tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40974917403899762842024-03-17T22:03:59.052-05:00summer harmsplaying show & tellsummerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.comBlogger1082125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-30569287685539887502015-01-12T14:31:00.003-06:002015-01-13T12:28:37.692-06:00Casper's birth story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><b><i>It's Casper's first birthday today, yay! And in honor of that, I'm sharing his birth story for the first time, yay! And I didn't keep it short, so get cozy and settle in for storytime. It's a good one. (Yay!)</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It was a cold Saturday morning in January and we needed groceries. We piled into the car and picked up where we left off with our well-established car ride conversation: baby names. We asked each other if we were leaning more toward boy or girl today (we could both picture it going either way) and confirmed our top name choices for each gender, still leaving room for last-minute changes, because we never like to close that door. A new name could hit at any moment. That’s how we roll. </span></span><br />
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Since we only make the trek to the city grocery stores every couple weeks, I was pretty sure this would be the last trip with only <i class="">one</i> little in the backseat. My due date was the next day, but because Hadley was born 8 days past her due date, I wasn’t planning on labor starting any time soon. Maybe by the middle of next week or something. Anyway, knowing this would probably be my last chance at a coffee from Caribou for awhile I decided, “I’m definitely getting one today. Dairy and all. I’m celebrating.” Inside the store, as I grabbed my cup from the coffee counter, a couple of ladies noticed my belly and asked when I was due. “Tomorrow!” I answered triumphantly. I was dying for someone to ask me that question today because it made the baby's coming feel so real and imminent. I walked the aisles of the store and saw people going about their oh-so-regular Saturdays and that made me feel good. Little did they all know, I was due in a matter of hours. I liked waddling around with my coffee and my 9-month belly zipped up tight inside my winter coat, carrying my little <i class="">on the brink of having a baby</i> secret.<br />
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We made the 45 minute drive home, put away the groceries, and spent the rest of the day hanging out, doing the normal nap time routine for Hadley, picking up the house, and I think I may have baked some cookies. Ever since we finished up Christmas-ing my mind had switched over into baby mode. I routinely walked around the house, moving things from one room to another, grabbing onesies or blankets to stash somewhere handy. We were planning another home birth, so I had brought a basket of newborn things and my big exercise ball up to our bedroom. I also had a hospital bag packed, in case we decided to go in. I never gave the date a second thought as we went about the day, but when it was time for bed Grant and I joked about tomorrow being "the day.” Neither of us ever expected anything to really happen. And we certainly didn’t anticipate that we only had a few hours of sleep ahead of us.</div>
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I woke up at 2:45 am (Sunday, January 12 — the due date) and sat up in bed. My water had broken. Ok. My water broke. Right? That’s what this is? Already this labor was looking very different from Hadley’s (my water didn’t break until she was being born). I sat in disbelief for a second or two and woke Grant to let him know what I thought had just happened. As I waited for any contractions to start, I thought about how I had basically spent the whole day nesting yesterday, naively thinking we still had a week to wait. Everything we needed to do to get ready to have a baby was <i>done</i>. What a gift! The Lord gave us such a peaceful day of prep. Looking back, I'm so glad that only He knows how the labor timeline is going to play out- I would have been nervous and anxious if I had known how little time we had. </div>
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I got up to go to the bathroom and wrap my head around my water breaking. I mean, that's like how labor starts in the movies! I never thought I'd have that dramatic kick-off experience, but here it is! When I came back to bed, we thought we better try and get a little more sleep if we could. Of course, that was <i class="">not</i> happening. Both of us were awake and the contractions started like clockwork. I am a terrible sleep-through-contractions girl. They were already coming about every 5-10 minutes, but they were not very long or strong. Those sensations... they're very convincing. You know them in a moment. You know what they're up to. Even though they aren't at all easy, they somehow feel natural, like something you have to accept. I think that's why labor pain is so different for me than any other pain- it's not a hurt to try to staunch or an injury being inflicted on me- there's nothing to fight. You just have to bear it. </div>
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We finally came around to the idea that the birth was probably going to happen <i class="">today</i> (which was so strange for us since Hadley’s labor was stretched out over several days) so we got out of bed and Grant started filling up the birth pool and getting other things ready. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself, but so many girls talk about a hot shower feeling good during labor, so I opted for that. The contractions weren’t strong enough for me to really need relief yet, and probably were only lasting 30-45 seconds, but I hopped in the shower anyway. And since things weren’t feeling too bad yet, I went ahead and got myself all ready for the day. I wanted to stay busy, and I'm a pro at passing time with the blowdryer. I put my earrings in and thought about how funny it would be to keep them in all through labor and maybe I’d still be wearing them while holding my new baby. (I was.) Crazy, I thought. And crazy that earrings are part of the thought life during labor. Anyway, hair dried, earrings and contacts in, warm clothes on, I carried on with the business of contracting.<br />
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At 6:45 am we called our midwife to let her know what was up. We had a little chat and she said she’d be over in a couple hours. I was calm because labor was feeling very familiar and predictable. I had been nervous that my second labor would be more swift and powerful, so I was glad that things seemed to be shuffling along pretty slowly. I sat on the big exercise ball next to our bed and used a contraction timer app to keep track, bouncing through them as they came. Things were steady in the sense that I knew this wouldn’t fade away into false labor, but also sporadic when it came to frequency and duration. Grant sat in our bed and typed away at his laptop, making notes for a substitute teacher. He was planning to take a week off to be at home with us, so he hurriedly got things ready for his class. We knew that Hadley would be waking up soon, so Grant called his parents to ask if she could spend the day with them, because it looked like we'd be busy the rest of the day (wink, wink). They are always so ready to help, and we were so grateful. After Hadley got up, Grant got her dressed and packed a bag, and Grandpa came to pick her up right away. </div>
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Erika arrived at 9:00 am and checked me over. Everything looked good, contractions were still happening regularly, but laboring had become less intense as the morning went on. I felt a little discouraged and aimless. Like I had lost sight of the end. The hardest part of labor for me is not knowing the timeline- not knowing how much longer I have to bear the weight of the work and make my strength last. Erika told us the baby was a bit posterior and it’s normal to see the pattern of labor be sporadic like mine until the baby gets turned around. She asked me where I was feeling most of the cramping and tightening when I was having a contraction and I told her it was mostly in the front part of my belly. I answered eagerly because I knew right away that was something to be encouraged about. And I was looking for encouragement! She said that was good and that my body was doing exactly what it should be doing. I’m guessing I would have been having more back pain if the baby had been truly posterior. She mentioned a few things to try to help the baby move into position and told us that once things are all lined up, they probably won’t slow down- the end could come quickly. I was feeling strangely sleepy, so I decided to get back in bed and lay on my left side to help the baby turn and try to rest at the same time. Grant used this window of time to make a quick trip to his school to finish preparations for a substitute teacher. </div>
