10 on Tuesday

Welcome to the catch-up installment of 10 on Tuesday (or possibly Thursday, which is when this will finally be ready to post), in which I share some things we've been cooking and baking lately and just otherwise catch-up on life.

1. We had some friends and my parents over for dinner Saturday to carve pumpkins and eat yummy short-ribs (I've never tried a Smitten Kitchen recipe that wasn't wonderful!). It was Jess' due date, and that little dude has yet to make his appearance. She still somehow found the energy and lightness of foot to dance with the "princesses." If you listen closely you can hear Lucy singing the song from Beauty and the Beast (and the guys in the background watching football).

2. It's rainy and cold this week so I'm making my Dad's beef stew. So homey and comforting!

3. If you're counting, that's two meals made with beef in 4 days - which is more than we've eaten in 6 months. Something about the chill in the air makes me crave slow cooked meat. Strange.

4. Due in large part to my friend Lisa (whose blog you absolutely should make a regular read as it includes awesome, healthy recipes and great advice for keeping a tidy, organized home and raising children who love God) I've gone through several cans of pumpkin making pumpkin waffles, pumpkin scones (recipe coming soon), pumpkin muffin/doughnuts, and mini pumpkin cupcakes (with cream cheese frosting, of course!). I've given lots away, but not before eating at least 5 pounds worth myself (at least that's what my scale tells me).

Mini muffins dipped in cinnamon-sugar from Lisa's recipe

5. Although probably imprudent due to our tiny house and budget, we recently bought a piano. Our sweet neighbor was going to put it on craigslist but happily sold it to us instead - plus the move was super easy as we just had to get it across the street. The girls have loved banging out tunes and Chris and I are looking forward to learning a few, too. Can anyone say Christmas carols?? Here's a picture of the kiddos with a Disney storybook as sheet music. I'm loving their creative songwriting :)

 

6. I'd love to learn how to play this song. It's always been one of my favorite hymns and Sufjan's arrangement of it is so ethereal and soul-stirring. It makes me cry every time.

7. Chris and I can't wait for date night this week because we finally get to see Sufjan live!

8. We're gearing up for a family fundraiser in January and hope to raise lots of money for Preemptive Love, an amazing organization that provides heart surgeries to kids in the Kurdish region of Iraq. Read more about their recent work here, and join us by praying in advance for the families whose lives will be changed by receiving these surgeries.

9. Here's another random picture of the kids from a couple of months ago. They love to help clean the house, especially anything they can spray and wipe down. They also like to sing the Cinderella song while they work - does that make me the evil stepmother?

10. You've probably noticed that my kids are dressed in a costume in just about all of these pictures. The minute we step in the door the fancy dresses come out and aren't put away until bedtime (and sometimes not even then). I'm loving this stage of life with them - their imaginations are boundless! I'm working on stretching my own imaginative muscles and find it sad that it is such hard work. I hope they keep their sense of wonder and fun forever!

What are some things you've been enjoying/thinking about/cooking/doing this week?