2018: May

I made some bows for the girls out of lace my great aunt had given me that was from her mom (or earlier).

I also made S a dress… that she then refused to wear because “it’s not the right color.” (purple)

E doing what she sees me do with S – read to her while she goes potty!

We found out we have a lilac tree.

And our irises bloomed this year. I’m really not sure why some things didn’t bloom last year but didn’t have a problem this year.

Hammocks are incredibly good for your health because they make rest so enticing.

One store had rhubarb and so I planned to have it in a few dishes the next week… and then nowhere had rhubarb. I finally found some!

Crumpets and baby greens. I commented that they were “high and holey” so we joked that we should open a crumpet shop called “The Reformed Crumpet” with pictures of famous British theologians on the wall.

Ezra made Mothers’ Day lunch.

Our peonies are blooming very slowly.

Hunting for “snakes,” as E calls earthworms.

We went camping on Orcas Island.

It was much more pleasant than our camping trip last year, when we had pouring rain and E was always trying to eat dirt and pine needles. It was still rather cold, but absolutely gorgeous and we had lots of enjoyable hikes and hammock time. We also rented a rowboat one day.

It wasn’t without adventure, though… I pulled the sourdough pancake batter out of the cooler to sit out overnight and forgot to put it in the car. I knew not to leave food out if there were bears, but that wasn’t a concern where we were. But the squirrels got it, dragged it a few yards away, opened it, and left it.

The goslings were a hit with the girls.

Enjoying our lake view campsite.

memorization// Revelation 7:14b-17. we read this as a responsive reading at church and it brought so much comfort and was so vivid to me. I love how it brings out various suffering and persecution and shows how those losses and pains will be filled by God in the end.

favorite recipes// cheesecake snacks // cheese taco shells // cookie dough pops // chickpea muffins // THE BEST homemade peanut butter cups // crockpot banana bread oatmeal // curried cauliflower, lentil, grape salad // chocolate mint popsicles // sourdough skillet “bisquick” pie // sourdough crumpets // chickpea chocolate chip cookies // chile relleno en nogada // lemon rhubarb chicken bake // late spring salad (used monterey jack cubes) // blueberry sourdough scones // cinnamon cardamom knots // apple cheddar mac //

best of online//  can we just be friends? (a look at the Billy Graham rule) // are you addicted to your phone? // sermon series on Lamentations // the glory in the frustration of parenting (home isn’t for my comfort but their formation!) // just saying “the gospel is enough” is not enough // “Theistic evolution” // thoughts on charity that echo When Helping Hurts// easy summer toddler dress // tea bag crafting // a great book list! // love this music (with some cautions) // heads up about type 1 diabetes // engaging God’s word with scant time and energy // 10 Things Sexual Assault Victims Want you to Know // how to talk to your kids about mass shootings // a guide to self-recording music practice and more here // a voice for the voiceless // the copycat problem // the call to counsel (a friend’s new blog) // how the csection went from last resort to overused // Thomas Sowell on social justice // maybe women are some of the worst offenders // Japanese train station psychology // connecting obedience with joy (love the 5-words thing and having them repeat it!) // Moms, Embrace Your Need // Truth in Love podcast on PPD // The Fear of Motherhood // What is my Calling? // A Hidden Epidemic God Hates //

reading of late// Philippians // Christ Formed in You (Hedges) // On Writing Well (Zinsser) // A Chance to Die (Elliot) // The Vanderbeekers of 141st St //
Skimmed: Hello Mornings (Lee) // The Measure of Success (McCulley) // Radical Womanhood (McCulley)

thinking about// exhausted by recent media I have encountered expecting it to be encouraging and instead finding myself having to sort through the good and bad. But a classmate shared something about a variety of false gospels, and it encouraged me that my instincts were correct, that discernment is a big deal, and it is worth it to wrestle through differing viewpoints // I AM full in Him, but I need to draw from that fullness not my own power // will this help me love God more? // do not tame bad habits, mortify them //

what brings joy// blooming flowers // hammocks // sunshine // dough //

The Munchkins// E babbles a lot and more of her jabber is becoming coherent. The past few days she has even said full sentences that weren’t copied or memorized. She loved how close the little birds came while we were camping and would call for them to come to her.  “Hi cheep cheep! I touch you cheep cheep! Come, come!” And whenever she saw a dog she said, “I pet!” She did not love the ferry ride out, though.
S loved the boat rides, and wanted to spend her time in the hammock, “fishing,” or reading in the tent while we were camping.