the path less traveled

for remembering: small, sweet and dimpled

2011-12-03T13:40:00.000-05:00

I just clipped 40 tiny nails: 20 fingers and 20 toes, and 2 chubby, dimpled toddlers worth.
As I was clipping I kept thinking "these fingers and toes will never be this small and sweet again, not even tomorrow. Em and Ian are shooting up like weeds and I need to savor them."

So, once we were finished I sat them next to each other on the couch (even though they were ready to dash off and play) and took a few photos of those fingers and toes.

And then they hopped down and got back to their playing.

<3

apple tarte tatin (sort of)

2011-11-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

The other night I made one of my favorite simple desserts - an apple tarte tatin - and it was so simple that I didn't use a recipe. I made it once from Williams-Sonoma's Pie and Tart, and have been making a version of it every so often from memory. And they've all been really good. (and really simple to make - always a good thing : D)

To make our version, you start with a few apples (2-4, depending on their size) which you slice thinly. I like to leave the skins on, but I think if you wanted to make an authentic apple tarte tatin you would need to take them off.
Then you sprinkle about 1 cup of sugar evenly on the bottom of an oven-proof skittle/frying pan. Dot that with 4 tablespoons of butter and then arrange the apples on top. The round part (outside) of the apples should be facing the bottom of the pan - you will eventually turn the entire thing upside-down and the bottom will become the top.
Then you top the entire thing with a piece of pie dough (or puff pastry - both are absolutely delicious options) and tuck the edges down.

Bake it in a 375 degree oven for about an hour or until the apples are tender when you poke it with a fork.
Let it rest for about 5 minutes and then place your serving plate on the skillet and (very quickly and carefully) flip the tatin upside-down onto your plate.

The combination of caramelized sugar and butter and apples and flaky dough is amazing! You can serve it with ice cream or whipped cream, but to do so is really gilding the lily. : )

Oh! I also have started growing herbs on our kitchen windowsill and love it! We have a pot of basil that has been so delicious to use and the cilantro is almost ready. I started some rosemary too and am waiting to see if it will sprout. Fresh herbs have been so wonderful!

just thinking

2011-07-27T13:54:00.001-04:00

I've been thinking about a phrase someone I know said a few weeks ago: "God doesn't give you more than you can handle at a time, so that you won't lose faith and turn away from Him."

There was something about that phrase that really bothered me, but I didn't have the quickness of mind at the time to be able to put my finger on it and respond.
A few weeks later, though (kind of shows how scatter brained I am at the moment) and I think I have.

As I see it, the problem with what she said is that God does give us more than we can handle. It's something that gives us opportunity to grow - grow in both our faith and in our character.
This growth is very important to Him, and even though we may think it's hard, He sees the potential outcome and knows that it will be worth the struggle.

When I am in the midst of struggles, hard or trying situations, frustration, hurt, grief or anger, it can be difficult to remember that God is still there. He is waiting and watching, ready to comfort or give wisdom - whatever we might need at the time - just as I wait and watch my own children figure out things.

I have faith, but it needs to grow in the trials. That growth only comes through God, though, not through anything that I can do. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It comes from turning to Him and crying, "Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief". (Mark 9:24)

I need a faith that believes God is who He is, not who I say or think He is. I need to believe that God is good in all things - even though the current situation may not seem to prove that. I need to believe that He is unchanging, compasstionate, holy, true, loving and forgiving, full of mercy, just.

He knows that even though I know so much about Him in my head, I still have areas of unbelief in my heart that are choking out faith. He and I both want me to walk in faith alone. And so He prunes out the unbelief. (John 15)
It hurts, but as I turn to Him in the midst of the pain and confusion, the unbelief is cast aside.

almost 3 years

2011-04-10T23:48:00.000-04:00

3 years ago today John and I were finally able to be together after not seeing each other for over 4 months. We were finally in the same time zone, same state, same city, same car. It was wonderful.

(photo from the rehearsal dinner - we both needed sleep!)

3 years ago today we were not only finally together, we were finally alone and on our way to our last pre-marital counseling session with our pastor (and the only one that happened in person). The next stop of the day was to get our marriage license. We were sorely tempted to pay the extra $25 and get married then and there - so that we could not only be together but be man and wife just a few days early. But we waited.

It was so good to finally feel each other's touch again, see each other's face ... four and a half months apart just before a wedding is really, really rough. But our God was so faithful.

Our love story is just riddled with bits and pieces of the faithfulness of God, so much so that we asked a friend to sing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" (using Fernando Ortega's new score) as part of the music for our wedding.

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou for ever will be

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me
Great is thy faithfulness

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

And you know what? He hasn't changed, He is still faithful.
We've had a very good three years. Interesting, exciting, sometimes trying and sometimes overflowing with joy - but it has been good.
Right now we are in a place that I truly never expected - or dreamed - to be in, but He is faithful. Would I change our current circumstances? In a heartbeat! But then we wouldn't be in the prime place for us to see the greatness of God's faithfulness.

Darling, I love you. I'm so very glad that I am yours and you are mine. You make every day brighter, hearing your voice lifts my heart, and seeing your face ... is wonderful!
I don't know that I'd recommend any other couple taking the path that God has led us on together, but Darling, it's been so good going down it with you.

O Worship

2011-03-27T15:30:00.001-04:00

O worship the King, all glorious above
O gratefully sing His wonderful love
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace
Whose robe is the light and canopy space
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm

O measureless might, ineffable love
While angels delight to worship above
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend

This earth, with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, thy power hath founded of old:
Hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! How firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

O measureless Might, ineffable Love,
While angels delight to hymn thee above,
Thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall sing to thy praise.
-robert grant

How great, how mighty is our God. We can but worship.

Emma Grace & Mommy

2011-03-25T07:31:00.000-04:00

my husband knows :)

2011-03-20T11:43:00.001-04:00

John knows me so well, and he loves me. :)
When we were packing up our apartment he knew that I would need my box of shoes nearby, no matter how long we were in limbo, so he labeled them as Very Important.

I love you too, Darling. :D

2011-03-13T19:02:00.001-04:00

(another) precious baby boy

2011-03-04T10:45:00.003-05:00

We got a new nephew last night!

John's twin and his wife birthed an adorable baby boy named Owen Hunter. I've heard that Mommy, Daddy and Baby are all doing well and am so looking forward to hearing his special arrival story!

Thinking about them as they are getting acquainted with each other, seeing their baby son face to face for the first time and just resting after all the hard work of pregnancy and birth brings memories of the few days of being in the hospital with our Emma Grace.

Emma was born late at night and we were so very tired, but also so very happy. The day of and following her birth were two of the best days of our lives. That little recovery room in the maternity wing was our own private sanctuary, a place where we learned to know our baby girl, our firstborn, a place to just be quiet and still together and bask in the joy.

Sweet, sweet memories.

Owen, we can't wait to meet you, to love on you and to kiss your darling baby nose. You have been a much prayed for baby and we are terrible excited to finally see you! Love to you three(!) and hope to see you soon!

you know you're a mother of two under the age of two when:

2011-02-02T16:02:00.001-05:00

you find yourself humming the theme for the 1960's version of Winnie the Pooh to yourself in the shower.

a little announcement

2011-01-10T12:39:00.001-05:00

We're moving (again)!

John has been transferred to Indianapolis and we are scheduled to be there this Thursday or Friday. It will be our fourth move in three years, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

There are times when I am excited, excited to see how God is working, excited to see what will happen in the next few years, where He will take us and the things that will happen along the way.

But there are times when I am scared, too. I want to be able to trust Him with everything, knowing that He is absolutely sovereign and is directing our days, but it scares me. I want to know where we will end up, where our next baby will be born and what city we will ultimately call home and when we'll get there. I want to know when I can put down roots and have them be permanent.

But I don't.
God does.

I want so badly to be able to trust Him with that, and trust Him gladly.

