Playdough Recipe

The girls love to play with play-dough and I love the things they come up with... but I don't love that the store-bought kind dries out so quickly (and ours has a tendency to be left out and dried after first use...)

At a playgroup we regularly attend they have wonderful playdough out from time to time, and one time I commented on how diligent the playgroup leader was to consistently make playdough for the kids.

She said "Oh, I just made this one batch up last fall... would you like the recipe, dear?"

Well, seeing as how it was now FEBRUARY and this magical play-dough was still somehow perfectly like... well, dough after 6 months, ummm, YES, I did want the recipe.

So, though I'm sure I'm the last to know about this, I thought I'd share the recipe (this way I'll always have it, too!)

Playdough Recipe

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cream of tartar*
Food coloring & glitter (optional)

~ Put all ingredients (including food coloring if using this) in a saucepan and mix to form a paste.
~ Cook on a very low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture comes together in a ball.
~ Allow to cool and then knead for a couple of minutes. Add glitter if desired.

Playdough should keep for several months in an airtight container.

*If you don't want to buy cream of tartar just for this one recipe, it can also be used in this fantastic Snickerdoodles recipe I've found and recently used for a women's event.

Getting Close!

I'm one week away from my due date today, which is so exciting, though I'm trying to keep my expectations low! I'm not expecting any fireworks until I'm overdue, and we're slowly plugging away at the little last minute preparations.

I know my youngest is only 3.5, but I'd already forgotten about all the bells and whistles that come with babies! These little people demand a lot of space in our homes and cars - every room bears signs of a new baby on the way. Though many of our "essential" baby things haven't made their way across the Atlantic yet, God has provided abundantly - He always does.

I heard the sentiment on Sunday that, when church planting, you give your best people and best resources towards the new work trusting God will fill the gaps left in your own church family with new life. It's the idea that giving new life brings new life.

This idea has helped me the past few days as I anticipate the wildness and exhaustion that accompanies bringing a precious new life home. This new life will require a lot of giving from the rest of our family, but there's the wealth of new life and mercies and goodness she'll bring with her. Babies are like little vessels of grace and sanctification, aren't they?

Can't wait to meet the little sweetie :)

The take-home dress :)

Until then, we've been trying to keep busy. We still frequent the park near our house thanks to the lovely weather we've been having.

The latest excitement has been dragging out the most enormous sticks the girls can find...

Now, that's what I call teamwork :) We really do love this park.

I also have felt this strange urgency to make sure Ellie and Meg are up-to-date in everything, hence the vaccinations, the upcoming dentist appointments, and the impulsive at-home haircuts...

We were watching The Wizard of Oz, and I guess I didn't realize Meg was a little afraid during this part! I was concentrating on those lovely curly locks.

I think the Munchkins were more well received:

Ahhh, the motivation that the upcoming arrival of a new baby brings! 

But before you think too highly of me... I still haven't packed a hospital bag yet...  =)

"¿Tienes Miedo?"

"Are you afraid?" my sweet Spanish/Italian speaking friend asked yesterday.

"Si." I said. And then I told her that I'm not afraid of the birth as much as worried about bringing the baby home.

But the truth is I was feeling particularly anxious about both.

There's the giving birth in this new place (where I've been very pleased with my care, so far) and learning about little differences in birthing procedures and pain management.

Then there's the bringing baby girl home... without my mom in the beginning... with Robert in the middle of his term... with the knowledge from experience of how crazy those first weeks are... of how hard nursing was with Ellie and Meg...

And what a gift it was to go to worship this morning and be confronted with the glory of our Lord in His words recorded in Revelation 1:

"Do not be afraid.

I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Isn't it good to get a healthy dose of perspective? To think on the glory and eternality and awesomeness of Jesus? To think on His victory over death? To remember His promises and know He is with me always... now in the waiting... in the hospital... in the late nights?

Have I not known the truth of Matthew 28:20 personally and intimately? Surely He is with me. It's not a far off, nebulous promise - He truly is with me, granting me peace and perspective at every turn.

And then to remember how I've longed for and prayed for and rejoiced over this precious life within me - what a miracle she is! What healing God has brought through her.

So, it was a poignant Mother's Day for me (though the English celebrated it a couple months ago) remembering the glory of Christ and His tender care for me. I need not and should not fear.

Happy Mother's Day to those rejoicing and to those hurting... may we all cast our anxiety on him because he cares for us.

Sugar & Spice...

... and all things nice, that's what little girls are made of!

Daddy's usual after lunch routine

I know that not ALL things are nice and some days are just UGLY, but... I love having little girls. And trust me when I say I would be over the moon if the Lord gave us a little boy (with snails & puppy dog tails!) one day, but, oh, how I've loved watching our little girls grow. I can't believe He's giving us a third... we'll have a "gaggle" for sure!

At Blenheim Palace near Oxford

We've had some sweet family times lately. Just good fun and dance parties and laughing at unexpected antics - kids really do say the craziest things!

Beautiful red tulips in the palace gardens

I found it to be true growing up in a military family, and I think it's proving true now: there's a sense of closeness achieved in making big family moves together. So much has been stripped away, and maybe we have a way of clinging together when confronted with the loss of other comforts.

Riding the train to another section of the palace's sprawling grounds

Now, there are plenty of bad attitudes flying around with all that love, but thankfully I have a pretty forgiving family :)

Ellie & Meg at Golders Hill Park

My photography friend, Lydia, that took these pictures also took the girls and me out to a beautiful nearby park for photos of the girls among the beautiful gardens. Wow, she makes it hard to pick a favorite!

They were pretty compliant with the photo session - lots of hand holding :)

Last weekend we took the girls for a little one-on-one time with Mom and Dad - Ellie with me and Meg with Robert this time.

Ellie and me getting Italian ice cream

We all headed to the mall together and then split up to do a little shopping and lunch with our designated dates.

Dad and Meg shopping

Our big "surprise" was picking out something fun for the other sister and parent. I'll use "surprise" loosely as there may have been some undercover mobile communication between parents about good deals at H&M! The girls found cute dresses for one another and then got to pick out some summer sandals for themselves.

Girls in new dresses and sandals

We also had some more excitement this week that involved a couple visits to the doctor. The girls and I had BSF in the morning, and then we had some vaccinations scheduled with the nurse for that afternoon.

Brave Meg had 3 shots, Ellie had 1, and I had 1 - I like to knock 'em all out at once if I can!

But on the way to the doctor surgery, Ellie caught a few fingers in an opening elevator door. I pretty much panicked as I saw it happening thinking the door was going to take her whole arm in and yanked her fingers out... but I'd still like to think the elevator did more damage than her capable, calm-headed mother... eesh.

Baskin & Robbins was definitely in order for my brave girls

So, after administering the vaccinations (or "jabs" as the English say) and taking a look at Ellie's swelling fingers, the nurse recommended a trip to the walk-in hospital just to be on the safe side.

Thankfully no bones were broken and we're happy to report her fingers are looking better everyday! The miracle of young bodies...

At the grocery store today the cashier was commenting on my two good helpers (who can empty out a cart in about 60 seconds flat... eggs flying and all!) and she said "Lucky you!!" Whether she was being a little a bit glib or not, I couldn't agree with her more - they are a true gift to me.