its pumpkin time.

i love the fall season. i am a little hooked on cooking with pumpkin. i will probably be making a lot of pumpkin goodies this month. call me a big dork, but i can't think october without thinking of beautiful pumpkins!

these little pumpkin scones were quite delicious. i made them for campbell's little seeds class, and then again for our young married's bonfire night.

i have another wonderful scone recipe (one's i made for katie's birthday) and i have to say that they do taste a little bit yummier. so my next project is to combine the two recipes and see if i can't create a wonderful tasty scone.

these really weren't bad though, i mean- i did more than 4 (they are kinda small), so if you feel the urge go here and make them.

a bag for Becky

i alluded to posting about this bag almost 2 (3?) weeks ago, and then got a little behind in my blogging dreams.

i made this bag for my friend becky's birthday. i was most pleased with the way this entire project came together. i was trying something a little different- if you can't tell, the big red swash of fabric on the front and back is actually masquerading as pockets! 2 nice deep, outside pockets.

and i love the fabric. well not the red, i could actually do without the red. the red came from buying a poly/cotton blend by mistake at joann's. i sure do hate the way it smells when it is being ironed. like the fabric is melting (i check, its not).

but the big blue round... emblems? flowers? that's Ikea! which i actually found in the As Is section, i think it might have been a curtain at some point?

see me re-using, Becky?

the lining is fun and red as well- and the bag is completely reversible (if you couldn't tell).

and do i ever pay attention to detail- i actually topstitched the top with white on oneside, and red on the other.

oh yeah, i'm that great.

**for those of you who don't sew, the greatness in this is only involved in the switching of color in the bobbin**

there is one more way i would like to see this bag tweaked. and if i can get it done before a craft fair i am supposed to be doing in november, that would fantastic.

also, i would like to make a bag with a little less puckering. if you look closely at the top you will notice that it kind of puckers here and there.

so perfection is still a bit out of my grasp.

i will continue to focus on "unique".

Bible Study: Week 2

today at my women's Bible study i finally spoke. i find myself to be a way better "speaker" in the written form. every since i was a child i have found it much easier for me to simply express myself by writing. and with the vast explosion of technology and the internet this form of expression has found perfect vessels.

however, i am not mute. and i do need to speak. despite the fear of what people will say when they hear what comes out of my throat, wavering as i try to not be afraid. however, if i find i have something to say that may make people laugh i speak up very quickly.

i would never say i am a funny person- because i have been around people who really make me laugh (dave straley.... always put a smile on my face) and i have found memories of my father having such a dry sense of humor that would break most moods. and i think i have a tad of that nature. a straight A class clown (emphasis on the A, as i was a good student, and type A, but always looking to choose my moments of humor) if you will.

but Bible study- back on topic please.

we are studying the book of John, and have only covered the first 18 versus (this study goes through May) but the essential point John makes in the book and especially in these first few versus is "light". Jesus is the Light, and He will shine in our darkness. Jesus was/is full of Glory, Grace, and Truth. often people will find themselves in spiritual or emotional darkness and realize that they cannot see- that they are blind, alone and lost. and that they need Christ and His Light to shine and free them, and to guide them back to the Lord's loving arms.

Well, what do you do if you aren't experiencing major emotional or spiritual darkness in what one would think of in the traditional sense- i.e., death, major loss, depression.

And this came to my heart, and i spoke up.

Sometimes as a Christian we become very distracted by the two extremes of "light" and "darkness" and we understand that we are not to live in the "darkness". this doesn't mean that the enemy won't lure us into it. sometimes we can find ourselves in total darkness and not even realize that we have gotten there, because it has happened slowly and not due to a significant factor, but instead small little things.

Like lies. We find ourselves in the darkness most often because we have been listening to a lie, "i'm not good enough, God doesn't love me, i can have one more of this or one more of that," the small compromises we make with our faith.

When we are in the darkness (where the enemy wants us) we are ineffective for the Lord.

How do I find myself in the darkness, because lately i fill a little like I am in the darkness.

And how did that happen? I am a follower of Christ, a child of God, a lover of my Father and Savior.

Because I have learned to live in the darkness.

Imagine yourself in a room illuminated my light, you can see everything. then a little sin creeps in, and one light goes out. No problem- you've still got tons of light, you can see so much. than another light goes out, and another, and another- until you find yourself in a dimly lit room. but do you notice that its dim? No. Because what happens when we things around us begin to go dark? Our eyes will adjust, and we will begin to except the light around us as good enough, and work with the light we have.

