She Hath Done What She Could

This is a quote from Mark 14, about a woman who anointed Jesus with very expensive perfume just before His crucifixion.

The disciples were chiding her for the waste. A year's wages dumped out.

Jesus rebuked them and called her action a beautiful thing.

She hath done what she could.

As I've been pondering this for a couple days, my thoughts go two ways...

could as in allowed and could as in ability, energy, resources, etc...

So many times we focus on what we can't do, what we are not allowed to do.

Because, let me tell you, when you've been raised in a conservative family and a conservative denomination, there are quite a lot of things that women can't do. According to a traditional interpretation of the Bible. And it can drive me quite batty, (to borrow a phrase from the KJV...) making me want to kick against the pricks...

And, in life season, energy, and family, there is a whole lot I can't do. I have to consider the needs and schedules of my kids and husband. My body is getting older, and it needs rest and time to heal.

I've found this to be a year of can't's...for so many different reasons. Priorities. Health. Sanity.

Sometimes those can't's can be quite discouraging. When I focus on all the things I've not been able to do this summer/year, I get annoyed, and frustrated, and rather discouraged. I feel gipped.

It puts me in a dark place pretty quick.

But, how much more profitable to just do the things we can do. And focus on those things. With a joyful, peaceful, industrious, content spirit.

The past three weeks I couldn't do my Rockford bike rides every morning. I had to get BMV to driver's training by 9:00 each morning (plus fit in his 12 driving hours). But, I could manage 22 miles, if I left by 7:15. And it was good. I saw a rainbow, turtles, a deer, the glorious sun rises, and experienced the peace and quiet my soul needed.

This week I couldn't help a friend pack up her house for their move. But, I could double a dinner I made, and take the leftovers to their family so they could have a hot meal she didn't have to make.

This season I can't participate in, let alone lead, the Bible study I was involved with for over 19 years. But, my husband and I can invite young couples into our home, to encourage and mentor them.

This season I can't expect school to be a wrap by noon, but I can really dig into the learning process and enjoy life long learning.

This summer my babysitter's schedule and my schedule hardly meshed, so I had very few dedicated days to write, edit, or work. But, I could utilize an hour here and there, and get plenty done by simply focusing.

Summer is a super busy time for my husband's roofing business, so we can't vacation in the summer, when normal people do. But, I can still choose to enjoy the summer, and rest, and refresh, and read.

I ended up missing 5 weeks of triathlon training this summer. I can't do the triathlon I was planning to do the second Saturday of September, and I can't run the half marathon we always do at the end of September. I'm not ready. But, I can continue to train, putting in over a hundred bike miles every week, and I can realize that this was a season missed, not a life time.

I can't really change my "Rubens" body. Trust me, I've tried. But the past two years it has just gotten more and more Rubens-y. But, I can make healthy choices, and truly stick to them.

Even though I have the spiritual gift of teaching, I can't preach in the church we attend. But, I can faithfully teach my Sunday school class. I can write-here and in other spaces. I can direct the young ladies' discipleship program.

Someone mentioned that "she hath done what she could" would make a phenomenal epitaph. I think that if that was on my grave some day, I would be quite content. Not that I'd have any say in the matter....

Doing what you can do is not a cop out. It is not settling. Doing what you can is lavish, and generous, beautiful, and sacrificial.

At least it was with this (unnamed) woman.

This was high praise, indeed.

Imagine Jesus Christ saying the same thing about you. This whole story shows what Christ appreciates, values, and sees. He values things we often don't. It was a rebuke to the disciples. It was a rebuke to my heart too.

Are you doing what you can? Or are you focusing on your can't's?

Summer Mode

Wow! I can't believe it has been over a month since I've written in this space. There are so many different factors as to why that is...

We finished school on May 19. It was a good hard push for the last three weeks. Textbooks and reading books to finish, reports to write, things to dissect, Spanish to wrap up. All in all, I am very pleased with what we accomplished this year. BMV finished his freshman year of high school. Freckles successfully embarked on middle school, and finished seventh grade. LC did just grand in fourth grade. And Meres learned to read. We learned so much about Ancient Rome, and biology, and how to look at and understand art. Despite everything else, it was an amazing school year.

My parents spent May here in the Mitten. I tried to see them several times because time with them is limited. And time with mom definitely has an (unknown) expiration. Mom's ALS is progressing steadily. I am thankful for each visit we have together.