But for today I have a few tears.

Just had to share with you :)

2010-12-30T13:47:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled across a shop on Etsy that I love - box64studios. Her work is just perfect! I think that she and I would be great friends. :)

Kelly uses beautiful vivid colors and combines them with words from hymns and scripture in a way that creates pieces that put the old words into a fresh setting. It somehow makes them stand out more and is just so lovely.

Kelly also offers a bunch of other things in her shop, one of which is a printable baby's first year calendar that is just darling. :)

all images copied from box64studios

2010-12-25T00:07:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!

what I found in the laundry

2010-12-09T15:00:00.001-05:00

I pulled out the basket of clean clothes to fold this morning, and found George looking back at me.

you know you're the mother of two under the ago of two when:

2010-12-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

your children are only eight pounds and one diaper size apart.

for when I become complacent

2010-11-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

"Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

"Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

"Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

-Sir Francis Drake

I've read this prayer before, but it was a while ago and I had forgotten about it. The little ones and I were visiting Brian and Leah over the weekend while John was hunting, and the pastor of their church led the church in reading this together during the worship service.
I've been pondering it for a few days and thought I'd post it to share with you all.

Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little
...
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
...

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes

I've found that sometimes God uses poetry to re-say things that He has said before, things that I've heard so many times that my ears and heart become deaf to them.
God has plans and dreams for our family that are so much bigger, broader, deeper, higher and more wondrous than we can imagine (Isaiah 55:8-9), partly because He is God - all knowing, all seeing, all present - but partly because we are at times content to dream little dreams.

So, Father, what dreams would You have us dream? Disturb us, Lord.

china for a baby boy

2010-11-18T08:19:00.000-05:00

If I had, oh, say $70-$100 that I wanted to spend on a keepsake for Ian, this set of dishes would do the trick!

Baby Mug

Cereal Bowl

Small Plate

Or I could just get the boxed set for 46 pounds (which today equals $77.09). It costs more than we spend on groceries in two weeks, but would be so sweet to have!

I've joined the flock

2010-11-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

I know Twitter has been around for a while now, but I haven't been that sure that I wanted to be a "tweeter".
Until yesterday morning, that is.

It's actually kind of fun!

God makes beautiful things

2010-11-01T09:08:00.001-04:00

"Beauty out of dust, beauty out of us"

amen

just a song on the radio

2010-10-23T12:56:00.001-04:00

John had to work on Sunday, so it was just me and the little ones going to church. We dropped him off (kisses all around - Emma loves giving kisses right now) and then Emma asked me to turn on the music (she also loves to sing and "dance" in her carseat as we're driving).

After a few minutes "No Matter What" by Kerrie Roberts came on:

I’m running back to Your promises one more time
Lord that’s all I can hold on to
I gotta say this has taken me by surprise, but nothing surprises You
Before a heartache can ever touch my life
It has to go through Your hands
And even though I keep asking why, I keep asking why

No matter what, I’m gonna love You
No matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You no matter what, no matter what

When I’m stuck and there’s nothing else by myself
I’m just sitting in silence
There’s no way I can make it without Your help, I won’t even try it
I know You have Your reasons for everything so I will keep believing
Whatever I might be feeling, God You are my hope
And You will be my strength

Anything I don’t have You can give it to me, but it’s OK if You don’t
I’m not here for those things
The touch of Your love is enough on its own
No matter what I still love You and I’m gonna need You

No matter what I’m gonna love You, no matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, but if not, I’ll trust You

No matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what

There was one line in particular that struck me, and as I pondered it, the truth that was in it ministered to my spirit as much - or maybe more than? - the fellowship and sermon that we enjoyed later that morning.
Before a heartache can ever touch my life
It has to go through Your hands

While I know that God is sovereign and permits trials to come into our lives for our benefit, I sometimes realize that I have forgotten that God is with me, before and behind, in my heartache as well as my joy.

It is easy for me to forget that He doesn't just allow any pain to come into my life, no, just that which He is using to shape me for His glory.

Everything He does has purpose, and everything that He allows to touch me will end up being for my good - even the things that really hurt, the things that - at the time - I wish never happened.
It all goes through God's hands before it touches me.
I can trust Him.
Even when I can't see the hope through my tears, I can trust Him.

(nothing is going on right now, just in case you are wondering!)

faithful living

2010-09-27T11:44:00.001-04:00

"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness." -Elisabeth Elliot

I found this quote on someone's blog this morning. So good.

I've been pondering - what's my job? What does this look like for me?

Job - wife. Mother.

So the quote could read like this: "Being a wife and mom is the job that has been given to me to do.

Therefore, it is a gift.

Therefore, it is a privilege (sometimes this is more evident than others!).

Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God.

Therefore, being John's wife and a mom to Emma and Ian is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.

Here, in my days at home, I may learn God’s way.

In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness."

pondering and applying this truth today.

you know you're a mother of two under the age of two when:

2010-09-21T15:22:00.001-04:00

you find yourself figuring out how to nurse a 15 1/2 lb baby and help a little one on to the potty seat at the same time (quite the trick!).

you know you're a mother of two under the age of two when:

2010-09-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

your kitchen sink looks like this 5+ days a week (or you perpetually have a bowl of Oxy Clean on your counter, soaking whatever was soiled recently).

flaming baked cappuccino alaska

2010-09-19T16:03:00.000-04:00

One of the Jacobsen family traditional favorites is Baked Alaska. It's a very special dessert and would usually only be made for very special occasions - such as when Dad's little brother was in the States.
It's best when it's eaten all in one sitting, so having a table full of people was also a prerequisite!

John and I didn't have anything special happening, but a few days ago I had a hankering for some charred meringue atop of a slice of ice cream and cake. Plus, I felt that John needed to experience something that I had such fond memories of!

I knew the gist of the recipe by heart - slices of cake in the bottom of a pie dish topped with ice cream and meringue, brown the meringue, splash it all with some alcohol and strike a match - but I pulled out my copy of the Joy of Cooking just to be sure. :)

According to the Joy of Cooking, the first step is to line your baking dish with a half inch layer of cake - both sponge and angel cake are recommended. My family always used pound cake which tasted delicious and stood up to the weight of the ice cream quite well. I deviated from both and used a pan of brownies as the base.

Next, make up your meringue. Beat 6 egg whites until frothy. Beat in 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, a pinch of salt, 2/3 cup sugar (adding the sugar slowly) and 1 tsp vanilla and continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff.

Once the meringue is quite stiff and glossy, mound 1 - 1 1/2 quarts of slightly softened ice cream on top of the cake. I used coffee ice cream, but any flavor combinations are acceptable! Fruit flavored ice cream is especially good.
Joy of Cooking says to next lay strips of your cake over the mounded ice cream. I didn't, and my meringue didn't quite cook through, so I am guessing that this is an important step! At this point you may choose to freeze the Baked Alaska for 30 minutes or so to firm it up.

Spread the meringue over the ice cream and cake, taking care to cover right down to the edge of the baking dish.
Rinse off half of one of the egg shells and place it on the top (this will hold the alcohol).
Brown the whole thing under a 500 degree broiler for no more than 3 minutes. It browns quickly, so watch carefully!

Grab some plates and forks and matches and tell everyone to gather round! Pour about 2-3 tblsp of alcohol into the egg shell and shake the Baked Alaska so that some runs down the sides. Strike a match, turn off the lights ... and voila!

you know you're a mother of two under the age of two when:

2010-09-19T13:57:00.001-04:00

you stop by the Starbucks by church (which doesn't have a drive-through but has a very convenient location) and are so preoccupied with guiding the little feet back out the door and balancing the coffee and infant carseat that you forget to put the cream in your coffee - after you asked them to leave extra room for it, too!

amazing and full of wonder

2010-09-11T18:52:00.001-04:00

My sister-in-law posted some ultrasound photos of our new little nephew or niece on facebook the other day.
As I was looking at them this morning I found myself choking up - they amaze me.
This little one already has a soul, an eternal soul. God knows his/her name and has known it since before the beginning of time. Even before it was ever spoken of, He know of Baby Smillie's existence. Oh, these things are amazing and full of wonder.

