Happy Birthday Abbie Rose, I love you sweet baby.
"The first thing in our list of things to do
Is to wake up right next to you
Second thing that we have planned
Is to kiss both of your hands
Third thing that we'll do today
Is look you in the eye and say
I love you sweet baby, I love you sweet baby
I love you more than anything."
– Kimya Dawson (on playlist right)
Last night we hosted a half dozen American executives, here for a housing conference. We decided upon a (mostly) German family-style menu:
Brats and Brotchen
Cream cheese and sour cream mashed potatoes
coleslaw
relish trays
a sampling of German cookies
and the hit of the evening, Alannah's Schwarzwalder Kirche-Torte (Black Forest Cake)
As is usual in this home, there were many adaptations and substitutions. She doctored up a box mix (meringue powder or extra egg whites are her trick to light yet crumb-less, sturdy layers) and cherry pie filling since we were short on time. I believe she flavored the cherry filling with almond extract. Then assembled the whole per the directions on the recipe link.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments at Amanda's for all to find and see.
We interrupt this tour of Paris to take a peek around this neck of the woods. I couldn't help myself. We did another Moira and Mom project:
I love fall best of all. Rainy fall even better. Call me crazy. I grew up in a climate similar to this and adore the way the overcast sky pops the earthy colors down below and how the misty rain leaves everything emerald green and smelling delicious.
This little green woodpecker (yes?) paid us a visit early morning. The boys were the first to notice and quickly called me to window.
The neighbors still don't know what to make of me. There is that American lady in the monster vehicle talking to the sheep again. Though this time it was Moira hanging out of the passenger side.
If it has peeling paint I probably will be completely unable to pass by. I just can't. I have been known to need a nudge to move on. The textures of this place amaze me.
I visit the calves too. But we can chat at greater length because they live on the other side of my fence.
The gardens are nearly bare now. This was the last of the villager's cabbages right before the first frost.
A neighboring village spring. Seems everyplace has one though they are largely ornamental these days, the old original wells having been capped. I am glad they kept them however. The one nearest to us has koi swimming inside today.
I promise you Paris by night very soon.
Shall we take a stroll around the Notre Dame?
A closer look at the fountain…
The windows. Oh, the windows! I think I snapped them all but I will spare you that lol. We'll let the famed rose window represent…
Love the door. Am so framing the door. I want to remember this one.
Wandering back around front there was an elderly man feeding the birds.
This chap wanted to give it a try. The gentleman filled his hand with seed and showed him how to gently move it in an up and down motion which sure enough did attract the tiny birds. His face was priceless.
and they were off, and so were we, headed for an evening cruise on the Seine….
(more daybooks at Peggy's )
FOR TODAY Nov. 8, 2010
Outside my window… Drizzle. The leaves are nearly all turned and fallen now. Having lived in the American West for the past 8 years I have been beside myself watching the leaves change color this fall. LOVE it. Also outside my window on a regular basis? Ginormous crows who sit on the neighbor's car and peck through the garbage. We have to bag the recycling (they will only pick up bags) and the bags are no match for hungry crows. Shoo.
Pondering these words…
I invite you to take the Kind Hearted Blogger Pledge!
I am thankful for… good friends, long talks, creative time, nice people, and things that make me laugh out loud like this site. Disclaimer – some of the art/sentiments are racy. There, I told you, now don't write me, 'k? But you gotta love some of those doodles….
I am hearing… Brendan walked by quietly singing "Hot diggity dog, its a bwand new day" Day doesn't start much better than that. : ) Facebook friends heard about our radio fun last night riding home from church: Michael Jackson's Thriller – the accordian version. Gotta love German radio!
From the learning rooms… I think I figured out our school's online quarterly reporting system and if I am correct I can stop worrying about all the forms we were given. Hoping so anyway because the forms make my eyes cross and send me running from the school room pulling at my hair. I love these books. I don't love record keeping.
From the kitchen… We tried Chicken in Mushroom Cream sauce from Julia last night. With what turned out to be a LOT of substitutions. so so. The frozen chicken breasts were tough as shoe leather. So I guess I need better raw ingredients before even tackling technique. Sigh. I have many redeeming qualities. Cooking isn't one of them.
We had better luck the night before feeding Kieran's little friend tacos and chocolate pudding. In fact the whole evening was a hit, though my coffee splashed out of my to go cup onto my thighs while taking him home. An Irish expletive escaped my lips – though I maintain that swearing in Irish does NOT count. Here's hoping the little man does not have a sancti-mommy. ; o
I am wearing… yes. I will definitely be wearing something suitably fashionable, modest, and not pajamas.
Later.
Around the house…. graffiti. And we have finally tracked down the little gangsta culprit. She is about 3 ft tall and blonde, occasionally seen sporting a pencil or marker. Warning – she is convincing when she says she is 'doing school'. A homeschool mom can be taken in with an alibi like this. Before you fall for that line I invite you to look at her sheets and the upstairs wall. Geesh.
We haven't had one this bad in over a decade. That urban artist used to leave itty bitty smiley faces everywhere. EVERYwhere. I actually thought I might be losing my mind at one point. I would pick up a dishtowel after dinner and there in the corner – tiny smile. What was that in the hem of the curtain? You guessed it. He gave himself away one day however when he was sooooo pleased with one portrait he signed his name to it. Busted.
I am creating… new curtains for the living/dining rooms. Winter is approaching and its getting dark. We need some perking up in here. Pulled out some barn red and yellow French cottage prints to play with.
I am reading… Battlefield of the Mind. Still so impressed by it. If you want to understand why I feel the way I do about positive living, this is a good start. She addresses both the critical necessity and biblical foundation as well as what the alternative is. This is not about manipulating God with our thoughts but about aligning our thoughts with God's will for our lives and affirming in our words and deeds that we believe He only blesses us – even in our trials. We can do this. Whatever this is.
A picture thought I am sharing…
Notre Dame du Paris
No time for Quick Takes this week but I wanted to pop in share some resources which have been such a blessing personally over this past year. I found Joyce Meyers' site last spring and her motto, Do it Afraid became an anthem of sorts which has enabled me to push past fear and break into a whole new life, doing things I had long ago stopped hoping to be able to do.
Battlefield of the Mind has been an excellent – formative even – read. Walking through the bookstore this week I saw her book Power Thoughts on the shelf which is arranged thematically to deal with meeting challenged presented by life circumstances, other people and our own negative thinking. I snagged that too. Similar premises – you become what you think as Prov. 23:7 says. We program ourselves moment by moment by our self talk. Harnessing and redirecting that flow has far reaching impact. These titles go a long way towards empowering a person to 'take every thought captive'. Every one. As a result whole lives can change. Mine has.
As I tell our kids, you can't control other people. You can't control all your circumstances. The one thing you have perfect control over is your response. That determines whether you experience defeating or defining moments.
You can read an exerpt from the Power of a Postive You chapter here.
The Mouth Has a Mind of its Own here.
A plethora of food for thought here.
Wishing you an abundantly blessed weekend. Happy thoughts, y'all!
Joyce Meyers' notes on 1 Tim 1:7
