Let the Gardening begin

For Mother's Day my hero and the crew built me a raised garden bed. We used the plans from Ree, the Pioneer Woman's site. My hero built it with a little help from Iceman and Kodiak. Kodiak stained it for me with some mistint stain I found at Rona (it's kind of more purple than taupe but it does the job and I don't hate it). Turtle hauled away all the empty bags of compost, peat and zeolite. La Diva kept up on the laundry and other chores that day so they could get my gift completed. I'm so pleased with it and looking forward to getting my hands dirty. I've started some seedlings and also been given some plants by my neighbor. I was going to get a picture of it up today but my neighbor came calling and said I could help myself to some of her perennials. She's thinning out some beds. Now I have to figure out all that she has given me as she had forgotten most of the names. I have some iris and a pink rose bush for sure.

He is Risen

He Chose the Nails

The tricky Leprechaun paid us a visit last night. Iceman and Turtle woke to shamrocks scattered all down the stairs. They reported that he took their pictures off the wall (they painted me some canvas art several years ago that hang along our stairwell), hide one and hung another where it didn't belong, he through dish towels all over the kitchen but he made them green pancakes. Ice said they knew the pancakes were from him because he left a picture of his shoes on them. That tricky guy also took my near dead roses and tipped them stems up in the vase of water, scattering petals all over a table in the living room. The boys could not believe he would be so brazen and mess with mom's flowers. No gold today... the economy must be hitting the Leprechaun's budget ;) or maybe he could not find any gold coins that weren't imported from China.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Birthday!

Just before heading to her Jam Camp at the Apple store with Dad. How they spent the day!

Today you are 12 years old, on the brink of becoming a teenager. You are such a lovely young lady. We are so very proud of you in so many ways. Your hard work and enthusiasm in school, your helpfulness at home, your natural caring ways with your little brothers, your big heart, your clutzy ways, your wonderful talents in so many things are just a few of the things that make you so very special. We know that this past year has been difficult for you at school but you have not lost yourself as a result of those trials. You hold your head high and stick to what you believe is right no matter how difficult that may be at times. That makes us so very proud. We hope that you will always be able to look within yourself to find the strength to push through the challenges that life may throw your way. You are braver and stronger than you think you are. I hope you know that your family is behind you. We will always be there to love and support you through the joys and challenges of life. This next year will bring many more changes for you but we have confidence that you will navigate through them with the grace and wisdom that is you. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Oh no! 2 Boyfriends!

Sharing Christmas

Christmas Day at Gramma and Poppa's.

Christmas Eve storytime.... Twas the Night Before Christmas...
notice La Diva in her cap. She wanted curls for Christmas Day.

Story of Christmas from Luke, I think it's kinda cute that the Hero is reading
from his daughter's pink Bible.

The Pickle Finders for Christmas Eve 2008! They started working as teams last year and find it works to their advantage. They all enjoyed the pickle prize of Wii music.

Jesus' Birthday Cake. Turtle thinks Angel food is the best choice.

Spoiled Rotten

We've been busy taking it easy since Christmas. We had an awesome Christmas Eve and an enjoyable day with our extended family. The crew have been enjoying their new Wii games and we've been watching some of the family movies they got. The Hero and Kodiak ventured out on boxing day as bigfoot aka Kodiak needed new bindings for his snowboard. They ended up coming home with bindings and a new board because they got a killer deal. I had predicted that they wouldn't stop at bindings. lol The Hero is taking up boarding this year so he will use the board when he's taking his lessons during the week. Then they will have to wrestle for it when they all go boarding. heh!

After weeks of feeling awesome I've had a few days of weariness. I guess all the stress and busyness caught up to me. Oh well, I'm thankful for those good days and am no where near where I once was. I'm hoping I can hold it together until Dr. X gets back from Chicago in the new year.

I was royally spoiled by the Hero for Christmas. I'm still reeling at all the surprises that he was able to pull off. We had agreed that this year we would keep things simple and while I upheld my end of the bargain he went over the top. I feel like a Queen with all my lovely new things- from beautiful bling to my very own Macbook!!!! The Hero and I are going to take in some classes at Apple university so that I can learn all the tricks of my new toy.

