Transforming Julie

2012!!!

2012-01-01T07:42:00.000-06:00

A BIG fat happy heartfelt HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!!!!

What Are You Wearing?

2011-12-28T16:33:00.000-06:00

I have been reading Sinclair Ferguson's book By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me. This paragraph on Christ's righteousness is incredible. Have a tissue handy.

"The only righteousness with which I am righteous is Jesus Christ's righteousness. It is as if He has said to me: 'Here is my righteousness. Wear it; it is yours. It fits your needs perfectly and completely.' As I stand in God's presence and He looks at me, I hear Him say: 'Where have I seen that righteousness before? Come near. I recognize it now. That is My Son's righteousness you are wearing. Enter! You are welcome-and safe-here.' "

Out With the Old...in With the Refurbished

2011-12-22T11:24:00.000-06:00

Faded Jeans Before

Dyed Jeans After

These plant stands were a dull ivory. Charles spray painted them a textured bronze for me. Aren't they awesome?

This is my Grandma's sewing stool. The top lifts off and there's a storage place underneath for thread and what not. Anyways, it was a dull brown, kind of beat up. My Dad stripped it and stained it this beautiful blue. Mom and I put a new cover on the seat. A fun family affair.

I have some more projects for the New Year that I'm sooo excited about. I'm just having a lot of fun with refurbishing old things that I have and still enjoy. I'm also creating a storyboard of colors and textures for the upstairs great room that is beginning to take some shape. My creative side has been dormant for some years and is now waking up. Yay!!

Advent Reading

2011-12-19T22:08:00.000-06:00

We have a number of Advent books in our family library and it's always a big debate as to which one we'll read from each year. This year the reading is from this book:

Jotham is a 10 year old boy. One night he gets angry with his father and leaves their caravan. In the morning his family is looking for him and from various signs on the outskirts of their camp, they think he is dead from wild animals. They "bury" him and their caravan leaves as they have to get to Bethlehem, their birth home, and register for the census. The story follows all of Jotham's hair raising encounters as well as all the people and happenings surrounding Christ's birth. It's great reading for Advent. There is a reading for every day and a little lesson at the end of each day for pondering and/or discussing with your family. There are two sequels to this and they're just as good. The main characters from this book make appearances in the sequels as well. Something to think about for next year.

A New Addiction

2011-12-11T21:14:00.000-06:00

I am HOOKED on John Flanagan's book series The Ranger's Apprentice. The crazy thing is that I'm not big on the whole fantasy genre but this series has grabbed me. These books are written and directed towards boys, grade 5 and up. So here I am, a 47 yr. old woman reading this series. How funny is that?I am just now finishing up book 3 and am going to the library tomorrow to pick up books 4 and 5. I believe there is a total of 10 books in this series.

The story line is Tolkienish but not quite up to the level of Tolkien.Will is the main character who is a Ranger Apprentice under Halt. The story is about Will, who is a ward of the Baron of Araluen because Will's parents are deceased. At the age of 16, he and the other wards of the land participate in choosing day. This is a day in which they can pick the type of "job" they want to apprentice under and it is theirs upon approval by the person over that "job". Will is accepted to be an apprentice to Halt, a Ranger. The Rangers are spies of the kingdom who are trained with weapons but also in a techinique of moving in shadows, trees, and such so that they're not seen. The stories follow Will's training, victories, captures, etc...they are fast paced and really hold my attention. I cannot put them down.

These are great books with themes of loyalty, integrity, honesty, bravery, and more. I highly recommend them.

The Year Round Nativity

2011-12-06T20:34:00.000-06:00

This is a little (1 1/2" x 1 1/2") nativity scene that I have had forever:

I do not remember when it was given to me, I do not remember never having it. When last Christmas was packed up I purposely left it out because I wanted to see it through the year. I think it's a good thing to have a nativity out year round. Mine will not be packed up again but left out to see and think about Christ. (Forgive the blurriness not my forte)

Colorific

2011-12-06T12:05:00.000-06:00

I was browsing through some magazine and noticed a make-up ad. I zeroed in on the model's lips because something was different. She had a darker shade on her top lip and a lighter shade on her lower lip. What a great idea!!! I LOVE lipstick! My selection is not as large as it once was but I do have shades that are not very complimentary to my skin tone but I can't bring myself to throw them away. (Sometimes I write or draw on my husband's side of the mirror with the unacceptables) Now, I'm using the less complimentary shades on my upper lip and lighter shades that are comlimentary on my lower lip and...wallah...a new look with colorific lips!!! Try it, it's fun!!

Way Cool!!!

2011-11-26T20:31:00.000-06:00

Go to this site and check it out: http://www.godslovewedeliver.org/

Would love to be involved in something like this here in AR.

