Aaaargh, Matey...Etc.

Just in case you care, here's what's been going on around here.

1. We had our first real Designs for Hope (incoming) board of directors meeting over the weekend. It was basically like an out of body experience. We wanted to pinch ourselves and just had to grin at the fact that we're really doing this. It felt so legit! Boy, I hope we don't screw this up.

2. We celebrated our little Lukey turning 5 this weekend. I'm just going to be honest and say that I'm having a really hard time with this. I always swore I'd never be that mom. You know...the one that cries every time her kids start school and mourns over the baby days. Suck it up. Life goes on. But I am finding that, though I'm often impatient, frustrated mom, I'm also don't-let-my-babies-grow-up-so-fast mom. Every day, I think of him going to big school and have to distract myself before I get all teary-eyed. I've gotten soft in my old age.

We had a pirate party. I thought I'd mention it just in case it's not completely obvious from the pictures. You get one guess - and one guess only - as to who was not excited about wearing their pirate attire.

3. I think my only hope of getting out from under the pile of ironing that awaits me is the return of Christ. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

4. Maddie has accidentally become a little entrepreneur. This time last week, I had the good intention of making myself a scarf out of an old t-shirt. I knew it could be done and thought that, even with my pathetic craftiness, I could manage it. I've gone from a good intention to having a spreadsheet to keep up with orders for Maddie to fill in order to raise funds for DFH. I've been praying for open doors, and it seems that the Lord is flinging them wide this week.

Here's the dorky picture of me wearing a scarf.

Please don't feel obligated to tell me I look okay, but please do feel obligated to buy a scarf from my sweet child for her father's ministry.

5. Here's what we've been eating:

Baked Oatmeal - a staple at our house

Asian Lettuce Wraps - I made quinoa in chicken broth to replace the rice and added sautéed mushrooms to mine - YUM!!!

Cheeseburger Soup - except I used 4 cups of broth

Meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars - my new favorite dessert
(aka The New Worst Enemy To My Hips)

Granola Bars - tried my adaptation of this new recipe. They're yummy, but I still have the same problem I always have with granola bars. They're so crumbly! I imagine my kids eating them for snack at school and having a desk covered in granola by the time they're done...and then the teacher fighting the urge to curse my name. But here's what I did, if you like crumbly granola bars or don't mind your kid's teacher hating you:

6 T butter
3/8 cup honey
3/8 cup brown sugar
4 1/2 cups toasted (7 min on 350) old fashioned oats, pulsed in the food processor
1/2 cup milled flax seed
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup raisins

Spray a 9x13 pan with oil and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flax seed, and raisins. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and honey. Cook on medium until it's melted and combined, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour the butter mixture over the oats and stir to moisten. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared 9x13. Let them cool and cut into rectangles.

Well, I suppose that's as many posts as I can cram into one. Now to see how much quality sleep I can cram into six hours.