Category Archives: Food/Drink

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 6, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY… December 6, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was in the 60’s earlier when I got out of church. (Granted, it’s technically 1 a.m. on the 7th as I’m writing this.)

I am thinking… that Daniel really needs to be going back to sleep. *looks at the small child who is finding new and creative ways to fall asleep while touching me*

I am thankful… that Daniel was a complete angel today. He snuggled with my mom, focused on his Legos and engaged in focused play, and went to sleep with no drama tonight. The current round of wakefulness is mostly due to me daring to get out of bed to use the bathroom and disturbing his sleeping position (his head on my stomach and the rest of him contorted around me).

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and black capri sweats — my jammies.

I am creating… this entry. 🙂 Also a big boy blanket for my wee bairn.

I am going… to try and find a provider who will see my kiddo on straight Medi-Cal so I can avoid having to deal with the county hospital’s pediatric urgent care. Kiddo runs out of Adderall on Wednesday and I don’t want him missing any days as we’re seeing some serious improvement with him on it.

I am wondering… when I’ll be able to do some Christmas shopping.

I am reading… a bunch of Jessica Beck murder mysteries. I also have Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber on my e-reader for the time when I run out of library books.

I am hoping… my kiddo goes back to sleep and stops balancing on his elbow on my leg. It’s causing me a bit of discomfort. *gives the kid a sideglance*

I am learning… to back up my data lest I have to take my laptop to Best Buy again to have them extract all my data.

In my kitchen… Dad made steak for dinner. Yum.

A favorite quote for today… “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Definitely this list of fabulous Christmas carols. Someone even made a playlist of all the YouTube videos she mentioned:

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The SImple Woman’s Daybook: November 29, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 29, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It got to about 59F earlier when I was sitting out at $tarbux having coffee with Rebecca. I was loving the cold even if I wasn’t dressed for it at the time. (Note to self: tights are a good thing in places where it gets chilly during late fall/early winter.)

I am thinking… about Advent things and worship this morning at my church. I love the Trisagion setting that we are doing in place of the Gloria for Advent. (The text is here and the music is here.)

I am thankful… for several days with Jon, my evil twin, and the evil twin’s wife.

In the kitchen… shrimp linguine made by my dad. We all licked our plates completely clean.

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and gray pajama bottoms.

A Daniel story for today… Kiddo lost his other front tooth while eating corn chips on Thanksgiving. He’s missing exactly the same teeth that I was at his age. (We watched some old home movies from that year this last weekend.)

I am going… to be making a Goodwill run tomorrow morning. I think the guy who mans the trailer is pondering closing it up and claiming that it’s full each time he sees me.

I am wondering… what to do to get my kid to sleep well again. He’s finally going to sleep… at 9:45 p.m. after my mom chewed him out for screwing around. (I think he’s really stuffed up and uncomfortable so he’s having a problem getting to sleep.)

I am reading… Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon. It’s interesting to read the story from the point of view of some of the other characters.

I am hoping… that I can go to Knit Wits on Tuesday.

I am looking forward to… Daniel sleeping well again.

Around the house… sheets to wash tomorrow.

I am pondering… what I have to get done this week.

A favorite quote for today… “Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised…” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… venti iced vanilla lattés from $tarbux.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Goodwill runs, possibly Knit Wits on Tuesday night, choir on Thursday night, and whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… My friend Thomas put together a wonderful Advent playlist on YouTube several years ago. As I’m without my iTunes at the moment, I’m listening to it to scratch that itch.

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7 Quick Takes: Gratefulness

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7 Quick Takes

It’s been a tough couple of months so I thought I’d go this for my Quick Takes today as a way of getting perspective.

— 1 —

I am thankful for God in my life. Can we just say that without the grace of God working in me and without His mighty hand slapping me upside the head occasionally I’d be in BIG trouble? (Yes, I know my image of God at this very moment is that of Gibbs on NCIS.)

— 2 —

I’m thankful for Daniel. My job as a mom is to help him to heaven but I think it works both ways. Kiddo has seriously purged almost every ounce of selfishness out of me and has made me a far better person that I would be ordinarily. He’s also a very good cuddlebug and full of sunshine 95% of the time.

— 3 —

I’m thankful for my mommy. My mom is amazing. She is incredibly diplomatic, she instinctively knows how to work with Daniel, she backs me up 100% in my parenting, and she babysits so I can go be a human being a couple times a week. On Tuesday night, I came home to Daniel asleep on the heating vent in my room (it doesn’t get too hot so it was fine) and some Kraft mac n’ cheese on the stove for me because she didn’t know if I had been able to get dinner before my 3 hours of church stuff. She is freaking awesome.

