Honey From A Thorn

Life is like licking honey off a thorn

I heard this quote recently and it resonated with me on so many levels.  It put into a word picture all of our present and past experiences.  The sweetness of life has been complicated by some of the struggles we've been through.  Yet, I would say that the honey, the good things have been satisfyingly sweet at times.  And we are the better for the struggles we've walked through.

Last weekend Jon had a three day break and we decided to make another trip to North Carolina before the madness of his CNA course began.  Before we headed west through the mountains to North Carolina, we made our way to Tennessee to make some preparations for the bee hive.  Jon spent a couple of hours cutting grass and leveling out a spot for our soon to arrive hive.  During this time we were able to get over to our property and walk around the outside of our home.  It was surreal to be back again, standing amidst acres of grass and the two trees that we planted for Hannah and Eli.  I am reminded of how God allowed such a generous blessing from a difficult tragedy.  Beauty from ashes, honey from a thorn.

 This girl loves to run!  I couldn't get a shot of Hannah standing still!  The moment we hit the property she was off.  Three acres of level grassy field had to be conquered, and so she ran and ran and ran.

 

  Eli Discovering a caterpillar and standing by 'his' tree that we planted in 2008

After a short jaunt to Tennessee we made our way over to see friends in North Carolina and to enjoy once again a place that feels so much like home.  Over the last 2 years we have developed a true love for the Western NC area, it is like home to us in so many ways.  God really poured out a blessing as we were able to visit and catch up with so many who we lived life with during out time there. 

Our first stop was to see Nick.  Nick became apart of our lives almost from the moment we first moved to the area.  I remember Jon telling me that as 'part of his job' at the college he and this guy, Nick had to go mountain biking and check out some trails.  Are you buying any of this?  Really, mountain biking and get paid?!  Yep, and so it started.  This work (if that's what you want to call it) relationship developed into a friendship.  Nick and Jon spent hours together boating, climbing, caving, biking, building, goofing off, and the list goes on...

Jon and Nick.  Jon and Nick.  Jon and Nick... sound repetitive?  That's what I heard constantly all last year.  These two were inseparable. It was a running joke that Nick saw Jon more than I did!

 Eli scoring a big rock from Nick

Don't  even consider separating these two.

"Sir, please do not kick the swans. " 

If you're wondering about this caption, ask Jon.

Our next stop was to visit our dear friends, Aaron and Megan.  They recently moved and had plenty of room for the four of us to invade their space for a little while.  It was such a joy and it was incredibly refreshing to hang out with them and be pampered by their hospitality.  Two amazing breakfasts and a day hiking and lounging by the river were just what we needed.

 Hannah loved hiking with Megan

 Our destination,

 Standing behind the waterfall

 Trillium 

 One of my favorite spring wildflowers

 Two hours of hanging out on a beach at the river,

 watching the kids entertain themselves 

= one happy mama!

 Megan and Aaron + One on the Way!

 A trip to the Looking Glass area wouldn't be complete without ice cream. 

Raspberry truffel and chocolate cake.  Can we say, ah-mazing?

 SUGAR RUSH

Something Jon and I really enjoyed doing during our time living in WNC was to go downtown.  Asheville, is a vibrant and varied place.  I've been in the summer heat and the cold of winter, and there almost always seems to be some type of entertainment going on there.  From hula hooping to living statues, there is always something that catches the eye.  And of course musicians are scattered everywhere, its an artisan mecca, a musical buffet.  

Waiting for pizza at Mellow Mushroom

Still waiting for pizza

 Pack Place

 Water love 

This particular fountain has always been a favorite for Eli

EASTER!

We had the opportunity to spend another Easter with Aaron and Megan.  

We joined them at their new church and were reminded of why we have hope!   

 Kiss

 Being Silly

 Okay, enough with the pictures 

As a mentioned above, God worked an amazing treat for us as we were able to meet up with so many of our friends.  We spent a couple of hours catching up with Brandon and Martha and their new little girl.  It was again such a blessing to sit in their home perched up on a mountain and enjoy some sweet fellowship (sorry, no pictures.  I sort of dropped the ball on that).  

At the end of our time.  We were able to track down and see our dear friend, Sophie.  This truly was a gift as this amazing woman has her hands full working at a busy and thriving wilderness therapy camp.  She is usually off on some incredible trip (costa rica, key west, etc), but for this moment our worlds were able to collide.  We are so enriched by her presence, her smile, and her ability to all-out love people.  We are honored to know her.  I so enjoy watching God work through this beautiful jar of clay.