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By the time Grant got back (maybe 11:00), I was up and bouncing on the ball again, feeling more awake and contractions were coming steadily 5-10 minutes apart and lasting about 45 seconds. I switched back and forth between kneeling low on the ground, resting my arms up on the ball (letting gravity help the baby turn) and sitting on top of the ball. I read through the handful of promise cards that I had picked for such a time as this. The verse I was clinging to more than any other was Isaiah 41:10 - "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness." These were the words that I could still summon to my mind, even in the deepest parts of labor. Or at least the first 9 of them. As John Piper says, "When my mind is in neutral, the hum of the gears is the sound of Isaiah 41:10." That is how I felt that day. I'm so thankful to the Lord for giving me His powerful promise to call to mind when I needed it most.<br />
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During the 11 o'clock hour, I felt my mind fill with enthusiasm for the goal. No longer feeling bereft or stuck, I <i>wanted</i> to keep working toward the harder parts ahead. And I was glad I had a chance to feel like this before being engulfed in the mental fog of late labor. Erika checked the baby’s heart rate and position regularly and I was so encouraged because contractions were getting longer and closer, and the baby was moving! I could feel the spine that had been nestled into my side gradually work its way toward the middle of my belly. Around noon, I felt things intensify and my adrenaline kicking in. My legs always get so shaky when I get to this point. (my fingers are starting to get shaky and my teeth a little chattery just remembering this part!) It was around this time that I remembered something that I wanted to do differently with this baby: I went into Hadley’s birth with an empty stomach and low energy and felt so weak for days afterwards. Birth really does take a stockpile of strength. So I tried to get in as much nourishment as I could take in between contractions. I drank coconut kefir and ate a couple clementines and some scrambled eggs that Grant brought upstairs for me. I talked with Erika and Grant when contractions weren’t bothering me. I started to need more coping methods during the peak points of the pain- my main one was pulling on Grant’s arm as hard as I could. The ball was still my best friend, too. I bounced and pulled, bounced and pulled. I wasn’t timing things anymore. I was absorbed in the work. Just doing what needed to be done. </div>
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I remember looking around our bedroom and getting the sense that Erika was watching me very carefully now. She was not talking, but she was gauging me and worked quickly making preparations around the room. Clearly, she could see I had switched over into the last stages. Erika doesn't check dilation unless there is a reason to, in order to prevent infection, so I wasn't sure how "close" I was, but it was at that point that I realized,<i class=""> I can get in the pool!</i> I like to save that until I really <span class=""><i>really</i></span> need it, like when I feel overwhelmed, but it hit me that I'm probably at that point. In fact, <i class="">I may not even have that much left.</i> Whoa. I told Grant and Erika I thought I was ready for the pool and by 1:00, I was in. The water was soothing, especially to my shaky legs. It didn't take away the pain, but it helped me relax and feel more capable and in control. I felt excited about getting to this benchmark and was waiting to be convinced by the power of contractions about far along we were. I was hopeful that the end was near, but still had no idea how much longer it might be. I sat by the side of the pool, in the exact same spot I had claimed when laboring with Hadley, laying my head on the wall and holding Grant’s hand. I was quiet. My mind was blank except for the work I was doing. Moving around (rocking, bouncing) and praying Isaiah 41:10 throughout contractions was still my go-to coping mechanism. Only half an hour later, I felt the switch from regular contractions to pushing contractions. For me, these feelings are less desperate. They're effective. From that point on, I could feel the baby moving down with each contraction/push. Erika kept checking the baby and me regularly and things looked good- very close. Grant kept praying over me and letting me pull on his arm. I pushed for quite awhile apparently, but it didn't feel like a long time to me at all. It felt like seriously strenuous work, but without the sense of dire urgency that you see on tv. Because there wasn't anyone telling me, "push!", there was no rush. It felt purposeful, slow, and steady, which was what I wanted.</div>
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At 2:47 pm (exactly 12 hours after my water broke), our Casper was born! Grant pulled him up to me and we held him in the pool for awhile. He was a perfect peachy pink from the moment he came out. He was never bluish or purplish. His eyes were very alert and he was calm. He didn’t have much hair, but the little bit he had was blond. He was so adorably round- faced and just the right size, with a the cutest nose and full, rosy lips! I have so many sweet memories of our first week with him. Sleepy, cozy, quiet, snowy. We sat for hours, camped on the couch, just admiring his newness and perfection, passing him back and forth and nestling his tiny body on big pillows. Casper Job. Our little winter baby. Our son. We are so glad you're here and so thankful to the Lord! We love you.<br />
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com196tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-16646130737777952922015-01-11T20:44:00.002-06:002015-01-11T20:44:29.881-06:00harms home video 2014<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey friends! Grant makes these great 3 minute videos to recap our year and it's basically like our video Christmas card to all of you! Here's the third annual video--</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="337" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/116307628" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/116307628">2014 The Home Video</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/summerharms">summer</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-57199310621855819542014-11-10T14:46:00.002-06:002014-11-10T14:47:14.859-06:002014 HOLIDAY SHOP!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys, just wanted to announce that <a href="http://showandtell.bigcartel.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">my little shop</span></a> is officially open! Yaaaaaay! Happy Holidays!<br />
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The new version (debuted last spring) of the 50 Promises collection has been re-stocked in time for Christmas! They always sell out fast, so come on over and grab one for a gift or for yourself :) Who doesn't love a good set of flash cards? With this collection, you are getting 50 mini prints for the same price as one normally priced print. And these mini prints are loaded with handpicked, faith-building promises that God wants us to be using daily. These are not merely nice tips for nice living, these are the gospel. Believing in Jesus means believing that He keeps His word. 2 Corinthians 1:20 -- all the promises find their Yes in Him! If there is one thing that the Lord has taught me lately it is that faith is the greatest gift, and I'm thankful for the way Jesus has used these promises over the past 3 years to sustain and deepen my faith in Him!<br />
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<a href="http://showandtell.bigcartel.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The promises collection</span></a> makes a sweet, meaningful gift for sisters, moms, friends, new mamas, and anyone who wants to see Jesus prove His faithfulness! :)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">God's promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; He intended that they should be used. Our Heavenly banker delights to cash His own notes. -C. Spurgeon</span></div>
<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-79490353574163374082014-09-21T20:33:00.001-05:002014-09-21T20:33:27.906-05:00autumn on purpose Heyyy! Long time, no see my dear blog friends! I'm sorry I left without a word. Things in life are really great, leaving me little time to sit at the desk and write, but I also wanted to try getting away from this spot for awhile to find out what I would gain or miss. But I'm very active on instagram (@summerharms) with posts about life stuff, food we're eating, things I'm learning, and captive thoughts about growth in Him. So come on over there if you want to catch up!<br />