We are so greatful for the many blessings that we have been given this year. The Hero's hard work and our sacrifice of his time these past few months paid off in early December with a big promotion and all that comes with it. We are not taking that blessing for granted considering the state of the economy. We are very thankful and were excited to be an even greater blessing to those who have less than we do this Christmas season. This year more than many before we were able to communicate the reason for the season to all of our children. It was awesome to watch them be more concerned about giving than getting. I hope that we can carry this spirit over through the new year with the crew and get involved in some projects throughout the year.

I'm not sure what our plans are for New Years. I think that we might fondue. We will likely stick close to home and keep it low key. We surely cherish our time together and are grateful that the Hero is essentially off work until the New Year.

Merry Christmas from the Hutch

We were asked to share our favorite Christmas memories by the Elementary school. When I asked the crew what they thought was the best Christmas they came up with the following:

The Hutch crew has spent many years living far from their family. During those years we were not always able to travel at Christmas and we only had family come to us a handful of times. We created many traditions to make the holidays special. When we asked the kids what their favorite Christmas memory was they said the times when we did not have to travel and could keep doing the things that are special to our family.

La Diva loves when Dad reads the story of the birth of Jesus from the Bible on Christmas Eve. The kids all crowd around to hear it and we have pictures of this special event from nearly every year. As they’ve grown older they take turns reading it or reading one of the books that have also become part of our traditions. We read “the Small One” and as a nod to Mom’s childhood we read her Hallmark Pop-up book of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. She also likes that we get to open our ornament present on Christmas Eve. Everyone looks forward to finding out what Mom and Dad have found for him or her to represent the year. They will have quite the collection when they leave home.

Iceman likes finding the pickle hidden on the Christmas tree. A Pickle on a Christmas tree may sound strange to some but we hide a glass pickle ornament on our tree. The child that finds it will get the first prayer of blessing from Dad and gets to open the pickle present. The pickle present is a gift that can be enjoyed by all the kids and is usually a book, a board game, a video game or a DVD. Isaac can’t wait to see what the pickle present is this year and hopes that he gets to find it.

Turtle said that he likes the birthday cake we make for Christmas Eve. We’ve had several kinds over the years but his favorite is angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. We light candles and sing “Happy Birthday to Jesus”.

Kodiak said his favorite part about staying home at Christmas is being able to stay in our pjs when we open presents on Christmas morning. His Grandma likes everyone to be dressed up in their Christmas best…. he’s a teenager and he doesn’t like getting up any earlier than necessary.

Other traditions at the Hutch during the Christmas season are for each child to do a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, to help our community in some way by being involved in their Christmas program in some way and giving to those who are not as blessed as we are. We also celebrate the season of Advent by making a wreath and lighting a candle and doing a devotional each Sunday. This year we have a new tradition that uses a homemade Advent Calendar to help us to focus on the important things during this busy time of year. Each day has activities for us to do that range from “being kind to someone we don’t like” to “making popcorn and watching a movie as a family”. Of course we love all the food, the decorating and opening presents too.

We hope you enjoyed a peek inside the crew's favorite memories of Christmas. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a New Year that is filled with life's richest blessings of love, peace and joy! Enjoy your time with those you love.

Baking frenzy

I've been on a baking frenzy for the past couple of days. I've made Marshmallows, Eggnog Poundcake, Gingerbread Cupcakes, Banana Crunch Muffins and Orange Poundcake for Trifle for Christmas. I need to make Coconut Cupcakes, Viola's Chocolate Cupcakes, another batch of eggnog pound cake to give away and some more marshmallows, as we gifted the entire batch. I'm in charge of desserts for Christmas Dinner with the only request being trifle and something chocolate. I decided to do a variety of cupcakes which I'm freezing ahead of time and will ice on Christmas Eve.

Barefoot Contessa's Marshmallow Recipe

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
With the mixer on low speed slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

With a sieve, generously dust an 8 x 12-inch non-metal baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top** and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. dust them with more confectioners' sugar.

