Summer 2010 – My handsome daddy and his fish

I grew up in Sioux Lookout, Ontario – known for it’s fishing and hunting. It’s an amazingly beautiful area and I am blessed to have an Aunt and Uncle who still live there on a beautiful house by the lake. We’ve been up visiting a few times since moving to Southern Ontario. Southern Ontario has it’s perks but I sure do miss Northern Ontario a whole lot!

This picture was taken in the summer of 2010 when my parents went up for a visit. That’s a pickerel (or walleye) and trust me,  there are few things better than fresh pickerel fried up Aunty-style! {Have you tried my Aunty Pat’s Scalloped Potatoes yet?!?}

Growing up we ate fish a LOT. If we weren’t eating fish then there was a good chance we were eating partridge or moose. I miss northern pickerel a lot and never realized how good we had it. The fish from this area can’t compare!

Battered Fish Recipe

We did buy some fresh fish the other day and my husband battered it up. The batter wasn’t too heavy and it was very crisp; a very traditional batter like you’d find at a genuine fish and chip shop. The battered fish recipe with photos is here. I highly recommend you check out the link!

I’m thankful for good memories of delicious fish, I just wish I could eat them

• This post links to Mouthwatering Mondays, Tasty Tuesday, and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Gratituesday.

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Battered Fish Recipe is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Chloe turned four this month. She’s such a blessing!

Thank you, Lord, for purple twirls and bouncy blond curls.

• Celebrating thankfulness with Heavenly Homemakers’ Gratituesday and participating in Wordless Wednesday at Two of a Kind and 5 Minutes for Mom.

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Purple Twirls is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Easy Pizza Ingredients

• 2TBSP sugar + 1 tsp sugar
• 1 package of yeast (2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion salt
• 1 1/4 cup water (divided)
• 3 cups flour
• pizza sauce
• can of pineapple chunks
• stick of pepperoni chopped
• onion chopped
• can of mushroom pieces
• shredded mozzarella cheese

Easy Pizza Directions

Dissolve and let stand for 10 minutes: 1 tsp sugar and 1 package of yeast (2 1/4 tsp) in 1/2 cup lukewarm water.

Then add: 2 TSBP lard, 2 TBSP sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp onion salt & 3/4 cups lukewarm water. Mix.

Then add 3 cups of flour. Stir /knead briefly until combined. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Then dump out of bowl, knead a few times, shape into ball and cut in half. Spread each half on a small cookie sheet (greased with lard).

Here I am going to warn you that “spreading” is easier than it sounds as the dough will rip. Honestly, as you’re spreading it you will think, “this isn’t enough dough – it’s paper thin” but really it is enough and it will rise in the oven. Trust me!

Then spread with pizza sauce and top with chopped onions, canned mushroom pieces, canned pineapple chunks and a chopped stick of pepperoni.

Bake at 400 deg for about 20 minutes or until crust is done (lightly browned on bottom) then remove, add mozzarella cheese then return to the oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese melted.

Cut with scissors and eat! Yummy!

Thankful for Pizza Memories

I have fantastic memories of making pizzas growing up and for them, I am thankful! We lived in a small northern town where buying pizza was super expensive. Mom would make the dough, and prep the toppings and we would anxiously dance around, waiting for our turn to decorate the pizza. {Yes, it would have been easier, faster and less messy to do it herself but I’m thankful that she let us “help”}. We’d spread on sauce and put on the toppings piece by piece, eating some {and inevitably getting told to stop eating all the toppings!}. Mom would cut it up with scissors and we’d have a feast but the best part was eating it the following morning for breakfast when the pineapple was cold and juicy on the pizza. {I’m actually not a huge fan of it on a hot pizza}.

Now grown, we make home made pizza occasionally. With the cost of cheese and pepperoni, it’s actually cheaper for us to buy the Pizzaville special but it’s not as fun. My littles enjoyed “decorating” our pizza (and getting told to stop eating all the toppings!)and of course, we enjoyed it even more this morning for breakfast!

After pizza, we all played with the Wii; here John (who is potty training which is why no pants) is getting ready to do ski jump. Papa and Chloe are providing additional support! What a delicious and fun night!

