The Quotidian (30. 3. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace. 

Retiring this piece of artwork after about ten years of service.

Replaced by this canvas print ~ one of Calvin's from our trip.

Model of Big Ben put together by our Austin ~ it's a treasure.
(It lives on the shelf just below Calvin's print.)

All prettied up for studies.

Our dishwasher quit ~ it's fixed now...yippee!

A leak.

The temporary fix.

The paper carriers ~ taken in secret through the window.

After the match.

Always creating.

Just before moving it all out so Calvin could move in.
And, God is good.  Always.

Happy Monday!
With Love, Camille

Brown Sugar Granola

Mornings go better with granola, right?

At least, that seems to be the consensus around these parts.

Apparently, it doesn't get made often enough in this here kitchen.

The other day, a request was put in by one of our boys for some, so, I obliged.

I agreed that some granola might be a nice change from

the usual oatmeal.  I was right.

Everyone approved.  And, the granola?  It was easy and yummy.

Next time, maybe it will be a boy who whips up a batch.

This one didn't last more than two days.

Jennifer Jo has posted more than one granola recipe over

the last few years on her blog.  I dug this one out of her archives.

Only a few alterations were made from the original recipe found here.

Thank you, Jennifer Jo...your recipes are always a win with all of us.

What you need:

10 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup chopped pecans (soaked and dried are best)

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 and 1/3 cup golden brown sugar

a light sprinkling of sea salt

2/3 cup melted coconut oil (unrefined, cold pressed)

2/3 cup grapeseed oil (or any neutral tasting oil)

3/4 cup water

1/2 Tbsp maple flavouring

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

What you do:

Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Mix together all wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix thoroughly.
Spread onto two jelly roll pans (cookie sheets with sides) lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 250 degrees F for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
Test for doneness by removing a small amount of granola and allowing
to cool...it should be golden in colour have a nice light crunch to it.

Serve with cold milk and any add-ins you like.
Store in a sealed container and use in about a week or so.
Freeze for longer storage ~ absolutely not necessary around here.

Happy Granola-ing!
Many Blessings, Camille

Fancy Date

Way back before Christmas, a great coupon deal for a local restaurant flashed

across my screen.  I snapped one up and wrapped it in a box

and put it under the tree for Howie.  It was one of his gifts from me.

(Of course, my intention was that we would use it together.)

We redeemed that coupon last week.

It was for Bridges Restaurant located on Granville Island.

The restaurant overlooks the water and is situated between two bridges...

hence, it's name.  :)  There are windows everywhere which reflect light, but,

these images still give a glimpse of the view.  Stunningly beautiful.

We stayed until the sun went down and the lights came up.

The food was amazing.  Just look at the dessert!  (We shared it.)

If you are in the area, Bridges is a wonderful spot for a fancy date.

But, make sure you have a coupon!  It's the only way to go.
Trust my advice on this...you'll be sorry if you don't.  :)

What's your favourite restaurant to go to on a date?
Or, do you prefer to go hiking or cycling or sightseeing with your Sweetie?
Please share your ideas in the comments...I'm all ears.  :)

Happy Wednesday Y'all!
With Love, Camille

The Quotidian (23. 3. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

On one of Emma's birthday cards ~ all the way from Wales.

My sister made it ~ any guesses?

This one is for the H boys ~ he really, really, really does this...most days.

Where I often find him.

Part of the half cow I bought ~ thank you, Sue.  :)

Soaked and cooked and recipe ready.

Still in use ~ all.the.time.

Making one of her own.

Distance shot (from the kitchen window).

Directly under ~ looking up.

If we slow it all down and take it all in, we find beauty.
It's there.  Even in the littlest of things.
May the Lord help us this day to open our eyes to see.

With Love, Camille

Liberties and Heresies

Our pastor has been preaching through Matthew.

We are currently in chapter eighteen.  In a recent sermon he expounded

on liberties and heresies and what we are to do with them.

It made and impression on me.  Clarity came through the insights he shared.

Very often, liberties are made law.  A list of rules to follow.

The problem is, however, the list is different for everyone.

What's on it, and what isn't, varies from person to person.

We so frequently are guilty of adding to Scripture with these lists

of ours, and then, we try to impose them on others.

It's wrong.  Plain and simple.

There are many grey areas that Scripture doesn't deal with specifically.

Conversely, there are many areas that it does address.  Emphatically.

We can infer things from God's Word and apply that wisdom to the grey
areas we encounter.  The black and white areas, however, remain just that.

Black and white.

There is no room for heresy to be embraced for the sake of peace
or in the name of love.  It's not loving to accept the unacceptable.
Peace is not truly peace when it is based on a false premise.

There are non-negotiables in Scripture.  We must stand firm on those.

