A Mother's Heart

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Authentically Me

I've created a new blog.

Come visit me at Authentically Me.

I've missed writing...

Rhonda

Sunday, May 08, 2011

The other night I attended a Video Games Live event. Not an event that I would have considered on my own to attend. My son bought tickets. He invited me to go. I went - to spend time with my him.

What a fun time we had. My experience with my son will be one of many wonderful memories sharing in something that he enjoys.

The Video Games Live tour was a concert. A concert consisting of an orchestra, a choir, an opera singer, a blind-folded keyboardist, and much more amazing talent.

I was highly impressed. This was truly a cultural experience that would appeal to all ages.

The best part of the night was that my son wanted ME to be there with him.

I loved spending time with my son; doing something that he likes.

Be a part of your child's world and they'll want to be a part of yours.

I love you Jonathan!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Need a recipe for all that extra rhubarb?!

Rhubarb Custard Pie

2 egg yolks

1 c sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp melted butter

2 1/2 c chopped rhubarb

Beat egg yolks with fork. Add sugar, flour, and butter. Blend together. Add rhubarb and stir together. Put mixture into pie shell. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Make it as a double crust pie, or put a meringue on top.

Enjoy! It's very easy and very yummy.

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I made Broccoli Cheddar Soup for the first time tonight. And it won't be the last.

Ingredients

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1/2 c butter

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 c chicken broth

3 c milk

3 c chopped cooked fresh broccoli

1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese or more

Saute onion in butter until tender.

Stir in flour, salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbly.

Add broth and milk. Heat but do not boil until thickened.

Stir in broccoli.

Heat through.

Stir in cheese until melted.

Do not boil.

Serve hot and garnish with shredded cheese.

This soup was delicious! I'm not kidding. We served it with a french baguette and filled our bowls a second time.

Sorry...no picture. :(

Friday, January 01, 2010

Better Late Than Never - Jonathan's 18th Birthday

I have a wonderful son who celebrated his 18th birthday three weeks before Christmas. He is an amazing young man and his Dad & I are very proud of him.

Jonathan has strong values, loves God, loves his family and his friends.

Jonathan has lots of dreams and is currently entertaining ideas for his future. Yes - he's trying to decide what courses to take at college or university. He's trying to figure out 'what he wants to be when he grows up'. So many choices. Almost too overwhelming.

My son is very funny - he says that I'm his best audience. His humour and his genuine caring for others are my favourite qualities about him.

Happy Birthday Buddy! I love you.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

How Will We Say 2010?

Is next year Two-thousand-and-ten or Twenty-ten?

Who gets to decide?

I imagine that the Nineteen Hundreds were never referred to as One-thousand-nine-hundred-and...

Possibly for the past one thousand years, all of the centuries through the teens were spoken in double digits. Entering a new millennia has given us an opportunity to contemplate how we will speak and write our period of time that will reflect our own era.

As I mentioned previously - Who gets to decide?

Will it be advertisers and the like? Or someone with a formal degree? Someone voted into a position of office? Will it be from movies and television? Who will influence something with such long-term effect?

The Vancouver Olympics taking place in 2010 are officially being referred to as the 'twenty-ten Olympics'. The London Olympics taking place in 2012 is officially known as the 'twenty-twelve Olympics'.

However, the 2010 Rose Bowl Game is being referred to as 'two thousand ten'.

So..who gets to decide?

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Happy Birthday Brittany

Our darling youngest daughter, Brittany, celebrated her 14th birthday last week. While she was fighting the flu.

Her actual birthday was the 28th and she did not feel well that day. When she went to bed at night, she sadly told me that 'today did not feel like her birthday'. So, I decided that we would alter the calendar at our house. We would repeat the 28th the next day.

The next morning, I woke Brittany up, and greeted her with a 'Happy Birthday'. She smiled and was happy to 'play along'.

After school, I hugged her and asked her how her birthday was at school.

Once we arrived at home, I baked Brittany's favourite chocolate cake. Decorated with balloons and a banner.

We did a family supper at her favourite Chinese restaurant. And then cake and presents at home.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Meh!

My least favourite expression: 'Meh.'

I was first introduced to this expression at Youth Convention this year. Some of the teenagers were using this new slang. In answer to how they were doing, they would say "meh". Or, if you asked them a 'yes' or 'no' question - they would answer... well, you know. 'Meh'.

