Princess Eva's Remodeling Inspection Service

Reporting for duty with the tools of my trade: a whistle for blowing and a spoon for lunch.

Hmmm . . . where to begin?

Aha! Problem spotted.

I cannot tolerate a cluttered work site.

And one more thing . . .

Is this floor level?

Finding satisfaction in a job well done.

THE Invitation--Isaiah 45:22

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Gracie's Spinach

This recipe originated with a young friend of a friend, so we don't know the namesake personally. However, we all think she's a whiz with spinach! Not only does it taste great, but it goes together very quickly and is easy to multiply for a big batch. My kind of recipe all the way around.

20 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and slightly drained
(no need to squeeze all the liquid out)
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon salt
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. milk or half and half
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 t. nutmeg

Cook spinach in the butter and salt until bubbly. Add remaining ingredients and heat through, but do not boil. Serve over spiral pasta or baked potatoes.

Three Cheers for Puritan Parenting Protocol

The government of the passions is another branch of self-denial to which children should early be habituated; and so much the rather because, in an age when reason is so weak,the passions are apt to appear with peculiar force and violence. A prudent care should, therefore, be taken to repress the exorbitances of them. For which purpose it is of great importance that they never be suffered to carry any point by obstinacy, noise, and clamor, which is indeed to bestow a reward on a fault that deserves a severe reprimand.

--Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) quote taken from Free Grace Broadcaster #204

Mighty Hunter

I remember when Ian went through this phase. Lewis had his first kill yesterday and has already gotten two or three more today. However, I'm afraid he's not anywhere close to being out of quarry yet.

A Constant Refrain--Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

I thought it was alcohol, tobacco, and firearms

Wicked parents are the most notable servants of the devil in all the world and the bloodiest enemies to their children's souls. More souls are damned [by God through the influence of] ungodly parents--and next [to] them . . . ungodly ministers and magistrates--than by any instruments in the world besides.

--Richard Baxter (as quoted in Free Grace Broadcaster #204)

No Greater Love

This is one of those stories that might bring tears even to eyes not prone to such.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903691.html

Incentive

Several months back, I jokingly remarked to my husband that I needed an incentive program to help me lose those extra inches that came along with Eva. He thought that was a great idea and offered me cash prizes to correspond with the number of inches I disposed. I ended up making a decent amount of money off that deal, and I used it to expand my existing collection of plateware. My dishes arrived last week, and I am very pleased. This is a great company with an amazing selection and excellent customer service.

http://www.replacements.com/

Princess Eva

Costume constructed by six-year-old big sister as a baby doll burp cloth. Jocelyn (2) gets credit for creative application of Anna's work to a live baby doll.

Thy Will Be Done: A Prayer for a Fat Soul--Psalm 106:12-15

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

Odds and Ends Online

We recently had several little things our family was in need of, and I didn't want to pay shipping for several different sources. http://www.mothernature.com/ to the rescue! And shipping was free on orders over $49.

Chillin' with Agave

All the real cooks out there may already know this, but around here, we just recently discovered that agave nectar does great in the freezer. It keeps homemade popsicles from freezing into an ice block and makes slushies more spoon-friendly. We're also having good success thus far with replacing the sugar in our ice cream recipe, though we haven't yet completely substituted one for the other.

Set Apart

Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.

--Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian John Brown as quoted in The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges

Dual Responsibility--Ezekiel 33:6

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

In Pursuit of Freedom

. . . slaves to passion cannot be free in any other significant sense

--Douglas Wilson

Ectopics

Here's a link to a very enlightening article that was first brought to my attention by its publication in the Samaritan Ministries newsletter we receive:

http://inashoe.com/2008/06/11/ectopic-pregnancy-and-the-sanctity-of-life/

The more I learn about the medical field, the more I realize the importance of asking questions.

---As a side note, I found Kim's post for today (something like "Milestones of Motherhood") very accurate for my experience thus far!

My Monkeys