Yield: 20 to 40 marshmallows, depending on cut size
Recipe from: Barefoot Contessa Family-Style by Ina Garten (Clarkson N. Potter)
** sometimes we sprinkle with crushed candy canes and then dust with confectioners' sugar.

Eggnog Pound Cake

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup eggnog
Method
Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well
after each addition, then the vanilla.
Add flour mixture to bowl, alternating with eggnog.
Bake at 325° for about 65-75 minutes (in 2 loaf pans), 70-80 minutes (in a
Bundt) or about 22 minutes for mini-loaves.

*recipe from my friend Julya. It's been a huge hit with all the ladies on our message board this year.

Viola's Grandmother's Famous Chocolate Oil Cake

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
3 cup flour
4 heaping tbsp. Hershey's cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cup boiling water

Procedure

Combine sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Sift dry ingredients and add to batter along with boiling water.

Pour batter into two 9-inch rounds (or into one 9 x 13 baking dish). Bake at 350° F for 30 to 35 minutes (rounds) or 35 to 45 minutes (sheet).

Ice as desired. I like to use a double dark fudge frosting like Duncan Hines, but a ganache is even more decadent!

***This is another famous recipe from a group of gals who met on Martha Stewart boards.  This is always the chocolate recipe I go back to.  I'll be making it into cupcakes this time.

Well I better get to it.  I need to run out this evening and finish up my Christmas shopping.  Still haven't got a thing for the Hero. ;)

O Christmas Tree

This weekend we decorated our Christmas tree... finally... the poor thing has been sitting in the corner nekkid for way too long. We have a slim tree for our current home and we had too many ornaments to decorate it with. So we went with the ones with memories over the color coordination. I did manage to sneak in a few of my copper sprigs, sprays and beaded garland. Otherwise it is very much a tree of memories with the ornaments that the crew and the Hero receive each year. We have enough fire related decorations to do a whole tree and when we have room for more than one tree we will do that.

We also made cut out gingerbread babies (that is what Iceman and Turtle insisted on calling them after we read Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby) and sugar cookies. The crew had much fun decorating them. I'm pretty good on the making memories part but I'm not so great at capturing them on camera.

This week is a busy one so I don't know if I'll get on here very much. I'm trying a new treatment for my torment this morning... if I'm up to it after I'll let you know how it went.

Gah!!! or should I say Bah Humbug!

Who screws up Butterscotch Confetti Squares?? They are nearly the easiest thing to make but I had nothing but trouble pulling this off today. gah! I'm so not into baking this Christmas. The crew are clamoring for some treats but I think I'm going to make the new home ec student (Kodiak) take charge and make some cookies. He has baked some really wonderful things so far this term. I figure it can't be worse than how I'm making out this year. I was going to make Madeleines but I must wait til I'm in a better baking groove. We've been lax on the goodies around here since I lost weight (yes, I punish them all for my lack of self-control....bwa hahahahaha) and I seem to have lost my baking mojo somewhere.

Advent

I finally did it, I made an advent calendar that we can use every year. I'm craft impaired but when the Hero came home with a boxful of Starbucks mittens from last years gift cards I knew I had to do something with them. I had this old frame with the glass broken out of that has been laying around begging to be re-purposed, so I wrapped the matte in Christmas paper, strung some mini garland for the mittens to hang off and stamped numbers on some scrapbooking embellishments... Viola... advent calendar. I planned to do some nicer inserts but ran out of time so I just tucked slips of paper with the instructions for the day on them. Our list of advent activities for this year are, in no particular order:

Sing a Christmas Carol

Write “I love you” notes to your parents and hide them under their pillows.

Ask a parent permission to make popcorn for your family and watch your favorite holiday movie.

Be nice to someone that you do not like a lot.

Offer to say grace at mealtime.

Clean your bedroom without being asked.

Make a Christmas Card for your favorite teacher and give it to them.

Hug everyone in your family today.

Read the Christmas story to your family.

Read Luke 2:1-20 with your family and then set up your Christmas crèche.

Take a drive to look at the pretty lights.

Read your favorite holiday story.

