Ever since Owen was born everyone who knows our family has said he looks like my dad. I have seen it here and there but only recently do I think he really reminds me of my dad.

maybe it’s the ken doll hair. Who knows. I just know he’s a handsome guy! Like my dad.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading a blog and the blogger was discussing a passage that I really liked and wanted to memorize. I jotted it down and put it in the kitchen because that is really where we spend lots of our time.  I made a point of reading it when I was cooking dinner or cleaning up the dishes. It slowly became less coherent but in the beginning it was still readable with the water drops. Until one day I looked over for the verse and this is what I found.

The passage was  Psalm 92:1-2

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night.

I first read it on Emily Freeman’s blog….here is the post if you are interested. She hashed it out in a series a few weeks ago. Enjoy. I love how she goes through “steadfast love in the morning” and “faithfulness at night”. I can especially relate to the need to declare God’s faithfulness at night. After long days in this season of motherhood with toddlers I need to be reminded that God is faithful to me and will equip me for another day.

Back to my washed out, mangled paper. I feel like sometimes this is an accurate view of my spiritual life at this point in my life. As a wife and a mom I find myself struggling to find time to be quiet, by myself, let alone quiet time to read and think about the truths of the Bible. I remember after getting married I had to shift expectations of what my Christian walk would look like. As individual as it had been before it now included someone else. And likewise with the addition of each of our boys my time has been whittled down and what I am left with is often feels like a washed out version of what I previously clung to.  In the midst of the hustle and bustle I am saying a prayer here and jotting down a verse there.  I am sneaking moments when the house is quiet to read books and trying to equip myself for guiding our children in their faith. I find I have to create a new normal. I can’t be frustrated that I don’t have the time I had before. I need to embrace the new phase.   I want to be aware of God’s presence in our lives and I want to know the peace and patience that only He can bring.

I am thinking next time I will work harder to memorize! That way when the waters come I can remember the promises!

Oops. I thought I posted this weeks ago. It got lost on my post list. Here are some pictures from our visit in Zug a few weeks ago. We drove up for a picnic lunch and then drove back during naps.  Our friends Nick and Kima live right near the lake so we met them there.

It is a rainy morning here in Bern. Thank goodness! I have been loving the sunny weather but the pollen has almost been unbearable. I hope it rains hard enough and long enough today to wash the pollen away! But along with rainy days comes the need to occupy the kids inside more!

Most of you know that Jackson attends a playgroup 2 mornings a week. They call it a playgroup…it’s basically a Mother’s Day Out. They do crafts and learn about seasonal things, they have playtime and music time. It is more structured than a free for all but not a formal preschool. One of Jackson’s favorite things to do at “school” is play with playdough. We have it at home so it isn’t novel to him but he thinks it’s different there. One day when I picked him up the teacher said “I promise on Friday I will get you the recipe for the playdough”. I thought, “hmmm. Okay, no rush. I had no idea we needed it.”  On Friday the teacher made a beeline to me with the recipe. She explained that while Jackson played with the playdough one day he asked all about where to buy that kind. She explained that she made it and he asked her for the recipe. Such a funny kid.

A couple of weeks ago on a rainy Sunday morning Jackson and Seth made a batch! Jackson and Owen have enjoyed it so much so I thought I would share the recipe with you too.  I added a few of my own little tidbits but all credit goes to the English Speaking Playgroup for this fab recipe.

ESP’s Famous Playdough Recipe

2 tsp of cream of tartar

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup of salt

1 T. oil

1 cup water

Mix ingredients into a smooth paste. Stir in some drops of food coloring. Cook slowly on the stove over low heat until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan. When it is cool enough, knead for 3-4 mins. Put water in pan to soak to make sure it doesn’t stay forever!

My sweet friend Amy in Bogota made some for Jackson’s second birthday. I don’t know what recipe she used but I bet it was similar! She made 4 colors and put them into little plastic tubs! It was a super cute, cheap birthday gift that Jackson LOVED and enjoyed for months following!

Hope you and your kids enjoy!!