My Cookie Craziness

I love going all out with cookies at Christmas. Clicking on the photo will take you to my cooking blog for the whole deal :)

7 Years

7 years ago and now a day or two past I married this man.

3 children later and we are now 5 strong! These 3 little blessings are teaching us more life lessons than we could have ever have imagined.

We have shared so many special moments over these last years.

I will never forget how we went skating when my dear friend J was in Latvia. Mr. G and I had just started getting to know each other and I still remember the music that was playing when we skated together.

Then we were married, not once, but twice, in both our countries.

Years passed.

 Memories were made. 

Babies born.

We laugh, cry, quarrel and make up.

And through ups and downs we have become a family.

Crowded

Her time had come and together with her new husband they were trudging along towards a crowded Bethlehem. 

Between contractions and bumps they made their way towards that noisy city; full of travelers there to register. 

This young woman with her story no human could ever believe without faith, was carrying a babe that would change the course of history. 

They searched from inn to inn and house to house for a place to rest their weary bones. 

Between signs and pains of birth this crowded city ignored. 

Then at last they found a place to shelter them from the night. A stable, small and meant for beasts. 

Yet, here in this humble place of crowded slumber. 

A King was born. 

- - - -

The other day we were building a Lego manger scene with the kids. For the first time it struck me how very crowded that stable must have been. With animals, and later shepards there would have been little to no privacy.

But Jesus came to be with the people.From the very first hours of his life he was with the people- born in an overflowing city and crowded stable.

Later in his life he was always compassionate to the people, never pushing them away for the sake of his privacy.

In our times we sometimes fret and complain because we have no space, no worldly mansion, no place of our own.

Yet perhaps we need to look beyond that to the one who came to prepare for us a home that will never fade, and learn a lesson from him who didn't even have a place to lay his head.

Advent Calendar

I had never done an advent calendar with my kids, and am not sure that we ever did growing up either. But since this year we had our big calendar on the wall that I had made for the kids, it just seemed like we MUST have an advent calendar.

I really didn't even know what that meant. . I did some research. I decided I didn't want my kids just to get treats every day. I want them and myself to be prepared for the real meaning of Christmas by doing something meaningful. I searched Pinterest and found lots of ideas.

The one we ended up doing was found here, and here is our version of that.

Thanks to my friend Ieva and her amazing Sizzex I made these little envelopes and ornaments. Each day has an assignment to help us prepare ourselves for Christmas. Some of those are: make a manger scene from play-dough, help someone in need, bake Christmas cookies together, read the Christmas story, get a Christmas tree, etc.

So far the kids are really enjoying this and I like that it keeps us in a mood of preparation for the birthday of the KING.

What are you doing for advent?

The man with the van to the rescue

I was on pins and needles waiting for my husband to get home from work so I could go to work. We switch like that 2x a week. He was running late, so I was too. At least my job doesn't care when I get there- I just get less baked.

I headed off and was trying to get there promptly and safely.

Then I saw flashing lights in my rear view mirror and stopped since it seemed a policeman wanted to pull me over.

When he came to my window I asked him what I had done wrong. He said, "Hold on and I will explain it." In the fluster of finding my wallet in my huge purse, and my drivers license and the car documents, I tried using both English and Latvian. I also hoped he'd be merciful to me, a foreigner.

Finally, he came and showed me that my front RH light wasn't working and only gave me a warning. I was so thankful for that, as I was feeling close to tears and very late for work.

I waited until he was pulling away to try to start my car and then realized it was as DEAD as a doornail. I was stuck! Now what?

Since my emergency lights were flashing someone was quick to stop and try and help. An older man in a mini-van agreed to try and jump my car. It didn't work, he even thought his cables were not working properly because it wouldn't charge up enough to start.

So I took things into my hands and started asking all the men passing by if they'd help push my car. The first said, "I'm in a hurry. I can't." The next walked right on by. The third responded and came over to help.  (Does that remind you of anything? Like the good Samaritan?  I was shocked these first 2 were heedless to the plight I was in ).

So the older man and the young 3rd man tried pushing me and I was at the wheel.
(NOTE: I never seem to be successful when being pushed to jump the car. I don't know if my timing is off or what. But now I just worry and think it won't work when I'm at the wheel. I still need to learn now to do this!). And of course it didn't work. . .

