Waiting?

One would think we would have this waiting thing figured out by now. Considering, we wait for so many things on a daily basis. The dryer, the dishwasher, we wait at the red light, we wait for our husbands to get home, the baby to wake. For a Job. For answers to prayer.

With so much experience we should have mastered the skill of waiting by now. But, waiting to us seems like a waste of time? Rather, it's waiting we can do but waiting patiently is an entirely different story?

Patience is defined as the capacity, quality, or fact of being patient. Synonyms: patience, long-suffering, resignation, forbearance. These nouns denote the capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint. Patience emphasizes calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay. (Taken from www.thefreedictionary.com)

and get this waiting is defined as remaining inactive in one place while expecting something!!

The fact remains while we are waiting, God is working. To move us where he wants us to be. To readjust the lives of others so that his ultimate desires will be filled. To bring about what will make us eventually Christlike, though not necessarily immediately comfortable. What is it you are waiting for?? And, how well are you waiting for it?

Chinese Chicken Salad

The following recipe comes from my Mother in-laws kitchen. The wonderful thing about this recipe is it gives you options which is always a good thing. Even if you don't have all of the following ingredient's or just don't like some of the ingredient's it will still taste yummy!!

MIX ALL TOGETHER:
1 head of cabbage (or lettuce) shredded - I always use cabbage
1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced/chopped (yellow, orange or green also work)
2 green onions, sliced
1 tomato, slices or wedges
1 cucumber, peeled/sliced
10-12 olives whole or half, green or black - I have never put these in
1/4 to 1/2 C sliced almonds
Top Ramen Noodles: dry, and crushed or cooked curly pasta called "rotelle"-again I have never put this is but have had it with it in and it's good.
Fresh parsley or cilantro- I was able to get fresh parsley at the farmer's market last weekend for .50 so I used fresh otherwise dry spices work well too.
Cooked chicken/ cooled, in bite-size pieces ie 1 bag of popcorn chicken, chicken nuggets or grilled chicken breasts- I always use chicken nuggets but tonight I'm using left over chicken from last nights dinner.

At last minute....Add dressing:
1/2 C Olive oil
1/3 C Seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 C Sugar
Splash of lemon juice
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp pwdr'd ginger
Optional- 1 tbsp paprika & 1/4 cayenne or dried pepper flakes

The price book

Getting control of the food budget is a hot topic in my house. We are always wavering on the numbers what's too much and what's not enough? We shop at several supermarkets, a co-op and the weekend farmer's market. I have a lot of the prices for our regular purchases in my brain (not written down) and have saved a few grocery store slips here and there for references. And I have made a few trips from time to time to compare price of specific items. So, I sort of "know my prices". In the process I have also learned not to assume that one store has the lowest price on every item. However, what I haven't done yet is made a price book. Which, I'm hoping will revolutionize my families shopping strategy so we can feel like we have control of our food budget and find a real number everyone is happy with.

How do I plan to conquer this task? I'm going to use a small notebook and each page is going to contain prices for one item. The pages will be alphabetical. I'm also going to make up so sort of code for the store name and the brand, the size of the item, the price and the unit price.

I realize this may sound like so much work but it's not. And I know the pay off will be worth it. Especially, if I hit each store a different week of the month so that within a 30-day cycle I hit them all.

So, excited to share my results!!

Today, I made this Robot!!

Joshua and his Robot, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Today, we went to a Robot workshop and made a Robot!! (Did I mention Joshua's Unlce was co-teaching). At SCRAP school & community reuse action project located in N Portland. I cannot even begin to tell you how cool this place is everything in the store can be purschased for very little money (and they are all about reduce, reuse, recycle) it is amazing!! Ever since we left I have been burning with ideas of future creations.

The simple things......

Sometimes the simple things in life are the most beautiful things!!
(Daddy & Austen)

A piece of perspective

I have been thinking a lot about what this word means. The ability to stand between yesterday and tomorrow and understand how today fits in. To look beyond the moment with a view toward the whole life. Oh, how very much I need just a few more pieces of perspective at times? I'm a slow learner but learning nonetheless to resist the urge of letting a clean house, cluttered space's, dirty dishes, early morning's, insecurities and my to-do list take precedence over those moments of life that I will never be able to steal back. I have many more years of my life to "keep house" but the years I have left to invest in my family and friends will pass just as quickly as they came. So, if at the end of the day I feel as though I have accomplished little I will reflect and then realize I have probably accomplished much!

I'm crying!!

Today as we were getting back into the car after Church Austen bonked his head and started crying. John was comforting him but he wasn't having it so Austen says "Hug me" John hugs him. Then he says, "Hold me". So, John picked Austen up and began comforting him. After Austen settles down and appears to be fine John puts him pack in his car seat and he starts crying again and then says, "I crying!" It was the funniest thing ever, maybe you had to be there but seriously!! Joshua immediately starts laughing and then John and I were laughing....it was hilarious!! I don't know what was funnier Austen stating the obvious or Joshua laughing before John and I did. Oh, how we love our boys!!!