All about weddings!

Two of David's friends have gotten married in the last month and thus I have found out that Irish weddings are lots of fun, but VERY long! The actual ceremony is pretty short and sweet, but then there is the picture taking and that usually takes several hours. (It's no big deal if you are close enough to go home, but if you have to wait around...it gets a bit long.) Then there is the meal which is usually very welcomed by that point.

It's all very Biblical really. Remember the story of the 10 virgins that fell asleep waiting for the bridal party to arrive? I can totally relate now!

Here are some photos of the first wedding we went to in May:

The Bride and Groom

Paul and Karen.

Paul was best man and did an excellent job on his speech!

My beautiful sister-in-law!

This was the menu! Yummy!

Trying to get Mariah to look at the camera!

Success at last!

Mariah is wearing the dress that my Mom made her. She got loads of comments on it! Thank you Mom!!

Here is Maryann with Mariah

Our friends, Brian and Tracie, also recently got married. Their wedding was beautiful and so much fun. They had a caleigh dance at their reception and I managed to capture a bit of it on video for you.

So that's a wee taste of an Irish wedding or two for you! Celebrating marriage is always wonderful.

Angus Buchan

What a privilege it was to hear this mighty man of God speaking to a full house last night at the Fintona Horse Arena. It was an encouraging message and I managed to catch a little bit of it for you. Just so you can get a small taste of his great accent and wonderful sense of humor!

Photo challenge: day 7

Going to church in Derry.

The photo above is technically my "photo-of-the-day" but I couldn't resist posting this next one too. One of the things I love about Ireland is the ancient history that is all around. Hundred year old buildings, multi-generational farms, and old graveyards with gravestone from the 1700s.

It's not too hard to image a horse and carriage parking down there a hundred years ago or so. It's a pretty tight fit for some cars these days!

(taken at 12:10 pm)

Photo challenge: day 6

It's a perfect window-washing day!

(3:20 pm)

Photo challenge: day 5

"The nappies, my friend, are blowing in the wind.

The nappies are blowing in the wind."

(or something like that)

Mariah crawled about while I hung up her nappies to dry (at about 1:30 this afternoon). If you look closely you will see that Mariah has dirt on her mouth...yes, she was eating it. She seems happy enough, although I was not. I lectured her on the germs and bugs that she could have ingested but she just looked at me with those big blue eyes and smiled. I don't think my lecture made much impact.

Photo Challenge: day 4

Look what came in the mail today!!!

Mariah's first passport.

I think she looks like a little Mafia baby in this picture. She wasn't really in the smiling mood in spite of my many efforts. This was the best one in the end, but I guess a person has to take these things seriously. After all, she is an official citizen of the USA now!

(Photo taken at 2:30 pm)

Photo Challenge: day 3

Rejoicing in this amazing day that God has made!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

~Psalm 118:24

(Photo taken at 5:07 pm)

Photo Challenge: day 2

Nothing says "Summer" like

juicy red strawberries!

(taken at 3:25 pm)

A few days ago, the very first strawberry was perfectly ripe and ready to eat. So I brought it into the house and David and I split it! We savored each teensy bite with happy summertime bliss.

*This Photo Challenge is the brain child of the Tingelstad girls! Check out their blog here!

Photo Challenge: day 1

Two girls that I admire very much have a wonderful blog here. They are doing a photo challenge and I am going to try my best to do one whenever I can...maybe more a photo-every-other-day in my case, but I will try my best!

Here is my photo from today! (actually two photos): Taken around 2:30 pm

This is Asher...he is just so squishably cute that I can hardly stand it!

We hung out with our babies while our husbands went golfing on this lovely day off (bank holiday). Thanks for a lovely day, Laura!

8.5 months old

...and 100 miles an hour! I can barely keep up with all her little achievements these days. It's so much fun but gives me a slightly panicky, "wait-I'm-not-ready-for-you-to-grow-up-so-fast" feeling.

*sigh*

...I guess that's why some moms always cry at major events and weddings and stuff. I didn't really get it before. I think I am totally going to be that mom!

Here is a little snippet of her latest goings-on:

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

After several requests for this recipe, I thought it would be fun to share it here. This is for all of you spicy, chewy oatmeal cookie lovers. These are super duper yummy!!

