Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Cake Stand {Make One Instead}

Have you noticed that most of those lovely photos of cakes in magazines and on Pinterest include a cake stand?  At my other site, Swirls and Spice, I share recipes that I develop and try to make the food look enticing in the photos. But my budget is rather limited, so I don't own a lot of fancy props. I've contemplated buying a cake stand, but it just does not seem worth the money.  So I have done without and endeavored to avoid coveting cake stands and other lovely dishes I see.

Still, there are occasions where a pretty cake stand would come in handy, like the baby shower pictured above.  At the top left of the photo, if you look closely, you can see half of the Boston cream cupcakes I made sitting on a glass stand.  The rest are on a matching glass platter.

Instead of buying a rather expensive one-piece cake stand, I found two bowls and platters at the (Canadian) dollar store that I though would work.  And they did.  I spent less than $5.00 and I now have two convertible "cake stands" that double as bowls and serving plates.  I've used them frequently in the few two months for parties, family meals, and potlucks.  Below are some of the recipe photos that have included my bargain serveware.

Cranberry Salsa

at Swirls and Spice

Pomegranate and Pesto Bites

at Swirls and Spice

If you've ever wished for a cake stand but lacked the money or space to have one in your kitchen, be not dismayed.  Simply find a fancy bowl and platter, invert the bowl under the platter, and voila!  You have a convertible cake stand!

The Summer that Was and Wasn't

Kids are back in school, Labor Day is behind us, and leaves are starting to fall.  I am simultaneously feeling:
1) wistful that we did not have a "real" summer vacation,
2) guilty that we never got into a good routine for our summer days together, and
3) relieved that the burden of structuring my time and that of my children is no longer mine alone to bear.

Rather that obsessing over what I did not accomplish or what was not feasible, I want to cultivate a spirit of gratitude.  There were a lot of very good things that happened this summer, and some of them were even on my summer "bucket list."  Here are the things that come to mind.

In July:

• My husband's parent's came for a visit.
• We explored the Saskatchewan Science Centre for the first time.
• Grandparents babysat while we went out for a dinner date in the big city.
• I got my official Canadian passport!
• I was able to switch my part-time work schedule and get to know some fascinating co-workers.
• We found and picked a pitcher-full of local Saskatoon berries!  I've been itching to do this since our arrival in Saskatchewan last summer.  With the fresh berries we picked we enjoyed Saskatoon berry applesauce bars and berry topped pancakes.

In August:

• My parents came for an extended visit.
• We went out to celebrate our 13th anniversary while my parents babysat. 
• We went on a family history tour to see the area where my mom and grandparents were from.
• My husband got to teach new EFL teachers in Cambodia.
• The kids and I went strawberry picking.
• Friends let us tend and harvest the produce in their garden while they were away.  I've missed having a garden of my own. 

• We made lots of yummy jam.  My mom brought us more delicious jam from her kitchen.
• My mom also helped us catch up on laundry.  Yes, we can actually see (part of) the laundry room floor now!
• My husband finished the first draft of his Ph.D. dissertation!  We started this grad school journey six years ago, and now the end is in sight.
• I got a second-hand (or third or fourth-hand, more likely) bike that works--and it was free!
• We finally got an offer on our house in Nebraska!  It's been 12 months since we packed up and headed north.

There are still a few question marks in our lives right now.  When will our house deal finally close?  Will we continue to rent here or will we dive into the local, more expensive real estate market here in Saskatchewan?  Will my husband graduate in December?  If so, will we risk traveling in December to attend the ceremony?  Should I keep working part-time after the house closes?  We need wisdom and patience from above.   Seasons of waiting and uncertainty are hard.  I am ready for closure.  Nevertheless, God is good, all the time.

DIY Spring Tune-up for the Lawnmower

Maybe it's because I've always been a tomboy, but I love the idea of being able to fix things.  But to know how to perform maintenance on an engine, even a small engine like a lawnmower, one has to be taught.  And my husband is way too busy at the end of this semester to do that.  This is why I offered to take our mower in to a shop for a spring tune-up.

Can you guess how much a lawnmower tune-up costs, though?  I would think around $25 to $30 for a simple little engine would be fair.  But I was wrong.  Try double that.  And that's just for labor, not parts!  Oh, and there's a one to four week wait time.  Well, while I've been procrastinating finding all this information out, our front yard has been drinking in lots of rain and sunshine and looks like this:

In another week, I am sure my girls would love to dress up and pretend they are Laura and Mary in Little House on the Prairie.  But our neighbors and a city ordinance would likely object.  It was past time for an intervention.