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I wanted to mention to you guys that I'm going to be a part of this lovely project called "Autumn On Purpose" with my sweet, expectant-mama blog friend Laken Nix. I'm so excited and honored! Each Monday morning throughout the fall season you'll receive an email with encouragement about living intentionally and wholeheartedly this autumn. It all starts tomorrow morning! If you'd like to join in, head to <a href="http://www.peachandhumble.com/journal/2014/9/16/autumn-on-purpose"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">peach and humble</span></b></a> to read more or sign up -- I'd love to have you be a part of it with me!<br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-71074056942750598582014-08-20T14:33:00.001-05:002014-08-20T14:33:05.080-05:00mom judy's peach crisp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Honestly guys, this peach crisp is what brought my mind around to finally blogging again. Couldn't wait to share it with you. It's so great! I'm no stranger to <a href="http://summerharms.blogspot.com/2013/09/grandma-marians-apple-crisp-revisited.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">apple crisp</span></a>, but this is my first experience with it's summery sister edition, and I'm sold. My mother-in-law made this crisp the weekend we were packing up at camp and sent us home with a deep, heavy dish of it. We chilled it in the fridge and ate bits of it after every meal until it was gone. (which was a sad moment.) It was fantastic warm too, but I loved how jellied the peaches got, how intense the flavors became, and how refreshing it felt when we ate it cold. Yum. If you give it a go, you'll see what I mean. Just savor every sweet bite.<br />
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So I know that some of you guys already know and love <a href="http://summerharms.blogspot.com/2013/09/grandma-marians-apple-crisp-revisited.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Grandma Marian's famous apple crisp</span></a>, and in that case, you'll be happy to know that this recipe is based on that piece of perfection. Big thanks to Mom Judy for creating the masterpiece and giving me the ok to share it here! You're wonderful, Judy!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Mom Judy's Peach Crisp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>gluten and dairy free </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5 peaches, chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/4 cup coconut sugar or raw sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 tsp. cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 T. tapioca flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 T. melted coconut oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup rice flour or a gf flour blend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup coconut sugar or raw sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup gf rolled oats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/4 tsp. sea salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Preheat oven to 350º. Arrange chopped peaches in an 8x8 or 9x9 dish and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and tapioca flour. Drizzle coconut oil over this and mix it up a bit in the pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl, cutting in the coconut oil last. Scatter the topping evenly over the peaches. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden and crunchy on top and peaches look bubbly-caramely. Serve warm with vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream. Or set it in the fridge until it gets good and cold - it's truly delicious when eaten cold. Leftovers are awesome and get better by the day. Double this to make a 9x13. </span><br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-10560064880910238112014-08-19T11:14:00.001-05:002014-08-19T11:14:04.325-05:00returning from summer breakHey! Long time no see!<br />
<i>If you saw us this summer, we probably looked like or might have been doing <b>this</b>.</i><br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-54105962388151887132014-07-09T21:49:00.001-05:002014-07-09T21:50:40.235-05:00kitchen girlThose of you who have been reading my blog for awhile know that every summer my husband Grant and our camp staff friends make a music video. And they turn out amazing! I'm always so proud to know these guys who aren't afraid to entertain us. Without further ado, here's the 9th annual Maintenance Men music video...<br />
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-22727943509421424992014-06-30T10:16:00.002-05:002014-06-30T10:16:09.656-05:00send me mail at camp!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! Every year I look forward to getting a couple postcards from my sweet blog friends during mail call. I love it so much! If you'd like to drop me a line while I'm here at camp, you're sure welcome to! You <i>know</i> that camp mail is the best kind. My friend Kami already sent me this lovely little piece :)<br />
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For those of you interested in a camp life update: Today we switch gears at camp. We're all done with the groups that travel down from Minneapolis to rent our campgrounds in June -- that is when our staff simply provides the meals and facilities. The first week of July we begin "our camps" - where our counselors arrive and our staff runs all the programming; the schedule, games, chapel, etc. This is also when Grant jumps into his role as the videographer! And me? I'm helping Casper get through a rough teething patch (so. much. drool.), waking up a lot in the night, rejoicing over a regular nap pattern, and helping Hadley learn how to put her undies back on by herself, to eat her meat and veggies before getting full on fruit, to not run through the camp kitchen, to stay in bed once we've said goodnight, and to share with her cousins. :)<br />
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The past 2 weeks have been full, rainy days and late, late nights. Grant and his fellow maintenance men have been hard at work recording music and filming for their annual music video. I'll be sure to post it for you guys once it's finished and debuted at Skit Night on Friday!<br />
<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-4104172874502879602014-06-26T09:51:00.001-05:002014-06-26T14:55:47.729-05:00our top 10 healthy choices<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! So, last weekend I had the opportunity to speak at Camp Shetek's <i>Ladies Camp</i> event... which explains this mid-sentence photo that my mom snapped of me behind a podium. :) I'm sorry you have to see me looking unenthusiastic and kinda nervous, because it was such a great time and I don't think I stopped smiling all day. I got to talk about <i>food!</i> (you know how I love that.) I talked about the top 10 healthy choices our family makes; the things that we've learned or have put into practice in our household that really, honestly help us. It was really fun and I loved getting to chat with the ladies and my mom and sister (who made the long trip to be there) afterwards! I thought you guys might like to see my presentation also, so here are my slides and speech:<br />
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Hi, I'm Summer Harms! (and this is my family - cue slide with our pictures on it) I get to talk to you about <b>food</b> today. Which I’m really excited about because <i>I love food</i> (obviously) and I love to cook and feeding my family is one of the biggest ways I show them that I love them. I was asked to speak about making healthy choices today, and was having such a hard time trying to nail down a particular topic under this umbrella. I just love it all! Then Grant suggested making a list of the 10 most practical, important things that we’ve learned or that I try to do for my family when it comes to food. I thought this was brilliant. I know I love hearing how other families get through 3 meals a day, so here's how we are doing it. Eating healthy is a lifestyle. And lifestyles are built on little things - the choices we make throughout the day and small changes here and there. So these are some of those little things that have helped our family, or that we’ve learned along the way as we try to be healthier eaters. I share these things not as an expert, just straight from our family’s experience, with the hope that there might be something in the mix that’s helpful to you. </div>
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<b>1. If there’s junk in the house, we’ll eat it.</b> So we don’t have junk in the house. Grant helps me with this one a lot because I’m easily tempted at the grocery store and he sticks to the list. We don’t buy much snack stuff at the store because we know we can make our own snacks and treats at home. That way we know exactly what’s going into our bodies and get the most nutrients out of our snacks. (Our favorites are homemade popcorn, bananas or apple slices and nut butter, pickles, nuts, chips and guacamole, homemade muffins or cookies, or trail mix.)</div>
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<b>2. Fats are good. And use the <i>good</i> fats.</b> Our brain is 60% fat and the fats we eat strongly influence our levels of brain function, as well as cellular health. Most processed foods contain the harmful kinds of fats, while healthy types of saturated fats provide a major source of energy, the building blocks for cell membranes, vital hormones, and they help your body absorb important vitamins, including A, D, and E. Coconut oil is our favorite for cooking and baking and we love olive oil for dressings and marinades. Just a few other good-for-you fats that we like are avocados, eggs from pastured hens, and grass fed meats. I know from experience that I feel a lot better when I’m eating enough good fats. When we first started eating less processed foods and having a lot more healthy saturated fat (specifically coconut oil), I noticed that I had more energy and better mental clarity, and felt more full and satisfied for a longer time after a meal. </div>