Is She Really HONKING at ME?

2011-10-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

I was cruising along on the interstate this morning and saw traffic coming to a stop. Okay, no biggy, I'm patient, I'll get where I need to go in time. The lane to my right had to merge into my lane because of an accident in theirs. I heard someone honking and wondered why because no one could go anywhere. The honking continued. Finally, I realized it was the lady in the truck behind me, honking at ME! I'm assuming she was honking because she didn't want me letting people over in front of me. She rode my tail and would not let anyone in our lane. Once we got past the accident, Honking Lady got over in the lane to my right. As she past, she honked, I had to look, and she flipped me off. I laughed so hard!!!! So then, I drove up parallel to her and honked until she looked at me, then I smiled so BIG and waved as I said, "God bless your day!" I meant that with all my heart. I am so glad that I'm still surprised when people are rude and thoughtless and do not show common courtesy to their fellow man. With that in mind: Drive on Cheerfully!

Planning Ahead

2011-09-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

Stocking up...hoarding...what's the fine line? Both my mom and my aunt, who are sisters, have told me that they have heard there will be a pumpkin shortage this fall. Visions of pumpkinless holidays played through my mind. So, I've been looking for pumpkin in just about every grocery store, Target, Walmart, etc. that I go into. I now have 3-28 oz. cans and 2-16 oz. cans of pumpkin. I don't think that's hoarding. Brianna thinks I need more and that's where my questioning comes in as to what is stocking up and what is hoarding. I guess if I end up with a plethora of canned pumpkin I can sell it on ebay or somewhere. Who knows I may end up causing a bidding war and getting rich. Wilder things have happened!

A Helpful Cleaning Tip

2011-09-23T13:39:00.000-05:00

My Mom turned me on to this great cleaning product. A familar product with a new use. This will cut down on your shower door cleaning along with elimnating fumes. Use a dryer sheet. Yes, a dryer sheet! The only instructions are that the doors should be dry. Wipe 'em down and you're good to go. I tried it and it works! Mom claims that she's gone several weeks without redoing hers but I haven't been able to confirm that. Not to mention, Mom has soft water so her water spots and mineral deposits are not as heavy duty as mine. Give it try. Hope you'll be pleased with the results.

The Mighty Ant

2011-09-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 6:8-8:

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief, officer or ruler,
Prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest.

Proverbs 30:25

The ants are not a strong folk,
But they prepare their food in the summer

Ants. They are not my friend. I appreciate their abilities that God has given them. I don't like them. Now, I really do not like them.

Here's my story:

Charles had football practice last night. I was setting up my chair to watch. In this process, I put my sandaled foot right smack dab in the middle of an ant hill. I discovered it quickly as my left foot was covered in ants. I got my sandal off in record time and stomped and danced around to get the ants off. Looking down I thought, "Not bad, 2,3 bites." Within half an hour I was itchy. Mentioned it to the lady next to me. It just got worse from there. Charles was driving us home an I was in such an itchy state with my eyes starting to swell. It seemed like it took forever to get home but when we did I went flying in. Chris greeted me and I said hi running into our room and shedding everything because I was so uncomfortable. Saw myself in the mirror and proceeded to scream, "CHRIS!!!!!" Welts were all over my torso. Spots were continuing to pop up and join together to make bigger welts. Yuck!

Chris exclaimed, "OH MY GOSH"!!!! His eyes were ready to pop out.

I was screaming, "Go get Benadryl"

He went flying out of the house. I'm walking around in a trance. Charles is telling me, "Don't scratch , Mom.
It will only make it worse. Once you scratch scabbing will occur and make it worse. Stop scratching!"

It was pure craziness! It seemed like forever but Chris finally got home with his bag of goodies. He'd been gabbing with the pharmacist who told him that putting white vinegar on the welts would calm the itchiness. I'm getting Benadryl in and Chris is rubbing or sloshing vinegar on me. He's also in the process of calling our friend, Gayle. She's a nurse who retired a few months back. We didn't want to go to emergency but she told us we should. She was concerned, as was I, because not only were my eyes swelling but the area around my mouth as well as my tongue starting to get tingling and swelling on the side. Not to mention that I was getting tightness in my back radiating around the sides, scary. Yes, we headed to the ER. This was about 2 hours after the intitial bites.

Yay! ER was empty, no waiting. Got in and evaluated and they started my drugs. Wow! They worked fast. I was a limp noodle. I couldn't even lift my hand to scratch my cheek. After 1/2 an hour or so you could see the welts lessening. Itchiness was gone too! Ahhh, drugs, so thankful for them. I couldn't even text because I couldn't lift my arms. So I'm hoping there were some out there praying for me as God put me on their hearts.