However, to get to this point, our little 148cc mower needed an oil change and a little TLC.  So I sought expert advice from YouTube and Lowe's.  (Later, I realized the guy in the video sounds just like Troy McClure in the Simpsons.)  Anyway, with my confidence and knowledge boosted, I picked up the items I needed from the hardware store.  Cost for oil and a spark plug: $6.98 plus tax.

And I am happy to report that after following "Troy's" instructions, I completed the tune-up and started the lawnmower on the second attempt.  We now have a mowed front yard.   And while it felt good to have gained a new skill, I still have to resist the temptation to covet a pollution-free reel mower.

Instead I simply need to want what I have.

After mowing the very thick front lawn, I breathe a sigh of relieved satisfaction.

Looking Back: Things I Learned, Loved and Miss from Asia

As my husband and I contemplate our ten years of marriage this summer, I was reminded of the importance of looking back to some of the formative experiences he and I have shared so far. In a new multi-part series, Looking Back, I am unpacking several episodes that influenced us from the time he and I met until now. Today, Part 1 offers glimpses of what we loved and learned during our years in China and Vietnam.

                         photo by Viajar24h.com 

Three months after I graduated with my bachelor's degree, I got my first passport and headed across the ocean to work as a university EFL teacher in China.  Many Americans and even a few Asians said they admired that I was willing to give up so much.  However, by living abroad for seven years, I came to admire and relish the simpler way of life surrounding me each day.

A majority of the college students I knew mostly lived without:

1. Refrigerators
2. Washing machines
3. Electric dryers
4. Hot water
5. Different outfits for each day of the week
6. Ovens
7. Cars
8. Personal computers
9. Cell phones
10. Air conditioners

In the years since I taught in China and Vietnam, things have changed quickly, with technology becoming more available to the masses.  Many students now have their own cell phones and computers, especially in the big cities like Hanoi and Changchun.  But I doubt that the overall ease of living has changed that much, as you can see here.

As a foreign teacher (and then a stay-at-home mom) in Asia, I possessed many things that many local people did not.  I had a computer, a refrigerator, a toaster oven, and a passport.  However, I also learned that I could live with hot water just four nights a week, no car, line drying clothes in my apartment all year, and teach with only a chalkboard and CD player.  I came to enjoy my frequent trips to the open air markets, my visits to the dorm rooms (which sometimes held ten to twelve girls each), and the amazingly authentic local Chinese and Vietnamese food that sprang from just a wok, a gas burner, and an electric rice cooker.

In both China and Vietnam, it was true that babies didn't wear diapers, not every family had a refrigerator, and electricity was not a 24/7 guarantee.  But once I learned some of the local language, shopping was a true pleasure--even without coupons!  Each outing was a chance to chat with the shopkeeper or seller about what I needed and answer a few personal questions.  Admittedly, my fair skin and blue eyes meant I was not just another face in the crowd, but there were plenty of regular customers who would sometimes linger to chat before leaving with their purchase.  It wasn't "just business," it was personal.  And that familiarity is one of many aspects I miss still.

I wonder, whatever happened to the kind old man who stood outside guarding motorbikes across from the rose sellers?  He would often run to the pile of discarded but still-beautiful fresh flowers (which were too short to sell in the standard bundle) and give a floral bloom to my daughter as we passed by that day.  And what about the Vietnamese English teachers who met with me and my American friends for an intercultural play group?  Do they ever recall our conversations about differences in child rearing and family life?  And I wonder what has become of the student who spent so much time with me that she once said (in amazement) that she forgot for a moment I was not Chinese.  It is a little painful to bring back those precious moments, knowing how far away they are from my current life in the American midwest.

While I am still sad about the faces I left behind, I remain thankful to have seen how millions of people can get along just fine without all the trappings most Americans now deem essential.  I wish I were not so swept up in the busyness and the possessions that can sometimes crowd out even casual friendships.  To have meaningful, personal, face-to-face connections, one has to make room.

So when I think back to the people and places I knew in Asia, I did not see abject poverty at every turn. Most people had their daily needs met.  What I mainly remember is the rugged simplicity and the time that ordinary people had (and took) for relationships.  When I don't keep things simple and I allow relationships to be neglected, it is I who am the impoverished one.