I was thinking about the verses where God talks about knowing us before we were conceived, knitting our bones and muscles together, seeing us while we were hidden away in the safety and darkness of our mothers' wombs.
Amazing.

O LORD, you havesearched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
   behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
   Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
   and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
   and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
   and the light about me be night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you;
   the night is bright as the day,
   for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;
   you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;
   my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret,
   intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;in your book were written, every one of them,
   the days that were formed for me,
   when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
   I awake, and I am still with you.
-psalm 139:1-18

the recipe

2010-09-04T15:04:00.003-04:00

I mentioned that the granola I made turned out really, really good .... but didn't get around to posting a recipe. So, now I am!

Tawny Granola (loosely adapted from Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl)
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used a mix of raisins and dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 350 and oil a large rimmed cookie sheet.
In a mixing bowl combine the oats, nuts, coconut and fruit. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix the wet ingredients and the spices. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet.

Spread the mixture evenly on the cookie sheet, using a spatula to smooth it. Bake for around 40 minutes, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't get over done. When it starts to brown, turn the mixture over with the spatula to make sure that it toasts evenly on both sides.

When it is ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool. Store in an airtight container and serve with milk or yogurt. :)

gifts

2010-09-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

...it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot.
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.
-ecclesiastes 5:18-19

Happiness in our work is a gift from God, as are satisfaction and contentment.
Contentment has been near the front of my thoughts for the past several weeks ...

strawberry scones

2010-08-28T12:11:00.000-04:00

If you've ever had your scones turn out heavy and rather unappetizing, you might be thinking "hm, those look good but I can't make them". You can. I did. And they are sooooo light and creamy! I found the recipe over on Annie's Eats (I really love her recipes!) and have made it over and over.

The main difference between this recipe and the other ones I have tried (and I have tried many) is that is calls for yogurt instead of cream or half and half. Maybe that's what makes them so good?
These also freeze really well!

Strawberry Scones
Ingredients:
1 large egg
¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
½ cup milk
1 tsp. orange or lemon zest [I've been using orange and it tastes wonderful!]
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries [I use thawed frozen berries because they are cheaper - and because I usually have some on hand]

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and citrus zest until blended; set aside. In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour, until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can just as easily mix up the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives or forks.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork or spatula until a sticky dough has formed. Knead just a few times to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive. (Only if absolutely necessary, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to hydrate the remaining dry ingredients.)
Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and pat into a disc about 7-8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar. Slice the disc into 8 wedges.

To bake the scones, preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

To freeze, transfer the baking sheet with the shaped scones to the freezer and let them chill until they are firm, 30-60 minutes. Wrap the scones individually and store in a freezer-safe bag until ready to bake. Bake as originally indicated, adding a few minutes to the baking time (usually about 18-20 minutes for me.)

poem and ponderings

2010-08-22T16:07:00.002-04:00

God's Grandeur

The world is charged with the grandeur of God. The heavens declare the glory of God;

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil -Psalm 19:1

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Creation itself also will be set free from its

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; slavery to corruption into the freedom of

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; the glory of the children of God.

And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil For we know that the whole creation groans and

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. suffers the pangs of childbirth together until now. ...

but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us

And for all this, nature is never spent; with groanings too deep for words;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; - Romans 8:21-22,26

And though the last lights off teh black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs --

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

- Gerard Manley Hopkins

homemade granola

2010-08-17T11:38:00.001-04:00

before being put in the oven

I made granola the other day and it turned out better than I thought it would (aside from being slightly burnt)!
The recipe ended up being a combination of three that I had on hand, using the things that sounded good to me and leaving out the things that didn't (or that we didn't have in the cupboard).

All done! Yum.

"The will of God is ... bigger"

2010-08-17T11:06:00.003-04:00

John and I have been married for 28 months, and it's been good. Not always easy, but very, very good.

"The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It my seem much worse, but in the end it's going to be a lot better and a lot bigger."~Elisabeth Elliot

I found this post in my drafts file, originally written last June. It's still true (all I needed to change was the number of months). God's ways are not our ways.
His thoughts, plans and ways are ever so much bigger and better than ours.
If He had given me the chance to opt out of certain experiences over the past 2 1/2 years I certainly would have! But then I would have missed out on the blessings.

Isn't it good that even though we can't see the end, God can?

God-powered Mothering

2010-08-16T11:20:00.015-04:00

One of the blogs I follow - Femina, written by Nancy Wilson and her daughters/daughter in law - posted about loving our children. Not just loving them, though, but loving them with a I Corinthians 13 kind of love, a Christ-like love. I was thinking of paraphrasing what they wrote, but it's all good!
So here it is:

"1. Love is longsuffering. Moms will have plenty of provocations in this world, so they need to be able to suffer for a long time. Some of this longsuffering involves putting up with people who degrade motherhood and despise children. Moms need to think long term, give themselves a good job description, and adopt God’s view of the high calling of motherhood.
2. Love is kind. “She openeth her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26). Much kindness (and unkindness) comes via words. Pervasive kindness means listening, forgiving, anticipating, speaking, and doing. It includes physical comforts for your kids: giving them clean beds, warm food, soap and water. It is a LAW of kindness, which means it includes discipline and instruction that is given kindly.
3. It is not envious. Not of other mothers, not of other people’s children or their accomplishments or grades or personality. This means no comparisons with the other siblings, no complaining. Children feel their parents disapproval and it can crush them.
4. It does not vaunt (parade) itself. Moms should be careful not to provoke others to envy (or disgust or weariness) by putting their children on display in a bragging way, hijacking every conversation back to the report card or the clever cuteness. This does not mean that moms should not praise their children and rejoice in their accomplishments. But the Christmas letter should not be full of vaunting.
5. Love is not puffed up. This implies being full of oneself. And this is the kind of mom who cannot be taught by her own children because the kids are never right, and mom is never wrong. This kind of parent is full of her own authority and looks to lord it over the kids rather than love them. She demands attention.
6. Does not behave rudely (unseemly). This means improper or inappropriate behavior. We’ve all seen this at the grocery store: “You are driving me crazy! I am going to count to three and then I’m leaving you here!” Love does not threaten. Love takes responsibility. Love doesn’t over-share about her children’s needs, failures, weaknesses, or sins.
7. Seeks not its own. This kind of mom gives herself away. Home is for the family, and the schedule is for the kids, not the kids for the schedule. This means family night is not the night the kids dread.
8. Not easily provoked. This kind of supernatural love doesn’t react. It sees the big picture and doesn’t flip out over spilled milk or muddy shoes.
9. Thinks no evil. She hears both sides of the story first before making a judgment. She doesn’t believe everything she hears. She does not attribute motives.
10. Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. When someone else’s child fails or flunks or loses, she does not do a victory dance.
11. Bears all things. Sickness. Slowness. Messiness. Childishness. She can bear these things if she has supernatural love.
12. Believes all things. She loves the truth! She lives it out and she teaches her children to believe.
13. Hopes all things. This kind of supernatural love can believe that God is in control of all things, even this sickness or this frustration or this loss. This kind of mom hopes in God and knows He is writing her story and her children’s stories.
14. Endures all things. Who can do this without the supernatural love and power of God?

15. Love never fails. This love sees the kids to the finish line with faith and courage.
Okay, so who doesn’t need supernatural love to do this? Pray to God for it! He loves to give the supply."

He does love to give when we ask (especially when we ask for things that make us more like Him), and always will.

