9

The Chachi Band in nine.  I know we are supposed to take this one year at a time, but all I can think is Oh my word almost double digits!!

We are planning an Amazing Race party with her friends for when it gets warm out.  So stay tuned for that.  Should be quite a thing.

She requested spaghetti, spinach salad, and mountain dew.  That, my friend, I can most definitely do.  She got to pick out a new bike.  It's currently unridden because she is quite exasperated that it is taller than her last one and feels slightly different when you try to get on.  Oh girlie, its good to see that even though we are creeping up on double digits, some things stay the same.

Despite this being the norm around here...

...Riv was still so excited to give her a Blingles set.

And Sage was still thrilled to unwrap all the mini-snickers for her birthday cookies...

Speaking of....

These are some of the tastiest gluten free cookies I have found to date.  They are the right kind of soft, tasty, and easy!  Here you go....

1 c. margarine

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 1/2 c. gluten-free flour (I used my standby mix.  See here)

48 mini snickers

Cream together the margarine, sugar, and brown sugar.  Mix in the vanilla, eggs, and milk.  Mix in the soda, salt, and flour.  Wrap a glob of dough around a mini snickers.  Yes, a glob.  I found this to be easiest if I got my hands a little wet.  Place on a well-greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes.  Let cool slightly on the pan and then move to a mat to cool.  Makes 4 dozen.

They don't look like much, but they taste like MUCH!  You can top them with sprinkles if you're in the birthday mood.  

ring the bells

I'm sorry to have been absent for basically forever in blogosphere time.  There have been train trips, colds, another leg surgery (of the TMI nature - see tab), hot dog grilling, valentines, soccer games, wrestling, lost chickens, found chickens, dance parties, working two jobs, quite a lot of yelling, fortunately some laughing, bike rides, fights, diaper changing, and thank God finally a teensy bit of sunshine.

"Ring the bells that still can ring.  Forget your perfect offering.  There is a crack in everything.  That's how the light gets in."
- Leonard Cohen

That quote has found me three times in the chaos of the last week.  Once on a book's dedication page, next in a sermon I read, and then in a text from a friend.  Serendipity.

It is the singular happy accident of this messy life that the light gets in.  That there are cracks.  That perfection is released and forgotten.  And in it all the bells ring.

My ringing wind chimes have all week this windy week-long accompanied this quote in my mind. That's how the light gets in.

happy day!

I hijacked the kids' valentines again.  Drumroll please.

we'll put a sucker with this one..

a nose pencil sharpener on top of her nose for this one...

and laffy taffy for the Buzz...

Press ON

"There is no oil, if olives are not squeezed.
No wine, if grapes are not pressed.
No perfume, if flowers are not crushed.
Have you felt any pressure today; have you felt squeezed...?
God is bringing the best out of you.  Just Press ON."

Geez louisa, life presses us, doesn't it?!

At the end of the day, I feel gratitude.

For an unlikely friend who knows just the words I need.
For children who nap for two hours.
For my old purple blanket.
For communion and a chance to be made new.

And...sigh...even for the pressure.  For the squeezing and crushing and pressing of life.

Press ON.

brrrrrrr biscotti

Its never going to be warm again.  Never ever.  Its going to snow forever.  All day every day.  From here to eternity.

Blahhhhhhh.

The only way to power through the cold - and having kids with OH SO MUCH ENERGY home from school - is to drink hot coffee all day long.  Bottomless pot.  That's what we've got going on here.  Along with this amazing biscotti.

Normal biscotti is always a disappointment.  Like you spend $3.50 on it at the coffee shop, and then no amount of dunking can bring it a flavor that satisfies your big spend.  Not true with this, my very favorite recipe.  It has plenty of taste, and just the right crunch to let you feel like you accomplished something.

Its no-fail and oh.so.goooooooood.  Here you go.....

Almond Chocolate Biscotti

1 package of chocolate cake mix (any kind - it truly doesn't matter)

1 c. flour

1/2 c. melted butter

1/4 c. chocolate syrup

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 c slivered almonds

3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. white chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. shortening

Combine the dry cake mix, flour, butter, syrup, eggs, and extracts.  Mix well.  Stir in almonds and 1/2 c. of chocolate chips.  Divide dough in half.  On greased baking sheets, shape each portion into a 12 x 2 inch log.

This is what it will look like.  I'm including this photo only because I'm not mature.  A log.  Ha.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Cool for 15 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and use an electric knife to cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.  Place the cut side down on the baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes longer.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

Melt together the vanilla chips and shortening.  Spread over the side or top of the biscotti  Let stand until hardened.  Melt the remaining 1/4 c. chocolate chips.  Put the melted chocolate in a baggie with the corner cut off (or icing dispenser if your name is Jena) and drizzle it over the top.  Cool.  

Dunk and eat.  Yum.

And this picture is because it makes me remember warm, sunny Michigan.  Which makes me hopeful.