Valley of the Sun, Pt. III

Valley of the Sun, Pt. II

It's so fun to be a parent and learn about your children. To see what delights them and captures their interest. To see it hone in over time. 

 

 And naturally, for 5 year-old Jane, a giant outdoor carousel replete with regally galloping creatures, fantastical colors, twinkling lights, and enchanted music ... yes, this sums up her current self nicely.

 

Such a simple thing -- paying two dollars for a carousel ride. But so worth the time and pocket change. 

And when you can stop and take it all in through the eyes of your child? A little bit of magic for the mama, too.

Valley of the Sun, Pt. I

Are you ready for the full low-down? Well buckle up, 'cause I got days worth to share!

To set the scene, Pops and I spent some time before the holidays, trying to dream up the best Christmas gift we could think of. The grand idea? Traveling together as a family. Stuff is fun, but shared experiences seem to build and knit families together. Plus ... memories are so much more enjoyable to store than a pile of new toys.

God is gracious and so often provides avenues to realize our fanciful ideas. Through a generous offer of accommodations, enough airline miles for five (!!!) tickets, and a boss that demanded Pops take some extra time off due to a mega-stretch of overtime work ... our trip materialized.

The plan? Head to Arizona for some sun and specific experiences in honor of each of the children. For sweet Jane, it was a trip to the zoo.

Naturally, there were many animals to gaze upon. We flounced about in our sundresses and t-shirts in the 70 degree weather (while all the native Arizonans huddled about in their jeans and sweaters !) and flitted from one heat loving creature to the next. 

And then. The girls spotted the camels. Camels that you could ride.

 Oh, glory be!

 Peter preferred to experience the animals from a more observatory perspective.

We all stood and gawked at the oddly beautiful flamingos for quite some time. So quirky they are with their ridiculously long necks, toothpick legs to balance upon, and their serenely beautiful pink feathers.

 

And leave it to Pops, armed with a long stick and some Mac Gyver maneuverings, to snag a discarded feather for us girls.

The children loved the day ...

 ... and Pops and I were happy too.

America the Beautiful

Just home from an excursion to the awe-inspiring Arizona. The Sedona views still on my mind. Magnificent.

Back to share more photos and regale you with family anecdotes once the laundry is done!

The Family That Plays Together ...

Off for a family adventure ... I'll check back in after a bit.

To Wear It With Confidence

This vintage fur collar has to be one of my most luxurious thrift-store finds to date. Lined in a mauvey-peach silk with a silk-thread hook and eye closure, and smelling faintly of a regally perfumed granny ... sheer fantastic-ness.

Honestly, I'm kind of digging the collar right on top of a plain sweater. However, at Christmas, I placed it over top my camel-toned wool dress coat. No wonder the high-end ladies love their fur! It definitely put a confident swagger in my step.

So now. What do we call fur collars? Not a shawl, not a muff ... but there must be a designated term, as "collar" just doesn't seem to be a snooty enough term. Any thoughts?

Afternoon Happy Snack

Perfect to whip up in a pinch. Mix all together, slap in a 9 x 13, shove into oven, and slice into bars. Makes for very happy kids when served for an afternoon snack. Makes for very happy moms when served to herself with a cup of coffee!

• Grandma's Raisin Oat Bars •

Cream together:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. br. sugar

Beat in:
1 egg
1 t. vanilla

Stir in:
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 c. flour
1 c. oats
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. coconut

Butter a 9 x 13 pan and press batter into it. (Get your fingers into it! It's sticky!) Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cut into bars.

Lucette Dreams Up a New Recipe

Scenes From a Merry Retro Christmas

Now how great is this 1950's Christmas tree from my parent's home?

 

A tinsel tree complete with a rotating color-wheel below to give sparkle and glamour.

So mesmerizing!

Looking Back, Moving Forward

It was a good day. I made my second-annual New Year's trip to the city to take in some time on my own and see what God had to say to me. As chatty as I am, I find I really thrive on alone-time. The quiet. The awareness to detail. The ability to take in my environment without immediate responsibilities. And though I may or may not be actively looking ... God often shows up.

This time, He showed up in the Bijou Cafe while I was enjoying a solitary breakfast. Sweet Potato, Chicken and Kale Hash, if you please, and a cup of black coffee, too. Sitting by my lonesome, happily, I eavesdropped on the excited buzz of the morning patrons. Seems a lot of people like to start the new year with a good meal. After mine was thoroughly polished off, I pulled out my bible and notebook and smiled with an affirmative nod when more coffee was offered. 

On a whim, I began reading in Jeremiah. I was pulled into chapter 20 and read the prophet's opened soul in verses 7-18. 

• A cry of the confused: "... I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed ..."

• A cry of the worn out: " ... his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot ..." 

• A cry of the comforted: "... But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior ..." 

• A cry of praise: "... Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy ..." 

• And once more, a cry of exhausted despair: "... Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame ..."

Oh fickle, faithless, believing, wavering Jeremiah. I do so identify with you.

For you see, this past year has been, quite possibly, one of the most difficult I've experienced. I'm no chosen Jeremiah and my trials are paltry compared to many. My year was no shocking hardship, it was just mine and it was just hard. I cried out to God in exhaustion, confusion, in comforted joy, and in wretched, full-on-cry-me-a-river self-pity. And. All by my lonesome. The girl who loves her alone time was called to journey through a desert, for a long while ... alone. Sometimes we are given burdens to bear with God as the only refuge. The only comrade. The only promise of hope. 

And even in the midst of His fullness, the doubt and worry and plain ol' selfishness can creep in ... just to stir the bubbling pot a bit more. Ever the frugal gal, I found myself, this past year, looking to please my aesthetic sensibilities to their fullness. Translation? I went shopping for pretty things. Now, I'm far too controlled by practical good sense to really go crazy, but you know the nagging feeling ... "Did I really need that? Should I really be spending right now?" ... yup, I became quite familiar with that sensation.

While I feel like I have been delivered from my gut-wrenching sojourn (without going into detail, God stepped in with a mighty and ... nothing short of ... miraculous hand), I've been struggling with my newly formed habit of retail therapy. Pretty things are nice. Shopping is fun. But spending wisely is better.

To pull you back to my New Year's Day morning, after contemplating Jeremiah and musing over the spending issue, I spent the next three hours in a monster new/used book store. Heaven. I read, drank coffee, read, ate a pistachio gelato, and read some more. I had a pile of books I wanted to adopt, yet strangely, I purchased none. 

Back into the car to leave the city behind and head on home, I passed a little thrift shop. Now ready to get home, I buzzed through the shop quickly. Nothing really caught my eye until I spied a little blue book on a shelf. A sweet old copy of Sense and Sensibility for $1.99. I had to laugh to myself. In Jeremiah I found a relatable man who struggled in his immaturity, yet found his faith growing because of who God is. In this small title, I found encouragement in my spending dilemma. It was if God suggested to me, "Anna, I know of your penchant for pretty things and your aesthetic Sensibilities. It's okay. I made you that way. Let's just keep it combined with good Sense. Don't worry, you're not on your own. We'll work on it together."

And so. He provides. He comforts. He stands by His promises. He is faithful and unwavering ... even though I am not. Praise God. 

Moving forward, Friends ... Happy New Year.