Asking God for love like His reminded me of the verses at the end of Ephesians 3:
^"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Amen and amen.

better things

2010-08-16T08:44:00.004-04:00

"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind." -c.s. lewis

"Better things ahead" - so true and so good to ponder.

triple ginger cookies

2010-08-02T18:17:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite summertime flavor combinations is lemon and ginger (well, anytime combinations really). Lemon cheesecake with a ginger crust. Gingerbread cake and lemon curd. And lemonade with gingersnaps.
I had a hankering for the fresh and tangy combo again last week and made up some ginger cookies - not gingersnaps though. These are really, really zingy Triple Ginger Cookies. So zingy that instead of using a typical "rounded spoonful" of dough, these are only 1/2 a tablespoon worth each. Pretty much the size of a quarter.

2 cups spelt flour OR whole wheat pastry flour (I used whole wheat)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon star anise, finely ground
4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
2/3 cup fine grain natural cane sugar, sifted (I used Xylitol)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 large egg, well beaten
1 cup crystallized ginger, then finely minced
2 lemons, zest only (I used orange zest)

Preheat the oven to 350F degree. Line a couple baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper or a Silpat mat (I used a knock-off version of a Silpat from Crate and Barrel), place the extra sugar in a small bowl, and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, star anise, ground ginger, and salt.
Heat the butter in a skillet until it is just barely melted. Stir in the molasses, natural cane sugar, and fresh ginger. The mixture should be warm, but not hot at this point, if it is hot to touch let it cool a bit. Whisk in the egg. Now pour this over the flour mixture, add the crystallized ginger (make sure it isn't too clumpy), and lemon zest. Stir until just combined.
I like these cookies tiny, barely bite-sized, so I scoop out the dough in exact, level tablespoons. I then tear those pieces of dough in two before rolling each 1/2 tablespoon of dough into a ball shape. From there, grab a small handful of the big sugar you set aside earlier and roll each ball between your palms to heavily coat the outside of each dough ball. Place dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cookies puff up, darken a bit, get fragrant and crack.
Makes about 4 dozen or so.

it matters, because of Him

2010-07-27T10:53:00.000-04:00

"One of the most profound and far-reaching implications of the Christian belief that God both created the world and entered it personally, is that matter matters; it has inherent meaning. It is not simple neutral, empty and waiting for us to grant whatever meaning or value we choose at any given point."

-debra rienstra, great with child

He. Is. Faithful.

2010-07-23T14:54:00.003-04:00

"suffering is not for nothing. It's not just an opportunity to try and trust God. There is something glorious that He desires to produce in us through our sufferings." a. ann

"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful;" -Heb 10:23

He is faithful.

He is faithful.

He is faithful.

He. Is. Faithful.

I've come to the conclusion that I can expect "baby blues" to hit me about 6 weeks after I give birth.
For some reason, even though I get tired and a bit emotional after my babies are born, that passes fairly quickly and it's not until about a month and a half goes by that I start reaching out for help. Or quietly shutting down and weeping.
It happened after Emma, and now it's happening again.

It's wonderful that Ian has started to smile. He lies there, saying "ah ga, ah ga" and smiling. Emma comes over and wants to snuggle. And it's good. I wipe away tears and try to smile back.

I'm not really sad, per say, but not really happy either. The tears lie just beneath the surface and anything - or nothing - will make them flow.
I want to be happy, joy-filled, entering into Emma's play. Most of the time I am. It's just so much, much harder right now.

This feels like such a poor explanation of what is on my mind, what I wanted to say, but it's a start. I want to come out on the other side of this time knowing that God was faithful, giving me grace. Knowing that, somehow, He was working out something glorious.
I want to see that fruit.

humble, joy-filled, God-dependent mothering

2010-07-17T16:00:00.001-04:00

One of my friends texted me the other day asking how I was doing with emotionally, if I was feeling the "Baby Blues". I hadn't taken time recently to think about it - too much has been going on!
Once I took the time to think, though, I realized that I am doing okay - if I'm not tired. When I'm tired my emotions rise to just below the surface and almost anything can cause tears or "shortness". Especially when both babies are being needy at the same time.

I found this blog post this afternoon about mothering that really spoke to my heart and I wanted to share a part of it.

"Motherhood ... laughs in the face of our competence and confidence we try so hard to feel and have in a society that tells us we can do anything we want and do it good.

Motherhood can make a wimp out of us. Out of me.

...Don't make motherhood an idol. Or motherhood your identity. If you do, you have failed at the calling you think you have and the fruit you thought you would reap, will devastate you.

But the truth is, ... when you get into it all, you find it just doesn't mix with a self-seeking heart. ... It's easy to lose our hearts to the glitter of a self-important career and forget that there are hearts under our charge that need our unconditional love and acceptance and training -- AND IT'S WORTH IT.

I want to RISE TO THE CHALLENGE to the hardest career I could have ever chosen. Yep, I will probably have to tell myself this each and everyday. Not because I don't LOVE every single one of my children, and not because I don't love motherhood, but because it's hard. And though I typically love a good challenge, this motherhood stuff goes beyond that. I can't do it without God.

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
-"Lead Me" by Sanctus Real "

It's so true. Having Emma was an entirely new experience in relying on God, but it didn't wear me out. Having Ian and Emma? It's driving me to my knees.
I want to give them and John "the best of my life" but I can't do it. Not by myself.

my darling boy

2010-07-14T17:52:00.002-04:00

yes, he's a pacifier baby. :)

just something beautiful

2010-07-14T16:50:00.004-04:00

"poppy" by Carl Larsson, one of my favorite artists

and a quote that I found this morning:

Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock!

-Charles Spurgeon

yesterday evening

2010-07-10T12:05:00.002-04:00

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

Yesterday evening was a quiet time, just the four of us enjoying playing and being together. John sent me outside to take a walk after Emma was down. He stayed with Ian, and I took a stack of letters to the mail box.

It was a bit sticky outside (it seems to hardly ever be dry during July/August), but cool enough to be pleasant. And so pretty.

I'm so glad John told me to go out.
There is something about being out of doors that is refreshing for me. And John knows this.

As I walked I decided that when I get old I want to be the old lady on the street who has the garden that is overflowing with a profusion of old-fashioned flowers.
I want to spend my time tending it, being with my family, building into their lives and the lives of the younger women around me.

I want to wear the slightly funky but ever so lady-like clothes.

I want to have pretty dishes to use everyday, especially when others stop in for coffee and something sweet.

In my old age I want to celebrate and enjoy the simple and sweet things that make up the days.

And if it is going to happen I need to cultivate that contentment and joy now.

sweet words

2010-07-09T09:34:00.000-04:00

I just stumbled upon Banter Banner. It's such a fun company! They make a variety of banners with different phrases, all reflecting the company motto: "because we should celebrate everyday".

And one of the great things about these banners? They're each just $10. :)

happy independence day!

2010-07-04T20:37:00.001-04:00

2010-07-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

ah, commitment. and love that's been tried and found true.

this couple is just darling! they honestly recognize each other's faults, but then love them anyway. day after day, and year after year. that's what a lasting marriage takes!

summer = rhubarb

2010-07-02T21:56:00.001-04:00

I found a recipe for baked/stewed rhubarb over on Orangette a few months ago and the other night I made it.
It's delicious. And refreshing. And addicting.
Oh yum.

It's also pretty simple to make, which is a really nice feature right now!

Roasted Rhubarb
2 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
½ cup sugar
½ cup crisp white wine
1 vanilla bean, split (I used about 1/2 tsp of liquid vanilla that I added about 5 minutes before it was done)

Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put the rhubarb in a Dutch oven or other deep oven-safe pot. Add the sugar, wine, and vanilla bean, and stir to mix. Bake (uncovered) for about 30 minutes, or until very tender, giving the pot a gentle stir about midway through to ensure that the rhubarb cooks evenly.

a summer sunday morning

2010-06-29T16:03:00.000-04:00

The tree outside our window.

