Soaking Up The Sun

Zane loves the Westin's "Heavenly Bed"

Around 6:00 A.M. he wakes up and wants to snuggle with dad and mom.

The Westin provides cribs for infants which is really nice. But I think the baby would prefer the "heavenly Bed"

He looks so sleepy in these pictures.

This is looking out our window, over the pool.

The water was too cold in the pool. The hot tub was just as good.

Week Get A Way

I am posting from Sunny Florida. We are enjoying 80* degree weather which puts us in shock. Were staying at the Westin on the 5 floor. Jon, the baby and I left Sunday and will get back this coming Sunday. I'm not sure how much internet I will get. But I hope every one of you has a great week.

Welcome To Our Abode

Well, this post is so long over due. I promised upstair pictures six months ago and yes it has taken me this long to be happy with the master bedroom.

Having the crib in our room while Elizabeth is here has been fun for Jon and I.

We are going to miss our little fellow when he goes back to his nursery.

We still need to paint and that has been a question long unanswered in our minds. I think we will go with a soft grey, not to dark mind you :)

I love lighting the candles when the little Lad retires for the night, it brings such a warm and fresh feeling when we retire.

The white lace over the window is a tablecloth I got at a antique shop for 2 dollars because it had lots of holes in it. It was made by an Amish woman and I loved it even with the rips and holes.

Our window is so small and curtains didn't seem to suit while the bed was against the window so I tried this idea and I think it will work for now.

I love waking up in the morning and finding little Zane's face peeking at me through the bars of his crib and smiling away. Who could wake up on the wrong side of the bed with a little cutie pie on the other side smiling at me?

I should be posting about the bathroom but who knows how long that will be because we still need to finish up odds and ends that we had started.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deutronomy 6:4

National Tea Month

These last couple of weeks I have been declaring a National Tea Day just because I have such a itch for Tea, not even knowing that there was such a thing. I was reading Blessed Femina and she made a delightful post about January being the National Tea Month.

I loved her post so much. I loved the pictures of all her tea cups and pots. I screamed when she had names for them all. You can read her post hear.

So because we are nearing the end of January and our Tea Month is slipping through our fingers and won't come until next year.

*Alice Roosevelt

I thought I would post all my china that I take so much delight in. If you like you can also make a post about all your Tea China and leave a comment letting me know so I can link you to my post. If you love tea but don't have time posting all your favorite china you can leave a comment about your love of tea.

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I hope you get this before the month is over!!

You all have a most Blessed Day!

Links of those of you who are participating in celebrating National Tea Month.

Elizabeth ~ Asailingjourney

Connie ~ Downerhilights

Enya

I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.

*George Elliot

As you can see Enya has been my favorite artist since I was a young girl. I guess maybe thats why I love her, her music reminds me of the simplicity of a child. Its very innocent.

Getting to know her lyrics reminds me of far away places that my imagination can only discover.

I guess reading books whilst I listened always painted pictures in my mind of the beautiful and far off places I read about, which kept a memory locked with the music. Eyna is a very delicate subject to write about because I hope I do her justice and wish not to give a incorrect description of her. Many people associate her music as being New Age because that is the category she is labeled under at the store, I think she is labeled this because no one knows how to label her. Her music is very intricate. The loveliness I find while listening is not something I would call New Age. I have studied her lyrics and they are what she is. Poetical and romantic.

I left a video of her being interviewed because I love her person. She is very meek and gentle. And I love that she keeps to herself and doesn't let the media play with her life. She simply lives a life that she loves.

Baby's First Teeth

Zane got his teeth for Christmas, and he sure is loving them.

Boy are these teeth sharp! He just loves chewing on fingers, tables and puppy anything and everything he can get his mouth around.

He must be teething some whoppers right now because he sure is fussy these last two days. Last night he was up until 11:45 poor little guy

Russian Borscht Soup

Ever since my family and I went to Russia we have enjoyed eating Borscht Soup. We had it at a restaurant in Moscow and ever since then we have been hooked. So my mom found it in a Russian cook book and passed the recipe on to me.

I don't know about you abut I have never really liked eating beets. I would eat them if they were served to me but I wouldn't enjoy them.

So I don't blame you if beet soup sounds gross. But borsch is more than just a beet soup. Its a beef / vegetable soup.

Here is the recipe for any of you who would like to make it.

1. A Bunch of Beets (3-4 chopped into sticks)
2. Potatoes (3-4 chopped into sticks)
3. Carrots (2-3 chopped into thin sticks)
4. A pound of beef (chopped into sticks once cooked)
5. Half an Onion
6. Cabbage (about 2 cups chopped into sticks)
7. Salt
8. Pepper
9. Cooking Whine
10. Sour Cream
11. Beef Bullion
12. Chicken Bullion

Now, you can add anything you like to this soup. It is your own preference.

I like to cook my potatoes and beets in a separate pot first. While they are boiling I chop up the beef. You can use left over roast from the night before, Or you can fry up some stew meat or whatever you have. I like to buy whatever is on sale at the store, usually I prefer stew meat. I cook this up in a separate pan and then I cut the meat into sticks and then I add it to the main soup pot. I pour a bunch of boiling water in the Soup pot and I add 3 - 4 chicken bullion's and 2 -3 beef bullion's.

I cut up carrots into sticks and add them to the soup pot.

After I think the beets are soft enough for me to peel their skins off, I drain the pot and start peeling their skins and then I cut them into sticks. I do the same with the potatoes. I add them to the soup pot.

Then I cut up cabbage and onions and place them in a frying pan with a nice slab of butter. I stir them and add a little red whine to them. I like to cook them in the same pan I cooked the beef so the butter and whine will eat up all the beef drippings.

Once all is added to the soup pot I just stir it and add some salt and pepper. You can always taste it and add more of whatever you like to your taste.

Serve with Sour Cream and Bread.

Enjoy this soup. We have been making it almost once a week. The beets are so healthy so Elizabeth has been chowing down for her baby.

Fun Outfit

I wanted to post one of my favorite outfits. Thanks to my sweet husband he got me the black boots which I wear with everything lately :)

The blue blouse I got at Wet Seal for $3.00 which delighted me to no ends.

The Jacket I have to thank my sweet hubby again because he got it for me for Christmas. Its from Forever 21

I love the blue blouse with my new hair color. It is fun finding out that certain colors now look good on me with a simple change of hair color.

The jeans I got at again Forever 21. They were $8.00

Baby Booties

I found these little booties for Zane at Target and they are the only shoes that stay on him. They are leather bound and they have little spandex around the ankles so it stretches when you put his feet through it and then it tightens when his ankles are in. You can get them from 0 - 3 months 3 - 6 and 6 - 9 and then 12 months.

The booties are little dogies. He knew they were for him when he saw me pull them out of the Target bag.

. The reason I like shoes for Zane is because he is in his car all the time and his little feet get dirty so quickly.

Elizabeth's Baby

My sister Elizabeth is now 37 weeks today. She is getting a bigger belly as I wright :) I took these pictures of her and I think she is so beautiful. I love seeing pregnant women. They seem even more feminine and lovely.

Elizabeth and Benjamin have chosen to wait to see the baby's sex. I am so excited about finding out. I am also excited that Elizabeth has chosen to have the baby here in OH and in our home. She really wanted to have a home birth and also because she really likes Patty my Midwife. I can't believe that I will be able to be at Elizabeth's birth. I am excited to assist Patty if she needs anything. And to see God's amazing miracle preform in action.

Just three more weeks and I will be a aunty again :)