From Blaise Pascal....any thoughts?

Being a history major in college, I am familiar with Blaise Pascal. Typical to university education, they didn't really go into his faith story so I've picked up bits and pieces as I go.

I'm currently reading Where is God When It Hurts by Philip Yancey. I've seen it around for ages and never had time to read it. He has this prayer in the book written by Pascal. I thought it was tremendous:

I ask you for neither health nor for sickness, for life nor for death; but that you may dispose of my health and my sickness, my life and my death, for your glory...You alone know what is expedient for me; you are the sovereign master; do with me according to your will. Give to me, or take away form me, only conform my will to yours. I know but one thing Lord, that it is good to follow you, and bad to offend you. Apart from that, I know not what is good or bad in anything. I know not which is most profitable to me, health or sickness, wealth or poverty, nor anything else in the world. That discernment is beyond the power of men or angels, and is hidden among the secrets of your Providence, which I adore, but do not seek to fathom.

Snow Dolly

While this may look like the opening scene of a cheap scary movie, it is actually the Snow Dolly mom made for Layla. In her ever-so-clever way, mom realized that Layla could understand Snow Dolly better than Snow Man. She was right, too! Lj perked right up and paid attention when she started calling it a dolly (=

The Big Snow

For whatever reason, March is the biggest snow month in Colorado. We thought we should get Layla shoveling snow as early as possible (= She had some trouble walking in her cool snow boots and that sort of dampened her enthusiasm, but we're grateful for the snow suit that Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Mike found at Goodwill. It means she can just get REALLY dirty and wet and we don't care (=

Layla Learns Laundry

Since Lj has taken so well to "cooking" with me, I've started her on laundry. She loves to pour the soap in and then put the clothes in one by one. At this point, with one kid, it is FAR easier to get her involved with what I am doing than to try and squish all my stuff in during her nap times. She is still sleeping from about 930am-11am and again in the afternoon from about 2pm-330pm. I'm SO grateful for this as it is my time to get things done that I want to do! btw, the little shirt is a new one I bought (thanks Aunt Pat!). I bought three shirts and two pants on a big sale and Lj just played and played with them all morning. Putting them here, putting them there, patting them, shoving them violenty into her baby's stroller, showing them to Grandpa etc etc (=

Spring

I find it hard to belive how much the physical changes in the seasons affect me. You'd think that after 35 years, I'd sort of be "ho hum" about it all. But I just LOVE it when I see the trees starting to bud! It's amazing to me everytime. I can't believe we've been through the whole autumn, winter and now starting spring here! Colorado is a lovely place to be.

Layla Learns to Pose!!!

Getting Layla to actually do something in front of the camera as opposed to RUSHING to see it has been quite the process (= This was the first time that I think she caught on!

Poser - FInally!

I kid you not, this is the FIRST time she has ever actually posed for a picture. Most photos are of her rushing the camera (= Doesn't she look grown up?!?

Changing diapers (=

She's just too much fun to watch these days. Her imagination is just exploding (=

I'm serious about this cookbook

I am turning into a total nerd. I actually read the entire beginning of the cookbook and finally drew the line at the appetizers section. But not before I thoroughly flipped through it. I actually even had to resist taking it to bed with me tonight. Why am I so crazy about this cookbook?
Simple food
easily prepared
international recipes (things that I actually grew up with or have eaten in other countries!)
Written with a good dose of humor and reality (He gives the food safety rules and then says he rarely follows them.....)
TONS of variations of recipes
Lots of lists like "25 dips to use with raw veggies"

I rest my case.
I hope the superiority of this cookbook is as obvious to everyone else as it is to me......

New Fav

How To Cook Everything

I LOVE this cookbook! I've been on the hunt for a good, general cookbook to take back overseas with me. I've been debating this for awhile and finally bought it at the grocery store yesterday for $26.

It doesn't require lots of processed, American food.
It has great international recipies
It has LISTS of variations of recipies that make it so easy to alter and try a new thing.

It does weigh a ton, but if you need a good basic cookbook, I think this is the one!

http://www.howtocookeverything.com/

Truly, she can

Well I have waited awhile to post anything about this, but my dear daughter can identify some letters of the alphabet! Thanks to her father's patience and belief that she can truly do anything....I looked on skeptically the other day while she pointed to and said E F M N P O R.

It's a good thing she has Tom who is willing to try and teach her anything (=

Cooking with Mama!

Layla LOVES to cook. We have a stool for her to stand on and she has just made up her own sign for cooking which is one hand up in the air waving like a Princess. I think she thinks she is imitating "stirring" which is most of what she does up there (= She tries to drag her big stool out to the kitchen all the time (=

Daddy buys a present

For a mere $2 you can buy this much fun....