We left the morning of May 20, for Texas, for 9 days. It was so good to see all my siblings who live down in that area. Plus I got to snuggle my new niece for hours. I loved that. She is at the wonderful age where she is starting to interact, and she smiles. She is beautiful. We had a very relaxing time. We stayed with one of my sisters and her family. My kids loved hanging out with their TX cousins.

Meres had a slew of appointments in May. Yearly physical, 3 month MRI and oncology, 2 month eye doctor. Everything was clear and cancer free. Whew! So thankful for another set of check ups with that news. She did her MRI without sedation, which is quite remarkable. Her MRI lasts for about an hour-an hour that she must remain completely still. She had movie goggles on, and she did the MRI like a champ. This will make future MRIs much smoother. She will show up, and get an IV started, but then, when it is done, we can walk right out of there. So convenient. Her oncologist was very pleased with her blood count numbers, and her color. She said she looks healthy. Despite all she has been through this year, she has grown at least 4". She is a happy, (relatively) healthy kid.

Yeah, about that relatively...so this past Monday, Meredith's prosthetic eye got super gunky. Lot so yellow discharge. And then she complained of her throat hurting. I took her to Urgent Care, and she probably has strep, and a sinus infection. And then we went to the eye doctor, and he diagnosed her with conjunctivitis. Who knew you could have "pink eye" without an eye. It is bacterial, not viral, and so she is on antibiotic eye drops, and steroid eye drops, on top of the antibiotic she is taking for the strep. Hopefully this will nip all that in the bud, and she will start being able to fight off these crazy things. Also, the pharmacists at our local pharmacy should know me by name soon, I'm in there so often.

It's summer vacation, so I am in summer mode. Pretty much my year is divided into two parts-school and summer. School is very scheduled and regimented. Everything fits into its time slot.

Summer is very easy-breezy. I embrace the sunshine and rejoice in the lack of schedule. I feel like I am my best self in the summer. I intentionally relax, recovering from the school year, rejuvenating, and recharging for another school year.

We've had perfect weather the past week or two. Sunshine every day. Temps mostly in the 70s. Nice breezes blowing. Perfect. Idyllic.

What I love most about summer is the mornings. Coffee, devotions, and then long bike rides. The bike rides were what I missed most about my summer last year. I roll my bike out between 7 and 7:30, several mornings a week, and hit the trails while the sun is slowly sneaking up. There is only a handful of people on the trails that early. It is so quiet. I spend a lot of time thinking and praying and singing in my brain. I usually seem some form of wildlife. On Tuesday I saw a deer, two turtles, and lots of little critters.

My summer days are quite carefree. Probably too carefree. Bread? Who makes bread in the summer? Cleaning? Who cleans in the summer?

Well, I did make myself clean the bathroom on Monday. The tub had reached critical mass. I scrubbed the bathroom and vacuumed and dusted my bedroom, and everything looks and smells better.

I'm gearing up for the young ladies' discipleship program that I'm involved in each summer. I've done a ton of planning and organizing, contacting speakers and fitting things together. I have studying to do, and some supplies to purchase, but most of that will wait until next week.

I've been reading a ton. In the sunshine and shade. I read 11-22-63 by Stephen King. This is a doorstop sized book, but it was a great read. It is not a HORROR novel. I don't read that genre. It took me a while to plow through, and it was definitely worth it. I signed the offspring up for the summer reading program. So we are all reading a lot, and that makes me happy.

I feel healthy. My "biker's" tan is getting quite well rounded. Including the pal strap lines. I'm drinking lots of water, and eating good food. My food mantra is make good choices. So much hummus and fresh veggies. Big salads. Fruit. I love summer eating!

I bought a new laptop, on which I am composing this post. It is a MacBook Air, and it has been great. BMV inherited (for a sum) my older laptop. He's happy, I'm happy.

I got my herbs planted, and a few tomato plants. I also weeded my front perennial bed, and it is thriving. The climbing roses are blooming, and the day lilies have tiny pods. The cherries are thinking about turning red. It is glorious!

Anyway, so many little things that are building up to fill my months. I am incredibly blessed.

How's your summer going?

Count Your Blessings

We were sitting with my parents on Labor Day, when my husband remarked, "all in all, I'd say we had a really good summer."

I punched his arm and was like...what? If this summer is his version of really good, I'd hate to experience his really bad.

But, it did get me thinking.

We've had quite the summer. Hard things. So.many.hard.days.

And yet, sprinkled through the really hard, was so many small graces. So many things to be thankful for.

And because of that, here is my thankful list for today...

I'm thankful for my neighbor who has a green thumb and loves to garden. And weed. Huh? Crazy! I can back from my week long vacation in August to a beautifully tended front flower garden. It was weeded, and trimmed, and dead-headed. And it looked glorious.

