Paul's impulse purchase

I sent Paul to the U of M Property Disposition Center for another sewing table and this is what he came home with.

He did find me a great table but I was more excited about this old card catalog. We aren't sure what we are going to use it for yet (maybe sewing supplies, craft supplies, or photos) but it is a pretty cool piece of University of Michigan history. 

In the meantime I suppose I could send the kids to the garage to practice their alphabetizing.

Geography Review

There hasn't been much formal teaching or enriching activities in our homeschool for weeks.  I've been feeling kind of guilty about it until I observed this activity the boys came up with.

One would call out a State and the other two with Nerf guns would aim and  try to get closest to the capital city.  They are all pretty good shooters after going to the Cabella's shooting gallery with Opa all summer.  As for their geography skills, they could keep practicing. 

A great meal that not everyone liked

Curried Lentils and Cauliflower

Suz requested that I make this and then blog it so she could have easy access to the recipe. It is actually quite good but as you can see from the picture not everyone loved it.

Maryanna couldn't make up her mind and walked into the kitchen asking, "What's that yucky smell that smells so good"?  She had two full bowls.

James asked when I was ever going to make some "real food from a box". He pretended not to like it but ended up eating four bowls.

Henry and Clara gobbled it up without complaint but Peter only touched his rice and William decided he'd rather go to bed early than even taste it.

So here it is from one of my favorite cookbooks Feeding the Whole Family: 

1 cup dried lentils, washed and drained (I usually soak over night)

1 bay leaf

2 3/4 cups (divided)

2 tsp ghee or olive oil (ghee tastes better)

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (I used three but it could use even more)

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin (it could use more)

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I think that was too much - next time we'll use less)

1 head small cauliflower, cut into flowerets

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 cup roasted cashews for garnish

Place lentils in a pot with bay leaf and 2 cups water: bring to boil.  Lower heat, cover, and let simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until lentils are soft and all the water is absorbed.

Heat ghee in a 4 qt pot or pressure cooker.  Add onion, garlic and salt, saute'. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. Add cauliflower tomato sauce, ginger (actually I think it is better to add the ginger with the other aromatic spices), 3/4 cup water; stir well.  Cover and let simmer until cauliflower is tender (15-20 min.) or bring to high pressure and cook 5-7 minutes.

Stir lentils into cauliflower and serve over basamati rice.

 

Emergency Sewing

After a five week break I discovered cob webs across my sewing center.  It is hard to justify sewing when I am so behind on laundry but this project was done exactly for that reason.

Baby George was out of clean diaper covers so I jumped to it and sewed this one up in less than thirty minutes where as waiting for a load of laundry takes at least 2 hours. 

Marie gave me some really cool diapers cover from Japan so I used one as a pattern.  What makes them so great is that the front flaps hold the pre-fold neatly in place which makes for quick changing and less leaks.

I lined the cotton knit print with PUL fabric and bound them together quite effortlessly with fold over elastic.  This was just a test fit and will probably be too small by next week but I'm out of fold over elastic so hopefully I'll perfect the pattern before I get my elastic order from Wazzodle.

I do have some back up disposables on hand but George seems to be reacting to them. Besides I think babies look so cute in cloth diapers!

As for emergency sewing there may be another episode this week because it was almost impossible for me to find something that fit for church last Sunday. 

Sunday Activity for Kids

It is not easy to keep young children quiet on Sunday afternoons but here is one activity that everyone enjoys.  They pick a gospel art kit picture and try to draw it themselves.

Above is Maryanna's (age 4) attempt at Jesus washing the apostles feet - kind of cute and definitely worth saving.

Clara meanwhile colored her face with marker and when I asked why she said "to make myself look pretty".  Henry just scribbled all over his body and the cupboards and the table so maybe this activity is not for everyone.

Wordful Wednesday: Unity in Marriage

Unity in marriage is worth fighting for.

Just kidding - I don't think fighting ever works, that is unless of course you own a couple pairs of old boxing gloves because laughter certainly helps.

But I suppose unity may be achieved through many angles including love, laughter, affection, communication, prayer, kindness, service, and work.

Just the other night Paul brought home a brand new sectional sofa (in boxes) from IKEA, the sofa was actually a replacement for the one that snapped in half (in two places) but why it snapped and how it was resolved is for another post. Needless to say I don't know anyone who enjoys IKEA assembly - I don't even like watching the process.

Once most the kids were settled in bed Paul announced it was time to get the job done and suggested I join in. I had enough (very valid) excuses to get out of it and quickly buried myself under the covers because "I needed a quiet moment to myself" and a little bit of rest might "help take the edge off".

In most cases rest is rejuvenating but on this occasion it was not. Every time I heard a box open the thought came to me... "I should go down and help him, or at least just watch". So I did.

Baby George was still asleep at this point so I actually had two arms to chip in and did so by sorting out the cushions and slipcovers. It is actually not easy to wrap a couch in a snug fitting slipcover so together we worked pulling, tugging, and even fisting the form into proper shape.

I was then assigned to be the hardware sorter but made enough errors to be redirected to searching out some online support and instructions. By this point baby George was up and in need of some care so the last request was for me to dig through a box of old CD's and pick out a surprise, I chose Mama Mia and spent the rest of the building time nursing on a chair nearby.

Actually, I didn't make it to the end of the project but was happy to see the completed couch at 3:00 am when I came down to walk the baby. So even though I really didn't help much, working together was rejuvenating, probably more so than a nap or even a night out together.

Not too long ago I was chatting with one of my sister in laws about her and my brother fixing their dryer together. I was quite impressed with their handiness but even more impressed when she said "you know Al, that was a great moment in our marriage". Among pictures of them together on the Great Wall of China, traveling through Europe, hiking, and welcoming new babies my brother included a picture of them fixing this dryer on their wedding anniversary slide show.

Writing this post also reminds me of the afternoon I took Paul to meet my grandparents. My grandma prepared a "special" salmon lunch and while she was busy with the final condiments and dressings she sent us outside, each with a butter knife and requested that we dig out the weeds growing between the cracks in her front walk. She soon made her way out to treat us with her own version of peach lemonade then encouraged us to keep at it. Years later at our wedding lunch my grandma joyfully recalled how well we worked together on those weeds and promised us much happiness if we continued our life together in such a manner.

Unfortunately much of the work in front of us often becomes "divided" then conquered because it seems to be most efficient. But perhaps in trying to save time or just get it over with we miss out on so much more, perhaps instead we should first be "unified" then face our tasks.

I may have just cursed myself to having to help clean out the garage this next weekend but if it means increased unity - I'm in! Because work may not be romantic but it works in marriage just the same.

Unity in marriage is worth fighting working for.

More Wordful Wednesday here

Old School Baby Announcement

I finally got them out but unfortunately I only had enough to send to our immediate family (which is actually quite large) so I thought I'd share with everyone here.

These cards were found in my mom's basement during our summer stay.  They could be dated back anywhere from the early 60's to early 80's, the years in which my mom gave birth to myself and 16 other siblings, and I certainly don't blame her for leaving them blank - she had her hands full!