jennifer, Author at Hopeful Homemaker

One Step Report #12

March 28, 2010 jennifer One Step

Here I am again with another report on my goal for the year. I’m almost three months into this and am beginning to see a difference. Oh, the state of my house improves and regresses as often as waves break on the beach and recede with the tide. What’s different is how I feel about it. I still have moments of discouragement, but I’m getting better at focusing on the good things that are happening instead of allowing all the things that aren’t done to stand as indictments against me. All in all, it’s becoming a habit to look for the good, to pray, to let go of my worries and to simply do my best with what I’ve got. In short, I think it’s working.

This week: 72 steps. I’m pleased with that and feel like some of the steps were very meaningful ones to me personally.

Highlights:

1. Spent a lot of time at the school supporting my oldest daughter at various events. She had a lot of work to do this week and she managed to get it all done. It was fun to help her. I love her so much and she’s growing up awfully fast!

2. I finally found a minute to sew the borders on my Wild Thing quilt! This one I’m sending to the quilter’s for stippling. I’m excited to finish it.

3. We ate dinner late. More than once. And one night it looked like this.

I don’t share this because I think that picking up pizza is an accomplishment, or even a highlight, but because soccer season has started and what follows is the list I had in my car with me that night (minus names) so that I wouldn’t forget anyone. Keep in mind that these events were taking place in 4 different cities. Small cities, to be sure, but most of the gaps between each drop off and pick up was exactly how long it takes to drive from one to the other.

2:45 pick up 3:00 drop off 3:00 pick up 3:45 pick up 4:00 drop off 4:45 drop off 5:00 pick up 5:20 drop off 5:30 drop off 6:00 drop off 6:15 drop off 6:30 pick up 6:45 pick up 7:00 pick up 7:00 pick up 7:15 pick up Somehow we got everyone where they needed to be (and on time!) and we all managed to stay happy and cheerful during the driving. I wish I could say as much for the 2 hour game the next night in poor weather when I had 5 children climbing all over the car while I tried to help my kindergartener with her homework.

3. I had this idea kicking around in my head for a recipe and I tried it. The family liked it, so I’m going to perfect it and then I’ll share it with you.

4. Made it through a bunch of paperwork and re-organized the desk in my family room. I think it will meet our family’s needs much better now IF I can only stay on top of the papers!

5. We had a fun little birthday party for this guy, who very kindly blew out the candles on his “cake” while we were still singing and before the bearer of the cake could even get it on the table. Oh well. He’s “alarious” as he likes to say. I guess he can’t hear the “h” on the front of hilarious when we say it.

6. Today we re-instituted an old Sunday tradition and it felt so good. I’m happy to be back in gear on this one.

7. I was home from Church today with two little ones with runny noses. During that time I was able to do some reading and I feel so spiritually fed by it. I wish I could have a whole day or two to digest all of the thoughts and feelings I had so I could really implement them in our home, but I’ll work at it. It’s been a while since I started a new week with such a great feeling in my heart.

I hope your weekend has been wonderful and that your new week is full of meaningful steps!

Jennifer

2 comments

Citrus Lemon Bundt Cake

March 26, 2010 jennifer Desserts

Remember this picture? Here’s how I came to try this cake.

Fifteen years ago I was a missionary serving in the Washington Tacoma area. Just before Thanksgiving I was transferred to the city of Auburn WA. There it was my pleasure to meet a young couple expecting their first baby. Their lives impressed me and I felt drawn to them. Fifteen years of friendship have only increased my regard for them. I have counted myself blessed over and over again to enjoy the friendship of Rohan and Jenifer Shearer.

A few years ago, Ro started cooking. He hasn’t stopped. In fact, he’s turned into quite the chef. I love to follow his blog and see what’s going on with his awesome family and in his kitchen. A few weeks ago he posted this cake recipe and I was excited to see that…

1. I could pronounce the name of the recipe.
2. I was familiar with all of the ingredients.
3. It actually looked very simple.

So I made it the next day! I’m happy to say that it was moist and delicious, as I expected. With his permission, I’ll share the recipe with you here.

Citrus Lemon Bundt Cake Ingredients:
1 box (18 oz) lemon cake mix 1 box (3.4 oz) lemon flavored pudding mix 1 can (12 ounce) citrus soda 3/4 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confection sugar (powdered sugar) 3 Tablespoons lemon juice 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. In large mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Add soda, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat until smooth and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert pan to release cake onto cooling rack. Cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients and pour over cake. Serve.

You can see from my pictures that I didn’t QUITE make it to the “completely cool” mark before I glazed the cake. This is why the glaze looks thin and a bit runny. I was running out of daylight fast and wanted to get a decent picture SO I glazed a warm cake.

It tasted great. I highly recommend it.

Thank you, Ro, for sharing your recipe!

Jennifer

2 comments baking

Vintage Handkerchiefs

March 26, 2010 jennifer Linens

I have a stack of vintage hankies that I pull out every once in a while. I get them out thinking that perhaps I should pass them along to someone, or make something with them so they can do more than sit in a basket in my office. I have around 4 dozen of them, and some are prettier than others. A few have an initial of one of my daughters on them, and some will be saved for weddings and other events in the future. Most of them are just begging to be reinvented in a lovely way.

These are a few that caught my eye recently.

The cloth is thin and has a couple of holes, but I love the “B” monogram. I’ve got a weakness for hand worked monograms, especially when they’re white on white.

Another monogram. The skill is obviously far behind the “B”, but I love the way the little “F” is worked in flowers. The simple lines of flowers on the hem are shabby but sweet.

This bouquet of flowers always makes me pause. I think it’s wonderful, and I always admire the stitching. All of these handkerchiefs are stitched by hand, and on such thin cloth! I’m inspired by the workmanship that went into something you would blow your nose on. A close up:

Another flower, this time on an organdy handkerchief.

These two are especially beautiful to me. I love the tatting around the edges. So simple, but so beautifully executed.

And last but not least, my favorite of the bunch. I love, love, love this rose and the way it sits in an aqua oval.

So there’s a little sampling from my stack of hankies. The problem is, I’m not sure what I want to do with them. Do you ever feel intimidated by the beauty of the supplies to the extent that you’re afraid to cut into them? I’m this way especially with vintage items because I know they’re one of a kind and I don’t want it to be a waste. Still, I’ve got to do more than just store them, so I’m looking for the right project and a bit of courage. What would YOU do with them?

Hopeful Homemaker Linked to The Inspired Room

2 comments Linens, vintage

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