As I couldn't do anything, just lay there with my eyes closed, I prayed. I prayed for the gal in the room next to me. I prayed for the Dr.'s and nurses. I prayed for Gayle, my family, friends, people on our churches prayer list. I thanked God for this experience so that I could see His provision and continued care for our family. I didn't thank Him for ants. Just not there yet.

Sometime during this time, I noticed that a phone rang and the Dr. was called to it. I heard him say, "Oh hi, Gayle!" I smiled to myself. This was the hospital Gayle worked at and she knows EVERYONE! I was blessed knowing that she called the Dr. to check on me. How sweet was that?

Chris had to leave at one point to get to work and I was happy to just be. Brianna picked me up on her way home from work. We had a funny time together. Charles was trying to stay awake at home, bless his heart, but he was zonked and couldn't hold on. Brianna got me into bed, fed me some food, and tucked me in. I'm so thankful for my family. They took great care of me.

Oh, one of my favorite things at the hospital was the blanket right out of the warmer. Ahhh, that felt so good when my shaking, from the drugs, started in. It's the little things in life.

I praise You, my Great God, for the things You allow in my and my families life to sanctify us and to draw us to praise and worship You!

Praise!

2011-09-18T20:46:00.000-05:00

Praising God! I fall short in praising my awesome God on a daily basis. The following quote,by C.H. Spurgeon,spurs me on to praise Him:

Does not all nature around me praise God? If I were silent, I should be an exception to the universe. Does not the thunder praise Him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not the mountains praise Him when the woods upon their summits wave in adoration? Does not the lightning write His name in letters of fire? Has not the whole earth a voice? And shall I, can I, silent be?

Something to think about and act upon.

Pies...Pies...Pies...and MORE Pies

2011-09-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

My new pie cookbook arrived today~YAY! There are 300 pie recipes in this baby and I'm so ready to get started. The hard part is going to be which one to make first. Hmmm.....

Old Faithful

2011-09-11T15:37:00.002-05:00

This is/was our 1995 Geo Prizm:

This has been a very faithful and reliable car. Though it has lived its life span. We bought it in 98/99 with approx. 50,000 miles on it. The transmission recently went out and, you know the rest of the story.

We thought it was fun to have a picture of the odometer:

How amazing is that for this little car? We are so thankful for having had this car and being blessed with it's long life and low maintenance.

Ladybugs?

Chris retrieved my ladybug floor mats before the Geo was hauled off to the car parts dump place. They were originally my Grandmother's floor mats in her 1968/1970 (?) Dodge Dart. I came into possession of them when I purchased my Grandparents Dart from them in the mid-80's. They didn't want to give it to me so they made me pay to transfer ownership. The cost: $7! Everytime I see the mats, I have Grandparent flashbacks and love it!

As with most things in life, my family has many fond memories of this car and will hold it in high esteem.

A-Pick-Me-Up

2011-09-05T16:19:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like sifting through the junk mail of the day and coming across a handwritten, addressed envelope that is pretty! You just know that inside is something wonderful, personal, and thoughtful.

It screams, "Someone is thinking of ME!"

I had the pure joy of receiving 2 such envelopes this week. Awesome! Great! Wow! Boy, I'm so thankful because I needed that! Emails just do not give me the same pleasure as a card or letter. How about you? I'm thinking it's time to grab a couple out of my plethora of cards to send out and perk someone up.

Try it, you'll feel great too!

School is in for 2011-2012

2011-08-15T13:17:00.000-05:00

School begins today at our house. Today is the first day of Brianna's last day in high school. She labeled it such. I'm having a Mom's heart about it=bittersweet. Charles is beginning 10th grade. Just yesterday as I was trying to get myself ready (in my head) for school, I kept thinking, "The school routine is about to begin." This morning, as I was walking, it suddenly came to me that it isn't routine. We have a few changes in curriculum, fewer classes, off-site for some classes, and not to mention that we've all grown and changed which brings in a whole other element to the mix. You know, I think this is going to be pretty exciting!

We aren't the only ones starting school today. The raucus noise and scent of exhaust from school buses broke the wonderful peace and quiet of my morning walk. Ugh! I had completely forgotten about THEM! I may have to switch walking times...wait...this can be changed into a positive. To add some enjoyment and benefit to my walk, I'm going to be the bus driver greeter. As I'm waving my greeting I'm going to lift up prayers for these drivers and passengers. Last year, one of my Greetees was great fun. He'd wave enthusiastically and toot his bus horn a few times! Always made me smile. I'm sure it was appreciated by all at 6 a.m. He wasn't on the route today but, perhaps, another will rise up in his place. Off to school!

An Old Favorite

2011-07-27T20:20:00.000-05:00

June did not bring new pies or cakes. It turned out to be a month for old favorites.