— 4 —

I’m thankful to get along with my family so well. We’ve got 7 people in the house right now and nobody is fighting or grumping or being miserable. This is pretty awesome. I’m also glad to be able to spend the time with Jon, my evil twin brother Sean, and his wife.

— 5 —

I’m thankful that I live within walking distance of almost everything I need. We have to drive to get to Daniel’s school but I live within walking distance of the park, the library, a grocery store, and $tarbux. It makes it easier to go have “adventures” with my munchkin.

— 6 —

I’m grateful for the two churches I have been part of this year. St. John’s Episcopal Church helped to heal me from bad pastor’s wife experiences and welcomed me with open arms into their choir, the Wednesday morning Bible study (whom I miss greatly), and their community. When I had to move back up to northern California, the Episcopal Church in Almaden (who loved me into faith as a high schooler) welcomed back with open arms into their choir (there are benefits to having known the choir director for more than half of one’s life) and into the parish community.

— 7 —

I’m thankful to Al Gore for creating the Internet. The internet allows me to keep in touch with people and be less isolated than I would be if I had to go interact with people face-to-face. I also have a great community on Facebook who pray for me and keep me going.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 23, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 23, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was in the mid 60’s today, I think.

I am thinking… about tomorrow night’s choral evensong service.

I am thankful… for my parents getting some painting done today.

In the kitchen… paint dust so we ordered pizza.

I am wearing… my VBS shirt from this year and black sweats

I am going… to have a fair amount of cleaning to do tomorrow.

I am wondering… about some things related to today.

I am reading… some Jessica Beck mysteries and Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber.

I am hoping… I can recover some files that might be lost.

I am looking forward to… seeing family from out of town this week.

I am learning to back up my files better.

Around the house… cleaning to do tomorrow. Whee!!!

I am pondering… the mystery I am reading at the moment.

One of my favorite things… Hawaiian pizza.

A few plans for the rest of the week: clean tomorrow, choral evensong tomorrow night, dinner with peeps on Thursday, and whatever else comes up.

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7 Quick Takes: Reflections on Things I Read This Week

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Thank you notes. I had to laugh when I saw how this kid wrote thank-you notes for his graduation presents. It’s the polite thing to do when someone gives you a present but they’re pretty tedious to write.

— 2 —

Interesting Podcasts. I resonated with this list of 17 podcasts for people who are spiritually curious and I’m glad that On Being (formerly “Speaking of Faith”) is #2 on the list. If it were me, I would also add the ones from SQPN to the list .

— 3 —

Prerequisite cat video. If you’re on Facebook with me, you know that I’m kind of a cat person. Well… I saw this video and just had to share the link!

— 4 —

Wow. I didn’t know these still existed. A Texan man is one of 10 people in the world to live in an iron lung. He contracted it during one of the last polio epidemics to sweep the USA. We thankfully have a vaccine for this so for the most part, we never see this in the United States… which means that all the people who aren’t vaccinating their kids against it are raising the chances that we might see it again. Seriously folks, I have family members who were affected by it. It’s not pretty. VACCINATE YOUR KIDS!!!

— 5 —

More $tarbux cup commentary. Someone sent me a link to this interview in which the moron who put the video up on the Internet about $tarbux refusing to acknowledge Christmas with their new Christmas cups gets pwned. (By the way, our country was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles — we were founded on Enlightenment principles and the Founding Fathers were Deists.)

I actually have asked my barista about if people are actually putting their name as “Merry Christmas” and she said there have been lots of them and that there is nothing that prevents her and her fellow baristas from saying “Merry Christmas”… except that it’s not even Advent yet!

— 6 —

#FirstWorldProblems. Here are some fairly comical #FirstWorldProblems. I can honestly say that I’ve never had any of them.

— 7 —

Reminder. The Nativity Fast starts on November 15th. Here is how many Byzantine Catholics celebrate this time. (HT: priest’s wife)

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 8, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 8, 2015

Outside my window… Dark and down in the 40’s right now. I love that I’m getting to feel winter in northern California. The only more perfect thing would be my dad building a fire in the fireplace.

I am thinking… about the stupidity erupting over the holiday cups at $tarbux. There’s even a wacko calling for people to go to $tarbux and give their name as “Merry Christmas” to force the baristas to say it… which is pretty ludicrous when you consider that all their baristas are literate (and many have probably read this or other pieces on the subject) and the practice in most of the ones I visit is to call out “I have a [insert name of drink] for [insert first name]!” It isn’t going to force them to say “Merry Christmas” more than anything else will.

Another thing: $tarbux still gets your money if you do that so you’re basically funding a company whose morals you hate. Wouldn’t it be better to patronize your local independent coffee shops or to just make your coffee at home and donate what you would have spent to charity? Just a thought!

I am thankful… for rain and cold weather. Bring it, El Niño!

