Advent

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. I only know this because last year we started the tradition of an Advent Candle Wreath. I’m always looking for ways to add meaning to the season of Christmas (and Easter, too). I found this idea in “The Adventure of Christmas” by Lisa Whelchel. (On a side note, it's such a great book! It has festive and colorful pages with many meaningful craft and baking ideas for the Christmas season. If you have little ones, I highly recommend it.)

Advent Candle Wreath

What you’ll need

3 purple candles

1 pink candle

1 white candle

a mirror stand

any variety of evergreens, holly, pine, ornaments, bells, etc. to decorate around the candles

Arrange candles on mirror stand. Put the white candle in the center since it’s the last one lit, on Christmas Day, and represents Jesus, with the other candles in a circle around the white one. The circle represents God’s love that lasts forever, it has no beginning or end. Then add decorations as accents around the candles.

The first purple candle, the Prophesy/Hope candle, is lit on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and represents the hope we have in Jesus.

The second purple candle, the Bethlehem/Peace candle, is lit on the third Sunday before Christmas, and represents the Prince of Peace born in Bethlehem.

The pink candle, the Shepard/Joy candle, is lit on the second Sunday before Christmas, and represents the good tidings and great joy of the Christmas story.

The final purple candle, the Angel/Love candle, is lit on the Sunday before Christmas, and represents the heavenly hosts and their glorious message.

And finally, the white candle, lit on Christmas Day, represents that love has entered our world through the birth of Jesus Christ. 

We all had fun picking out and putting together this Advent Wreath. And what a great visual reminder of the meanings behind Christmas.

Some use the Advent season to prepare their hearts for the Christmas season and maybe to find new meaning and a renewed gratitude for the gift we didn’t deserve. I came across this prayer recently in “The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions” (another awesome book!) and thought it was beautiful, timely, and worth sharing.

The Deeps

Lord Jesus,
Give me a deeper repentance,
a horror of sin,
a dread of its approach;
Help me chastely to flee it,
and jealousy to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone.

Give me a deeper trust,

that I may lose myself to find myself in thee,
the ground of my rest, the spring of my being.

Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.

Give me deeper power in private prayer,
more sweetness in thy Word,
more steadfast grip on its truth.

Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action,
and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee.

Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly Husbandman,
that my being may be a tilled field,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no Master but thee,
no law but thy will,
no delight but thyself,
no wealth but that thou givest,
no good but that thou blessest,
no peace but that thou bestowest.

I am nothing but that thou makest me,
I have nothing but that I receive from thee,
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.

Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.

 Amen.

No Turkey, No Problem

When left to our own devices, this is how The G Family celebrates Thanksgiving…

First, we started with a nice wholesome breakfast (not!): Homemade Pumpkin Donut Holes. Those little donuts were scrumptious! And you don't even need one of those special donut makers. We used our mini-muffin pan. In fact, they were much too delicious to keep to ourselves, so we shared them with the neighbors. The following sugar high helped us power through the first round of Thanksgiving prep and clean up.

Our Thanksgiving menu

Chicken mock legs

Mashed potatoes

Green beans

Rolls

Dessert

(Not your Momma’s) Apple pie: Apple-Bacon Pie withGingersnap Crust

More on dessert later.

No turkey on Thanksgiving?! Nope! Bill doesn’t like to eat turkey and I don’t like to cook turkey, so we decided to eat and make what we like. After all, since it was only us, we can set the rules and make our own traditions!

So, what are Chicken Mock Legs? Well, I’m not sure the entire story behind Chicken Mock Legs but I know they 1) a traditional dish that Bill prepared with his father growing up, 2) they are savory and delicious and, 3) Bill cooks them (score!). Here’s the recipe:

Chicken Mock Legs

Serves 6

1.5 lbs. of London broil or other beef variety (basically a cheaper steak)

1.5 lbs. of Pork tenderloin

3 eggs, beaten

Italian bread crumbs, seasoned to taste (to Bill’s tastes: tons of extra garlic, salt and pepper)

First, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Next, cube meat into 1-inch chunks and skewer, alternating between beef and pork. Then, roll meat skewers into eggs and next in bread crumbs. Pan fry until bread crumbs are golden brown, about 3 minutes each side. The goal is to brown the bread crumbs, not cook the meat. Finally, layer skewers (can be on top of each other) in oven safe dish, dump oil and remaining bread crumb bits from pan onto the skewers, cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes.  

