Celebrate the Family

So two things hit me square in the face this Christmas season-

1. How much I love the family I married into. I am really, truly, completely blessed that my husband is wonderful and comes from a wonderful family that I thoroughly enjoy. This is a good thing too because I spent a lot of time with them this Christmas, and enjoyed every minute of it! I love all you O'Connells out there! And congratulations to my 'little' brother Matt for popping the question to this awesome young woman named Leah. Can't wait to call her my sister too =: )

2. How much I MISS TERRIBLY my family, especially as this was the first Christmas I can remember being so bare of my own Diamantopoulos clan. I DID, however, get to see JD and Sarah and their adorable girls in early December (see below), and I DID get to see Peter and Laura on Boxing Day, and I WILL see my sisters in the end of this month, so it's not as bad as it seems. Still, change is strange. Fun side note: it is now possible on this amazing thing called Skype to view 6 different families in 5 different states in one awesome hour =: )

 

Ellie on the left was born in March, and Penelope is a little older than Luke.

                                                  See what I mean by MISS TERRIBLY!?

Hope you had a good Christmas season too. Isn't it a comfort to know that God sent His angels to shepherds (poor, cold, and lonely) and Wise men (rich, comfortable, smart) alike? No matter who you are He came for YOU. No matter what you've been through He lives for YOU. One of the songs that really touched me anew this year (probably because I just had a baby boy) was "Welcome to our World" by Michael W. Smith:

"Tears are falling, hearts are breaking, how we need to hear from God!

You've been promised, we've been waiting; Welcome Holy Child!"

May your heart welcome HIM. 

 These were the brothers that were home for Christmas

Happy New Year!

Something I am truly happy about...

Don't expect this to be 'deep' or anything. But sometimes something that could be frustrating, annoying and bothersome turns out to be not so. You know when an appliance breaks, it always (following Murphy's Law) has to break when it's the day before Christmas, or the husband isn't home to help deal with it, or there's no money in the savings to fix it or buy a new one...Well, my friends, the God who created the universe and set the stars in motion ALSO cares about our every need and has shown His providence, amidst all his other more important tasks, in our refrigerator needs.

It could have been a lot worse, but it went so smoothly I wanted to post about it.

Our old fridge has had some problems for a couple years, and suffice it to say, it decided to officially die the day Ed went on a business trip for 5 days. No biggy, there wasn't much in there and I have an extra $10 yard sale fridge downstairs. So leg exercise went in for the next week until he got home. Then I searched before Thanksgiving for a good black Friday sale and found one at Sears for cheap! PLUS First Energy/ MetEd is doing this appliance program where they'll haul away your old appliance AND pay YOU $50 bucks, and if you upgrade your appliance to an energy star rated one they'll pay YOU $50 bucks. Total cost for brand new fridge? $400! Amazing!

(That seems like a ton to me, but have you shopped for fridges lately?? Normally they are Mucho bucks!)

All this to say we have a new, beautiful, clean fridge IN OUR KITCHEN that WORKS! I'll tell you what, I won't ever take my dear white fridge for granted ever again. And now on it's white walls I'm gathering all my Christmas pictures. So if you send me one I will look at you everyday, just so you know =: )

P.S. there are only two circumstances in life that will ever warrant my refrigerator being this clean. 1. when my fridge dies and all the junk needs to be removed and it needs to be cleaned so awful smells don't ensue whilst I wait for it to be picked up, and
2. When I get a new fridge and it COMES THAT WAY!

What can you be truly happy about today? Even if it's a simple thing, remember God loves bringing pleasure to His children in big and small ways. Cheers!

good things for moms...

Somehow I happened on some sites today that brightened my day. There are few companies out there that embrace the stage of having little babies, and these two websites definitely do that. If you click here and enter promo code "candie" you will get 100 % off what looks to be a very comfortable and gorgeous baby sling. And if you click here and enter promo 'seven' at checkout you will get a 'free' and beautiful nursing cover. You still have to pay the 10 bucks in shipping, but hey, you can't even buy cool fabric like this for $10!

Little things that make me happy. So if you are a nursing mom or know a nursing mom or soon-to-be nursing mom, I'd check out these sites.

Cheers!

Simple things

...that bring pleasure to God.

Simple. Not easy.

To change how we live, we must first change how we think.

So here's a few challenges I have laid down for myself. Perhaps you will join me?

~ Don't just think about people, pray for them~

I certainly think about tons of people all the time, but how often to I pray for them? Even short, simple prayers? I'd be loathe to answer that right now. But what a better world this would be if Christians everywhere prayed as easily as breathing.