This is my little sister, Lisa, and me.

This is Lisa's favorite pie? cake? It is a Boston Cream Pie.

This is not new for me. In fact, I have been making this pie for over 20 years. Of all the things Lisa can request of me to make, she always asks for this pie. It is her FAVORITE! It was a unanimous vote that this was the absolute best one I have EVER made. Totally scrumptious!!!

A Quick Standard Pie

2011-07-25T10:21:00.000-05:00

Still in May.

The end of May brought my sister and brother for a visit. A chocolate pie is quick to make and always welcome at our house.

This is a chilled pie. I like to 1 1/2x this recipe because I like a thicker pie. I also kicked it up a notch by whipping up some cream for the top instead of making the standard meringue. Wanting to be creative,I did not spread the whipped cream to the crust. Some of the opinions expressed thought it was dumb. But you know, sometimes you just have to march to the beat of your own drum. Needless to say, it disappeared quickly.

Vegetable? Fruit?

2011-07-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Rhubarb is a vegetable. As I read more about it a law was passed in 1947, in the U.S., that only here is it categorized as a fruit because that is how it is predominantly used. It's an interesting read, look it up. Rhubarb is a stalk similar to celery. Beware, the leaves are toxic! On a side note, I grew rhubarb in CA and had a couple beautiful plants. Our rabbit, Speedy, would hide under the leaves in the heat of the day and also nibble at the leaves. Apparently, the leaves are not toxic to animals. How great is God!

With all that aside here is my Rhubarb Custard Pie with Crumb Topping. It was amazing! Due to the custard filling it is a chilled pie.

Delicious!

A New May Cake

2011-07-24T17:59:00.000-05:00

Check this out for May:

This is a Spice Cake with Peanut Buttercream.

Sounds like an odd combination doesn't it? That's what intrigued me about this cake. It is awesome together. Although, some in my family would beg to differ. As you can see, it didn't come out perfect. I did love the divet in the center~I got more frosting in that bite. It was a little dry, not sure what happened. Funny thing~it did get completely eaten.

April Cake

2011-07-24T17:52:00.000-05:00

I have absolutely no idea what happened in February and March. I must of had a big slump and wanted nothing to do with baking cakes. So, here is my April cake. It's a simple Country Buttermilk Cake with Creme Fraiche and Berries. This was wonderful!

I actually made my own creme fraiche. It is very simple to make but it does take a few days.

January Cakes

2011-07-24T16:22:00.001-05:00

This is a cake that Chris picked out for our Epiphany Feast. It is a Lemon Canadian Crown Torte. I think it's beautiful! Lady fingers line the circumference of the cake and meringue adorns the top. Mind you, this is a frozen cake which actually tastes better after, oh, about 3 days in the freezer.

I cannot remember what happened to this but it collapsed in the middle, perhaps it had thawed too much. Anyway, the layers are cake and a lemon cream filling with lemon curd and whipped cream. Delicious!

This next cake is one that Brianna chose for her 17th Birthday. This is a Southern (Manhattan) Coconut Cake with Silk Meringue Buttercream. I'm so happy that it came out so beautiful. I confess, this is my second attempt. I spent ALL day making this cake and even had to run to grocery store to resupply. Totally worth it!

The cake was so light and fluffy. One thing I really loved was the coconut added into the batter. It was the coconutiest cake I've ever had.

A side note on the "Manhattan" in the title. Apparently this cake is one that has origins in the south and it's typically made with seven-minute frosting. The author of the cakebook that I use is a northerner and she states that seven-minute frosting is too sweet for her northern pallette. So she created her own version of seven-minute frosting~silk meringue buttercream.

I think this picture is the bomb!

Cakes and Pies, Oh My!

2011-07-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

Back in January, I made a resolution to make a new cake and/or pie each month. I think I've missed a month or two but for the most part have tried to stay with it. I'm finally going to get my pictures posted of my creations. I'm going to post by month as I've had issues trying to incorporate the pictures into one blog. Hope you enjoy!

Blasts From the Past

2011-07-14T20:14:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to forwarn you that I'm quite behind on my blog postings, if you hadn't noticed from the minibike posting. Having said that, I have a few more blogs to post of past events that I want to share. So, keep checking in!

Guys and Projects

2011-07-14T20:10:00.001-05:00

Charles determined a number of months ago to buy a minibike kit and put it together. Here is the frame:

The frame arrived without an important piece being welded to it. Steve was enlisted to help. He has welding skills:

Uncle Kevin had come to visit for the weekend and to lend a hand as well as knowledge:

And here is the completed minibike:

Isn't it cool! Charles is cool too!

Chris was doing double duty: lending a hand and photographing.

