So. Much. Better.

We have a closet which hides many faults.

It is one of those additions to our home that I love.

However, it can become a catch-all for those things

that cannot be attended to immediately.

You know how it goes ~ if there's space, it will be filled.
That's how it goes around here.  Maybe it's not like that for you?

This closet is for curriculum storage and keepsakes.

Camp chairs and sleeping bags and backpacks ~ they are there, too.
Archives of this and that, and even the outdoor furniture cushions find 
a home behind its closed doors.  It can quickly get out of hand.

Enter the need for a big clear out once in awhile.
Where does all this stuff come from?

So...clear out I did!  You know how it goes.
You've got to make a mess before order is restored.
See the mess?  Oh!  The Mess!!

But, before long, I had four boxes at the door ready to go to charity.
(And, a young man eager to drive alone who took them all away ~ Yippee!)

Curriculum to sell was stacked on the stairs.

More curriculum was filed into a bin ~ ready for a new home.

Orderliness restored to the closet ~ Woohoo!

Ahhh ~ It feels So. Much. Better.

How about you?  Do you clear out closets in the same way?
Do you make a big mess in the process?  Tell me I'm not the only one.
Or, do you keep everything perfectly maintained all the time?
(If so, please don't tell me about it.  That would just not be kind.  Not at all.)

Happy Fall!  
With Love, Camille

What If...

What if we all did this?  I mean really did it.

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,

but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every

man also on the things of others."  Philippians 2:3-4

What would life be like?  What would we be like?

It's impossible without the Lord.  It's only lasting with Him.
Pondering these things these days.  Letting it really sink in.
Just a little food for thought this Monday morning.

Hugs to you all!
Camille

More Special than Ever

The Hundred Acre Wood is within walking distance of our home.

It's not really Winnie the Pooh's wood ~ we just named it that.
I suppose it all came about due to our children being little and well
versed in all things Winnie-the-Pooh ~ back in the day.

Our children have walked and cycled with us on its paths over the years.

Very often, we would take a little extra time to meander 

through the neighbouring cemetery along its borders.
We would read the grave markers and quietly ponder
those who were spoken of ~ the lives they represented.

We liked that little cemetery.  The children liked it, too.

We had no idea that one of our own would end

up being buried there.  No idea at all.

But, he is.  And now, it is more special than ever.

These photos are from today's walk ~ just the two of us.

Have a beautiful weekend!
With Love, Camille

What's for Dinner? ~ September Edition

What's for Dinner? ~ September Edition.
 Just to clarify ~ I have a month of dinners figured out.

I don't necessarily assign specific meals to specific days.
What works best for me is to group the meals into weeks
and then to go from there.

I also include some ideas for breakfast and lunch on my plan (not shown) ~
however, I don't have the whole month planned out for those meals.
As a money-saving strategy, I am incorporating beans/meatless meals weekly.
One of my goals is to have fish on a weekly basis as well.

At the beginning of the month, I make a master list for the staple items 
I will need for the entire month and shop for them all at once ~ or, try to.
At the beginning of each new week, I make my grocery list for the 
fresh items I will need and shop for them accordingly.

Oh, and one more thing.  I fill in the gaps when I make my weekly list.  
That is, the main dish is decided for the month overview,
but, the sides get plugged in at the beginning of each week.
That's why the first week looks more fleshed out ~ because we are in it!
Any questions?  Feel free to ask.  Now...here's the list.

September 1-7:

~ Shrimp Creole

~ Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

~ Homemade Fish and Chips with Coleslaw

~ Trader Joe's Chicken with Nugget potatoes, carrots and Greek Salad

~ Trisha's Crock Pot Chicken with rice and steamed broccoli

~ Hamburger Soup

~ Skillet Dinner

September 8-14:

~ Farmer's Breakfast

~ Baked Salmon

~ Chicken Pot Pie

~ Shepherd's Pie

~ Black Bean Crock Pot Soup

~ Tanya's Chicken Soup

~ African Dish

 September 15-21:

~ Leek and Potato Soup

~ Sweet Potato Lentil Curry

~ BBQ Meatballs

~ Chicken Stir Fry

~ Salmon Loaf

~ Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

~ Beef Stew

September 22-28:

~ Sweet and Sour Lentils
~ Meat Loaf and Scalloped Potatoes
~ Tuna Fish Cakes with Foil Veggies
~ Autumn Chowder
~ Chili with Cornbread
~ Tex Mex Chicken Soup
~ Leftovers (Finally!)

