The weather. Baking. And Jesus.

It's a cool and breezy morning here in Saint Paul. It's amazing how much change can happen in just a few short days. 102 degrees was the high just last Tuesday. This past weekend we were in the 60's. Our house went from feeling like Grandma's attic to an igloo (okay, it's not that bad, but I'm wearing socks and a sweater today, so it's kinda on the cold side). I'm beginning to feel like our house will never feel just right. :p

When I opened the door this morning and breathed in the fresh cool air, I was taken back a couple of weeks ago to the North Shore. Such a beautiful spot on this great big world. It seems just like yesterday that we were all up there. I love the drive up through Duluth, to Grand Marais. The scenery when we make our yearly trip to Indiana is blah and the drive seems to take forever. Just the opposite when one heads north. To me, the drive passes by quickly (unless one is stuck in construction traffic for 2 hours).

These are just a few of my favorite pictures from our trip. When I look at them, all I see is God. He's the Artist of all artists. The sky that day was particularly beautiful (especially considering how stormy and dark the day before was).

On days like today, when one isn't oppressed with heat, I find myself wanting to bake. I have a whole list of goodies that I want to mix up and bake. As I type, I'm munching on a Soft Brown Sugar cookie with Browned Butter Frosting. If you like big fluffy "melt-in-your-mouth" cookies, you'll probably like these. They're certainly not a pretty cookie and I tend to like more texture to my cookie, but after a few bites, I kind of liked them. It's nice to have a soft cookie every now and then. And who doesn't like browned butter frosting?! Yum!

I made Empanadas the other day which called for pie dough. I decided to make a double-batch of dough so I could make an actual pie. I'm thinking Apple-Rhubarb, or the ever popular Strawberry-Rhubarb. I just need to find a recipe that looks appealing. Sometime next weekend I want to try my hand at making this Cinnamon Roll Cake. It looks intriguing. I'm on a cinnamon roll mash-up kick lately. Peter woke up yesterday morning after dreaming about my cinnamon roll pancakes. Too bad we slept in and were already rushing to get ready for church. Maybe we'll have breakfast for dinner some night this week. ;) I'm a little afraid to make the Cinnamon Roll Cake, because I know we can't eat all of it by ourselves (well, we could...but we shouldn't). :p We'll see, maybe I'll get brave and try to cut the recipe in half.

I woke up this morning with this Glorious Day song in my head. Such a beautiful song to wake up to. We sang it in church yesterday morning and right before we got home, we heard it again on the radio. I'm sure it's a popular song, but for some reason when we sang it yesterday morning, it was the first time I took notice of it. I found tears welling up in my eyes towards the end of the song. How beautiful the sound that trumpet will make! As I was youtubing it (is that even a word?), I realized that it's actually an old hymn. Growing up in a church where all we sang were hymns, my curiosity was peaked and so I looked it up. Sure enough, I recognized it and remembered singing it quite a bit as a child. I never felt any emotion while singing the old hymn. It's amazing how a different and more modern arrangement can make such a world of difference and stir precious emotions within me (I feel the same way towards the "new" arrangement of A Mighty Fortress is Our God).

I know it's kinda cheesy to post an insane amount of lyrics to one's blog, but this song is well worth it. The lyrics are powerful and full of truth and hope. Who doesn't need a dose of that every now and then? You may choose to read the lyrics to the tune of the old hymn (if you know it), or to the newer arrangement (my personal fave) with the youtube video found below. Whichever version makes Jesus more precious to you, I highly recommended that version.

Glorious Day (living He Loved Me)

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living He loved me!
Dying He saved me!
Buried He carried my sins far away!
Rising He justified!
Freely forever!
One day He’s coming!
Oh glorious day!
Oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
He took the nails for me!