Old Glory

2011-07-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

Let go, Relax

2011-06-30T14:26:00.000-05:00

Psalm 46:10a~Cease striving and know that I am God

There are not many words in this verse but they deliver quite a message of truth and peace. Life gets crazy, hard, and situations seem dire at times. Yet, this verse makes me stop and think on God, ponder Him. He is faithful, trustworthy, over all things, loving, good, just, etc...He holds the universe in His mighty hands as well as...me. So, when I stop and know that He is God, oh, the peace that washes over me is so glorious. I encourage you to stop what you're doing and think on this verse, on Him, and bask in the peace of knowing Him.

Restoration

2011-06-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

Harsh weather can really cause a Flamingo to loose its true beauty:

Charles, worker of miracles, restored my Flamingo to its original beauty:

I actually think he made it more beautiful.

Serenity

2011-06-25T10:09:00.000-05:00

8:30~9'ish p.m...back patio...comfy chair...chilled wine...God's night sounds...God's night visuals (fireflies, stars, etc.)...His peace...ahh, a great ending to a filled day.

Extravagant Living

2011-06-21T13:26:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning wanting clean sheets. Yet, it has only been a few days since I changed them. I'll admit, I grew up changing sheets once a week and that has been my norm. Not today! I have washed my sheets, hung them out to dry and they're back on my bed. Can't wait to slide between their crispness tonight. I also fluffed our pillows in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes, almost divine. I love when I break out of my norm and do something extravagant.

Bite Free

2011-06-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

This is my 7th summer here in Arkansas. There is a joke that the the mosquito is the state bird. Well, I am so happy, no, jubilant with the realization that I have had only one, yes, ONE, mosquito bite this summer. Said bite was in May. I can actually hang my laundry out or sit in my backyard without getting bit up. Wondrous things continue happening and I lift up thanks to my great God for the lack of mosquitoes this summer.

Gratitude

2011-06-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

My morning devotion was on Colossians 1:13-14. Paul, the author of Colossians, was admonishing the Colossians "to give thanks for the great inheritance provided to us in Christ." The author of the devotion took "thanks" to the next level~gratitude. This is a quote from G.K. Chesterton on gratitude: "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." Wow! Ponder these things throughout the day and see if it's heart changing. I wonder at the thought of Jesus' choosing me to inherit this great redemption.

Young or Old?

2011-03-14T21:41:00.000-05:00

I had this conversation with Natalie, a 3 year old, one Saturday while I was fitting her for some shoes:

Natalie asks me, "Are you old or young?"
I reply, "I'm young, of course."
Natalie kind of cocks her head to one side, brings her eyebrows together, and looks at me quizzically.
I quickly respond, "You don't think I'm young do you?"
Natalie shakes her head no.
I admit, "You think I'm old, don't you?"
Natalie nods her head and says, "Yes."
Understandingly, I say, "I understand that you think I'm old but I'm really not."
She looked at me with unbelieving eyes.

This keeps cracking me up every time I think about it. I'm so thankful that my age doesn't bother me but then again, when you're young it doesn't bother you.

A Strange Occurence

2011-03-01T10:39:00.000-06:00

An amazing, marvelous, thing has happened in my laundry room. I opened my dryer this morning to put a load in and, low~and~behold, there were washed, dried, and FOLDED towels and wash cloths inside the dryer. How did this happen? Will it, Lord willing, yes, happen again? My heart of hearts is telling me that this has TEENAGER written all over it. Nevertheless, I thought it was absolutely great!

Buttons...Buttons...Buttons...

2011-02-24T10:23:00.001-06:00

I visited this store, virtually. Take a peek: www.tenderbuttons.com I would love, someday, to physically visit and shop at Tender Buttons.

A California Valentine

2011-02-10T23:14:00.000-06:00

My Valentine from my Dad and Mom arrived the other day:

Do you see it? Love is written all over these avocados!

God's Faithfulness

2011-02-10T10:57:00.000-06:00

God never abandons anyone on whom He has set His love; nor does Christ, the good shepherd, ever lose track of His sheep. ~J.I. Packer

Vrooooom...VROOOOOM...VRooOoOM...

2011-02-04T14:40:00.000-06:00

The internet is such a wonderful thing and gives access to just about everything and anything. I experienced this last night with Charles, my 14 year old. He was showing me all the muffler sites that he looks at. Just something he's into right now. What I didn't bargain for was listening, yes listening to all the different mufflers from various manufacturers. Not only can you listen to the different mufflers but you can click on different makes and models of cars and trucks and hear the different mufflers as they would sound on that vehicle. I have no idea how long we did this but I had a great time. My favorite was the 1955 Chevy Bel Air that had a Flowmaster 40 series delta flow muffler on. Charles and I both agree that the best muffler is one that makes our guts vibrate. The best place to experience that feeling is at a NASCAR race!

