wise words for the homemaker

from Homemaking is Not a Holding Pattern

by Carolyn Mahaney

www.girltalkhome.com

 

 

 

Throughout my career as a homemaker I’ve been tempted to look past the

duties of the day to the more “important,” “significant,” or “exciting” work

of tomorrow.
 

“When the baby sleeps through the night, then I can begin to…”

“When the children are a little older I’ll have more time to….”

“When this sports season is over than I can turn my attention to….”

“If they ever graduate from high school, then I can finally….”
 

But there are no holding patterns in God’s kingdom. As homemakers, we

are not simply circling the skies of life, waiting for God from His control

tower to call us to real kingdom work. No, we’re doing that important work

today. As Dorothy Patterson observes: “preparation and care of the family

shelter are important enough for God himself to assign that responsibility”

(e.g. Titus 2:3-5, Pr. 31).

If God himself has assigned me the task of caring for my home, then I don’t

want to half-heartedly perform the duties of today, reserving my best

efforts for “tomorrow.” Rather, I want to follow the advice of missionary

Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation

that you believe to be the will of God.” I want to unpack boxes and scrub

my new bathtub and run errands for the new home and take my son to the

soccer scrimmage for the glory of the One who saved me and who, by His

grace, called me to this wonderful work.

alexander days

"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."

There are days when life feels like a page out of Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Mostly likely it is not a matter of waking up with gum in our hair; however, as a mom there is always the slight possibility of discovering an unknown substance (typically disgusting in nature) on a random body part ("What the what?") left by an unknown source (one measuring less than 4 feet).  On days such as these, when life feels out of sync, a series of unfortunate events, filled with poorly made decisions and failed plans, overreactions, and unnecessary strife we are tempted to succumb to the negativity of our day, throwing our exasperated hands into the air, praying for the very hour we can at last lay our weary heads on our pillows, shut our eyes, and wake to a new day, one that is not. so. very. bad.  

For me, the "bad" days are not exactly horrible, just those filled with a series of annoying circumstances and inconveniences that when combined leave me feeling deflated.  On those days, I have struggled to keep perspective, allowed my emotions to guide all parenting decisions, failed to have a heart of gratitude, and relied on my own strength to carry me through each moment of household insanity.  You would think at (almost) 35 weeks pregnant, I would recognize that at the moment I am, in fact, not very strong.  I'm pretty confident our 2 1/2 year old could push me over at any moment.  The physical challenges of my day being only half the battle, the real struggle occurs within as I daily battle the inner workings of sin in my life that draw my attention to the imperfections around me instead of gazing upward on the One who is perfect.

This week after a particularly stressful morning, the kind of morning where you look up at the clock and are dumbfounded to discover it is only 9 am, I was encouraged to read the following:
 

“...the duties God requires of us are not in proportion to the

strength we possess in ourselves. Rather, they are proportional to the

resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in

ourselves to accomplish the least of God’s tasks. This is a law of

grace. When we recognize it is impossible for us to perform a duty in

our own strength, we will discover the secret of its accomplishment.

But alas, this is a secret we often fail to discover.” John Owen

We are weak, yet He is strong. 

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

 
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8

May I approach each new day with a heart of gratitude, and the knowledge of God's active presence in my life and all-sufficient grace that will equip me for every good work.


 



she cheers

Monday night, the little lady and favorite gal pal, Audrey, began a "Crazy Cheer Dance Class."  The class, an introduction into the wonderful world of cheer and hip-hop dance, provides our little lady the perfect opportunity to use her God-given booming voice and natural rhythm in an organized and spirited setting.  For the record, she was the only girl to dress-up for the occasion, but her poodle-skirt sure looked great as she twirled about practicing her "high T's" and "touchdowns."

 



about that time

With all of our summer travels behind us, we decided it was time to transition the little man into underpants.  With only two accidents in two weeks, we have experienced very few inconveniences with regards to potty training.  He approaches the toilet with confidence and gusto, pausing only when it comes to the tricky matter of going #2. 