Living He loved me!
Dying He saved me!
Buried He carried my sins far away!
Rising He justified!
Freely forever!
One day He’s coming!
Oh glorious day!
Oh glorious day!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

Living He loved me!
Dying He saved me!
Buried He carried my sins far away!
Rising He justified!
Freely forever!
One day He’s coming!
Oh glorious day!
Oh glorious day!
Glorious day!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine

Living He loved me!
Dying He saved me!
Buried He carried my sins far away!
Rising He justified!
Freely forever!
One day He’s coming!
Oh glorious day!
Oh glorious day!
Glorious day!
Oh glorious day

Vacation time!!

Wow, I haven't blogged in a while. It's not because my life has been boring - on the contrary, it's been full of lovely things: planting my garden, playing with my son outside, dreaming and scheming up colors to paint on the walls upstairs, and gleefully planning our family vacation up north this weekend (our first family vacation - not counting the visits out to see my family). I'm very much looking forward to the drive (mini-road trip!!) with my boys. We're hoping to stop by Gooseberry Falls and Duluth on the way home if the weather permits. Oh, I do hope the weather is nice. It's currently looking like it's going to be a very wet and cool weekend. Oh well. I'm looking forward to lounging around, hiking, cooking, knitting up baby things for friends, s'mores, games, movies, laughter, playing the wii, and hopefully relaxing with some of my favorite people. Here's a picture of the cabin that 11 (Gulbranson/Hartzell) adults and two toddlers will be staying at:

Castle Rock Cabin, Lutsen MN.

The view from our cabin

Today is turning out to be a busy day. I'm making lists, putting together a road-trip playlist and starting to pack for our trip. We don't leave until Friday morning, but Thursday is already packed with many things. To be honest, I'm trying to stay busy today (which isn't hard, while watching a one-year-old niece, and a two-year-old son.). My husband gets to go to a Twin's game with his co-workers today, hence the reason I'm trying to distract myself with business. I'm SO jealous. What would I give to be at a ballpark today? Eating a hot dog, pulling out pink sticky cotton candy from a huge bag, cheering for the Twins...all while being outside sitting in a beautiful stadium. Oh yes, jealous doesn't even begin to describe my feelings right now (sometimes I really miss the perks of working outside of the home). All in all, I'm glad he gets to go...really, I am. ;) Hopefully it doesn't rain on him and the Twins pull off another win.

Okay, I must shut down my computer and continue on with my lists. I'm so not feeling organized right now - check-off lists are a wonderful thing. 

A Royal Event.

I'm not usually one to glorify such a public and over-publicized event, but I'm making an exception for today. ;)  Eye roll all you want - I certainly won't blame you if you do, for I will probably do the same once I post and re-read this. ;)

It's 2:55am. I've been up for just under an hour already. I'm camping out on the couch with my mug of coffee, a bed pillow and a warm blanket, watching history being made, via BBC. My husband is snug in bed, most probably stretching out enjoying the extra room. He thinks I'm crazy for getting up at such an ungodly hour...getting only two hours of sleep, waking up to watch something that I can watch on re-run 8 hours from now. There's something special and exciting about seeing it live though. I tried explaining to him why I'm so fascinated with this particular wedding, fascinated enough to get up at 2am.  It's very much part of history. It's not like an american romance - a Hollywood celebrity couple getting married. It's deeper...it means more. I can't really explain it.

Maybe I got up because I'm a little gaga over the Royal family. I'm a lover of history and being able to witness such an event will be something that I'll always remember and probably someday tell my children about. I talked to my Dad last night before going to bed at midnight, he didn't seem surprised that I was getting up to watch the wedding. It took him back to 1981 to Charles and Diana's wedding. A new generation is at hand, along with a new wedding. Maybe someday, William and Kate's son/daughter will get married and my children will in turn watch history.

