Brotherly Love.

Poor little Pancho is sick. The yucky kind of sick. The not hold anything down for 24 hours sick. The coming out both ends sick.

While Big Mama was busy taking care of Pancho, EZ$ made quick work of a "get well" card. Complete with rainbows, balloons, and hearts.

Do you like the background? EZ$'s artistic side is emerging. 

"Take the picture on my bed, Sis!" 

"You sure? We could take the picture downstairs on the table... Yeah, I think thats a good idea."

"No, I like the cowboys!"

For those who cannot read "little boyish" it says, "I love you, Silas(Pancho). I hope you feel better. Love, Eli(EZ$)"

-The Girl.

Tip: Vinegar.

If you haven't figured out by now, we live out in the country.

That means we not only can with our jars... We drink from them.

Don't judge.

One downer about being out here is that we have really hard water. After a while our glasses start to look like this.

But I stumbled upon a solution for our problem in an old canning book I found at a garage sale: vinegar. Long known for its cleaning properties, a warm water vinegar bath makes them look as good as new (we've also used this on some glassware we've found while junkin').

 The book says to do a certain ratio, but I just dump a generous half a cup of vinegar into a sink filled with warn water and a little soap. Let them soak for a couple minutes, then scrub and rinse.

Also, there is this scrubbing sponge called "Sterling's." 

It's magic. Pure magic.

It can get everything off of anything.

It's a staple in this house.

Happy cleaning.

[Big Mama]

Do you know the muffin man?

I do.

His name is Father Abraham(... has many sons. And many sons has Father Abraham).

This morning, we made delicious blueberry scones.

Not to be rude or say names... but it blew Starbucks' scones out of the water.

(click to enlarge.)

((Out numbered is not responsible for any drooling stains due to the yumminess of this picture... you were warned.))

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

2/3 - 3/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A handful of frozen blueberries

Number one:

Preheat oven to 400*, make sure that the rack is in the middle of the oven.

Number two:

Mix all of the dry ingredients together(flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Once the dry ingredients are mixed, add in the small chunks of butter. The mix should look like course crumbs.

Number three:

Next, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract. DO NOT over mix. As soon as the dough comes together, stop.

Number four:

Put dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it. Add in the frozen blueberries. Continue to knead until it is thoroughly mixed.

Number five:

Make little "rounds" of dough, about 1 inch thick and two wide. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Brush a litte buttermilk over the top of each and then sprinkle on a little sugar.

Number six:

Put in the oven for 2o minutes.

Cool, and enjoy!

(Makes 6-8 scones.)

-The Girl... and Father Abraham.

I want to long savor whatever this day holds.

Today I sat. Sat before the Lord, sat in the midst of this crazy good life.

God has really been laying on my heart in multiple ways the importance of living in the present. Not just physically but fully.

I'm coming to the realization of the quickness of time. The fleeting moments that will soon past. Recognizing this time is a gift, and giving thanks.

Jesus' mother, Mary, "treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart," (Luke 2:19). May this be the cry of my heart. I don't want to be so caught up in the little things -- laundry, messy rooms, uncleaned counters -- to neglect treasuring these moments, knowing that Batman and a wooden boat won't long keep his attention.

"The real problem of life is never a lack of time.

The real problem of life - in my life - is lack of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving creates abundance; and the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks - take the 'just one loaf,' say it is enough, and give thanks (John 6:11) - and He miraculously makes it more than enough." - Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

From the heart of [Big Mama].