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

(adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking)

Yield: 50 cookies

Baking Temperature: 350 F (177 C)

Baking Time: 13 to 17 minutes (depending on if you prefer them chewy or crisp)

3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (9 3/8 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 1/3 cups (4 5/8 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour

2 cups (9 to 12 ounces) dried fruit: diced apples, chopped dates, dried cranberries, raisins, chopped dried apricots or the dried fruits of your choice

1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Cream the butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices, vinegar and vanilla. Beat in the egg. Add the oats, flour, dried fruit and nuts, and stir to combine. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top), until they're beginning to brown around the edges but are still soft in the center, 14 minutes. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool.

And so it begins...

...the lifetime adventure with food!

Since I am so fond of reading cooking websites and blogs like this one and this one, I was excited that it was time for Mariah to taste her very first bite of "real" food. I think food is so fun and such an amazing part of God's wonderful creation!

We, of course (being the over-the-top-first-time-parents that we are), had to video this momentous occasion. Blogger is not allowing me to upload videos again today. I've been trying for several days but no luck...so a link it is.

Here it is!

*And please pay no attention to the mommy! I told David to NOT get me in the video because I was not presentable and my hair was...well, yucky...yes, that's the word. But he sort of forgot, I guess. Ugh!

Reading books (cont.)

Here is a little snippet of Mariah "reading" her book.

Loving books

Mariah got a bunch of really great books as gifts and I was thinking that I couldn't wait until she was old enough to enjoy them. I thought she was a bit too young yet but she already loves having stories read to her. It's great because I love reading out loud (even to David, which he thinks is weird but patiently tolerates anyway)!

Here she is enjoying her animal book that she got from her cousins:

Looks like she's at a really good part here...

I think she likes this one!

My favorite cooking blog

Cooking for Seven

Photo by Erica Berge

This is such a lovely blog. The photography is incredible, the recipes are scrumptious, and the writing is captivating. Not only that, the blog mistress is related to me! She is my beautiful cousin, Erica, full of grace, inner and outer beauty, and loads of talent.

AND...up until March 23rd, you can enter to win a pack of delicious granola if you visit and comment!

Happy Half Birthday!

Six months old today!

Six months...that's half a YEAR!! I think I am in denial. Just the other day David was looking at her and said that he didn't know how he would ever be able to walk her down the aisle, she is just too precious to give away! I think that day will come way too fast, so I am taking loads of pictures of these wonderful days that we have right now. They are each one such a blessing!

It reminds me of that song...

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living,

Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;

Hold my hand as we run

through the sweet fragrant meadows,

Making mem'ries of what was today.

We have this moment to hold in our hands

And to touch as it slips

through our fingers like sand;

Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,

But we have this moment today.

(Gaither)

Okay, I got all weepy just typing that! Oh goodness, the things motherhood does to you!

(Please pardon the creepy looking stuffed bee that she is holding in the above picture! It made her happy so I went with it.)

Wanted: Attitude shift!

This really got to me this morning.

"It's not what this church can do for you,

but what you can do for Jesus Christ and His church!

Think of that attitude shift, saying,

'God, You made this life and You have called me for more than just to save me. You have rescued me so that I could become a rescuer!'

It's not your-skin-and-how you-can-save-it, it's how you can spend it for His glory."

That's the ATTITUDE!

Rollin' over!

This afternoon I laid Mariah on her back down on the floor to change her diaper. Then I went into the laundry to grab her diapers and when I came back she was like this!!...

I was so excited that I grabbed the camera and took a picture, and while I was previewing the picture, she rolled over again!...

I think she is pretty proud of herself. Or maybe her big smile has to do with the fact that I was cheering and clapping like a crazy mommy!

Sleepyhead

If this doesn't work for you, click here!

Valentine's Day recap

My wonderful Valentine walked into the house a few days ago carrying these...

I just love them and I love him! I am abundantly blessed!

I had fun reminiscing over the last few years of Valentine's Days.

Three years ago: I was a completely single girl, not even bothering to mention Valentine's Day at all!

Two years ago: I was celebrating my first Valentine's Day with a REAL Valentine all my own!

One year ago: I was married to my wonderful Valentine and living in Ireland. PLUS, we had this to announce!

And now, we have our own sweet, tiny Valentine to love! God is so good!

Here she is with the neighbor boy. I guess I am going to have to talk to her about the six-inch rule.