I have a tender heart tonight because of a little guy I'll call Jacob. Something new our family has been doing this summer is respite foster care, which means that when a regular foster family goes on vacation or just needs a break, we take their foster child into our home for a few days.
Thursday night we got Jacob. He is 7, and he's been such a joy to have around. He has this sweet little grin, and nothing makes him happier than getting a big hug. He tells me he's won 100 trophies for sports, "all the sports" ;)
My 15-year-old, Trevin, who's about 6'4" and 200 lbs, was sitting by Jacob at dinner the first night he was here. Trevin had just gotten a haircut the day before, and Jacob looked up at him and asked, "Why is your hair so small when you're so big?"
:)
He's leaving on Monday, being reunited with his birth family. He has more scars on his little body than anyone I've ever seen, but I don't ask why. I hope he'll be okay.
Showing posts with label A Slice of Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Slice of Home. Show all posts
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Chalk It Up to Love
It was AJ's birthday this week, and her cousins surprised her by decorating our driveway with sidewalk chalk. As you can tell, she was pretty excited - it was an awesome show of love!
Want to try it? Just gather up the kids and some sidewalk chalk and sneak out in the dark tonight to give someone you love a nice surprise to wake up to :)
Gonna Need Grace
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Do-It-All Dinner
Searching around AllRecipes for something healthy to feed my family, I found this recipe for Mexican Orzo Salad.
Wow, what a perfect recipe! Not only is it a cold salad (hello, summer!), and chock full of super foods like beans and peppers, but it is sooo versatile.
The recipe made a huge bowlful, enough to feed my family for dinner and have leftovers for lunch. Here's what we found out:
You can add almost anything to it for variety and it tastes great! Some of us added mushrooms, cucumber, avocado and even blueberries, and all of it tasted so good.
You can warm it up in a tortilla with some shredded cheese and salsa - Yum!
It tastes great in a pita pocket, and would make a great and healthy school lunch this way.
Bottom line, I love this salad, and I feel great about serving it to my family! P.S. I reduced the oil called for in the dressing by 2 TBS and it turned out just fine ;)
Gonna Need Grace
Wow, what a perfect recipe! Not only is it a cold salad (hello, summer!), and chock full of super foods like beans and peppers, but it is sooo versatile.
The recipe made a huge bowlful, enough to feed my family for dinner and have leftovers for lunch. Here's what we found out:
You can add almost anything to it for variety and it tastes great! Some of us added mushrooms, cucumber, avocado and even blueberries, and all of it tasted so good.
You can warm it up in a tortilla with some shredded cheese and salsa - Yum!
It tastes great in a pita pocket, and would make a great and healthy school lunch this way.
Bottom line, I love this salad, and I feel great about serving it to my family! P.S. I reduced the oil called for in the dressing by 2 TBS and it turned out just fine ;)
Gonna Need Grace
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Fifty Golden Years
Yesterday was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Yep, I'm one of the lucky ones that way.
I never thought too much about the state of my parents' marriage as a child. I guess they never gave me any reason to worry. And since I was more than a bit of a worry wart when I was little (haven't quite outgrown it, either), that was a tremendous gift to me.
My parents kept that rule about not arguing in front of the kids. I don't remember them ever raising their voices to each other. They still laugh and kiss and hold hands and all that mushy stuff that we kids always groan about!
The gift they gave me was the gift of security. Thanks, Mom & Dad. And Happy Anniversary!
Gonna Need Grace
I never thought too much about the state of my parents' marriage as a child. I guess they never gave me any reason to worry. And since I was more than a bit of a worry wart when I was little (haven't quite outgrown it, either), that was a tremendous gift to me.
My parents kept that rule about not arguing in front of the kids. I don't remember them ever raising their voices to each other. They still laugh and kiss and hold hands and all that mushy stuff that we kids always groan about!
The gift they gave me was the gift of security. Thanks, Mom & Dad. And Happy Anniversary!
Gonna Need Grace
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Trees, Please!
Of course, raw veggies are super good for you (minus the ranch!), but variety is nice sometimes, too. So, when I came across this recipe in Parents magazine, I had to give it a try. And guess what? It's been a hit!
Preheat oven to 425. In a shallow baking pan, mix:
1 lb cut up broccoli
2 TBS olive oil (I reduce this to 1 TBS and it comes out fine)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (whole wheat, if you have it)
Roast for 13-15 minutes, or until broccoli is tender, stirring once. Right before serving, sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese.
Next up on my list: finding a great recipe for a healthy dip to replace all that Ranch!!!
Gonna Need Grace
Sunday, June 17, 2012
A Soft Voice
A certain friend has always impressed me with her softspoken ways. Even when disciplining her children, her voice is always calm and never loud. I asked her about it one time. She said, very simply:
"My mom yelled all the time when we were little. I promised myself that when I grew up I would never yell at my husband or kids."
I've truly never heard her raise her voice, and I think of her whenever I raise mine. It helps me control myself when I remember that I don't want my kids to grow up and say they hope to be nothing like me.
Gonna Need Grace
"My mom yelled all the time when we were little. I promised myself that when I grew up I would never yell at my husband or kids."
I've truly never heard her raise her voice, and I think of her whenever I raise mine. It helps me control myself when I remember that I don't want my kids to grow up and say they hope to be nothing like me.
Gonna Need Grace
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Dinner Rules
It's true, dinner does rule, especially when you're hungry, but Yikes! Is it only me, or do dinner preparations somehow bring out the worst in the under-6 set?
My 1-year-old hates it when I make dinner. I don't know why. But let's just say that as soon as I stand in front of the island and start chopping, she squeezes between the island and my legs and tries to shove me. Screaming at the top of her lungs, too, of course.
By the time dinner's on the table, I'm usually a frustrated mess, so watch out if you happen to say anything bad about what we're eating!
I told you I need grace... (and no, that super skinny chick in the photo isn't me...thank you free clip art)
New tactic: I'm trying to make dinner during afternoon naps as much as possible. If it's a crockpot recipe or anything that fits in a casserole dish, I'm all set. I can throw it all in early in the day and then just pop it in the oven around 5:00, no worries. Other things can be harder, but at the least I can get all the prep work done beforehand.
Random tip: When preparing salad ahead of time, place a damp paper towel over the top of it and press down, then refrigerate. This keeps your salad fresh and crisp and even works overnight for leftovers.
Well, you're right, it is just one more thing to squeeze into naptime, but it's making my world a little more graceful right now.
My 1-year-old hates it when I make dinner. I don't know why. But let's just say that as soon as I stand in front of the island and start chopping, she squeezes between the island and my legs and tries to shove me. Screaming at the top of her lungs, too, of course. By the time dinner's on the table, I'm usually a frustrated mess, so watch out if you happen to say anything bad about what we're eating!
I told you I need grace... (and no, that super skinny chick in the photo isn't me...thank you free clip art)
New tactic: I'm trying to make dinner during afternoon naps as much as possible. If it's a crockpot recipe or anything that fits in a casserole dish, I'm all set. I can throw it all in early in the day and then just pop it in the oven around 5:00, no worries. Other things can be harder, but at the least I can get all the prep work done beforehand.
Random tip: When preparing salad ahead of time, place a damp paper towel over the top of it and press down, then refrigerate. This keeps your salad fresh and crisp and even works overnight for leftovers.
Well, you're right, it is just one more thing to squeeze into naptime, but it's making my world a little more graceful right now.
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