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<b>3. Take a good probiotic and fermented food.</b> Gut health is something that has been a really big deal for our family, because we’ve experienced tremendous health recovery benefits by focusing on cultivating good bacteria and forcing harmful bacteria out. You can tilt your balance toward the good bacteria simply by eating more of them, in the form of probiotics, which are live bacteria contained in foods and supplements. We take a strong probiotic supplement and also eat probiotic-rich fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickles and kombucha in order to boost the beneficial bacteria in our guts. </div>
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<b>4. Say no to sugar.</b> This is another big one that has dramatically improved how I feel in terms of overall wellness. We’ve learned to stop when we’ve had too much sugar, and try to view it as a treat. We also like to use sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or even just fruit to make things sweet, instead of using sugar. These alternatives are <i>real</i> foods found in nature that actually contain health-giving properties, where as sugar is so ultra processed that it is stripped of any nutrients. Not only that, but it’s extremely addicting, and it feeds the bad bacteria that live in our gut. </div>
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<b>5. Be prepared.</b> Have a plan for dinner- whatever that looks like at your house. At our house, we often have meat thawing in the fridge for tomorrow night’s dinner. When 5:30 rolls around, if there’s not a plan in place, it’s just way too easy to start eating whatever you can find fast. Don’t wait until you’re starving. Also, bringing snacks with you wherever you go has been a big help to us. If we have enough food with us to get by until we get home, we can avoid the drive-thru. </div>
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<b>6. Quality foods.</b> We love to know where our food is coming from. We buy organic produce whenever we can, we love to hit the farmers market as much as possible, and we switched to buying local grass-fed beef without hormones or antibiotics. </div>
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<b>7. Don’t give up on something- and when in doubt, roast it. </b></div>
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A few years ago I found out that if I cut back on sugar, everything else started tasting better. Before that time, my tastebuds were so trained and dependent on sugar for flavor that I was a really picky eater. I didn’t even realize it at the time, but as my sugar dependency went down, I was so encouraged, because suddenly I started liking so many new things! And now it’s hard for me to find a vegetable that I don’t like- especially when it’s roasted. Roasted vegetables are the big favorite at our house. So if there’s a food or meal that you haven’t liked in the past, I want to encourage you: don’t give up on it. Try preparing it a few different ways- you never know if you’ll find a new favorite. For us, that was the case with brussels sprouts. We tried roasting them one night and now we can’t get enough of them!! </div>
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<b>8. Read labels as you shop.</b> If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you should probably put it back. For me a “proper diet” means eating real food... wholesome, nutrient-dense foods that come from nature. The longer an ingredient list gets, the more likely it is to have undesirable stuff and the less likely it is to be nutrient rich. We try to buy things with as few ingredients as possible or single-ingredient food items like eggs, rice, apples, avocados, etc. </div>
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<b>9. Make meals that stretch. If you make dinner big enough, you can use it for lunch the next day. </b>This one is kind of just common sense, but we just put it into practice this past school year and it made a huge difference. At my house, especially on week days, lunch often ends up being a scavenging kind of meal, unless there is something already made. Which is why having leftovers is perfect - it doesn’t get much easier than that. And planning one big meal always beats planning 2. </div>
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<b>10. Have the right mindset. Know <i>why</i> you want to eat healthy. </b>A healthy mindset about eating is just as important as the food you are choosing to eat - because eating matters to the Lord. Our motivation for eating well can be found right in 1 Corinthians 6:20: ”You have a body, but it is not yours. You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” </div>
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<b>I loved this quote from John Piper that I found the other day about Worshipping Christ through eating.</b></div>
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-Don’t think worship services when you think worship. That is a huge limitation which is not in the Bible. All of life is supposed to be worship. Take breakfast, for example, or midmorning snacks. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Now eating and drinking are about as basic as you get. What could be more real and human?” You are always in a temple. Always worship. -John Piper</div>
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-<b><i>What does worship look like when it comes to eating?</i></b> It means getting the<b> proper diet</b> your body was designed <i>by God</i> to have. This is how we applaud and enjoy His design and understand that He made us stewards of these bodies. We honor Him when we take care of our bodies!</div>
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photo cred: <a href="http://alifelivedwell.tumblr.com/post/45190709059">a life lived well</a>, <a href="http://camillestyles.com/valentines-day/field-trip-floral-class-with-the-nouveau-romantics/?slide=1">camille styles flower bouquet</a></div>
summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-60964330099764789772014-06-24T09:35:00.003-05:002014-06-24T09:35:57.291-05:00anatomy of a burger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How we've been crafting a gluten and dairy free, good-for-you burger lately:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Udi's gf buns, local grass-fed beef (no hormones or antibiotics, yay!), thick slice of tomato, a little lettuce + a spoonful of homemade sauerkraut, mustard and plenty of mayo (</span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">without</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> partially hydrogenated soybean oil). I'm a cheeseburger girl at heart, but I didn't even miss the cheese here. We did miss the bacon, though. Where is the good quality bacon in our local grocery stores?! Here's hoping for better selection in the future. The Harmses are missing their bacon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Since we are currently living at camp, we get to eat food from the yummy camp kitchen, but on the weekends we still like to make ourselves some burgers. We usually serve them with baked beans and grilled veggies + onions or some roasted home fries. Perfect.</span><br />
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-64992051308088694852014-06-23T11:09:00.001-05:002014-06-30T10:18:26.384-05:00Hadley is three!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-- Here are a few pics from Hadley's very first summer at camp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(she moved out to camp when she was 8 days old and we were there through her first 2 months!)-- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Awww! Remember when she looked like that? My sweet, energetic, imaginative girl is 3 years old now! She had a birthday last Monday. Her gifts this year were some new puzzles and a balance bike!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can hardly make the connection between these precious pics of a tiny human I was just getting to know and the little girl-lady Hadley is today. We know every nook and cranny of her 3 year old character now. <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">She's an enthusiastic greeter (shaking hands with everyone at church) with her own language and a huge imagination. She loves to run up and say hi to everyone she sees while shouting their name, whether they really exist or not. (Mom! Dad! Grandma! Mickey! Sophia! Tinkerbell!) She always acts like it has been ages since she has seen you. She's also a skilled actress and do</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">er of puzzles. She's got a great memory and a deep love for her baby brother, wearing sunglasses, chips and salsa or guacamole, and fruit of all kinds. This summer she's a busy little camp-wanderer and just discovered somersaults and Sophia the First. A few of her numerous interests are books, capital letters, mail boxes, traffic lights and stop signs, animals, gardens, all kinds of produce at the grocery store, balls, babies, flowers, lotion, and anything at a desk or in a kitchen. Some of her current catch phrases are:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Booyah!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Pixie dust, away!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Mom? I need... hmm... let me think..."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Ohh, so nice!