Tuesday Day book

Outside my window...

I am watching the breeze flow through the Jacaranda trees, it's amazing that we are having a breeze at all in this Phoenix heat, but it is lovely nonetheless!

I am thankful...

for my hardworking husband who never ceases to amaze me with how hard he works for us! He came home late last night with a black face, black hands, black arms, burns on his arms from welding. He never complains.

I am thinking about...

how nice my speed walk on the treadmill was during naptime for the kiddos. I listened to my Pandora radio station:Ella Fitzgerald. So nice!

Learning all the time...

Bought a book from the thrift store yesterday on Caligraphy. Can't wait to get two seconds together to delve in!

From the Kitchen...

Tonight's dinner is my Mother's Oven fried Lemon Chicken recipe. I tweaked it a little bit, a dash of garlic powder here, a tiny bit of jamacain jerk mix for a kick, marinating in fresh lemons. Going to bake some fresh french bread to go with it. The smell of fresh bread from the oven is on the list of top favorite smells!

I am creating...

a scrapbook for my husband's boss, Kevin right now(he gave me the pictures and the supplies).Seeing someone else's memories keeps me accountable to take time for my precious ones and make our own special memories. I also feel a little convicted that I have two kids who don't have their own scrapbooks.(someday!)

I am working on...

being extra affectionate with my children these days. Being a family of five kids, I know there are times when they are really missing out. So I'm pouring it on just to be on the safe side. Couldn't hurt!

I am going...

to hang out this evening in our backyard and let the kids play. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler by then.

I am reading...

Yikes... still in the same book. But I'm loving it, and I guess slowly digesting it. "A thousand gifts" by Ann Voskamp. Probably one of the best books I've ever read. It's beautiful, it's painfully convicting at times, it's what I need.

I am praying...

for a certain brother who works in Washington DC, that God will prove Himself faithful and that justice, TRUTH and peace reign in the White House.

I am hearing...

Fernando Ortega. I love how he sings the hymns. So lovely.

Around the house...

a few kids still napping, a few doing school, a few playing.

One of my favorite things...

this week, it has to be sea salt Chocolate.

a few pictures to share...

we set up our miniature planetarium. It was magical!

Eggplant Parmesan

Our family loves Eggplant Parmesan! It is a comfort food, usually involves a bit of prep work and turns out greasy but good. But, we're trying to be healthier people these days and so I've worked out some of the kinks from my original recipe, and so here is my healthier baked version which I think tasted even better than the one I've always made.

First, take a glass baking dish (9x13), spray with Pam and dust a layer of italian seasoned bread crumbs and then a light layer of Parmesan Cheese. After that, a layer of pasta sauce. I used "Classico's Caramalized Onion and Garlic Sauce"-it's really yummy!

Then lightly saute sliced and peeled eggplant and a red bell pepper in a little olive oil.

Then saute mushrooms and shallots together until soft and golden.

Add the mushroom mix as a layer, dust again with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. After that, place on another layer of tomato sauce.

then, place on the magical eggplant and bell peppers.

Add another layer of bread crumbs, parm cheese, sauce and top with slices of fresh mozerella.

Then dust the cheese with more bread crumbs and parm cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, then put on broiler for two minutes to toast the cheese and bread crumbs. This turned out delicious!!! No egg batter, no frying, and it's easy to spoon on the plates. The bread crumbs makes the sauce thick and still adds another level to the eggplant. Oh my, it is good! Why don't you make it tonight?

Julia's Eggplant Parmesan

1 eggplant, washed, peeled and sliced

1 pkg mushrooms, washed, sliced

1 red bell pepper, washed, peeled and sliced

2 shallots, finely chopped

approx 1 cup bread crumbs, give or take

approx 3/4 cup parm. cheese (the cheap stuff)

1 lb. fresh mozzerella cheese (you'll be happy you chose fresh, trust me!)

pam spray

olive oil for sauteing

2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce

Serve with pasta noodles.

We gather together...

Here is a sign I made for our house. It's above our dining room and just before the kitchen. A place where we gather together to ask the Lord's blessing.

Eucharisteo Moment

Eucharisteo - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember as thanks to the Lord.

cool idea!