• This post links to Mouthwatering Mondays, Tasty Tuesday,and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Gratituesday

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Easy Home Made Pizza Recipe is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Pregnancy Update

I’m almost 16 weeks. I feel huge. The more babies I have, the faster I “pop”. My baby bump looks much bigger from the top I think. Things are going well. As long as I take my Diclectin, I’m not usually sick in the morning and the all day nausea has passed.

I’m still very tired; just ask my husband who watched the littles last night so I could go to bed at 6:30pm. {then slept until 7am!!} My day energy levels seem to be returning; late mornings are my most productive time.

Our Ultrasound

Our ultrasound is December 30th due to the holidays. After talking to the midwife, we changed my due date to a week later which meant that rather than the 17th being my 18th week, it would now be the 24th which means we wait an extra week for our ultrasound. But really two weeks because of the holidays. Ah, well.  At least this pregnancy I won’t have to worry about being “overdue” even when I am on time. {My cycle is a little longer than normal}.

I think it’s a girl and I’m sweet on the name Ava Grace or Ave Rae. Scott and I both like Haley as well. If it’s a boy, he’ll be Ethan George. Scott loved the name Ethan when we had John but didn’t want to name him that since there already is an Ethan in the family but we don’t see them much and Scott has loved the name Ethan since before he can remember. Seems silly to not name him that because someone else has the same because someone always has any name. Make sense?

We will be finding out the gender and of course will be sharing

Downshot – much more impressive!

Maternity Clothing

I’m getting excited. Last week my husband showed me an ad in the paper: the local maternity shop is closing and they have 50% off everything. I’d been there before when they opened {I was expecting with John}. They were expensive. Most of my clothing came from Thyme Maternity which was expensive enough for my tastes. Jeans, skirts, and sweaters ran about $50 to $60, blouses $30-45, tees were $20 to $30.  They do have sale and discount racks but money wasn’t a big issue when I was pregnant with Isaiah then Chloe so I just bought whatever caught my eye {within reason}. I’m glad I did buy quality, lasting pieces since with my subsequent pregnancies (as a result of becoming a stay at home mom) we are now on a budget. I am really getting my money’s worth since I am able to wear the same clothing through all my pregnancies. Anyway, the ad for 50% off was something I couldn’t resist since my parents had given me some money to go buy my own Christmas present {then give it to mom to wrap LOL}. Off I went. I did buy a few more things than intended. I found two great dresses, an adorable skirt, and another super cute sweater. With their sale, suddenly the prices were more in line with Thyme or a little cheaper.

Thankful

This week I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to be carrying another sweet little one. I’m thankful for the diclectin that makes mornings bearable, for my husband who lets me go to bed crazy early, for my supportive mother and for my cousin Rachel. I’m so excited for her because she’s having a boy!!

• This post links to Gratituesday

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. A Belly Shot is a post from Beautiful Calling.

We’re expecting another baby; I am so excited.  This will be our fourth pregnancy in our 5 years of marriage. Isaiah is in the arms of Jesus,  but I have Chloe and John to fill my arms {and my days!}.

When we lost Isaiah, I also mourned the loss of my innocence; for each pregnancy after that I was painfully aware of all that could go ‘wrong’. Because of that knowledge, when I was expecting Chloe and John, each time I felt a cramp, a pain or the slightest twinge of anything, I wondered “am I losing the baby?” Ironically,worry can cause that funny feeling in the pit of your stomach which of course got me wondering if everything was OK with the baby. I wouldn’t say that I was stressed out or anything but I wasn’t as joyful as I could have been.

There were so many good things that came about because the Lord called Isaiah and, as the years pass, I see how He uses that painful event in my life in so many ways. The Lord has a wonderful way of opening our eyes, of using things to change us, mould us, teach us. When we lost Isaiah, my heart was shattered into a million pieces. He lovingly picked up each piece and fashioned it back together in a way that He couldn’t have otherwise and I was changed forever. A good change, I learned with time. My Lord, who controls all, isn’t  limited by my definition of right, wrong, good or bad. Though something went ‘wrong’ in my plan, it didn’t in His!