So I called 2 more guys going past to come and help push and the older man got in at the wheel. Then the 4 of us pushed as fast as we could and YAY success, it started.

I yelled a huge thank you to the three guys as I ran to catch up with my car and profusely thanked the man in the van for rescuing me and got to work extremely late.

It was a crazy day and yet I am thankful that God took care of me and brought 4 men to my rescue. A special thank to the man in the van for taking so much time to try to get my car jumped and seeing it through to the end. Whoever you are or were- you were like an angel sent by God.

This World Groans

Yesterday evening we had just finished our supper and were discussing our evening plans. I needed to go to the store and my husband wanted to do some welding in the basement. So I took the 3 kids and got them all bundled up, and got in the car.

I had backed out and was closing the gate when all of a sudden I was flooded with a wave of fear that seemed to shake through me like an earthquake. I remember thinking, "What if there is an earthquake and I am stuck away from my husband and home with 3 kids ages 5 and under? Maybe I should just stay home." But I let God remind me that I cannot live in fear and headed out. It was apx. 18:00.

Just now I went online and was shocked by the news that in Riga, not more than 30 miles away, the roof of a store- (the same chain I went to here with my kids- ) had collapsed, at 18:00 yesterday evening. At least 30 are dead, and the search is still on through the debris of a fallen roof.

I sit here in grateful tears- that God chose to protect our little family and bring us safely together again. And yet my heart aches in the pain of those lost and families broken in this tired, groaning and broken world.

Jesus, we need you more, now than ever! 

Read Here

Playing the Piano

With my children tucked in their beds I sat down to let my fingers fly across the keys of our piano. I breathed a sign of relief at finally having an uninterrupted 30 minutes to just play, and cringed realizing how very out of practice I am.

Yet joy filled my heart with thankfulness for the truth that my fingers do remember this keyboard and that these notes once learned so long ago shall never be forgotten.

Music:  soft, caressing, stress-relieving, loud, fun, and every other emotion known to man can so well be aired and relieved through this gift God allows us to enjoy.

How thankful I am for the 16 years of private piano lessons my parents paid for. Imagine the investment my parents paid for all those lessons. Wow! Thank you Mom and Dad.

And even though with my little ones around me I don't often get to play now since they like to join me and my 18 mos. old wants to bang on it and then I quickly grow frustrated and close it up. Yet I am so thankful knowing that I CAN play the piano and when again I do have time to sit down and play that it will come back to me.

Living numerous places growing up I had a LOT of different piano teachers and a lot of different methods taught me.

I remember being praised for having perfect pitch when I was no more than 6 or 7.  I remember having to memorize 10 short pieces for a jury and forgetting EVERY one of them in the stress of the moment. (Since then I could never perform by memory successfully). I remember the big Dalmatian of my teacher's that used to lay on my feet or the peddles during lessons.

I was a lazy student as a kid, but am thankful my parents made me stick to it. Because I did learn, even if I didn't practice much, which changed later when I got older and even more in college.

How I loved accompanying my sister while she sang and I played. How I loved played Christmas carols and hymns at the nursing home. How I loved having this knowledge and this gift to relieve my stress as I poured out my pain over a broken heart into those understanding keys.

Playing an instrument is something that speaks to ones soul, and something with which we can bring glory and praise to our LORD.

How I hope that my children will learn to love music and enjoy it and value it in the future as I have.

Say thanks to your parents today if they paid for years of lessons for you too!

A Woman of Salt

Today I was studying about Lot's wife in my quiet time.

If you don't know that story click here

We know little about Lot other than a few things:

• She and her family lived in a very wicked city. 
• She and her family were loved by God and given a chance to escape destruction. 
• She and her family were given specific instructions to flee, flee fast, to the mountains and not to hesitate or look back. 
• God was merciful to one righteous family out of an entire city of wicked people. 
• But she chose to disobey instructions and look back, and lost her life by becoming a pillar of salt. 

It is easy to wonder how and why? What made her hesitate? I love the way Liz Curtis Higgs makes these stories come alive in her book "Bad Girls of the Bible."