I'm thankful for fresh flowers. I know-I'm always thankful for fresh flowers. They hit every one of my thankful lists... I'm thankful for cheap bouquets that I can split between vases in my dining room and bedroom, so that I can see their beauty almost anywhere I am in my house. And I love to stop and smell the roses. Literally. I love their scent. I think roses smell like rain.

Again, all photo credits in this post go to the amazing Josh Rexford

I am thankful for Shauna Niequist's new book, Present Over Perfect. Her writing style makes me smile. And the truths in the book are encouraging and challenging. I've particularly been challenged about being as opposed to doing. I've had to physically rest more this summer than probably any time in my entire life. This book is encouraging me to keep the rest going. Priorities have been a recurring theme in our year. God-marriage-kids-everything else. We've filtered and filtered through that order. One of the truths of the book is to know your purpose and your priorities. It gives a lot of freedom. My purpose is to glorify God. My priorities are what I listed. As we sift through activities and opportunities, using the template of glorifying God through our relationship with Him, through our marriage, through our parenting, and then through everything else, things become more simple.

I'm thankful for our local Gilda's Club. Gilda's Clubs are free, safe, support places for entire families as they grieve and/or go through cancer. I love that there are age appropriate groups for each of my kids. Each group is run by a certified counselor, who guides them in discussions as well as has fun activities for them to do. Plus, dinner is provided. What's not to love about that?

I'm thankful that it is school time again. That we are back into routine, back to learning new things.

I am thankful for another good week for Meres. No side effects this week. And still another (almost) 2 weeks until her next chemo treatment. This week and last week has been a breath of fresh air. A time of peace and rest between rough patches.

I'm thankful for our local children's hospital. For the competent and friendly staff. For it's really good rating among children's hospitals in the country. For is proximity to my house. I can get from my front door to the oncology floor, with parking and check-in, in 20  minutes. This is a great blessing.

I am thankful that I finally branched out into skinny jeans. Okay, so I still am all about my the bigger the flare the better jeans, but skinnies are quite comfortable. I'm also thankful for a cute denim shirt dress from Old Navy, and some new tunics from Goodwill and Marshalls.

I'm thankful that I can be working out in the morning again. We've been getting up at 5:20 several mornings a week, and going to the gym. I bike for 30 minutes, and then do weight machines and stretching for another 30 minutes. I work up a good sweat and watch the news. Which is ridiculous. Seriously. Last week, Monday-Wednesday, they basically recycled the same 3-4 stories over and over and over again. Sigh... The exercise is helping my knee heal. I feel less stiff in the mornings. Ready to rumble. I'm eager to run and swim again, but I am quite content to pedal away on the stationary and recumbent bikes.

I'm thankful for our new computer. We invested in a 27" iMac for school (and business). The display is huge, the sound is far superior to our old computer, and everything is crisp looking. I love it.

I am thankful for air conditioning. Very thankful! We have had a hot and humid summer, and the AC has saved my sanity.

I'm thankful for friendship and community. Our people have surrounded us with so much love and support, meals and prayers, visits and cards, babysitting and fellowship. I have never felt as cared for by the people of God. It is a very healing situation.

I am thankful to be teaching Sunday School again. I love teaching. I love telling stories. I love interacting with the kids. It's my jam. My goal this year is to dig a bit deeper with my students. Every story in the Bible is there to teach us about God-who He is, what He does, and what His plan is for the world- and to teach us about us-who we are and what God wants us to do. I am going to pick the kids' brain each week to see what they heard from the story along those lines.

I am thankful for sunshine and rain. Both are necessary. Both have had their place this summer.

I am thankful for anniversaries and trips with my husband. I don't take anniversaries for granted. Each year that clicks past represents it unique challenges and rewards. We celebrated our 15th anniversary last month. Since August was a bit booked for us, we are taking 4 days next week to celebrate. I know, I know...we did the cruise for our anniversary. That's what I told Mr. Hippie too. But, thankfully, he overruled my objections, and we are booked to fly to South Carolina, and spend some time in Asheville. Sans offspring. Whoot!

I am thankful for the ability to walk with out crutches or a brace. The ability to walk up and down stairs. Being able to carry things for myself again.

I'm thankful for the ocularist who is making Meres' new eye. And that it will be ready tomorrow. She is always beautiful to me, and she has had no problem with her "pink"eye, but I think we are all excited about the new eye.