I remember when Princess Diana died.The coverage of her untimely death was broadcasted everywhere you looked. Along with her death, came footage from her infamous wedding and life. I was infatuated with her and her royal family.  I've grown up watching her children, William and Harry, grow into men. I never had crushes on them...I always thought them odd looking. :p Harry certainly has improved with age though, I won't lie. ;)

I have to admit, it's not all about the love of history. My curiosity is very much aroused concerning what Kate's dress will look like. I do love a good mystery. All of the gorgeous hats have also caught my eye. I'm even curious to see what the Queen will wear. Fashion is a huge part of this wedding and I'm loving the English flair.

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It's now 5:30am. The choir is serenading me. I haven't regretted getting up once, and surprisingly am still quite awake. We'll see if I feel the same way once my little boy is up and my husband is off to work. I think I shall nap when little Simon naps this afternoon...8 hours from now. ;) I hear the birds chirping outside. It's still dark outside, but is growing brighter as each minute passes. Today promises to be a beautiful day. Sunshine and temperatures in the upper 60's. After a week of dreary and rainy weather, I'm looking forward to going out for a walk with my little today...maybe even a run before naptime. Peter and I are also hoping to go out tonight for a much anticipated date. I hope I won't be a walking zombie.  Thank goodness for caffeine and makeup. ;)

So far, every part of the wedding has been breathtaking. The hats, the dresses and the men in uniform. So elegant and refined.  I do love the British life.

 

Kate's dress is gorgeous and fits her style and body well. She looked so elegant, regal and poised. Her dress wasn't as stunning as I thought it would be, but it's still a winner. A sweet moment was witnessing Prince William, after seeing his bride for the first time, leaning in close and whispering: "You look beautiful".  Aww. Kathrine's brother, beautifully read a few select passages from Romans. It was precious hearing the word of God in such a gorgeous and historic place. Such a perfect wedding. They look so happy and surprisingly calm.  I can't even imagine the nerves and the stress a wedding at this magnitude would do to me.

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It's now 6:30am. It's bright outside and still quite in my house (aside from the British voices coming out of my telly). I had to plug my netbook into the wall. It's not used to being up so early. ;) I'm still quite awake and not tired in the least. I'm staying awake, waiting for the traditional kiss on the balcony. I don't want to miss a thing and think I'll have the tv on all day - although, I think I might have to watch Sesame Street to appease my son. ;)

Okay, I think I'll post this before I make an even bigger sentimental fool of myself. ;)

Humor is a wonderful thing.

I love humor. When I was younger, I always said that I wanted to marry a man that could make me laugh. How cliche. I know. But I got my wish and I laugh on a daily basis thanks to my husband. I love to laugh and I love to be happy. Humor is a wonderful thing. So when I stumbled upon this etsy store {which is located in one of my favorite cities}, I couldn't help but smile, and yes, laugh out loud. Take a look at some of the humorous letterpress cards that she has in her store.

See, I told you they were funny. Which one tickled your funny bone the most?

Uncluttering my brain: cooking & baking

{puttering around in the kitchen}

I love cooking and baking. It's therapeutic for me. I've told Peter a few times that it's truly a blessing to have a love for cooking. I can't imagine what a chore it would be if I hated it.  It's sort of an escape from life when I have full freedom in the kitchen. Cooking is an artistic form of living. You create, enhance and indulge. Three of my favorite things to do. The one thing I don't enjoy is coming up with creative ideas of what to cook. I wish my pantry was always stocked full. I feel like I'm limited in what I can and can't cook because I don't have the right ingredients...or I don't have enough time...or my boys wouldn't like a particular dish. But other than the limitations of cooking/baking, my favorite place is in the kitchen. When I'm stressed, I pull out my mixer, pull up a new or tried-and-true recipe, and create. I've discovered the freezer is a wonderful place to store cookies (dough or already baked). It's easy to make a bunch of cookies, keep out an appropriate amount and freeze the rest - out of sight, out of mind (until you need them on th spot).  