 So what, you may ask is the thorn in all this?  Well, I would put it simply, it was leaving.  We had such a great time and our hearts were reignited with our love for the area and the people there.  As we climbed back into the car and drove off, we were filled with that bitter sweet reminder of what we left behind.  Perhaps someday we will have the opportunity to go back.  But as a follower of One who writes the story for us, I am not sure I can confidently say what the next chapter will hold - only the Author knows that.

Regardless of the distance, 

the road leading away from friends is a long one.

Weekly Menu

First let me just say, I know.  It's Monday and I'm just getting around to posting this.  It's been busy weekend!

MENU RECAP

Well, last week wasn't as much of a success as I had hoped, but I was able to complete two out of my three proposed meals.  Note to self, do not make your most detailed meal on your busiest day (I should know this one, right).

Monday: Home made Chicken Fingers

This meal was easy to make, perhaps a little more messy/time consuming than I would have liked.  The recipe called for Panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs) and that was the first time I've ever baked with them.  They were great!  The recipe was decent, it called for a curried egg wash, which actually turned out to be pretty good.  In the end however, I believe this baked chicken fingers recipe wasn't a keeper - sad, I know.  The search continues.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This was SUPER easy.  Pre-made pizza dough, a bottle of your favorite bbq sauce, chopped cooked chicken (I used some I had frozen), cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, pineapple, and purple onion.  Bake it all up for about 13 minutes - done.  I will add that the bbq sauce should be used sparingly.  It has such a strong flavor that it can easily dominate and take away from the other ingredients.

So, just two easy recipes last week.  

THIS WEEK'S MENU:

Monday - Manicotti 

Tuesday - Poppy Seed Chicken

Wednesday - Fish sticks/sweet potato fries

Thursday - Green Enchiladas

Friday - Leftovers or TBD

Saturday - Grilled Chicken Salad

Since I'm posting this late, I'm happy to say that Monday was delicious!  I'll keep you posted.  Also, my green enchilada recipe is AMAZING.  I'll try to post that next week.

Lastly, I'm trying to think up an idea for Friday night.  I usually make this our pizza or calzone night, but we've eaten LOTS of pizza in the last week so I'm stumped.  I would LOVE any ideas you might want to share.  I'm wide open to suggestions!

Getting Ready for the Girls

“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”

~ The Secret Life of Bees ~

You just might be wondering what's up with all the bee references on the blog?  Well, for those who don't know I've decided to dive into a new hobby - bee keeping.  My interest in the subject began to grow a few years back after reading a popular book, The Secret Life of Bees (the book is way better than the movie).  I am fascinated by the driven and motivated nature of such a small yet complicated creature.  Their community is built on order and hard work, they value each member of the colony, and they all work together.  I have so much to learn about these brilliant creatures, and I am excited about being a student again.
The girls are set to be ready for pick-up on May 7th.  So while waiting on the bees (plus the hive) I have been collecting all the needed gear.  Today, I received my first pieces of bee keeping equipment and it got me really excited!  Of course I also experienced that feeling of butterflies and a twinge of anxiety.  I'm wondering if I'm really cut out to do this.  But honestly, I am thrilled to watch a small but incredibly vital part of creation go to work.  I know that I will learn real-life practical lessons from them, and I will learn about them.  I know I will get stung and pain will go along with the process, but my desire to learn will hopefully trump my fear of pain!  I'm hoping to blog about my experiences as I go along, sharing my insights, blunders, and moments of awe.  And for some, I hope to also share some of the reward, honey!

 Smoker, Hive Tool, and Sheep's Skin Gloves

Still to come, a veiled hat and heavy clothing

Lastly, while getting ready to throw myself into the this process I have come to learn that bee keeping has been a family practice in the past.  My great-grandfather (my mother's grandfather) was also a bee keeper.  I've heard little snippets of stories my mother has shared about my great grandfather.  In a strange way, I feel somehow connected to history in my desire to pursue this hobby.  Perhaps the mindset of sustainability and nurturing the land are passed down through generations, even when no personal connection lies between the family members.  I have thought how neat it would be to be able to sit down with my great-grandfather and glean from his knowledge.  But since that is impossible, I guess I have to learn as I go.

So here goes, a new beginning and new adventure awaits.

Weekly Menu

A little recap from last week:

It's amazing what a little motivation and a lot of accountability will do.  I was able to stick to the schedule and even made two meals in one night so that lunch would be ready when we got home from church on Sunday (score).  Perhaps letting whoever reads my blog in on my menu plan will help keep me on target.  We'll see!