~Do to others what you would have them do to you~

11 words to sum up a life goal. Starting with my husband and children.

~ Wag more, bark less~

Enough said.

And since I heard somewhere that three is the magic (or maximum) number for the finite human brain to really grasp new ideas, I'll stop there. And if you're like me one of these statements is enough to keep me on my toes for quite some time. But how I long for MASTERY over my thoughts to become prayers, to practice the sweet kindness I crave others to give to me, and to complain much less and have genuine excitement for life much more!

I'd love to learn what your favorite sayings/verses are~

Until next time, Happy December!

Happy birthday Luke!

Last Saturday my Luke turned 2. Hard to believe, but I'm sure the day he turns 21 will be tomorrow ( I know you older ladies can attest to this fact). But for now I plan on cherishing his jibber jabber as much as I can.

I know it's hard to tell with newborns what their personality will be- we're still trying to figure Evan out- but so far I can say for certain that Luke is a mix of Edward and me. Here's what I mean:

He is cute (Ed...duh!).
But he looks like my baby pictures...and the blond hair he obviously gets from me.
He loves to talk (both of us).
He gets easily frustrated (me).
He loves to read and learn (both of us).
He loves to help out (Ed).
He loves to eat chips and popcorn (this is a hard one =: ).
He has a happy spirit, and an infectious laugh. I'll let you decide who he gets those traits from.

We love you Luke!

For his birthday, Ed and I went in together to create a masterful "cakketwuck". Not the most professional, but we had fun together, and at least we didn't pay gazillions for it~ To relive the celebration, simply click here.

Be thankful.

There is a difference I believe in giving thanks, and being thankful. The former is done easily enough in words or a kind gesture, but the latter is a state of being. That is what I am trying to work on. I don't want to just give thanks at dinner, or only thank Jesus for dying on the cross for me during communion, or thanking God when I happen to see a beautiful sunset.
I want to BE thankful. Always. In the good times and the not so good times. For whatever my day may hold, I am told to be thankful for it is God's will. And I don't know about you but it seems easy to be thankful for the big things in life (like salvation, family, a good job, good health, etc.) but often times I am not even close to being 'thankful in all things ' in the daily humdrum of life.

So as I make scrambled eggs for breakfast for the 800th time, I will be thankful for my electric stove.
As I wash my dishes, I will be thankful I can just turn the faucet on and water magically comes out- hot OR cold.
As I change on average 10 diapers a day, I will be thankful for the convenience of disposable diapers.
If I burn my pork chops on the stove, I will be thankful I have other options for dinner in my pantry, and that I don't have to go out and butcher my own pigs.
As I get stressed about doing a rushed afternoon of errands without the kids, I will be thankful that I don't have to sheer the sheep to make the yarn to make the clothes. And that I don't have to take care of a horse to get me to all these places.

And you know what else I'm thankful for? CD players that play relaxing music whenever I want.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture...

As much as I love reading books and watching movies based on the 'olden days', I am SOOO thankful for the modern conveniences that too often we take for granted. I don't want to spend my time complaining about the little things when I can, simply (with the full knowledge that this task is NOT so simple), BE thankful in all circumstances.

So what can you be thankful for?

Even youths grow tired and weary!

You know those days. Your hands and feet ache for no reason. You feel like you haven't slept in five days even after 8ish hours. The dishes loom like evil monsters on your counter. The toys have multiplied from 50 to 2000 on your floor, daring you to see if you can walk over them repeatedly without tripping. The poop in the diapers smells worse than normal. The snot doesn't stop dripping from little noses. Oh, and there's nothing ready to eat. YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT YOURSELF.
 But lest you think God is not on your side and there can be no victory over these mundane trials, this is what happened to me on such a day:

1. An unexpected call from a very dear friend and mentor.

2. An unexpected care package from one of my best friends in the whole world.

 3. An unexpected visit from the best mom-in-law ever dropping off some daily bread =: )

And to top it all off,

4. Wonderful parents who babysit so Ed and I could have an awesome date night at a Hibachi grill, where they not only cook the food fresh in front of your face with fun tricks and flare, but they CUT IT UP for you so you don't even have to use a knife!!

  So if you find yourself too, like we all do at times, overwhelmed by the trials that face your particular life (little and large), be encouraged that Jesus knows our every weakness, and he knows EXACTLY what we need to have our joy and zest for life renewed. He is our #1 encourager and provider of ALL good things!

