Wordless Wednesday

Incoming Storm

Watching a storm come in while we were at the science museum.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

I saw a post for making red sauce on one of my favorite recipe sites The Smitten Kitchen and I had to try it.  Of course, I also did it in my own unique way.  Which includes not really measuring~ but pouring ingredients into my hand, trying something different, etc.  The recipe I tried was Naked Tomato Sauce (kinda a fun name, huh?).  It was pretty good but a lot of work.  Maybe it would get easier if I made it a few times, but I think I will save it for when I am bored or have time on my hands (insert hysterical laughing!  as if those two things would ever happen!) to make it again.  But I will share some pictures I took of my sauce making.  Also, I am really glad I tried!  I can now say that I made homemade sauce at least once.  Life is full of experiences and I never want to have to say "I wish I had done_________-"  (fill in the blank).... so check that one off the bucket list, baby!

Homemade Taco Shells (of the gluten variety)

We love to have tacos.  Since we hardly ever eat out, it is our "fast food."  To us, tacos means spicy beef with a shell of some sort and cheese.

We had one of those those nights were all we had was ground beef in the fridge and not a lot else to choose from.  While I had all the allergen free ingredients for my allergy boys, there was nothing for my honey or X-Box (my non-allergy kiddo).  So I decided to give making homemade flour taco/tortilla shells a whirl.  And you know what?  They were good.  Really good.  So good that we won't be buying them anymore.  It takes a bit of work, but they froze up fine and I can just pull them out when I need them.  Actually, I was surprised how easy they were.

Here is the recipe I followed and adapted:

3 cups of flour (I used unbleached white flour and another time bread flour.  Both worked)
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup palm shortening, lard or oil of choice
2 tsp baking powder

Heat water to about 120 degrees.  My microwave is one minute per cup of water.
Mix the flour, sea salt, baking powder and shortening together.  Once it is mixed into a crumbly looking mixture add the warm water.  Knead into a ball.  Put in a bowl and cover with a damp towel.  Let it sit 30 minutes.

Once it has sat, roll in to egg size balls for small tortilla shells.  Roll flat.  I used a seasoned cast iron pan for a non-stick surface.  But I supposed a greased fry pan would work as well.  Cook until each side is browned.  About 2-4 minutes per side.  Sometimes they appear a bit crunchy, but they will soften a bit as they sit.

Science Experiment~Helmets do work

We were learning about the brain and how God designed a cushion of cerebral fluid to protect the brain.  We practiced with an egg to see how impact affects our brain.  We used an Easter egg for the bone of the brain.  With one egg we just put an Easter egg around it.  With a second egg we cushioned it with a layer of molasses to simulate the brain fluid.  It was pretty cool to see how our brains are protected by God.

While one brain was completely smashed, the other only had a small piece broken.

Preview of God's Goodness

We have had two apple trees in our yard for three summers now.  Every spring we get excited at the sight of clusters of pink apple blossoms on our apple trees.  So far we have been greatly disappointed at the product.  Zip, Zero, Nada.  No apples.  This year was no exception.  Until one day this past week, as I was pulling into our driveway, my littlest one said with great gusto, "Mama, there's a red apple in our tree!"  Sure enough, we had one small, red apple growing towards the top of the tree.  We waited until the first frost for the apple to sweeten so we could pick it.  Every day pulling into that driveway, the red apple winked at us.  A promise of its sweet, juiciness tempted us.  Finally it was time.  I let the little one climb up and pick it.  We put it on the table and it sat.  Waiting.  Waiting for Daddy to come home so we could all share in our tree's first fruit.  The boys picked it up, smelled it, they held it, begging to eat it.  Repeatedly.  They kept asking when Daddy would be home.  Finally, Daddy came home.  We sliced it.  We ate it.  It was good.  Now, we just need to wait one whole year to repeat this process.  Hopefully, next fall our trees will be full of apples.

Sorry the pictures are sideways.  Couldn't get them to load right.  Grrr.

This simple apple was profound for me.  While my thoughts went a bit deeper and more personally into my life, I wanted to share a bit of what God spoke to me.  You see, when things are tough or empty, God has a promise for us.  That apple is a promise of sweet, juicy goodness that is to come.  In the next few years we will harvest more and more apples. It offers us a glimpse of what the future maybe.  Also, while I was disappointed all summer, let down and thinking we had nothing we could get from our trees, God was working a small miracle in a little apple.  AND, I could not see it.  Just because I could not see the goodness, did it mean that it wasn't there?  There was something I could not see.  But it was there!  I love this illustration.  It touched my heart.  Often I can not see what goodness God is working.  But that doesn't mean it is not there. 

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. Psalm 34:8

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Also, I love that sometimes we can see the apple.  It sits there and we have to wait for that sweet goodness.  My boys had to wait.  They saw the apple. Then they could touch the apple.  But still had to wait.  Sometimes we can see God's promise off in the distance.  BUT we have to wait.  And oh boy, can that waiting be tough.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. Psalm 34:8

Boys are BOYS! ~zipline adventure

People often ask me how it is that I haven't had a nervous breakdown having three daredevils with endless creativity and energy.

I trust in the Lord and look the other way.  It is as simple as that.  You see God loaned them to me.  I am to care for them, train them and love them.  But they are God's and they are just on loan.

My philosophy is that I let them learn how to do something the right way instead of telling them they can't do it or its to dangerous (within reason of course!!!!)  Things like climbing a tree, a homemade bike jump/ramp, pulling a skate board behind a bike, whittling a spear, or creating a homemade zipline,

Looking out my back windows the other day, I see them with a rope and ask what they are doing.  Trying to make a zipline to go over the pool so they can land in it.  I let them work on it for awhile.  My dearest husband came home he went right out to help.

I had to share pictures with you all.