I’m very newly pregnant. We briefly thought about not sharing the news because what if something happened. But because of Isaiah,  I can celebrate {this} baby in {this} moment with complete joy. We’re rejoicing {this} day with friends, family and you because the Lord has blessed us {this} day with a baby.

He may choose to call this sweet one home to Himself today, tomorrow or 10 years from now, and I would mourn that loss. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I’ll get to hold that little one in my arms.

Just because I have the joy of holding little ones in my arms does not mean I will watch them grow up. But I can celebrate each moment that the Lord does give me with this little one and the littles I am already blessed with.

Nothing in this life is a guarantee {except salvation}. We can mourn the loss of our innocence, lamenting the first hand knowledge of how wrong things can go {at least according to our plans}. Or we can rejoice in knowing that He has a plan even when we can’t see it and that He has given us {this} day to rejoice in.

Motherhood is such a beautiful calling. I will rejoice in {this} amazing day and these moments that the Lord has given me. I love my littles and the sweet one I carry with a fierce mother’s love, yet each day I learn {better} how to hold them loosely in my hand as I cling to the Lord tightly with the other.

I don’t know what is on the path ahead, but where He leads, I will follow. Confidently, joyously; knowing He’s in control, my Rock and Strength. Thank you, Lord!

Do you ever struggle with just celebrating {this} moment?

• Part of a 30 Minute Blog Challenge and Gratituesday

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Thankful For {This} Moment is a post from Beautiful Calling.

May 27, 2011 life is going to change.

• This post links to Gratituesday & Wordless Wednesdays
• Have you entered the Spa Gift Certificate Giveaway? 9/30 Worldwide!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Yes, Baby! is a post from Beautiful Calling.

I can vividly recall the cool fall days, the smell of the earth, the cold water from the hose splashing as I wash the dirt clumps clinging to the bright orange carrot I just pulled from Grandma’s garden. I remember {I can taste it!} that wonderful freshness that came from biting into that delicious, crunchy vegetable with childishness abandon.

It’s little moments like these that make up my delightful collection of childhood memories; the ones that bring a smile to my face each time I recall them. Moments where my heart swells with love for my parents and grandparents and for the amazing childhood that shaped me into who I am today.

Who am I today?

A mother who wants to stop and celebrate the little things in life {the important things!}. I’m a mother who planted a garden with her littles, tending it {and them!} with love and care.  Carrots, like children, have a long growing season and require much patience. But they are worth it! Today we enjoyed the sun and the breeze in our hair while we cultivated memories and crunched carrots.

Do you have a childhood memory you want your little ones to have/experience?

• This post is part of the 30 Minute Challenge and Gratituesday.

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Celebrating Carrots is a post from Beautiful Calling.

We enjoyed our long weekend; DH and I had a nap every day. How amazing is that?!?

Monday we went apple picking; only Macs were ready so these are just eating apples {or apple sauce}. Thanksgiving Monday our whole family will go out picking and we’ll get our baking apples then.

I’m thankful for fall; crisp days, beautiful leaves, cozy sweaters, toasty homes, chili, apple-picking…family memories! Memories are something you make whether intentional or unintentional. I want mine to be good, intentional, strengthening.

It’s Tuesday. Today, I am tackling my kitchen. It seems like I do that a lot. Let things slide on the weekend and deal with it Monday (or Tuesday on a long weekend). Maybe next weekend, I’ll do it differently but today, look for me in the sink!

Where can I find you today?

• Participating in 30 minute challenge, Gratituesday and Tackle It Tuesday

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Labor Day Apple Picking is a post from Beautiful Calling.

Pillowhead

We arrived home this weekend, tired but happy. I’m thankful for safe travels. My first trip to Africa was an amazing, eye-opening experience. {BIG thanks to my in-laws for the opportunity to visit Africa, the good food; they were amazing hosts!}

I didn’t fall off the face of the earth but after my camera died, it seemed like I didn’t have a chance to post anything else…

Upon arriving home I was greeted by a cut lawn and some extra special touches around the yard; new flowers, pinwheels, fresh mulch in the garden…what a wonderful and much appreciated surprise! {BIG thanks to my sister and brother-in-law!}

I am thrilled to be home. I missed my family, friends, church and Canada is general. I love Canada!

