Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

Quick Basil Pesto

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This is the time of year when we trim our bright green plants and stock our freezer with homemade Basil Pesto. Because really, when it’s mid-January and we loathe that we’ve been cold for what feels like months, what could be better than something springy and green and fresh?!

So maybe take the plunge. Buy a basil plant, make some pesto and hide some behind the popsicles for later.

This pesto makes an excellent soup garnish, (recipe coming soon!) or a healthy pasta sauce– especially mixed with greek yogurt and fresh parmesan.Below is my favorite Pesto recipe. It’s simple and pretty easy to throw together. It freezes well even in a glass jar, if you leave enough head space at the top or freeze it in ice cube trays.

pesto2

(You will need a food processor for this recipe. If all you have is a small one-cup chopper, make the recipe in two batches.) 

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Quick Basil Pesto
Author: 
 
Slightly Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Book of Sauces
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 oz. of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup of toasted almonds or walnuts (The original recipe calls for pine nuts.)
  • 2 cups of Packed Basil Leaves, washed and dried
  • 2 tbs. fresh Parsley (optional)
  • ½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ tsp of salt
  • ⅛ tsp of freshly ground pepper
Method
  1. Turn your food processor on and drop the cloves of the garlic through the top opening. (This will result in a good mince.)
  2. Add the nuts and the cheese and blend briefly until the nuts are ground up.
  3. Add the basil and pulse again.
  4. Add the oil in a slow steady stream through the top opening.
  5. Stop half way through the oil. This will result in a thick paste.
  6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then add however much oil you need to reach your desired consistency.
  7. Add salt and pepper and then taste for flavor.
  8. If the pesto tastes flat, try adding more parmesan or a pinch more salt.
  9. Use the pesto right away or store well covered.
  10. If you are storing it in the fridge for a few days, pour a small amount of olive oil on top to slow the discoloration.

 

On Pinky Pledges & Laying Stones

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Amidst plates circling the dinner table and clattering forks following suit— I almost didn’t hear what she said. I might have missed it completely if she had not jabbed her petite pinky finger up toward my face.

She said it again. This time I heard her loud and clear—
“Pinky Pledge, Mommy.”
“Do you pinky pledge that God is real?”
My pinky locked with her own— brown eyes staring into blue. And I just told her.
I told her what I knew to be true. Well, all I could sputter out in 45 seconds.
She smiled, looked away, nodded her head in a satisfied staccato, then continued lining up her tiny ponies.
“Ok–ay!” She Chirped.

pinkypleges

Activity resumed all around us but I froze for several seconds.
All this imperfect struggling to be always funneling truth into their shampoo-scented heads and it sneaks up on us, sharing the Gospel in tiny four-year-old bites.

This time it wasn’t a planned Bible story time. It didn’t have the feel of some sacred moment.
It was just our real life—
Words drifting around the kitchen, floating on the easy fun of a Friday night.

And you and I know it like we know that iced water is the perfect chaser to a hot latte.
That this is a scary and glorious part of parenting and life in general. That we rarely see all that God is doing. Most of what He does, He does in the secret places.

Somehow I still forget that they are always listening. When Joshua told the people of Israel to lay stones in memorial to what God had done to save them– he said the children would see the stones and then they would ask and they would tell them– oh, would they tell them.

They will ask.
They will notice.
They will have questions.
And we hope that if it is really real and true for us, it will be clear enough for them.
But at the end of our hope that we’re doing it right, there is One who does all things well.

I’m still learning that the journey of teaching them is one of constancy. One of every moment an opportunity– not to anxiously squeeze lessons out of every breath we take, but to teach them as we are going. In the joy we have and the life we embrace. In the gratefulness we walk in and in the hope of what is to come.

As we run into waves and slather on sunscreen. As we play silly games and search for illusive socks.
In the Sunday afternoon moments, when preschool papers litter the kitchen table like paper mache’.
When forgotten paper plates blow across the front porch scattering cold pizza crust and scooters zip up & down the driveway.
When night time dance parties fizzle and we settle down under puffy duvets, red-faced and big-haired. In both the bedlam and the quiet– we get to lay our stones.

Even when we are overwhelmed, we get to be the ones. This is a great gift, this mission of parenting.

Even when we feel stomach sick at our not-enough-ness, we can relax a little.
God is the One doing the calling. But lucky us– we get to translate, we get to extend His offer, we get to keep laying the stones of all that He has done to rescue us.
We get to tell them both with our words and with our laughter.

So let’s tell them well.