But ultimately we don't know what made her hesitate, we only are left with a warning.

Often in our lives we are given instructions and give instructions to our kids. How do we teach them to be and become ourselves people who hurry to obey and don't hesitate or look back?

Looking back may not turn me into a pillar of salt, but it does at times cause me to be a pillar of regret or remorse of thinking what could have been.

Disobedience to instructions is never to be toyed with and lets be sure to train our children to obey by setting them an example of obedience ourselves.

Two Worlds Married

I have been married now for nearly 7 years and these have been very good,  happy years.

When I married a Latvian man I knew I was choosing to live my life forever away from the life grew up with and was familiar with.

Yet, growing up in the States I never thought I'd live there. I studied to be a missionary. I read about missions, I longed for adventure and to see the world.

Now 7 years later I realize that missing ones country, or to be more precise ones family, culture and upbringing never goes away. In fact, if anything the distance has seemed to grow and the difficulty in having every person from my side of the family an ocean away is hard, REALLY hard, and gets only worse with time.

Marriage is a blessing, and cross-cultural marriages can be and are very rewarding. But they have an entire set of problems that 2 people marrying from one country may never face.

I want to step out on a risky limb and state that I think that if at possible a person is better off NOT marrying someone from another culture. And I don't say so because I'm unhappy. But rather as I raise my kids an ocean away from their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins I have realized that the choices I made in allowing myself to fall in love with a European have altered the course of our family history and future.

I have thrown a loop in the plan of family and closeness by making it harder for my children to know and be close to their aunts, and uncles and cousins in America. I have created complications for my kids with the fact that one day they may have to choose which country they prefer. 

I realize that I have made my life more difficult and more sad because I have chosen to be far from the relatives I love so dearly in the States. I realize that I have made my marriage more complicated because I threw in another language, and an entirely different world view and culture.

Now, if you, like me are married to someone from another land we know that this is exciting, and wonderful, but hard.

There are days when you don't understand the tiny things in the language that are simple, but just slip over your head because maybe you are having a bad day.

There are days when you hate living in a foreign land and long for home.

There are days when  you would give anything to be in the embrace of your Mom or Dad, or Grandma who is an ocean away and who see at best every few years.

And despite all of this I am thankful for this wild adventure I'm on. Thankful for this plan God has allowed to unfold so far in my life and thankful He is still at work.

What is your cross-cultural story? 

To Celebrate

To get my birthday month off to a great start I am offering you a give-a-way to celebrate with me! This will be for a $25.00 gift certificate for my shop. You can keep it for yourself, or give it to someone for Christmas. Maybe it will help you get that gift for that hard to please person, or be something special just for you :) My SHOP a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things to bring a Smile

Even if I don't buy them just seeing them available when they NEVER were before brought a smile to my face. 

Kids in Church

Someone shared this article today and it was just what I needed to hear.

If you are a parent of small kids this is a special read.

To  You Who Bring Small Children. . .

Grandma Answers- From 1940

Looking through some old newspapers from Latvia in 1940 was so interesting today. I really liked the column "Grandma Answers"- which seemed to be a column on relational advice. It  pleased me how "right on" the answers were and makes me wish time didn't change values so much. 

I will share a translated version of the stories.

Situation: I love a young  man who is 10 years older than me. I am 21, and my parents keep trying to persuade me to part with him since we are both from different confessions (the word faiths) was used. I don't want to change my confession (faith). I sometimes also feel doubtful. Besides that anther young man loves me. My parents like him, he is only 25, and he is better off financially. I respect him, but I could never love him. What should I do? 

Answer: Neither of you want to change your confession. You are doubtful and cautious in your view of others. What kind of love is that! I think you marriage ship would have too many holes in it to even begin to try to sail across the wide sea of life. Wait until you find a captain with a stronger hand, whom you have no doubts about and for whom you would gladly sacrifice greater things without difficulty.

So my readers, what do you say of this advice brought to you from March 15, 1940? 

My Children - Part 1

Each of these little lives God has entrusted to me are full of such unique character and amazing differences.

And as I watch them grow and wonder at their individuality I see over and again that God has blessed me with these three little people to grow me, and teach me about HIMSELF. IF I will only let Him work in my stubborn, selfish heart.

