I can RIDE A BIKE PERFECTLY!

First - Stacia would like all to know that she would like to be called Anastacia and not Stacia or Stashy. ::snort:: 


Stacia  Anastacia learned a new skill. To be more accurate she PERFECTED a new skill. She'd tried to learn to ride her bike for quite a few years. This spring Tanya, a local friend, shared how training is done in Europe. Bikes without pedals....scoot along with your feet and they begin to coast more and more until they are ready for pedals. Stacia Anastacia had been given a bike that was pink, bigger and had training wheels. She was terrified of falling and we had to run alongside to prop her up. 


We took the pedals off Stacia's bike in early summer. We actually pulled out Zander's old bike as it was shorter, lowered the seat and removed the pedals. She loved it and got more and more confident as the months went by. 

Stacia shows how you can ride her pedal - less bike!

Anastacia told Michael she was ready for pedals.

Fuzzy - but precious! She was off like lightening!

Past our street and over to the next...that speck in the middle under the yellow house is Anastacia. 

She's fallen and gotten back up. She told us she thinks she can handle the bigger bike now if we'll take the training wheels off. We still have some nice fall weather so I believe bike rides are in our future. 

She was so excited and yelling, "I can RIDE A BIKE PERFECTLY!" and "WE CAN GO FOR FAMILY BIKE RIDES!"..... I suspect she and I will ride to the produce market tomorrow...but there is a stretch with quite a bit of traffic.  She didn't make her goal of riding before she was 6 - but she DID ride before she was 6 1/2. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~

Living all of life before the face of God...

Saturday Hospitality

We have lots of kids in our subdivision and in the neighboring subdivision. We are blessed to have many children who love to play on OUR street.  We've noted that parents are not often outside...in fact, I'd say I've only seen any adult outside twice in months.  As we've talked about this, Michael and I have become more convinced of the need for US to be outside playing with the kids....and interacting with them...showing them Jesus.  This is really hospitality too....... Saturday we played outside with kids....Jared and Michael participated in a rousing game of street ball....Stacia worked on a new skill (post to follow) and I cheered all on, yelled lots of encouraging words and took photos. The neighborhood kids really seem to like it when Michael and I come out too.....and we are thrilled to take one gal with us to youth group every week now.....I think as a direct result of this type of hospitality (inviting others inside our walls).

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A week!

I am determined to review the week before a new one "officially" begins.

A full week of school done by the grace of God.

Another doctor appointment and adjusting to a new dosage of thyroid meds - again.

Stacia and I go and visit with the children during Monday night PWOC.

Arielle and Nolan handle homeschool room on Tuesday and I facilitate a study on Sermon on the Mount. Good stuff.

Parish Advisory Committee meeting this week.

MOPS (Moms of Pre Schoolers) this week. Arielle helps with Mopetts and I am a mentor mom. We discussed home making on a budget. Lots of fun tips.

MOCA (Moms of College Aged) on Thursday night.  This group is meeting a heart felt need for many of us to pray for our children who have grown up and left home...or are Seniors and making that transition.

We learn anew to follow God's rhythm in the dance of life....and we thrill as we wait to see where He will lead next.  Pray with us about ministry changes in our future.

Friday - Hospitality! Good stuff. Well worth the effort and very fun. We had invited 4 families to soup and games. Two could make it - and that was great fun.  The kids and I cleaned and baked.....We were anticipating our friends and so excited to have them over....good tie ins as I continue to work on my workshop for Biblical Hospitality....I want our PWOC to have GUESTS not visitors.

Zander put all the peanut butter in the bombs

We also made Blondies, Tortillia soup (will have to load the recipe), Popovers and Chicken and Dumplings (no recipe).

Our guests arrived bearing Chicken Alfredo Soup and White Chicken Chili - YUMO. We enjoyed each other, told a few stories and then played MAFIA.

We had debated as our guest list always grows so quickly....we'll have to go with smaller groups more often given our house size. I really didn't WANT to do this at chapel - I wanted to invite others into our home.  I think we could have about 4 or 5 more tops in the home.....had 15 this night.

Saturday we ran some errands. We had planned to go to a festival but it was raining so we stayed home......

I had a two hour regional Skype about conference. I also spent a significant amount of time on conference details this week.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Baked Penne

Just a simple comfort food family meal that I've not transferred to the blog yet. Lisa, an old friend from SHS shared this with me years ago. 


