floors, and sores

The. floors. are. diggity-done!  
It was a *huge* undertaking to restore those floors from drab to so freakin' fab.  

Anyone remember this???
The boys' room.  Before. 

And, currently!!!

The kitchen looking into the dining room, looking into the living room. Before. 

And, now!!! I have so much respect for Andy, who has carried so much of the weight of this house, literally, on his shoulders (and knees). He has saved us thousands of dollars ($7000-10,000 just by doing the floors himself!) What a fine fine job he has done.

But it is so hard to see my love crawl into bed at 2 am night after night after working all day, coming home to be with us in the evening, then going to work on the house all night.  When you're full-time mothering 3 boys on top of a major house renovation, there's not a lot of time for introspection.
And so, I woke up Wednesday morning with hives, my body's way of telling me I'm stressed (has only ever happened when Andy left for Africa for 2 weeks).  
I feel silly writing this all, because I know there is so much worse out there people are facing besides being tired of re-doing a house.  And I've made a commitment not to complain about such a blessing, so this is not a complaint. Just where we are.


So, when you are weak and weary, what gets you through?
For one, I am so thankful for the friends Jesus has placed around us to be His hands carrying us, eager to look for tangible ways to lessen the load.  To look past the smile, not settling for us saying we're okay.
But even in the hours no one knows about (until now :), when I so long for this to be over, for "normal life" to resume, there is a Comforter.  One I don't think we can fully know until we come to the end of all we can offer, realizing it isn't enough to get us through.  My insides cry out until itching, burning sores break out.  I bust out singing "I need a hero!"  And, He is always there.  
Speaking truth to comfort our weary hearts.

The LORD is faithful in all He says;

He is gracious in all He does.

The LORD helps the fallen

and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.

psalm 145.13b-14 (NLT)

...

Let us cling to Him and never stop trusting Him.

hebrews 4.14b (NLT)

This too shall pass, and we'll be walking on these floors soon enough.

I almost didn't post this because it's pretty raw, and could be misunderstood.  

But I know there's people out there singing "I need a hero!" too, and I hope as you cry out, you will hear His voice, speaking love into your deepest wounds.

gluten-free pie!

When I had to go gluten-free (almost a year ago!), we were moving and you could say our life was a little slice of crazy.  I wanted to start simple and just figure out a week's worth of fast, easy GF recipes our family would like, that wouldn't bust our budget...then build from there.  I had a mental list of foods I wanted to learn to make GF eventually.  Pie crust was high on that list.  But there comes a point when you get tired of trying out new recipes that flop.  After several rounds of take the time to hunt for a recipe, give your best GF flours a whirl, only to pull from the oven a taste-less, gritty mess...I gave up.  Until a fellow GF-er told me about this recipe {Thank you, Sara!}  We have put it to the test with the pickiest of palates, and all sorts of variations, and so far, so great! 

gluten-free pie crust
makes a single 9 inch pie crust 
ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour*
2 Tablespoons cold water
Work together the butter and flour with hands until crumbly. Add 2 Tablespoons cold water, stir. Place crust mixture into pie pan and pat the pie crust in the pan using your hands. Shape crust edges as you’d like (I dip my fingers in water to keep the crust from sticking to my fingers).  Set aside and continue with desired filling.  OR, if making into a cream pie, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden (this is where I'm excited for a new oven, because I know the temp. is off in the one I'm using, so set the timer for 10 minutes and check the crust periodically.)      


{*For gluten-free all-purpose flour, I use a mixture of 4 cups brown rice flour,  1 1/3 cup potato starch, 2/3 cup tapioca starch}

I have made this crust for cherry pie, banana cream pie {above}, apple pie, chocolate pudding pie, strawberry pie and quiche, and loved them all (except the strawberry pie, but that was my fault, not the crust's...)

And just because I like ya...
My Grandma Hazel's Cherry Pie
Unbaked 9" double pie shell (*OR see below),
Mix in large pan:
1 cup sugar 
4 T. flour (I use 3 T. cornstarch, or you can substitute GF flour)
1/4 t. almond extract
Stir in:
2 1/2 pitted sour red pie cherries and juice (I use fresh-picked, or frozen)
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickens and boils.  Pour into pastry-lined pan.  Dot with 1 1/2 T. butter.  {Quickly cover with top crust.  Cut slits into the top. OR *See Below.}  Bake at 425 degrees until nicely browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 30-40 minutes.


*Since the above pie crust recipe makes a single layer, before baking, I top it with the following gluten-free crumb topping:
Combine in a bowl:  3/4 cup GF oats, 3/4 cup GF flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar (or sucanat), 1/4 cup chopped nuts, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1/4 t. baking powder, 1/4 t. baking soda, 1/4 t. salt.  This makes enough crumb topping for 2 pies, and is super-good on cherry, apple, and peach pie.

There it is.  Gluten-free pie!  Now you can have your pie, and eat it too!

packing it in

People keep asking me if I've started packing yet... Uh, no.  Not a single box.  Every time I think about all this month holds, from finishing up the floors to getting that basement cleaned out to sewing curtains to getting our stuff into and out of a box (again), I get a twinge of feeling ready for this to be all over.  Then I realize when it's all over, school will start.  So, I'm quickly reminded how we just have to live out each day.  One day at a time.  Preparing for the "end" (like, starting to pack).  But more than that, cherish the moments we have.  Again, this house teaches me more about life...about not wishing away the process, but finding the beauty in the here, in the now.
Now, could we cram any more fun into this weekend?!?  
When family gathers for a few days every few years, you gotta pack it in.

this birthday boy loves him some snakes.  i used the gluten-free chocolate cake recipe and reese's pieces to create his requested "snake cake."

it stormed, and our fireworks were postponed.  

but we all looked to the sky and saw an even greater display.

all because 2 people fell in love...