 

The sight of our little man in big boy drawers kills me.  There is something particularly sweet about seeing your child in slim fitting undergarments.  The absence of a bulging diaper, a daily reminder that your little one is growing up.  It will be swell to have only one babe in diapers come November. 

 



houston, we have a problem.

 

These will in no way prevent me from gaining extra lbs in the final weeks of pregnancy.  But, they might just be worth it.

 

 

recipe from www.ambitiouskitchen.com

 

Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter & Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Ingredients:

 

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 jar Nutella, chilled in refrigerator

Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

 

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  The butter will begin to foam.  Make sure to whisk consistently during this process.  After a few minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma.  Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

 

2. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.  Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined.  Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

 

3.  Chill the dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

 

4.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Once dough is chilled measure about 1 1 /2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the dough ball very thinly into the palm of your hand.  Place approximately 1 teaspoon of chilled Nutella in the middle and fold dough around it; gently roll into a ball.  Make sure the Nutella is not seeping out of the dough.  Add more dough if necessary.  Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with hand.

 

5.  Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.  They will appear sightly underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for two minutes.  Sprinkle with sea salt and transfer to a wire rack to cook.

 

* I substituted light brown sugar for dark as it was all I had on hand, and used 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips as I did not have milk chocolate.  As far as I'm concerned neither the quality or taste of the cookie suffered as a result of such daring culinary decisions.

 

** Be sure to enjoy a warm cookie after only a few minutes of cooling.  Perhaps while your children are bathing, and you are able to savor each glorious bite in peace such as I did (before dinner was actually served).

 

*** Upon tasting her first bite the little lady simple responded, "Um, yes." She then proceeded to devour her cookie.



grandparent goodness

Papa and Nany arrived last Thursday for an extended weekend of family fun. They were greeted by squeals of delight as the little lady and man raced down the apartment hallways to welcome them back to Shaker.  Together we enjoyed many hours in the hotel pool, where the little lady treated us to countless (dramatic) canonballs and little man tested the strength of his tippy toes as he waded into deep waters, diners out at Chick-fil-A and Dewey's Pizza Parlor, croissants al fresco at On The Rise Bakery, a trip to Shaker's farmer's market, and outdoor exploration.  Saturday, the grandparents gave up the comfortable accomodations of the local Hampton Inn to check into "Hotel Larson" so that Jeff and I could slip away for an overnight trip to Pittsburgh for a second interview. 

 

We are so thankful for the blessing of grandparents who so tenderly shower us with love and encouragement whether near or far.  It brings Jeff and I tremendous joy to watch our children light up in the presence of their grandparents.

 

Preparing for yet another "Olympic" quality "dive."

 

"Representing the United States of America...Charlotte Larson."

 

Shaker Square Farmer's Market

 

 

Spotting trains with Nany.

 

The little lady was quick to take advantage of Papa's strong arms and shoulders during his four day stay.

 

Sweet moments (and treats) to savor.

 

 

Waiting to purchase our first pumpkins of the season.  The little lady carefully eyed each miniature pumpkin before selecting one for her and Pablo.  While the little man picked up and dropped several before tossing his final selection into our bag.

 

 

 



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - pack your lunch Tuesdays



wedding crashers

 

This past weekend we drove to St. Joseph, MI to attend a family wedding.  With our newly purchased wedding apparel hung in the back of the van, we made our way west excited to reunite with family, dance our little hearts out, and feast on wedding cake.  Considering the long morning of travel, lack of naps, increased levels of adrenaline and enthusiasm, the amount of sweet treats offered all day long by the hands of different family members (Candy Corn, Mentos, suckers...oh my!), the little lady and man conducted themselves pretty well for the formal affair.