What I Learned in April

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Of all the writing and learning rhythms, remembering what we learned each month is at the top of my list. Sometimes my lessons are an “Oh wow, cool!” and other times they are more– “Oh yeahhhhh. I remember that now.” This month was mostly the latter of being gently reminded of things I knew.

what i learned-4

I’m REALLY ready for summer and sunscreen and the pool and popsicles. In beginning to compile my Summer Reading List, I’ve noticed I’ve chosen books that are either blue or having to do with water. I’m still working on it and waiting on the list from Modern Mrs. Darcy to tell me what to add– but YAY for summer reads.

This Paleo Granola (Hold on there, don’t run. If you don’t eat Paleo– neither do we.) is the perfect spring breakfast with berries and yogurt. It’s basically spiced, roasted nuts with honey and coconut oil– we even sprinkled a little on salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

I love a good then & now photo. We took a picture of the girls with our puppy Dickens back in December on my parent’s porch swing and then had the chance to take another last month. I knew he had grown, but whoa. Like with much else, change happens when we aren’t looking and I love taking time to notice it.

I was reminded that Struggle isn’t where we stop. Adversity is not the same thing as failure. Opposition is not an off-ramp from what we know we should be doing. I wrote this post entitled, On Being Good Listeners. I know I am not the only one who feels adversity and misinterprets it completely. Not accomplishing what we feel we should, for whatever reason– often just plain feels bad. But. I believe that on the other side of the wall we’re pressing against– is something good. Even if it’s only the knowledge that we were sustained as we waited, and pushed ahead– a quarter inch at a time.

Our Family will not be out-growing Disney World any time soon. Our little foursome knows how to have fun. The stage we are in as a family is a great big party of fun. We are post-mandatory-nap, post-sippy cups, and just entering into the wide world of board games and Uno Cards. They still think we’re the coolest people in the world. We have fun wherever we go. BUT. There is no fun like we have at Disney fun. Each time we go, I pay attention to how our kids have grown. I know the time will come when they prefer the thrill rides to the carousel– but I’m not sure we will ever outgrow having fun as a family anywhere, let alone at Disney World. (For goodness sakes, no– they aren’t paying me to say this. We just love Walt Disney World.) I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until the Dole Whip runs out– Disney knows how to provide a sweet backdrop for families who love to be together.

April2016

Want to see what others learned in April? Hop over to Emily’s to join us. 

On Being Good Listeners

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We do a lot of listening. We hear well-meaning voices of input and take in respectful feedback. Let it loll around in our minds like a scrap of fine sandpaper— sloughing off and making smooth what we have.
We are better together and we should give a measured and occasional ear to tools such as google analytics, which tell us what our guests are looking for and if they even stay long enough to pull up a chair…

But sometimes–
The voices are louder than they should be. Sometimes the voices of the internet are quite shouty and they say things, untrue things that cause us to forget what we already know in our hearts.

 

And isn’t that just the way adversity needles its’ way into hope? It shrieks out our audacity in believing what God has called us to. It is low whispered lies that slander identity and paint us with the broad strokes of not nearly good enough.

But we listen anyway.
We feel nauseated at the bounce rate and the screaming silence of words that fall flat. We may stand happy and stiff-armed, presenting our gift with hope— until we look to the side and see them.. with their glossy gift. So we slink back into the shadows where doubt speaks louder than truth and we forget what we already know.

But here’s what I do know.
Most of social media is not the place to go when we feel anxious.

Too much looking from side to side makes me twisty inside. When I don’t stay in my own lane, I want to retreat further and further into things not so hard— like laundry and netflix and reading and things that I know well how to do. I can fold socks like a boss. I can flip on Gilmore Girls and laugh like it’s my job. But creativity? That takes work.

And this isn’t good, but it’s true– When I spend all my energy looking over the fence, weeds begin to grow in my own lovely little spot of land.

But, Friend?
We need to hold tighter to what we have been given in the noiseless hush of midnight. Snatch the whispers of the Creator of your soul. Hold onto them with white-knuckled belief no matter the din rising all around you.

“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops.” –Matthew 10:27

If a thousand others say no— but God still whispers yes— keep going.
Keep making art.
Keep doing that thing He’s sketched on your soul.
Keep loving those people no one else loves.
Keep struggling.
Keep listening.
And know that Adversity is not Failure.

Did you hear that? Because we may need to hear it again– Adversity is NOT Failure. Opposition is not an off-ramp. Struggle is not where we are meant to stop. 

We know who we are. If we really stop and listen, we know who we are– that we are His children. The children of perseverance & patience. Children who know that the God who made us as creatives is the God of “Enough to go all around.”

He is the God of more than plenty.