This blog post by Ann Voskamp spoke to me, especially these lines:
"The most enchanting days never cost a thing, only that you pay attention.
I slow down and open the eyes wide and dig deep into the pocket of me.

I'm thinking now is worth all I have."

Ian is wearing a romper/faux suit that Mimi gave him at the shower and Emma is wearing a romper that Grammie bought while she was here. They looked so cute!

Emma wanted her picture taken, but wasn't quite so sure about smiling.

oh, this was funny!

2010-06-26T10:22:00.001-04:00

maybe I can reconcile myself to driving a minivan?

father's day dessert

2010-06-22T09:38:00.006-04:00

Because John had to work on Father's Day, I wanted to make an extra special dessert for him.
I found a recipe for "Heaven and Hell" cake (so called because it has both Angel Food and Devil's Food cake layers in it) on Saveur.com, and Julia pitched in and helped me make it (actually, she did most of the work - thank you Julia!!!).

The recipe says this cake is rich, but I'd have to say it goes beyond that. It is very, extremely rich. Oh. My.
And so so good.
The only thing I'd change is the peanut butter mousse filling. There's so much of it that you actually could cut it in half and still have a great dessert.
I think I'd really like to try it again, but with a fruit filling perhaps. Maybe raspberry? Strawberry? Cherry?

For the Ganache:
2 lbs. milk chocolate, such as Valrhona, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

For the Angel Food Cake:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

For the Devil's Food Cake:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

For the Peanut Butter Mousse:
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour cream over the chocolate and let sit to melt for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine the chocolate and cream. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to let rest for 4 hours.
2. Make the angel food cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 10" round cake pan with ungreased parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and flour; set flour mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a handheld mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium, sprinkle in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle half of the confectioners' sugar–flour mixture over egg whites; using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 45–50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack and let cool.
3. Make the devil's food cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 10" round cake pan with shortening and dust with flour to coat; shake out excess flour and set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; set flour mixture aside. In another medium bowl, whisk the coffee and cocoa powder until smooth; set coffee mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture to the bowl in 3 stages, beating to combine after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 30–35 minutes (we found that it was more like 40 in our oven); transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
4. Make the peanut butter mousse: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put cream into a large bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture; set mousse aside in the refrigerator.

5. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated-blade knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil's food cake on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over the top with a butter knife. Top mousse with a layer of the angel food cake and spread with half of the remaining mousse. Repeat with the remaining devil's food cake, mousse, and angel food cake. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Stir ganache until smooth and spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake with a butter knife. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before slicing.
SERVES 10 – 12
This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #121

this moment

2010-06-21T11:24:00.001-04:00

A few pictures from this afternoon when Emma was napping:

Also, there's a woman that writes a blog that I follow who wrote a good - and really long - post the other day about parenting. Here's a snippet:

"Fear based parenting ... is when parents motivate their children to do what is "right" out of fear. Just plain fear. ...
Fear is sin. I do not want to parent my children based on my fears.
I do not want to raise fearful children either. I believe if we parent this way we can hinder our children from understanding who God is.
...
There are a few different types of fear based parenting possibly?
-parenting according to what we FEAR others will think of us.
-parenting where we actually plant FEAR in the hearts of our children [ultimately not trusting the Lord].
-over protecting out of FEAR.
-motivating our children to behave the way we want them to out of FEAR of us, or fear of hell, or fear of punishment.
...
I think fear based parenting is something that can easily sneak into our relating to our children without even realizing it."

There's a lot more too, just her recent thoughts on being a godly mother.

24

2010-06-17T20:30:00.004-04:00

Emma was very interested in the birthday pound cake. :)

It has been a good year.
John had his first Father's Day.
Emma and I went to visit my family in California.
Brian and Leah got married.
We moved.
Found out that God had given us Baby #2.
John's sister Sarah flew with Emma and me to California to visit my Gramma just before she died.
Emma had her first Thanksgiving and Christmas.
John and Emma and I went to see the CA Jacobsens.
Emma learned to walk, turned one and cut some molars.
We celebrated our second anniversary by dropping Em off with some friends and going out for a rare but wonderful date.
Emma went on her first Easter egg hunt.
Ian was born!

just the three of us

2010-06-07T18:56:00.001-04:00

Mother's Day 2010

It will only be the three of us for a little longer.
Mimi (John's mom, Teri) plans to come and pick up Emma when we give her a call, and then wait to hear.
It may be soon.
It may be in a few days.
Either way, we are treasuring the last few days being just us three.

just hangin' out

2010-06-01T15:47:00.001-04:00

Today is Baby #2's due date. And we're just hangin' out, waiting.

Yesterday, to keep myself occupied (and my mind off of the fact that I wasn't in labor), I pulled out some of the fabric that I bought back in March, and finally turned the green and pink pieces into a summery dress/tunic top for Emma. She is wearing it today and loving it!

Today, as long as the sewing machine is out, I might finish up a few more of the sewing projects I've been meaning to get to. Emma might get some new clothes out of it, and it will help the time to pass! :)

39 weeks

2010-05-24T07:52:00.003-04:00

66 degrees (supposed to get to 86) with 91% humidity. And I am hot.
When the humidity here gets over, oh, about 50% I seem to loose my ability to cool down. Maybe because of all the extra fluid in my body?
It's on mornings like this, where I wake up around 5 already sweating and then try to get back to sleep, that I feel as if I'm going to be pregnant forever. That I'll always be this hot, this awkward, this big, never give birth, never get to meet our little one face-to-face, count his fingers and smell his sweetness. That those toes will always be jabbing me from the inside and I will never be able to count them.
And then I remember that God said that there is a season for everything. Everything. Even a time for birth (Eccl 3:2). Meaning that this too will come to an end.
And - after a while perhaps - I will miss it.

of carrot muffins and in-laws

2010-05-22T21:27:00.002-04:00

I have been blessed by a wonderful set of in-laws. They have welcomed me into their family with open arms, and I am so grateful. (David sent me a couple of the C&B napkins for Mother's Day - thanks so much!!!)

I found the recipe for the muffins above in a box of my Grandma Jacobsen's old handwritten recipes. It doesn't look like her or her sister's handwriting, so maybe it's from a friend (of course, it could be her's and I'm just mistaken)?

Anyway, whoever it came from, I made it yesterday. I tweaked it a little (a cup less sugar, raisins instead of nuts) and they were really good. Mmm.

I also found that if you are making muffins instead of loaves, it makes 24 of them and takes about only about 20 minutes for them to bake.

preparing for Baby

2010-05-18T12:46:00.002-04:00

As of today, I am 38 weeks pregnant. I have a 46" waist and am soooo ready for our Baby to arrive!

Yesterday I made a mobile for our little Ian/Kate. Since we're not completely sure our little baby is a he, I decided to use circles shapes and shades of blue and brown as they would work for a girl too. I posted instructions on how I made it over here.

I really love how it turned out!

just to let you know ...

2010-05-14T10:26:00.001-04:00

... the sweet and talented Lisa Leonard is having another giveaway!

heavenly yearnings

2010-05-13T08:40:00.001-04:00

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy , the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." -c.s. lewis

We are made for another world, for eternity.

The imperfections of these present days are going to pass away, and someday - "soon" - we will be in the perfection of eternity. The heaps of dishes, of laundry and projects waiting to be fixed are, at their core, reminders that we are created to glorify God forever.

Long ago there was sin and temptation and we are dealing with the sin and "brokenness" that came from that everyday. But, Someday .........

We can start practicing for it today.

preparing for baby

2010-05-11T11:14:00.002-04:00

look at that - itty bitty infant diapers next to the toddler size. Emma's little bum used to be that small!

mother's day

2010-05-10T19:44:00.003-04:00

my second mother's day, and the second baby is almost here.
time is passing quickly, so quickly.
what will the next year hold? 10 new little fingers, 10 new little toes. New baby smells and sounds. Emma's first words. A little life beginning to explore the world, with a sister just barely older than he.
and God only knows what else.
one thing is sure - it will never be dull!

oooo, cute!

