe not

I am trying to make a calzone with the gluten free pizza crust from this post.  Well, it's not working out so well.  I am not sure how I did it before (binding the seams), but it is not working this time...


I used parchment paper so that I could use it to curl up the dough around the insides

Crust:
half batch of pizza crust

Insides:
2 cups thawed, chopped broccoli
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup pork sausage

Bake: 400 degrees, 15 minutes

So, I layed all the insides on the rolled out dough and tried to curl it around the insides and press the seams.  It didn't work, so I just layed everything out again and jumbled up the insides.  Pizza it is...it's not even Friday!

Third Life and Hair

L came up with a third life for a pair of leggings.  They had been Kj's leggings, then I serged them off to make shorts for L.  Then on Saturday, L decided that they would make a great hat.  :)  Also, since it was Saturday and the girls were just lazing around during B's nap, I let them decorate my hair.  I thought about going out with my hairstyle, but then washed it before we headed out for some errands.

Fingerless Gloves + Pattern

My sister and I found the original pattern off of Bethany Sew-and-sew's site.  Here is my variation of it:

Med. weight yarn, J hook

Chain 30
Rows (1-4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13): Ch 3, dc around, sl st together
Rows (5, 7, 9, 11): Ch 3, dc halfway around, (dc dec, dc, dc dec), finish dc, join with sl st.
Row 14: Ch 3, dc halfway around, (dc 2x in one stitch, dc, dc 2x in one stitch), finish dc, join with sl st.
Row 15: Ch 3, dc 2 in next 2 st, ch 5 - skip next 5 dc (thumb hole), then dc the rest of the way around.
*Row 15: other hand...Ch 3, dc until only 7 left, ch 5 - skip next 5 dc (thumb hole), then dc last 2 stitches, join with sl st.
Row 16-18: Ch 3, dc around, sl st together.  (when dc on 5 ch, I like to dc in both loops)


Modified to me exactly (narrow arm and wrist):

Chain 25
Rows (1-4, 6, 8, 10, 12): Ch 3, dc around, sl st together
Rows (5, 7, 9, 11): Ch 3, dc halfway around, (dc dec, dc, dc dec), finish dc, join with sl st.
Rows (13-14): Ch 3, dc halfway around, (dc 2x in one stitch, dc, dc 2x in one stitch), finish dc, join with sl st.
Row 15: Ch 3, dc 7, ch 6 - skip next 5 dc (thumb hole), then dc the rest of the way around, join with sl st.
*Row 15: other hand...Ch 3, dc 9, ch 6 - skip next 5 dc (thumb hole), then dc the rest of the way around, join with sl st.
Rows (16-18): Ch 3, dc around, sl st together.  (when dc on 6 ch, I like to dc in both loops)

Teddy's Sweatshirt

Kj has been wanting to do some more sewing so I had her trace teddy on a piece of paper. Next, I enlarged the "pattern" a bit and cut it out. She then traced it on to cloth and cut that out. Then traced another time with out the head part. She's been stitching, stitching, stitching and finally it is done!  The last picture is of the attached bracelet.

Cooking Pumpkins

We're cooking our last pumpkins today.  It got so busy this last fall that they sat in our basement until today.  They will make: baby food, pumpkin leather, and possibly some more pumpkin jam.  Did I say before that we bought a dehydrator for our Christmas gift?  Well, this week I bought a couple more pieces so that I can make 4 layers of fruit leather at one time.  I pureed up kiwi-banana yesterday, pumpkin today and we'll see what else...I found a few recipes/combinations in a baby food cookbook.  I think I'll get it all set to start tonight and see how they are in the morning.   

Evaluation:

Fruit leather:
Kiwi-banana - yumm!
Apple - always good
Pumpkin-apple-cinnamon - the girls liked it
Pumpkin-honey-cinnamon - don't waste the honey

Other:
Dried Kiwi - good!
Dried Pumpkin bits sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar - not so good...maybe it was originally baked with sweetener...might work well in baking...

Gluten Free Waffles

I used this recipe to make a gluten free waffle mix.  I mixed up the dry ingredients and brought it along on a family retreat/Christmas/birthday party we had.  Yumm...very good!

1 cup 1-to-1 gluten free flour mix (store bought)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup coconut milk (ended up using 1 1/2+ cups to make it the right consistency)
1/6 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (forgot to bring)

Kids Cowls

...and scowls.  L would not try hers on for over a week, and then it was only for a few moments and off it went.  Here are the cowls (and scarf) I made for Christmas gifts this year.

Neighbor Baking

I decided to do some baking with the girls the last few days.  We've made banana bread, brownies, and there are oatmeal bars in the oven right now.  Kj's plan is to fill a basket with the yummies and walk around the neighborhood to deliver them.  She mentioned "that lady".  What lady?  "The lady that we went to her house when our line was down."  That was this summer.  Our phone/internet line went down and we found that our neighbor (an older couple) was in their garage, so we asked to use their phone.  I hadn't thought of them.  :)  I'm not sure how we'll divide everything up or how we'll package it, but I am sure Kj has a plan for that as well. 

...

We did it.  We passed out the goodies, but "that lady" wasn't home so her treats are still on our counter.  Haven't gotten back out.  

Christmas Pageant

Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus.

Angel...originally 2 of them, but our 2 year old decided that she would not wear her costume...She made her announcements from the loft.

 Shepherds...illness prevented us from packing our costumes, we made do.

 We three kings of orient are...

bearing gifts of gold...

 the whole cast...I believe L decided that she was Elizabeth and her babydoll was cousin John the Baptist.

Angel watching over the placement of baby in a manger.

She made her own halo and wings.