Yummy…

I have been meaning, for a long time, to make my Papa’s granola. He makes the best, healthy granola. So last night, I decided to make a batch. I am going to try to keep some all the time. It is so much better than buying the granola in a box: cheaper and you actually know what’s going in it.

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My 15 year old niece, Kayla, was here last night, hanging out. There are moments with her that I think, “I wonder how crazy she thinks I am…” One of those was when the granola came out of the oven (she thinks it’s strange that I make anything homemade) and I started taking tons of pictures of it to get just the right light for this shot. I looked over and she was just staring at me like I was someone she didn’t even know. Then she just said, “I’m used to it.” And so, I’m sure she is….

Anyways, here is the recipe, in case you feel the need to be weird like me and make your own granola…

Papa’s Walnut Molasses Granola

Ingredients:

3 c. rolled oats

1 c. wheat germ

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. sesame seeds

2 T. Molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly

3. Transfer to a 9×13 in. baking dish

4. Bake for 25 minutes, turning often

5. Granola should look golden brown.

Enjoy!

February Love

So much is going on right now. Amazing things! My little angel is growing like a weed. She does something new everyday. My favorite time of the day is when she wakes up in the morning in between us sleeping. The first thing she does is look at Papa to see if he is awake yet. If he isn’t, she will coo and laugh and talk until he takes a peek at her, then she gives him the biggest smile of the whole day. I love to watch them. I’ve never seen anyone love their Papa like she loves him.
My February has been full of lots of unexpected surprises. One big one that you will have to wait till next post to hear about. But for now, here is what’s going on in my world…
1. The amazing blessing of a king-size bed!!! Only one aspect of my awesome Valentine’s Day. This may have been the only good Valentine’s Day I can remember.

2. Spring has come early, it seems. So I have been filling my house with the beauty of it!

3. My sister brought her 2 year old over for a Valentine Tea Party. I LOVED it! Unfortunately, I got no pictures of Rachel, the two year old, I know, how could I!
4. Lots of time together. We have been so blessed to be able to spend more time together than most families. Joseph’s job schedule allows that we both can be extremely involved in her life and spend lots of time just the two of us as well. What a HUGE blessing!
5. And last, Scarlet is officially eating cereal. She started last week. There was one night that she had it all over her, her hands, and Joseph’s beard. I wish my camera had been around for that. It has become normal to change clothes all three times a day that she eats cereal. You can imagine what my wash room looks like.

Yes, many things are going on. February has been good. I was reading Soulemama’s blog about how dull February gets for her. Not this year in the Suo House, nothing is dull. I remember one year on Valentine’s Day when I worked in a flower shop. I spent three days before Valentine’s Day pulling thorns off of roses. I would go home and soak my hands from all the scratches. The 14th was spent getting every woman in town flowers. It was amazing to see how many husbands and boyfriends would come in and not even care what you gave them. They just knew that they couldn’t go home empty handed. Well, this year was a realization of how incredible it is to have a wonderful, creative, and caring husband in my life that can go above and beyond what I could even think. He did awesome job at being sure that this Valentine’s I would never doubt that I was loved, cared for, and cherished beyond words. Sometimes I think I got the best there is. No one can beat my hubby. 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful February. Spring is just around the corner. I can’t wait to see what this season holds.

Good Times For All….

This has been a great week…productive and fun. Joseph has gotten some very fun opportunities that I’m sure you all will hear about. God is so good and always right on time.

I, on the other hand, have been wrestling with some of the things I’ve planned to do for the year that have not taken-off yet. To be honest, I have been frustrated with God’s timing. Funny isn’t it… that I would ever think that He didn’t know what He was doing. When all along, in another area of our lives He has shown us that He has it all laid out perfectly. I am learning to rest in Him and at the same time not procrastinate. God always has us covered. How awesome it is to know that.

Saturdays are always fun. They consist of getting ready for Sunday. 🙂 Sundays are our busiest day of the week. Which makes me laugh since it used to be the day of rest. Joseph and I would love to rest, but Sundays are too exciting to rest. Joseph loves what he does and I love to support him and help any way I can. Tonight helping meant making yummy food for tomorrow so that he can come home and rest… for about 2 hours… then go back. 🙂

Friday: Dinner at Rose’s House

Friday night we got invited to our friends home for dinner. It is so awesome to take time to sit, eat, and share stories about life. What an amazing woman Rose is. Someone that God obviously adores considering all that He has blessed her with. For one thing, she has amazing kids. A beautiful woman, mother, and friend.

Thursday: Time for ME!!!


After the baby was in bed and the house was quiet I took some time for myself. Recently I have realized how much this is needed. I am learning to find and cherish the very few quiet times of my day. Sometimes I have to just make them happen in the midst of chaos. Not to say that my life is that chaotic. But it can become that way if I allow it to. It may sound completely silly to you… all of you… but I was at the library the other day and saw a Laura Ingalls Wilder book and remembered reading the whole series as a little girl. I decided to begin at the beginning of the series and work my way through. It’s a little harder than I thought to find time to read anything but the essentials. But I decided to make it happen anyway. I’ve been reading to Scarlet and she loves it. She’ll sit through a whole chapter, just laughing and listening to my voice. Gosh… I couldn’t have asked for a sweeter baby girl.

I have never loved life as much as I do at this very moment. Stuff always happens: Scarlet spitting up on her clothes the second I put them on her, unplanned situations, traffic 🙂 …. but I could never have asked for a better life. I try to constantly remember never to take life for granted. I want to always remember to take time for myself so that I can take care of my family and love people well. Isn’t that what life is all about anyway?

…Loving people well.