Thursday 25 February 2016
A Little Bit of Normality
This evening I felt like making Blueberry Coffee Cake. So I made blueberry coffee cake. And I didn't push myself too hard. I didn't feel sick afterward. It felt so amazing...
Tuesday 23 February 2016
To Do or Not To Do
That is the question. Or at least it is often the question that I have to ask at this point in my life - with an energetic one year old, and being well into the first trimester of another pregnancy. Tiredness is a daily reality, and often all that I can manage to do is the bare minimum to get us through the day. Routine quickly becomes a very good friend, especially our daily nap time. So when the opportunity arises to do something that you would love to do, but that would affect that routine that gets you through the day, the result is something of a quandary.
That happened today.
Jesse unexpectedly had the day off work, so we decided to go for a short hike with some friends. It was wonderful to get outside, enjoying the warm sunshine and the beauty of God's creation. I hardly ever get out much farther than the local park with Steven, so I enjoyed it a lot. However, we were gone right over nap time. Steven got more and more tired until he eventually fell asleep in his carrier for a short 15 minute catnap. When we got home I tried putting him down for a nap even though it was well past his nap time, but of course he wouldn't sleep and got grumpier and clumsier as the rest of the day progressed. I always have a nap when Steven naps, so I missed my nap time too, as well as getting more exercise than I have been used to lately. As soon as we got home I felt absolutely exhausted. But other than a few brief moments on the couch I couldn't really rest - supper had to be made and the overtired toddler didn't want to amuse himself. We made it through till Steven's bedtime, and now I have curled up on the big red beanbag chair to write this, and I'm asking myself - was it worth it?
Right now it doesn't feel very worth it. I'm exhausted. The last few hours of my day were miserable.
But at the same time, it was so good to go on that hike, to spend time with people, to watch Steven stare in wonder at the waterfall, to watch Jesse teaching him to throw rocks into the river, to get out of the house and out of the city.
Is it worth it?
I think I'll be asking that question a lot over the next few years. Sometimes I'll feel like it's worth it. Sometimes I won't. I suppose there's a balance, just like most things in life. There has to be routine that gets you through the day, but there's also a time to forget the routine and get outside and experience more of life. It helps keep me sane and gives Steven so many opportunities to learn and grow.
Today I am tired. But I am thankful.
That happened today.
Jesse unexpectedly had the day off work, so we decided to go for a short hike with some friends. It was wonderful to get outside, enjoying the warm sunshine and the beauty of God's creation. I hardly ever get out much farther than the local park with Steven, so I enjoyed it a lot. However, we were gone right over nap time. Steven got more and more tired until he eventually fell asleep in his carrier for a short 15 minute catnap. When we got home I tried putting him down for a nap even though it was well past his nap time, but of course he wouldn't sleep and got grumpier and clumsier as the rest of the day progressed. I always have a nap when Steven naps, so I missed my nap time too, as well as getting more exercise than I have been used to lately. As soon as we got home I felt absolutely exhausted. But other than a few brief moments on the couch I couldn't really rest - supper had to be made and the overtired toddler didn't want to amuse himself. We made it through till Steven's bedtime, and now I have curled up on the big red beanbag chair to write this, and I'm asking myself - was it worth it?
Right now it doesn't feel very worth it. I'm exhausted. The last few hours of my day were miserable.
But at the same time, it was so good to go on that hike, to spend time with people, to watch Steven stare in wonder at the waterfall, to watch Jesse teaching him to throw rocks into the river, to get out of the house and out of the city.
Is it worth it?
I think I'll be asking that question a lot over the next few years. Sometimes I'll feel like it's worth it. Sometimes I won't. I suppose there's a balance, just like most things in life. There has to be routine that gets you through the day, but there's also a time to forget the routine and get outside and experience more of life. It helps keep me sane and gives Steven so many opportunities to learn and grow.
Today I am tired. But I am thankful.
Thursday 18 February 2016
Game Review: Dungeons and Dragons
This game review was long overdue, so I figured now was a good time. Every now and then I like to tell you about a game that I have been playing lately, and I certainly have been playing D&D quite a lot.
To start off, just a disclaimer that I realize D&D is a huge game, with multiple editions and endless possibilities, so I'm not trying to be comprehensive in any way. I'm just going to tell you a bit about my experience with the game (5th edition) and what I think of it.
D&D is a role playing game, with each of the players creating a character that will be going on an adventure together. There are many different options for different races (like human, elf, or dwarf), class (like ranger, fighter, or wizard), and background (like hermit, criminal, or entertainer).
In order to play, someone needs to be the storyteller (generally called a dungeon master or game master) who decides what happens, narrates the story, runs the monsters and "non-player-characters" that the characters meet on their journey, and encourages the players to interact with each other. There is generally a map, and each of the characters have a figurine that they can use to show where they are on the map as they talk with each other and describe what their characters are doing. Generally if you want to attempt doing something, you will roll one or more dice, and your success depends on how good the roll is combined with your character's ability in that area.