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Chap-oss!" (Casper)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Uh-oh, I gotta go potty."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"I so much!" (I missed you so much!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Mom, can I <i>have</i> have apple ee peanut bubba?" </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">"Sing Jesus Wuve Me So"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 20px;">She's the best! I love her.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FU1U5kFPLK4/U6h3WBepyCI/AAAAAAAAF9s/9Ps7xeCb-bw/s1600/IMG_3112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FU1U5kFPLK4/U6h3WBepyCI/AAAAAAAAF9s/9Ps7xeCb-bw/s1600/IMG_3112.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a>summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-89018223038213670582014-06-10T15:35:00.003-05:002014-06-10T15:43:38.456-05:00bare bones bible studyIn the midst of walks on the gravel with our cousins, eating Grandma Judy's good food, endlessly pulling sandals on and off, and watching the maintenance men working the grounds, the Lord has been answering my prayer for our summer at camp. I'm happy to report that He has provided a sweet window of quiet time with Him <i>every</i> day so far. And not only the time, but He planted the <i>desire</i> for that fellowship with Him in my heart. He is so faithful. (I haven't made it out to the dock yet. It rained this weekend. Hopefully soon!)<br />
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I'm currently reading my usual devotionals (*see note at bottom of this post for a list of my favorites) as well as the book of Mark- which has been so, so good. This is the first time I've gone through one of the gospels as an adult, and with the addition of a study bible. It feels like a whole new ball game. Jesus is bringing me so much deeper and I just appreciate everything so much more and I crave the <i>studying </i>part of reading my bible. I'm keeping notes as I go, but I want to get better at journaling and meditating on what I read each day. I chose to start reading Mark because of something I read in Elisabeth Elliot's wonderful, useful book <i>Keep A Quiet Heart </i>(one of my big favorites) and I instagrammed about it a few weeks ago:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">--- I should know how to study my bible by now, but... do I? Do I <i>really</i>? I love (um, really love) my daily devotionals and gain a lot from them, but I've been missing out on straight up, bare-bones bible study. I'm getting back to basics and loving this simple instruction: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">"Take a single book of the bible. If you've never done this before, start with the book of Mark. Pray, first, for the Holy Spirit's teaching. Read a few verses, a paragraph, or a chapter. Then ask, 'What does this passage teach me about 1) God 2) Jesus Christ 3) the Holy Spirit 4) myself 5) sins to confess or avoid 6) commands to obey 7) what Christian love is?' Keep a notebook. Write down any answers you find and share them with your spouse, your kids, your friends." </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">by Elisabeth Elliot, from her article <i>Tips For Quiet Time </i>---</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">*<b>Summer's devotional faves:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>1. Morning & Evening</i> by C.H. Spurgeon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. the Solid Joys Devotional App by John Piper </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(I am currently reading these two each day)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. <i>Keep a Quiet Heart</i> by Elisabeth Elliot </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>4. My Utmost for His Highest</i> by Oswald Chambers</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've also heard great things about </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Closer Walk With God</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Matthew Henry, so that's on my to-read list, and I'd also like to start doing </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The God of All Comfort</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Hannah Whitall Smith in small daily doses. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">p.s. if you're interested, check out </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/30236784-summer" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">my Goodreads page</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. I love books, and they're even better when I get to share them. </span></div>
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-76264806488550255652014-06-09T22:26:00.002-05:002014-06-09T22:26:24.003-05:00heyyyy! (from camp)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whew! Hi guys! We've been here (living at camp) a week already and this is the first time the thought of blogging has even struck me. (!!!) We finished up the school year last Friday and the very next morning we packed up the car and closed up the house in town! And here we are. My days are much the same -- keeping my little ones in tow and entertained and fed and safe and somewhat clean, and the laundry in progress. I also wipe a ton of drool from my teething boy's chin and the cute little buns of my almost-3-year-old potty training/trained girl. I feel like I transferred my normal job to a new, prettier location, with super fun neighbors. Casper is getting close to the point of a good nap and nighttime routine and Hadley is loving living around her friends, playing endlessly, and sleeping hard. And we're working on not being afraid of Champ the camp dog ;)<br />
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Grant has already been out mowing (with eye protection on- don't worry) and the anniversary of his injury just passed. We are so thankful that the Lord spared his eye and we continue to pray for full healing and clear sight someday, if that's the Lord's will.<br />
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Summer's off to a great start! Tomorrow morning is the first staff meeting of the 2014 season and I cannot wait. I'm a sucker for meetings.<br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-76301292946064736262014-05-28T14:53:00.004-05:002014-05-28T14:53:53.218-05:00preparing my heart for camp season 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[0]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Our thoughts have been getting really camp-centered lately. I've been sorting summer clothes and cleaning out kitchen cupboards and w</span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">e'll be moving to Camp Shetek in just 3 days!</span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> This will be my 8th year at our summer home and I'm so excited to see what Jesus has in store. For anyone reading who doesn't know our story... Grant and I met at this camp in 2006 and have had the opportunity to live and work there together since 2007. Grant's job will be helping maintain the camp grounds as well as giving tube rides on the lake, helping with the ropes course, organizing Mail Call, hosting Skit Night, and filming, editing, + producing all of the camp videos. This year I won't have official camp responsibilities, as my family responsibilities are already a full-time gig. :)</span><br />
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<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[0]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[0]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I've been thinking a lot on what my summer mindset should be. Honestly, I'm dreaming of having quiet time in this spot -- making good use of the way the Lord reveals Himself in nature <i>and</i> in His word.</span><span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[0]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> I always feel a revived and particular closeness to Him when I</span><span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[0]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">'m out here, with the lake and the sky the only things in my view. I'm really gonna try to make time for more purposeful dock-sitting + bible reading this summer </span><span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[1]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">at camp. </span><span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">You'd think, living at a bible camp, it would be easy to do both of those things, but it's actually a real challenge.</span><br />
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8;">Not only do I tend to skimp on important things with the fun and freedom that comes with summer, but camp days are our busiest and good habits are easily lost when you uproot normal family life. And I'm a nursing mom + toddler mom, so realistically, it's hard to carve out quiet alone time. The summer days are full and the sun shines long and it makes my mind coast. This year I want to stop that trend. Complacency is not what I want camp to be for me. </span></span><br />
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8;"><br /></span></span>