2010-05-06T10:47:00.002-04:00

Crate and Barrel just put these fabric napkins in their Sale section. I just love the pops of color! At $5.50 they aren't much cheaper than the original price, but it would be fun to have one or two to line chip and roll baskets with this summer. :)

2010-05-06T10:24:00.002-04:00

Emma just found that she can "hide" from me when we are playing by standing - get this - behind me. Silly girl!!!

new project

2010-05-04T14:06:00.001-04:00

more photos and instructions over here

"smile"

2010-05-01T18:28:00.002-04:00

Happy May Day!

(and Emma has eight teeth now. )

yummy-ness

2010-05-01T18:25:00.002-04:00

That's a brownie. Made from a recipe from Martha Stewart's "best of" issue that came a few months ago and that I just got around to finally finish reading.
Oh, it's good.
It's definitely as good as a boxed mixed, and, even though it calls for chocolate as well as cocoa powder, probably still cheaper (depending on the type of chocolate that you use).

quote to ponder

2010-04-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

I finished reading A Life That Says Welcome yesterday, just in time to return it to the library. :) It has been a good book, encouraging and thought provoking.

A Life That Says Welcome, by Karen Ehman

As she wrapped up the book Karen Ehman said,
"I need to keep a quiet heart. To trust that if God has allowed an interruption in my day, it serves a purpose. To believe that the time to finish what work I thought needed to be done will be given. To accept that He is diverting me from my "plan A" to His greater plan." -chp. 10

That can be so true of me, too. I may not have the "drop-in" visitors to show hospitality to that she was talking about, but I do have a little one and a husband who need me to show them love by serving them. Even when I just want some time to myself.

"nesting"

2010-04-25T14:35:00.002-04:00

I suppose I am officially in the "nesting" stage of pregnancy. Projects that I have been meaning to get done for, well, for a long time are getting crossed of the list. It's so nice to see some of these things get done! On Friday evening I finally finished the bed skirt for our bed. (You can see how over on the market blog)

We had a bed skirt that came with our duvet cover, but it was the kind that has a flat sheet-like panel that is supposed to be laid in between your boxspring and your mattress.
The bed frame that John made for us has side rails and a solid piece under the mattress (no boxspring), and I really didn't want to hide the beautiful side rails by hanging the bed skirt over them. So I just folded it up and put it away for later. Maybe we'd have a guest bed that could use it?
John also made the bed nice and high so that we could store our suitcases and so on under it. Which has been just great (they're not in our closets!) but also a bit of an eyesore (at least to me. maybe no one else noticed?).
I pulled out the bed skirt and started to try to figure out how to make it work. I figured out something that would use Velcro on the inside of the rails, but then got sidetracked and put it away again.

So, on Friday I finally finished the project that I had started about two years ago as I was setting up our home after the wedding. Ta da! So much tidier looking!

an old and favorite poem

2010-04-22T15:16:00.003-04:00

"Trees" by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree ...

poem for today, part II

2010-04-21T15:39:00.002-04:00

As I was thinking about it yesterday, I came to realize that this poem is (or can be) about more than romantic love (which is what I thought of when I first read it, when I made the page in the album I gave John, and every time I've seen it since then ... until yesterday).
It can be about being a parent, too.
Because it's true.
It's true about love in marriage and love in parenting.
It's an incredible and wonderful thing that God enables us to love our children more and more each day.
And it's a really good thing, too, since, even though we love our children enormously on the day they are born, every extra little bit of love is needed on days when they've been grumpy since they got up and nothing will pacify or get them to snap out of it and you are about to cry yourself (not that we are having one of "those" days, not at all).

Today less than tomorrow ....

poem for today

2010-04-20T15:08:00.001-04:00

For you see, each day
I love you more
Today more than
yesterday and less
than tomorrow.
-Rosemonde Gerard

something pretty

2010-04-18T18:58:00.002-04:00

I just posted a pictorial tutorial for how to make the little fabric flowers that I wear over on the market blog. :) And you can buy them here, if you'd like.

free coffee and stewardship

2010-04-15T08:14:00.006-04:00

Darcie's post - all things to enjoy ... richly - got me to thinking about that verse. I had to get out a concordance to find it, though! Our wonderful God has given us all things, for us to enjoy! So amazing.

Starbucks is giving away cups of coffee today. They are trying to promote Earth Day and respect for our environment, so if you bring in a reusable mug they will fill it with free coffee. Nice! I love free coffee!

I appreciate it when businesses offer incentives for people who are trying to be good stewards of what God has entrusted them with. At the same time, though, I try to remember that we are commanded to master the Earth (Genesis 1:28-30), not the other way around. It can be so easy to develop selfish and wasteful habits, but it is also easy to lose focus and allow our efforts to be good stewards to rule us.

So, if you are out and about today and would like a little pick-me-up, take a thermos into Starbucks and enjoy some free coffee as you save a paper cup.

"Instruct those who are rich in this present world [as Americans, we are wealthy, even if our income is below the poverty level] not to become conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."

-I Timothy 6:17

hospitality and books from the library

2010-04-13T14:52:00.004-04:00

The Art and Craft of Entertaining

A Life That Says Welcome

I borrowed these two books from our local library, and have been enjoying them. The first one is very elegant with lots of gorgeous photos and creative ideas of how to entertain in an impressive way. It has ideas for the types of dinner parties that you send engraved invitations for. Beautiful.
The second book is all about Christian hospitality, how it starts in the heart and is translated through your home and attitudes. The author reiterates over and over that hospitality is about ministering to others rather than impressing them. What a contrast!
It has been good to look at the two books side by side, comparing the two concepts of entertaining.
I whole heartedly agree with Karen Ehman in her ideas of entertaining, but it is nice to remember also that hospitality involves showing honor to others by preparing a beautiful setting a meal just for them.

2 years ago

2010-04-11T14:59:00.001-04:00

we were madly running errands, rehearsing, and celebrating because on the next day
we
were
getting
married.

what a difference two years makes!

precious little moments

2010-04-08T14:41:00.001-04:00

"These little moments ... matter, for they are where we live every day." - Paul David Tripp

Easter is coming - a few ramblings

2010-03-31T16:23:00.001-04:00

Easter is just a few days away. It is a season that is precious to us believers. Sadly, it can be hugely commercialized (all those Easter bunnies laying eggs .....), and it needs to be celebrated in a God-glorifying way. I love what Nancy Wilson said over on her blog about celebrating it with traditions, traditions that are both solemn as we recognize the enormity of what Christ did, and joyfully childlike as we celebrate His victory and our freedom.

I have a wonderful husband. I really do.
We were driving home from church the other day and I mentioned how "the baby" must really be wanting some Peeps and a chocolate bunny .....
He bought me some.
They're only $1 at Walmart, but it made me feel so very loved and cherished. Isn't he just wonderful?
I love him.

I've posted something on the market blog again (yes, it gets updated really randomly - sorry about that). If you are interested in buying a few of the new spring pretties, you can find them here.

And we having wonderful spring weather!!! It's finally gotten into the 70s here, and I'm loving it. :) Emma wore a pair of shorts today for the first time this year.

recipe: Ambrosia, a.k.a. "5 cup salad"

2010-03-27T21:01:00.001-04:00

This fruit salad has lots of memories for me: it was a standard Easter dish at Gramma's house, and often served at other Moose/Jacobsen gatherings as well. Gramma taught me the recipe when I was staying with her for a few weeks one summer and it is so simple that even a 10-12 year old can remember it. And it's really yummy, too (come to think of it, I say that about every recipe that I post here).