  "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength..."

And here is a little something to make you laugh via my Dad. You will enjoy this and hopefully laugh as much as I did.  Paul Zerdin Ventriliquist

Oh and a few pictures of the cuteness that I wake up to each day:

"Luke, what does a fish do?"

Until next time...As one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs goes: "Peace to you~ peace of Christ to you!"

"Bears. Beets. Battle Star Galactica."

If you haven't seen the episode of The Office where Jim impersonates Dwight, you're missing out! These three 'B's'  are things that Dwight loves of course. Unlike him, however, I do NOT like beets (bears and Battle Star Galactica I can handle). Here are some of my reasons:

#1: They look like dirt.

#2: They taste like dirt.

#3: They may resemble a rat on your counter:

Nonetheless, when beets are forced on you by your local community produce co-op (which is wonderful except for the main fact that you do not choose what produce you get each week), and you do not want to just throw them in the trash, and you can't find anyone else who likes them either, you go to allrecipes.com and look up 'beets' and see if anything would make this humble vegetable worth eating. 

So this is what I did about a month ago when beets starting making a regular appearance in our produce share. And low and behold, I found a Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake recipe that is absolutely delicious. 

"CAKE! EVERYBODY LIKES CAKE!" - Donkey

"I don't care what everyone likes! Ogres are NOT like cakes." - Shrek

So I read reviews on it just to make sure it wasn't chocolate cake that tasted like, well, dirt, but all the comments were positive enough for me to try it. Long story short, I have made it three times now and anyone who has tasted it cannot tell at all that there are beets in it...just tastes like amazingly moist chocolate cake. 

Me being me, I have altered it somewhat, so here's my version. So if you happen to find yourself with edible rats on your counter this fall, now you know what to do with them!!

Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake

1 cup butter, divided

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine

2 tsp. vanilla

3 TB. cocoa

2 1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

4-5 beets

1. Clean beets and cut ends off. Wrap in foil and roast in a 400 degree oven until tender, about an hour. Cool, peel, and process in blender with a little water until smooth. Add enough water if needed to make about  2 cups. Reduce oven to 350.

2. Melt chocolate and 1/4 of the butter in the microwave on high for 45-60  seconds. Stir to smooth.  Let cool slightly.

3. Beat the remaining 3/4 of the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat several minutes. Add vanilla, chocolate, and beet puree. Beat until smooth. Mix together all the dry ingredients and add in 2-3 additions, beating on low speed, until combined. Scrape down bowl and beat another 30 seconds or so until smooth and thoroughly combined. 

4. Spray a 10" bundt pan with cooking spray. Spread batter into it and smooth with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely. 

All this cake needs is a little powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you're good to go. Freezes beautifully as well. Enjoy!

For the beauty of the earth

Yesterday I woke up with the idea that we should go to CEFC (where I grew up) for church and then head over to my parent's place so my Dad could take some decent pictures of our family in the pretty October colors. As I thought this about 20 minutes before we would need to leave, let's just say I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. But nonetheless, our day turned out to be absolutely beautiful. After church my dad ( in his classic spontaneous way) wanted to take us to St. Peter's village to try this very old/ newly renovated Village Inn restaurant where we had a lovely brunch ( and we even got to sit on the dining porch outside overlooking the rocky creek). After we ate we took Luke down to play with the rocks, which I think he would have contentedly done for 3 hours straight. 

Alas, he was SOOO enamored with throwing little rocks onto the big rocks that out of about 50 pictures my dad took we managed to get about 3 decent family photos =: ) And if you're happening to wonder why Evan is wearing a Small Paul freaky monkey shirt that I love (my sis sent that to me from Seattle =: ) for our family photo the answer  is that this little bundle of joy pooped through his whole outfit while we were eating brunch. So thank goodness I had something for him to wear. You know the motto:

"Always be prepared"- ish!

So here's some of my favorite shots from St. Pete's: 

"For the beauty of the earth,

For the glory of the skies.

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies.

Lord of all to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise."

 Have a wonderful, crisp, beautiful October day!

Business and Pleasure

This is the week of a good friend's first anniversary, and with it came the recollection of the cake I made her, which got me thinking how long it's been since I've made a cake for someone (or myself for that matter). I've been dying to make a pumpkin cake lately, but due to the pumpkin shortage I've been unable to do so until this week when, joy of joys, I found pumpkin in the store! And since when it rains it pours, I also got a 'baby pie' pumpkin in our produce share this week, so pumpkin cakes, and pies, and cookies, here I come!!