I am thankful for campfires. There is nothing to be compared with the scent of burning wood. It speaks autumn to me.

Well, I'm sure I could go on and on for a long while more, but you deserve a medal if you've made it this far.

What would make your thankful list today?

Where We've Been, Where We're Headed

Oh.my.word!

It's been almost 2-1/2 months since I've last written here.

School starts tomorrow, and I'm not sure I'm ready. To be perfectly honest, I feel somewhat gipped out of a summer.

We've had a summer to beat all summers. It whipped past in it's urgency. It was survival mode, not thrive mode. Not survival of the fittest, because I sure wouldn't call us the fittest, though we have survived.

Thus far.

By the skin of our teeth. And the grace of God.

A highlight of the summer was hanging out for an entire week with my parents, siblings (8 of us!), spouses (5!), nieces and nephews (12 total, including my kids! Ages ranging from 14 to almost 2.). We borrowed some friends' house in near the beach. We divided bedrooms and living spaces and crammed us all in. We laughed, and ate, and played games, and hung at the beach, and talked, and had a really good time.

Mom and Dad with the grandkids

It was great.

We determined to spend this week together while my mom is still pretty healthy and strong. If you remember, she was diagnosed with ALS at the end of last year. She is doing okay. She is slowly going down hill.

We hired the photographer to document our family. (By the way, all photo credits in this post belong to Josh Rexford. He did an amazing job for my family. Check him out if you live in The Mitten.) We are going to cherish these photos forever.

Time and opportunities are not something you can get back. Once gone, they've slipped past forever.

My parents

If you can remember way back to the last time I wrote, I had mentioned that I had torn my LCL. I was finding out that day what our game plan was going to be.

Well, not only had I torn the LCL, but I also had torn my biceps femoral tendon off the bone in two different places. Talk about a spectacular injury.

The game plan was surgery, on June 29. I have a glorious 6" scar on the outside of my knee, and a graft of some sort inside my knee. I'm not too eager to delve much farther into who or what provided said graft for my healing and wholeness...

The healing process is a long one. I ended up being on crutches for 7-1/2 weeks. I was in a brace for just under 11 weeks-all told. I even got to wear all the way to high heaven compression stockings for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Day and night. Through several of the hottest days of summer. #notMyFavoriteThingEver

I felt free as a bird when I could finally lose my crutches. I can carry things again! Let me tell you, that is a key skill set as a mom. 

I will not run for 6 months from surgery, but I am riding a stationary bike, and using other gym equipment to strengthen my quad muscles and hips and calves and all the other things that have gone to pot in this non-triathlon summer.

I am so thankful for the progress I have made.

Brian and I celebrated our 15th anniversary earlier this month. I am so thankful to have this man to lead me and our family. To partner with me on this road of life. To be my best friend and my lover. He has really stepped up to the plate (and beyond) this summer. As chief cook and bottle washer, nurse, and bread winner. I love him and appreciate him so.

And our kids...

BMV is 14 and will be a freshman (shut up!) starting tomorrow! He is at least 6' tall-taller than me. He is still wearing braces and is still geeked about all things Star Wars and Lego. He has been plunking around on the piano this summer-picking out tunes by ear. He has some peach fuzz coating his chin, and is growing into a man. I really can't believe it.

Freckles is 12, and will be in 7th grade this year. He is an introvert. He paces in our front yard on the berm. Just thinking. I have no idea what about. He loves to visit our local military antique/surplus store. He wore his sailor hat non-stop for months, but I think he has given that up. I think...

Elsie, Elsie. This girl. She is 9, and will be in 4th grade this fall. She loves to read. She read at least 30 books this summer. She almost always is my first kid awake in the morning, and she will be tucked in with a book. She is not a night owl. She is the first one to fall asleep each night. The phrase still waters run deep describes her pretty well. She does not demand attention (unlike a certain someone in our family), but she needs it. And she needs hugs. 

And then Meres. What to say?

Two days before my knee surgery, Meredith was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, pediatric eye cancer. It is a condition that starts in the womb, but then takes a few years to manifest itself-though generally by age 5.

July 11, she had an enucleation of her left eye. (eyeball and optic nerve removed). She currently has a coral globe in her eye that is attached to muscle, with a place holder lens over it. She has been fitted for a prosthetic lens, which will be painted to match her other eye, and will track with her other eye also. She will get this beautiful new eye in another week and a half.

Meredith had an MRI the week of her enucleation. We know from that that all the cancer is out of her head. Her eye socket, right eye and brain are all gloriously clear of cancer.