Classical Music Anyone?

2011-02-03T11:06:00.000-06:00

I want to go to an Andre Rieu concert! Andre is a Dutch violinist, composer, and conductor. His music and performances are quite controversial in the music world. I find him quite refreshing and enjoyable. Have some time? Check him out on You Tube.

Beautiful Day

2011-01-28T10:27:00.000-06:00

I'm loving this weather! It is going to be in the 60's today and low 70's tomorrow. This is well with my soul. As I drove to the store this morning, I was amazed, once again, by God's provision to me. The store's furnace broke the other day and a part is on order. It was at this time that the weather started warming up~hooray! I like to look at this as God knowing what I needed, warm weather, and He provided it. He is good! You know, He'd still be good even if it was freezing out.

Blessing

2011-01-20T14:05:00.000-06:00

I met Oksana yesterday. Oksana is five years old and has some disabilities that affect her walking and development. I had the distinct pleasure of fitting her with some good shoes while carrying on a lively conversation. Oksana has a beautiful bubbly personality along with a strong sense of independence that will be very beneficial to her as she works with and through her disabilities. She is adopted from Ukraine. She has only been with her new family for 5 1/2 months. Her mom was telling me how much she has thrived since being in their household. You see, Oksana has lived her young life in an orphanage in Ukraine. At the orphanage she was not taken care of, she was not loved and was not nourished. My heart broke at hearing this but quickly recovered and rejoiced because she is now very well cared for, loved deeply, and is fed very well all because of this wonderful family who brought this disabled child from another country into their home. Her laughter and smile are contagious which made for a great time. If they had been my only customers all day it would have been well worth it. I was blessed beyond measure.

Inspiration

2011-01-15T19:34:00.000-06:00

I am definitely on some creative streak or it could be I've been suppressing my creativity for all these years bringing up my two younguns that I'm now ready to explode. I have been buying yardage here and there because I like it. Some yardage I have designated for certain projects and some are just there waiting to be made into something. A couple are quilting projects Brianna started years ago and I'm thinking of finishing. This is just a sampling of my collection:

I'm comtemplating making myself some summer dresses because I can't seem to find what I want in stores. I think I'll have to go fabric shopping again.

Got Cake?

2011-01-15T19:26:00.000-06:00

I had heard of a new pie place in town and I made it my ambition to try it. I got overly ambitious and, after looking over their pie list, determined that it would be one of my New Year's resolutions to go through their whole list of pie this year.

The first week of January the kids and I set out to find the pie place. We couldn't wait to sit down to pie. I LOVE pie! We arrived, on a rainy day, to a small walk-up stand. The only seating was a picnic table out in the rain. No menu, only a computer generated list of "pies for the day" with a couple already crossed out. We ordered our pies and had them, can you guess, to go. He was not set up with drinks nor did he have plasticware. Ugh! The pie was not impressive. I was sorely disappointed. I had coconut cream. The crust was interesting, not your normal crust and the filling, the filling, was only about half an inch high~no lie. The truth is is that I can make a better pie than this guy. This is why I didn't name the pie place, I didn't want to dis him over the computer.

After this experience, I changed my resolution. I will make a new cake and/or pie myself every month. Charles groaned and said I was going to kill us. It was then I had the brilliant idea to make them for other people. Who knows where this can lead!

This is my first new cake of the year. We had it on Epiphany. It is a Lemon Canadian Crown. Technically it's a frozen dessert but it's in my cake book so I'm not going to split hairs. Lady fingers line the sides of the pan and the bottom:

I forgot to take a picture of the next step which is the filling. This is the final product:

I think it it is beautiful. Yes, that is meringue on the top. The best meringue I've ever made. The fascinating thing about this cake is that it is stored in the freezer, even with the meringue! It's suggested to make it a few days before being served because the lemon intensifies while it sits. It really does. This is a piece:

It's slumping down because I lost track of time and let my piece sit a little too long and it got too soft. It was absolutely delicious.

Old Friends Part II

2011-01-13T10:16:00.000-06:00

So I took my Old Friends to be sharpened at one place and after 4 weeks of waiting they had still not been picked up for sharpening. I picked them up and took them to another place that a friend told me about. I haven't used these Friends in quite a while but I took comfort in knowing they were in my drawer. For me, this process was taking just a little too long and I was getting anxious. Two weeks later I got the call to pick them up. The young man at the register pulled them out for me to look at and sign for. While doing this he picked up a pair and was looking them over. He then proclaimed, rather too boldly, "These look like ANTIQUES!" I took that very personal. I am only 46 and I bought those scissors brand new! They are a part of me and proclaiming them to be antiques is like proclaiming me...you get the picture. I left, speechless and shocked.