So here you go (ready? you might want to write it down ..... ;) ):

Combine:
1 cup chunked pineapple
1 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sour cream

Stir.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, until the flavors have melded.

Yup.
So simple. And so good.

random pretties

2010-03-25T19:51:00.001-04:00

Have any of you seen these tea cups at Starbucks? Super cute. I think I might end up using the biggest one for eating out of if I got them though - I love using small bowls for my cereal, soup, etc. :)

recipe: Island Spice Pork

2010-03-24T09:54:00.002-04:00

I found a recipe a few days ago for a pork tenderloin that looked really good.

Normally I steer away from pork recipes because I'm not that fond of pork, but recently we have been buying it because it's cheap (and cheap is good). We buy tenderloins (quite a sizable portion of meat!) at Sam's Club and John cuts them down into chops (much more our size) and freezes them in packs of three or four. It ends up being an economical way to get good protein in our diets, and allows us to experiment with recipes we might not otherwise try, not wanting to ruin a large piece of meat.

I found this recipe on the blog "Annie's Eats" (which has some very good recipes and nice pictures of those recipes ... makes your mouth water :)) and the only modification that John made when he cooked it was that he used pork chops instead of a tenderloin. It was so delicious!!! As Annie mention in her post, it is an odd combination of spices, but it works well. Really well!!!

Ingredients:
For the spice rub:
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (about 2-2½ lbs. total) - we used 4 pork chops instead and had some of the rub left over
2 tbsp. olive oil

For the glaze:
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. (2-3 cloves) finely minced garlic
1½ tsp. Tabasco sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork to blend. Pat the mixture over the pork tenderloins.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Remove from the heat, leaving the pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl until blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast about 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin registers 140˚ F. Loosely tent the skillet with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

recipe: orange chocolate cupcakes

2010-03-21T15:35:00.001-04:00

Okay, so John and I do eat other things besides dessert. Really, we do! I just seem to blog about the dessert recipes a lot more often.

I found the link to the recipe for these on OnePrettyThing, a blog that compiles bunches of crafting/decorating ideas from all sorts of other blogs each day. It's a fun place to go every now and then, and I've found some great ideas there!

These cupcakes are delicious. Simple to make, too. The recipe is really just a glorified cake mix, but it tastes soooooooooo good! You could also easily take your favorite chocolate cake recipe and customize it using orange juice and zest if you'd rather not use a mix.

John and I agree, though, that the best part of these is the icing. It's a basic buttercream recipe, but the liquid is orange juice instead of milk and there is about an orange worth of zest in it. Just delicious, and not cloyingly sweet the way buttercream can sometimes be.

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix
Replace Water with Orange Juice
1/2 Orange Zested
Follow box directions with the added and replaced ingredients. For parchment cupcake papers (for the mini cupcakes that she showed on her blog - I made regular sized cupcakes with regular papers) cut 3 1/4” squares and squish down into cupcake pan.

Icing
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
8 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
3 Tablespoons Orange Juice (add more juice if needed)
1 Orange Zested
Mix all the ingredients until smooth. Use a round piping tip to pipe the icing (I used a plastic sandwich baggy with a corner cut off). Zest an additional orange for garnish and sprinkle a little sugar on top.

If you have a chance to take a look at her blog, I recommend it! She's a graphic designer at Hume Lake and her work is sweet and refreshing

such a fun giveaway

2010-03-20T13:31:00.003-04:00

Lisa of Lisa Leonard Designs is having a fabulous giveaway over on her blog ........................ oh, I'd love to win!!!!!!!!!!

on a whim

2010-03-12T14:18:00.002-05:00

, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

We were in the library on Monday afternoon, browsing through the gardening and home design books (gathering ideas for "someday"), when I turned around and was confronted by the dessert cookbooks, particularly one devoted to cheesecakes.
We hurried out of the library and I made one.

It was very good. Gone in 18 hours (should I admit that?) kind of good.

I used the recipe off the gigantic box of Philadelphia cream cheese from Sam's Club, making enough changes along the way that I think I can call it my own. I made up a blueberry sauce to go with it, but any berry or fruit sauce would do.

So here you go, my "On A Whim Cheesecake", or "Cheesecake To Satisfy Pregnancy Cravings"

1 lb cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

1 cup shortbread cookie crumbs
3 Tbs melted butter

1/3 - 1/2 cup lemon curd

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix cookie crumbs and butter, press into the bottom of a springform pan.
Bake 10 minutes (this will smell really good when it comes out).

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended and light. Add eggs, mixing until just blended. Pour into the crust and bake for 35 minutes.
Spoon the lemon curd over the top of the cheesecake and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheesecake center is almost set. Cool and refrigerate until chilled.

teething again: tooth #5

2010-03-12T13:57:00.003-05:00

some pretty spring things

2010-03-09T10:20:00.009-05:00

blooming lattice cardigan

So, the new Anthropologie catalog came the other day. And some of the new spring things were so .......... pretty.

dewbud tee

magnified geranium blouse

javanica tote

foliage bag

Yes, so pretty. And so out of my price range. :) A girl can dream, right?

spring is coming!

2010-03-05T11:43:00.006-05:00

and there is a new post up over at the market blog.

coffee sugar cookies

2010-03-02T16:21:00.004-05:00

coffee sugar cookies, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

These cookies are so yummy! I made them a few weeks ago for Valentine's Day, and they lasted on the counter very well.
Usually having cookies last several days means that the recipe wasn't that great, but these were!!! They have ground coffee in them, though, so I wasn't able to eat more than one at once as this little baby gets a bit excited by caffeine. :)
I found the recipe over on this blog and followed it without changing anything. Sometimes I tweak a little as I go, but not this time. I'm so glad I let them be - they are just so good!

Coffee Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
2 tbsp. fresh ground coffee (you can also use instant crystals or powder) I used fresh
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
In a small bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, and coffee.
In yet another bowl, add together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Slowly add your egg mixture to the butter mixture until well combined. Slowly add flour mixture until fully combined, do not over beat.
I would chill this dough for AT LEAST one hour, preferably overnight. The dough is pretty wet even then, so be prepared to flour your rolling pin well.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. Allow cookies to cool completely before covering in any icing.

little thoughts this afternoon

2010-02-22T13:38:00.005-05:00

John, Emma and I are heading up to Dayton (about an hour drive) this afternoon to help his brother Brian and his wife Leah move over from Kokomo, IN (about 2 1/2 hours away). I am so excited to have her within a visiting distance!

I enjoy having sisters-in-law. So far I have been blessed with two and they are just so wonderful. Each unique with her own particular style and strengths.

Sarah, John's sister, and I have gotten to know each other over the past 2+ years. She graciously welcomed me into the family as her first sister (John has 6 brothers and 1 sister) and our friendship has been growing ever since.

Leah married into the family on August 1 last year and I have been delighted to be able to claim her as a sister now, not just as a friend! She gave me this coffee cup last Christmas, and each time I use it it is a reminder of just how blessed I have been.

My sisters-in-law are truly my friends. One of the special things about them is that, even though friends can come and go, they will always be my sisters. I am looking forward to the years to come. :)

2010-02-20T09:07:00.004-05:00

"the divinest gift of marriage is this - the daily, unconscious growing of two souls into one. Aspirations and ambitions merge, each with the other, and love grows fast to love. Unselfishness answers to unselfishness, tenderness responds to tenderness, and the highest joy of each is the well-being of the other. ... Day by day and year by year the bond becomes closer and dearer, until at last the two are one, and even death is no division."

-myrtle reed, Flower of the Dusk

new favorite knitting book

2010-02-15T17:07:00.003-05:00

new favorite knitting book, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

and the beginnings of a sweater vest for Emma (using yarn from a cotton sweater that was just too short on me for my liking).