What I’m Loving Lately

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It’s not quite time for a what I learned in April post yet– but here’s a little bit of what I’m loving lately. The new, the old, and the noteworthy:

loving lately

The Ben Rector Brand New Album. We have over-played this album since it’s release. It’s fun, bright, and real. His ability to look at normal everyday life with authentic poetry is what makes him a favorite in our house.

The Hiding Place, which I just finished reading this week. If you’ve never read this account of bravery and love amidst the backdrop of the atrocities of the German Concentration Camps, you must put it on the list. I’ve read it with my 8th grade students this semester, and I appreciate that though the themes are horrible and grisly– there was not an abundance of gratuitous detail which would make it too much for a young student. No feeling or honesty was lacking, but it was done with respect to the victims within the account. Ok. I promise not to talk about this book any more for awhile. (but you should read it!)

My new grown up perfume. I’ve worn the same scent for maybe 13 years and I still like it, but I haven’t been able to smell it for ages. On a recent trip, Lance helped me choose something new– (definitely needed his input, since he will be smelling it!) I chose a little bottle of Tocca by Stella — It’s the perfect blend of floral and citrus with a little hint of something else. It’s fun and freeing to change up things you’ve been doing the same way forever.

This recipe for Baked Chicken Breasts from Gimme Some Oven has been a bit of a game changer. We like grilled-esque chicken but don’t always take the time to grill. This recipe involves just a couple extra steps that produces flavorful chicken that is not at all dry. (Don’t skip the 15 minutes of brining!) We’ve made it several times, for chipotle style salad bowls and just to eat with roasted vegetables for a quick, healthy meal. I am so happy to have found a baked chicken that doesn’t taste like rubber.

Rodan & Fields Redefine Scrub/ Mask. I’ve tried Rodan & Fields skin care before but only in small samples and I’ve always wanted to use it for an extended period of time. My friend Lindsey graciously sent me a tube of this Redefine Mask so that I could really see for myself. Now that I have been using it for an entire month, I can say that my skin care routine was definitely missing a good scrub. My skin tends to be fairly low-maintenance, as long as I keep it that way. I use an eye makeup remover, but other than that– I usually wash my face with only warm water and a cloth. (I know. You 3-step skincare girls out there are horrified. Sorry!) However, after using this as both a mask and a scrub (on different days,) I can definitely see why so many love it. My skin is smoother in texture and appearance, and a few of those pesky mid-thirties lines are already less visible.  If you would like to explore Rodan & Fields for yourself, you can contact my friend Lindsey– she is super sweet and would be happy to be your skincare girl. Email skincarebylindseyisham@ gmail dot com.

Herb & Irma Candles. I happily discovered these soy candles recently– the Coconut & Cilantro smells just like everything summery and the Lemon & Olive Leaf makes our kitchen smell heavenly. Get thee to Target and smell all the candles!

 

Well, that’s about it! What’s on your loving lately list?

IMG_8665(Amazon links are affiliate enabled, all other links are just to make things easier for you to find!) 

What I Learned in March

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At the end of every month, we join with Emily Freeman to share what we learned– both the serious and the silly. At the end I hope you feel free to share what you have learned with me. I’d love to know.

what i learned-2

*I learned that it’s a Segue. (sey-gwey) N. An uninterrupted transition from one thing to another. Ok, so all this time, I thought it was spelled as it sounds, segue-way or seg-way. It seems much of the world does also– because when I looked up the word, I actually read an article which stated that since this word is so commonly mis-spelled, there is some discussion over adding the incorrect spelling as an alternate acceptable version. Wait, what? We spell something wrong enough so we just decide to make it right? #wordsareweird

*I learned that we can do hard things. I wrote about the recent blog redesign in March, but I’m still reeling from the fun rollercoaster of learning all that I did about WordPress, design elements, and even a tiny smidge of code. (gasp! I know. Code.) I’m not going to apply for a Web-Designer job any time soon for sure– (because I actually broke my blog one day during this whole process and still can’t figure out a thing or two,) but there is nothing at all like learning you CAN do something you avoided in fear for so long. It made me wonder what else we would learn from stretching ourselves regularly.

*I learned that technology can delight us. Have you heard of the new Amazon Dash button? Coolest. thing. ever. and they come in over 100 brands — including wait for it– slim-jim. So if you happen to consume a whole lot of beef jerky and fear running out, you can order a slim-jim dash button and bam, get more jerky at the click of a button. It seemed a little Meet – George – Jetson to me at first, but I can see how amazing it would be with things like laundry detergent, dishwasher capsules, etc. I will admit that I watched the video and then googled whether or not it was an early April Fool’s Joke, because you know, gullible.