Our firstborn is now 5 and half. He is tender hearted, emotional and creative. He made me a mother and was the first one to test my patience and faith. And now as I see myself raising him , I realize that I expect a lot of this little man.

I have always expected perfection of myself- even though I know I will never be perfect. I have always tried to play by the rules and do the right thing.

And I see as my teach my boy at home, and go with him to school preparation, and train him that I expect perfection of him as well.

Lately, God has been reminding me through all kinds of circumstances and lessons that I MUST accept my son for who HE is and that he IS perfect as he is without attaining perfection in behavior, academicsor anything else.

This boy of mine is the tool God uses to teach me that perfection is not required, of me or of him. 

Gone Again

The last weeks in my home have been a flurry of guests, baking and wedding preparations. And as the long awaited grandparents came with suitcases full of gifts and foods from home we all were blessed and surprised.

Then came the wedding cake preparation with 2 solid days of baking and decorating for my brother and his bride (our nanny).

The wedding came and went and the couple vanished into thin air, as all newly married couple do.

We had a few down days with my parents, the kids had time to get sick and then they too were gone.

And as I tidied up today and slipped back into the ho-hum of everyday life as a Mom of three I felt amazed it was all past.

It is hard to believe that having waited so long to see my parents they have already been here and are gone again- who knows when we will meet again. Rather sad, really.

And yet the hours spent pouring over gifts they got, and playing together and laughing together has made memories and brought us closer and refreshed the idea of grandparents in the mind's of my children.

And so we are thankful for this little snippet of time spent together in the vast days of a year gone by and look forward to seeing you again when God deems best. 

Wedding Cake

This is my latest masterpiece. A wedding cake for my brother.

Homeschool Blindspots

Thinking of homeschooling? Were you homeschooled yourself? 

I was homeschooled, and am considering it now. This article hit home on a lot of things, I highly recommend reading it. 

Homeschool Blindspots- Joshua Harris

In the Present

I have this problem with living in time that isn't mine. 

Expecting and waiting for people coming. 

Longing for days that were long waited for. 

Tomorrow my parents arrive from the states. It has been a year since they saw their 3 grandkids.Sad. 

I rejoice knowing we will enjoy this time. 

Yet, I grieve knowing that it will be gone in a breath. 

9 short days are so little when we know not when we will see them again. 

I have lived here since 2005, and it only gets harder being so far. 

But thank goodness for a God, and faith and One who reminds me that I must treasure THIS moment. The future isn't given to us, but each new day is a blessing from our great God and how I need his help living in the present. 

 

Silence

As Autumn blows the cold winds from the north, turning the leave golden so change blows our way. 

My brother has arrived to carry away his bride. 

And even though we are expected to rejoice my heart mourns. 

These blowing winds are too hard, these changes are too big. 

This dear girl who has cared for and mothered and loved on my kids for 3 years is leaving. 

Change and wind, leaves and time all are blowing together in a wild storm. 

I hate change. 

I hate saying goodbye. 

And the truth is that deep down the wind, and changes of a life moved and transplanted far too many times aches.

I don't want to lose any more people, my people are all too far away. 

I hate this blowing wind that shoves us about like the colored leaves to all the corners of the earth. 

And I know my perspective is bleak. 

But this is my life. 

In the silence of a my tired brain, with the wind blowing confusion over me.

A Good Baby Sitter

If you have ever had a good babysitter, nanny or whatever you want to call her, then you know how dear she is.

For the last 3 years we have been blessed with a babysitter that has been a part of our family. She started coming when our middle child was 6 months old, and has grown with us, loved with us, and perhaps even cried with us.

And now as the time comes for her to leave us I realize that it is very unlikely that we will ever find anyone who can replace her.

I know that there are good babysitters,but I want someone who will pray with my kids, and talk to them about Jesus. I want someone who does crafts with them, like painting- cause Mom avoids the painting because of the mess. I want someone who is never to grown up to play with my kids.  And someone who loves them for who they are, and doesn't belittle them.

Our dearest nanny/sitter has done all of this and more.

