Annie and Kindness Krewe

Wednesday we went to Front Range for a homeschool showing of Annie the musical.

It was really good, but they started late and we had KK at 2, so we had to leave before the show was over. That was too bad because there were some really great singers, the girls liked it. At KK it was just us, not sure what happened to the others who said they were coming, but here are the finished pots for Habitat for Humanity new homeowners.

I don’t know what the deal is, there were 2 other events going on today, but they were both done (at at least almost done) by the time we started painting pots. I am going to try this one more time in June, I guess we’ll see what happens then. Hannah skipped youth group and we went to Fly’n B to see the owls, then to the store and Michaels. James and I ended the evening with some Gaffigan.

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Worship dance and owls

Surrendering possessions. God gives us everything, He asks that we put Him first, hold possessions with an open hand realizing that every gift, everything we have comes from Him in the first place. When we focus on what we don’t have, rather than be thankful for what we do have, it can stir up feelings of jealousy and discontent – leading us to wonder if God loves us and is on our side. “Enjoy the things we are given, but don’t treat them as eternal, they are temporal so don’t set your heart on them.”

-Don’t let possessions take control of your heart – put God first.

-Don’t let possessions fulfill you – God wants to do that.

-Don’t let possessions be your security – God will take care of you.

-Don’t let possessions be your source of joy – God gives us every good thing for our joy.

Weekend

James, Bethany and I seem to be making a trip to Ground Up Coffee for affogato every weekend….but, it’s so good! James and I went to Bemis library to listen to Blue Sonnet jazz duo. One singer was pretty good, the one that was was playing the piano was much better at piano than singing, but overall it was a nice hour of standards. We went by Phil’s for a drink, then grabbed some items at the store before heading home for pizza night. I didn’t take a pic of them, but the pizzas looked so good. I mad a basil pesto, artichoke, olive, sun dried tomato pizza. We watched some TV, ate pizza and pie and cookies and I went to bed early.

Sunday Grace and I worked in the 2’s room with some very cute children. We played a flashlight game, blew bubbles, watched a cartoon about Paul, did a craft, colored and played. After church we headed by the library Goodwill and Payless, we ended up eating sandwiches at Ba Le for lunch instead of Dim Sum (oh, the line!) We went for a walk at Westlands park and I finally saw the Counterpoint art there.

We watched some TV back at home, read, went to PetCo and then James and I went to TNO where there were 6 Moms that showed up (that’s way more than any other TNO in a long time.) It was fun.

Our week – school, NIA, worship dance, Highlands Ranch historical meeting (did you know they filmed a mini-series at the Mansion?), HR volunteer fair, Annie musical at FR, Kindness Krewe (painting flower pots for Habitat), youth groups, water sampling, HS skate, showing of The Princess Bride (I’ve never seen it), Polynesian day at Aurora museum, Holy yoga – Glowga.

Dinners this week (starting tomorrow) – Sausage soup with tortellini (Hannah), black pepper pork loin and sweet potatoes, chicken cordon bleu (Grace), chicken tikka masala, Chinese 5 spice meatballs, lima beans and sausage

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 slices Swiss Cheese, cut into halves
4 slices ham
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 teaspoons melted light margarine

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of wax paper. Pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Spread mustard down center of each chicken breast; sprinkle with thyme. Top each chicken breast with a half slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of ham. Roll up chicken breast, tucking in ham and cheese to seal. Secure with skewers or toothpicks.
Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in small bowl. Brush chicken with melted margarine and roll in crumb mixture. Place in 8×8-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 20 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Remove toothpicks before serving.

Homeschool day at the Capitol, TDO, Teen nite

We woke up to a dusting of snow, Gimpy was hanging out in the food bowl.

CHEC did an awesome job on the posters that were inside the Capitol.

We were sitting in the House opening.

We started with a prayer, the pledge, the Anthem and reading of the HS day at the Capitol proclamation. Then it was introductions and watching the reps get up and talk about different things. Inside the Capitol.

We left there and headed over to Pillar of Fire church for music, a dramatic John Paul Jones enactment and lecture.

We had lunch at SAME, then I dropped the girls at home and went to TDO at the coffee shop. I was the only one there, so I worked on my folded book art.

James and I dropped off Bethany at Grace at teen night and we went to try Millers and Rossi, an art gallery speakeasy. At first we passed it up, it’s at the back of RiNo, not got a big sign and has a really small front space. The front is an art gallery –

the back is a dimly lit bar with Edison lights, a skylight, more art and great drinks.

We still had time to kill, so we went by Denver Central Market and had a scoop of vegan coconut creme brulee, a drink at Curio and a pizza from Vero.

It was luau night at the museum, so the kids were all wearing leis when we picked them up. Grace went off for a sleepover and Bethany went home with a friend (and then we picked her up at their house.)

