Cooking Club: Greek theme

I know I've mentioned cutting down on social calls and activities... however, I'm not ready to give up Cooking Club. Not only do I enjoy cooking, but it benefits my family when I gain extra experience.

Lamb gyros with tzatziki, stuffed grape leaves, bread with dip (oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs), tomatoes, Greek dressing with bread, Greek salad, two kinds of wine, and baklava!

I discovered a wonderful little meat market in the next town over, on the way to my sister's house. Lo and behold, they had lamb! Better yet, I got it for $6/lb, which is not at all bad for great lamb meat.

I followed this recipe, which really took me most of the day. Plus, I decided to make baked Italian salmon and fried potatoes and onions for the Man and kids. Doesn't seem right to make a huge, delicious meal and then cart it off, leaving my family to fend for themselves. So, my day was spent almost entirely in the kitchen, aided by various "helpers." Thankfully, my kids actually enjoy peeling potatoes, washing herbs, and using the mixer. (I know the day may come when it loses it's "specialness" for them, so I'm trying to savor this.)

If you're interested, start your own Cooking Club! The one we have going has 7 people. The line-up rotates: main dish, appetizer, drinks, alternate, fruit or veggie side dish, bread, dessert. If someone drops out or moves away, then we decide who to initiate into the group. The person who has main dish that month, is the hostess and picks the theme. I was hostess this month, and chose a Greek theme. It's a lot of fun, and helps us branch out, and try new things.

Brittany, Megan, me, and Tracy

And, from the other side: Tracy, Rochelle, Julie, Brittany (with Ramsey), and Megan

Hope yours was a fun weekend!

On Divorce of a Christian

I'll be upfront. I have a bone to pick.

One of my dear, dear friends is in a bad situation, and has been for nearly 10 years. She's been ignored, emotionally abused, insulted. She was abandoned for over a year-- and I mean abandonment in the full sense of the word. Her husband left. Moved out. Provided zero financial assistance, and very little correspondence. There were vague promises to return "sometime soon." For me, that would have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Gosh, no, who am I kidding? The second, third, fiftieth time that her husband left on a Friday and failed to return for days, or even call... I would have changed the locks.
Just being honest.
Love does not mistreat and abuse. Love does not intentionally cause pain. That is not love.



Like me, my friend is a Christian. Unfortunately, she is married to a man who has never professed any kind of faith. He holds himself to no "rules" or morals. And, c'mon, even unbelievers can hold themselves to standards and be good spouses. Unbelief should not be used as an excuse for rotten behaviour. And I do hear that argument quite often, "oh, well, he's unsaved, so how can we expect anything different?" Hogwash. I've known many non-Christians who were intelligent, respectable people.

My bone is that supposedly well-meaning Christian friends comment in passing that they will pray for her... that she should stay "because that's what the Bible says," and then they carry on their way. They don't see the damage, the destruction, the aftermath of the storms. They didn't see a woman sobbing for days, weeks, years. They didn't watch this woman crying out in labor, whose husband had just left to catch a plane for a party (YES, while she was in LABOR.) They don't see the children who are growing up fatherless...but emotionally abused when he is actually in the picture.

Here's the kicker. He says he doesn't want a family anymore. He's not "in love" anymore. He wants to leave.

What does the Bible say about this? Well-meaning Christian sites, like Got Questions, quote 1 Cor 7, to back up their Stay Married Advice:

"12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not
a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And
if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with
her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified
through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her
believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they
are holy. "

Ah, yes.
But the next verse has been conveniently left off:

"15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing
man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in
peace. "

Her husband wants to leave. For crying out loud people, give the woman sound advice: LET THE MAN LEAVE. Give her no guilt trips. No superficial comments. Offer good advice or no advice at all. Never guilt someone into staying in a bad relationship, if you can't possibly know the devastation of the family.

Though by no means God's desire "from the beginning," it will likely be best for all concerned if he does leave. Scripture gives room for this. God's heart is for us. For our protection.

We can't be legalists with the law. How biased and prejudiced can people get?

Some people will believe and push anything but the text, and "a text without a context is a pretext."

My heart breaks for this woman and her children. And my blood boils when I hear others encouraging her to stay, endure, and "do the right thing." Doesn't she deserve a chance at a normal life? Should she worry every day about whether her husband is even coming home? And if he'll be sober when he does? Does she need the credit card debt piling up on her, when she has been the only breadwinner for years, sometimes working 2 or 3 jobs to pay the bills? Should she try to make a man stay, who says that he wants to leave?

Now, really stop and pray for her. For the kids. My prayer is that the man will either shape up or ship out. God is in the business of performing miracles... but He doesn't change people without their willingness. Saul had a rude awakening and some convincing signs, but ultimately he had to open his heart, before God would work that metamorphosis in his life.

Family Week

I've been having a difficult time lately, deciding what to blog about. By the time I make up my mind and actually sit down, while the kids are occupied, a thousand other things have happened, and my previous motivation for the topic has waned. I blame the heat.

Sooo, I suppose I'll resort to my quick recaps again, rather than the topical post I was planning to write.

I told you about our awesome, amazing, burned-forever-in-my-mind vacation. This was a BIG deal for our family. Seeing as how we're below the poverty line, and we waited 13 years to take a family vacation, we're just thrilled about how long and perfect it was. More later on how all of that was possible for us.

San Antonio River Walk

Yesterday was my eldest's birthday. The Artist is now 11-years old. Seems impossible. She was born 7.17.99 at 1:46pm, 6 days after her due date, and weighed in at 6lb 4oz. I was in labor for two miserable days with that girl, but it was worth every second. She was a difficult, demanding baby, probably because we made her that way, being anxious first-time parents. As soon as the child could walk, at 10-months, she became happy-round-the-clock.