There is no leeway when it comes to the Deity of Christ, the Trinity,

or the Gospel and how a person is saved.  We cannot make these areas grey.

These are the things we must be willing to die for.

But, the grey areas?  Ought we to stand to the utmost on those?
We all have convictions.  And, very often, they are different from our brother's.
Differences are not a bad thing.  There is such a thing as embracing those things
for your family that the Lord has called you to.  It is actually right and good to do so.

But, we must not impose those things on others.

We also are to be sensitive to those who land in a different camp than we find ourselves in.
Some may have liberty in one area that we are not free to embrace.
We might have liberty where another would falter.
It's in cases like these that we are to forgo our rights in order not to wound
another brother's (or sister's) conscience.  We are called to sacrifice.

We must not parade our liberties like badges of honour.

How much wisdom we need to navigate this life!
Thankfully, the Lord promises to give wisdom to His people
as they seek Him for it.  What a blessing it is to have His Word to turn to.
What a blessing it is to have one another to glean from.

What a blessing it is that we are not in this alone.

May the Lord help us to extend grace to those around us
in those areas in which we have liberty.
May He also give us a loving disposition one toward another
as we hold fast to those non-negotiables.
And, may He give us the wisdom to know the difference.

With Love, Camille

Fresh Perspective

As parents, we sometimes can get panicky over the bigger things of life.
One of those being what our children will do for a living when they become adults.
As home-educating parents, it may sometimes seem like it's all up to us.

And that, my friends, is a daunting thought.
It can almost become a paralyzing one, actually.

But, we must get our heads (and hearts) above the clouds
in order to see clearly and breathe easily.  Refocus.
The Lord is so good to us, isn't He?  He leads and guides and directs.
He is faithful to orchestrate everything in our lives for His purposes.

Why would this not be the case for our children?
If they belong to Him, He will lead them, too.

I stumbled across (is there really such a thing for a Christian?)
a wonderful, insightful, encouraging and steadying blog post on vocations.
Click here to read it.  I am sure you will find your heart to be blessed if you do.
Don't we all benefit from a little fresh perspective once in awhile?

God's Word is a sure foundation on which to build our lives.
It's a precious thing to remind ourselves of what our real purpose is,
and Who it is we are to glorify in the process of living it out.
The following are some of the verses I have found to be a blessing
as I contemplate these things.

"Whether therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God."  I Corinthians 10:31

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;..." Ecclesiastes 9:10

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by him."  Colossians 3:17

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  James 1:5

May the Lord truly give us daily His grace and strength
to live our lives for His glory.  Now and forever.
May we be found following Him wherever He leads.
We have nothing to fear.  Everything to hope. Because He is good.
And, He always does all things well.

With Love, Camille

Scary Good

For Christmas morning breakfast, it's our tradition to have cinnamon buns.

They are time consuming and require a little advance planning to make it to the table.

I usually bake them ahead of time and pop them in the freezer so they are all ready to go.

This year I wasn't motivated, so, I purchased ready made cinnamon buns.

But, then!  This recipe flashed across my screen and suddenly,
I knew what had to be done.  And, that's what I did.

I found that following the recipe exactly resulted in too much bread.
(My instructions are similar to the ones on the side of the bag of frozen buns).

So, the number of buns required has been reduced, which is how we all prefer it.

And, did I mention that they almost pass for the real deal?
They're scary.  Scary good.  :)

Follow these simple instructions in order to have some amazing cinnamon buns
fresh from the oven in the morning.  Your loved ones will love you (more) for it.

Go to the freezer section of your grocery store and pick up a bag of
unbaked frozen white dinner rolls.
Generously grease a bundt cake pan with butter,
and lay 12 rolls in the bottom of it ~ they may overlap a little.

Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp Bird's Custard Powder, 1/2 cup brown sugar,

and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon.  Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over all.

If you cannot get your hands on Bird's...then, any cooked
vanilla pudding powder will do.  You use it in the powdered state.

Cover with plastic wrap and set on counter for about 8 hours (overnight).

In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and remove
plastic from buns.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Turn out (top side down) onto serving plate and
allow to cool a little before glazing.

Whisk together icing sugar, cream and vanilla extract

until a barely pour-able glaze is made.

Drizzle over cinnamon buns and serve immediately.
They are best warm and eaten all up on the first day.
(That's never been a problem around here).

Enjoy!  (Just not too often...wink.)
I need to follow my own advice on this one.

With Love, Camille

The Quotidian (13. 3. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

The princess plays piano.

Lessons go better with layers.

Towels on the line ~ view from the kitchen sink.

Thirteen candles on the cake.

The view I had.

The book I read.

Bravely going through with it.

Date night with young man #2.

A box of six.

Hazardous.

Happy Friday!

With Love, Camille