In the kitchen… Dad made shrimp pasta with lemon, basil, garlic, and prosciutto. *swoons*

I am wearing… navy blue fitted tee from Old Navy and blue/white striped pj bottoms from Tarzhay.

I am going… to be calling and annoying the Special Ed peeps at San Jose Unified again tomorrow morning to see if I can get them moving faster on finding Daniel a placement.

I am wondering… how many words I can get through tonight for my NaNo piece.

I am reading… Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber. I finished Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson on Tuesday during my two hour wait at the local Social Security office to find out that they don’t do what I needed them to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I would have to come back on Friday. (I prevailed on Friday thankfully.)

I am hoping… for Daniel to get placed in a school program this week.

I am looking forward to… seeing some family friends for the first time in 9 years on Friday.

I am hearing… my mom watching The Librarians.

A Daniel story for today… Mom took him to a local park while I was at church and partway through their park date, she heard him howl. She rushed over and he was covered in blood and one of his front teeth was missing. We think he likely was grinding his teeth and bit it strangely so it came out sideways because he’s still a bit bloody in that spot and has a dark bruise there. His other front tooth is loose as well!

Around the house… I can hear the furnace. It’s making me feel all koselig, which is a Norwegian word for a sense of coziness. (HT: this article)

A favorite quote for today… “TIL that Starbucks is rounding Christians up into coffee death camps and making them drink Pagan Spice Lattes.” — Mark Jaquith snarking about the flipping out over the $tarbux holiday cups. (Just for the record, I really prefer Peet’s and It’s A Grind over $tarbux any day.)

One of my favorite things… coffee with Rebecca… at $tarbux. 😉

A few plans for the rest of the week: park dates with Daniel, Bible study and choir on Thursday, dinner with friends on Friday, and a game night with a good friend from childhood on Saturday night.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 2, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 2, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was raining when I woke up this morning and I was overjoyed to see this. It was a little chilly the rest of the day but not bad. I didn’t even freeze when I went to go drop Halloween candy off for Operation Gratitude.

I am thinking… about my NaNoWriMo characters and how to best catch up on my word count. I only got about 500 words written yesterday instead of the 1667 they recommend for the starting day. Oh well! If my sweet boy EVER goes to sleep, I might be able to catch up. *looks at the squirming kid next to me who is shredding his blankie*

I am thankful… for the chance to reconnect with my home congregation yesterday even if I’m seriously missing St. John’s (my church in La Verne). Also thankful for coffee with mi amiga Rebecca yesterday who gets me… way too well.

In the kitchen… minestrone soup and sourdough bread.

I am wearing… navy blue shirt from Old Navy and pajama bottoms from Kohl’s.

I am going… down to the local Social Security office tomorrow morning in hopes that they can fix the SSI-Medicaid issue we’re having with Daniel. *shakes fist at LA County for refusing to answer the phone and fix the freaking problem on their end and at Social Security for making me waste my morning by meeting with them because they won’t communicate with LA County*

I am wondering… why Daniel has been such a bear to get to sleep tonight.

I am reading… the epilogue of Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and then (likely) Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber.

I am hoping… we can get Daniel in school this week. Special Ed for San Jose Unified needs to get on this!

I am looking forward to… maybe getting to go the the knitting/crocheting group at church this week.

I am hearing… Daniel squeaking and shredding his blankie.

A Daniel story for today… he has been curling up in one of the recliners in the living room watching TV with his Grandpa Jim (my dad). It is insanely cute because the two of them have always seemed to have this unspoken bond.

Around the house… mostly quiet except for my wee bairn refusing to sleep and my parents watching different TV shows at opposite ends of the house.

A favorite quote for today… “Getting sober never felt like I had pulled myself up by my own spiritual bootstraps. It felt instead like I was on one path toward destruction and God pulled me off of it by the scruff of my collar, me hopelessly kicking and flailing and saying, ‘Screw you. I’ll take the destruction please.’ God looked at tiny, little red-faced me and said, ‘that’s adorable,’ and then plunked me down on an entirely different path.” — Nadia Bolz-Weber (I’ve actually seen her talk about this on a YouTube video and you have to hear her say it.)

One of my favorite things… sleeping kids. *looks at my child and ponders finding a recording of the Go the F to Sleep book to play for him*

A few plans for the rest of the week: Social Security tomorrow, hopefully an IEP meeting for Daniel at some point this week, and whatever else life decides to throw at me.

A peek into my day… The prerequisite Halloween pic of Daniel as a soccer player and me as a soccer mom.

Daniel and I dressed up (or not) for Halloween 2015

Post Script…

I’m doing NaNoWriMo this summer so I might be hard to find this month. If you are participating too, find me and let me know — I’m “khouria”.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.