New year. New recipe.

We enjoyed this recipe, Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken, with Travis' brother and his girlfriend the other night. I enjoyed it but it was a little sweet for my taste. I will probably reduce the sugar next time. I served it with rice and a mixed stir fry of Asian vegetables.

Children's Books

This post is for Nicole, who asked me a million years ago to post some book recommendations. I am always looking for great children's literature for Kate and I to read. I started my search with some of the Caldecott Honor and Caldecott Award books, and included looking for seasonally appropriate ones. I have been really excited about a few finds. My new favorite is called Owl Moon by Jan Yolen. It is such a wonderful book with a wonderful message at the end that says, "Sometimes you don't need words. All you need is hope."

I have really fallen in love with the writing in the Stella books as well, especially Stella: Fairy of the Forest by Marie-Louise Gay. She has a real wit that kids get, at least mine.. There is a whole series with Sam and Stella as well and we have enjoyed some of the other ones as well. This is nice if you are a little sick of Angelina Ballerina.

My other favorite discovery has been a book called,  When It Starts to Snow by Phillis Gershator. I just love the way he writes and tells the story. Great rhyming and cute, cute illustrations.

Some new ones I have also found that are really age appropriate for the 2 year olds are:

A Tree is Nice
My Friend Rabbit. This one is quite funny and has great illustrations.

Some other new classics in our house are:
Llama Llama Red Pajama
A House is a House for Me

Joseph had a Little Overcoat
One Fine Day 
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight.

New year, new recipes.

This menu is a little bit more work but an awesome special occasion recipe that we tried for Travis' birthday dinner called Blackened Swordfish with Sweet Potato Crab Hash.  Although I had to shorten the recipe a bit by using store-purchased BBQ sauce, I plan on making the Voodoo sauce sometime because it looks so good. Travis and I practically licked the sauce off our plates. If you are looking for a recipe for your husband that doesn't involve beef but satisfies...this is it.

He is discipling me?

I read a great quote in Timothy Keller's book Prodigal God that reminded me that the point of knowing Jesus is becoming more like him. I have heard this before, but as I thought about it again, I applied it to my current greatest challenge-- mothering--and it shed new light on the Christian walk for me.

It occurred to me, "What if the whole point of mothering--the training, disciplining, correcting, and instructing-- is really to make me more like Christ?" Of course I have understood sanctification through my circumstances in the past, but it suddenly came to light for me. As a mother, the endless times I am instructing, I am being taught to be like Christ. The countless times of disciplining, I am being disciplined myself in righteousness. The repetition of my words is working in me faith. The endless conversation with my kids is the word of God being worked into me.

It might not be new. But it was realized in a fresh way to me. The job of motherhood, especially to little ones, can be very wearying. There is usually less than one hour a day where someone is not crying or needing me. The joy in this life though is that this is the current circumstance which is drawing me closer to God, making me love Him more, and it is teaching me to be more Christ-like.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

New Year. New recipes.

Don't you get stuck in the same recipe rut? I love variety and generally have a large recipe repertoire; but I am just like everyone else-- I need to spice it up once in a while.

I will be posting some of my new favorite for you to try along with me.

Here is a new everyday recipe for one of those meatless nights off of 101cookbooks called Giant White Chipotle Beans. What makes it special and fresh is the gooey, creamy queso fresco, the toasted breadcrumbs and the cilantro pesto poured over it at the end.

6, 7 and 8 months.

Look at my not so little guy. He's growing up so quickly. He went from rocking on all fours. He followed his sister by going from crawling to pulling up in two short weeks. His favorite position is sitting on and pushing up on one leg with the other one stretched out in front---he is ready for action!