Buon Appetito!

They are delicious warm but even more delicious cold the next day! 

Since Bill was handling the main dish, I was able to focus on my favorite part…DESSERT! I know pies are the traditional Thanksgiving dessert but I wanted to up the ante this year. This year I decided to try this unique apple pie recipe: Apple-Bacon with Gingersnap Crust. Pie, check. Apples, check. Gingersnaps, check. Bacon, check. What more could you ask for in a pie?! I mean, c’mon on! Bacon in a pie! It was delectable; a perfect blend of sweet, savory and crispy. The apples almost melted into the crispy crust. It was part pie, part strudel, part piece of heaven. And, the best of all, it was surprisingly easy to make! 

We had a perfect Thanksgiving. We’re always sad to be away from family and friends, but sometimes it’s fun to do our own thing and break some Thanksgiving rules. Plus, all the texts and messages from our friends and family helped us feel close to home.

Now….it’s Christmastime!  As Bill rightly said, “For us, Thanksgiving has always been a speed bump to Christmas.”  So, let the holiday cheer begin! 

Happy Holidays from the self-declared “Snowflake Princess.”  (Our dog later ate that crown and spent the rest of the day mopping around with a sick tummy; dumb dog.)  

Say What?!

I’m on the computer working while the kids are watching a Little Einsteins TV show about Christmas, when I overhear one of the characters ask the viewers, “What would you like in your wish box?”

My children answer with:

Sienna (shouts): “EVERYTHING!!!”

Grant: “A gun.”

I could indulge myself and read into this (Bad parenting? Wayward children? A strangely accurate reflection of their parents? Overall commentary on the differences between genders?) but I won’t.

Instead I’ll humor you with other bad parenting examples….

You might be a bad parent if you’ve said the following:

“Stop eating your carrots and eat some of your pizza.”

“Well, I don’t like having to repeat myself to two little mooches that live with me!”

“Sure, honey, finish your milkshake and then we’ll go next door for ice cream.”

“Go play with your toys or go pick out five toys to give away to poor people.”

“Take a drink of your soda before you have any more of your milkshake.”

“What? Why do you want water? Drink your soda now!”

A certain child: “I think I’m going to throw up.”

A certain (to stay unnamed) parent: “Can it wait until after we run to Target?”

“Do you want to have ice cream first and then dinner?”

- AND - You might be a bad parent if your children have said any of the following:

“Mom, can I drink the grease first?”

“Raise your hand if you don’t want me to cut your face.”

“Everyone keeps saying you’re a crazy lady. How long are you staying like that?”

“Mom wants a glass of wine in her stocking.”

Of course, the above quotes are strictly hypothetical examples.

Or maybe it’s a list I’ve been compiling for the past few months of things we’ve said that were so ridiculous I thought they needed to be documented somewhere.

Hmmm….

Let’s face it, most days, living with and raising children is nothing short of absurdity. Sometimes as a parent you utter something, or hear your child say something, that’s so funny, crazy, embarrassing and/or such a stark contrast to the parent you thought you’d turn out to be. (I still remember thinking those judgmental thoughts about other parents and children, the infamous, “That won’t be me when I have children!” I actually believed my children would never drink soda or watch TV. Oh yes, pride comes before the fall.)

Still, it’s best to find the humor in it all. And take comfort that, as parents, we’re all riding the same crazy train. 

El Paso: Impressions and Observations

We’ve been in El Paso about four months now. It’s crazy how time flies! It doesn’t seem that long ago we were driving in and the reality of my new home was hitting me like a ton of bricks. But, in some ways it seems like we’ve been here much longer. We’ve already built a cozy little life for ourselves. The new home, new church, new friends, and new schools don’t really seem all that new anymore. New is routine now. 