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8;">I'm praying for a summer of growth in grace and no more coasting. </span></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. // Let Thy grace Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. </i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"<b>Don't let summer make your soul shrivel.</b> God made summer as a foretaste of heaven, not a substitute... It is God’s earth! It is a video preview to the reality of what the eternal summer will be like when “The city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev. 21:23).</span><br />
<span data-reactid=".r[4].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[1].[0].[0].[0].[0].[1].[2][1].[2]" style="background-color: #fefefe; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">The summer sun is a mere pointer to the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"> </span><em style="line-height: 21px;">sun</em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">that will be. The glory of God. Summer is for seeing and showing that. Do you want to have eyes to see? Lord, let us see the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"> </span><em style="line-height: 21px;">light</em><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">beyond the light." -John Piper</span></span></span><br />
<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-1141626044474485402014-05-22T08:36:00.004-05:002014-05-22T11:51:24.378-05:00honey banana pecan muffins -- gluten and dairy free<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Good morning, guys! I've got some seriously yummy muffins for you to try. Nutty, spicy, and just the right amount of sweet. They're gluten and dairy free, honey sweetened, and very simple. I combined 2 kinds of flour -- rice and coconut -- for a muffin that is slightly dense like quick bread, but still tender and bready. And you can do it all in one bowl! And if you're wondering how I have 2 free hands to be baking while there's a 4-month-old in my arms and an almost 3-year-old at my side, here's the answer: I mixed the batter in the crucial hour after the babies went to bed and woke up early to bake them the next morning. Extra effort = extra yumminess, right? They were worth it, let me tell you. And I just couldn't let some perfectly brown bananas go to waste!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Honey Banana Pecan Muffins</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i>gluten and dairy free</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4 over-ripe bananas, mashed well </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/4 cup melted coconut oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/3 cup honey </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 1/2 tsp. vanilla</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup coconut flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup rice flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 tsp. salt, heaping</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 cup finely chopped pecans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">optional -- 1 T. raw sugar + 1/4 tsp. cinnamon for topping</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In a small pot over low heat, melt the coconut oil and let cool for a minute. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, honey, melted oil, and vanilla. Sift coconut flour into the bowl (I pour mine through a strainer to catch and toss out any clumps) and add in remaining dry ingredients and pecans. Blend well. Fill 12 muffin cups with the batter (I like to use a cookie scoop to do this), sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if using, and bake at 350º for 20 to 25 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How I like to eat them -- Cut warm muffins in half and smear soft coconut oil into the middles. Possibly add a pinch of sea salt. :)</span></div>
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-18808592265915202202014-05-16T14:58:00.005-05:002014-05-16T15:06:30.467-05:00four months for casper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My sweet, smiley Casper is 4 months old. And all of a sudden we are starting to play. And, this is huge: he's more interested in the ground. He's been laying on it for long stretches (if I'm with him) and standing on it with my help. He's learning how to hold toys and trying to roll over, too. Not a huge fan of being on his tummy yet. He also seems super interested in his sister. He's constantly watching her and laughs the hardest when it's right in her face. The other day when Hadley started crying, he was watching her so intently and then his own lips started pouting and quivering. It was so precious! I have to remind Hadley to give him space, because she loves to come bounding up and smother him with kisses, hugs, head pats, and her crazy (but awesome) hair. Every morning this week we've been turning on some music and camping out in Hadley's room (because she has carpet) and he'll just watch Hadley and I throw the ball and do puzzles for a little bit. Then he's ready for us to talk to him and sing and make noises and read books above his head. Also, he's <i>teething</i>. Oh, Lord help us get these teeth out without too much trouble! :)<br />
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The first 3 months, the "4th trimester" as some say, seems like a really real thing for him, because the 4-month mark hit and it's like we immediately said goodbye to the newborn stage. And hello to drool, a new exersaucer, and bigger smiles and laughs. He still loves to be swaddled and bounced on the exercise ball though, and wakes up in the night, and occasionally spits up, and takes the longest naps on mommy's lap. So, he's still my baby :)</div>
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-84274930958609437892014-05-15T12:23:00.002-05:002014-05-15T13:59:30.322-05:00school lunch method + turkey & veg pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lunch time for our family means leftovers. We used to be sandwich addicts, but those days are long gone. Then, for a couple years I made big batches of things at the beginning of the week and portioned it out for us to eat until Friday. At the beginning of this school year (by the way, there are only 9 1/2 student days left!) we made another lunch switch. I started cooking a big enough meal at dinner time that we could stretch it into a lunch for all of us the next day. It has worked out so nice! Skillet meals are especially convenient for this system, but we still make our favorite roasted chicken dinners all the time, and soup works well, too. Another lunch improvement we made this year was getting this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPLC200-R-20-Ounce-Lunch-Warmer/dp/B006H5V8US/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400172671&sr=8-3&keywords=mini+crock+pot">mini crock pot/warmer</a> for Grant. No more cold food at his desk! It has been huge. After filling Grant's crock pot, I pack the rest away into <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-6022369-Storage-14-Piece-Round/dp/B0000CFTB0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1400172846&sr=8-4&keywords=pyrex+storage+4+cup+red">these glass containers</a> for Hadley and me. Glass storage makes me love leftovers twice as much. I should really look into a toaster oven because I've been warming our lunch leftovers in the oven all year long and don't even want to think about the electricity...<br />
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Anyway, here's one of our recent favorite dinner finds (it just got thrown together one night and we loved it) and it makes a really yummy lunch the next day. We happened to have ground turkey, asparagus, carrots, celery, and bell peppers on hand the night that it was created, but it would be great with any combo of ground meat and veggies. I used zucchini instead of asparagus when I made it yesterday. It doesn't look like anything special, but it's surprisingly packed with flavor! I think the key is a little tiny bit of heat (red pepper flakes), something tangy (vinegar of course - you know me), and the extra big spoonful of coconut oil on the pasta (fat gives things flavor!).<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Turkey & Veggie Pasta</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3 T. olive or coconut oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 or 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 or 2 zucchini, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/2 red bell pepper, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 stalks of celery, finely chopped (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 T. minced garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sea salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 pound ground turkey (or beef, chicken, or pork)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (rough guess) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1 lb. bag of brown rice pasta (we like Trader Joe's organic brown rice fusilli)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2 T. coconut oil </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">splash of red wine or apple cider vinegar, to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In your largest skillet (I like to use my cast iron), heat oil over medium heat. Add veggies, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender. While the veggies are softening, cook your pasta according to package directions. Push the veggies over to one side of the pan and add in the ground turkey. As you brown and crumble the turkey, season with plenty of sea salt and give it a small shake of crushed red pepper. Once meat is cooked (no more pink), add in the hot pasta and a big spoonful of coconut oil. Give the pasta a few good splashes of red wine vinegar (I think it needs a little tang, but feel free skip this step if you are vinegar sensitive) then toss it all together and serve hot. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4FGU_1oKzQ/U3T1lq4_wAI/AAAAAAAAF3M/Y-Ko1F-xHUI/s1600/turkeyvegrice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4FGU_1oKzQ/U3T1lq4_wAI/AAAAAAAAF3M/Y-Ko1F-xHUI/s1600/turkeyvegrice.jpg" /></a><br />