As I face the fact that this extra pair of hands and an extra heart in the lives of my kids is going to be snatched away I could just cry. We live an ocean away from any grandparents, or close relatives. We have no free babysitters/grandparents and we are pretty much all on our own in the way of help.

I can't even begin to express how thankful we have been for the nanny God blessed us with these last years. She has blessed our marriage by letting us have times to go on dates and even celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in Rome.

She has improved the Latvian of my kids by talking to them and playing with them, and reading them TONS of books.

She has helped them grow in character by enforcing rules and being an example of Jesus to them.

Thank you our dearest nanny for being a second mom/grandma/aunt to our kids these last 3 years :)

We will miss you more than you ever know.

A Kindergarten Prayer

Tomorrow my 5 year old will attend his first lesson at kindergarten. And even though he will only be on location about 2 hours a week, and the rest will be homework,  STILL this is a big step for us.

This will be the first time when a stranger will teach my son. The first time when he will look to someone other than his parents and immediate contacts for wisdom and direction.

As a Mom I feel emotional letting my boy out into this big, scary world.

And so my dear son, here is my prayer for you.

May God give you a willingness to learn and obey. 

May He protect you from every hint of evil. 

May you remember who you are, and what you know. 

May you be a boy who is kind in word and deed. 

May God grant you with friends and teachers who help you grow in wisdom and character. 

May He help you grow to be a young man and man who knows what it is to be a real man, fully masculine and with the desire to help each girl, young women or lady be real women. 

May you, my dearest firstborn child be the person God has made you to be- using your amazing talents and creativity to live the live he has endowed you with. 

I love you! 

When I was a little girl

every Sunday was spent in church and Sunday school. Being the daughter of a pastor makes that a given.

We learned many Sunday school  songs and those still stay with me and from time to time I wish I could teach them to my kids.  But the just stare and watch how I sing and do the motions. My little girl sometimes tries to join in. But other times they just tell me to be quiet. They aren't used to going to Sunday school- even though our church does have it. We don't send them since it is during the service.

Sometimes there are days when my brain is a muddle. When I can't seem to understand which direction to turn and how to move past the uncertainties in my mind.

Today I had a hankering to listen to some Sunday school songs. So I turned on Grooveshark and found some music. When the song came on "Whisper A Prayer. . " I was calmed.

I realized that God can use a little song to remind me of the fact that He is in charge of all this confusion in my brain. He is good and He is God.

Thank God for parents who took me to Sunday school and for the foundations that were laid in my heart to guide me today.

Whole Wheat Bread & Minestrone Soup

Feel like spending some time in the kitchen? I made some bread and soup today and they were lovely. 

What have you been up to lately? 

Mom vs. Kid and Chocolate

 

These are the chocolates sometimes made in our house. 

 Mom eats them like this: 

• takes it. 
• eats it
• thinks, "I shouldn't have eaten that, I don't want to get fat."
• feels- guilty

Child eats it like this: 

• gets permission to eat ONE after having finished food. 
• bites top off, revealing filling. 
• thinks, "Wow, what is the white stuff inside?"
• asks Mom, "Hey, what's in this?!"
• Mom answers. 
• says, "HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. That is so yummy."
• thinks, "Can I have another one?!"
• feels- happy

 How do you enjoy your sweets,? 

I think I had a sweet reminder today :)

My Garden

 This was the first year I had a "need" to have a flower garden. Though the plot had been waiting for some years now for its use - this year was the year that it called my name.

Last year I planned the herb garden and had a few pansies. Sad things they were I now realize when looking back at photos.

In my mind I have an idea of my perfect garden and how I will feel there and the lovely things that will grow there.

But I have a few problems- the first being I have no flower growing experience. So this year I bought lots of various seeds and planted them- so I would know how the seedlings are to look. I realized too I need to get to know flowers and find out which ones I like. Sure I know the basics like, petunias, pansies, marigolds, etc. But who knew that foxgloves were extremely poisonous, i only found that out after I had one growing in my garden- and let me tell you I got rid of it FAST!

I have just realized I don't have any very good photos of my garden when it was at its peek- now things are starting to dry out and it isn't as lovely as before. But here are a few photos. 

Here are a few artistic photos of the garden :)

I really enjoyed getting lots of flowers and growing lots of them from seeds. I have learned alot about flowers this year and made some new favorite flower friends.