We’ve been tremendously blessed during our time here. Who would’ve thought we’d flourish in the desert? It amazes me. Still, some days I can’t believe I live here, in El Paso of all places, and that I live a life where I’m taken to every end of the nation, and sometimes to different countries. I would have never, ever, guessed all of this for myself about 15 years ago. Life is so funny and crazy. You can’t guess what’s around the corner.

Anyway, I’ve been here long enough to establish an opinion about our new home in El Paso. I've got to say, El Paso has exceeded our expectations in so many ways. Here’s my observations and impressions, so far:

First off, this might be the friendliest place on Earth. Or at least the friendliest place I’ve been to on Earth. This is the first duty station where we’ve had an easier time making friends with the “locals” (and also a – somewhat – harder time meeting military family and friends). With in a month we knew several of our neighbors - and we like them! Mind you, I spent three years at a house in California and hardly knew our neighbors and didn’t really want to know them either. Although, we were living in “the land of broken dreams,” which is a completely separate story altogether. Anyway, people say hello here. They chat.  They remember you. They offer help. They look you up on Facebook. It’s awesome!

Second, and frankly, the best draw to the place is the food. As one local told me, “people in El Paso like to eat.” It’s practically a sport. As you’d expect, the Mexican food is amazing. The salsa! Oh, the salsa! I truly thought I’d tried every Mexican dish there was, especially growing up in Southern California, but I was wrong. We’ve tried new dishes, new flavors, new spices and unique drinks. (I’d tell you the names of the dishes but I can’t pronounce them, let alone try to spell them! There is one dish that Bill orders that I laugh out loud at him every time he says it. Abodabodoo. Something like that…it’s really delicious though!) It’s been so fun to explore. It’s like going to another country for dinner…no passport required! And don’t even get me started on the gelato store down the street from my house; it’s the best gelato I’ve had since our time in Italy. Seriously! I haven’t bought a container of ice cream since we found the place. Why would I eat Ben and Jerry’s when I have an even better option less than 5 minutes away?

Cucumber Lime Martini with a Chile Powder Rim

Third, although this might be home to the friendliest people in the world, it is also home to the CRAZIEST drivers in the world, too. I’m no country bumpkin. I’m used to urban drivers and all sorts of traffic and bad drivers, etc. But, nothing, no nothing, compares to what I’ve seen here. I used to think, “hmm, that person looks like they’re going to run the stop sign…nah, they won’t do that…” now I think, “I better slow down because this guy is going to run the stop sign.” All signs are a mute point here. Stop, Yield, etc. – it all means the same thing: keep going. The best time was when a car ran a stop sign onto a busy street with a police car right behind them. Immediately they were pulled over. I just laughed. Actually, first I swerved out of the way, then, I laughed. On the upside, I’m praying more now.

Fourth: English, Spanish and everything in-between. Everyone is bilingual so there isn’t much of a language barrier, but when someone rolls their “R”s then I’m completely lost. It can be the most basic word but I’ve never heard it pronounced that way. Sometimes I stare blankly. Or – and this is a trick I learned from my Grandma when she started to lose her hearing – act like I know what they said. Mostly, I’m hoping we can leave here somewhat bilingual ourselves. Well, at least the kids. A few times Sienna has rolled her "R" and now she’s starting to speak with a slight accent. Grant can count to twenty in Spanish. I’m not even sure where he learned how? Their brains are sponges at this age. I hope they pick up some conversational Spanish. As for me, I can’t make any promises. I’d like to but I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to learn a new language. Some days I can barely speak English!

Finally, we really are in the middle of nowhere. I know there are lots of day trips and travel options, and we’ll get there. But, never have I lived in such an isolated city. I recently downloaded the FastMall app. and searched for the nearest malls. There are three malls within 20 miles – so we do have lots of shopping options – but the nearest mall after that is 230 miles away in Odessa, Texas or, the opposite direction, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Between the big desert sky and the long stretches of open land, a girl can start to feel pretty small here.