Do something nice for someone in honor of your mother.

Donate food to someone’s holiday meal.

Your Mom has a treat for you today.

Bake holiday treats and share them with someone.

Give service to someone by sweeping their walk or shoveling their snow.

Be secret Santa to someone and give them an anonymous gift.

Make a cup of Hot Cocoa and think about your blessings.

Write down 3 things you are thankful for.

Put spare change in a bell ringer’s bucket.

Tell someone you love them and are glad they are part of your life.

Do something nice for a brother or sister.

Say a prayer for the hungry people in the world.

A week in review....

Things have certainly run away from me lately. We've done some exciting things recently (well exciting for me anyway ;)) and I'd like to document them so bear with me while I ramble about our week.

Last weekend a colleague of the Hero's was in town for some meetings and brought his lovely wife along. The Hero has known him for many years but this is the first chance that I have had to meet his sweet wife. It was great to have some intelligent conversation and great company. We went out to dinner Friday night and then on Saturday attended an event with them.

Saturday night brought one of those moments that confirms many things that you know in your heart but are not sure if you are seeing things from out of your own love and appreciation for someone you love or out of something more unbiased. My heart was full of pride as I watched my Hero in his element. He has the respect of many in his industry and Saturday night made it so evident to me just how high they hold him in esteem. I'm so very proud of him and all that he has accomplished. He was asked to meet with the minister in charge of fire services for our province and make a presentation to other ministers. It was a wonderful social event and for those of us in Hazzard who aren't used to seeing firefighters shown gratitude and appreciation it was heart warming to know that it exists out there somewhere. Speaking of Hazzard, it was interesting to have confirmed, straight from the horses mouth so to speak, all we already knew about the situation with Cruella and her minions and their razing of our department. It brought me great joy to hear directly from the minister in charge of our heroes the direction that the fire service needs to be taking. It was not the least bit surprising to us to hear that everything that Cruella had pulled and claimed was true went completely against the direction our province is taking in regards to this area of service. I have to admit that after all our family has been through that it brought about some personal satisfaction but it also makes me even more fearful for those that we still care about that are on the department (they may be busy maligning the Hero and others like him but we still pray for their safety).

I can't remember if I told you all but I'm now on the executive for both the PTA and the Parent Council of our Elementary school. This past week was my first official meeting as such and with that came doing cookie dough orders and setting up another fundraising initiative for the school. It was good to feel useful and be around other people who genuinely care about the direction of our school. I'm looking forward to working with these women and the Hero (who is still Chair of PC). It looks like I will be administrating this new fundraising initiative for now and I hope that my body holds out for me and I have good days on those days that I need to work through all the paperwork. I'm also thankful for a sensible person to work alongside. We've lived in Hazzard for about the same amount of time and we've made about the same amount of friends here. LOL It's good to know it's the way of Hazzard rather than just me. She is a non-gossipy type person and a straight shooter so I think we will enjoy working together.

This weekend we got together with what is left of our fire department family. It was really great to see everyone again. I love that we still have such respect and warm hugs for each other. We had a fabulous dinner at a great restaurant and it was good to be in the company of dear ones again. We look forward to our next get together in the new year.

Today we are going to get the house set up for Christmas. We put the tree up yesterday to make sure all the lights worked and will get it decorated today. It's hard to get into the Christmas spirit as the weather has been unseasonably warm and we've yet to have snow that sticks. The crew is very excited about decking the halls and it should be a great family time together. The Hero jets off to the wet coast for a few days this week so it will be good to spend this day enjoying each other.

If you are still reading you are likely procrastinating something, are suffering from insomnia or are jacked up on caffiene. ;) I appreciate your visit to our life and hope that you take some time today to show those around you that they are appreciated. Do something that will bring you and those you love some JOY!!

Earth Day

It's hard not to think of Earth day today as I look out my window to see the tree branches blowing about and a near foot of snow out my door. We've had spring snowstorms in the past but they were never like this... lasting days and making it all feel like winter again. I'd post a picture but our new camera is stuck en route somewhere in a UPS truck, delayed due to the treacherous road conditions I'm sure.

