Recap (2015.08.23)

In my spirit:

• Considering how proper motivation keeps our theology from going off the tracks (1 Timothy, see “Why Do I Study God?)
• Having just taught the fall to my three-year-old Sunday School class, I’m pondering anew how God provides everything we need, how His rules are for our good, how Satan lies, AND how God responds to our sin by providing a serpent-crushing Savior. What a God.

In the living room:

• I started doing “real” knee pushups this week instead of this wimp-out version I learned while I was pregnant (when my belly wouldn’t allow me to do the real kind). Those real ones definitely give the back and shoulders a better workout.
• Tirzah Mae was teething this week – so I’m learning to roll with the punches and resume cleaning routines when I can.

In the kitchen:

• Tuna Rotini. I don’t remember ever using a recipe to make this main-dish tuna and pasta salad – but I’ve been making it since I was ten or so, and it’s always a great hot-weather meal. We almost had it as a picnic on Monday (except that I forgot to grab the picnic basket with the utensils and plates, so we brought it back home and ate it at the table.)
• Great-Grams’ Spaghetti – Great Grams was Italian and her recipe has been passed down to daughter-in-law after daughter-in-law, until it got to me. We LOVE it.

In the nursery:

• After just two days of near constant nursing, Tirzah Mae’s second front-bottom tooth emerged.
• Daniel and I have long enjoyed blowing raspberries on Tirzah Mae’s tummy – but this week she learned to reciprocate.
• Another new skill this week: clapping.
• Also, the diaper changing gymnastics are on.

In the craft room:

• Due to unusual body morphology, I’ve long had difficulties finding shirts that fit. My current shirts are pretty much all stretched out, having made it through a pregnancy (nope, I never ended up buying any maternity stuff). I considered going to the store to purchase some new ones (knowing my usual difficulties) – and then decided I’d see if I could draft myself a good pattern so I could just make myself some that really fit. I spent a good part of the weekend working on it – and have finally arrived at a basic t-shirt pattern that should work well.

In the library:
aka “Books added to TBR list”

• The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford (added based on Amy’s Review)
• Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen by Mary Norris (added based on Alice’s Review – I like me a good grammar story :-P)
• Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley (added based on Sherry’s review)
• Lilliput by Sam Gayton (added based on Carrie’s review – I don’t have a problem with fan-fic, and I liked Gulliver’s Travels)
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (added based on Amy’s Review – and seriously, why haven’t I already read this?)

In the garden:

• Rain, rain, and more rain this week means… cucumbers, but not enough sun to ripen my tomatoes.
• I sat down and started working up a plan for next year’s garden – I think I might end up trying to triple my garden size next year (from 1 to 3 4×8 beds.) Am I crazy, or is this doable? I’ve got a nice amount now for eating, but would really like to be able to preserve some next year.

On the land:

• We had our four-corners no-start survey on Monday – so we now know what land we actually own (as opposed to guessing based on where the fences are and the neighbors have mowed!)
• And we went out and staked out the house (and where the driveway culvert will go) with our builder yesterday. Moving right along!

On the web:

• 9 Parenting Truths from John Piper –
  

  “Be radically consistent and authentic in your own faith — not just in behavior, but in affections. Kids need to see how precious Jesus is to mom and dad.”

  ~John Piper

  I love this – especially because this was something I saw modeled so well. I was recently telling a friend what it meant to me as a child to see my dad tear up as he read the gospel in some passage of Scripture, so overwhelmed he was by the grace of God. That’s a heritage that can’t be forgotten.