this moment {tastes like sunshine}

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

some inspiration

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately.  When the kids are ready for mommy time (in between all of the wonderful, sunny outside time), all I can come up with is reading.  Or board games.  Or tickle time.  Which is fine.  But I'm ready for a little more excitement around here!

Here are three activities that we will be trying out soon:

geode eggs!
My kids love rocks- I know they are going to flip over these!

lava lamps (first seen on Flower Patch Farmgirl)

homemade silly putty (first seen on Progressive Pioneer)
I've done lost my mind!

And while some of these were supposed to be more "eastery", we'll just change them up a bit to make them more every day fare!

What have you seen lately that has brought on some inspiration?

just a really good cookie

Recently I made these cookies found here.  They were so good.  The texture was perfect.  The peanut butter and chocolate... I mean, come on.  Then, the added salt took them overboard into an ocean of deliciousness.  So when I say that these were really good, I mean it!

I made a few changes.  I used rapadura/sucanat for the sweetener.  I used freshly ground whole wheat flour  instead of all purpose.  And of course, fair trade chocolate chips.

soaking it in

barn pickin'

John went barn picking yesterday.  This barn belongs to my childhood bestie's grandparents.  Look what he came home with:

aluminum ice chest with wooden rim- can't you see it brimming with granola at the market?

scratch that- make that two aluminum ice chests

an old oiling set- i love the colors!

more great color

I have a thing for old rusty lanterns.  And hand painted...anything.
This wooden sign will be showing up on my market day table as well.

moonpie did some pickin' of her own- in the glove compartment of the car.
yeah- you read that right.

He came home with a whole car!

And not just any car.  This is his dream car.  For as long as I've known him, he's wanted this car.  I am so very happy for him- so grateful for this gift!

passover

Our Easter garden

Last night we observed passover in a very protestant, modern way.  We ate pizza (it was practically unleavened), lit some candles and talked about what the passover meant for the Israelites thousands of years ago and what it means for us today.  It just so happens that we have been studying Moses and the passover account in our Bible curriculum during the school day, so the kids were really into the discussion we had.

The conversation was about remembering.

About obedience.

God told His people that He wanted them to talk about the passover every year- to remember how He set them free from their slavery under the Egyptians.  How He sent an angel to "passover" the homes marked with the blood from the sacrificial lamb.  How death fell on the households of those that did not obey.

We discussed how God wanted His people to remember what He has done, because we are extra good at forgetting His goodness.  He pours grace upon grace over us, and in the midst of hardships (or sometimes, just getting through the day), we forget.  We forget that the God we have entrusted our eternity with, can be entrusted with our present.

This talk of remembering resonated with me.  I have been focusing on remembering lately as we wade through the s-l-o-w adoption process.  Remembering that the God that gave us two remarkable children through birth is the same God that is adding to our family again through adoption.  That His timing is perfect.  Truly perfect.  That we are not choosing a baby.  No.  We are waiting on the baby that we have been chosen for.

I love how throughout scripture, God refers to Himself as "the One who was, the One who is, and the One who will be".  He is forever.  He's always been forever.  And when I begin to forget this, I can look back on the way He has blanketed us with His lavish love.

How our neighbor that has never spoken to us brought us two watermelons on the morning that I woke up craving watermelon.  How He walked us through losing a baby.  How zinnias, my very most favorite flower, are popping up all over the garden.  How He walked me through my parent's divorce.  How He walked the Israelites through the wilderness.

He's always been there.

Guiding.
Leading.
Loving.
Disciplining.

I want to remember.


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As we reflect and celebrate during this holy week, we are using these two ideas/resources:

an Easter Garden

this devotion (we are simply following the guide for the week between Palm Sunday and Easter) as suggested by my buddy Heather.

I'd love to hear what you are doing!

market day

We'll be out at Home Sweet Farm's market day this Sunday from 2-4pm selling granola, crispy nuts and maybe sprouted whole wheat flour!  We'd love to see you!

this moment

{{{as inspired by soulemama- one single, wordless moment that is worth hanging onto}}}

meanwhile, back at the ranch

As a child we spent a week every summer in the mountains of New Mexico.  Our half-way stop for the night was Amarillo.  

Texas is endless.

Or at least it seems endless when you start in Houston and make your way all the way up to the pan-handle plains.  Technically, it's about 12 hours.

Once you hit the pan-handle, the horizon goes on forever over the flat landscape.  That's why it's called "big sky country".  Really, you've never seen a sky this big.  And the sunsets- the best I've ever seen.  Anyway, back to the endless road trips of my youth.  The most welcome sight I had ever seen was the Cadillac Ranch welcoming us into Amarillo.