Until we are in utter darkness and don't even know it.

Not anything big happened, the power didn't go out all at once to shock us, but slowly the light went out.

Is that where i am? Am I in a dark room and don't know it? i don't know. but i do know that i really need to examine my heart and prayerfully try to see where the darkness lies.

because that is what is truly awesome about or Lord and Savior.

When we ask Him to light our ways, all the Light will illuminate that room once again. We may be really surprised by the ugly things we have let come in to our room, our lives, our heart- but because of Him lighting our way- we can overcome them.

if you are living in darkness, Jesus is more than happy to be your loving Light.

soups on: Amazing Tortilla Soup

i might consider doing Sunday posts about soup! Today is clearly not Sunday (for those of you who may either be sleep deprived, not have a calendar, or not have a TV that helps you stay on track of what day it is based on what show you watch) but I did make soup yesterday.

Sam closed last night, and so on nights that I don't really "have" to cook (cereal and eggs please the kids) I find myself cooking. Simply because I know I don't have to make dinner for that night, so I can save what i make for today!

So as Sunday's will be come "Sunday Soup" you will know that we will be eating soup on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Why?

Well, because i love soup. Love, love, love, love, love it.

And because you can make a big batch of soup for the same amount of work of making a small batch of soup. Pair the soup one night with a yummy bread, and the next night with a sandwich and you have two delicious meals.

I'm picking Monday and Tuesday as soup nights.

Why?

Because Monday nights I am designating as my sewing night. One night where Sam will do the dishes and get the kids to bed and I am going to bury myself away in sewing for hours. I have found that if I can start working on a task just before 6 pm I will most likely stick with it till about 11pm. If I plop myself down on the computer, or in front of the TV or even keep cleaning past 7- then I'm usually mentally wore down and will not accomplish anything.

So one night dedicated to sewing, which means dinner has to be made in advance and super easy.

Soup.

And why Tuesday? Because Tuesday nights Sam is gone from 6-9pm playing Worship music for Campus Life (I am so thrilled that he has found something like this to do- no sarcasm, I am so happy) and seeing that he is gone so late, I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen cooking until 5:30 only to have him leave, and have a kitchen of filth and 3 tired children.

Soup.

Plus, we are just starting Fall. In theory, I am currently sweating hard in 80 degree heat right now. But soup in the Fall sounds warm and yummy and very pleasing to my already huge love for soup.

Perhaps in the summer it will move to something else.... not sure what..... but something.

Tonights Soup:

Tortilla Soup

pictured during the cooking process

This amazing recipe comes from my God-mother Carol. Trust me when I say- it is unbelievable.

My rendition of the recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded chicken breast

1 1/2 cups black beans

2 cups cubed raw butternut squash

1 1/4 cups brown rice

1 can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

In a big pot, cook the butternut squash, tomatoes, brown rice and carrots with 3 - 16 oz cans of chicken broth (or homemade chicken broth). add italian seasoning and salt and pepper. let simmer between low and medium for about 3 hours. Its okay if the broth is absorbed- just add more broth, but really let it simmer and allow all the veggies to cook through.

That part can all be done the night before- or the morning of.

In a hurry, you can cook on a higher heat for half the time- but the longer it simmers, the better it tastes.

Add the shredded chicken and the black beans (if you are using black beans that you have previously soaked, you really want to simmer them separately for 1 1/2 hours first) to the soup and cook for about 1 1/2- 2 hours, until everything is nice and hot.

**edit: you will want to continue to add chicken broth to your soup depending on the consistency you like, add more chicken broth if you want a broth-ier soup, add less chicken broth if you want a nice thick soup.

Serve your soup with:

Tortilla Chips

Sour Cream (this is a must)

Shredded Cheese

Avocado

I cannot stress how amazing this soup is, so you will have to try it for yourselves.

Let me know if you do :)

Tonight we will be eating this with really delicious sweet corn bread.

Which I know must go and make!

a different kind of saturday.

Today just feels like a weekday, not a weekend. Sam works most weekends, so we usually do more relaxing things on his days off during the week. But most Friday nights, his parents take Campbell and Mason over night, and I have (usually) a very laid back Saturday morning. However, this weekend his parents are taking a much needed weekend away to Fort Bragg, so I had my children all to myself today.