We also know from 2 pathology reports, that the cancer went up her optic nerve a bit, and quite deep into her eyeball. These 2 circumstances make her more likely to get cancer again somewhere else in her body.

Which is why we made the terribly hard decision to do prophylactic (preventative) chemotherapy.

She will go through 6 treatments (the first of which is already completed!), each running 2 simultaneous days, and about 4 weeks apart. If all goes well, we will be done after the new year.

It is a fairly mild thing, but it is still chemo. And there still are side effects. Nausea, jaw pain, low blood counts.

We are hopeful. The prognosis is 95% no return rate. That is really good. We are choosing to rest in hope. And rest in the grace given for today, and today's joys and challenges.

Pray for Meredith's complete healing.

You know, I love this photo of my siblings and our kids. It is full of joy. Sunshine. Life. 

This has not been an easy summer, and I can't imagine that it is going to be an easy fall. But, once again I'm brought back to our priorities.

God. Marriage. Our kids. Everything else.

And, how can we glorify God through these relationships today? 

I love this photo too. I love my mom. I am so blessed to be her daughter, and to have her example.

Life this fall is going to be pretty bare bones. We are healing. So, we will be doing school, and therapy (physical and chemo-), and blood draws, and I will be cooking (because it is creative and it heals my soul), and we will be attending cancer support groups. All of us.

I will not be cleaning my house. Well, at least not more than a lick and a promise. I have hired on my cleaning team to come every other week for a while. 

We will be digging into Ancient Rome. From the pre-Republic days down to its fall. Whoot-whoot! I am so excited about this! I love learning, and I love teaching. We have lectures on Ancient Roman history, famous Romans, and the Roman emperors. Towards the end of the year we will do a series comparing Greece and Rome. And our fine arts this year is actually focusing on how to look at and appreciate art. 

The boys, in particular, have quite the reading lists. Augustine. Ovid. Gibbons. Josephus. Cicero. Virgil. It is going to be so interesting! At least, I think so. =)

Well, this a nutshell of where we've been and where we're headed. Hopefully I will have time in the near future to write more-about school and maybe about this whole cancer journey and about the faithfulness of God and the love of His people.

But for now, know that the Barefoot Hippies are still here. 

A Good "Cousins" Week & Penne Gorgonzola with Chicken

This is Meres and Mr. Hippie on their inaugural bicycle ride. Obviously they both enjoyed it...

Good for them. And, better him than me...

When Meres saw me wriggling (literally) into my tri suit last week, she told me that she likes my trying suit. I thought that was kind of funny.

In between swapping babysitting, two DVBS, and Coast Guard Festival, our kids have gotten to spend quite a chunk of time everyday with their cousins. This makes for happy cousins.

This is the first time we have been to the Coast Guard festival in about 10 years. I was pregnant with Freckles the last time we went. My dad lectured me that time, because I was pregnant and drinking a Diet Sprite. It was hot. I was thirsty. And it was that or beer.  Seriously...one Diet Sprite is not going to negatively affect my baby.

He obviously looks quite thriving in this picture. 

So, I took almost 10 pictures of the kids sitting on the curb. This is the only one that they are all at least facing the same direction. Good luck with simultaneous smiles, open eyes, and all the rest...

We did have a magnificent time! My cousins put on a huge shindig every year. It's a multiple day event. We arrived in time to beat the traffic, and eat breakfast. We enjoyed the almost 2 hour long parade, and my kids came home with a lifetime supply of candy. I'm hardly kidding. The kids cheered the floats, and then enjoyed the dunk tank and pool. It was a great day. I enjoyed catching up with some of my cousins and aunts that I haven't seen in a couple years.

LC is actually still not taller than R. She was just up a step. 

And these two...They get along magnificently-when they aren't fighting. They both are chiefs and they both are sassy, which makes for a somewhat tumultuous relationship. But, they get it sorted out, and re-sorted out.

Well, our second triathlon of the season is tomorrow. It is a short one. 300 meter swim, 9.25 mile bike, and 5k run. It's good training. Especially having the opportunity to put it all together-complete with transitions. I am looking to beat last year's time. What I would LOVE is to get this to one hour. But, that is shaving 5 minutes off last year. Which is quite substantial. We'll see.

Tonight I am whipping up a batch of our favorite pre-race food, Champagne Chicken. It's one of our race traditions. Along with bagels for breakfast....

Well, I have another recipe for you today. I made this pasta this week, and I was quite thrilled with how it turned out. It was easy and fast. Basically it took the time that it takes to cook a box of pasta.

Penne Gorgonzola with Chicken.

