This is a fair representation of how the past week was...generally speaking. I suppose it's a bit of a reality check.
31 January 2009
26 January 2009
Oatmeal Banana Chews
These are originally called cookies but I'm changing to name to be a bit more reflective of what they actually are. Joshua loves them!
INGREDIENTS
3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped (substitute or add raisins, other dried fruit, or apple)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (substitute 1/3 cup applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dried fruit, oil (applesauce), and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly brown.
VARIATIONS
Add 1/3 cup honey and increase oats to 2 1/2 cups for a slightly sweeter variation.
INGREDIENTS
3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped (substitute or add raisins, other dried fruit, or apple)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (substitute 1/3 cup applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dried fruit, oil (applesauce), and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly brown.
VARIATIONS
Add 1/3 cup honey and increase oats to 2 1/2 cups for a slightly sweeter variation.
Haystack Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup mashed banana
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
4 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups chopped dates or raisins
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. Mix peanut butter, honey, banana, water, and salt. Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
3. Form a ball using a tablespoon and press each ball together tightly. Place each ball onto cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
1/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup mashed banana
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
4 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups chopped dates or raisins
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. Mix peanut butter, honey, banana, water, and salt. Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
3. Form a ball using a tablespoon and press each ball together tightly. Place each ball onto cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
16 January 2009
Hannah - 3 months old
I was trying to get Hannah to laugh in this video. She did it the night before but I haven't been able to catch it yet. Hopefully soon...but until then, here she is!
07 January 2009
Looking Back
Claude and I had a conversation just the other day about taking the time to write holiday letters to friends and family. Although I always enjoy being updated on the lives of those whom we know and love, I concluded that the tradition seems to be made more for the writer than the reader. This post would be one such holiday "letter". It is an opportunity (which may be cut short due to the little ones running around the house) for us to look back.
Upon first glance our lives look pretty much the same as they did a year ago...except for the toddler running around, the infant in the bouncy seat, the vast array of toys that have taken over the living room, the mismatching, oddly placed, and very colorful floor mats throughout the apartment, the "art" hanging on our walls (compliments of one Joshua Chew), and an estimated 5,000+ more photos on our hard drive. So, in hindsight (which is always 20/20) things are basically not the same as they were a year ago!
2008 was certainly full of highlights. Within 12 months Joshua learned to sit up, crawl, stand, walk, run, talk, use the potty, color, "read", practice the violin, play hide and seek, feed himself, bake, vacuum, and dance among other things. He also got 15 teeth, grew 3 inches, gained 7 pounds, had his first hair cut (and consequently his second and third), and became a big brother.
Joshua's development is impressive, but Hannah's is even more so considering she was conceived of only in the heavenlies at the start of the year and by the end of 2008 was out in the world and nearly three months old. Praise the Lord! Her birth was an exciting time for all involved, including our dear friends who rushed to meet us at the hospital in order to look after Joshua. Talk about a dramatic entrance...9:30am we left for the hospital, arrived around 10:15am, wheeled into the delivery room a few minutes later, and out she came at 10:48am!
As for Claude and I, the changes that came with 2008 are a bit less dynamic, though not less important. We've learned to be more content, to trust the Lord more fully, and to live on less sleep. And, naturally, there are all the changes in routine and priorities that come along with raising Joshua and Hannah. I've heard it said that parenthood is a full time job. I would disagree: it is a lifestyle. And God seems to use it as a means of changing and transforming us more into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is certainly a privilege to serve Him by serving these little ones.
As for the usual end-of-year updates (ie--work, travel, special events, etc) here's a quick overview...the farthest we traveled was to Maine for a friend's wedding, Claude still kills mice for a living, I've been serving in the nursery at our church (Westchester Chapel Community Church; www.westchesterchapel.org), Hannah was dedicated to the Lord on her one-month birthday, Claude and I celebrated 3 years of marriage, Joshua turned 1 year (as did our car), and we discovered a very good peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe (see previous post). I'm sure that I've forgotten something/s...what can I say? I'm surprised to have remembered this much.
Looking back, I think it's safe to say that life in the past year was marked by great plenty. It was an abundantly blessed year!
Upon first glance our lives look pretty much the same as they did a year ago...except for the toddler running around, the infant in the bouncy seat, the vast array of toys that have taken over the living room, the mismatching, oddly placed, and very colorful floor mats throughout the apartment, the "art" hanging on our walls (compliments of one Joshua Chew), and an estimated 5,000+ more photos on our hard drive. So, in hindsight (which is always 20/20) things are basically not the same as they were a year ago!
2008 was certainly full of highlights. Within 12 months Joshua learned to sit up, crawl, stand, walk, run, talk, use the potty, color, "read", practice the violin, play hide and seek, feed himself, bake, vacuum, and dance among other things. He also got 15 teeth, grew 3 inches, gained 7 pounds, had his first hair cut (and consequently his second and third), and became a big brother.
Joshua's development is impressive, but Hannah's is even more so considering she was conceived of only in the heavenlies at the start of the year and by the end of 2008 was out in the world and nearly three months old. Praise the Lord! Her birth was an exciting time for all involved, including our dear friends who rushed to meet us at the hospital in order to look after Joshua. Talk about a dramatic entrance...9:30am we left for the hospital, arrived around 10:15am, wheeled into the delivery room a few minutes later, and out she came at 10:48am!
As for Claude and I, the changes that came with 2008 are a bit less dynamic, though not less important. We've learned to be more content, to trust the Lord more fully, and to live on less sleep. And, naturally, there are all the changes in routine and priorities that come along with raising Joshua and Hannah. I've heard it said that parenthood is a full time job. I would disagree: it is a lifestyle. And God seems to use it as a means of changing and transforming us more into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is certainly a privilege to serve Him by serving these little ones.
As for the usual end-of-year updates (ie--work, travel, special events, etc) here's a quick overview...the farthest we traveled was to Maine for a friend's wedding, Claude still kills mice for a living, I've been serving in the nursery at our church (Westchester Chapel Community Church; www.westchesterchapel.org), Hannah was dedicated to the Lord on her one-month birthday, Claude and I celebrated 3 years of marriage, Joshua turned 1 year (as did our car), and we discovered a very good peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe (see previous post). I'm sure that I've forgotten something/s...what can I say? I'm surprised to have remembered this much.
Looking back, I think it's safe to say that life in the past year was marked by great plenty. It was an abundantly blessed year!
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