I think that someone's experience of D&D will depend a lot on the people that they play with. The storyteller does a lot to set the tone of the game, and the players can have a varying degree of seriousness or lightheartedness about the game. In most of the games I have played there have been lots of jokes and laughter. We get into the story, but have a lot of fun while we're playing.
Playing D&D does take quite an investment if there isn't a game already happening that you can just join. The materials and supplies aren't cheap, and it can take quite a bit of time to create characters and prepare the story (even if you are following a prewritten story). But it can be well worth the investment, especially if you have a good group of people to play with!
For more of my thoughts on D&D, check out my video: 5 Reasons Why I Enjoy D&D
Check out some of my other game reviews here!
To start off, just a disclaimer that I realize D&D is a huge game, with multiple editions and endless possibilities, so I'm not trying to be comprehensive in any way. I'm just going to tell you a bit about my experience with the game (5th edition) and what I think of it.
D&D is a role playing game, with each of the players creating a character that will be going on an adventure together. There are many different options for different races (like human, elf, or dwarf), class (like ranger, fighter, or wizard), and background (like hermit, criminal, or entertainer).
In order to play, someone needs to be the storyteller (generally called a dungeon master or game master) who decides what happens, narrates the story, runs the monsters and "non-player-characters" that the characters meet on their journey, and encourages the players to interact with each other. There is generally a map, and each of the characters have a figurine that they can use to show where they are on the map as they talk with each other and describe what their characters are doing. Generally if you want to attempt doing something, you will roll one or more dice, and your success depends on how good the roll is combined with your character's ability in that area.
I think that someone's experience of D&D will depend a lot on the people that they play with. The storyteller does a lot to set the tone of the game, and the players can have a varying degree of seriousness or lightheartedness about the game. In most of the games I have played there have been lots of jokes and laughter. We get into the story, but have a lot of fun while we're playing.
Playing D&D does take quite an investment if there isn't a game already happening that you can just join. The materials and supplies aren't cheap, and it can take quite a bit of time to create characters and prepare the story (even if you are following a prewritten story). But it can be well worth the investment, especially if you have a good group of people to play with!
For more of my thoughts on D&D, check out my video: 5 Reasons Why I Enjoy D&D
Check out some of my other game reviews here!
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Meditation on John 8:31-33
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide
in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him,
Jesus calls:
Abide.
Listen.
Remain in my word.
Rest.
Live.
Be set free.
But Jesus,
We are Christians.
We are not enslaved by anything.
We don't need to be set free.
It's a good thing too,
Because we don't really have time for abiding.
We're too busy, you see.
Working two jobs,
Overtime whenever we can get it.
Gotta pay our bills you know,
No one else is going to do it for us.
And we're not really interested in listening.
To be honest, we never really hear you, Jesus.
The Christian radio station we listen to in the car is encouraging enough.
The tv show playing in the background at home keeps us entertained.
We keep our headphones plugged in when we're out and about.
Silence is just uncomfortable anyways.
And we don't really read your word.
It's all just full of things we've heard before,
Or things we don't understand.
We just don't have the energy or focus to get anything more out of it.
When we're done a long day of work we just want some easy entertainment.
Surely you understand that, Jesus.
And is that some sort of joke, talking about rest?
You already heard about how much we work.
We volunteer at church and at school.
The kids need to be in sports and dance and gymnastics and church club.
We have so many travel plans, just as soon as we can afford them.
We'll rest when we're dead.
And Jesus, we ARE living.
Just look at us.
We're being promoted at work.
Everyone calls us successful.
We just bought a new car, a better house, a bigger tv.
We get so many likes on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.
Why do you say we need to "be set free"?
in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him,
"We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved
to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"
- John 8:31-33 Jesus calls:
Abide.
Listen.
Remain in my word.
Rest.
Live.
Be set free.
But Jesus,
We are Christians.
We are not enslaved by anything.
We don't need to be set free.
It's a good thing too,
Because we don't really have time for abiding.
We're too busy, you see.
Working two jobs,
Overtime whenever we can get it.
Gotta pay our bills you know,
No one else is going to do it for us.
And we're not really interested in listening.
To be honest, we never really hear you, Jesus.
The Christian radio station we listen to in the car is encouraging enough.
The tv show playing in the background at home keeps us entertained.
We keep our headphones plugged in when we're out and about.
Silence is just uncomfortable anyways.
And we don't really read your word.
It's all just full of things we've heard before,
Or things we don't understand.
We just don't have the energy or focus to get anything more out of it.
When we're done a long day of work we just want some easy entertainment.
Surely you understand that, Jesus.
And is that some sort of joke, talking about rest?
You already heard about how much we work.
We volunteer at church and at school.
The kids need to be in sports and dance and gymnastics and church club.
We have so many travel plans, just as soon as we can afford them.
We'll rest when we're dead.
And Jesus, we ARE living.
