Wednesday, March 10, 2010

and the winner is……….

Posted in Uncategorized

cherrypickingwithgrandma
cherry picking last summer with Grandma at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Vicki’s farm.

The winner of the Pleated Poppy’s yummy stuff is……

Mott from the The Courtyard Gate.

If you will send me your address by email,  I’ll make sure you get your ‘loot’. Congratulations my friend!

In other lifeingrace news:

1.  I’ve been spring cleaning.   I took four bags of stuff to Goodwill from my laundry room.

2.  I’m trying to finish Hamlet by Friday for bookclub.   Wish me luck.

3.  I’m reading a fascinating book called The Hidden Key to Harry Potter that explores all the christian symbolism in the books.

4.  I could probably finish Hamlet by Friday if I wasn’t reading three other books at the same time.

5.  I received a ‘Beautiful Cup’ award from Internet Cafe for having a ‘unique and artistic’ blog about faith.  I’m very humbled and grateful.  I think ‘unique’ be another word for quirky!  Thanks to whoever nominated me.

6.  My girls and I are in such a good stride with our schooling.   I’ll update soon.  I’m already thinking of starting a bookclub for them this summer based on an idea I got from a book I just finished called The Thomas Jefferson Education: A Home Companion.

7.  Happy Birthday to Grandma Evadne. We love you!

when are you coming to visit?

8.  I’ve been making lots of bread.   I need a whole post to tell you about it.

9.  I’m hoping to plant some grass seeds today to have fresh grass for Easter decorations.

10.  I’m a little behind on Read the Bible Through in Three Months. I hope to finish by Easter.  I highly recommend it and it usually takes a little less than an hour a day.

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Lifeingrace Loves the Pleated Poppy!

Posted in blogging

This is the best giveaway ever.

I say that about everything, don’t I?   “The best beef stew ever.”   “The best chocolate chip cookies ever.”    Okay, so I’m a drama queen.   Maybe I just get a little excited about stuff.    Is that so wrong?   Anyways, my friend Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy, my long lost roommate from Blissdom,  has made some custom goodies using my favorite colors.    Aren’t they awesome?  I want one of everything.     And all the items you see below will be packed up and sent to one lucky reader today.    Here are the ways you can enter the giveaway:    1.  subscribe to lifeingrace if you haven’t already, or   2.  update your subscription with my new URL address lifeingraceblog.com or 3.  Add the lifeingrace button to your blog or  4.  Mail me some cupcakes with buttercream icing.

After you’ve updated or whathaveyou, then leave a comment on this post telling me you’ve faithfully complied with all rules and regulations and I’ll try my best to pick you to win this loot from Lindsey. {If your links to me are already updated, then just go ahead and comment away!}

IMG_6859

Oh how  I LOVE these fabrics!

IMG_6856

You have until midnight on Monday March 8th to enter.  And Lindsey is giving you 10% of anything in her shop if you use the code ‘grace’.   You’ll love her shop and her blog and after spending two nights with her in Nashville,  I can tell you she is just as precious as she seems on her blog.   Even more so.  And she’s the fastest typer I’ve ever seen.

Picnik collage

Oh how I miss my roomies!

roomies

Posted in blogging

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Friday, March 5, 2010

How to Make Fish Tacos {on Friday during Lent}

Posted in from my kitchen

This post is dedicated to the ever talented and wise Todd Wilken: who is a self confessed lover of cats and fish tacos.   We owe a debt of gratitude to Todd, Jeff and Craig for their tireless committment to ‘equipping the priesthood of all believers‘.   You can subscribe to their podcasts on iTunes or listen directly from IssuesEtc.org. They faithfully proclaim the gospel every day through a variety of current issues and theological topics and have a highly qualified panel of guests.   Todd posted a very funny facebook stream about fish tacos and it inspired me to write a little tutorial.   So here ya go.  Fish tacos ‘for the thinking christian’.

I first had fish tacos in Des Moines when Stevie and I were visiting Malachi, Savannah, Marcus and Nicholas. As we walked into the little dive by the water, I was skeptical. I like tacos and I love fish. But fish tacos? Really? But I’m a professing foodie so I’ll try almost anything. They were absolutely divine and I’ve been working on my fish taco skillz ever since. If you’re beginning to wonder whether or not this is a food blog, just know that I want to post a recipe everyday and often restrain myself. Everyday when I’m making dinner, I think, “Oh how my friends would love this recipe.” But then my children start whining about how hungry they are and beg me to stop taking photos of the food. Maybe I need a food blog. And maybe you need to try fish tacos.

Oh and give this a listen while you make them!

