Now, Our God, We Give You Thanks

Oh, the joy of new cookie sheets!  Small things delight small people.  

I love that.

See that mischievous one on the left there?  She gave me an awful scare yesterday by getting into pure vanilla extract.  Paul had gotten ingredients out for a cake, and I told Peter to watch them while I put a few pajamas away.  I feared Beth would dump the sugar or flour on the floor (or something).  The vanilla extract wasn't on my radar.  

Five minutes later I went out to the kitchen to find Beth on a chair, with vanilla extract spilled down her chin.  I got the poison center number, after having myself a little panic, and learned that she'd probably be fine, but I should watch her for drunkenness.  (Um, what two year old doesn't act a little drunk? They're a goofy lot, to say the least.)  Thankfully we had used about 4 teaspoons of the extract, and there was still half of it left after the scare, so it appears she tried to drink some but it spilled down her chin and little got into her system.  

The spilling down her chin?  That was the grace of God!  Vanilla extract is 70% ethanol by volume. Never before has it been an issue; when the others were little I used store-bought cookies and desserts.  I simply didn't bake much at all.  Whole foods or not, I'm seriously considering buying the fake vanilla extract until Beth is four years old.  In my research, I also learned that nutmeg is dangerous for little ones.  I don't have a locked place to keep spices.  That ingenious Beth can get into any cupboard in the kitchen.  

Here are some facts from justthefactsbaby.com

Baking Hazards

While your kids may love to help out with holiday baking, make sure spices and extracts are kept out of reach. Children can get high from nutmeg and become intoxicated and extremely sick from ethanol-containing products, such as vanilla and almond extracts. Ethanol causes Central Nervous System depression, which can lead to respiratory compromise when ingested. It may also result in dilated pupils, flushed skin, gastrointestinal distress, hypothermia and hypotension. Vanilla extract can be harmful even in small doses, as it contains up to 70 percent ethanol by volume (compared to beer, which contains between two and six percent ethanol). If you suspect your child has helped themselves to vanilla extract, contact your doctor immediately.

When the naughty mother eats too many chocolate baking chips, it's chocolate chocolate-chip cookies, without the chips.  Still good, mind you.

I wish I could say that I eat chocolate chips merely because I love them.....but no.  The truth is I eat them because life with a two year old, delightful though she is, can be exhausting and stressful.  The more she gets into mischief, the more I go to the cupboard to get a few chips.  Lord give me strength!  Or carrots.  The good news is that with her around, I rarely sit down, so chocolate chips don't make me fat.

What will I do when my house is emptied of their art?  I say yes to paint, to the mess, because someday there will be no brilliance like this coloring my walls. (Mary, age 4)

Eventually, we get around to washing hair and bodies.  I will miss bath letters someday, just like the brilliant paintings.

When you go into a closed bedroom to nurse your baby, you never know what the rest of them are concocting.  You just pray they survive your absence.

There will always be God's brilliant colors! 

Blue sky and sunshine after a new snow.  The camera doesn't capture it, but it's beautiful on these bright mornings.

The landscape changed again Sunday night.  All this snow is gone now.  Last night brought 50 degrees and thunderstorms.

Monday Gratitude

- For a book series that has my Peter continuing to read, despite his ongoing OCD issue with the repeating of words and phrases.  The mystery series, Jigsaw Jones, for 2nd and 3rd graders, is wholesome and funny.  I've read four of the series and I'm pleased with them, as are Peter and Paul.  I've laughed out loud and shed tears at the sweetness of the little boy, Jigsaw Jones.  They are fast-paced with good storyweaving.  Mind you, I've not read all of them yet, so I can't vouch for the whole series.  I read four chapters ahead of Peter and then hand the book over to him.  After he's caught up with me, I read four more chapters ahead.  He enjoys sharing the mystery, the jokes, and the smiles with me.

- For the Leapfrog Twist and Shout Multiplication device, purchased from Amazon for $22.  Peter is already making great strides with his facts, after just a few days.  

- For a gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love.

- For the dawning of a new day......for a new opportunity to be the face of Christ to my children.

- Holding husband's hand during church.

- For my children, who always forgive my sins after I confess.  It took me a half hour to fix a toilet tonight.  It made us late for baths, stories, bedtime, and I had myself a little hissy fit, exhausted from frustration. Parental fits stress the children and I always loathe myself afterwards.  Nighttime solo parenting is so hard, but God has blessed me with forgiving children!

- Family bonds strengthened by homeschooling

- Learning, living, working, loving.....together

1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.