Dinner Dinner

If you watch my instagram feed (yellowdoormary), you'll see that I mostly post about us dinner's ingredients, dinner on the table, whose visiting for dinner..... and so on.

Dinner is a big deal at our house. It's a rhythm that is so grounding. When we've had a busy week and we've taken too much food on the road or even at other places-- I can feel us floundering a bit.

On the evenings that seem to run smoothly-- we come in, we check the mail, let the dog outside, wash our hands and then we start in on dinner.

We pick a good pandora station, we set the table together, we chop, stir and sautee together. And then we all sit down for dinner. For me, the simpler the ingredients the easier and more carefree the meal. And at this time of year, how can it not be fresh, local, simple. Last nights dinner, I bought still warm from the sun broccoli from the farmers market down the block. And after a quick rinse, I roasted it with a little olive oil and some garlic. So. Good.


But more than food, I know I love that we all gather. The four of us to talk about our days, our best parts and it's a time to be silly! After dinner we read a bit from a devotion book then discuss how it applies to our own lives. The kids really seem to get into saying what is on their hearts and their minds and I get to see a window into their souls as they start to develop their own moral imagination.


So today, after a very busy week, I am looking forward to dinners together. Simple and lovely foods and faces that I love sharing their hearts as we break bread together.

What moments are lovely to you during the week?

happycampers: Going on an Adventure

This weekend, we went on a little drive after finishing up our school shopping. We drove through our favorite hide-a-way in the city, Stone Park in Sioux City.

We noticed the campground was nearly deserted, so on a whim we made a reservation. And we went home (45 minute drive... we were a bit crazy!) packed a few things. Including our tent, sleeping bags, flashlights and campfire food.

In less than two hours we were back, putting up the tent, unpacking the car and having hot dogs for supper. And in my head I was singing, "We're going Camping now we're on our waaayyy."(start the video at 3:36). Just like my mom did on every camping trip we've taken together.

It was so nice to spend some time together around the fire, playing an early morning round of Candyland, hiking and sleeping under the stars. We are so blessed to have this little slice of heaven so close to us!

Let Dinner Make Itself: Easy Baked Gumbo

The last few weeks I've been thinking about how I cook. And I've been finding ways to make dinner time easier, less stressful and no problem at all. HA! At least with the food.

Last night's supper was particularly easy and tasty. Both kids had two servings!

Since growing up we called this Auntie Sherry gumbo. And for good reason, my Aunt Sherry made it for our large brood whenever we would come to visit. This gumbo is warm and filling, inexpensive, super tasty and not hard at all to make. You find what you have in your kitchen and throw it in the pot.

My mom makes her's on the stove top, my sister in the crock pot, I do ours in our dutch oven on low heat in the oven for half a day. It's versatile and forgiving! We've traded the ham for ground pork sausage, ground beef, polish sausage sliced into rounds or with bacon.

You can trade the brown rice for white rice or for flavored rice (one Spanish and one something veggie or chicken based).

This is how I made mine at lunchtime and when we walked in the door, it was ready to eat at 4:30! We let it sit on the back of the stove for a bit before dinner, our cast iron dutch oven stays hot for a long time!

Aunt Sherry Gumbo
2 cloves of grated garlic
1 small onion diced
2 carrots diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 small green pepper diced
2 small cans (or one large can) of tomato sauce
1 quart of chicken stock
1 pint of water
1 3/4 cup of soaked/sprouted brown rice (you can also use uncooked)
1/2 cup of diced ham
2 whole, frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 slices of bacon
1 bay leaf
salt (generously)
pepper and garlic powder to taste
finely chopped chives to taste

Dice uncooked bacon. In a dutch oven over the stove top, brown bacon until fat is translucent. Remove from heat. Add all remaining ingredients, in no particular order. Stir. Bake with the lid on at 250 degrees for 4-5 hours. Start checking for the rice to be done and the chicken to be done at 3 hours. When chicken is cooked through and rice is tender, take chicken breasts out, dice in to bite size pieces. Return them to the pot. And serve.

Serves 4-5

For Today: A Short List

Listening: I am in process of listening to a new book called Home Safe. I checked it out from the library. So good so far.

And we've been listening to a couple new Pandora stations, Dry the River and First Aid Kit. Go forth and have good listening all day!

Loving: I am loving that dinner is already in the crockpot. I will walk into a yummy smelling house, set the table, cut up some fruit, butter some bread and dinner will be on the table. So good!

And the weather has been so lovely. I know the coolness is not here to stay, but it's been so good for my healing. I love sitting on the front porch with tea or coffee and feel the cool breeze in the morning.

Thinking: About church yesterday. The passages were so right on, the conversation-- thought provoking and my heart felt full.

Wanting: My sister Jayme to hurry up and get here already! I can't wait until the middle of tomorrow night. TOOO long!

Needing: To finish up that dress I've been tinkering with on my sewing table!

weekending: rest

This weekend was filled with more rest and hopefully restoration, I am getting stronger everyday!

Brunch, pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries.
Thrift store trip with my beloved friend.
Rest while the kids played over at their best friends house.
Back to school shopping at one place. Amazing!
Dinner and more rest watching the olympics.
Coffee in the cool morning air on the front porch.
Lunch with a dear friend, yummy roast!
A nap and some knitting.
A post dinner trip to our favorite place in the world. The kids and Eric play while I snap some photos from the shore.

We didn't 'accomplish' much but we had a beautiful and restful weekend just being together.

What did you do this weekend?




Joining The Habit of Being.

I'm Learning Lessons

And during this season, I've admitted that I am not super-woman. I cannot have a corporate job, keep a clean house, train for a half marathon, have happy children and a happy husband while making wholesome meals, gardening, canning, knitting, reading, blogging. Something had to go.

Namely, my pride.

And I had to ask for help and accept help. In the last month sweet friends made meals, brought meals, folded laundry, done dishes and had the kids over to play. That utter support leaves me speechless. And I feel determined to learn better how to say yes when people offer to help.

I am also determined to teach the kids how to be a big help too.

No man is an Island. And no mom can keep her home tidy by herself. One of the many changes around our house concerns who cleans up. I sat the kids down and I explained that this house is not just Mommy's House, it's OUR HOUSE. And they will help me and take responsibility for our house.

So we've set up teams. This week, Truman and I on the blue team and Isabel and Eric on the Gold Team. Simple tasks. Make sure your responsibilities are tidy and we alternate.

The only reward is getting to make an x in your spot. I don't want to bribe them instead of teaching them true responsibility.

Nor do I want to teach them to trash the house, then I'll pick it up! If they make a mess, they'll be responsible. I'm already hearing them say to each other. "I don't think you should dump that, this room is my room today!"