Something New

2011-01-09T23:34:00.000-06:00

Arkansas was blessed with a snowy day today. Time just seems to stop for me on snowy days. I feel like I'm "allowed" to ignore the usual day to day stuff and do whatever I want. This is one of the things I did today:

I made myself a new apron! I wear an apron almost every time I cook because I think they're cool and because I wipe my hands down the front of me A LOT while I'm cooking. Now I have a new one to break in.

P.S. I'm also sporting a new haircut.

Old Friends

2011-01-07T11:04:00.000-06:00

These scissors are old friends of mine:

I LOVE these scissors. They have been with me now for, oh, 25 odd years. Just recently I had them sharpened, that's a whole other story, and was without them for a month. I didn't necessarily need them, I just take comfort in knowing that they are there in my drawer.

The first two are my paper scissors that I use for patterns. The last pair is for fabric ONLY! My favorite pair is the one with the old ratty piece of fabric tied on. The ratty fabric has been there for about 25 years as well. Everyone in my household knows that these are OFF LIMITS to them. They are mine and mine alone.

I'm so excited about them being sharpened because I have projects piling up and am anxious to get creating. More on this in another blog.

For Us?

2010-12-28T21:25:00.000-06:00

On December 1, we received this anonymous basket full of wrapped presents:

This was no ordinary basket of gifts, directions were included. There were a total of 24 gifts and 1 gift per day was to be opened. The gifts were all numbered and had a Bible reference and a name of Christ. How wonderful is that? We were trying to find some meaning of the gift in the scripture reference but quickly realized there wasn't any connection just pure fun.

The opening of the gift always came after our advent reading so we dubbed the basket the Advent basket. As you can imagine, there were minor arguments over who opened the gift the day before or two days before, etc. Brianna has a friend that comes over almost every Thursday night so we included her in on the fun and that was her night to open a gift. Alas, the 24th arrived. The last gift. Oh, the fun was coming to a close. Did I mention that a card was included on the last gift telling us who all those wonderful gifts were from? Of course, we had a knock down drag out fight over who got to open the card and I believe Charles won. Brianna guessed who it was, Chris and I thought it was someone else, and I don't think Charles made a guess. You know what? I'm not telling who it was that gave us this awesome basket. They will remain anonymous because what if you're the recipient some year? Don't want to spoil it for you.

I sat one afternoon with the cards in order and read through the names of Christ and looked up all the scripture references and was totally blessed. Something really cool, is that in a lot of those references is God's name "I AM". The gifts were great but the tags pointed us to THE GIFT!

Jesus, THE Greatest Gift

2010-12-25T12:10:00.000-06:00

I have a new favorite hymn. Although it was written in 1851, by Edward Caswall, it is new to me. Here it is:

See, amid the Winter's Snow

See, amid the winter's snow,
born for us on earth below,
see the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

*Chorus:

Hail, thou everblessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jesrusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Lo, within a manger lies
he who built the starry skies:
he who, throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim.

*Chorus

Say, ye holy shephers, say-
what's your joyful news today?
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?

*Chorus

"As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing, 'Peace on earth,'
told us of the Savior's birth."

*Chorus

Sacred infant, all divine,
what a tender love was thine,
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

*Chorus

Teach, O teach us, holy child,
by thy face so meek and milk,
teach us to resemble thee,
in thy sweet humility.

Oh, Happy Day (Part II)

2010-12-05T14:10:00.000-06:00

Well, I made the brownies yesterday. They were not a complete flop but somewhat of a flop. I have some refining to do, namely, finding the right size pan. I'm not ditching this recipe yet because these brownies have potential to be so amazingly wonderful that I just can't give up on them. I've decided that I'm going to perfect them in January!

I, of course, had to have some of the batter. Okay, I ate more than I should have but I couldn't resist. Then, before I went to bed at midnight, I was putting them away and just had to cut into them and check 'em out. The middle was completely gooey but the edges were awesome. Chris and I were eating the edges and loving every bite it. As you can imagine, for me, it turned out to be one of those nights that I laid down and, boing, my eyes were wide open. I had so much cocoa coursing through my body that I couldn't go to sleep. I'm seriously hoping for a nap today.

Oh, Happy Day

2010-12-01T10:16:00.000-06:00

I have a new brownie recipe that I have been dieing to make. I also can't wait to taste the batter! The recipe calls for superfine sugar which I have not been able to find here in the city of Little Rock. (In the back of my mind was an idea to grind granulated sugar in my blender making it fine but not sure if that's the way to go) My last resort was calling William Sonoma as soon as they opened. Matt answered the phone and helped me out~they do not carry it any longer. Ugh! Matt didn't let me down, though. He came to the rescue and, confirming my idea, he told me I could put granulated sugar in my blender and grind it. Huh, how do you like that, Matt has saved the brownies. Kudos to you, Matt! FYI, if you ever have to do this yourself, grind the sugar and then measure out the quantity you need. Can't wait to mix up brownies and taste batter!