 

 

Having waited until the day before the wedding to hunt for suitable wedding clothes, I was pleased to score outfits for three out of four family members at a reasonable cost.  A highlight of the trip (for me) was when over lunch, the little lady proudly announced to extended family members that she found the perfect dress for the wedding and that "it. was. a. DEAL, and cost ONLY $12.99!!!"  Love that our gal keeps it real, and is learning to appreciate the sweet satisfaction of price reductions. 

 

Ah yes, love was in the air.

 

 

The Dawn Ankli Family

 

Mimi and her little lady.

 

 

For the record, I love my brother-in-law.  The kids are pretty big fans, as well.

 

Our little man suddenly looking not so little as he took Mimi for a spin on the dance floor.

 

The reception proved to be another highlight of the day's joyful festivities.  From watching our children guzzle water from champagne glasses to their greedy consumption of wedding cake, they provided much of our evening entertainment.  And, when at last the DJ played the first tune of the night, our little lady was the first enthusiastic dancer to hit the floor.  Turning heads, left and right, she moved her little body into exhaustion, and exited the dance floor only when her "foot owies" proved too much to bear.  She spent the remainder of the evening heart broken in the arms of her Mimi.

 

 While our time in Michigan was short, it was filled with many sweet and memorable moments.

 

 



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - 32 weeks



baby talk

While driving through town the little lady and I were chatting about the arrival of Pablo girl and the many things we will love about her.  After several minutes of listening, the little man interjected, "Joey loves lippies and chapstick."  At least he will have moist lips to kiss his sweet little sister with.

***

 

Throughout the course of my pregnancy, the little lady has been slightly obsessed with the size of my belly button, which seems to be shrinking.  Recently after viewing my belly she commented, "I kinda want to eat your belly button it is so cute."

***

 

 "Mama, will you have a big hole when the baby comes out, and how will God fix it?" ~ the little lady

***

 

Each morning as I splash water onto the little man's hair to tame his thick crop I ask that he look up at Mama.  He adamantly replies, "No.  Look at Pablo."  and proceeds to stare at my belly until his hair is styled.

 

 



sequence stories

When asked to put the cards below in order and tell a sequential story, the little lady provided the following narrative...

 

 

First, the man prays.

 

Then, he eats his delicious food.

 

Then when he is all done he puts it in the sink, so that his mommy can wash the dishes.

 

I appreciate both the faith-based content and the fact that this young man's Mommy still does his dishes.  Lucky fella. In my humble and unbiased opinion, the little lady's narrative is a significant improvement upon the sentences printed on the back of the cards.

 

The plate is full of food.

 

The man eats the food.

 

The food is gone.



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - busted

 

With the exception of the mascara unibrow, I've got to admire his precise application without the aid of a mirror.



hello pre-K

Tuesday the little lady returned to school.  Being that it was her first day, parents were asked to accompany their children for a shortened school day.  Hand in hand we walked through the hallways of her school enthusiastic for another year of learning and new experiences.  Our gal is delighted to not only be in PRE-KINDERGARTEN, but to be attending school four afternoons a week.  Our first task of the year will be developing the fruits of patience, as our little lady waits out the clock, anxious for her school day to begin each day. 

 

I enjoyed every minute of watching our little lady in her element as she accessorized herself in the imaginary play center, sharpened pencils, prepared "stone macaroni" in the sand table, participated in her first "class meeting" during rug time, made her teachers nervous painting in an all-white sun dress, interacted with new teachers, Erin and Nicole, and met new classmates.

 

 

Being that her first day was only an hour, and I was already paying for a sitter, I decided to treat us to a little celebratory pedicure.  Truth be told, it is getting tricky to reach my toe nails over my swelling baby bump.  And, there's nothing like sneaking in a little girl time with my favorite gal while getting my feet massaged simultaneously.

 

 

Day two brought as much enthusiasm as day one, and with her school clothes hand-selected from head to toe, she was eager to spend her first full afternoon at school.  She did not bat an eye at drop off, and proceeded confidently into her classroom. 

