Swinging on Birches

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living Magazine and my friend LeeAnn. I've made it several times now, and each time it is amazing and perfect for a fall or winter evening.  Just a warning, though--probably not a recipe for most little ones as it does have some bite to it. Note that I bolded and italicized the part about puttingit into the food processor in batches.  I promise this will save you a BIG mess in the kitchen.  You think I'd have learned after making it repeatedly... 2 T butter or margarine 1 large onion chopped (I use half an onion as hubby isn't a huge onion fan) 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 5 cups chicken broth (or stock) 1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped 1 1/4 t salt 1/2 t chili powder 1/2 t cumin (I used more because I love the flavor) 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin (Or a fresh pumpkin, roasted.  I bet you could use butternut squash, too.) 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro 2 c milk 3 T fresh lime jui...

At the small group Bible study that Bryan and I attend, we are reading through the Book of James. Tonight was the first night I was able to attend, and even though I don't know everyone there, you know how you just get  a feeling when something starts about whether or not it's going to be good?  I think it is. We talked about a number of wonderfully thought-provoking, introspective items, but when my friend was finishing our prayers for the night, she, along with good ol' Jimmy, got me thinking about having the courage to be quiet. James 1:19-20 reads, 'You must understand this, my beloved:  let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness.' Let's be honest.  You've read my posts.  At the very least, you can tell that I'm not slow to speak or slow to anger.  Those stick out for me like VERY large and sore thumbs that have probably been hit by a number of things and continued to...

Well, I figured it was about that time.  I mean, he's 22 months old.  I can just picture him at his 2nd birthday celebration with it hanging out of his mouth.  Or worse yet, the screaming 5-year-old on "Toddlers and Tiaras."  The other two (younger) kids at our daddy daycare haven't had theirs for awhile.  Our relatives are asking about it.  One of my awesome new-age momma friends with a little boy the same age has even managed to part with it.  The time had come to get rid of the binky. We had been planning to over summer.  Then over winter break.  But, there was always an excuse.  He was teething.  Or sick.  Or we were sick.  Or tired.  But, finally, we just had to bite the bullet. A little backstory: Wardie LOVES Yo Gabba Gabba.  Sort of a weird show, but all in all, I can deal with it.  Anyway, there's an episode about babies that we've seen a bajillion times, and he loves the ...