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We like this best with noodles, but if you don't have any on hand, I've also made it with rice! Here I used brown rice, asparagus, red pepper, onions, and carrots.<br />
<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-1746666269577405752014-05-12T15:47:00.005-05:002014-05-12T16:40:11.549-05:00sixth anniversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday, Grant and I celebrated 6 years as husband and wife! Praise the Lord! The day before, we received some old camp pictures from a sweet friend (who actually took this picture of us! Thank you, Kait!) and it led to us re-hashing sweet memories and re-connecting the dots of how we got together. We were amazed at how many people the Lord used to bring us together. So many tiny, intricate details that built our camp-launched connection and so many great camp friends to thank for their part in our story! (Which <i>will</i> continue. I know, I'm so late in writing more of it! I've been feeling really guilty about it lately, seriously. You have no idea!) Basically, I'm still marveling over it all. God is so good and His plan, so unexpected.<br />
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<i>(above) This is one of Grant's favorite pictures of us. :)</i></div>
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And here are a few tidbits about our marriage, because I want to remember these little things.<br />
<ul>
<li>The first thing we say when we walk in the door of our house is almost always, "I need some water!" We must be thirsty people. (and Grant might add, "Agua, por some-more.")</li>
<li>John Mayer <i>Continuum</i> is currently back in our car. We like to resurrect music from our past.</li>
<li>Grant often prays as we're backing out of the driveway.</li>
<li>We Amazon shop a lot.</li>
<li>And yet we both desire to live so simply. :)</li>
<li>After the kids go to bed, we try to get stuff done quick and then crash on the couch to talk, watch Jimmy Fallon videos, and eat apples and almond butter.</li>
<li>It's not uncommon for us to jokingly (but seriously) ask each other, "What are your hopes and desires and dreams for the day?" translation: What's on your to-do list?</li>
<li>We both wish we could re-experience our American History classes.</li>
<li>We both wish Chipotle and Target weren't 2 hours away.</li>
<li>We don't currently have a "hobby" together -- we have babies. :)</li>
<li>One way we serve each other lately is taking turns holding Casper or diaper-changing while the other person gets something done.</li>
<li>He dreams big and I am easily intrigued.</li>
<li>It's not uncommon for us to spend an evening looking at plane tickets and dreaming of going to sunny places.</li>
<li>It's also not uncommon for us to wish for more snow and blizzards.</li>
<li>John Piper has brought us closer together.</li>
<li>Least favorites: wasted time, dumb movies, late nights, complaining.</li>
<li>Most favorites: the sun, a good mix of work and play, growing closer, becoming better at something, finishing to-do lists, traveling, experiencing God's faithfulness.</li>
<li>Things we don't: keep secrets (surprises) from each other very well, go on dates regularly, let our calendar get too packed.</li>
<li>Things we do: want to ride Rockin' Roller Coaster at Disney World, enjoy simple, well-designed things, eat a lot of chips and salsa/guac.</li>
<li>Going to bed at the same time is a routine that's important to us.</li>
<li>Grant thrives on having someone to lead and take care of. I thrive on nurturing my people and having someone to defer to.</li>
<li>Arrested Development and Parks & Rec jokes abound at our house.</li>
<li>He's clever and innovative and full of thoughts. And I've got a good memory and am always ready with a question or perspective. Together we make great conversations.</li>
<li>We talk about things that matter on a daily basis. (Jesus, relationships, feelings, struggles, sins.)</li>
<li>We like to analyze and ponder God's Word and work together.</li>
<li>I thank Him for this. For <i>all</i> of this!</li>
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summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-66227535337460320832014-05-08T11:01:00.001-05:002014-05-08T11:21:52.278-05:00recovering<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! Grant's surgery went well and he is feeling good. Praise the Lord! Thank you all so much for your prayers! The world is just really, really bright. His eye is still crazy dilated, so it's hard to appreciate how nice the new lens is yet. Now we are just praying for a quick and full recovery. I made him a couple of favorites -- these <a href="http://summerharms.blogspot.com/2014/02/almond-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">cookies</a> and this <a href="http://summerharms.blogspot.com/2013/03/erins-thai-red-curry.html">curry</a> -- to speed the recovery process :)<br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-46066438325175187752014-05-07T09:19:00.003-05:002014-05-07T09:25:05.158-05:00grant's eye surgery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, blog friends! Grant will have eye surgery this morning around 9:30. Some of you have asked to be updated, so just wanted to let you know. Thanks so much for praying! We are excited for him to be able to see out of his left eye again!<br />
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For those who don't know, while mowing at Camp Shetek last June, a rock ricocheted off a tree and struck Grant square in his left eye. It damaged his lens and pupil, and created a trauma-induced cataract. His vision has been very disabled since the injury. Today he will get a new lens! Praise the Lord!summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-33632167984509030352014-05-05T16:06:00.001-05:002014-05-05T16:06:57.204-05:00sorting + sending <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Grant and I were a sorting machine last night!!! Yep, all of your <a href="http://showandtell.bigcartel.com/product/the-50-promises-memory-card-collection">50 Promises</a> are hand-sorted and stacked and taped and stuffed at our kitchen table in the late night hours ;) At the moment, I'm crazy behind on laundry, but all caught up on orders! You guys. Thank you, thank you. We are overwhelmed by how many are coming in. If you placed a 50 Promises order this weekend or today, it's headed your way right now! I hope that they'll make a great addition to <i>your</i> arsenal of promises.<br />
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And there's still time to get in on our Mother's Day sale, if you haven't yet!<br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-88141005622723615922014-05-03T16:11:00.001-05:002014-05-03T20:51:42.187-05:00honey popcorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hey guys. Blogging one-handed today, while holding a sleeping baby and sitting on a big exercise ball. So I'm going to keep this short. But sweet! My mother-in-law is brilliant at making treats. On May Day, she brought us a bouquet of her honey popcorn, which is one of my all-time favorites! You guys have to try this. It's the ultimate dessert popcorn. And be careful, it is extremely addictive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Honey Popcorn</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>1.</b> Make <a href="http://summerharms.blogspot.com/2011/02/lets-go-to-movies-lets-go-see-stars.html"><span style="color: #e69138;">one batch of popcorn</span></a> using 1/2 c. of kernels and 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>2.</b> Put this batch on a cookie sheet and drizzle with 1/2 c. of coconut oil and 1/2 c. of honey, melted together. Bake at 300º for 18 minutes, stirring halfway through. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>3.</b> Then make one more batch of well-salted popcorn. When the oven batch has cooled, mix the two batches together. It keeps really well in an air-tight container.</span><br />
<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-11989313144459605202014-05-02T09:18:00.001-05:002014-05-02T09:18:14.153-05:00mother's day sale + a giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi friends! I've been staying up late every night this week polishing up these 50 Promises so they're all pretty and fresh for Mother's Day. I picked new colors and fonts and prayed over a handful of new promises to swap in. Let's just say, I love them even more. And I think you will, too!<br />