{my newfound loves}

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Johanna posted a recipe on facebook for these amazing Lemon Meringue Cookies. I couldn't stop thinking about them, but seeing that I didn't have any lemons on hand, I put the recipe on the back burner of my mind. After picking up a couple of the luscious yellow fruits on Saturday, the recipe pushed its way back to the front of my mind. What drew me to it was the lemon curd recipe. I adore that yummy yellow stuff. The Tea Room where I used to work had this amazing curd that we would serve with devon cream alongside our scones. It was SO yummy...and expensive. I've always wanted to make my own, but was afraid it wouldn't come close to the good stuff. But when I saw how easy and simple this recipe was and how she was raving about it, I thought I'd give it a try. Oh my, was it ever easy and simply delicious. I'll be honest, it's not as good as the Tea Room's but it's dang close...and only a fraction of the cost! 

I probably shouldn't share this recipe with you, because once you try these you will become addicted. It's the kind of dessert that warrants a RUN, JOESPH, RUN!  For you will surely be tempted to eat the whole entire batch. Do what I did and only make a half batch, that way if you do indeed eat it all in one inhale, it won't be so bad for your butt.

Count it all joy.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

This is our fighter verse for the week at our church. The book of James has always held a dear place in my heart. When I was younger, my dad memorized a few chapters from selected books of the bible with us. He memorized  Romans with the boys and  James with me. We didn't get through the whole book of James, but we came close.  Every night we'd recite from memory the verses we had learned. Those were precious nights for me and my dad. To this day whenever I read the book of James, I think of him. Because the book of James was so special to me, the name too has become dear (it's even cute when shortened to Jamie, at least I think so). I just happened to marry a guy whose middle name is James...and we've since used that middle name for our son, Simon. Simon James.  It's a very popular and somewhat overused middle name, but I don't care. It's a name that's dear to me and my husband, seeing as it's also his late Grandpa O'Malley's first name.

I thought the verse very fitting for today. Not that I'm going through a horrible spiritual trial, but I'm finding myself weak in knowledge and not knowing what to do for my son, who is for the first time in his 2.5 years of living, super sick. He's been sick before, but never to this extreme. It's hard taking care of a sick baby-child, when one can't explain what's going on and how one's feeling. He points to his open mouth when I ask where it hurts. I'm assuming that means he has a sore throat. I know from his flushed face/head/body that he's fighting a fever. I also know he has a drippy nose from the mound of used tissues and the gasps for breaths as he sips his water. His cough is deep and barky. His energy level has gone down quite a bit, but even still, today he had these bursts of energy that surprised us. It reassured us that he wasn't all sick and that a tiny part of his lively self was still there, fighting to break free of his sick body. I wish more than anything I could release his body of the war that's waging within. That I could trade my health for his sickness. It kills me seeing him so uncomfortable and scared. I hope his body will let him sleep tonight...so far, it doesn't look promising.

Please dear Jesus, heal my son's body.

Dirt under my fingertips.

Yesterday was the first day of yard work. It was a gorgeous day, full of sunshine and the noise of the neighborhood children playing.  While Peter was out vacuuming the car and Simon was riding on his John Deere tractor around the yard, I was busy clearing the flowerbeds of dried plants and leaves...lots of leaves. I hope I didn't clear them out too early (Saint Paul, you had better not dump more snow on us!!).
 
I was pleasantly surprised to see all sorts of green things popping up from the cold, wet ground.  I'm really curious as to what the green things are - what flowers/plants do I have to look forward to?  I recognize the tulips, but that's about it.  I'll be a fun Spring full of new discoveries.  I also wonder what I should do about my hydrangeas out front. They're a dead skeleton of what their once vibrant selves used to look like. I don't know if I should prune them or leave them be.  If you have any tips, I'm all ears.  :)
 
We still have a TON of yard work to do (we haven't even started on the back yard (garden). It's still under snow and what's visible to the naked eye looks like something similar to mud.  Ugh.  Hopefully this spring-like weather will continue (yay for sunshine and 50 degree weather) and we'll be able to clear out the garden before too long.