Grandma Ruby's Norwegian Pie

I almost didn't get any photographic evidence of this pie.

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Three minutes after this picture was taken, this piece completely vaporized.

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So mysterious.

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SO delicious.

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I am the lucky keeper of many of my Grandma Ruby's old recipes. Written by her hand. Her handwriting. Recipe cards yellowed by years. Stained. Wonderful.

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I've decided it's time to start testing them out. Many of the things she used to make or bake most often are already in my cooking arsenal. I'm determined to test some of the ones I don't remember. This pie was one of them. And hallelujah, it was good.

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Norwegian Pie:

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Mix 1 c flour and 1/2 cup butter - pat into bottom of pie plate and bake 20 min. (350 degrees)

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Add:

2 eggs beaten

1 1/2 c br. sugar

1 c chopped walnuts

1/2 c coconut

3 tbsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

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Bake 20 more minutes

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Frost with pow'd sugar frosting. (I used sweetened condensed milk because it is a gift from the Lord.)

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Now the recipe didn't give an oven temp, but I decided it must be 350. And that worked for me. It didn't tell me to let it set for a few hours, which I should have. Instead, I let it sit on the counter to cool for about 10 minutes before I couldn't take it any longer. The pie was fantastic, but gooey. The half that survived the night in the fridge set up beautifully. When I make it again, I'll give it several hours of set up before it needs to be served. If I can help myself. (Self control is a fruit of the Spirit...praying on that today.)

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As I try more of these, I'll post them and the results.

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Next up: Danish Pastry

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(Did I mention I passed my glucose test?)

thursday...

We've done some short trips in the past few weeks. I'm wiped out. The last few days have been peppered with slight tummy-aches for nearly everyone in our family.

I was tired before all of that, but now, now I feel like I could take a nap at the drop of a hat.

My mind is the only thing running in high gear. I've got a list of things I need to accomplish before baby no. 4 joins the ranks.

1. I (we) ((I)) need to name this baby.

2. Paint my bedroom.

3. Clear out a dresser for the baby's clothes.

4. Wash up the baby's clothes.

5. Make shutters for the big kids playhouse.

6. Paint the bathroom. (And rip down the wallpaper?)

7. Clean the basement.

8. Sort through my clothes.

9. Sort through the big kids clothes.

10. Figure out how to go into labor on my own.

11. Stop eating peanut M&Ms.

12. Wash the windows.

13. Give away 1/2 of our toys.

14. Find all the baby gear.

15. And clean it.

16. Take more naps.

17. Sew curtains.

don't try this at home

I went to Applebee's the other night with some girlfriends.

Out of curiosity, I googled the nutritional information of my usual order of their classic boneless wings with blue cheese dressing. I did this before I went out. And guess what? They are only a little less than 1800 calories.

I still ordered them.

And ate every last one.

And ate nothing but salad and Kashi Go Lean the next day.

Which might have balanced things out had I not fried up pickles, cheese and jalapenos for dinner tonight.

My next doctor's appointment should be a fun one.

road trippin'

Happy Independence Day!

We'll be celebrating near our old stomping grounds. Looking forward to the big adventure. It's always fun, always delicious.

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

family portrait

a different kind.

just for fun....for V.

the most fun I've ever had painting.

found

Last weekend my boy attended a birthday party. On the way home from collecting him, I drove past this:

Someone had set it on the curb. I stopped. What have we here? There was a man cleaning out his garage twenty feet behind this treasure.

"Excuse me, sir? Are you getting rid of this?"

"I am."

"Is it for sale?"

"You can have it."

"Really? Are you sure? Thank you so much!"

And because I look 50 weeks pregnant he quickly came over and said, "here, let me lift it in your car for you."

I was very happy. But I think he was even happier.

He pointed out the water marks as if to apologize for its condition. Hey, pal, who am I to complain? The price is right, and everything else in my house has water marks, so it will match PERFECTLY!

I like it just fine this way.

a rose by any other name

Here I sit. Nearing week 26 of gestation. We know we are having a baby boy. The ultra sound lady kindly (ahem) included a photo with an arrow and such on our complimentary take home picture. Thanks.

While we are beyond thrilled to be welcoming another boy into our family, we have hit a snag. We have already used the only two boy names that we could agree on.

When we found out that our last two were boys, around the twenty week mark, we started referring to them by their names. I liked that. It sort of felt like we already knew them when they arrived. Their sibling(s) prayed for them by name. We talked about them. It gave a certain level of familiarity that was nice.

Plus, on some strange level, it soothed my controlling tendencies.

With the other kids, once we had chosen their name, it felt right. Right now it feels like I'm trying to force a name....and nothing is feeling right. The other kids have plain and simple and wonderful names. Who knew it could be so complicated to find a name to blend in to the mix?

Mary, Paul, John and Elliot.

