mama musings

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part of elinor’s bedtime routine is a bit of piano with papa.  {check out these two in action here} as you can see, it is pretty darn precious.  elinor doesn’t exactly “tickle” the ivories.  it is more of a spastic thrust or smack at this point.  but we have plenty of time to work on her form and finesse.  for now, we are just loving her zeal.  she gets so excited when she is plopped down on her papa’s lap.  she breathes in deeply and reaches out toward the sheet music with wild eyes.  mostly, she just wants to get her little fingers on the pages so she can nibble on the notes and spread her drooly goodness…but we like to think that she is just our tiny prodigy who can’t get enough music. {delusional parents alert}  then she places her hands on the keys and plays a note or two or three while papa harmonizes or resolves the melody or other such musical jargon that i know nothing about…

anyway, in addition to her contemporary composition skills, our little einstein on the beach has also figured out another neat trick.  she has learned how to wrap her parents around her highly capable finger!  she has rather quickly come to understand that her parents are praise-giving fools.  just once, after a particularly rousing performance, ben and i clapped and let out a simultaneous “yeeeaaaahhhh!”.  well, that pretty much did it.  now, after every few notes that she plays, elinor retracts her hands in one swift and dramatic motion and shoots me an expectant glance.  “mama?  approving applause, please…” she says with her eyes.  uh oh.  we have created an applause junky.  and she does it every time now.  and what on earth am i supposed to do?  just sit there and pretend like her playing is just no big deal and withhold clapping from the cutest thing i have ever seen?  fat chance.

well, looks like we are creating a little diva.  great.  i guess we have managed to hold off for a decent chunk of time. who had their money on 28 weeks?

a bona fide mama on mother’s day

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i get to be mama to this little cutie.

this was my first mother’s day with  my sweet daughter in my arms.  not just existing in hope and prayer or as an itty-bitty in my belly…she is here.  my child.  with her sassy eyeballs and gatsby-esque head decoration.  wearing a delicate, intricate, heirloom christening gown.  ben and i are so honored and blessed to be chosen to parent this precious gift.

on sunday, we dedicated her life to the Lord.  it was such a meaningful day.  thank you Heavenly Father for entrusting us with this gift and calling.

psalm 127:3-5

children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

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and would you look at my handsome man?  he is such a wonderful papa.  loving and sweet and protective and prayerful and playful.  these two make a mama go all mushy.

a little night music

miss elinor and her papa tickled the ivories together in a charming little duet the other night.

melt a mama’s heart, why don’t ya.

p.s. i am clearly already outnumbered in the musical ability department.  sheesh.

un fin de semana de diversión con las casablancas

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this was a great weekend.  we had lots of sunshine and a lovely breeze.

and we kicked things off with big bowls of spicy goodness from good ol’ chipotle.  that place is just so darn good.  spice and flavor.  and meat.  oh, you tasty barbacoa, you.

and then, we wrapped up the weekend {and celebrated cinco de mayo} with a little fiesta with ben’s family.  with refreshing homemade sorbet and everything!  i’m talking mango + lime sorbet with a sprinkling of ancho chile powder to add some warmth.  increíblemente deliciosa.  what a relaxing day.  street tacos and fresh salsas…oh yes, and hanging out with our baby girl.  a baby girl who is looking older and older and less baby-ish each day.  sigh.

mama musings

i found this post and just had to share.  these are such good reminders.

i might need to commission some fabulous printer to make this into a fancy print for me to frame and hang in our home.  i’m sure etsy has a store for that…

Advice for Raising Godly Children
John Witherspoon – Scottish Presbyterian pastor, President of Princeton (1768-1794), and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
  1. The best exercise in the world for children is to let them romp and jump about, as soon as they are able, according to their own fancy.
  2. A parent that has once obtained and knows how to preserve authority will do more by a look of displeasure, than another by the most passionate words and even blows. It holds universally in families and schools, and even the greater bodies of men, the army and navy, that those who keep the strictest discipline give the fewest strokes.
  3. There is not a more disgusting sight than the impotent rage of a parent who has no authority.
  4. I have heard some parents often say that they cannot correct their children unless they are angry; to whom I have usually answered, then you ought not to correct them at all.
  5. Nothing can be more weak and foolish, or more destructive of authority, than when children are noisy and in an ill humor, to give them or promise them something to appease them.
  6. Let it always be seen that you are more displeased at sin than at folly.
  7. Nothing is more destructive of authority than frequent disputes and chiding upon small matters. This is often more irksome to children than parents are aware of.
  8. I am fully persuaded that the plainest and shortest road to real politeness of carriage, and the most amiable sort of hospitality is to think of others just as a Christian ought, and to express these thoughts with modesty and candor.
  9. Many parents are much more ready to tell their children such or such a thing is mean, and not like a gentleman, than to warn them that they will incur the displeasure of their Maker.
  10. It is a very nice thing in religion to know the real connection between, and the proper mixture of, spirit [i.e., matters of the heart] and form [i.e., disciplines like family worship and church attendance]. The form without the spirit is good for nothing; but on the other hand, the spirit without the form never yet existed.