Here’s what you need:
Lime cilantro cole slaw
Seasoned black beans and rice
Beer battered and fried fish
Pico de gallo or homeade salsa

Lime Cilantro Cole Slaw:

Mix one bag of angel hair coleslaw with the zest and juice of one lime,  a handful of cilantro chopped,  one large tablespoon of miracle whip,  1/2 t. sugar,  1/2 t vinegar,  and one large tablespoon of regular mayo or sour cream and salt to taste.   Mix well and let sit until ready to use.   Before you serve it, taste it and reseason if needed.

slaw

Seasoned Black Beans and Rice:

Drain two cans of black beans.   To the drained beans, add salt to taste, 2 t. of ground cumin, 1 t. of garlic and herb seasoning, and 1 cup of cooked rice.   Mix well.   Top with 1 cup of cheddar cheese and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

beansandrice

Beer Battered Fish:

I use Paula Deens’ recipe for the fish.   I buy frozen tilapia, thaw it and cut it into small-ish pieces.   And I fry in peanut oil.  It makes all the difference.   Besides seasoning the fish before I dip it in the beer batter, I also sprinkle it with a little Lawry’s seasoned salt after it comes out of the fryer.   Keep everyone out of the kitchen when the fish comes out or it’ll be all gone before you can assemble the tacos.

fish

Homeade salsa {winter version}

Salsa is not quite as fun in the winter without fresh tomatoes.    But here’s a pretty darn good version of fresh salsa without fresh tomatoes.

Drain one large (28 oz) can of Cento roma tomatoes.   These are whole romas.   Add them to your food processor or blender along with 1 seeded jalapeno (or less if you don’t like heat), 1 peeled avocado,  3 cloves of garlic peeled,  the juice of two limes,  1/2 red onion, 1 T. honey, salt and pepper to taste, and a big handful of cilantro.  I also added a little squirt of sriracha for more heat.   Pulse until it’s well mixed.

salsa

You’re almost there. Take small soft taco tortillas and heat them gently in the microwave and then layer all your yummy ingredients; fish, black beans and rice, slaw and then salsa. Serve with your favorite beverage to your favorite people.  And enjoy!

marcuseatsfishtacos

Posted in from my kitchen

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Chalk Walls and Quirky

Posted in DIY, redecorranging

I was over at Nester’s today,  visiting like I always do(virtually, of course),  and she’s talking about chalk boards.  I wasn’t even gonna post today but how can a woman who has 3 chalk WALLS in her house not post about them?  I may have an inner 8 year old doodler  in me that refused to grow up but what’s not to love about chalk walls?    Chalk walls are inspiring and beckon you to sit and write a while.  I have a hallway of chalk walls between my kitchen and dining room….

chalk

and an entire chalk wall in my craft room.   It’s perfect because when the littles grow weary of crafting, they can craft on the chalk wall instead.   And for teens, it’s the perfect place to smatter graffiti.  The chalk walls in my house are well used.   And I’m gonna go ahead and  blame my dust problem on chalk.  I’m sure the surfaces in my house would be completely spic and span were it not for all the chalk dust flying around.   That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

{oh and by the way,  my friend Jessica sent me the most wonderful L-O-V-E banner a while back and now it hangs on the craft room chalk wall.   Isn’t it perfect?]

And all that got me to thinking about whether or not I’m quirky.   People have called me quirky before.   I’m sure I’ve called myself quirky.   So I went on a little jaunt around my house looking for oddities.   For things that would make people call a person quirky.   You might be interested in what I found.

love

Exhibit A:

My kitchen cabinets are turquoise.    The most wonderful cheerful joyous shade of bluish green that I’ve ever seen.   I painted them one year ago and I love them today more than ever.   I’m certain that my cooking has taken a more joyful turn.

cabs

Exhibit B:

After attending to thirteen years of post graduate education ,   I  quit my job and homeschool my children in my garage. {Everytime I say that  it reminds of Chris Farley and his ‘living in a van down by the river’ motivational speech.}   Granted, it’s painted and cozy and inspiring but it’s still a garage.  Irony of all ironies:  I feel very unqualified to be doing this.

school

Exhibit C:

And oddly enough, in aforementioned schoolroom, there is no chalkboard or chalk wall.     There is however, a sofa.

sofa

Exhibit D

My friend Shawna pointed out to me when she was here this summer for Taylor’s Graduation Party that I have dressers everywhere…….

bustofdavid

except in the bedrooms.

I guess I’m gonna have to go ahead and  plead guilty to quirky.

Visit Nester for more chalk surfaces than you ever seen in one place.

Posted in DIY, redecorranging Tags:

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Broken

Posted in faith

We all have them.  I think I’m going to coin them Psalm 38 days;  days when skies are gray and tears fall easy and breathing seems hard.   So I read Psalm 38 over and over.

Then I listened to this.   And I prayed.

I woke up today and I can breathe.   New mercies.   Grace upon grace.

He seeps into the dark of our broken and brings light and life.

He comforts because He knows.   Before the Bread of Life can be shared, it must be broken.  He must die.   And as one marked by His love,  He takes me there.  In His dying and rising.

I must learn to live with broken.

Washed over.

Plowed under.

And then raised to walk in newness of life.

He is the true Bread of Life.

And He said, “Take, eat, this is my body which was broken for you

Take, drink, this is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins.”

Life spilled recklessly, poured out and given to me as literal sustenance.

So today, I am thankful to drink in forgiveness.   And I am thankful for the One who goes so willingly, who gives so fearlessly.

The One in whose broken heart I have found true Hope.

The One who takes these tattered pieces of my life and makes me over again.   So that I might be poured out on others.

Today, I say thank you for broken.

{comments closed}

Visit me at Darcy’s blog, Just a Night Owl, where I guest posted on Monday.  Thanks for having me Darcy!

p.s. You should really meet my friend Ann. She’s the author of Holy Experience and she’s hosting Walk with Him Wednesday. I think she’s an angel in disguise.

holy experience

Posted in faith Tags: ,

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