A simpler life and more time for friendships--these are two things my husband and I miss and seek to create in our current context.  How do you pursue these goals in your current season of life?  Have you been able to simplify and make time for people?  If so, I would love to know how.

Living Small: Spending According to Our Values

During this lean season of graduate school we are working hard to live on less. However, this does not mean we never spend money on things beyond the basics for survival. Investing in our family's intellectual, physical, and mental health is important to us. We consider time and energy to be precious commodities as well.  Below are 10 ways that we invest in what matters to us.

10 "Extra" Expenses We Believe are Worth the Cost:

1. Babysitting costs when we attend our small group meeting, go out on a date, or I need someone to watch the kids
2. Eating out every Sunday so I don't have to cook
3. Oil changes done by a mechanic
4. High speed internet service
5. Certain convenience foods, like whole grain bread loaves and frozen pizzas
6. Disposable items like paper plates, since we don't have an automatic dishwasher
7. Travel
8. Sending each of our children to a year of part-time preschool
9. Books and DVDs from Amazon.com
10. Seafood, quality meats, and some organic produce

What priorities do you think are worth the additional cost for your family?

Works in Progress

Today I rejoiced to see hordes of robins hungrily scavenging among the damp leaves.   The snow is finally starting to recede.  Spring is near!  This week we've been celebrating Dr. Seuss by reading many of our recently neatened books, and we've started to decorate for St. Patrick's Day.

Insights Worth Sharing

In recent days I have also been challenged by several excellent points from other women; so I will direct you to them.

1.  On the temptation of the internet
I urgently needed to hear this perspective from Cheryl, at Moms In Need of Mercy.  I never realized how closely the time I spend on the computer is linked to my level of contentment.  If you read just one of these posts I am recommending, this would be the one!

2.  On the necessity of pruning roses (and more)
Here I read an exquisite illustration of the necessity of this counterintuitive task in a garden and in my life.  It was a perfect, timely complement to a recent lesson on John 15.

3.  On the secrets of successful homemakers
Part 1: Seven Habits of Highly Successful Homemakers
Part 2: Seven More Habits of Highly Successful Homemakers

Yes, back to my new favorite author, Cheryl.  In both parts, there are so many points that I can learn from and apply.  And I quickly understood why I am presently so unsuccessful!


A Case Study: Progress, not Perfection

Below are some of the shelves I tackled last weekend.  It was encouraging to see the progress made, though I didn't clear off every last extraneous object.  Nonetheless, to overcome the inertia and be okay with not reaching perfection is a growth step for me.  I am a true "messy perfectionist."

Now, would you like to play a little game?  Guess which photos are the "before" and which are the "after" shots.  You can check your answers by looking at "before" shots at the end of last week's post.

                                 A                                       B

                               C                                            D

                            E                                                 F

Have you been able to celebrate some progress on a project lately?  Are you seeking or finding contentment with where you are at right now?

Can Failure Lead to Happiness?

I was struck by the words of Ephesians 2:10 last weekend. It was the featured verse at a weekend retreat for women from our church. The same passage is what I had chosen on New Year's Eve as my prayer for 2010:

Image Source: R. Bowman

I am still in the process of absorbing the truths in that verse. For most of my life it has been success that motivates me. When I succeed, I feel good about life. My faulty way of thinking goes something like this:

"If I could just _______, then I'd be happy."

• be on time
• get the house clean
• enjoy more time outside
• see that person I've been meaning to call
• etc., etc...

The last few weeks in particular I have been failing spectacularly--and often. Doing things my way and striving to succeed isn't working. Yet when I look back into the past, I see many points at which God used failure to redirect me to something better and more fulfilling.

After a failed college choir audition, I wound up joining another group, where I learned the gospel song "Through God's Eyes". Some of the words I remember are:

If I looked at myself through God's eyes,
would the reflection I see be like Christ?
If I looked into God's eyes to see myself,
would his love and joy be flowing through my life?

...I want to walk hand in hand with You,
so that you can show me what I must do.
If I looked through God's eyes,
what would I see?

The undeserved blessings of my husband and children, my years learning about authentic worship--these I would not trade for any of my former ambitions. Nevertheless, I still get caught up in the quest for success. I pin my hopes on what I want to accomplish in a day, rather than asking God to "show me what I must do." How silly. He's already prepared the good works for me.

Instead of just trying to cross things off my to-do list, I need to inquire of God what he has prepared for me each day. Our agendas might might differ sharply or have much in common. But I'll never know (and have peace about my choices) if I don't ask.