Somewhere in there, our little baby turned into 3 year old boy.  There are many memories through the years simply tucked away in my mind. {Like, him waking up on his birthday, running outside, net in hand, to "catch a butterfly for mama in my bare-uh feet."}  But this is one I captured.  

Wanting him to take a nap in the midst of some full days...he poked at my eyes, hissed at me with his rubber snakes, cast a few times his fishing pole, but when I started to sing to him, he covered his monkey with a "note," layed down his head, hugged my arm, closed his eyes...and gave me a chance to lay there and marvel at the blessing he is, the joy he brings.  
We love you, Jude Beckett.  
I know it's only been 3  years, but I can't imagine our life without you.

a sight for sore eyes

This is a little bit unreal to me...

 boys' room

 guest room

 closet turned miles' room 

 living room/dining room/kitchen

master bedroom

Thanks to some pretty amazing help, it's looking like a house!

Our walls are painted.

Our kitchen is tiled.

Our cabinets are placed.

Our floors are sanded.

They are being stained today.

Which means no walking in the house for 3 DAYS – can I get a Hallelujah!!!

Looks like we need to cross some things off our other list...

What's also a little bit unreal to me is 5000!!!  I know it's not much in blog-world.  But what I thought would be a place for me to post some gluten-free recipe successes has become so much more. 

Thank you for stopping by.  Thank you for following along.  Thank you for putting up with my random-ness {is it a house restoration blog?  a recipe blog?  snippets of our life?  um, YES?}  Thank you for commenting.  I always love to hear your thoughts.  (So, in honor of 5000, I did make it easier to comment and pull off the "what-is-this-word?" feature.  Let me know if it worked :)


{Edit:  If we weren't sleep-deprived from the above pictures and my baby-turning-3-in-2-days getting up now at 6 am, I would have realized that what comes after 4959 is 4960, not 5000 - whoops :)}

happy long weekending, all you people you!

chasing the light

It is crunch time on the house - mornings beginning earlier, nights ending later, weeks seeming longer, weekends shorter.  It's only Wednesday, but this morning my mind was full, breaths shallow, strength zapped.  

So, I set off into the woods to clear the mind, to chase after the light. 

It was more glorious than I remembered.  My pace slowed as I found the rays beaming into the woods, day unveiling its light.  

I rode by a stream we have passed hundreds of times, but this time I was drawn in.  Tapped down the kickstand, I needed a closer look.  

To study the way the light danced across the water.  

To memorize the gentle sound of river sloshing over rock.  

To still my soul long enough to recall:
The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.  Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23 (NLT)


I could almost feel the strength breathed back into me.  
As I thought through the ways His goodness and unfailing love pursue me....
- my love loading up my bike for me escape for an hour, to renew my mind
- eyes to see all this

- ears to take it all in

- lungs to breathe deep

- sun breaking through, chasing away the night

- 2 boys jumping off the diving board (answered prayer!)

- 1 boy yelling “for a happy meal!” as he did

- joy in rewarding their courage with a happy meal

- freshly picked lettuce in a BLT with roasted red pepper mayo for mama

- Udi's for coming up with such great gluten-free bread

- recalling exactly 1 year ago today, laying in a hospital bed with a post-op drain tube from my neck, knowing His peace and courage

- He preserved my life

- He restores my soul

my cup overflows...

boat-full of royers

Family has landed in our corner of the world from all over.  What fun-filled days these are of re-acquainting our kids with their grandparents, cousins and uncle, laughing and recounting old memories, making us some new ones.  

I'm looking forward to looking back on this day.  ~ Over the Rhine

Jude was the first to volunteer for tubing.  But, sweet little 2-year old got a good scare when the boat revved up and he almost fell off the tube (and cried “I want mama” until he was back in my arms).  Not sure how long a 2 yr. old's memory is, but hoping he'll forget by next summer, and we'll try again.

After a video shown last week in swim lessons about how not to drown, Jack has not been so eager to get in the water. I coaxed him into it with his very own can of Coke.  He was a good sport too, and says "Yeah it was fun...well, kinda."  

Miles was happy to chill the whole time.  Hey, him in the front of a boat that was twisting and turning every-which-way to knock off the tubers for 4 hours is HUGE!  A wave even splashed over the edge of the boat onto him, and he stands up, one fist raised in the air and yells "YEAH!"

Our baby turns 3 this week.  Not so much of a baby anymore, insisting to do more and more "all by myself"...like putting on his own sunblock and driving the boat.  I think he's got a mental "bucket list" of his own going...

This is how you surf in Indiana, in case you were wondering...
Our boys definitely were inspired.  

I loved seeing every ounce of courage in them surface as they stepped out of the boat.  But as much as I coaxed and bribed, they were just as content as their mama to be in the boat than to jump out of it.  [That launched me into a whole lotta wondering where the balance is between embracing their preferences and encouraging them to try, leading them past their fears and accepting that it seemed more fun to them to be in the boat.]  

In conclusion (after way-too much processing of all that):  

While I hope they will become one with the waves (and we will continue to give them every opportunity to), a contented afternoon of relaxing in the sun was very much welcome.  

Big thanks to our friends for making it happen, you know who you are...and you're pretty awesome!  These memories will be embedded in our minds, told of for years to come, and looked back on so fondly long after we have gone back to our little corners of the earth.

Oh yes, and remember this post so long ago?

Turns out rainy days can be very productive.

Superhero towels sewn.  Check.

Afternoon boating nap in the sun on grandma's lap.  Check.