Cadillac Ranch is cool.  It's one of those things you just have to see to appreciate.  Imagine, if you can, seeing nothing for miles, and then all of a dither, 10 Cadillacs buried half way in the ground.

(I love the phrase "all of a dither" and I like to throw it in any time I can)

This was our kid's first trip to Cadillac Ranch.  I was so excited to share it with them!  We didn't just drive by- oh no- we got out and did some good ol' fashioned family fun.  You know- graffiti!  

Graffiti is highly encouraged at the ranch.  People leave behind their half full cans of spray paint for the next defacer.   Anything you paint will knowingly be painted over by the next passer by.  It's part of the circle of life.  

When you're here you feel like you are a part of something bigger.  An iconic, American road side exhibit.  A piece of history.  It's really cool.

John left behind our Middleman logo!

Remember the German tourists we saw at The Big Texan?  Well, they were here too.  It's too good to pass up.  

Too tempting to leave your mark.

a little bit country

Ok. A LOT a-bit country.

Our early departure from Palo Duro led us straight into the arms of all things kitsch.

The place where men are made and boys leave in tears (and with indigestion).

The Big Texan Steak Ranch!  (that's right- I said "ranch".  Not house!)

I remember eating here as a kid/teenager on our way to New Mexico.  This restaurant/theme park is located right on route 66.  It is a mecca for international tourist wanting to live the American road trip dream.  I would cringe thinking that is what the world thinks Texas is.  People eating 72 ounce steaks on a stage in under a hour.  Music on a six song loop featuring the Oak Ridge Boys and any song mentioning Amarillo.  Which oddly, are a lot.

But there was no cringing this time.  Oh no!  I reveled in introducing my children to this one of a kind place.  

And they fell right into place with no prodding from me whatsoever!  Miss Moonpie declared that she was going to have a steak.  Umm...ok.  All food rules out the window.  We're in West Texas dangit!

We ate, and laughed, and sang along to "Elvira" (ok, maybe that was just me), and all around had a great time.  I didn't even feel the need to go tell the table of German tourists next to us that this isn't really what Texas is like.  That there are cities here.  That there is incredible culture and music and art here.  But that's not the Texas they wanted to see.  They wanted this.  The Texas that's in the movies.  Big sky.  Cowboy hats.  Meat.  

Lots and lots of meat.

big sky country

Our West Texas road trip was more adventurous than we had planned!  Palo Duro Canyon is amazing.  It is described as the second largest canyon after the Grand Canyon.  The wonderful thing about Palo Duro is the accessibility of it.  You can go all over and marvel at the beauty of it all.  This fact seems to be known by more people outside of Texas than in it.  Hardly anyone we spoke to about our trip had ever heard of it.  And we were the only Texans at the camp!  There were two groups from Germany, two from Canada, West Virginians, Washingtonians (is that right???), and so on.

This little stream was right behind our campground.  The kids found it immediately and kept drawing us back to it.  We found evidence of a beaver that had done some major work.  

But sadly, there was no beaver spotting.

We found the canyon to be highly unpredictable.  What we had planned for weather wise, turned out not to be the case.  At all.

It became very clear as to why we were the only ones there in a tent.  Everyone else was in the comfort of a camper, and if I could give one piece of advice it would be this:  Palo Duro is extremely unpredictable and can be best experienced in a RV!  When we arrived the day was sunny and hot.  By 7pm it was still in the 90's!  But that night, a cold front blew through and it about took us out!  I had never experienced the fierceness of that kind of wind.  And it lasted.  All.  Night.  Long.  Can I say it?  We were miserable.  I have never been so happy to the sun!  The temperature had dropped to the low 30's.  I was so thankful for the kid's mummy bags!

Once the temps hit about 40, we bundled up and ventured out of the tent.  Our hope was to complete a six mile hike that day.  The sky was beautiful.  So, so blue up against all of that red.  We were truly in awe.  And when sun would hit the ground, it seemed like the canyon was paved in diamonds.  

But the wind.  Oh, the wind!  We made it about one mile in before we admitted that we were once again, miserable.  I looked at John and asked "what's the point if we aren't having any fun?".  We made it back to the car and made a new game plan.  We were all disappointed to pack up camp, but we knew that a camping trip spent inside of a tent is no fun at all.

This decision led to a new adventure of a completely different kind!

this moment

an early introduction to graffiti- Cadillac Ranch style!

as inspired by SouleMama

back from the canyon

We are back from our trip up to Palo Duro Canyon.  We are a bit wind and road weary, but we had a blast!  More to come after I tackle the laundry!