Yes, gorgonzola. Gorgonzola is a very strong blue cheese. The first time I had it was with pasta and steak on our honeymoon. I thought it was awful. But, my taste buds have changed. Matured. They are nearing 40, after all. They also have grown to enjoy red wines this past year...

Cray-zay!

So, this is a powerful pasta, and maybe not for everyone. My girls did not like it. The boys did. I actually modified the recipe. It called for 8 ounces of gorgonzola. The package I found was 6 ounces. I didn't want to fork out another $6 for the needed extra ounces, so I swapped 2 ounces of feta for the remaining gorgonzola.

This recipe actually reminds me of something you'd order at a fancy Italian restaurant. 

Penne Gorgonzola with Chicken

Prep/total time: 30 minutes

16 ounces penne pasta

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup chicken broth

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

8 fresh sage leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

-Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

-Meanwhile, heat grill to medium high. Lightly salt and pepper chicken breasts, and then grill, for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Thinly slice.

-Mince garlic. In a large skillet, over medium, heat oil. Add the garlic, and cook one minute, until golden and fragrant.

-Add the wine, cream, and broth. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened. Thinly slice the sage leaves. Add to the sauce with the gorgonzola, feta, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir, just until the cheese is melted. 

-Toss the pasta with the chicken and the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy! And have a great weekend!

Winding Down On Summer

Baseball season is over.

I'm of two minds about that fact.

I'm somewhat nostalgic. Baseball has been great for our family this year. This was the first organized sport the boys have ever done. And it was an amazing experience. The players and the coach made it amazing.

I don't know about you, but I am totally an "it takes a village" person, when it comes to raising my kids. There is no way on God's green earth that I can teach my kids every thing they need to know to survive and thrive! I just don't have all the skill sets.

Which is why it makes me rather weepy-eyed, squeezy-heart, choked-up feeling, when someone pours into my kids. Our Coach James poured. And poured.

What a guy! Seriously! He had the heart of a teacher. The heart of a coach. He wanted all the boys to succeed. He sacrificed his time on all the Tuesdays and Thursdays of June and July to give of his expertise and wisdom so these boys could learn to be baseball players.

And I do mean, learn. My boys were not the only boys on the team with zero baseball skills. There were 2 great players (the coaches' son, and son's friend), 2 good players, and 7 really not good players.

He taught them how to play baseball. He drilled the skills. He had easy to remember one-liners. "Play's on first." "Eyes on the ball." "Watch it into your mitt." "Get your mitt dirty."

No matter how frustrating it must have been (and I'm sure it was), he never let his frustration show. He never lost his cool. He just kept instructing, repeating, encouraging.

Consequently, each one of these players is now in love with the game. They get the game-even if their skills are a bit rough (really, really rough) still. They all improved-a lot.

I was so proud of them. I was proud of them in their orange jerseys, cleats, and gloves. I was proud of them when they lost their first 3 games. I was proud of them when they went on to win the next 5. I was proud of them for showing up. I was proud of them for every ball that was hit. I was proud of them for every ball that was caught. For each strike against the other team. For each walk for our team. For every play at first, and second, and third.

And I will miss it. I will miss sitting in my lawn chair, swatting bugs, sweating, and cheering as loud as I could.

Yes, I'm definitely nostalgic with the end of the baseball season.

I'm also somewhat panicked. 

July is done! (Practically speaking.)

I knew that we were committing on Tuesdays and Thursdays through June and July. And that when baseball ended, so would July.

8 weeks of baseball done. 4 weeks of swimming lessons-winding down. The summer almost over.

I know. It really isn't. We still have all of August. But, have you seen my calendar?

My summer life-style consisting of training, naps, baseball, swimming, and occasional cooking and cleaning, is about to get a bit harried.

Summer is going out with a bang!

I'm trading baseball, naps and swim lessons for VBS, a wedding, sewing a flower girl dress for said wedding and also making pulled pork for said wedding.

Plus 2 birthdays. And our 14th(!!) anniversary.

A husband who is doing long roofing days on a huge (700 square) roof about an hour from home, with an abbreviated crew.

School curriculum that needs planned and ordered. School cabinets that need organized. School supplies that need purchased. Last year's transcripts needing to be filled out for BMV.

Grandparents in town for a week.

Peaches needing canned. Tomatoes needing canned.

And triathlon training still needs to happen. As well as working on She Plans Dinner.

Sigh.

It is going to be a delicate dance between careful planning and living in/enjoying the summer moments. Flexibility and scheduled. One step at a time and multi-tasking.

