My New Friend

Yum.

If you like eating ice cream for breakfast...if you love honey...if you love anything thick, creamy, sweet, and amazingly delicious...do yourself a favor and go buy a cup (or if you're feeling bold, a bucket) of this yogurt.

I felt like I was getting away with something when I tried it at breakfast this morning. I kept peeking over my shoulder to see if the children would try to steal it from me. But lucky for me, it appeared I was eating my regular bowl of yogurt and there were no takers. Bliss!

Stirred

I just finished watching Julie and Julia. It reminded me why I love to write. How could it not? An entire movie based on a woman who gives herself a year-long blog challenge and cooks (and blogs) through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Many of the blog entries are narrated, which I love. And I got to see Julie typing them as she narrated, which I loved even more. Reading the written word aloud is delicious to me.

I'm not an amazing cook. I don't love it with all of my being. I am not inspired to follow in Julie's footsteps and blog about a cooking adventure. But I have been nudged to pick up where I left off.

It's the middle of the night. Our family has been battling a variety of illnesses over the past three weeks and I have spent a lot of time inside my house. I am currently unable to chew very much, due to some sort of tooth/sinus infection...so I'm a little hungrier than usual. None of these issues lend themselves to eloquence, but my creativity has definitely been stirred.

Perhaps in the morning I'll have something more interesting to say. And just maybe I'll plop myself down on my tomato red stool and type it out for you.

Until then, my friends.

My Name Is Not Madeline

And my husband's name is not Jacob. But I want this necklace. Just with different names, savvy?

If you too desire beautiful jewelry procured through dreamy Lisa Leonard Giveaways, please pop over to my farmgirl's blog and leave her a comment. (And for those of you who go to HPC with me, isn't it a little wild that this isn't our Lisa Leonard? The first time I heard about Lisa the Jewelry Designer, I thought she was one and the same as the HPC Lisa and thought she'd been holding out on us.)

For those of you readers who are men and might not have your heart captured by cute clustered necklaces, let me remind you that Valentines Day is right around the corner and that this is jewelry I believe any woman would love. Lots of different styles. Just a thought.

Footsteps in the Snow: Following God

It's not a new idea, I know. But it hit me afresh last night when I took the trash out. Isn't it funny how the divine can strike you right in the middle of mundane tasks?

I cracked open the back door and peered out into the frigid black night, then noted with relief that there was a trail of husband-sized footprints leading out to the garage. Oh good. I wouldn't have to change into boots.

Of course, sometimes when one is cautiously stepping into deep footprints in the snow, one might not step perfectly into the print and wind up with snow in one's shoe. But one is more careful on the next steps.

Of course, it was my own fault that I got snow in my shoe. The footprints were plenty big enough to see, and there was plenty of room for me to put my foot inside the boundaries. But I wasn't careful enough. After several steps that worked out for me, I got careless and didn't pay as much attention. And yes, I learned from my mistake. It was too late to salvage my socks, but I could keep them from getting wetter.

Such it is with God.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me a path that is easy to see and follow. Thank you that the boundaries are clear and that if I am mindful, I can stay safe walking with You.

The Top Ten Things I Love About October

Yes, I know it's December. A mere less-than-two-weeks from Christmas. But in my harried mind, it is still October. The last two months have kind of gotten away from me. The days are zipping by at all-time record speeds this year. And the only post I really cared about getting up for October was the one in which I declare the many things I love about that orange-y month.

I think it will be easier for me to transition into December-themed blog posts if I don't leave any unfinished business.

So without further ado, I present you a throw back to our first lavish, glorious days of fall this year:

10. The leaves: on trees, falling through the air, gathered and tucked around my house for fuh-reee!

9. The pumpkins: on front porches, on dining room tables.

8. Apples...and the apple orchards. And the fresh honey.

7. The crisp air.

6. Autumn sunlight.

5. Woodsmoke.

4. Cookouts.

3. Bundling up in scarves just because I finally can!

2. Halloween candy.

1. Beginning my personal countdown to Christmas.

Thank you for bearing with me. I'll try to catch up to real time now.

All Things Harvest

Well, hopefully my harvest-y pictures from the other day got you into a fall-ish mood...because I'm suggesting you go look at some more. My dear friend Sasha is having a lovely little giveaway and I think that you would enjoy drooling over pictures of her home. I did. But then again, creamy yellow-tinted walls do that to me. And pumpkins, too. Knock yourself out.

http://www.lemonademakinmama.com/2010/09/giveaway-and-harvestizing-my-house-for.html