Cut and Parm...

Local beauty shop.... Perm...Parm....thought maybe it was a beauty salon/Italian restaurant.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Farm Update

Removing the plastic from rows of crops to reveal  PLANTS.

Rice paddies are flooded!

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Snakes and Lawns

Stacia and Zander both woke up with ear aches this a.m. Stacia eye was green and gooky again. Ugh. Prayers appreciated. I started the ibuprofen....and began the eye ointment again. She'd done the 3 days the doc prescribed.

Jared and Arielle had a talent show practice this a.m. I drove them to the high school. Then we waited. I did finish the last of the retreat sessions. I'm excited to have it on the screen.  It seemed daunting but all that remains now is to practice and pray. I love it.  Savoring God - a great theme.

We had planned a chapel dinner tonight - but with kids sick - we're home. Rodney and Windy are taking Jared to chapel tomorrow. He is running the slides.

From 2010-05-15

I've been sure that we needed to mow our yard. It was tall...up to my knees in spots. We borrowed a friends mower and did that today. Our lease says that the land lord will mow the lawn....but....we live surrounded by fields and I knew the rodents and snakes were lurking. Sure enough, the neighbor had a four foot snake in her front yard....that was IT.  I started to mow...but then Jared came out and finished...and Rodney came over with a weed whacker to help tame it all. It's a new yard...lush and green.

From 2010-05-15

I can hang laundry now without worrying about a snake slithering across my feet before I see it. LOL  

From 2010-05-15

It was a beautiful day. I'm hoping for nice weather next weekend for our ladies retreat. It would be gorgeous on the lake with nice weather.


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars - WHOLEFOODS Market

Makes 16 Bars - from Wholefoods Markets

Thanks to our reader who submitted the recipe for these not-too-sweet, crunchy, toasty and truly delicious bars. We made them more natural by using canola oil instead of butter to reduce the fat, substituting a reduced amount of honey instead of brown sugar and calling for organic ingredients whenever possible. You may also want to try our vegan version: Maple and Carob Chip Granola Bars. Our reader says her kids love these bars, and we think you will too!

Ingredients

4 cups of quick cooking oats
1/3 cup canola oil (butter, coconut oil)
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped organic nuts (optional)
Other options: flax seed, sunflower seeds, raisens, craisens, peanut butter.
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread oats on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Allow oats to cool to room temperature. Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled oats. Spread mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed or oiled, pressing down hard to compact it.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Nutrition
With chopped nuts:Per serving (50g-wt.): 230 calories (110 from fat), 13g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 4g protein, 28g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium Without chopped nuts:Per serving (42g-wt.): 180 calories (70 from fat), 7g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 3g protein, 27g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium

For more recipes click here.

WOOT - iPod speakers!

Thursday was the last MOPS of the year. The last Bible Study at my home. We finished a couple of books in school.

I received a call while at MOPS that Zander was puking. He's amused us with wisdom such as, "If you feel like you're going to throw up and cough real hard, it will divert the energy of the throw up." I'm not sure this is a GOOD thing, given his current "activity". LOL

Stacia's eye looks fine today and she's up and bubbly.

I've been uber diligent in my war against germs. I do not want sick kids when I'm at retreat....neither do I want to be sick while I'm trying to speak....and I fly to Korea and Tokyo soon after the retreat.

Jared and I tried a new Indian restaurant today. Thanks for the suggestion, Mary. I really liked it. I could not finish my soup. The flavor was excellent but the HEAT made my eyes water, my sinus' clear, my lips, mouth, throat and tongue burn. I even poured water in to dilute the pepper. The curry was wonderful and they Nan bread...wow...this is the 1/2 that was left when I thought to take the photo.

Jared and I went over and tried out a new-to-us Elliptical. It's a Reebok 1000x. Not our dream ARC machine...BUT it will work for a few years....it was cheaper than ordering a new one and having it shipped, and I didn't have to wait 4 months. Thanks, for the tip, Susi.  It was HILARIOUS to watch this be loaded into the van....the seats don't come out.

Getting it OUT of the van was much easier. Rodney came over and helped, but he doesn't appear to like photos of himself to be taken.  Picture him behind the beam by the arm things...

I'm out of shape - but it's been nearly a YEAR....can you imagine? It was this time last year that we moved into the trailer and Jamin was graduating. Then the travels, the unexpected delay in the NW and the trip to Japan sans Michael....the months in the TLF and finally a house....but the winter is NOT my friend and I can't drive those roads that early in the a.m. It's been a year since I gave up my well-earned "gym rat" title....and my body shows it....but by this time next year.....

We discovered......the ipod works on THIS...we'd been told it didn't...so.....I figure I bought speakers for my ipod...

Doesn't fit the decor - but oh well. I am NOT going to work out in the garage when it is below 0.....this is a thing of beauty.

On with family night.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Food From Afghanistan - Michael

My Chaplain Assistant and I have made many friends amongst the Afghans here on the compound.  One brought some of the local food by for us to sample.  There was a little trepidation at first, but it was really good.  I have no idea what it was called, but it was tasty - rather greasy but tasty.  The bread was like a thick version of pita bread.  The meat was like shredded beef (though actual source is unknown and will most likely remain unknown, by choice) with its own kind of spicy flavor - kind of an Afghan flavor.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

New Neighbors in Afghanistan - Michael

My new "neighbors" are beginning to arrive.  They have been preparing the foundation for a couple of weeks, but now they have moved in some new conex's.  The open ground that had existed is now gone, but the good thing is that the light that once illuminated my room at night is now blocked by multiple layers of steel. 

This if while they were still putting in the foundation.

Placing the conex boxes was a bit of a ticklish process, but they finished it rather quickly.

And just like that; voila, new neighbors.  They still have to build the stairs, tie the conex's together, and wire it in, but the main struture is done.

This guy definitely liked having his photo taken.  As a people, they are very friendly.

The Afghan workers love coming over and playing foosball and drinking coffee.  They have been very busy putting the foundation in place, setting the conex's on that foundation, and now taking care of all of the plumbing and wiring.  A little foosball is what a soul needs to relax for a while.

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

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