I love to laugh and love with my family, read, exercise, cook and sew, all the while giving thanks to God for his immeasureable love and faithfulness to me.
Even though they are skipping December, I actually documented what we've been up to this month so I thought I might as well throw it up on the blog. You can see other posts here, here, here, here, here, and here.
What we're eating:
Besides the standard Christmas goodies, cookies, champagne, and other junk that we've been consuming non-stop, I've tried to keep somewhat sane where dinners are concerned.
Quick homemade ramen noodles speak to our love of noodles, ease and comfort food. Added bonus? They are healthy with none of those preservatives and sodium. Yuck-O!! Go and make them--you won't be sorry. Slurping is definitely allowed and encouraged.
Also on the menu is this fish curry. It is quick, flavorful and tasty. A win on all fronts. Anytime I can weave fish into the rotation is a good thing. Served it over brown rice for the win. What I'm loving: Being home with both girls and J. Soaking in the Christmas goodness and remembering the real reason for the season--Christ's birth. All the Christmas traditions that are so important. Spending time with family. Lots of laughs, snuggles and love. It really is the BEST time of the year!
What I'm reading:
So I'm waaay late to the game on this one. This is the first Jojo Moyes book I read and I really enjoyed it. Don't know why it took me so long to pick up one of her books but I'm so glad that I did. This was a great read and I'd definitely recommend it.
By about page 10 of One Plus One, I realized that I wanted to read more by Ms. Moyes so I requested Me Before You. Oh.My.Gosh. It was one of those that I didn't want to end, and when it did, I cried. Sometimes you just need a good tear-jerker, right? Something our hubbies just don't get!! You can bet that After You is high on my list to read next!
Finally, I read Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. While this was the first book that she wrote, it was actually the third one that I had read by her. This one was just as good as the other two--real life, straight shooting with God smack dab in the center of it all. A definite read. What I'm reminiscing about: Well this girl went and turned 9 right before Christmas. The nerve of her! We decided to postpone her birthday until after the holiday when life was a little less hectic.
I'm remembering her on her first birthday in the States when she turned 2...sigh.
What I'm doing this weekend: Grabbing the last minute cuddles and snuggles before everyone goes back to regular life, watching a few more movies, lounging around, finishing up thank you notes and putting away the final Christmas decorations. I love to have everything out for the holidays, but once the 26th comes, I'm READY to pack it all up. Also, New Year's Eve and Day. Bring on 2016! What I'm excited about:
Since it is the last Wednesday of the month, let's see whaaazup 'round these part! I'm also linking up here.
What we're eating:
Let me tell you, since joining Pinterest, I am always trying new recipes. I was never that way with cookbooks, but for some reason, I seem to try a new recipe once or twice a week now. It's all good, right?!
First off was caramelized sweet potatoes, kale and fried rice. This was soo good. The girls chowed down on it...um, hello? rice--'nuff said. The pepitas gave a nice, crunchy, salty counterbalance to the sweet potatoes and maple-Dijon vinaigrette. It was also colorful to boot and pretty easy to pull together on a school night.
Next was rainbow Pad Thai with peanuts and basil. Sunday night, this was what was on the menu. I don't have a spiralizer, yet, (perhaps maybe down the line?!) so I just cute up the veg and went with it. Again, another homerun hit with everyone (and it didn't incorporate 'beans-n-rice', which J teases me about!).
Last up was a sweetie which elevated a basic box brownie mix into the heavens. Suuuuper rich but delish. Toffee-coffee brownies. Yes. I packaged up a few plates of these bad boys to give away to friends and they all raved too.
What I'm reading:
I didn't read as much this month since I was taking an on-line class, but I still managed to finish one book. An easy British chick-lit book that I thoroughly loved called Thinking of You. I've read a bunch of other books by Jill Mansell and they are always light and fluffy, just like your favorite blanket--that relaxing too!
What I'm reminiscing about:
I've been thinking a lot about "gotcha days" lately. We just celebrated 7 years with the Noodle on Sept. 15. We went from this
to this.