Preheat oven to 350*

1 pound Penne (Ziti  - whatever)
32 ounces Spaghetti Sauce (homemade or purchased)
16 ounces Cottage Cheese
1 Egg
1 can black olives (I throw them in whole as my kids pick them out; says to slice)
1/2 lb Ground Turkey (or beef or sausage or SKIP THE MEAT and make this a meatless meal)
1/4 C shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 lb Mozzarella Cheese (I use all kinds)

Mix cooked pasta, cottage cheese and egg together. Pour in greased 9x13 pan. Set aside. Cook meat til done (or leave out), add sauce and olives. Mix with pasta mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top and bake 25 minutes. Add mozzarella and bake 5 min longer (I often just add all the cheese before I bake).

I forgot about taking  a photo for the blog until AFTER the meal - and at that point it didn't look very appetizing. 


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Tanesashi and Shirahama

We took advantage of Columbus Day to go exploring in Northern Japan. The kids and I had been to Tanesashi Beach before. I knew Michael would LOVE it as it is so like the Northern California Coastline. We've not made it back since he got home...he loves Shipwreck and we've gone there or Momoishi most often. 


Today we took off. We decided to follow the "highway signs" rather than the ITT directions. Who would have guessed the highway signs (which were translated to English) would switch to only Japanese for the final turn off Route  19. We found a gentleman who escorted us from Hachinohe station back to Route 19.  We made it home just fine. Not sure which directions I would recommend to others. LOL  For US Hwy 338 and Route 19 are right out our back door and we didn't have to pay tolls. 

Yeah, he liked it! 

Right after a wave came up and got me as I perched "safely" over the tidal pool.

Shirohama Beach 

Doesn't this look like a tsunami about to overtake Nolan? About this time a siren went off. ::snort:: 

Directions - how WE did it:


Hwy 338 towards Hachinohe. 


Veer LEFT on to Hwy 19.  Follow this into the outskirts of Hachinohe (if you reach the trains station....)


Turn LEFT at the intersection which has a use car lot on the right hand side...with a BIG sign of a BUXOM American type woman with red hair...bridge goes over water. 


Turn LEFT at the light with a Honda dealer on a corner.

Go pass Pia Doa mall, follow the signs that say Tanesashi and Kabushima

Turn RIGHT where signs indicate and go about 1.2 k

Turn  LEFT at light - go 2.4 K

Follow signs and VEER LEFT at the Y like intersection.

Turn RIGHT at light (follow sign) - go 5.6 K until you reach a grassy beach with ice cream shops nearby.

This does NOT take you up the coastline...coming home we followed the coastline past Shirahama Beach and Kabushima  until we got back to Hwy 19 and knew our way....just keep heading North and you'll find the base.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Chocolate Overload/ Oreo Brownie Bombs

WOW! We are still deciding what our family name for these Oreo Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes will be (BTW for AMAZING photos of this visit the Picky Palate link)...... Jared announced the high school young men had decided as they were responsible to bring desert to the Youth Agape Fest they would all bring a "package of Oreos." In an inspired moment of  divine destiny, Kathy, posted several "Stuffed Oreo" recipes on Facebook.... Here is my attempt at healthy. ::snort:: 

Ingredients: 
24 Oreo Cookies (Newman O)
Peanut Butter (Natural, Organic)
Brownie Mix Assembled - 8x8 size - This brownie recipe minus the peanut butter


Preheat oven to 350*

Spread peanut butter on an Oreo (recipe said a tsp)

Top with a second Oreo, spread with more peanut butter - place in muffin cup

In an emergency you COULD skip the rest and just eat these. 

Make up brownie recipe or mix. Spoon "2 Tbsp" of mix over top of Oreos

Bake 16 - 20 min 

Wa La! 

Of course the moment of truth is to see how they will CUT and how they taste..... We divided one into fourths. I ate 1/4 and that was ALL I needed to be satisfied - don't know that I could eat a whole one. Arielle said these will be a hit at the Youth Agape Feast. 

Unbelievably good...crunchy, cakey, smooth, sweet...chocolaty....Much better than the deep fried Oreos from the Tako Beef and Garlic Festival. 

*The above name is subject to change. The men around here haven't tasted these yet. Arielle and I think the above are fairly descriptive. 


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A National Treasure!

Susane give PWOC board members these darling dolls for a gift before she LEFT US.  They are each different and show various people playing or working.  This is the one I got. 

As Susane explained....these are Washi Dolls. There is ONE lady left in Japan who makes this particular kind. She has been classified as a National Treasure.  She lives north of us. She is over 73 years old and has already survived a major health crisis (can't remember if it was heart or cancer or what)....anyway this is my treasure, made by one of Japan's national treasures, given to me by a friend, leader who I treasure.  You can read more about Eiko Ohyama here. 

Guess who Stacia and I met yesterday? 

We bought a signed book of her work...and , of course a doll (or so).

Choosing Joy!

©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...