September 29-October 5:

~ Green Pea Soup

~ Auntie Fran's Quiche

~ Hawaiian Chicken

~ Hobo Beans

~ Crab Bisque

~ Tandoori Chicken

~ Slow Cooker Spaghetti

Now, we need to implement this and see how it all pans out ~

no pun intended...ha!  :)  It's all part of the budget-trimming plan I'm on.

I find that planning it out helps to keep me on track. 

The big question still remains ~ Will it actually save money? 
I know it will eliminate the last-minute dash to the store as well as the
temptation to order in pizza.  That's got to make a difference...right?  We'll see.

What about you?  What's on your menu this month?
How about this week?  Please share.  
It makes things more fun when you do.

Happy September Y'all!
With Love, Camille

Adjusting

We are adjusting.  Accepting the new normal.

We are not moving on.  We are not forgetting.  We are moving forward.
We carry the memories with us.  We are keeping the memories alive.

This is the most difficult road we have ever had to travel.

We are navigating the unknown.  Step by step.

I am slowly getting used to dishing out five plates of food and counting up
five in the van and at church.  Getting used to not being able to talk 
to our son, or hear his voice in the hall or on the stairs.

Getting used to his room sitting silent and his things remaining untouched.  

Getting used to his absence.

Our Austin has been in Heaven fifteen months now.

We miss him.  All that he brought to our family.  All that he is.

We smile and even laugh when we think of his antics 

and the many ways in which he brought us joy.

We also cry.  Often.

~ Roses from Austin's Rose Tree at his grave ~

The void he leaves in our lives will never be filled by another.

No one can take his place.  No one will ever be able to.
We will miss him until the day we die.  That will not change.
We will carry his absence with us for as long as we live.

It's actually a comfort to realise the truth of it.
We are each special and unique.  It's how God intends for it to be.

So, we navigate this path of grief with our Great God
guiding us each step of the way.  He is faithful and He is good.
We look to Him for comfort and for strength.
We fill our minds and hearts with the Truth found
within His Word and we feast upon it.  We are fortified in it.

It is absolutely the only way forward.
Absolutely the only way to continue to live.
Each day, we are one day closer to eternity.
Each day, we leave more of this life behind.

May we be faithful.

Faithful in all that our Saviour calls us to.
Faithful to live our lives fully for Him.
Faithful until the day He calls us Home.
By His grace and in His strength.  For His glory.

Nothing else matters.  Absolutely nothing.

Many Blessings,
Camille

The Quotidian (29. 8. 14)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

A treat for Fraser's birthday.

Yes, that's Howie in the pilot's seat.  :)

(Photo courtesy of Calvin ~ he got to go for a flight as well.)

Baking beauty ~ making these.

Waiting to be cleaned ~ necessary after this.

(It's been cleaned since I took this photo...yippee!)

Just as I found it ~ made me smile.

Pollyanna ~ A rare treasure from my childhood shared with my girl.

I believe it was my grandmother's before it was my mother's 
before it was mine ~ 1913!

Monopoly Marathon ~ Two different games...
two different brothers...over the course of a few days.

Proceeds of a lawn care job ~ they were picked legitimately.

Reading to the sick girl.

Figuring it all out ~ sort of.

The New Driver ~ Look Out!  ;-)

It began innocently enough ~ now it's a treasure.

Have a wonderful weekend!

With Love, Camille

Bird's Eye View

Mid-summer we went on a little local adventure.

We had never taken our children up Grouse Mountain before,

so, it was high time we did!

The day was a little iffy weather-wise, but, we forged ahead anyway.

The boys opted to hike to the top with my Sweetie.  

Emma and I (wisely) took the tram.

Two of our dear friends joined us ~ what a treat!  
Here we are at the top (minus Howie and the boys...
they were still hiking) ~ I took the photo.  :)

See the boys and Howie?

It's not called "The Grouse Grind" for no reason.  It's grueling.

The boys completed the hike up in approximately 40 minutes.

Howie came in at just over an hour.

Grouse Mountain is a favourite local skiing spot in the winter months.

Here you can see the chair lift above and the city below.
The snow completely melts in the summer months.

Emma found some wild flowers ~ 

not sure if we were supposed to pick them!

Family photo-op.  :)

Our friends left the mountain earlier than we
had to in order to catch a ferry back home.

We ended our day by visiting the Grizzlies at their enclosure.

These two were rescued as orphans approximately fourteen years ago.

Apparently, they are well cared for and happy.  They are so powerful.

We were so trusting of the fence!

See how close they are to us?

See the two white peaks of the new bridge halfway up and

a little to the left of centre in the photo below?
Emma and I crossed it when we were making deliveries in the winter.

It was lovely to have this bird's eye view of Vancouver.