To sum it up: we like it here and we’re pretty happy!

The lessons learned:

1)    Don’t always listen to the hype (or lack of hype).

2)    Sometimes you find happiness in the most unexpected corners of life.

Muy bueno!

Humbling Skies

Staring up at these huge fluffy clouds:

 


makes me think of this song: 

 

and this verse:

"Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?"
- Job 36:29 NIV

And somehow all the worries of the day seem very, very small. 

Meal Plan: Part 4 and General Housekeeping

Happy Monday everyone! 

Hubby will be missing several dinners this week (back to "real" Army life!) and when it's only me and the kiddos I don't need to cook as much. Still, I'm trying to remind myself I don't have to live on chicken nuggets and pizza when he's gone. So, here's what's cooking this week at our house: 

Lemony Tuna and Olive Oil Pasta

Frito Chili Pie 

The Frito Chili Pie recipe reminds me of high school (in a good way). We used to make something similar to this with the cafeteria food. It was one of the only cafeteria meals I could stomach. I had a sophisticated palate even then! Anyway, I'm sure this recipe will be worlds better!  

And for our sweet tooth: 


Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake (say that five times fast!) 


As I read this blog, I know God is working on my heart in this same area, the need to let go and accept the chaos of my house and the messes. The breaking process is so hard for me! I still want that perfect - and clean - house! When my house is in order, I can concentrate, when it's not, I can't. I've actually always considered that a personality "plus" but more and more I'm seeing it's a personality flaw. The kids won't remember the clean house. And on my death bed, I won't wish I had spent more time cleaning. Trying to find a balance....


And finally, is anyone else READY for Christmas?! I am. And from many of your Facebook status, I know you are ready, too! I found these two cute ornament crafts, a perfect use for those random ornaments that I've inherited over the years, and they seem to be crafts that I can actually do. (I'm a bit craft-challenged) 


Odd Ball Ornament Chandelier 

Ornament Window Hangings


Click through the slides for more creative ideas. 


Have a great week!

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to my little boy, Grant! My sunshine, my goof ball, my sweet, my huggle buggle bear, my little buddy. Grant, you bring so much joy to those around you. May you have a birthday as sweet as you! 

 

Meal Plan: Part 3 - and more!

I’m back!

I broke one of my “rules” and took a mini-vacation from blogging. Not because I wanted to or because I didn’t have anything to write, but because I don’t have three arms and two heads (but imagine what I could do if I did!). Actually, most of October was a wash due to allergies, colds, and stomach bugs…and all the chaos that life threw at us in-between. But, I’m ready to get back on track!

For starters, here’s my meal plan this week. It’s going to be another hectic week (the reason this is going up mid-week instead of on Monday) so I’m relying on Mr. Crockpot to save the day!

Crockpot Recipes:

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Salsa Chicken

And some good ol’ comfort food...

Easy French Bread Pizza

4-6 French bread sandwich rolls

shredded Mozzarella and/or Colby Jack cheese

sliced salami

sliced pepperoni

jar of pasta sauce

Preheat oven or broiler to 425-degrees. Slice sandwich rolls and lay halves on a cookie sheet. Top with pasta sauce, cheese, meats and any other topping you prefer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is slightly bubbly and golden. Serve with salad.

A side note, we all need a dose of encouragement now and again. Especially when you hold a somewhat thankless and unglamorous position of stay-at-home Mom. It's easy to get discouraged and frustrated. Thankfully, I was given the dose my heart was needing. I was flipping through Sienna's Awanas book and reviewing her work when I saw this note she had written:

  

Well, golly gee! I saw this and ruffled up my feathers. In Sienna’s eyes, I’m right up there with the best of ‘em. If that’s where I rank on her list, then I might be doing something (slightly) right and at the same time will continue to do my best to keep my rank. It was a small note that provided a big dose of encouragement!

It seems those doses of encouragement come when you need them the most, even if you have to look hard for them.