This is one of the most sensible articles I've read on "going green".

Our children were supposed to be doing a school yard clean up today but the garbage is now buried under the snow. I hope they will reschedule. It's unfortunate because we live on the street that also has the 2 schools for our town and the garbage from these kids blows into our yard constantly.

I know that there is alot more that my own family could be doing but for now we are doing the best we can. A few of the things we do:

• changed out all our lightbulbs years ago
• recycle some things
• donate reusable items that we no longer have a need for
• support farmer's markets and buy local when possible
• maintain our vehicles
• use resusable bags as much as I can- I have a resistant Hero but that is not without reason and a rant for another day
• minimize the disposable packaging in our children's lunches
• repurpose things like coffee to go lids and other "garbage" for crafts, draining medium in planters, etc
• use our own water bottles and coffee to go cups as much as possible, note to self find a different solution for our BPA filled water bottles *sigh*
• use phospate free laundry detergent, hang to dry when possible, have a front loader washer
• use eco friendly cleaning products or homemade solutions
• use a bagless vacuum
• read daily newspaper online
• culled many magazine subscriptions, pass along the ones we have to friends, school, etc
• shut off lights
• keep temperature down and wear layers

Horton Hears an Egg Knocking

We had a really great long weekend. The Hero has had several trips away the last little while with several more to come. It isn't easy on me or the crew. We miss him and things are out of sync when he is away. We had orginally planned to sneak away this weekend so we could have some quality family time. The forecast was all over the map so rather than risk bad weather spoiling our plans we decided to stay put, turn off the crackberry (YIPPEE!!) and do what we wanted to do. You know how holidays can sometimes be filled with meeting the expectations of others, following agendas, driving, stress, etc. We chose to avoid that and just spend our time reconnecting and celebrating the gift of what Jesus did for us.

We really had fun this weekend and spent most of it just the 6 of us. We went to see Horton Hears A Who, did traditional things - coloring eggs, stootzing, eating hot cross buns, made new traditions- resurrection cookies, chocolate chip hot cross buns and a new story, reflected, laughed, kids played lots of soccer, discussed why we celebrate Easter, shared dinner with friends and most importantly enjoyed each other.

The Hero has to work tomorrow. The crew has another day off of school. We will need to get to our library books and home reading. I still hope to get a chance to watch the Passion of the Christ again. Kodiak has watched it with me before but La Diva finds it too painful to watch and the boys are too young to understand or see the brutality. Our lesson with the beating of the nuts was sufficient for them.

If you are looking for things to make with that leftover ham. Here are two of my favorites:


HAM AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

This is an easy and economical casserole. I often take it to potlucks along with copies of the recipe.

½ cup Miracle Whip
¼ cup milk
2 cups raw broccoli, chopped
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups ham, cubed
1 ½ cups cooked rotini noodles
½ cup green pepper, chopped

Topping: ¾ cup croutons and ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together all ingredients except topping. Top with topping and bake @ 350F for 30 minutes.


HOT EGG N CHEESE ROLLS

Grammie always made these and they are so yummy. Great to make ahead and keep in the freezer.

5 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
1 cup cheddar or Velveeta cheese, cubed
¼ cup, celery, diced
1 tsp. Chopped onion
1 pkg. ham chopped
1 Tbsp. chili sauce or pickled relish
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of chili powder, if desired
3 Tbsp. salad dressing aka mayo ;)
1 dozen hot dog buns

Mix all together and add salad dressing to moisten. Stuff hot dog buns and wrap in tinfoil. You can put back into the plastic bag the hot dog buns came in and freeze at this time. Put in the oven until the cheese is melted. Don’t use the microwave, they get soggy and you miss out on the crispy bun.

Easter Blessings

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Preparing for Resurrection Sunday

It's been a busy day so far. We colored eggs this morning in preparation of our traditional "stootzing" (more on that tomorrow) on Easter Sunday morning. Then the crew set off to complete their weekend chores. I made Ina's Lemon Cakes for our dessert tomorrow. I can't wait for dessert they are so yummy. Also on the menu: ham with mango glaze, scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus with parm petals, green beans and Art Smith's biscuits.

