So it just happened. Something I've been hoping would happen over the last six years of marriage as it pertains to cooking. I remember being newly married and really bad at the whole planning meals thing/ figuring out how to budget for groceries/ how to use everything in the refrigerator before it goes bad (mostly). My mom is so great at all that stuff.

I am getting ready for a 12 hour scrapbooking session this weekend. So I dug out all my stuff tonight to start the process of getting organized. It was long but fun, and I came up with a few ideas for pages along the way. It just struck me as odd that getting everything together could be this messy.

Ever since I handed Elizabeth her first pen or pencil months ago, she has been good about only coloring on paper. Of course I supervised her very closely, but she never tried to color on herself or any other object. Recently, she has been wanting her crayons more than any other toy. It seems she has discovered, their "power".

Check it out: Delicious Bean Burgers.

I'm not a big tea person. I like coffee with lots of cream and sugar. But this tea is so good--Lyons original blend. Too bad Elizabeth likes it too. Now I need to figure out how to wash my couch.

Josiah, Elizabeth and I are at an Orientation for new missionaries planning to serve with FIM. One couple has already been serving in Germany for some time. They are here to receive some training. I was pleasantly surprised to hear her announcement to me that she had used some of our recipes while she was overseas. None of the recipes are mine alone. I've gathered the few I have collected here from family and friends. Josiah has added his favorites found on-line--Southern Sweet Tea (this is a fabulous recipe, and he makes it almost every time we have company!) and peanut butter and honey sandwiches (not a favorite of mine). Although the format is easy to use, it takes a little bit of time to add a recipe, but what an encouragement to add more! Missionaries and others may find use of them. Praise God for using the simple things! Recently someone commented that one of the recipes we had posted was one of her mom's, and the family had been unable to locate it since her death. If you have time please send me a favorite recipe or create an account and add it here. I will do my best to get some well loved recipes that may touch others more than we know, perhaps in an unexpected place.

There is a zoo not far from where we live now that I have really enjoyed. For the price of a movie you can walk around and be inspired by God's creation instead!

One of the highlights of my time in Pennsylvania so far has been a mom's group I joined shortly after moving. The group has over 40 members, of which I've probably met a dozen or so. Each week there are a number of activities to be involved in, park walks and shopping trips, as well as activities geared towards the two and under crowd--the zoo, storytime, and even an art class. This has been a great excuse for me to get out of the house and meet other people, and I think Elizabeth likes the outings, too. Well, I'd better go, or I'll be late for my playdate!

Hope you all are having a wonderful day!

Well, about two nights ago we tried out our bread maker. I eagerly anticipated the bread to come, the smell of it wafting through the house... In the mean time Josiah, Elizabeth and I worked on stuff together.

Elizabeth has three teeth coming in and seems rather miserable, and is very fussy, so please pray for her. Also, last night on the way home from Hanover, PA, Josiah's truck broke down. We are not sure what is wrong with it, but he wasn't able to get it started so we are having it towed to a mechanic locally. Please pray that they would provide an honest assessment, and that God would give us wisdom in this situation.