Wherein: Jennifer realizes what she should give up for Lent.

Which i’ve never actually done before, either. But, when you discover that you currently have 4 (!!!) knitting projects currently underway and 5 (!!!) sewing projects in process or in the works, AND, you keep ferreting cash from one account to another to try to justify crafting items already purchased, it’s clear you have a problem. Dressew. Damn them and their zillions of sewing and craft-related items at reasonable prices! I blame them, and renounce them for several months henceforth. That i can also add some sort of spiritual dimension to this necessary renunciation, is really just a bonus. it doesn’t make me spirtually shallow or anything, either.

I did get some great stuff today. but i’m not going to talk about it. it might make the pain of separation too much to bear.

Question o’ the day: What would be the habit you would like to kick over the coming months?

i keep trying.

Parenting…with an audience.

this is something that’s been on my mind over the last few weeks, as i seem to pick up the camera more often, in anticipation of your viewership.  i have been trying to come to terms with what it means that i feel ‘boosted’ by the sense that i’m not working in isolation, without evaluation, or even evidence that i’ve accomplished anything at all.  is it merely egocentrism?  self-involvement?  certainly, it walks a line b/w glad to know you’re out there reading this, and needing you to read it.  mostly, i’m grateful–able to check my stats once a day and confirm that someone has taken the time to check in.  i hope, however, that what i post means something to you too–humour, a shared opinion, keeping in touch.

Today’s attempt:  art gallery.  We spent the morning experimenting with paint

(some of us with more gusto than others)

finger paint, with toothpick etching, and with a brayer (roller)

wax crayon and powdered tempera

watercolour pencil crayons

and did some collage work.

It went really well; i think we all had a good time, and i was able (for once!) to maintain my patience and sanity with the mess and chaos.  We’re planning, post nap, to tape up the pictures throughout the house, and have tea and snacks, pretending it’s an art gallery.  agatha’s announced that the Backyardigans are coming.  you’d be welcome, too.

Question o’ the day:  what was/is your favourite art technique?  papier mache?  line drawings?  sketching?  or, what art did you absolutely NOT like to do when you were a child?

Okay, so what do we do now?

I think this pretty much sums up Vancouver’s attitude towards snow. I mean, it’s flirted with us all winter–a light dusting on the lawn many mornings, a pseudo snow shower afternoon–but this, this is serious Vancouver snow. Why, it’s closed schools, if you can believe it!

Sorry for the mocking tone, it’s just I always laugh when i think about how little of the white stuff it takes to stop our Canadian city. As if snow were a surprise, a nasty prank someone pulled while we were out pretending to be L.A.

On an unrelated, but always relevant note, some new pics:

Behold, the Bath Man Cometh.

What’s that mom? You’re not going to carry us to mama’s to get our beloved red stroller back?

“So cunning you could brush your teeth with it.”

okay, so that doesn’t really summarize my life at present.  but i just love that quote so much, it seemed an excellent segue into this week’s blogging.

wow.  i’ve been sitting here several minutes, and…nothing.  i guess my mind is just chock full of all the things to be done this week.  so, i’ll turn the tables.  Question o’ the day:  what’s up with you?  what do you have on (in??? enlighten me about the correct preposition here, please!) the docket this week? Is January zooming past in chaotic disarray, or is it limping its melancholy paws into a bleak-looking february?

Jennifer is…indulging

in french onion dip (i call it Satan’s Dip) and ruffle potato chips.  a heinous combination of fat and addictive chemicals, but a tasty one.  this is the end of what has been a spectacular afternoon of pampering; i went for my first run in a month (!) and followed it with some time on the stationary bike, a hot shower, a tasty lunch, coffee, downloaded television, and some reading.  Oh, the decadence!!!  In five minutes, i’m off to dinner and a movie avec mon mari!  what a fortunate and grateful soul am i!  I’d like to take a moment to thank God and my parents-in-law for making this possible.