Ode to Autumn's Maker

When sunlight gilds the autumn leaves,
The glorious hues mine eyes receive,
And in the soul swell songs of praise,
For splendors God alone displays.


-Copyright J. Baurain 2009

Welcome to my week, Company Girls. Though it's been far from perfect inside my home, God has put a song in my heart thanks to the emergence of the sunshine and beautiful weather. What has given you cause for praise this week?

Simple Tip of the Week: How to Buy Fewer Trash Bags

After living abroad for seven years, I consider drawstring trash bags to be a luxury. Nevertheless I do buy them in my home country. However, by also reusing shopping bags, I don't have to buy trash bags as often. We also cut down on our volume of garbage by recycling, which reduces the need for any kind of trash bag, free or otherwise. Here are two options that we have tried in the kitchen:










OPTION 1: Plastic shopping bag

This works for me since any
kind of garbage, wet or dry, can
be tossed in the smaller bag.

OPTION 2: Paper sack

If you compost food scraps
elsewhere and/or have
fairly dry trash, the paper
alternative might work well.



What is nice about lining the can with a larger, "luxury" bag is that it catches anything that doesn't make it into the smaller shopping bags. Of course, we could also just get a smaller kitchen trash can, but we believe in using what we already have.

Looking for other helpful ideas? Go to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays and Tuesday's Tip Jar.

A Return to Gratitude

I confess that I haven't been taking my recommended doses of gratitude very regularly. Let it be known then, that I am truly thankful for so much. Looking back over my recent Friday posts I was surprised by just how much discontent wove its way through my "wistful" words and thoughts. Part of the antidote is found in grateful reflections on our recent days.

After months of knowing I should plan more activities to do with my kids, we finally started doing some! My four-year-old daughter and I managed several fun activities this week--about one "project" per day. A paper strip pumpkin was Monday's creation; Caroline giggled with glee as we worked. On other days she helped me make chocolate pudding on the stove top (warm and yummy with a sprinkling of cinnamon!) and a batch of homemade chicken noodle soup.

And thus, as we waited for our cold/flu symptoms to diminish, our confinement turned out to be a blessing. I learned that I can choose joy even when I cannot go to my weekly get-togethers with other women. By focusing on what matters at home, I can be fruitful and fulfilled.

Another uplifting instance during our convalescence was when a sweet friend from church brought us some hot soup and raspberry muffins. I still need to get the recipes! That she would notice and make the effort to bring a hot meal over was heartening. Upon hearing that we were sick, she quickly took the initiative to offer her time to bless us with her cooking. God seems to send friends like this over every-so-often to remind me that He knows my troubles and He cares. Amazing.

Yesterday, on the other hand, my "mom rating" was less than stellar. I was late to pick up my daughter. Her birthday invitations remain undelivered. On the other hand, both of my daughters were well enough to attend school. A bouquet of red roses from my husband graced our living room with beauty this week. Despite my shortcomings, I can choose to be thankful for all that's been given to me, and start this day afresh with new mercies.

So now, as the autumn leaves start to fall and the first snowfall is in the wings, I am not dreading winter's confines quite so much. The overall reason? "God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!" Amen?

Past Connections, Present Roles

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Walking out under a starlit sky to sip a late night cup of tea is something I haven't done in a long time. But my friend of over 15 years came to town, and we hearkened back to our college days together and caught up on each others' lives during the 68 precious hours she was with us. She also managed to wash almost every dish that lurked in my kitchen, in addition to coming so far to see me. I tried not to feel too guilty. And during daylight hours, even without dishes to do, I still found ways to occupy my time, like cooking, and disciplining my three darling children.

Another experience we have in common is living overseas; soon she plans to return to a more rugged way of life abroad. So our days together were an unexpected bright spot of encouragement and hope (for me anyway). I was reminded to be thankful for the friends I have been given, wherever they may be. And I know I must be more faithful to pray for them and let them know I appreciate their part in my life. Even if we are not as close in proximity or when other duties don't allow frequent face to face interactions, I can be a faithful friend.

Or can I? I sometimes wonder if there are any women with young children who manage a satisfying balance of their roles as wives, mothers, home keepers, and friends. Most women I have met have at least one of these areas that tends to get neglected. Lately I have been disappointed by how poorly I am doing in all of these roles. I have a good idea as to why, since Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing."

So, Company Girls, if you have a real life example of a woman who attains a godly balance, whether it's you or someone who know and respect, I'd love to know!