But I also wanted to share a little taste of what I've made in the last year, so if you know anyone who's getting married, I'd love to get my hands back into some cake and fondant soon =: )

 This cake was for Robyn and RJ, who've been married over a year already! Congratulations guys!

 I didn't know the girl I made this cake for, but she married an Asian dude, and therefore the real bamboo border. And let me tell you, thank goodness I have a handy man for a husband, because we had to use the meiter saw to cut that stuff!

This lovely invention was all Dee's idea for her cake, who's anniversary is this week! 

Happy anniversary Dee and Zeb!

This pumpkin cake was for Luke's 1st birthday. Can't believe the little guy will be 2 in a couple weeks! AHH!

This is what happens when the handsomest man ever (i.e. my husband) comes with me to set up the cakes. "Let's take a picture of you with the cake...just one more, ....just one more..." But I think this is the only picture of me with my work other than Rachel's cake 12 years ago (or 13? whatever). This was for Blonnie and Joe's January wedding...thus the snowflakes. Miss you guys!

This was the last wedding cake I did in April for Jenna and Phil. Jenna picked out the flowers and ribbon. Simply lovely, don't you think?

One of my life goals is to have a real wedding cake business. How awesome would that be? You deal with sweet food, creative beauty, and the chance to make a couple smile on the happiest day of their life.

WIN WIN.

Perhaps next time I will post one of my favorite cake recipes...Until then, enjoy this beautiful time of year!

Dreams...

 "Having dreams is what makes life tolerable." Rudy (excellent movie if you've not yet seen it)

A bit of a pessimistic quote I admit. I want my dreams to make life more than tolerable. How about exciting, fun, abundant, joyful? This is what I've been thinking a lot about lately. Perhaps it's because often as a mother I feel my 'dreams' must be put on hold for the purpose of raising kids, taking care of a home and husband, etc. But this mindset of 'putting your life on hold' while so and so needs you, while this and that happens, may not be the key to living a full and abundant life. For someone may always need me, and this and that will never cease to happen. We will perhaps just end up bitter or unhappy with the good things that are surrounding us, because we never got to _____ (you fill in the blank). So...the question is: How do I live my dreams, i.e. my heart's desires, amidst the mundane toils of daily life?

Obviously, the answer is not found in ourselves. I looked up 'heart's desire' in Bible Gateway to refresh my memory of what the Bible says about such things. Surely He who knit us together in the womb, who knows our every thought, who forsees our every step, who created us in His image, would know the secret to this question. HE HOLDS OUR HEARTS IN HIS HAND! I hope these verses will comfort you, give you perspective and a fresh hope for today and every day.

Psalm 37:4-6 (New International Version)

 ⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
       and he will give you the desires of your heart.
 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
       trust in him and he will do this:
 ⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
       the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Italics added)

2 Chronicles 1:10-12 (New International Version)

¹⁰ Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
 ¹¹ God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have." (italics added)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (New International Version)

⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Psalm 139:13 (New International Version)

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother's womb.

Isaiah 55:2 (New International Version)

 ² Why spend money on what is not bread,
       and your labor on what does not satisfy?
       Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
       and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (italics added)


Now as I read these verses I was reminded of a very important lesson: our dreams need to be in alignment with God's heart, and his will, if they have any chance of becoming reality. Obviously if my dream was to smoke marijauna (which I assure you is NOT the case, but you get the idea) He is not under any remote obligation to fulfill it. God is not our genie. He is however our Father, Friend, Protecter, and Redeemer. He makes life livable!

So is my dream of one day being in a musical a bad one? (you know, 'CATS: The Remake' or something of that nature. Can't you see me jumping and dancing around singing at the top of my lungs "Jellicle cats are queen of the night, singing at astronomical heights, handling pieces from the Messiah,...")

What about playing the Rach 2 at Carnegie Hall? Ok that's a little far fetched, I'll never be that good, and I'm ok with that. But I would like to play a concerto again with an orchestra at some part of my life!

Or the desire to be in a square-dancish/ Irish music type band. How fun would that be??

I realize these aspirations may not be the most spiritual desires ever (we can save those for another day, babies are starting to cry for attention) but they are nonetheless part of who I am. And I think to deny that would be to deny the creativity and imagination and the unique qualities God instilled in me that make me who I am. So for now, amidst diapers, toys, and laundry, I will have to sing CATS by myself (but yay! with an audience of 2), listen to Celtic music on the CD player, and play a page from the Rach 2 here and there.