Just look at us.
We're being promoted at work.
Everyone calls us successful.
We just bought a new car, a better house, a bigger tv.
We get so many likes on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.
Why do you say we need to "be set free"?
Thursday 11 February 2016
Tortilla Pizzas
Last Saturday in my video post I talked about five of my favourite recipes. As I was including links to posts I had written about the recipes here on this blog, I realized that there were a couple of the recipes I mentioned that I haven't blogged about yet. So I thought that I should do that!
This recipe is one that I have been using so much lately, and it isn't even really a recipe.
Basically, you take a tortilla, add pizza toppings, and put it under the broiler until the cheese melts!
I like spreading a bit of pesto on it and then using whatever odds and ends I have in the fridge (often some veggies and leftover meat) before topping it with grated cheese.
Pizza in minutes!
To hear about my other favourite recipes, check out my latest video!
This recipe is one that I have been using so much lately, and it isn't even really a recipe.
Basically, you take a tortilla, add pizza toppings, and put it under the broiler until the cheese melts!
I like spreading a bit of pesto on it and then using whatever odds and ends I have in the fridge (often some veggies and leftover meat) before topping it with grated cheese.
Pizza in minutes!
To hear about my other favourite recipes, check out my latest video!
Tuesday 9 February 2016
A Quote for Today
I happened to notice that today we are halfway between Christmas and Easter! So I thought I would share this quote with you. Sometimes it is easy to feel tired and discouraged, but Jesus walks with us as we move forward in the work to which he has called us.
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart."
- Howard Thurman
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart."
- Howard Thurman
Thursday 4 February 2016
Plastic Bag Doormat (part 2)
Finishing my braided jean rug encouraged me to get back to another project that I began over a year ago - crocheting a doormat out of plastic bags. That project had stalled because I ran out of plastic bags. Since then we accumulated more bags, and I continued to work on it sporadically over the past year, but I decided it was time to put in the effort and actually finish it!
Check out the original post I wrote about this project over a year ago:
Plastic Bag Doormat (part 1).
And here is the finished project!
I completely lost track of how many plastic bags it took to make the finished mat, but it was a lot! As you can see, it didn't end up laying very flat or having even edges. I found that the pattern I was using didn't work very well, and I kept on adjusting it as I went, trying to fix the different problems I found with it (specifically that the corners were much too pointy and the mat wouldn't lie flat). I managed to solve the pointy-corner problem, but couldn't quite get it to lie flat. However, I read that one way to fix that is to use a hair dryer!
The heat melts the plastic just enough to let you mold the shape a little and encourage it to lie flat. It worked very well!
The completed mat by the front door! It feels so good to finish projects.
Check out the original post I wrote about this project over a year ago:
Plastic Bag Doormat (part 1).
And here is the finished project!
I completely lost track of how many plastic bags it took to make the finished mat, but it was a lot! As you can see, it didn't end up laying very flat or having even edges. I found that the pattern I was using didn't work very well, and I kept on adjusting it as I went, trying to fix the different problems I found with it (specifically that the corners were much too pointy and the mat wouldn't lie flat). I managed to solve the pointy-corner problem, but couldn't quite get it to lie flat. However, I read that one way to fix that is to use a hair dryer!
The heat melts the plastic just enough to let you mold the shape a little and encourage it to lie flat. It worked very well!
The completed mat by the front door! It feels so good to finish projects.
Tuesday 2 February 2016
New Things
I decided to start something new! I've been thinking for a while about other ways to connect with you, since following a blog isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. So I am starting a new YouTube channel! The idea is that once a week I will be posting a video, which will generally just be me talking about life, or showing you glimpses of what I've been up to. Sometimes I might experiment with different kinds of videos. I'll be posting a video each Saturday, so you can continue to check out my blog every Tuesday and Thursday, and then head over to YouTube on Saturday!
On my videos I will be encouraging interaction and responses from you, so I'd love it if you would comment on the videos, telling me about how you are doing, asking me questions, or giving me topic ideas for future videos. I will also be taking suggestions on Twitter, and you can tweet me @LeaneWinger or use the hashtag #visitingLeane.
I'm excited to see how it goes and to experience connecting with you through video!
My new channel!
Check out my first video here!
Another thing that's new...
Baby #2 is on the way!
Yes, Steven is going to be a big brother. We are anticipating the baby's arrival sometime in September, and we are very excited.
On my videos I will be encouraging interaction and responses from you, so I'd love it if you would comment on the videos, telling me about how you are doing, asking me questions, or giving me topic ideas for future videos. I will also be taking suggestions on Twitter, and you can tweet me @LeaneWinger or use the hashtag #visitingLeane.
I'm excited to see how it goes and to experience connecting with you through video!
My new channel!
Check out my first video here!
Another thing that's new...
Baby #2 is on the way!
Yes, Steven is going to be a big brother. We are anticipating the baby's arrival sometime in September, and we are very excited.
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