It was a rare treat for sure.

What adventurous things did you do this summer?

Do tell.  Pretty please?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Happy Wednesday Y'all!
With Love, Camille

Well Worth the Effort

My sister and I share food ideas and like to sample

each other's wares.  This past visit was no exception to the rule.

This ice cream was one food idea I brought home with me.

Along with the recipe book it was found in ~ thank you, Janine!  :)

~ Toasted Coconut Ice Cream ~

Altered slightly from the recipe as found in

"Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones" 

by Kris Hoogerhyde, Anne Walker and Dabney Gough

This is a cooked ice cream.  The base must be set in the fridge
to cool for at least a couple of hours prior to churning.
It is a little fussy, but, well worth the effort.

~ What you need ~

1 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
1/2 cup sweetened dried shredded coconut
2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar, divided (I use evaporated cane juice)
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 large egg yolks

~ What you do ~

Toast both types of coconut separately in a skillet and set aside.
I found that 250 degrees F was the right temperature to toast it at.
Be sure to stir constantly and remove from the pan as soon as it's done.
Toasting the coconut will only take a few minutes ~ be careful...it burns easily.

Infuse the milk and cream with the 1 cup of unsweetened 
toasted coconut by using the following method.
Bring the cream, milk, salt, and half the sugar (6 Tbsp) to a simmer in a heavy pan.
Stir in the unsweetened coconut.  Return to a bare simmer and remove from heat.
Cover the pan and set aside to infuse for approximately 30 minutes.

Once the 30 minutes is up, strain the milk mixture 
through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
The goal is to remove all the liquid from the coconut meat.
Press the coconut with the back of a spoon to accomplish this.
Discard the coconut meat ~ yes, really!  It's tasteless.  :)
Clean the pan and pour the infused cream mixture back into it.

In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks 

with the remaining 6 Tbsp of sugar (the other half of the 3/4 cup).

Bring the infused cream (in your pan) to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to medium and carefully add half a cup of the hot cream

mixture to the yolks and sugar in the bowl.  Whisk briskly while you do this step.

Keep adding the hot cream half a cup at a time to temper the yolks.

Repeat this step for a total of three times.

Keep the cream mixture on medium heat and whisk it in the pan

as you add in the tempered egg yolks in a slow and steady stream.

Keep whisking until all the yolks are incorporated into the pan of cream.  

Whisk constantly while you heat the custard to 180 degrees F.

I use a thermometer to be sure the correct temperature has been reached.

As soon as the custard reaches 180 degrees, pour through a clean mesh sieve

which has been set over a clean glass bowl.  Whisk as it cools.  

Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to cool completely.

Cool a few hours or overnight.  The custard will thicken.

Churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Stir in the sweetened, toasted, shredded coconut in the last

couple minutes of churning.  Serve immediately for soft serve.

Or, transfer to a freezer container and freeze a few hours for firmer ice cream.

It's nearly impossible to make this last any longer than one day.

Go ahead...try to prove me wrong!  ;-)

Enjoy!  Love, Camille

Spreading Their Wings

It's inevitable.  It cannot be stopped.

Our children grow and change and become independent.
Or, they ought to.  And, we ought to facilitate it.
When and how is an individual family's decision.  Wisdom is required.

We are in the midst of these changes.  Right now.

Boys to men.  It's happening right before our eyes.
Our young men are spreading their wings.

~ Fraser and Calvin on the right ~

If it weren't for the fact that my boys have a Dad

who remembers what it was like to be a young man,

they would not be allowed to go on adventures like they do.

No sirree.  It would not be allowed.  Not at all.

But, that would not be good.  I know it wouldn't.
These really are good and necessary things.

At the beginning of August, Calvin and Fraser piled into a car

with two other young men and travelled clear across the Province.

Right into the mountains.  Out of cell phone reach.  Seven hours away.
Deep into the heart of Grizzly Country.  For real.
(They didn't see any bears, but, they were informed of their presence.)

They slept and ate and hiked.  Day after day.  For nearly a week.

This was the reason behind the trip Emma and I took.
A little distraction was a good thing for this Mama.
Poor Howie ~ he was holding the fort at home, and had
plenty of time to think about what it was that we had done.
(Maybe he began to second guess our decision to let them go?)

~ Fraser and Calvin on the left ~

When the boys returned, I had them unload everything into the laundry room.

They were under strict orders not to bring anything beyond its borders.
The report of "I didn't change anything but my socks for five days!" was
not music to my ears.  But, they survived.  And, are the better for it.

On a side note ~ white and camping do not mix.  Just sayin'.
Thankfully, I have a good supply of Oxi-Clean on hand.  It works wonders.