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Because Mother's Day is just about here and your mom might love a set of these, they're on sale for $13.50 -- <a href="http://showandtell.bigcartel.com/product/the-50-promises-memory-card-collection"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">head over to the shop</span></a> to get your lovely mama (or yourself) a gift! They'll ship out Monday morning! Also, today only, I'm doing a giveaway on Instagram -- come follow me and enter to win! <a href="http://instagram.com/summerharms"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">@summerharms </span></a><br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-2535315517615090302014-04-30T12:40:00.002-05:002014-04-30T14:26:20.931-05:00a laundry list from my heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jesus has been hard at work on my heart these past couple months. As spring came, so did my own awakening. This quote from C.H. Spurgeon sums it up right:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Fair weather is smiling upon the face of the earth, and He would not have me spiritually asleep while nature is all around me awaking from her winter's rest. He bids me "Rise up," and well He may, for I have long enough been lying among the pots of worldliness. He is risen, I am risen in Him, why then should I cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations, I would rise towards Him."</span><br />
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I really don't even know how best to document this transformation happening in me. So, naturally, I'll make a list. Here are just a few of the lessons and thoughts that are changing my life lately.... it would be so sweet if the Lord uses them to bless someone else in their walk with Him, and I pray that He would! But regardless, I still need to be writing them down, for my own sake.<br />
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<b>1. My sin.</b> I will begin at the beginning. It really all started on March 5th. On this day in history, I saw my sin. I mean, it wasn't the first occasion for that to happen, but this was different. It was nap time at our house, I went to the guest room to sit on the bed and feed Casper and I started to read my bible. Suddenly, like a grand unveiling, the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin. It was a specific sin that had been lying stagnant under the surface for years and the Lord revealed it to me in a new light. I was deeply grieved by what I had done/had been doing. I felt the weight of my guilt. I felt the depths of His grace. I had felt them both before, but this was the heaviest and deepest (respectively) they had ever been to me. It was so hard and sad, so liberating and wonderful. My heart was broken, but bursting at the same time! All because of Jesus. I knew this revelation, this sin experience, was going to change me; it was going to unlock the dungeons of my heart and mobilize my will to fight against sin. Grant came home from work and found me still sitting on the guest bed, holding a sleeping Casper, crying my eyes out. He was so excited for me when I told him what had happened. And it was one of the best days of my life.<br />
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<b>2. Feeling, tasting, seeing.</b> Just moments after awakening to my sin, I went googling. I was looking up the bible verses I wanted to read for instruction and finding some articles for encouragement, and the Lord brought me right here:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"...maybe God has brought you to this point of feeling your guilt so that grace would taste sweeter than it ever has. We have to <b>see</b> our sin, but some of us have grown up in such goody-goody homes that we don't think we've ever done anything serious." - John Piper, emphasis mine.</span><br />
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The day after, I posted this photo to Instagram, to help me remember what had been done for me. There's nothing like a selfie to mark your memory. ;)<br />
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<i>"Good hard, self-examining day yesterday. The lesson was the one that trumps all lessons: the greatness of my sin and the depths of His grace."</i></div>
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<b>3. My good resolve.</b> Just 2 days before seeing my sin, <a href="http://solidjoys.desiringgod.org/en/devotionals/god-works-through-good-resolves"><span style="color: #bf9000;">this devotional</span></a> was preparing my heart. And it has left a scar on my sin attitude that, Lord willing, will not soon fade away.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"When you sit back to do nothing, you are not doing nothing. You are actively engaging your will in a decision to sit back. And if that is the way you handle sin or temptation in your life, it is blatant disobedience, because we are commanded to wage a good warfare (1 Timothy 1:18) and to resist the devil (James 4:7) and strive for holiness (Hebrews 12:14).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Part of the whole process of walking worthy of God's call is the active engagement of our will in resolving to do righteousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you have lingering sin in your life, or if you keep neglecting some good deed, just because you have been waiting around to be saved without a fight, you are compounding your disobedience. God will never appear with power in your will in any other form than a good resolve that you make and keep." -from the solid joys devotional app, march 3rd </span></div>
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<b>4. The fight.</b> This was so inspiring to me! Now that I am awake to my sin, and one in particular that I will do battle with on a daily basis, I can fight it! And how do I fight against sin? What do I do when I feel myself starting to cave to it? <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/a-tool-to-help-you-live"><span style="color: #bf9000;">This tool</span></a> is the first thing I turn to, because it works. And because it has become part of the way my mind moves. When I first heard it, it made so much sense. Piper's A.P.T.A.T. -- write it out somewhere, my friends. Here's the simplest explanation.<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">A - I </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">admit</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> I can't in myself do what needs to be done.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">P - I </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">pray</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> for God's help.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">T - I </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">trust</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> a particular promise he has given us in His Word.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A - I </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">act</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> on whatever God is calling me to do.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">T - I </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">thank</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> him for his help when I am done. </span></div>
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Well, these 4 items barely scrape the icing off this cake the Lord has handed me this spring. More heart issues to be shared soonish, so I'll say <b><i>To be continued...</i></b><br />
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<br />summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4097491740389976284.post-67555444719042509622014-04-28T14:46:00.002-05:002014-04-28T14:57:49.871-05:00synchronized babies <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><b>Casper + Hillary / 3 months old</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">You guys won't believe how crazy this is. My twin sister Haley and I had babies at the same time (!!!) and when they met for the first time we caught them like this! (See top photo for synchronization.) it's going to be so fun to watch our little cousin twins grow up. Aren't they cuties? Haley and I sure think so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">And, just a few more from our Good Friday stay in Omaha...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">1. Car ride! Hadley rode silently like this for the first 2 hours, clutching her new purse from Grandma Joens. So sweet. Casper wasn't as happy about the long trip ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">2. Chipotle at Haley's table! We talked and laughed and passed our babies back and forth. It was awesome. Not pictured: a trip to Trader Joe's (a fave) with my little sister Chels. Love her! And playing Fishbowl with my brothers and sisters after the babies went to bed. So fun. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">3. Loving the backyard swing and her cousin Davis. She asked about him for days once we came home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">4. When in Omaha... go to the zoo! It was Hadley's first time at Henry Doorley. And it was my first workout since Casper was born. Seriously, the zoo wiped me out! ;) It was a beautiful weekend we'll remember for a long time. Love my family!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00293904495860552057noreply@blogger.com3