 

 

The little lady's pupil was less than thrilled after dropping big sister off at school, and proceeded to moan loudly in the van.  When asked what was troubling his two-year-old soul he responded, "Sissy. Not. Here."

Our gal was beaming at pick up, and joyfully announced, "I'm so glad school has started again!"

Highlights of her first day included watching the class pet, Slider the turtle, crawl across the classroom rug, playing on the "blue playground," and spending "lots of time in the dress-up area, of course."

 

Here's to another great year!

 



second family flight

 "We waited very patiently to fly to Milwaukee. This trip will be a lot faster!"

- the little lady

 

The little lady finally got her wish.  Leaving our trusty Odyssey safely parked in Cleveland airport's Park and Fly, we boarded a plane last Wednesday bound for Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  With great enthusiasm, we took our seats, arranged backpacks, and settled eager bottoms for the one hour trip west, a definite improvement upon the seven hour drive we have grown accustomed to.  Between the little man's boisterous attempts to point out every "hairplane" big and small, and the little lady's thoughtful organization of her carry-on items, the novelty of flying the friendly skies made for an entertaining and delightful trip.  Little comforts (trusty blankie, and Daddy's hand) for the little man, and special privileges (in-flight Sprite and folding tray) for the little lady kept them calm and content, allowing us parentals to sit back and enjoy the flight.

 

 

"Ready to hold hands, Daddy."

 

 

Papa picked us up at the airport and quickly whisked us off to see Nany who greeted us with arms wide.  No visit to Milwaukee would be complete without presents, and the little lady and man quickly tore into their treat bags.  Prior to our visit, the little lady had requested something "pink and sparkly."  Nany managed to find the perfect gift...

 

After a relaxing evening with Nany and Papa, we left early Thursday morning to join the rest of the Larson/Mallof gang in the north woods; however, not before Nany treated us to a hearty and satisfying breakfast.  One of the perks of being home, we feast upon many delicious meals. 

 

While our time up north was short, we filled our days with lake fun taking full advantage of the idyllic weather.

 

 

Cruising Enterprise Lake in Uncle Bobby's "super fast boat."

 

The tranquil waters provide the perfect setting for pondering many of life's big questions.

 

Such as "When do we eat next?" and "When can I learn to water ski?"

 

No trip to Camp David would be complete without a paddle boat ride with Mimi.  This visit the little lady requested that her seat back be removed, so that she could lie down to enjoy the ride.  OK, Cleopatra.

 

 

SPF.  Check.

Life jackets.  Check.

Enormous shades.  Check.

 

Cocktail cruises with Jeff serving as captain, and the evening's entertainment.

 

Quiet moments with Auntie Dawnie, a rare and special treat.

 

The canoe serving as a water taxi. 

The little lady enjoyed getting a taste of lake community, often requesting to visit good family friends, the Hawkins, at their new lake home. Unaware of the fact that she is only four, she continues to conduct herself like one of the adults, filling our north woods social calendar with activities.

 



Impromptu dance party on Bob's boat.

 



 

Sun-kissed and sweet.

 

And, no trip would be complete without commemorative family photos.

 

Larson/Mallofs, Labor Day 2012

(The little lady requested to be in the arms of Uncle Bobby.)

 

 

After a hug-filled send off, we made our way back to Papa and Nany's house for an evening BBQ with extended family and friends.  The little lady and man enjoyed the company of their many cousins, and played well into the night.  It is always a special time when we can gather as a family, enjoying each other's company and hours of eating together.

 

Before our flight home, we savored a little more quality time with Papa and Nany which included a pancake breakfast, shopping for appliances, backyard baseball, and catching quick cat naps.

 

Awaiting our departure after an extended weekend of family fun. 

It is hard to believe that after 6 1/2 years, we will soon return to Milwaukee to live, at least for a time.  It will be a sweet reunion.