I love these little tea lights from IKEA! They smell so lovely and so good and I'm always lighting them around our place in little vases or jars. They really are the best. But the packaging and such is a little messy, not a fan of bagged tea lights, and if you try to keep them in the package they seem to get all over the place. So...I found a great way to upcycle what I normally would have put in the trash.....

Enter: the Cascade box. Yes, I know, they are not the most eco-friendly of detergents, butcha' know what? They actually clean the plates!

Walla! A great holder for those tea-lights and the lid is perfect for easy access. These babies would make great crayon holders, button holders, really anything, but I've found them to fit a whole package of tea lights. yay!

back to business

Ah yes, summer has been flying by. We've been busy, what's new? What did you miss? Vacation to San Diego including camping at the beach, I celebrated my 30th birthday. Soeren celebrated his first birthday, school continues, recipes tried out, sewing and scrapbooking. Lots of great stuff. Just doing everything to avoid the dreaded fact that we live in Phoenix and today it is 110 degrees outside. It is CRAZY hot! But I won't think about it, we will move on and share pictures! How about that?

we got to visit my mom (she flew out from SC!!) and here is her shot with all 10 grandkids (the first time ever!) with them all together. It was so great!

My husband and I NEVER get pictures taken of just the two of us...we made up for it! I love these so much!

...and this will be the Christmas card picture!

My sweet sister in law Sally and I in Oceanside near their groovy beach side apartment. I was completely jealous and ready to move in.

a discovery made, my mom and I look A LOT alike. I mean, if this doesn't say it all, I don't know what does. Spooky huh?

Camping at night near the fireside. Cold? we experienced cold? Yep, it was amazing!

My 30th birthday...

All the girls in my family. Such great times!

Hopefully I'll be posting more often, recipes discovered, projects and the like. Love to you all!

wedding tea party

Yes, I got up at 2am this morning to watch. Abi got up too and the two of us giggled and oooo and aaahhhed over everything. Watching a royal wedding with my little girl was ultimate bliss. I cried when the bride came down the aisle as I thought about the final days and THE wedding in Heaven. The church will be adorned in white. And here was this gorgeous bride this morning coming to meet her groom in royal colors with regal pagentry. So beautiful! They played "Jerusalem", my favorite hymn of all time and of course I cried again. All of England sang together, yet another image of things to come. Of course we had to celebrate, and what better than to have an English tea breakfast party: Bangers, sausages, lemon curd, strawberry shortcakes, some crackers and cheese, and Earl Grey tea.

Genn loved the printables where she could decorate the royal cake

and here is Abi making special hats for the occasion.

Here is the lemon curd recipe, it's the one I always use. Never fails. Unbelievably addicting.

the first stages of the lemon curd

and a yummy jar freshly made.

Hope your day is delightful and full of love.

who needs a gym?

Before you read this: please do not mind the lack of fashionable workout gear, the lack of a pedicure, or the lack of pants on my two year (potty training in high gear around here)

So THIS is my gym. "Hmmm" you say "where are the weights, where are the fancy treadmills, t.v's and gym freaks?" Well, I have kids: much better!

Dragging children along the floor, clasped to your ankles is a great workout for the back of the thighs!

Here I am working on my arms...

I've now increased the weights and am working on my hamstrings.

Some squats...

Working the bycepts.

Plank pose...

push-ups with a little extra (55 lb) challenge

More squats, increasing the weights this time.

Working out with kids. The laughter goes right to those abs, the workout is intense and the fun never-ending!

coming down off the sugar

Here are my five sweet kiddos in their Easter Sunday best. Easter was fantastic, good church service, good ham, mashed potatoes, good Asparagus/hollandaise casserole (an invention of mine), good rolls, and LOTS of candy. So much candy!!!! The kids were a little twitchy this morning... right back into homeschool? nope! Let's start slow.

I have a lot of packages of photo paper I snagged in a cleaning out of a school supply stash. What to do with all that paper. I was inspired by this San Diego artist's work and I thought it would be fun to mimic her art. So here are a few snaps from our ink and watercolor project.

I did this one for demonstration, not very good, but you get the idea.

I love the abstractness of my two year old's artwork. The kids loved this project. Great way to warm up slowly into the schooling work-week. Happy Easter to all of you. and remember... He is Risen... He is Risen Indeed!!!!