My Artist uses all of her free time to write stories, draw pictures, and research horses. She is extremely self-motivated and helpful. Great for me that she is the oldest child!

The girl requested a cookie cake, rather than a traditional cake. And she asked that it be served alongside chocolate chip fudge brownies. Oh me, oh my. Chocolate overload. She is her Daddy's girl.

This was just a family celebration. Her little friend party will be in a week or so.

Little brothers worked diligently, without being reminded, and made their sister cards. My Nature Boy even saved his piece of candy, from the day before, to put inside of her birthday card. It's moments like that that melt my heart.

After the little party, Mom and Dad came over to play with the kids, so Fred and I could go to their house and have a game night with my sisters and their hubs. Amy and Vu brought Ransom along. We brought The Artist with us, so she could play some games before bed.

Then today, after church, we went to Papaw's house for lunch. Papaw is something of a protege in the kitchen. Mimi trained him well, and he has taken over the task with an enthusiastic diligence that she would be proud of. His Summer Garden Pasta was fabulous today (served with fresh sour dough bread, and pineapple bran muffins for dessert.)

Artist Girl helps Papaw grate the cheddar

Nature Boy grates the Parmesan

...and shows Dash how to do it, too.

Summer Garden Pasta

And then we came home & filled up the little pool in the front yard. Seeing as how there are heat advisories here for temps up to 105-110 degrees, I'm only letting the kids outside if they are in water. After a day of being mostly cooped up, this was welcome relief.

How many kids can you fit in a little kiddie pool?

Staying hydrated

Our playdates lately have been in the morning, before heat hits hard, or indoors.

I love this picture.

My Artist Girl and her sweet friend help Oli cross the monkey bars. Aww

I'm on a School-Prep kick, and a Paper Doll kick. Will show you plans soon.

5 Things I Hate About Texas

Like I said, I love Texas. LOVE it. I want to move there, hopefully in the next few years. I could live around San Antonio or somewhere further south, for a closer drive to the coast. I don't mind the heat one bit, as long as there's water around. And I LOVE the idea of mild winters.

But there were 5 things I could have done without:

1. Dallas Construction.

2. Dallas Traffic

3. Dallas Exits

4. Dallas, Getting Lost In

(not the most flattering picture.

It was disconcerting to be stuck on an exit

that we could NOT get off of. Ugh. Dallas.)

5. Dallas, because it's Dallas.

The hurricane didn't even make the list.


While in South Padre, we even came across an article that listed Dallas one of the Most Disappointing Vacation Spots. I don't doubt it. I briefly lived outside of Dallas, about 13 years ago, and it was just as irritating then as it is now.


Thankfully, the rest of Texas makes up for the one city I try to bypass.

I apologize to anyone who is actually from Dallas, and loves the area. Truly, I feel for you. ;-)

I'm sure there must be something redeeming about the place..... maybe....?

14 Days in Texas

I didn't do much blogging from the road, did I? Well, we're back now. It was the most fabulous First-Family Vacation that I could have imagined.

I have about 2 thousand pictures. No, I am not kidding. I just spent $40 to get a ton of them printed up.

And now that I'm back, with amazing memories under my belt, I do not feel like blogging. I know, right? It's not fair to withhold the good stuff. You see, I journaled it all. In 14 days, I wrote 22 pages about where we were, who we were with, and the funny things that happened along the way. I wrote and wrote and wrote, while we were driving between places. So my memories are recorded in awesome detail, and I can't bring myself to write it all over again, just yet.

I will give you the quick run down, though!

Day 1 We drove to Austin, TX and spent the night. Quite a drive with a 10-,8-,5-, and a 3-year old. Two of them rode in Mom and Dad's car and the other two in our car; we rotated when kids started bugging each other. For the most part, though, they used the activity bags we had packed for them, watched the portable DVD players, and slept.

(I could use some powder.)

Day 2 We went to San Antonio, to the Alamo, Riverwalk, the huge mall and Dinosaur Museum. I love San Antonio. I love the Riverwalk. And, truly, I want to move near that area someday. Love, love it. That night we went to my great-uncle & aunt's house. So huge and amazing. The kids played in their back courtyard for hours.

Day 3 Headed to South Padre. As soon as we got onto the island, we turned into the first beach access in sight, and ran into the water, clothes and all. I've fervently missed the ocean. We went every summer when I was growing up, and it's really become a part of me. Found the condo after that. Love that place. Large living room, full kitchen and laundry room, two bedrooms, two baths, and only a skip to the shoreline.

Days 3-10 South Padre bliss

On Day 5 of vacation we had major hurricane weather Watching the weather guy stand right on the beach we had just been on.We ate at Parrot Eyes, Blackbeard's, Pier 19. We visited the Nature Conservatory, Sea Turtle Rescue, Dolphin Study place at Port Isabel, Pirate's Landing... and so much more.

Days 10-13 Lake House in Horseshoe Bay, TX. Simply amazing. Awesome boat, two jet skis, pedal boat, incredible home and waterfall pool. We had such gracious hosts!! It was such a blessing to head straight there after leaving the beach.

Days 13-14 Drove to Austin to bring Papaw to the airport. Drove to Waco, to a hotel. Dinner out, resting time, and Mayborn Children's Discovery Museum the next day. First the Lego Castle, and then the actual museum. That place is amazing, interactive, and reasonably priced! Stop, if you get the chance. At around 1:30pm, we started for home, and made it back before 9pm, despite some heavy thunderstorms on the way back.

I've started to understand Texas pride. I love that place. I love the cleanliness, the friendliness, the history, and the beauty. Granted, I went to a lot of tourist attractions, but that doesn't change my five star rating. I've been to a lot of tourist-y places in the US, and Texas ranks high on my list.

There were only five things that I didn't like about Texas...

stay tuned for the next episode...