I've grown to strongly dislike this phrase - Okay, I really hate it. And of course since I've voiced my opinion to my two teenagers - their enthusiasm to use it has grown. They love any opportunity to answer me with "meh". And then they watch and wait...for my reaction.

Sometimes I play it up and give them the reaction they're looking for. And sometimes I decide to completely not react at all.

I guess you could say that I feel 'meh' about the word MEH.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Fall Drive in the County

Mark & I took Jonathan & Brittany for a drive in the County on Thanksgiving Weekend.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I received a forwarded email on Friday. It included a recipe that was supposedly sent because a woman had visited a large department store and had been charged a large amount of money for a recipe that she thought was only costing her a few dollars.

Whether or not the email was true, I tried the recipe and the cookies are really good.

1 cup butter
350 g chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup Grated Cadbury chocolate
2 1/2 cups oats
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, grated Chocolate and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees (180 C).

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Twilight

Twilight is a novel that has developed into a series, written by Stephenie Meyer. I've discovered that the Twilight series has become a controversial subject amongst Christians.

Sue over at Praise and Coffee posted some questions looking for input from fellow Christians to hear their views on this novel.

I wasn't aware of the book until the movie had come out to theatres last fall. I saw the posters and immediately decided that this movie would most likely not be something I would want my 13 year-old daughter to see.

My daughter had heard all about Twilight - most of her friends at school were reading the books. She wanted to see the movie but I wasn't sure about it.

My older teenage son, works in the office at our movie theatre. He came home and told me that the movie wasn't anything to be worried about, that it was merely just a love story.

I conceded and allowed my daughter to see Twilight at the movie theatre. She is knowledgeable enough to know what is or isn't appropriate in a PG movie. After watching the movie, she agreed with her brother's recommendation.

I then allowed her to read the novel.

As the book was continuing to gain popularity, I had adult friends tell me that they had read Twilight - and enjoyed it very much. My adult girlfriends were devouring this new series and talking about it as much as the teenage girls were.

I don't often read a lot of fiction, but now and then I crave a good fiction book. Just as I enjoy being entertained by a good movie, my love for books will include some fiction entertainment. I'm very careful, though, with what I will allow to consume my time and thoughts.

This summer, as I was getting ready to start my holidays, I began to look for a fiction novel that might grab my interest during afternoons laying by my pool or while relaxing at the beach. It was very challenging. I bought two books and subsequently returned them.

I resorted to looking through my daughter's bookshelf. On a Friday afternoon at the beach, I brought along her Twilight novel. Two days later, on the Sunday afternoon, I finished that same novel. I couldn't put it down. It was very well written. I enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's writing style and admired her creativity.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Grapes on the Vine

I took this picture at a vineyard that I visited in Kelowna, BC this summer.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Do you need to change?

Sometimes it happens this way. Something causes a change. Could be something good, could be something bad. But whatever it is, it might have been necessary in order for the change to take place.

I heard a Pastor say, that you cannot stay the same. If you're not progressing and building up your faith, then you're allowing yourself to lose faith. You must be continually building up your faith.

What will cause you to Change? What will cause you to 'wake-up'?

Friday, July 03, 2009

Celebrating our Children

Two of our children recently graduated. Jonathan from grade twelve and Brittany from grade eight.

We celebrated as a family last weekend at our favourite restaurant; Lone Star. (Lone Star in the U.S. is not the the same as the one in Canada - our Canadian version is much better.)

We had a wonderful afternoon sitting on the patio, enjoying each others company and eating delicious food.

Brittany, Jonathan and Sarah

Mark and Brittany

Jonathan and me

Sarah

fixin's for fajitas (yum!)

Jonathan's steak sandwich

Friday, June 26, 2009

Jonathan's Grade Twelve Graduation

Our son Jonathan graduated from high school last night. He received an Arts Specialist certificate along with his Ontario Scholar certificate. We are so very proud of him.

Jonathan and Mark

Jonathan and I

Jonathan and his sisters.

The whole family.

Jonathan and his buddies that he graduated with.

The boys and their moms.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Brittany's Paparazzi

I wanted to be sure to get LOTS of pictures of Brittany at her graduation. Eventually, however, she didn't really like the fact that her own personal paparazzi wouldn't leave her alone. But she was a good sport, and decided to play along and just ham it up for the camera.