It's going to be a continued pattern of letting go what can be let go. Focusing on the important-for importance's sake, and before everything becomes urgent.

It's going to be a intentional focusing on enjoying the last hurrah of summer, before the seasons turn to fall.

That's nostalgic!

A Little Bit of This and That...Life Lately

I feel like it has been forever since I wrote last. It almost gets to the point where I wonder if I will ever write again. Sigh.

So many thoughts. Most of which just have not perked enough yet to be written. Some are too private to write.

I had a cold last week, and I ended up taking naps several afternoons instead of writing. I had a goal of doing Iron Man mileage last week, but that just didn't happen. I rested, and rested, and rested some more.

I didn't even hardly cook. I made Mac & Cheese for my brother in law's 40th birthday party last Monday. We ordered pizza Tuesday. Ate leftover Mac & Cheese on Wednesday. Did Olive Garden on Thursday. Am I proud of that? Not really. But, at least we ate. You do what you gotta do.

Today I am feeling pretty good, though I did take a nap. Instead of writing. Or vacuuming and dusting. I am aiming for my Iron Man this week. I know, I know. A real Iron Man has an 18-20 hour time limit. I'm taking advantage of every one of the 168 hours in my week.

The boys finally won a baseball game last Thursday. 9-0. I was amazed (as I think their coach was) that there was actually a team worse than them. I did feel awful for the other team. But, I was proud of our guys. And I think they were pretty pumped too. Finally to score! Finally to win!

As for the girls...well, they are just clicking along. Still sharing the top bunk so that McGuyver can sleep in the bottom bunk. Meres got a Goody hairbrush for her birthday that they both have been loving. Seriously-they could make their own commercial. They tell me every time I brush their hair that this brush doesn't hurt. It makes their hair shiny and soft. So, for those of you with girls who want to know...it is a retro looking brush, for thick hair. It has those beady long bristles, and short clumps of bristles. The combination works magic.

I've been reading and reading a lot lately. Some on my Kindle. Some in paper and ink form. I just read Shauna Niequist's Cold Tangerines. It was her first book, and very similar to her other essay books. I really enjoyed it. I also read 800 Grapes by Laura Dave. It is getting mixed reviews, but I really liked it.

Mr. Hippie has been really busy with work. Which is pretty typical of summers for us. Since he does run his own roofing and siding business. We are thankful for the work. But the summer days sometimes get long.

We are settling well into our new church. There are so.many.kids. Which has been a blessing. We do open Sunday School in the summer, and I taught yesterday. It was great to teach again. I do love telling stories to kids. Because they love stories. Well, actually, I think we all love stories.

I am gearing up to teach a VBS the first week of August. My theme is Lonely but not Alone. And I am telling the stories of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego; Daniel; Elijah; Balaam; and Jesus. He is the only one who was ever truly alone, and He bore that so that He can always be with us believers. Such a blessing.

Anyway, that's a glimpse into what's happening around these parts lately. Here's to hoping I get more writing done throughout this week!

Pasta with Spring Vegetables

It's July already! How crazy is that?! I am trying hard not to focus on the fact that our summer break is almost halfway done. It's about time to take a gander at some curriculum for next year, and start getting our syllabus nailed down.

Our first triathlon is this Saturday! What a way to celebrate the 4th! Thankfully, it starts early and is short, so we can do it, and be done, and enjoy the rest of our weekend. We are planning to visit some friends near the Windy City. They put on their own fantastic fireworks display every 4th of July, and this year we finally get to see it.

I've been trying to tackle one of my "urgent" tasks each week (in the interests of not having a completely lazy summer). Last week's task was strawberry picking and processing. This week's task was the weeding. I got most of the big weeds out of my tomato patch before my back was hurting too much. It looks way better. I will probably finish it up on Friday. 

We got a new (to us, and free!) bookshelf for the boys' room this week. They are thrilled to have more than enough shelving for all their favorite books. There are 6 shelves, each about 30" long. That will hold a lot of books. They're happy, I'm happy.

The boys had their first baseball game this week. It was terribly pathetic how bad their team was, but they did have fun. Their regular coach was unable to be there, and only 5 guys from their team. Four players from the younger team stepped up to the plate (literally), so they could actually play. They lost 0-9. The damage would have been worse had there not been a five point per inning limit. I'm pretty sure Freckles was one of only two kids who actually caught a ball. They always seemed a bit surprised when the ball was in play. This does sound rather sad, but I will say that they have all improved since they first started practicing a few weeks ago. Hopefully their games will continue to improve also...