A New "Special" Day

2010-11-29T13:45:00.000-06:00

I was sending a text to my sister this morning and instead of texting Monday I texted Momday. Hmmm...I'm thinking I may be on to something! I'm all for Momday everyday but one day a week would be very doable. Now I have to figure out how to implement this idea and get my kids on board.

Christmas Music

2010-11-22T21:36:00.000-06:00

Do you remember Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics? She, Annie Lennox, has a Christmas CD out entitled A Christmas Cornucopia. Oh man, I'm lovin it. My favorite Christmas carol she sings is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". The drums are awesome. The last carol on the CD is "Universal Child". I'm just not understanding it and do not like it; therefore, I skip it everytime. If you get the CD or listen to it let me know what you think.

2010-11-19T21:44:00.000-06:00

A while ago I bought a Kentucky Bourbon cookbook. Tonight was the night to try the Kentucky Bourbon Chili recipe and I was looking forward to it. As it simmered on the stove I had the corn bread baking. Everything came together nicely and the call went out for dinner. We gathered prayed and started eating. As I took my first bite I happened to look over at Brianna who had her first bite in her mouth. Our looks froze and were suspended in time, then we came to and just about gagged. I proclaimed I couldn't eat this chili and with some hesitation she agreed.

Charles' response: "We need HAZMAT Toxic cleanup to come over"

Chris' response: "Honey, in the 18 1/2 years we've been married you have never made anything this bad!"

We sat laughing and carrying on over our cornbread and, yes, the jokes kept on coming. The cornbread wasn't cutting it so Brianna threw out the idea of pizza. Little Caesar's is right down the street. Kids went and got pizza, Chris and I cleaned up the toxic dinner. It was really bad! Thank goodness for pizza!

A Note to Bubbles

2010-11-18T11:42:00.002-06:00

I have a loving bone to pick with you, Bubbles of http://www.bubblesandmoney.blogspot.com/ . Bubbles, I love you and you are a dear friend to me but...you've influenced me indirectly with the whole library thing. You have raved about being able to go on line, set up an account, and "order" books from other branches then go in and pick them up. I succumbed to your exuberance and opened an account. I now have 4 books sitting on my nightstand to be read and more on order. Yes, I love it and am so thankful for books to read. I'm thankful that a new door has been opened for me but, yikes, I could be overrun with books. Renewal, it's a good thing!

Although, Bubbles, I've not given in to self-checkout. I did learn something new about myself in considering it. I'm a total introvert and you'd think self-checkout would be perfect for me but it's not. I truly enjoy talking to the people who check me out. Guess what? I inquired, to the gal checking me out, about their book club. Lo and behold, she's the one who leads it and I had a great chat. I have the schedule of books and dates and a couple of books coming to participate. Now, if I had done self-checkout, I don't think it would of happened. I am open to self-checkout but just not right now. I'll warm-up to it.

Keep on influencing, Bubbles.

Today's Worship

2010-11-14T15:59:00.000-06:00

We sang this in worship today and it grips my heart everytime. Today was no exception.

"How Deep the Father's Love for Us"

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure

that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss. The Father turns His face away

as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders.

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no pow'r, no wisdom.

But I will boast in Jesus Christ: His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom.

Change of Plans

2010-11-13T13:38:00.000-06:00

My day was started off in the usual way. I had my things to do list and was headed out on a couple on errands. First stop of the day was picking up a few things at the grocery store. As I was picking up some lettuce, sitting right next to it were these beautiful leeks:

How in the world could I pass those up? They were screaming to be made into potato leek soup. I scooped them up quickly without much thought to my day. Then it hit me, how in the world was I going to have the time to make this? My day was packed! Yet, I couldn't let them sit. They were so fragrant and awesome. It all worked out by fudging things around and working like a maniac but I did it. Brianna was so excited because she LOVES potato leek soup. Charles not as excited because he was counting on the burritoes that had been planned. What to do but have both! Last night was "Have the Dinner of Your Choice" night. How much better can it get?

Too Long

2010-11-11T21:41:00.000-06:00

I am back after a several month hiatus from blogging. While I was on my hiatus I discovered, to my surprise, that I missed writing my blog. I don't have a lot of time like most folks but I think I'm ready to come back and get something written periodically. I'm rather proud of the fact that I was able to pull this back up from the archives and restore it to it's original state. I decided to start changing things and am unable to "hide" my blog while under construction. Bear with with my while under construction. Check in from time to time to see Transforming Julie being transformed.