On this high note, I will ask my Question o’ the day:  what would you do with a free afternoon?  sleep?  drink the vino?  go to a matinee?  do share….

p.s. i even have candy ready for during the movie…..

Sometimes, it’s better when it’s just an idea.

We decided to play “Pirate Party” this afternoon.

So, we needed a pirate ship:

.

As you may guess, this particular type of construction is…well…less than stable.  So, in the end, we came up with this:

Of course there were sea serpents,

treasure,

and pirates

with cutlasses.

In general, it was a chaotic mess.  Perhaps mommy overthinks things sometimes.

though, i do have to say, my piratey voice kicks some serious ass…..aaaaaarrrrrrrgh, me mateys…….

Jennifer is…going to share a taste sensation.

Picture it with me: you’re awake early, but are refreshed by a hot shower and the stillness of a sleeping household. You meander into the kitchen and put on a small pot of extremely dark coffee while you busy yourself getting ready for the day. A few moments later, you’re pouring piping hot, fresh coffee into your favourite, pre-warmed mug. And then, for a decadent pre-breakfast nosh, you break off a slice of chocolate chip bar.

but this isn’t just any chocolate chip bar. it’s more like soft, buttery shortbread with little nuggets of dark chocolatey goodness scattered throughout. it’s like eating the centre of a great choco-chip cookie, again and again. savour it with me.

now, the recipe for this ridiculously tasty dessert (you will NOT believe how simple it is, nor what a crowd-pleaser it can be, especially when served warm from the oven, paired with vanilla ice cream):

1 c. butter, room temp.

1 c. densely packed brown sugar (i prefer a darker sugar)

beat sugar and butter together until it’s a bit fluffy (around 2 min.)

add a generous tsp. of vanilla (best if it’s real vanilla)

stir in 2 c. flour and about a cup of semisweet chocolate chips.

press this crumbly mixture into a 9×11 glass pan.

bake at 350 for 25-35 min. DON’T OVERBAKE. you want it barely golden at the edges, and soft to the touch in the centre. let it stand for 5-10 min. before slicing. store in an airtight container (or plastic bag) at room temp. it takes on a nice, more chewy texture the day after.

now, enough of that food porn. Question o’ the day: what is your favourite thing to bake AND eat? not just something you make for company, but something that, left to your own devices, you could probably consume all on your own???

this is what happens…

when mommy takes a quick break from cleaning the house to check out < yarn harlot>.

oops. it seems like a great blog, however–just like i’d been told. after the cookie mess had been cleaned up, and the overall house scouring re-commenced, we all felt a little like this:

.

what a morning.

Jennifer is…wondering about what’s at the centre.

of my life, that is. i thought this morning about all the little divided-up compartments that i call my life, and was struck with the fact that, in the absence of a morning devotional/meditative time, i am beginning to feel the effects of a less-than-centred existence.

partly, i gave up my daily ritual of coffee and bible perusing b/c of time constraints (quel surprise.) but, mostly i stopped being so rigourously disciplined b/c i felt rather isolated in my pursuit of a spiritual practise. it seemed that b/c no one around me seemed to have time for a similar routine, that, after awhile (like 6 or 7 yrs), i needed help finding a new, fresh direction. And then, when i began to resent the time spent solo, it seemed to me the right time to take a hiatus, or at least a breather, from the “without-exceptions” daily reading.

so, now i find my self a bit purposeless, a bit more prone to impatience, to dizzy busyness without a lot of peace–not that i’ve ever been a very peaceful person (quel quel surprise.) Therefore, in the spirit of the confessional blog, my question o’ the day: do you have a spiritual discipline/practice of some kind? if so, what? if not, why?

p.s. i hope i haven’t been too navel-gazing in this post; but sometimes i feel the need for a little more self-revelation than others. if you find it annoying or grating, just tune in tomorrow for your usual dose of sardonic humour and random photos of various crafts.