*I learned that Annie Banks Mackenzie and Jeannie Gaffigan are real life sisters. Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Father of the Bride) and Ashley Williams (The Jim Gaffigan Show) are sisters– how fun is that? I’ve not seen much of the Jim Gaffigan Show but FOB has always been a favorite.

Books I Enjoyed:

Roots & Sky by Christie Purifoy. I have enjoyed this book slowly, like one would a piece of 5-layer Coconut Cake with fresh lemon curd. I would rarely take a year to read one book, but with this one– I was tempted to. Divided into the four seasons of the calendar, Roots & Sky is a soul-satisfying embrace of life’s changes and the beauty within each. I wish I could have read this book when we first moved here five years ago, but I would definitely pick it back up in any life-stage to remind myself to notice the hope of life itself.

“..But it takes time to unlearn habits of fear and worry and fuss. It takes time to learn how to see what is right in front of our noses. We have been eating manna for hundreds of days, but here I am, anxious because our kitchen has no refrigerator and the car that has just been unloaded from the trailer will not start… It is a momentous beginning, but it unfolds gradually and with the usual complications. Box after box.”

–Christie Purifoy, Roots & Sky

Curious Faith by Logan Wolfram. This book is written by one of my favorite people I have met through the internet. You know how it feels to run into someone you know when you’re in a sea of strangers? Like sauntering through an out-of-town mall or walking down an airport concourse, all you see ahead are unfamiliar faces– until you don’t. You see a friend up ahead and you both laugh out loud at the unexpected joy of finding a face you both know?

That’s Logan for anyone who knows her. She is an almost instant friend who gets real about life and God and invites you to do the same. I love that about her. And can I just say, this book oozes with that same authentic honesty? It does. Curious Faith is Logan’s personal journey out of a predictable knowledge of God. Out of the mundane and into the place of waiting with expectancy on the God who delights us with His surprising goodness. This book may be Logan’s story, but so much of it was mine as well. I’m grateful for her obedience in crafting this uplifting memoir of God’s movement in and through her “yes.” And so much of it is just plain fun.

One of the quotes I keep returning to–

“I wonder if our longings were even met, would we know it? If we can’t learn to find life and hope in the seasons of unmet longing, then I’d suggest that pieces of us will still feel dead even when we should be content. Perhaps God eventually satisfies our present desires in ways we imagine, or maybe in His goodness, He re-writes them altogether.”

–Logan Wolfram, Curious Faith 

Up Next on the Nightstand: 

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (I’m speeding through this one– so good.)

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (So late to the KonMari party, but I’ll get there!)

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (I am committing to finish this one in April so I can move on to the next one in May.)

 

Ok. Your turn! What did you learn in March? 

 

Hi, there Are you new here? Let’s take a moment to catch up right over here.

Most Recent Post: Coconut Banana Flax Muffins

Banana Coconut Flax Muffins

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I can serve my children instant waffles like a boss. Slice up a few strawberries, dust that powdered sugar and boom. Done, and they are happy little campers. Most mornings that is exactly how we roll.

But sometimes I realize that spring break is coming ’round the mountain and they’ve been stuffing their cheeks with cadbury eggs every time I leave the room. Sometimes I notice that yogurt has been their main protein for the last few meals and the only part of nature’s rainbow they have tasted has been orange juice. Every now and then I recognize that if I’m going to infiltrate their diet with things like rolled oats and flax seed, I’m going to have to get out the mixing bowl and be sneaky.

muffinsflaxThat is exactly how these Banana Coconut Flax muffins came into our world. They are super quick, very hearty, and will likely please even the pickiest tiny human or their parents. We add a little crushed almonds and raw sugar to the tops for crunch and texture, but you could do crushed granola or even more coconut. Enjoy!

P.S. Try them with an Iced Coffee— it’s pretty much the greatest antioxidant ever.

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Coconut Banana Flax Muffins
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
A hearty, lightly sweet muffin which makes a great breakfast on the go or afternoon snack.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup of raw sugar
  • ¼ cup of maple syrup
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 medium ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 heaping tbs. greek yogurt
  • ¾ cup dried, unsweetened coconut
  • ⅛ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 tbs. flax seed
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a muffin pan.
  2. In a medium bowl- mash bananas. Combine melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, syrup, yogurt, egg and coconut. In a separate bowl- add dry ingredients together-- flours, flax, cinnamon, oats, baking soda, powder and salt. Add dry ingredients into wet all at once and stir gently to combine. Fold in pecans if using.
  3. Topping. We sprinkle the muffins with a mixture of crushed almonds and raw sugar to give them a little extra crunch on top, but you can top them with cinnamon sugar or even nothing at all.
  4. Scoop into a prepared (sprayed with oil or lined with paper liners) muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes or until they are lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

 

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