This knitting book - Essential Baby by Debbie Bliss - is just too sweet! It's projects are all classic and timeless, and range in time consumption from itty-bitty socks to a jumper or lacy blanket.
And the instructions are clearly written, too (a HUGE plus in my opinion!).

on the day Emma was due

2010-02-15T10:46:00.001-05:00

These pictures were taken on the evening of Emma's due date, February 20th. I spent that day and the next week wandering around the apartment, doing little things that didn't need doing - since everything was already prepared - and waiting.

I think baby due dates are just wonderful.
Because they are a concrete date, they give a sense of expectancy and anticipation to the waiting family and friends, but can also be (and usually are) a form of divine joke. God is the One Who opens the womb in the first place, and He is also the One Who determines when that little babe is ready to meet the world. More often than not, it's not on the "due date"!

2010-02-14T15:12:00.001-05:00

happy valentine's day!

projects

2010-02-10T14:44:00.001-05:00

Emma's birthday is just around the corner (where did the year go?!), and in anticipation of it there are a few projects that I am working on.
The napkins are for the party that we are planning to have with the Smillies, and the ribbons might be part of Emma's first year album that I am hoping to have finished by then.
At the rate that I am finishing pages, though, I will be doing well to have the album done by the time Baby #2 is here!

a one-car family

2010-02-08T11:29:00.004-05:00

I stumbled upon this post this morning, and found it to be quite encouraging.
As some of you know, John and I have been driving one car since we got married. It has worked out fine overall, but there have definitely been times when I/we have thought about buying another!
Since we aren't in a position to afford one (and by afford I mean pay cash for, etc) without digging into our savings, we have put the idea on the back burner for the near future.
Reading Liz's thoughts on the subject was good, reminding me that not only are others in our situation thriving, but there are actually benefits to it.
Obvious benefits are financial, of course, but also personal. I, too, have had to be organized with my time and shopping trips, and that organization has been good for me. :)

There is one thing in particular that she said that was especially encouraging:
"On a more personal level, I feel that our situation has also blessed me with the opportunity to truly blossom in our home and to focus on my life there."

It's true. When you don't have the option of driving away, home becomes your focus. My challenge is to take joy in that, and not let it become a grumbling point.
As I'm reminded of over and over, this season of life is passing quickly, and I need to focus on it, not the "someday". Emma will be our only child for just a few more months, and she is growing so quickly. With the new baby I will need to focus on two instead of one, and there will be increasingly less time. Focusing on our home and each other (as well as our friends) is something that we will never regret.

And as Liz said to close her post, I may not get out much, but you are welcome to come over! I'll put on the coffee or tea and we can visit a while. :)

a song to start the morning

2010-02-08T08:19:00.002-05:00

One of the men in our church sang this during the service yesterday, and it brought me to tears (I had to borrow a Kleenex from the lady ahead of me). I recommend listening to it if you have time this morning. It is so good.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

-Revelation 21:1-5

a bit about the aprons

2010-02-07T15:31:00.002-05:00

I'm switching the web store host for the aprons from BigCartel to Etsy. Just to let you know. :) You can follow along on the "Market" blog (it's only updated sporadically) if you like.

Fell free to leave feedback on what you think!

2010-02-06T12:01:00.007-05:00

Do you remember this post from last fall? A very kind friend from California read it and sent us the pattern. It was so sweet of her! I found an extremely good deal deal on the material the day after Thanksgiving ($1.49 a yard! so amazing!) and made up the jammies for Emma a week or two later.

The pattern arrived with a paper doll that I'm going to hold on to for Emma to play with in a few years. It is also made of thicker tissue than your usual pattern, sturdy enough to be used over and over as she grows from one size to the next. The instructions are incredibly clear, and I even learned a new technique for making narrow ties (no more turning to the "right" side. it saves so much time). I am now a huge fan of Oliver + S!

Emma loves her new jammies, and looks just adorable wearing them. It has taken me a while to get some good photos of her actually in them, though, since the lighting is pretty bad in our apartment in the morning when she is at her most photogenic. This morning, however, we have a ton of snow which brightens everything.

Thank you, Tammi, for the pattern. It really was so sweet of you!!!

feminine prettiness

2010-02-02T17:51:00.010-05:00

Back in November, when Emma and I went to California to visit Gramma and the rest of the family, Mom pulled out a few of Gramma's old hats that she used to wear to her ladies' meetings. We tried them on, Gramma wearing a lovely royal blue feather one for quite a while.
It added a bit of lovely fun-ness to an otherwise emotion filled day.

Anyway, all that to say, I really like those pretty little hats. They're not the sun hat type, not meant to protect you in any way, just to be pretty.
My head is a tad bigger than most womens' (apparently), and I have had a hard time finding any type of hat that will fit (and it's not the hair that gets in the way - the hats really won't fit).

I stumbled upon this veil this evening, and it was so pretty.

Kind of expensive since it is a bridal veil, but so lovely. I would love to wear it to church ...

I don't want to stand out or distract anyone from worshipping (having them wondering why the redhead is wearing a veil when they should be pondering other things is not my intention!) or anything, but it would be pretty. And oh, so feminine. Wonder if I could pull it off?

image from onelittledove

quiet time

2010-01-30T11:15:00.001-05:00

Emma's nap times are times when I like to enjoy a few moments of quiet.
I put her down a few minutes ago, and started to quietly do the dishes, and then heard the dog. Emma had been playing with her singing/light up toy just before she went to bed, and the dog seemed to be stuck. It played a little jingle and then all was quiet again. And then it played another. And another. And another.

So I found the kill switch and turned it off.
Who knew that a cheerful electronic voice could get to be a little, um, too much?

post #600 - baked potato soup

2010-01-18T11:47:00.003-05:00

this baked potato soup is one of the easiest, yummiest and most versatile soups I've come across in a while. It turns out quite creamy - even without cream, which makes it a very cheap dinner - and the leftovers are a perfect lunch.
So far I've made it with chicken, with sausage and onions and plain, but the possibilities of changing up the flavor are endless, rather like the possibilities for customizing your baked potato come to think of it. :)
As the woman who blogged the recipe noted, it is a perfect one dish dinner, but would also be nice as a hearty starter. It's just the thing when the weather outside is dreary and cold.

treasure these moments

2010-01-14T08:28:00.003-05:00

Emma will be our little baby for only a little while.
Soon - too soon it seems sometimes - she will have to share our attention with another baby and be the big sister, no longer the center of everything. She is growing and learning so very quickly. So many "big" milestones such as her first birthday, first steps and first words, are just around the corner and our little Emma Grace is so ready for them.
For now, though, she is still our baby, and I am treasuring the moments. Treasuring the moments when it is just her and me at home during the days, treasuring being able to focus on her, being undistracted and able to notice and celebrate her little achievements. Treasuring our baby girl.

lemon cake

2010-01-12T13:37:00.002-05:00

lemon cake, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

I made this lemon cake on Saturday, and this is all that is left. It's so yummy that we ate most of it in three days. The cake has the texture of a pound cake but has just enough tartness from the lemon juice in it to make it light and refreshing. It goes really well with morning coffee!

I found the recipe in Under The Tuscan Sun and simplified it a bit as I wrote it down, but this is the basic gist.

Cream together:
1 C butter
2 C sugar

Beat in:

3 eggs, one at a time. The mixture should be light and fluffy.

Combine:
3 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Mix:

1 C buttermilk or cream into butter mixture alternately with the flour mixture.

Add:

3 Tbs lemon juice and

zest of 1 lemon

Pour into a greased tube pan (I used my springform pan with the tube insert) and bake for 50 minutes. Now, the recipe said to bake the cake in a 300 degree oven, but I found that the cake was still very runny after 70 minutes and at that point turned the oven up to 350. Next time I think I'll try baking it for 45 minutes at 350 and then check it, adding more time if needed.

After the cake has cooled and has been removed from the pan, glaze it with this icing:

1/4 C butter

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

3 Tbs lemon juice