Looking forward to next year when I can keep on learning and slowly adding to my perennials.

What are your favorite flowers?

Design a Tie

Recently someone requested me to paint a tie to match their dress for a formal occasion.

Here is the tie with the dress photo she sent me. . .

Are you in need of something special to match  your dress for some special occasion- lets chat on what you are looking for.

silkscarvesbyeli@gmail.com

Burnt Out- and other thoughts.

There has been an incredible lull in my writing here, I know. 

But if I were totally honest I would have to say it is because ever since I got "burnt" in my business I have been reexamining my desires, my talents and me. 

I have done a little painting. 

I have done ALOT of canning of produce from our garden. Thank God for a bountiful garden. 

I have enjoyed sand and water with my family- the kids love the seashore. 

I have enjoyed catching up with friends who are back in town. 

I have enjoyed watching my baby learn to stand and delight in his accomplishments.

I have done lots of thinking on homeschool and the education of my kids. 

I have been reminded of who I am, the talents I have and the things my God wants from me. 

I have pondered, thought and dreamt.

I have heard tales of my long ago Latvian relatives and seen photos of my great-grandfather that are over a hundred years old. 

I have lived and cried and been me. 

I have realized I am a recluse and I don't know how much I will be writing here until my mood changes. I would rather live my life in secret and delight in the little things of everyday life in private. 

Berga Bazars

Last week we spent 4 days displaying my scarves, meeting new friends and having lots of conversations with foreigners. 

 My wonderful helper, Laura.

Car's Party

Our boy turned 5 and we went all out with his party. We had so much fun getting ready for it: 

 Oil and Gas, our wonderful drinks :)

 The kid's food

 The cake

 The food

 The cars and games

A 5 year old's Prank

One fine day our 5 year old son informed us he was going to mow. He told me he needed his rubber boots on and I was assuming he was going to pretend to mow the weeds by our garage.

When calling him for supper we could not get a response from him and Daddy found him "mowing" the hostas. We were shocked, and disappointed seeing as they were looking so pretty now. And mostly because he never gets into this kind of mischief.

So this is one of the biggest pranks he has paid us yet :)

Dying Silk- Shibori Technique

It has been fun getting to know other silk artists through Etsy and one of my new friends invited me to a lesson where they were doing the Shibori technique. It was a relaxed evening with other silk art fans and I enjoyed meeting more silk artists and trying some techniques I would have never tried at home.

Thanks Ieva for inviting me!

Boiling the scarves in the various dyes. Each scarf was prefolded or twisted in various ways  before being immersed in the dye.

Folding the scarf in preparation for the second color dye bath.

Air drying our scarves- this plaid one was one of mine.

So many beautiful scarves!

Tie It- A new idea for tying your silk scarf

Need some inspiriation how to tie your silk scarves this summer? Try these!At A Beautiful Mess

Whiny Kids- HELP

My kids are 5, 3 and 1. And let me tell you, we have been going through some major whining lately.

Their whining voices have the effect on my nerves of someone pulling fingernails across a chalkboard. Bad, I know!

These whiny meltdowns seem to happen especially often at meal times, when everyone thinks that what they are being offered to eat isn't what they really want. Or when the other kid has the book the other needs RIGHT now. Or it is time to go to bed, etc.

I have tried saying, "I can't hear you when you talk like that. Use a happy voice." I have tried saying, "Ask nicely." These sometimes work, but rarely.

Our three old's newest trick is saying at meal times,
"I can't eat" (She wants us to feed her. But I am feeding our one year old while trying to eat).
I say, "Ok, if you don't want to eat you can go play." 
She says, "No, I want to eat." I
say, "Good, then eat." 
She says in her most whiny voice, "I caaaan't."

What are your tips for dealing with whiny kids?

My hope is that this is the tail end of their illness over the last weeks and that with the return of better healthy they will also be less whiny and more optimistic.

Cancer Scarf

Browsing the Internet I found this gorgeous scarf for a great cause. Isn't it amazing what a scarf can portray and stand for? 

Tie THAT silk scarf

Need a new idea how to tie your silk scarf? Try the Windsor, click on the photo for full instructions.