The socks that had been zipped closed in the Ziploc freezer bag,
however, were not salvageable.  Nope.  They were promptly ditched.
Wet socks sealed up for days on end produce nasty results.  Very nasty.
Thankfully, they were the only casualties of the entire experience.

Our young men survived and did it well.



The boys came home filled to the brim with stories and over 1000 images.
By all accounts, it was a wonderful experience for each one of them.
And, as a bonus, the friendships being forged are stronger because of it.
We are thankful for these opportunities for our young men.

But, I must admit ~ we are glad to have them home.
(It is a little messier and louder ~ but, it is good.)

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Photos in this post courtesy of Calvin ~ Thank you my love!  XO
(The first group shot was taken by a French hiker, the second shot was
taken by J.H., and the final group photo was taken using the self-timer.)

Fifteen (after the fact)

Calvin and Fraser began their journey into the

far reaches of the British Columbian wilderness 

on August 4th ~ it was Fraser's birthday.

Emma and I were in California.  Howie was flying.

So, we postponed the celebration until a week after the fact.

What's a week when you've lived as long as he has?

Nothing.  That's what.  ;-)

Birthdays are special around here.
The birthday boy or girl gets to choose the breakfast menu

as well as what's for dinner.

Lunch somehow factored into things somewhere along

the line before I put the kibosh on the deal.

Two dictated meals is my limit.

Lucky Charms were requested this year.  Dear me!

(Please don't judge...it's a tradition that cannot be broken.)

I made coconut cream pie for dessert ~ it's his request year after year.

I'm not sure what happened to Calvin's smile...I think he was talking.

Oh...there it is!  :)

Precious Fraser ~ We love you and thank the Lord for you!

How wonderful it was (and is!) that the Lord added you to our family.

Happy fifteenth (after the fact) birthday!

All our Love, Dad(dy?) and Mum(my?) XO

(The titles I attribute to us as parents is a difficult habit to break ~

it's my feeble attempt at keeping them young forever.

Just so you know, it's not working.)

Our Real Home

"Whatever kind of tribulation we may suffer, this should always be our goal:

to learn contempt for the present life, and thus 

to be led to meditate on the life to come.

Because the Lord well knows our readiness to embrace the world with 

blind and even brutish love, he uses the very best means 

to part us from it and to rouse us from our lethargy,

so as to free our hearts from so foolish an attachment."

"It is appalling to think that many who boast they are Christians,

instead of desiring death, dread it so much that the very mention

of it makes them quake, as if it were the worst misfortune that could befall them.

It is not surprising if we feel unsettled and distraught 

when we hear that our body must be parted from our soul.

However, it is unthinkable that a Christian heart should be 

so lacking in light that it cannot overcome its fear by turning

to a higher source of comfort.

If we reflect that this bodily tabernacle which is weak,

flawed, corruptible, transient and decaying is dissolved and 

well nigh destroyed, in order to be restored to a perfect,

assured, incorruptible and heavenly glory, does not faith compel us 

fervently to crave what nature shuns and abhors?

When we remember that death calls us away from a miserable exile 

to our real home in heaven, how can we not find a

precious consolation in that?"

Quotes from "A Guide to Christian Living" by John Calvin ~

Pages 87, 101 and 102

With Love, Camille

**Photo courtesy of Uncle Gordon ~ Thank you so much!  XO

Month Menu ~ An Update

I'm just in the planning stages of my second month-at-a-time menu.

The jury's out on the results for the first month.  I am pleased with the knowing.

But, the budget...did it fare better?  I am still trying to figure that out.

My plan is to start from scratch and make a menu
for the month of September.  Once I've followed it for 
an entire calendar month, I will make an assessment of its merits. 

My girl and I went to visit my sister, and while we were gone,

the boys went camping (with expensive food), and my sweetie

was stocked with frozen choices (homemade) and *extras*.

I think the budget took a hit due to our scatteredness (new word).

~ The boys' camping meal plan...dear me! ~

A few things I have learned (actually, they were confirmed) ~

eating out and eating boxed cereal will sabotage any budget.
So will exorbitant amounts of Nutella.  But, I digress.

On the positive side of things ~
incorporating beans and lentils and eggs as main
features of a meal will stretch the budget further.
So will cooking up whole chickens and making soup.
Can you think of other budget-friendly ideas?  I'd love to hear them.

Month number two will soon be on the docket.

I'll let you know how it goes.  Do you even want to know?

How about you?  Have you tried it yet?

September is nearly upon us...it's a good time to begin.  :)

Happy Monday Y'all!
With Love, Camille