Turkey Enchiladas

This dish was fabulous!  I've decided this is what people should do with their leftover turkey - seriously, mexican food can knock any appetite into gear after days of turkey (and stuffing if it's a holiday bird).  And it was incredibly easy since the meat was already cooked from a turkey my mom baked up a couple of days before.  Saute onion, a can of rotelle, and the turkey for a few minutes.  Mix it up with a little enchilada red sauce, some sour cream, and some queso cheese.  Roll it up in a tortilla, top with the rest of the enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese (monterey jack or cheddar).  Bake at 350 until bubbling (30ish minutes).  Done!

Cheesy Turkey Pot Pie

This is the second of the turkey meals I produced in one night.  It's a super easy and yummy twist on chicken pot pie.  Mixed veggies, cream of chicken soup, some sour cream, parsley, poultry seasoning, shredded swiss, and two strips crumbled bacon.  Top it with pre-made pie crust (or your own if you're good at that sort of thing - I'm going for easy here). Bake it at 350 for 40 minutes or until crust is brown.  Done.    It was good, however I would have added more salt and/or some more sour cream.  I thought it need just a little more of a 'punch.'  But it was good, and it was even better to have it done and ready to be bake when I arrived home.

NEXT WEEK'S MENU PLAN:

This week will be easier because I'm only planning three meals.  We're taking off for the weekend to see friends, so I'm off the hook for the rest of the week!


Monday - Home made chicken fingers

Tuesday - Lasagna Roll-ups

Wednesday- BBQ Chicken Pizza

Thursday- Left Overs

One Tired Little Guy

Sleep 'til you're hungry, eat 'til you're sleepy. - Author Unknown

I think Eli might be one of the best examples of this observation.  His internal clock wakes him up everyone morning sometime around 6 with an almost immediate request for cereal (his all time favorite food).   Unfortunately, there is no snooze button for a child who wants breakfast. So inevitably we make our way to the kitchen to retrieve cereal and coffee (no, the coffee is for me). 
In this one rare instance however, Eli took the second half of the above quote literally.  He actually deserted his cereal in favor of an early bed time.  After a long day of playing his heart out, and on the heels of recovering from an illness, this poor boy was beyond sleepy, he was exhausted.  He fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake back up until the next morning.  

Monkey'in Around

Recently we enjoyed a visit from a few special people in our lives.  Hannah and Eli absolutely LOVED playing together with their cousins.  It is so neat to watch the kids play together, they have just reached this age where interaction begins and all sorts of games abound and imagination and make-believe start to come alive.
While they were in town we had the opportunity to visit the Atlanta Zoo, and WHAT A ZOO IT WAS!!  The place was PACKED!  One could have easily thought they were handing out pet monkeys the way everyone had flocked to that place.  I sincerely thought we had to be there with at least 80% of the elementary-child-toting population.  Wow, I honestly feel like I missed the forest for the trees.  I was so concentrated on not running over some kid with my double jogging stroller, or worst yet, loosing one of our kids amidst the busy mass.  I know I wasn't the only person feeling this way, a total stranger and I shared a laugh over the mass of humanity, because what else can you do?  It truly felt like someone had stepped on a human ant pile and everyone was running to either attach or get out of the way!  I literally had to merge into the human traffic every time we left an exhibit!

But all joking/venting aside, it really was a fun experience! :) And the best part of it all - watching the kids.  They had a GREAT time! No matter what we adults were feeling in relation to the over-crowded, hot atmosphere, the kids took it in stride and soaked up every bit of joy out of the experience.  Got to love that!  Boy, do I have a lot to learn from them.

A FEW DAYS LATER...

Wondering what these next few photos are all about?  Well, Daddy always has something up his sleeves when it comes to entertaining the kids.  This particular day it was semi-rappelling!

Don't worry Grandmas, Eli wasn't too high

 Loving the Ride!

 Going Tandem

 Every Good Climber Needs to Fuel-Up!

Weekly Menu

One of my goals has been to adopt the routine of creating a weekly menu.  For some reason this seems to be a constant battle for me as life seems to be in a seemingly never ending current of change and unpredictability.  However, I'm sure it's just my perception and if I really tried to be consistent I could really nail this menu fiasco!  So, I made myself sit down amidst the chaos and pick out easy to prepare family favorites.   So here goes, my menu for this week:

Monday - Loaded Baked Potatoes

Tuesday - Sloppy Joes

Wednesday - Easy night (fish stick or chicken finger staple)

Thursday - Ravioli 

Friday - Turkey Enchiladas

Saturday - Turkey Pot Pie

I'll let you know how it turns out!