Today I have a pretty healthy recipe for you. Pasta with Spring Vegetables. This dish is packed with asparagus, peas and green onions. The prosciutto gives it a nice flavor. Salty. I love prosciutto! 

Mint and parsley both grow well in the spring, and they add a very springy taste to the pasta.

This dish is dairy-free, and can easily be made gluten-free by using GF pasta. 

Pasta w/ Spring Vegetables

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 10 minutes, Total time: 25 minutes
1 pound cavatelli or other  short pasta
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound asparagus
1 bunch green onions
6 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
1/4 cup mint
3/4 cup parsley
6 slices thin prosciutto
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

-Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup water.
-Trim tough ends from asparagus, cut into 1/2” pieces.
-Trim roots from green onion and cut into 1” pieces.
-Mince garlic. Chop mint and parsley. Tear prosciutto.
-In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, crisp up the prosciutto. Remove from skillet and set aside.
-Heat the oil in the skillet, and sauté the green onions, asparagus, and peas until tender and bright green in color, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.
-Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, mint and parsley to the skillet and mix well. Serve topped with the crisped prosciutto.

Happy 4th of July!

Grilled Chicken With Tomato Olive Relish

So, Meres wants me to buy her a pet. 

Let me tell you, she's barking up the wrong tree. A pet is not going to happen.

Can you buy me a pet dog? No.

Can you buy me a pet cat? No.

Can you buy me a pet snake? No. 

Just a baby one? No! Are you crazy?!

Does she not know me at all? I will never, EVER, knowingly have a snake living in my house. EVER!!!

I greatly dislike snakes. I even avoid the Herpetarium at the zoo. 

I think she through the snake option out there, so that I'd settle for something else. It was a bargaining chip. I almost offered a goldfish, but we didn't have much luck with those before. 

Pet-free. That's me.

It's a spiritual conviction...

Take a look at this gorgeous, healthy recipe! All those colors! Red, purple, green, white. 

This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, and it's delicious! It takes very little time to throw together. You can fill out your meal with grilled corn on the cob-like I did. Or with a lettuce or fruit salad.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Tomato Olive Relish
Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time:15 minutes, Total time: 25 minutes
3 ripe medium tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
3 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp capers, drained
1-1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
4-1/2 tsp olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

-Chop tomatoes, olives and onion.
-In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, onion, capers, vinegar and 1-1/2 tsp olive oil. Set aside.
-In a medium bowl, toss the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil, until evenly coated.
-Place chicken on grill over medium heat, and grill, turning once, until juices run clear. (6-7 minutes per side). Or…heat oven 450 degrees. Place a cooling rack on a foil covered, rimmed cookies sheet. Bake breasts for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.
-To serve, top chicken with relish.

Have a great weekend!

Our Week in Cherries Plus Grilled Salmon

It's that week...

Cherry week!

We have a sweet cherry tree in our backyard. Which has been an awesome thing. Some years we get a bumper crop. Some years are for the birds and the worms.

This year is a bumper crop year. There are plenty for us, and plenty for the birds too. Everyone is happy.

Momentos of their diligent efforts... 

The kids have been gunning to pick the cherries since they first started turning reddish yellow last week. They picked their first bowls on Monday, and picked a huge colander on Tuesday. They are having a blast spitting pits randomly. Around the house. Around the yard.

We have put a moratorium on the house pit spitting. We do not live in a barn...

Well, since sweet cherries aren't really for baking, I'll have to share another try of recipe with you.

How about Grilled Salmon?

Summery. Grilled. Delicious. Simple.

Fits all those descriptions!

This recipe is from the famous BFF. She is much more adventurous than I am when it comes to trying fish. I think all my good fish recipes were first vetted by her.

So, there is an oil, brown sugar, soy sauce marinade that the fish soaks in for a couple hours. It makes the salmon pleasantly sweet, but not like caramelized or anything. My kids LOVED it. Meres keeps asking when we can have it again.

Grilled Salmon
Prep time: 5 minutes, Marinate time: 2 hours, Cook time: 15 minutes, Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
4 to 6 (6 oz) salmon fillets
pepper or lemon pepper
garlic powder
salt
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil

-Season salmon fillets with pepper or lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt.
-In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water and oil. Place fish in a resealable bag, and pour the marinade on top. Seal bag, turn to coat fish, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
-Preheat grill for medium heat.
-Lightly brush grill grates with oil.
-Discard marinade and grill fillets, 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until flakes easily with a fork.

 Maybe enjoy it for Summer Solstice?