(Those are not my kids names...but similar.....but you see how Elliot doesn't "go"? I like Elliot. It's too fancy for my husband. Which is the case for about every name I mention.)

Mary, Paul, John and Silas.

Mary, Paul, John and Nathan.

Mary, Paul, John and Benjamin.

Mary, Paul, John and Duncan.

Mary, Paul, John and Elias.

All of the above have been vetoed by someone I'm married to. And, because he teaches, 80% of names are already out of the question.

Who are you tiny baby?

Happy Father's Day

Pancakes:
2 eggs
2 cups milk + 1 tsp vinegar (unless you have buttermilk on hand, then just 2 cups buttermilk)
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Mix the first five ingredients together, then add the last three all at once.

Make sure your griddle is hot.

Today, we made them Dad-sized.

If I had enough space to vacuum I could solve the world's problems

Maybe.

Probably not.

But I could solve a good chunk of my own!

I do my best thinking when I'm vacuuming. The hum of the machine drowns out the sounds of everything else.

Today I was remembering a conversation I had a long time ago with a friend. She shared wisdom with me that someone had shared with her. It was the kind of thing I need to remind myself of often.....

Years ago, she joined a bible study with women both young and old. God had been teaching her some big things in her life, and she was feeling some serious convictions. She shared those convictions with the group and felt that since she was being convicted, she would help them feel convicted, too.

Later that day, a kind older woman took her aside. She gently reminded her that personal convictions from God are wonderful, powerful things. But that they're personal. They aren't always meant for everyone around you. Sometimes they might need to be shared...but we need to measure our words, so that we aren't passing judgement in the name of imparting wisdom.

This information served as a wake up call for me. I go through times when I'm being pulled and stretched and convicted on all sorts of things. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Sometimes it's exciting. Every time it's a growing experience that moves me in the right direction.

But I need to remember that what is being done in me is personal.

If there's a show that I don't feel like I should watch, or a book I shouldn't read, or a place I shouldn't go, those are things God's doing in me. He knows the ways I'm impacted. He knows my heart.

He didn't make everyone just like me, and He's not working in everyone exactly like He's working in me.

We're not all at the same place in our journey. You aren't going to have the same struggles as I do. Sometimes He allows us to go down a road to learn a gigantic lesson. Sometimes He puts a person in the road to share some wisdom....sometimes He doesn't.

Sometimes the person in the road ran there of their own accord. And you want to drive right over top of them.

All of this was to say that I was reminded today that convictions are powerful and personal. Sometimes they are meant to be shared. Sometimes they are not.

I'm praying for the wisdom to know the difference.

And for a heart that doesn't want to judge.

fyi...

Every now and again, there will be a comment here from someone in China. Or Thailand? Or Japan....somewhere with a lovely Asian alphabet. I never know what they are saying, but I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with what I'm saying. It's some kind of spam, that if you click on what they write you will find yourself transported to some grody {adult} site.

I usually catch the comments and delete them.

But just in case you should see one and wonder....I'm saving you the trouble of further investigation.

Maybe there's a way to block them? I have no idea.

Just wanted to give a heads up.

And if you should know how I can prevent them in the future, that would be slick.

Carry on.

Bagels

Initial inspiration found here.




Recipe here.

So easy. It's ridiculous.

And so delicious. It's criminal.


(I kneaded in some cinnamon after the first rise, then after boiling sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top before baking.)

random thoughts on a Tuesday

I wanted a nap SO badly this morning. My youngest still takes two naps a day. (Which is the best present any mom can receive.)

After tennis--my girl started tennis lessons this morning--we came home and played for a little bit. The babe was over due for his nap. He went down easy peasy lemon squeezy.

I made lunch. Spicy chicken wings for the boy and left over pizza for the girl.

My cupboards are looking a little bare, but I REFUSE to run to the store until I absolutely must. And I've got lovely things for dinner for the next few days, and okay things for breakfast....and mediocre things for lunch. Mediocre if your name is Mom. Which mine is...so I had yogurt mixed with Kashi's answer to shredded wheat. You know what? It was lackluster.

I ate it.

I got full in the belly, but not in the mind. Do you know what I mean? It didn't do anything for me. I like a few bells and whistles.

So I started eyeballing the kids plates.

And you know what?

They cleaned them today....save for a scrap of chicken and 1/3 piece of pizza.

Once the bigs were done with lunch, they went to play. I reminded them that it was IMPERATIVE to be QUIET so as not to wake the sleeper.

Cue the herd of buffalo.

Right outside the sleeper's door, on their way to play Polly Pockets and G.I Joe.

At this point, I was laying on the couch. Holding my breath. Would he keep sleeping? This was my moment. Would a twenty minute nap be too much to ask?

Yes.

It would.

I choked back a tear and swallowed my urge to growl angrily at the buffalo.