Tonight we are going to make Resurrection Story Cookies. I'll include the recipe in case any of you want to join us.

These cookies are made the evening before celebrating the Resurrection, and are cooked in a warm oven overnight so they will be ready on Easter morning.

You need to preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important--don't wait until you are half done with the recipe!)

3 egg whites
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
A zipper baggie
A wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar.
Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

A few comments on this post......

If you haven't made Art's biscuits you HAVE to, they are to. die. for!! The Hero said if we didn't have guests he would have been hard pressed not to eat the entire dish. I doubled the recipe for company and served them with chive butter.

Our Resurrection cookies were not hollow this morning. I keep forgetting we are no longer in the desert climate we've become so accustomed to in the south part of our province. This is a relatively new home so it is very humid from the new wood. We also awoke to fog, add the snow still on the ground and you have tons of moisture in the air. We reheated the oven, turned it off and then put the cookies back in for a bit. After a couple of hours the were more hollow and able to be enjoyed. I didn't have pecans so we subbed almonds and they were yummy but needed a harder beating with the wooden spoons. We eventually added the meat tenderizing mallet into the mix to hasten the process. Iceman saved the lesson for the morning by remembering a book on his bookshelf called "Love One Another- The Last Days of Jesus" which told the story of Jesus' sacrifice and had a picture of the empty tomb in it. He did a great job starting off the reading of that story but turned it over to Kodiak when he became a bit overwhelmed by the size of the paragraphs.

He Chose the Nails

Not a pretty sight is it? Yet with this picture of pain, torture, brutality comes love, mercy and grace. Take a moment and reflect on what Jesus did for us. There is a great devotion at He Chose the Nails, it takes almost 10 minutes but it is worth the time in reflection.

For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live

Not I but Christ that lives within me

His Cross will never ask for more than I can give

For its not my strength but His

There's no greater sacrifice

For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live

~chorus from Crucified with Christ, Phillips, Craig & Dean

A visit from the tricky Leprechaun

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We started the day with excitement from the visit of the trickster last night. This tradition was started last year due to Iceman's memories of the havoc the Leprechaun created in his classroom the year before. We were surprised that Ice was so enthralled with this creature as he's never bought into any of the other mythical traditions that so many families do for holidays - Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, et al. have not been major players at the Hutch. So last year we decided to indulge his excitement and the Leprechaun made a visit to our home. Yesterday he was beside himself before bedtime with worries about what the Leprechaun may try to pull this year. His eyes sparkled as he shared his thoughts on the types of tricks that could be played. He was a bit disappointed when he discovered that it wasn't a statutory holiday and he'd still have to go to school.

The boys were not disappointed this morning. Iceman is a major detail guy and likes things to be in their place (except for his toys... how does one transfer the OCD to that part of his life??) which means he doesn't miss a trick. Upside down clocks, fish bowls in the wrong place, pictures moved or upside down, a box of rice instead of cereal on the table, gold coins, an Easter sign hanging on the front door where a shamrock had been all month, coats moved, packs on wrong hooks and yummy chocolate coins covered in gold. Iceman did not miss a thing. He shared the stories of the visit of the tricky one with his teacher and classmates. His eyes sparkled as he retold a few of the tricks during our parent teacher conference this afternoon. He was decked out in his green shirt and plastic green top hat too. Turtle gets to carry on the day tomorrow with a green shirt and a sparkly green top hot as he did not have school today. He was pleased to be able to share a shamrock shake with me today as consolation for him not having school on St. Paddy's Day. I think most of the tricks have been returned to normal, if not Iceman will be sure to draw my attention to something I missed.

The Hero and I snuck out for a pint and some wings as our nod to green day and tricks pulled.

International Women's Day!

I'll admit that I just read this on my calendar and had to wiki it to find out what it was all about.

So in honor of this day I want to give a 'shout-out' to all the women who have touched my life - past and present. Each of you have added something to my life and I thank you for that gift.

My favorite girl power quote:

“A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave its warriors or strong its weapons.” ~Cheyenne Proverb