Tidbits from this week

YES!: I figured I will start with this. Dad had some tests run this week, and doctors CANNOT FIND A TRACE OF CANCER ANYWHERE. Praise God! Dad doesn't have to see the inside of a doctor's office until September. Also, Dad's officially a resident of Adams, WI. Two days before he left, there was a tornado near him. Dad ended his Illinois residency with a bang!

Prayers, please: Gabe and I are discussing something pretty life-changing for our little family. Major prayers are needed. Thank you.


It's about time: Ella is starting guitar lessons. Her love affair with the guitar began when she was fairly young....

...and it continues

 

 

New duds: It's no big secret that Ella and I like shopping at Rose's/Maxway. Their prices are great, they have jeans that fit my skinny kid, and they carry a wide variety of Christian T-shirts. See?

More great news: My oldest sister just passed one of the hardest pharmacy tests she's ever had to take. Yes!

Cereal Box Sandals

Most of you know by now that Ella is in the summer reading-arts program at our local library. Today, we made cereal-box sandals. My friend Laura was intrigued by these (she totally needs a blog, by the way...hint, hint, Laura) and asked me how to make these sandals.

For once, I was actually just the watcher and not the maker of these things, so I was able to take pictures.

Here's what you need.

*Empty cereal box
*glue/tape
*scissors
*stuff to decorate the sandals with


Here's What You Do:

*Flatten your cereal box

*Trace your feet, and cut them out

 

 

*Using another part of the box, make straps for your sandals, and glue/tape in place

*Decorate!

*And voila :)

Desperation in the Kitchen: Black Bean Brownies

I figured it was about time I posted this recipe, considering I made it for the first time two weeks ago. While Ella knew what was in it the whole time (she helped make them!), Gabe did not, so he was my guinea pig.

I figured if a chocoholic like Gabe would like them, then they have passed the test!

They definitely passed the Gabe test, and I've made them again since.


Here's what you need:

*one can of black beans, rinsed and drained
*3 tablespoons of peanut butter
*2 eggs
*4 tablespoons of coconut oil
*4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*3/4 cup sugar (I used less but the recipe called for this much)
*1/2 teaspoon salt

Here's what you do


*Blend your black beans until they are smooth. My blender DIED right before I made this recipe, so I had to use the stick blender Gabe's Mom sent us a while back...I'm scared to death to use it sometimes...you know, I start thinking about food spraying everywhere....

*Throw everything into the mixing bowl and mix. I used a spoon for this. The stick blender was just too much for me there. It was OK to mix the beans with but...but...yeah, I have kitchen OCD. Bigtime.

It looks like regular brownie mix, doesn't it? It tastes like it too :)

*Bake at 350 until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.

They look like this when they are done. I went to answer a phone call and when I returned I was going to take a picture of what a single brownie looked like. Never.happened.

They're delish!

26/52

It's been a crazy week. I'm trying to clean up my life (housewise and literally, and that means saying goodbye to some people, but good riddance!) and keep my sanity.


But, wow!

Halfway through this project!

26/52: The bunny ears made an appearance this weekend. Gabe did too :)

26/52, Sunday: She's very patriotic today. :)

Fridays with Ella: Helping Others

Hi.

This week, I learned about the JOY way of thinking.
First, you should think about Jesus.
Then, Others.
Then, Yourself.

We should be praying everyday.
We should be helping other people.

I found out this week about a little girl who had to leave her house and had no clothes. We were able to help her get some clothes.

I got some new clothes from a friend of my Mom's. This girl needed them more than I do, so I gave them to her.  We were able to give a little bit of everything, even dressy skirts and a bathing suit. Every little girl needs those things. I hope she likes them. We're going through the rest of my clothes to see what else we can give her.

If you ever have the chance to help someone, you should help. It doesn't take much out of our time, and when someone isn't able to do something for themselves because they are sick or disabled, it's our responsibility to help them.

When my friend Ms. Lora was sick, Mom and I helped her by going to her house, and cooking for her. Even though she died, I will never forget visiting her home and how helping her made me feel good, too.

What Ella wore:

Heart dress: thrifted, Bonnie Jean brand
shoes: thrifted.

Tidbits from this Week

Ugh! Mosquitoes!: This summer is already full of creepy-crawlies and Ella has already been bitten a handful of times. Anyone with natural remedies for mosquito bites, please let me know.

Summer Reading, Arts and Crafts: Ella has started the library summer reading program this week. There is a craft and then afterwards, kids have the option of staying for the Summer Lunch Bunch, and bring a sack lunch. This week, the kids made fish prints (from art store rubber fish, thank heavens).

A little concerned: While we were at the summer reading program, a boy (possibly named Alex, I'm so bad with names) stuck pretty close to Ella. He didn't say much, he just smiled a lot and let her go in front of him in EVERY line...Gabe says NO BOYS! I'm a bit concerned...she is only 8. MaybeAlex (lol) is maybe 10. Surely that is too young to have a crush on a little girl, right? RIGHT?

Ella and MaybeAlex.

See? There he is again.

Getting rid of clutter:  Do ya'll know what a 27 Fling is? Every week, my aim will be to get rid of 27 things that I don't need anymore, either by tossing them out in the trash or giving them to someone who needs them.

Summer of Reading: I think the summer that I fell completely in love with reading was the year before I entered fifth grade. Ella is two years ahead of me. Her head is always in a book.

Happy Chaos

That's where my life is right now. Other than the usual mini-worries, life has been plugging along quite nicely for us. It's officially summer now, and life is full of library visits, river outings, bike rides...

I'm busy. We all are. The housework literally waits until Ella is in bed, asleep.

Dinners can either be takeout, or a whole complicated affair, but everything is in a blurry state of happy chaos.

Ella is involved in a summer arts program. We stay out til late riding bikes, or exploring the countryside. I fall into bed exhausted every night, but I know that these are the days she's going to remember, and the fact that I never remember doing any of this with my own mother drives me to do better.

So, my blogging may or may not suffer. Gabe is understanding and knows this little blog is my outlet, and so he always finds a way to give me the time to keep up with it.

That's where our life is.

And yes, I totally burned that burner cover. Whoops.