Which has been wonderful. I know, what a shock, right? How can I be blogging about my children without descriptive words such as: terrible, crazy, monstrous, will i survive, driving them to Nebraska, and other colorful words?

But no, by God's grace (and a lot of praying) we are having a really nice day.

Why? Because this week was absolute crazed. We had something going on every day this week, and today is the first time we have been able to get back on routine.

And my children LOVE routine.

Now mind you, nothing is done. From where I blog I can see a dirty kitchen full of last night's dinner dishes combined with breakfast and lunch from today. Behind me is an tremendous "island of Sodor" that Campbell and I put together this morning (its an epic train track, which takes me awhile to make- because i want every track to have a purposeful place its going- but it keeps Campbell busy for hours) and in the back bedrooms is one sleeping Mason (who i may have just heard) and one not sleeping Henry (he has a cold, and just needs to take a quiet break).

But even with nothing noticeable done, i know what has been done:

1) fun with Campbell- a great track built.

2) prayerful discipline all morning (i haven't lost my cool once- and i sure have wanted too)

3) home-schooling done (yes, on a Saturday, but we slacked all week)

4) and several posts set up on my other blog for our family.

And then there is me. Its hotter than heck still, I'm cooking an artichoke which absolutely heats up the kitchen, but there is a nice quiet rest to my usually overcrowded loud brain.

I'm always searching for new ways to be productive and new ways to be useful, and trying to find time and a way to produce all the ideas that come that most days I find myself stranded in a sinking ship of despair.

I'm kind of sick of that.

If my ideas go on hold for a bit and things don't get done the way I want, it's ok.

It's OK.

Trying to remember what matters. Keeping my eyes upward, not focused on what's behind, remembering what i can do, not what i haven't done.

and remembering why i do it all.

of course i'm doing this for more than just Mason, its just that i have invited my sister-in-law Jess to my little blog here (hi Jess!) and i told her i'd take a pic of me and mason wearing these matchy yellow tops. thanks Jess for the cute dress for Mason, she is going to get a lot of use out of it.

anyways, i am off to eat my artichoke, comfort my crying baby, clean the kitchen, make some tea (i'm getting a cold too), sit in front of the ac, pray for all i have to be thankful for, and probably post some more- i've got some sewing to share.

and a nightmare story that will hopefully teach us all a valuable lesson.

wait for it.

5 days behind.

that's kind of how i feel, like i am 5 days behind in everything in my life. every day for the past months i have gradually gotten behind in minutes, then it turned to hours, and now somehow days. i am not quite sure when i will catch up, if i catch up at all. its like i am playing the game with the 3 cups and the little ball- someone moves the cups with the hidden ball, and for the first couple of tries i find the ball instantly, then the guy starts going faster. and faster. and faster. until somehow the cups are all a blur, and i seriously doubt the existence of any white ball.

and the truly funny thing is that i continue to add cups to the game.

i'm really working on a tilted scale though. how can i really truly catch up when i am constantly engaged in the lives of three little people? they can't stop needing to be fed, wanting to be played with, looking for a hug, and requiring of structure and discipline.

if only i wasn't so dog tired, and for no reason- i have been getting sleep.

maybe to much sleep?

the carousal of my life is going up and down and round and round.

but God is good.

the best part of my day. the hardest part of my day.

small creations.

i've done a little sewing over the past few weeks. finished a couple of projects that needed to be done, made a couple of gifts for people. considering it is national sewing month, i do believe that i have acknowledged it quite well on my end. however, i did have lofty goals to have all of my christmas gift making done this month.

i know i am crazy.

and no, i haven't started one thing.

but i still have, oh 9 days-right?

yeah. right.

anyways.

despite the fact that i have not gotten to christmas quite yet, here are my finished projects:

a lazy day skirt

one tired model, and yes she was participating in some coffee table diving.

receiving blanket and burp cloths

this is a little apple embroidered on the receiving blanket,

the two burp cloths are tucked behind it

and here's a little alligator tied on, this is a baby shower gift.

a crochet hook roll

this is a busy week, my friend becky has a birthday on tuesday (same day as the baby shower) and our friend katie has a birthday on wednesday. the crochet hook holder is for katie, she gives all of us beautiful blankets that she crochets. i thought she might enjoy having something fun to put her hooks in.

everyone will have to wait till tomorrow to see my creation for becky, we are celebrating her birthday tonight...