Cooker notes...

Those who know me well can share that I am overly attentive to grammar - both written and spoken. Imagine my surprise, then, when a friend posed the question: "Are you a cooker?" While I have a written grammar structure and a spoken grammar structure, I tend to lose focus upon grammatical errors. Please understand: I'm able to focus on the intended message; however, during the conversation, I'm deciding how to respond to the topic at hand and how to respond to the grammar slip. In this particular situation, I believe my response was, "I'm sorry...," hoping this would encourage my friend to rephrase her question so I could appropriately respond.

"Do you like to cook?"

"Oh yeah. I love to cook. I just hate cleaning up the mess." Thankfully my method worked. But this converstaion got me thinking about the types of things I cook. While I can modify a recipe with the best of them, I am unable to completely design my own creation. I have my share of cookbooks, and as most people do, I usually prepare only five to six things from each.

A habit I've picked up is noting how I modify recipes, in the hopes that if and when the recipe turns out like I hope, I'll be able to recreate the dish. As you may have attained from previous posts, organization isn't my area of expertise. Case in point: Notation during cooking strikes me as a form of organization. So you can surely bet that this inspiration was not my own. Grandma Berdean used this, noting for whom she'd prepared a dish, when she'd last enjoyed it, and what, if any modifications she'd made. My favorite magazine, Real Simple, featured an article last April about a connection between two people created by a long-lost recipe box. The article struck a cord with me, and at the time I was unsure why.

Then recently, Suzie mentioned how one of her blog-friends shares weekly recipes. Wow, I thought, what a great thing to share with others. While an old recipe box, tied to our childhood memories it's not, it could be the creation of childhood memories for our children or our grandchildren. So, while I'm not sure it's of the greatest interest what we feed our Sohls, I would like to share a recipe I made tonight for a great pizza crust, complete with my modifications. I substituted 1/2 c. oat flour for the buckwheat and soy flours, and added Italian seasoning blend and some garlic powder when I stirred in the flours (modifications courtesy of a post along the side of the page). Also, if you brush the crusts with olive oil, it makes them extra crispy. MMMM!!

And, on organizational notes taken from Grandma Berdean and from Real Simple, print this recipe out, write down your modifications, slide it in a plastic sleeve, and put it in a binder. That way, the next time you're searching for some Sohl food, you'll know just where to find it.

Restoration...

Restoration. I've always associated this term with old houses or furniture or fine paintings. Today, this word took on a new meaning.

I like to think of myself as a calm person. In my mind's eye, I walk down the street, light on my feet, living life on an even keel, almost skipping, and ready for anything that comes to pass (I even sport a cheery yellow daisy top, lemon capris with lace edged legs, a thick white headband, and a cute pair of lemon espadrilles). Unfortunately, there's nothing like a bit of destruction at the hands of my Sohl son to challenge my finely tuned vision.

This destructive behavior generally occurs during his regularly scheduled naptime, and indefinitely delays that intended restoration period. This young Sohl takes it upon himself to undo what his dad and I have so carefully and lovingly created for him, and my patience is tested. This time period should be restorative for my little family. As of late, it is proving to increase my work- and stress-loads, and increasing my desire for a mom's-week-out.

At some point each day, after our one-boy-wrecking crew moves through, we work together to restore his room to our version of a preschooler's paradise. We discuss how to care for the things we provide for his protection and enjoyment, and talk about appropriate activities during his restoration-intended naptime.

As I was restoring myself, enjoying my bath bomb, I reflected on today's message from Pastor Bil. Bible in hand, I reviewed specific passages and points he'd made, and I saw restoration in a new light. When I'm not keeping my eyes on God, thinking of His plan for me, and above all, spending time with Him, I potentially destruct my intended restoration. Thankfully, God's even more patient than I, and, when I awake from my "path-nap," is always ready to help me put my life back where it belongs, and continue on my path towards Paradise with Him.

Now if only I could find a Bible which restored itself after a brief encounter with wet hands...

Makeovers...

It seems these Sohls have been in need of makeovers.

The baby Sohl's decided she's no longer content going it alone, and is in need of constant support from older Sohls. I prayed for a cuddly baby this time. I guess I should have been more careful about what I asked for. Her older borther was content to play, and would just as soon have his personal space. Elaina's space seems to require at least one other Sohl at all times.

Our Sohl son decided that he and his room required a more feminine look, and took it upon himself to complete this makeover during his assigned naptime. The carpet received what I'm praying is a removable makeover, complete with my favorite shades of eye shadows, mascara, blush, and of course, lip gloss. I've decided he was going for the before and after look, only completing half of his face in a day-look. He complemented his long lashes with soft brown shadow above and below the eye, and a touch of mascara to the lashes and teeth.

My Sohl-mate completed two makeovers today. His first centered on that all-important, male-dominated room, the garage. He must have had an inspirational moment from TLC's "Clean Sweep". The garage went from the temporary job of junk dump site, to it's real job as storage for all outdoor working materials and parking location for our cars.

His second makeover is on-going, and required his newest investment - the Nike+IPod running system. His goal is to run 40 miles in 4 weeks, and is currently 10.9 miles ahead of his goal. While his job requires him to keep a specific level of physical fitness, his own sense of self seems to require him to keep an even higher level. He's determined not to aquire the body shape seemingly assigned to those in his area of work, and given his natural affinity for running, he can meet his employment requirements and health requirements at the same time.

I'm also involved in my own Sohl makeovers. My first, triggered by a friend's recent blog, has inspired me to discover new strategies of parenting, and has yet to take place. I look forward to receiving my guide in the mail, and am praying that this makeover helps to makeover my outlook on my life and success as a mother and person.

My second makeover is reflected in my eating habits. For as long as I can remember, almost anything resembling a vegetable, and most things resembling fruits, was not food for me. About the middle of January, though, I began to realize that I could either continue my, and my family's, poor eating habits and suffer the effects soon, or grow-up a bit, and take the intiative to eat better. Since making this decision, I've successfully consumed, and enjoyed, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, onions, blueberries, cranberries, fresh green beans, broccoli, spinach, green pepper, and zucchini.

Our makeovers, while all for different reasons, reflect that we're growing, learning, and trying to become better people.

Sohl Creations

A friend convinced me I needed a blog... so here goes.

For the longest time, Carter was our "Sohl" creation. Now, with two baby Sohl's, it's a whole new experience. Most of what I've learned is that I am doing the very best I can. And that's a great feeling to have.

Once I allowed myself to say that I wasn't able to achieve all I expected of myself, I was able to hear that other moms and dads were saying the same things. I was in complete shock! I mean, all those moms I'd imgained having it all together struggled with attention-craving two-year-olds, isolation, and complete lack of desire to clean, too?!?!

Mini-prayer aside: Thank you, God, for giving me the strength to admit I couldn't do and be it all.

I was amazed how quickly others shared their own stories of insecurity and frustration. God's still showing me that I'm not alone as I feel on those low days, and I'm still learning that just because I have those low days, I'm not a terrible mom. It's the whole strive for perfectionism I've got going here.

When David and I first started dating, we'd always say, "You're perfect for me." Because while neither of us are perfect people, we are the perfect balance for each other. I'm adjusting to how our roles have shifted since we first met. I find I'm becoming -shock and awe - more organized and able to remember things, and he's becoming more - even more shock and awe - flexible and adaptive to change.

Hopefully being exposed to so many strong Christian women, and more specifically for me, Christian moms, I'll remember that the perfect mom is the one who loves and hugs her children every chance she gets.