I must have brought a bug home with me though because the other day I was SICK! I laid in bed in between trips to the bathroom wishing my mommy was here (yep, I’m 31 and was thinking that!) and wondering how I was going to care for my littles the following day.

Thankfully my nana-in-law lives has an apartment in our home and  took them for part of the day, then they had naps and then daddy was home. I did survive the day – barely! It’s so hard when you are that sick that you can hardly walk, yet you have little ones depending on you for everything. {so a BIG thanks to Nana for your love and help!}

I was sad to have missed my Epicure meeting last night; they made dream boards! My leader and friend, Carm, is an amazing person and I missed her too. Looking forward to getting together to catch up! {a big thanks to Carm for the special ‘gift’ for my trip which I wore and loved!}

Today is Tuesday and though I didn’t start writing this as a Gratituesday post, it kind of ended up that way didn’t it? I’m thankful for home, family, friends, the blessings God has bestowed on us and especially I am thankful for health.

I’m feeling better today. I’m unpacking, doing laundry and then baking my cupcake order for tomorrow. I kind of feel like the house is upside down right now because we arrived home from our trip and then being sick, nothing got done. But for today; essentials only. Sometimes a mom needs to take it easy right?!?

What are you up to today?

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Thankful To Be Home is a post from Beautiful Calling.

I’m Inadequate

Christian, wife, mother, blogger, happy, optimistic, friendly, thankful…

If asked to describe myself in one word, I might use any of those words because they are all true. But in my heart of hearts, if I needed to choose one word to describe myself it would be inadequate.

As a Christian, I’m inadequate. When I look at the cross and see what He did for me there, when I look around at the many undeserved blessings that fill my life and then I look at myself, my offerings, my feeble works and know that I am inadequate in my Christian life. I am not always faithful in my devotions, I know I fail to seize every opportunity to share the gospel and it goes without saying that sometimes it is not Christ that others see in me.

My feelings of inadequacy extend into my marriage. I am not always the helpmeet I should be to my husband. I can not say that I always put his needs before my own. At times I’m not as respectful as I should be, or as quick to forgive. A times, his priorities are not mine, when they ought to be!

I am blessed to be called mommy but completely inadequate to do the job. Sometimes I’m sharp, my tone impatient. My tongue is not always the law of kindness. Sometimes my choices are wrong and my judgments do not mirror His mercy and grace.

Gideon was inadequate

On Sunday, our Pastor’s message was from Judges 6. His direction was a little different that what I got out of it but that is the way the Holy Spirit works isn’t it? I was reminded that scripture is full of inadequate men and women. It’s not about them {or you or me!} but about God.

• Gideon wasn’t seeking to do great things. He was hiding from the Midianites just trying to survive. (Judges 6:11)
• Gideon came from a poor family and was the least in that family (Judges 6:15)
• He did not exhibit great faith (Judges 6:13)
• But God was with him (Judges 6:16)
• Gideon and his band of 300 went into battle with trumpets, pitchers and lamps. Inadequate tools for battle to be sure! (Judges 7:20)
• They defeated the 135 000 Midianites without doing battle. They simply stood there. (Judges 7:16-25)

The Upside to Inadequacy

It’s not about me or about my capabilities {or lack thereof!}. God has given me the gifts and blessings in my life because of who He is (James 1:17). I didn’t do anything to earn my salvation; it was a gift because I was inadequate! My husband and children are gifts from the Lord, and through His strength can I be what I need to be.

I’m inadequate and that is OK. It’s better than OK; it’s great! Acknowledging my inadequacy means that I am acknowledging my need to rely on Christ and, that apart from Him, I can do nothing! (John 15:5) Depending more on Him each day is what He desires so that He can conform me to His image!

God is looking for those who are inadequate, humble and empty of themselves. He wants to fill them, exalt Himself through them and accomplish great and mighty things for His kingdom through them!

I’m thankful for the bible and for the words of encouragement and direction it contains for me. I’m thankful that I don’t need to be adequate, because HE is!

• This post is linked to Gratituesday and 30 Minute Blog Challenge

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Thankful for Inadequacy is a post from Beautiful Calling.