My nolongersleeping-er snuggled with me on the couch. Then Daddy came home for lunch. And I lost my snuggler. But not my spot on the couch.

Daddy stepped in so I could lay motionless for 4 minutes.

I dreamed about second nap time. Second nap time is coming.

And is here now.

And now today is a good day.

Because it isn't yesterday. When I got to shampoo the carpet and a piece of furniture. Because of a diaper.

Apples and Pear

Two of these have taken up residence in the same home as the bamboo trio below. And that house isn't mine. Which makes me feel glad.

her journal

Yesterday was the last day of school. My girl brought home 40 lbs of stuff from her desk. She presented me with her writing journal and asked if I wanted to read it. (Are you kidding me? YES! How long before she hides this stuff under her bed?)

Can I just say that I struck the daughter jackpot? This girl is golden.

My favorite excerpts from her writing:

"No, I don't want a bat for a pet. My father's wife would freak out probably."

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"When you are on a team you need to be gleeful if you lose. And you should try to be calm and willing. You don't have to be stylish or brainy. You just need to be big-hearted. And that is priceless. Plus thats all you need to be a swell team."

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"I wouldn't like to be a paleontologist. Because I don't like to get my clothes derty. Every body else in our class might want to but I don't. So being a paleontologist isn't easy. Thats why I don't want to be one. And also they are getting derty right exactly now possibly."

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"If you have a swell sibling their good. But if you have a wild sibling their not good. I think I am a swell sibling. And I think the same for my brothers. Plus some brothers are great when you play castle. Because they could be a gard. So sisters could be the princess or queen."

still more

This is a big one.

My house is starting to look like a gallery.

Sometimes you gotta do the hard thing...

Like right now: I spent a better part of the day doing laundry. Except instead of folding it right out of the dryer I brought it to my bed and flung it in a pile (now mountain). The good news is that every stitch of clothing in my house is clean. The bad news is that it's all in a mountain on my bed. And it isn't folding itself.

There are 14 other things I would rather be doing right now.

But I'm going to go and do the hard thing - folding a mountain.

Because I'll need to sleep in that bed tonight.

painting

I've been keeping busy lately...

....more to come.

the party's over

It's time to stop celebrating a month of little weight gain.

I'm finding that celebrating is like stepping on the caloric accelerator.

I'm pretty sure there will be no celebrating next time.

Pooh.

so help me, God...

My son has trouble saying his 'r's. When he talks, he sounds like he's from Boston. Caah, instead of car. Beh-thday instead of birthday. He's getting better. He's practicing. He hears it himself, and is keenly aware of the words he's saying wrong.

Which is why it MAKES ME SO MAD when people repeat what he says right in his earshot, mimicking the way he's said it. They think it's cute. It is cute. He sounds adorable. But he's five and a half now, and he doesn't think it's cute or adorable.

He came home from preschool before Christmas and wanted me to help him say his daddy's name correctly. He had been trying to tell his teacher his dad's name - which has one 'r' smack in the middle. She couldn't understand him. He said it over and over to her, and finally the Para helped him out. She understood. He was so frustrated.

Because it's a single letter impediment, and because it's such a common one, he wouldn't qualify for aid until he's much older. So I looked online to see if there were any exercises we could practice at home. I learned that an R impediment is one of the trickiest because there are so many variants. Ar, Er, Ir, Or, Ur, Ra, Re, Ri, Ro, Ru....etc, each one requiring a completely different muscle placement.

I found some great tips on what to practice, and we've been working with him. There are several words that he couldn't say correctly before that he's completely nailing now. Which makes him feel really proud. It makes me feel really proud, too.

So help me God if you should mimic him and I hear you. And so help you Jesus if your child makes fun of him and I hear it. Nothing brings out Mama Bear quicker.

I'm not opposed to spanking.

Good riddance, Mr. Microwave

A few years ago my microwave died. It was a quick and painless death. I mourned its loss for about 3 minutes after removing it from my counter top.

And I looked around. At space. Extra, empty space.

I am a huge fan of extra empty space.

We thought about replacing it right away, but in the days after it conked out, I hadn't really missed it. So we waited. And are waiting still. The only reason I would even want a microwave these days would be for popcorn. But microwave popcorn isn't good for you....you know, with the carcinogens in the bags? So when I need popcorn (which isn't that often) I send my husband to the store. For kettle and white cheddar. It suits me just fine.

And do you know how much more delicious left-overs taste when you reheat them in the oven or on the stove top? SO MUCH MORE DELICIOUS! It takes MAYBE 5-10 minutes to heat them through. Which is about the time it takes me to wash my dishes. Or vacuum the floor. I have the opportunity to practice patience while I clean to pass the time!

I would highly recommend life with out a microwave.

It will make you a better person.

Or something.