Park day

But, first, some encouragement – A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, when I became a mom for the first time I was so excited when people asked me what I did. ‘I am a Mom!’ I would proclaim. I was also a keeper of the home and later an educator of our children, but first I was a Mom. But, as the years passed society buffeted me and told me that being a Mom wasn’t a calling, a job, or a vocation. Eventually when people asked ‘What do you do?’ I would look down, shuffle my foot and say, ‘Oh, I’m just a Mom.’  Then one day I realized that any time I listened to other people say what they do, they would always proclaim ‘I am’. I heard – I am a pastor, I am a doctor, I am a librarian, I am a teacher, I am a cashier. So, the next time I was asked, I stood up straight, looked them in the eye and said, ‘I am a Mom.’ It felt so good! I may not have a paycheck at the end of the week, but I am a Mom and that can be your calling (a strong urge to a particular way of life), your job (your role in society) or your vocation (a strong feeling for a particular occupation).  So to all the Moms out there who carried a child, birthed a child, fostered a child, adopted a child, inherited a child – you are a Mom and that is amazing!

Today was park day, I brought my ukulele and drawing stuff just in case no one else showed up. It was warm, but a bit breezy.

Our homework for botanical illustration class was 3 natural objects and a landscape.

Grace’s bushes at the park and dandelion.

Grace went to see Highschool Musical at a friends school, she said it was really good.

Worship dance, baby owls, St. John’s, PSAT, eagle

Worship dance devotions – the discipline of time, surrendering our time. God is the ruler and creator of time and He is above and outside of it, however He walks through time with us. “Time is a created thing and a gift. We can’t make more of it, so we need to be (disciplined) with how we use it.”

-We must surrender our waiting and wait with hope.
-We must be willing to deviate from our plan to use our time in the way God wants.
-We must surrender worry and trust Him with our time.
-We must slow down and spend time with Him to refresh and refill our spirit.

Jesus waited for His time to do God’s will. He went out of His way when people wanted healing or had questions. He trusted the Father to use Him in the time that He was here. Even Jesus knew that time spent alone was needed to refill His spirit. If He was able to do these things with His time, why do we feel that there is never enough time in our lives to do what God has asked us to do?

Tuesday I went to see the baby owls, look!

We went to St. John’s to hear a string quartet, had Pho for lunch. Grace made chicken and eggplant parmesan for dinner.

Wednesday it was PSAT testing day for Grace. After I dropped her off I ran by Soles for Souls to drop off our shoe donations.

On the way back to the testing area I stopped to take pics of this bald eagle. I spotted him sitting in the tree when I had passed by earlier.

I had a long chat with a friend, picked up Grace, went to lunch and now she’s making cinnamon rolls for youth group.

Weekend

Saturday we took Bethany with us to coffee, ran an errand and then took James on the same walk we did Thursday. We stopped to read the plaques about the 9th street homes and he had never seen them before either. I think it’s funny that as many places we’ve been, this is 1 block from a church we went to program at, yet we never saw the houses. Back at home we watched some TV, Bethany went to work, we made dinner and went to get an Italian ice for dessert. Also Mr. Otter got a new cruise hat.

Sunday – church – Romans 8:28 we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Is God good? Whether our current circumstances are delightful or miserable, God mixes those days and in the end – it is all worked into something good.

We praise the goodness of God because-

He has made every good and perfect thing
from snow capped mountains
to birds that sing.

He is so very good to all
whether granting peaceful days
or picking us up when we fall.

Yes, He is good all the time
when days are wretched
or sunny and fine.

We praise the goodness of God
because in the end
He is good all the time
His love knows no end.

-L

We had lunch at home, then James and I went to the Clyfford Still museum to hear La Pompe (our fav Gypsy jazz band.) The museum was the perfect place to hear them, I think it was by far the best concert we’ve been to with them.

Also, I didn’t realize Clyfford Still ever did any art other than abstract.

After the concert we dropped by American Bonded to try them out, good drinks, bad service. Back at home we went grocery shopping then James grilled burgers while we watched the next Series of Unfortunate Events and Death in Paradise. Zoe decided sleep was better.

This week we have a lot of things on one day and other stuff spread out over the week – NIA, school, worship dance, St. John’s music at noon, dropping shoes at Soles 4 Souls, PSAT test, youth group, park day, High school musical play, HS day at the Capitol, TDO, DMNS teen night, Siren song, working at church, TNO.

Dinners this week – basil pesto shrimp over penne (Hannah), chicken parmesan and baked eggplant (Grace), pecan coconut tilapia and roasted sweet potatoes, butter chicken and veggies (Bethany), teen nite (so eating out for the rest of us), pizza night, TNO for me (so TV dinners for the rest of the crew.)

Pecan Coconut Crusted Fish

Non-Stick Foil 
4 (5 ounce) fish fillets, fresh or thawed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Pecan Coating: 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

Pineapple Mango Salsa: 1 (8 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained
1 large mango, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 15 1/2×10 1/2×1-inch baking pan with Non-Stick Foil with non-stick (dull) side toward food; set aside.
Combine butter, salt and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add fish and stir to coat; set aside. Combine pecans, coconut and bread crumbs. Spread mixture on a sheet of wax paper. Roll fish in coconut mixture, turning to coat evenly. Press on additional mixture, if necessary. Place in a single layer in foil-lined pan.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or just until fish is opaque throughout. Serve with salsa.
For salsa: Combine pineapple, mango, red pepper, green onions, red wine vinegar, cilantro and salt. Chill; serve with fish.