Category Archives: Food/Drink

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 31, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 31, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It’s been quite warm here lately with temperatures around 80F but humidity that makes it feel hotter.

I am thinking… about my week and if I should ask my physical therapist to work on my leg tomorrow as I’ve got a muscle that is severely tensed in it and not relaxing.

I am thankful… for the concert celebrating Dr. Wilbur Held’s memory that I was blessed to attend yesterday. It was mostly organ with a little bit of choral music and a BIG piece at the end which involved, choirs, organ, and hand bells.

In the kitchen… I had some trail mix as my pre-bedtime snack.

I am wearing… my Run for the Little Flowers 2014 shirt and capri sweats.

I am praying for… my father-in-law, a call for Jon, relief from the muscle pain I’ve been having, and for a bunch of special intentions.

I am going… to take my car in to figure out what is up with the A/C on Tuesday morning. I’m hoping I’m not car-less for too long or that I can borrow Jon’s car if I need anything on Tuesday.

I am wondering… what I did that is stressing out my back and my calf muscles.

I am reading… Powdered Peril by Jessica Beck and I finished Killer Crullers a few days ago. I’m taking a break from Vanishing Grace by Philip Yancey to keep up with Beck’s Donut Shop Mysteries.

I am hoping… the issue with my leg isn’t something nasty like a blood clot.

I am looking forward to… seeing my family on Friday. We’re spending a week with them while Daniel is off school before Extended School Year (summer school) starts.

I am hearing… various YouTube hymn videos.

Crocheting… nothing new — still the big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffed animal.

Around the house… I managed to push this until a late hour yet again so I’m the only one awake.

A favorite quote for today… “The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God.” — Philip Yancey

One of my favorite things… the smell of anointing oil.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT and errands tomorrow, taking my car to the mechanic on Tuesday, VBS music meeting on Wednesday, Daniel’s last day of school on Thursday, and heading up to San Jose on Friday.

A peek into my day… I love how Twila Paris does this particular old gospel song.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 25, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 25, 2015

Outside my window… dark. I was planning to get this done early but ended up having to spend 5 hours in the dark fighting a migraine. It was cold this morning but it seemed to get nicer later.

I am thinking… about VBS and what songs to teach because I’m co-leading the music and trying to come up with appropriate songs for the day, especially on the days that I’m leading it all. (We’re coming up with our own VBS curriculum this year which involves Legos and creativity.)

I am thankful… for Wycliffe, Lutheran Bible Translators, and all those who work with similar organizations that translate God’s Word into languages that others do not speak.

In the kitchen… I made myself some leftover pulled pork and baked beans for dinner.

I am wearing… grey v-neck shirt and navy/white-striped pj bottoms.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, the water sitch here in California, my father-in-law who is fighting cancer, and a few special intentions.

I am going… to physical therapy tomorrow. I’m seriously looking forward to it.

I am wondering… about so many things at this late hour. This must be why I’m still up! 🙂

I am reading… I finished Tragic Toppings, Drop Dead Chocolate, and Illegally Iced this week and am taking a break from murder mysteries (I had some Livia J. Washburn ones that I just couldn’t get into) to read Vanishing Grace by Phillip Yancey.

I am hoping… to get all the Jessica Beck books I’m missing through the library.

I am looking forward to… seeing my parents on the 5th for a week and getting to spend some time with Rebecca.

I am hearing… various VBS-type songs on one of the Mission Bible Class YouTube channels.

Crocheting… blankets and amigurumi stuff from the last few months.

Around the house… quiet as I’m the only one up.

One of my favorite things… silence.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT tomorrow, Bible study/errands/choir on Wednesday, and a concert on Saturday in addition to whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… One of my favorite Bach pieces (the “Fugue” movement from the Concerto for Two Pianos BWV 1061). I wish I could make this my ring tone for my cell phone.

Post Script… At Bible study last Wednesday, my priest was talking about how she doesn’t like to do Pentecost readings in multiple languages at once because the point was that everyone understood despite the myriad of languages present. She then said that she’d love to post different languages up on the walls of the sanctuary and I offered to help because languages/linguistics is one of my geeky pleasures. While putting Daniel to bed on Thursday night, I compiled a bunch of interesting languages and sent them to her, thinking that she’d pick 4-5 of them.