Besides, I bet in Heaven there will be plenty of singing, dancing, good company and good food to delight us far above what we could ever dream up on this earth. And so with that (and now screaming boys to attend to) I leave you. Until next time...

Something to wet your whistle...

This is a pie I've made 3 times in the last month, so I thought I'd share this new favorite with you. I would never have thought adding sour cream to apple pie, but on my last day at Shady Maple my coworker made this in honor of me (it was the beginning of October that I had to leave too, so prime apple season!) It's absolutely delicious and good warm or cold. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Apple Pie

1 unbaked pie crust
5 -6 apples, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
1 cup light or regular sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 sugar
2 TB. flour
pinch salt.
~ Combine sour cream and next 4 ingredients, then gently stir in the apples. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together:


3 TB. brown sugar
4 TB. flour
4 TB finely chopped pecans or almonds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon or allspice
3 TB. soft butter 
~ Sprinkle topping on partially baked pie and return to oven for another 30 -35 minutes, or until topping is nice and browned and apples are tender when pierced with a knife. Cool for an hour at least and refrigerate leftovers.

"I adore simple pleasures, they are the last refuge of the complex." Oscar Wilde

 

 Summer is officially over, and with it our several-times-weekly walk to our neighborhood park and playground. We still go, but only on the sunny warm days, which sadly are getting fewer and farther between. So today I thought I'd take you along with me on our little pilgrimage so you could enjoy the beautiful scenery we get to enjoy as we trot behind our house.

The scene below is why Luke's first word was duck. If he is walking, it takes about 2 minutes to get to this bridge overlooking the 'happenin' place' for ducks in this town. 

Cool side note: a couple weeks ago the lady that planted that willow tree (who lives right to the right of the tree) said she put it in only 5 years ago! It's huge!! It makes me think of Psalm 1: 1-3 in a fresh light:

¹ Blessed is the man

       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
       or stand in the way of sinners
       or sit in the seat of mockers.

 ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on his law he meditates day and night.

 ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
       which yields its fruit in season
       and whose leaf does not wither.
       Whatever he does prospers.

This is our lovely wooden playground

This is the same stream that winds down from behind our house. This part is right next to the playground with a nice 'beach' that Luke can throw rocks from. He was busy doing this for over 1/2 hour when this picture was taken (while Evan slept peacefully in the stroller).

I'm glad you could take a virtual stroll with me =: ) But I love the real thing, so if you are ever able to walk with us, please do!

And last but not least, this is a current, 8 week old picture of Evan donning his fashionable ducky suit from auntie Rachel in Seattle. The first time he wore it Luke pointed out EVERY SINGLE duck on it =: )

Until next time....Peace and smiles to you and yours!

"Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." The Sound of Music

So I have finally decided to blog... Not just so that my family members and dear friends, that are spread all over the country, can catch up on charisisms and pictures of my boys, but that I, after 4 years post college, can stimulate my brain. That's exactly what I need right now. MENTAL STIMULATION. I know you young mothers out there will agree with me that sometimes raising young children is entertaining, delightful, fun, challenging, and so forth, but let's face it: "Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger too" does not fall under the adult brain food category.


I want this blog to be a refreshment to your mind, heart, and soul, as well as mine. Everyone needs something fresh now and then, and so with pictures, stories, prayers, recipes, and whatever else pops into my head, I hope you will always leave refreshed from visiting this little part of the internet world.


And so it begins:


I would like to start with several things that make me happy, that bring me pleasure...

This man. Edward O'Connell, otherwise known as the handsomest man EVER!!! My best friend turned husband. How lucky am I?!

 Number 2: My dear husband who is in love with our first son, Luke. It always makes me smile when he teaches Luke something new. The fist pump is not new, but it was at one time pre-blog, and so I thought I'd include it. The shirt is an awesome find my dad picked up in Wildwood this summer.

Number 3: (this one is random, but hey) When a woman is in labor, it is the little things that make it bearable: Like ducky thermometers in the labor tub. Thank you, o birth center, for the smile =: )

So this picture doesn't necessarily bring me pleasure (at the thought of being so HUGE) but I'd like to share it for those of you who did not get to see me the day before little Evan entered this world. And to think I thought I still had a week to go! Thank you God! And speaking of little Evan...

Now how could a face like that not brighten your day? There is nothing quite like the smile of a child to bless one's heart. And so with this I will leave you...until next time =: )