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

Thirteen!

Our Emma is thirteen.  Thirteen!

Her actual birthday was on Sunday.

The festivities were enjoyed over the span of a few days.

She had her cake and opened gifts on Sunday evening.

Precious memories.

Never a dull moment with these three.  :)

 Emma loves to swim...so, on Monday evening we obliged her.

Actually, Howie and the boys did.  I read and took photos and exchanged
texts with my sister.  I got all the updates about the slides and diving boards
and wave pool as various members of my family passed by.
It was a good arrangement all around.

On Tuesday, we went to get Emma's ears pierced. 

This was a much-anticipated and patiently waited for occasion.  

But, when the moment finally arrived, it wasn't without some apprehension.

Thankfully, both sides were done at once.

A little relieved, I think.

We ended our outing with a little treat.  :)

Precious Emma ~ We are so thankful that the Lord chose to put

you into our family.  What a blessing you are to us all.

May you follow Him with all of your heart for all of your days.

He is faithful and will always lead you well.  He is so very, very good.

With all our Love, 

Daddy and Mummy

XOXO

Just One Month

Many years ago, in my imagination, 
I jumped ahead to this very day.

This day when I would become Mama to four teens.

Emma was born exactly one month prior to Austin's seventh birthday.

It didn't take me long to realise that for just one month in my mothering career

 we would have four teenagers in our home.

That day has arrived.  It's here.

Emma is thirteen.  Austin is in heaven.

I am still Mama to four teenagers.  They just don't all live with us here.
This is not how I imagined it would be.  It is not what I would have chosen.
But, it was chosen by the Hand of our Loving Heavenly Father.
All of this was planned out from before time began.

And, God is good.  All the time.

My plans often are not His.  But, His plans are always right.
May He help us to submit to the twists and turns that He brings.
May we never charge Him foolishly.  He is the Potter.  We are the clay.
We exist to bring glory to His Name.  Now and forever.

"...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD."  Job 1:21b

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

This is the life He has called us to.  And, it is good.

With Love, Camille

The Quotidian (6. 3. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

We've been doing a lot of this in recent days.

(Those were all the leftover tiles once the game had ended).

Enjoying the challenge.

At the front door.  From our trip.

Three weeks early (apparently).

Still on the front door.

They only lasted one day.

By the 25 lb bag.

In the front window.

My 6' 1" helper.

Lined up and ready to go.
(Apparently, this is something I want to remember
as is evidenced by this post, and this one).

Roller blading buddies.

Things to chat about.

Seeking to capture the moments as they arrive.
These are the memories of tomorrow.  How quickly life flies by!
Slowing down long enough to take it all in.  It's precious.  All of it.

Many Blessings, Camille

Simply Whatever

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging."  1 Peter 4:9

We are called to this ~ hospitality.  It's not difficult.  

Though, it may sometimes be a stretch.  Or, it may stretch us.

Sharing with others is a gift we all can give.

And, it doesn't have to be complicated.
Actually, it shouldn't be.  Everything doesn't need to be perfect, either.
It seems to me that people tend to feel more welcome when things are relaxed.

So, who will you choose to bless?
True hospitality is the act of sharing whatever we have.
Simply whatever.  That's it.

Grilled cheese or waffles will cut it.
A mug of hot tea or coffee will suffice.
It's not about the food.  It's about the fellowship.
Look for ways to be a blessing.

In doing so, you might find the blessing
actually becomes yours.

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another; ...
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
Romans 12:10 & 13

Do you have an interesting hospitality story to share?
Any words of wisdom or encouragement to spur us on with?
Feel free to share in the comments...I'm all ears.  :)

With Love, Camille

P.S.  There are seasons in life, and if this is a particularly busy or trying one for you,
please know that there is grace and space and time for hospitality
at a later date.  Please do not take this post as a chastisement.  Not at all.
It is only meant to be an encouragement.  Simply and truly.

Work in Progress

I have done quite a few posts on the renovations and destruction

and rearranging we have done in our home over the years.

But, I haven't really posted much in the way of *after* photos of our projects.

Not necessarily because I haven't wanted to, but, because we have not
really and truly completed very many of them.  Not completely.

Most things are still a work in progress.

Curtains haven't made it onto most of the windows in the rooms
we've worked on in recent days.  Things often seem to reach an impasse
at the point of installing them.  They don't get made.

This was our room in its standstill state.  It looked like this for about ten years.
Life happened and children grew and the motivation to strip that paper was just not in me.
We pinned things to it knowing that one day it would come off the walls.

I actually didn't set out to take *before* photos.  In fact, I didn't.

Howie took these a few years ago for insurance purposes.

I only saw them recently.  After he stripped all the paper off the walls,

I lamented the fact that there were no photos of what it had been.

Then, these emerged.  So glad they did.

We didn't swap out any of our furniture.  It's just the same.

As it turns out, so is the duvet cover.

I bought a couple of new ones to try, and ended up preferring the old.

The pillows are new, however.

And, so are the curtains.  It only took three tries to get them right.

We still have plans for more pictures on the walls.

But, that may take time.  At least the curtains are up!
And, the *after* photos have been taken.  :)

So, there you have it....a work in progress.

Happy Monday!

Many Blessings, Camille