I walked in on Sunday morning and found all of them — 35 in all — posted on the walls. I was seriously jazzed and also kind of wishing that I’d gotten them in every language off of Bible Gateway and Unbound Bible. People were impressed and it was honestly a really fun way to serve my church in helping to put it together.

I think my next task is going to be going in there and getting every language possible to post.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

#FiveFaves: Miscellanea (XXXIV)

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#5Faves

One

My Bible study. One of the ladies put on a tea for me this morning and we had quite a feast between the treats my mother-in-law sent for me, the scones/lemon curd/jam/tea that M brought, and the brownies that one of my choir people brought. There were only five of us but I couldn’t ask for five more wonderful women.

Two

A Screwtape Letter for the Unappreciated Mom. Someone in #Cathsorority posted this and I resonate with it so very much. Another way that Screwtape and Wormwood tend to work is through older women I encounter who start harping about how *THEY* never got to read books when their kiddos were little or how *THEIR* husbands never watched the kids so they could go have an hour or two of respite. Seriously, I wish these women knew how much their kvetching makes the young moms want to distance themselves as far from them as possible, causing them (in some cases) to leave the Church.

Three

This article on the measles. Because of my vaccine postings, several people pointed out this article on measles to me. For those in a “tl;dr” mindset, the gist is that scientists have discovered that measles effectively erases immunity to many diseases to which the body has seen before. When kids are vaccinated against measles, they’ve found a drop in mortality to other diseases. This, to me, is a pretty compelling reason to VACCINATE YOUR KIDS.

Four

Murder mysteries. Seriously, I’m loving my “cozies” (the genre of murder mysteries I tend to read) because they give my brain a vacation from the day-to-day stuff I’m forever thinking about and working through internally.

Five

The NCIS franchises. I got caught up on NCIS while I was in San Jose and I’ll be working on getting caught up on NCIS: New Orleans starting this week. I have some crocheting to finish and it should give me something to watch while I do.

Go love up Rachel and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 17, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 17, 2015

Outside my window… gray and cloudy. I’m wondering if more rain is in the future for my parents. (I’m up in San Jose with them for my birthday weekend.)

I am thinking… about a situation in my life right now. Unfortunately, I can’t give details.

I am thankful… for the visit with my parents and with my evil twin and his wife who came down from Washington for the weekend. They flew back north today so it’s just my parents, Daniel, and I tonight. The child and I head back down south tomorrow.

In the kitchen… steak on the barbecue and I think I smell potatoes in the kitchen.

I am wearing… light green shirt and black capris.

I am praying for… a full-time call for Jon, a safe trip back down tomorrow, for Daniel to acquire more speech, and for some special intentions.

I am going… to be walking a 5K on my 35th birthday (Tuesday) to raise money and awareness for preeclampsia research. Details are here.

I am wondering… about some things that need to be worked out when I get home.

I am reading… Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck. I also finished Sinister Sprinkles and read Evil Eclairs this past week as well.

I am hoping… Daniel goes to bed without a fight tonight. Putting him to bed will be a chance for me to catch up on my NCIS backlog. Before we moved back down to southern California (and gave up having a TV), he used to fall asleep in my lap watching NCIS on Tuesdays while Jon had council meetings or Lutheranism 101. At my parents’ house, this is usually the easiest way to get him to sleep because it relaxes him.

I am looking forward to… my birthday on Tuesday.

I am hearing… Daniel’s tablet.

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffie.

A favorite quote for today… “Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’”
— Bob Dylan

One of my favorite things… Ghiradelli brownies with caramel. (It’s what we got instead of a birthday cake last night because neither Sean nor I like cake.)

A few plans for the rest of the week: driving home tomorrow, doing my 5K and PT on Tuesday, various things and my physical on Wednesday, and my nephew’s second birthday on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Sean and I playing on the swings at the park yesterday.

Sean and I on the swings.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 10, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 10, 2015

Outside my window… dark. I’m blogging late yet again. It was in the 80’s today though it has cooled down to the 60’s at this time of night.

I am thinking… about how to deal with my troll who has followed my husband on Twitter in an attempt to get information about me.

I am thankful… for the opportunity to see a good friend of mine from high school yesterday. I also got to finally meet his wife and 13 month old daughter.

In the kitchen… some sushi from Trader Joe’s.

I am wearing… light grey v-neck and capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, relief from my neck/back issues, and for assorted other things.