Wow. Talk about transformation! What a blessing!!!! If you are at all thinking about adoption, please please please don't dismiss it as being "too hard" or "too expensive" or "something that other people do". Listen to the Lord and just take one step to learn a little bit more. Feel free to contact me--I'd love to bend your ear on the topic;)
I also finally finished Mei Mei's adoption video. Compiling all those photos together brings me right back to the Civil Affair's office back in February of 2014, where one little girl went from orphan to daughter in the blink of an eye. It is nothing short of amazing! What I'm watching:
Usually the answer is "not much", but this past month one of the DVDs I had ordered from the library came in--I'm old school like that--no Netflix or Hulu for me, ha! The movie is called The Drop Box and it was so moving--again with the adoption theme (and it's not even November, National Adoption Month).
It is a documentary about a South Korean pastor and the decisions he makes to protect orphans who would be abandoned on the streets of Seoul if it were not for him. This is such a message of hope--that all children deserve to be loved and taken care of, no matter what. Go watch it. You'll be inspired, I promise!!
What I'm looking forward to:
All the best that fall can bring! I love the changing of the seasons--the bright, blue sky, the crisp, cool air, the warm sun and of course the changing leaves! Our area really knows how to put on a fall show! Good thing, because a few weeks later, winter roars in with a vengeance and doesn't know when to leave!
What is my favorite Halloween tradition:
Last year we tried a little something new with the girls. In a way to help make the concept of the tithe more tangible and real for them, we decided to try it out with the Halloween candy. We asked them to give 10% of their candy away as a way of honoring God. They were both very receptive to it and I definitely plan on doing it again this year. You can read more about it here.
It's the last Wednesday of the month, so that means I'm linking up to share what's up with our family!
What we're eating: Mediterranean Orzo Mac-n-Cheese is a staple that I make quite a bit. We can get two dinners out of it, so Mama doesn't have to cook one night ;)
We're going to try this pesto pasta meal (leaving out the chicken) this week. Looks simple enough and (bonus) I bought the ingredients to make it last week and then for some reason didn't, so had everything on hand!
I made this cod with crayfish bayou sauce a few weeks ago and everyone loved it. Not gonna lie, it is a bit rich but it was very tasty! Anytime I can weave fish into the weekly rota is a good thing.
What I'm reading:
First off, Jennifer Scott's At Home with Madame Chic. This was another quick read all about how to bring that certain "Je ne said quoi" into your daily life. There were some good tips and simple things to try in order to become more mindful as you go about your everyday life.
The second book was one that we actually finished for bible study. I've read quite a few of Lysa TerKeurst's book and let me tell you they never disappoint! Her humor mixed with honesty always hit home and she really addresses how to make your Christian walk relevant. I'd highly suggest it!
What I'm reminiscing about:
Sum-Sum-Summatime! We had a great summer and seemed to strike the perfect balance between down-time and fun-filled activities. I wrote about it here. What I'm working on:
I've been working on putting our China trip to bring Mei Mei home into a video. Now let me be the first to clearly state that I am sooo not techy! We made a video for the Noodle, but that was 7 years ago and J did more of it than me. This time, however, I'm trying to figure it out. We'll see how it goes!
I'm also taking an on-line course this fall until mid-October. It is an HQT social studies course because, long story short, this was the last one that I needed. When I go back to teaching special ed, I'll have the flexibility if I want to teach at the middle or high school level. Now seemed to be as good a time as ever to do it.
What is our favorite back-to-school tradition?
I'd definitely say "girl's day out" is a favorite tradition to usher in the new school year. I did it with my mom and now I'm doing it with my girls. Always fun to go out and have a little one on one time!
Asian slaw with peanut-ginger dressing. When it is hot out, this is an easy, cool dinner to make. Just make ahead and add some crunchy french bread--the recipe does seem to make a lot of the dressing so you might want to adjust accordingly. Colorful and tasty--yum! Also frequently found in the rotation is 20-minute lemon pesto penne. Dinner prep in 20 minutes? Yes please!
What I'm reminiscing about:
We just got back from vacay in the Panhandle of Florida, so I'm longingly reminiscing about those lovely sugar sand beaches and all the family time!
What I'm reading:
Since we were on vacation, I was able to do a lot of reading! Just what I love :) Between walks on the beach, riding the waves and chatting with J and the girls, it was a pretty safe bet that I had my nose in a book.
First up, Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford. The book is told through the voices of the two main characters--a mother and her son. It talks about the choices we make for love. Not gonna lie, it was kinda a depressing book but it was so well written and Jamie Ford is a wonderful storyteller. I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, also by him, so if you liked that, I'd definitely say give this one a go.