we put the “happy” in happy hour

a few days backmiss elinor, hubby, and i grabbed some early dinner with my folks at st. francis.  it was mighty tasty. there is just something about heading to a restuarant on the earlier side and making the most of the evening.  it usually gives us license to try more dishes and double up…you can’t beat a happy hour deal, am i right?  and in this case, i am talking a big ol’ gourmet burger with a side of hand cut fries for seven bucks.  #winning.

the springtime weather was particularly springy and the restaurant opened up the side of the restaurant so there was a perfect breeze while we dined.  elinor sat in her little seat just playing away while we sipped some good wine and noshed on baked goat cheese with crusty bread, french onion burgers, chicken salad sandwiches, and radish/bacon/garden pea/buttermilk ranch salad.  good stuff.  and so local and fresh.  it was a simply delightful meal with great company.  happiness and satisfied tummies all around.

 

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chef…or shall i say…baker ben {macarons}

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as some of you may recall, my chef ben decided to set a new year’s resolution for himself - to become baker ben.  he normally isn’t too keen on the baking arts.  cooking fine cuisine, yes.  making up tasty recipes, absolutely.  but for some reason he has always left the baking up to me.  not that he isn’t into baked goods.  he is a cookie fiend.  but, he prefers preparing a savory entrée over frosting a layer cake.

so, when he decided to take on the baking realm, naturally, he started with the tough stuff.  delicate and intricate and temperamental macarons.  way to ease into things, chef.  and naturally {slash sickeningly} he killed it.  i mean, he totally killed it.  and as a result, i have eaten WAY TOO MANY of these little pretties.  i can’t wait for the next round.  baker ben said that he will make some intense chocolate for me so i expect those to last all of three hours.

{step 1}

create the candied grapefruit peel with star anise and vanilla bean

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{step 2}

whip the egg whites to create the merengue and then gently fold in the other ingredients.  including a perfectly measured amount of food coloring to create a vibrant pink-orange hue.

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{step 3}

melt the white chocolate for the ganache.  add in the campari to give it that citrus zing.

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{step 4}

assemble the cookies

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{step 5}

refrigerate the cookies for 24 hours to let the flavors meld. 

AKA endure the brutal wait until you can FINALLY eat the long-awaited cookies.  {darn those french and their delayed gratification} but let me say, it is more than worth the wait. 

and then…you eat as many as you can handle before slipping into a sugar coma.  amazing

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the gallery {amy whitehouse paintings}

this post is my braggity-braggy post about my mother-in-law’s fabulous art.  not that i am taking any bragging credit for her art…but i sure can brag about the fact that our house is home to many of her lovely pieces!  we are so honored and blessed to have such beautiful and original works of art in our home.  doesn’t nice art just make you feel all cultured and fancy?  you know that feeling that you get when you are wandering around a museum or gallery…you feel kinda posh and smarter for just being in the presence of such genius.  even if you know absolutely nothing about the complexities or history of art, you can still absorb it enjoy the beauty.

well, we get to live in a gallery of sorts.  our walls happily display some very nice pieces.  and, sometimes when we are over at the whitehouse home just having dinner, we get to go shopping for fresh pieces in amy’s studio.  so cool.  she is always creating something new and allowing herself to be inspired by her environment and the creativity of others.  i love that she responds to God’s creation in such lovely ways.

unfortunately for you, her studio isn’t open for free take-out like it is for us {smiley face} BUT amy has recently taken a few of her vibrant and signature pieces and turned them into gorgeous print reproductions!  now, amy whitehouse creations are accessible for everyone!  if you are looking for something pretty to brighten up your walls…may i suggest that you pick up one of these beauties instead of just buying something mass-produced or generic.  i was able to watch her sign and number each one of these limited editions.  and they are just waiting to be snatched up and given a new home.

sunflower

favorite sunflower

trees

palms at sunset

flowers

sunflower in vase

want to see more?

http://amywhitehousepaintings.blogspot.com/

want to make one of these your own?

amy.whitehouse@me.com

you are my sunshine

happy monday folks!  how was your weekend?  we had the bestest weekend.  lots of time outdoors as a family and plenty of yummy food.  have i mentioned how much i love springtime?  perfect.  it doesn’t get much better than this…

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snaps & snippets & blurbs

a very happy monday to you.  you know those weeks when you planned on getting a bunch of stuff done and then you realize that you have plans every night so you add it to the to-do list for the weekend and then the weekend arrives and somehow the days just fly by and then all of a sudden it is sunday evening and you are thinking hmmm…i should really check on my checklist…but, nah.  it was kinda one of those weeks.  so i feel like i am a bit behind already on this monday morning.  but, that’s okay because we had a fabulous week and lived it up this weekend.  but, don’t worry.  i have big plans.  i am coming for you, to-do list.

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two very happy faces + a chocolate shake + a handsome man who takes his burger selection very seriously + a her burger + a him burger + a bag of to-go treats from sweet tooth fairy.  cupcakes & sugar cookies + sunday concert at church + some sparkly lipstick, wavy hair, bright baubles, and a neon-pastel v-neck + a sweet little face with such bright and active eyes.