I am going… in for bloodwork and a x-ray tomorrow morning. Whee!

I am wondering… how to make the fly in my room go away. I kind of wish that Freya was in a hunting mood, even if it meant her leaping on my head.

I am reading… Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck. I’m caught up on Donna Andrews’ work and also read/finished Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck. I started reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and put it down in order to get it on my NOOK as something to read when I finish all of Jessica Beck’s work.

I am hoping… to upgrade my NOOK with any birthday money I get that isn’t going to bills.

I am looking forward to… the wi-fi getting fixed so I don’t have to stand in the kitchen to get a signal in order to post this entry.

I am hearing… Jon’s CPAP machine. (I managed to kill the fly by closing my laptop on it.)

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffed animal from last week.

Around the house… everyone is asleep except me.

One of my favorite things… working wi-fi. *sighs* #FirstWorldProblems

A few plans for the rest of the week: bloodwork/x-ray tomorrow, PT and errands on Tuesday, Bible study on Wednesday, and heading up to San Jose on Friday to be with my family for the communal birthday weekend.

A peek into my day… Freya sitting on the piano and getting it furry.

Miss Freya on the piano getting it furry

Post Script…

For my 35th birthday on May 19th, I’m walking a 5K to raise money for preeclampsia research and awareness. If you’d like to sponsor me, click here.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 5, 2015

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I did this last night and then WordPress ate it… twice! We’ll try again now.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 5, 2015

Outside my window… gray. It’s making it really hard to get up and start my day.

I am thinking… about going back to sleep… and fighting that thought.

I am thankful… for Jon getting Daniel off to school this morning after I turned my alarm off in my sleep.

In the kitchen… just microwaved some beef stroganoff from Trader Joe’s.

I am wearing… black v-neck shirt and jeans.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, relief from the wrist/hand pain, discernment in where to go for a few friends in their marriages, and for the usual special intentions.

I am going… to Target and Trader Joe’s later with my mother-in-law.

I am wondering… how best to deal with a troll situation.

I am reading… The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews. I finished Some Like It Hawk! and The Good, the Bad, and the Emus by her this last week as well as reading Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck, whose books might become a new series for me to read obsessively.

I am hoping… the new router arrives soon so I can actually do things like check my email without having to be in a specific part of the house. (The main router is being catty and a new one is on the way.)

I am looking forward to… seeing my family in a couple weeks.

I am hearing… Daniel’s LeapPad.

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi baby shower present for the friend.

Around the house… I have the washer going and I’m pretty sure there are other robots or machines working.

One of my favorite things… murder mysteries — both reading and writing them.

A few plans for the rest of the week: errands today, Bible study and doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, Daniel’s peds opthalmology appointment on Thursday, cleaning our crap out of the storage unit at some point, and whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… This is in honor of Star Wars Day yesterday. I also didn’t know that Icelandic Lutherans were a cult. 😉

Post Script… I’m doing a 5K walk to raise money for preeclampsia awareness and research on my 35th birthday which is May 19th. If you’d like to sponsor me, details are at http://promisewalk.org/insteadofatattoo.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

#FiveFaves: Miscellanea (XXXII)

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#5Faves

I’m fighting some pretty bad insomnia due to the 96F heat here today (no, I am not kidding) so here are some things that I’m loving right now.

One

“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. It’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I *gasp* like something by her but it’s a good song for my life right now…

Two

Donna Andrews’ books. Absurdist literature meets murder mysteries. I’m reading Some Like It Hawk! right now and the town of Caerphilly is having a street fair kind of thing to get the buildings back that were foreclosed upon by the former mayor who allegedly embezzled the redevelopment funds and didn’t pay on the note. The lender has armed guards guarding the courthouse to make sure that nobody brings any food into the town clerk who has sequestered himself in there and the townfolk refer to them as “flying monkeys” because of their uniforms. It’s good enough that I’ve been blowing off online time to read it.

Three

Daniel. My kiddo saw his doctor on Monday and we found out that he has gained 3 pounds since the last time and is now 3’11” which means he has 14 inches to go before he surpasses me in height. I think my mother-in-law has an online pool going on when that will be. #shortpeopleproblems

Four

Cool sheets on bare skin. It’s getting me through the heat wave.

Five

Trader Joe’s. It’s simply the best store out there. End of discussion.

Go love up Rachel and the others.