After a heavy one, I was ready for some light, frothy fun. This one was perfect for that! All about an author who falls in love with a Frenchman and moves to France. Bonus? Recipes at the end of each chapter to try.
This book was one that J had actually picked up to read but I had seen other's talking about it, so once he was finished, I snagged it. Laugh-out-loud funny. Seriously!
Earlier in the summer I had read the book One--Impossible Starts Here and blogged about it here. Love Does reminds me somewhat of that--not being afraid to embrace the wonderful things that God has planned for your life by just saying "yes" and by letting our love be an action rather than just something that we talk about doing. After I was through with it, J picked it up and read it.
So I haven't completely finished this book yet, but so far it is very good. Obviously I'm interested in China because of the girls, but this would be one that anyone could pick up and enjoy. How does a Chinese-American woman navigate Beijing where the only Mandarin she speaks is "kitchen chinese" or the Chinese she heard her mother speak in the kitchen? You'll have to read it to find out. What I'm dreading:
So dreading is probably a pretty strong word, but I'm not looking forward to this one being in afternoon preschool because frequently this is what happens--
it gets reeeeallly quiet upstairs and I find her curled up on her bed, the hardwood floor or even on the stairs!?
And can we just take a moment and look to see how many bows/accessories she puts into her hair in the name of fashion? When she got up, I counted 7 plus 2 long beaded necklaces that she rigged through the clips. Oh sweet Mei Mei!
What else is going on:
We're just trying to soak up the last few weeks of summer before the back-to-school madness begins. I'm not going to lie--the start of the new school year is always pretty stressful for me until we get into our new routine, but while we still have a little free time, we're making the most of it!
What will I miss most about summer:
All the snuggles on the couch with these 3 and having slow, leisurely mornings!!
It's the last Wednesday of the month, so that means I'm linking up to participate in a "What's Up Wednesday".
What we're eating this week:
A friend of mine had sent me the recipe for Cantonese Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles and since it is no secret that there is a certain love of noodles in this house, I decided we're going to try this one out later this week.
Another staple that makes a fairly frequent appearance on the dinnertime table is Cajun Shrimp and Rice. Again, shrimp. rice. 'Nuff said.
What I'm reading:
It seems to be my track record to get through about two books a month. I started off with One- Impossible Starts Here by Suzanne Mayernick and Gwen Oatsvall. Great read. Loved it. Wrote a separate post about it here. No hesitations--go read it and then do that one thing that the Lord places on your heart.
The other book was Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen. A few months ago I read another book by her. She's an author that I always enjoy and find myself getting lost in her books. Always a good thing, right?!
What I'm reminiscing about:
Back in 2011, when the Noodle was 4, we went on a little road trip and visited The Storybook Forest. It is such a sweet step back in time--all of the nursery rhyme and fairy tale friends gathered together in one place.
We're not big amusement park people, but this place is worth the drive!
What I'm excited about:
We're heading back to visit and I think Mei Mei is really going to enjoy it! The Noodle will still be able to go on all the rides, but this is probably the last year that we can get away with it.
What I'm loving:
Looking in the backseat and seeing this. I use to always read in the car anytime we had to drive somewhere. I love seeing the Noodle engrossed in a book.
This view, because, come on--gorgeous!
Seeing this little one in her ballet outfit. Precious!
Watching how both my girls embrace their heritage and are so proud of their birth country. I know that this may change over time, or at least conflicted feelings may surface, but for now, when they want to wear their "silks" I want to support them 100%!
What are we doing for the 4th of July?
Our little neighborhood, for quite a long time, has been lacking in the kiddo department. In fact, it was really just our two girls and one other little 2.5 year old boy. Recently, however, we've had a few more families move in and so we decided to have a Independence Day bike parade.
We'll also go to our town's carnival and maybe (?) watch fireworks out over the Lake down at our neighborhood park. Sadly Uncle and Aunt C won't be able to join us this year. Boo--we'll miss them!
What we've been busy doing:
These past two weeks we've been doing swimming lessons in the mornings. Both girls enjoy them and thankfully the weather hasn't been too frigid!
Mei Mei also had a check up down at the main campus of the hospital and everything looked great! We don't have to go back for another 6 months. On our way home, since we drive through AsiaTown, she and I decided to stop for lunch.
