The 2023-24 school year begins! So grateful for this Mom and our Grands.
And she will start the school year with one less tooth. The first tooth to come out! A second one will probably be ready to pull soon. Praying for God to bless them with knowledge and love of learning and that the learning will draw them closer to God and all He has done for them. Also praying that they will be obedient for their teacher!!
No Wednesday Hodgepodge this week.
On Friday we attended the NE Washington State Fair here in our town.
Before we left the fair we enjoyed some ice cream cones.
On Saturday we met up on Main Street for the NE Washington Fair Parade.
The fire department starts the fair off and it is really loud. Our Grands have the best mom and she plans so well and remembered their ear muffs!
The participants in the parade are always stocked up with lots of candy to throw to the children along the parade route.
The short parade was over in no time and our Grands had a bag full of candy. We walked over to the Saturday Farmer’s market and bought veggies and fruit before heading home for the rest of the day!
What is it for a Saint to Die?
What is it for a saint to die,
That we the thought should fear?
’Tis but to pass the heav’nly sky,
And leave pollution here.
True, Jordan’s stream is wondrous deep,
And Canaan’s walls are high;
But He, that guards us while we sleep,
Can guide us when we die.
A parting world, a gaping tomb,
Corruption and disease,
Are thorny paths to Heav’n our home,
And doors to endless bliss!
Eternal glory just before,
And Jesus waiting there,
A heav’nly gale to waft us o’er—
What have the saints to fear?
Words: Joseph Swain, 1792
These cookies with surprising ingredients are very tasty and have a nice after kick of spice to them. Enjoy them with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee. My sister Lana made them in the past and shared them and the recipe with me.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 oz. of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the butter and chocolate together either on the stove top in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (whisking until glossy and smooth) or in the microwave in 25-second increments (whisking after each 25 seconds). Cool the chocolate mixture to room temperature.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the brown and white sugar, eggs and vanilla extract on low speed until mixed well. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne.
Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated well.
Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Scoop 12 equal rounds of the cookie dough for each cookie sheet making 24 cookies in total (approx.1-1/2 tablespoons each)
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes.
Cookies should still be a little puffy and soft.
Immediately slide the full sheet of parchment paper with the cookies onto a cooling rack.
Cool and enjoy with a cold glass of milk.
Note: If you enjoy sweeter cookies you can increase the brown sugar to a cup.
The first game of the year was played after being delayed because of our smoke filled skies. Wednesday after our rain on Tuesday made for clear enough air for outdoor activities.
This age is a hoot to watch. The swarming of all the players caused a few trips with certain players landing on the pitch.
Our favorite player managed to stay on her feet.
Since there is not a designated goalie at this age level, the players take turns. She was not impressed with the stinky gloves!
I missed this little guys first game but was happy for the photos his parents sent.
The treats at the end of the game are every players delight!
Speaking of soccer and soccer fans, Josh and Laura are celebrating their 22nd Anniversary today.
Here we are in Manchester, England at the legendary Old Trafford, September 2013. In less than a month we’ll be with them at another stadium in England to watch another Premier League soccer game. Another dream fulfilled, Lord willing.
Happy Anniversary Josh and Laura. We love who you are individually and as a couple. May God increase your joy and love with each other and with Him!
We’ll be at the Fair this afternoon checking out the animals and other treats a small town fair offers. Have a wonderful last weekend in August!
Thursday August 24th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
Ephesians 4:1-7
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
From Vera:
Psalm 139:1-6 ESV
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
Jo has worked on some more questions for us to answer for Hodgepodge Wednesday. Want to join in the fun?
1. What’s your earliest memory?
With this old brain this is a tough one for me. I seem to remember being in front of a wonderful bakery with cookies displayed, a Jewish Bakery, in East Los Angeles. Bakeries always draw me in and that brings me to my biggest first world problem!!
We moved from East Los Angeles to Montebello Gardens soon afterwards and most of my ‘early’ memories are connected with that property. I remember things like an incinerator in the back yard. A cement slab where our new family room would be built where we played jacks for hours. Our first black and white TV, watching Engineer Bill, Chucko the Birthday Clown, Ed Sullivan, The Mickey Mouse Club, and other Disney shows that included the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew? The only books we owned were Bibles and Encyclopedia Britannica. I remember having to sit for what seemed to me hours in front of a bowl of borsch, not wanting to eat it, after everyone else had left the table. Stopping by the seed man after ‘Big Church’ to buy packets of ‘plain’ sunflower seeds that came in brown paper packets and pumpkin seeds that came in clearer paper packets.
I better stop there, you really got my old brain going.
2. What’s something about you today that the old you would find surprising?
The old me would be surprised that I moved away from the Southern California Beaches to Washington State and now I’ve left the city girl life for the country far far away from the coastal beaches!
3. Do you like to fish? Are you a fish eater? Favorite fish (to eat)? Favorite way to prepare fish?
You know, I’m not a fan of fish unless it’s Fish and Chips or fish tacos!
4. What’s your biggest first world problem?
Keeping that bakery weight off is my biggest first world problem!
5. What one word would you use to describe your year thus far?
Sanctifying. Growing in the Word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit and fellowship of Believers. This is a life long process that got sharpened this year after Greg’s stroke last November and the state of our world.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We got rain on Tuesday and what a wonderful sound that was to wake up to. We’ve had such oppressive smoke filled skies because of fires and the rain should help. Hopefully the rain will fall on all the fires in the region and help the Fire Fighters with their seemingly endless task!
Another good day to stay in and make a dent in the sky of this puzzle!
All these sets of photos show what our view could be and what we usually enjoy contrasted to what those similar views look like with our smoke filled skies.
As you can guess the air quality is not good for working hard or exercising so I’ve added putting together some of my puzzles to my daily ‘things to do’ list.
I finished this one which was very enjoyable to put together.
This next one is a lot tougher and I don’t gravitate to the dining room table as often as with the London puzzle.
This one is of Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland. Hopefully I can face the sky in this one soon.
What’s new in your corner?
Update: I just woke up to the glorious sound of rain! Thank you, Lord. It’s been raining steadily for a while and there are already puddles. Hoping the rain will make a huge dent in the fires in our region and that the rain continues north to British Columbia to help with their fires, too.
These photos of the entertaining pests were taken last month. They are cute and entertaining but they can cause a lot of problems, too.
We are still smoky here and surrounded by fires from Canada and in our state, too. We are sorry to hear of those who have lost their homes. We are praying for all who are fighting the fires and rescuing people. We have mostly stayed in during this past week because of the very unhealthy air quality. We are also keeping an eye on the tropical storm coming up from Mexico into California and neighboring states. If that doesn’t rattle you the 5.1 magnitude earthquake close to Ojai will. We are hoping there won’t be any tornadoes!
The Head That Once Was Crowned With Thorns
The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now;
A royal diadem adorns
The mighty victor’s brow.
The highest place that Heav’n affords
Belongs to Him by right;
The King of kings and Lord of lords,
And Heaven’s eternal Light.
The joy of all who dwell above,
The joy of all below,
To whom He manifests His love,
And grants His name to know.
To them the cross with all its shame,
With all its grace, is given;
Their name an everlasting name,
Their joy the joy of Heaven.
They suffer with their Lord below;
They reign with Him above;
Their profit and their joy to know
The mystery of His love.
The cross He bore is life and health,
Though shame and death to Him,
His people’s hope, His people’s wealth,
Their everlasting theme.
Words: Thomas Kelly, 1820
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 