Spring(ish) Trips

Today we are packing up for a long weekend at Copper Mountain; looking forward to family time, as well as a change of pace and scenery.  Peter and I spent 11 days at Copper last January for our (belated) anniversary gift and absolutely loved it!  We often talked about how much we looked forward to doing family ski trips, and we're setting out just over a year later on our first one! We're going to tag team ski while one of us stays with Aida, but we're excited to get out even a little bit this winter.  Peter has observed several times how glad he is that Aida will turn 3 in November, just in time for the 2012 season :)

March is shaping up to be a busy but super fun month.  My good friend Kelsey is visiting from Boston for a few days, I absolutely love watching my friends meet Aida for the first time!  And I love having visitors (hint hint).  It's hard to believe that Kels and I met almost SEVEN years ago as little freshman at TU!  Then Aida and I are headed to Cinci for a week at the end of the month, 25th - 31st.  I know we are really looking forward to time with Oma, Opa, Aunt Linnea and Uncle Koert...and I suspect the feeling is mutual :)  I'll leave you with a few pictures of beautiful Copper, as well as some of my future cooking assistant...

This view just 1.5 hours from our house...love CO!

My favorite ski buddy/teacher :)

Just hangin' out while Mom cooks....

Completely fascinated by my red Camelbak

Fond Farwell....

In honor of my dear, recently departed friends coffee and chocolate, I have decided to post a favorite recipe in their honor.  (This change was necessitated by recent tummy troubles for Aida). 

Double Dark Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti

from marthastewart.com

1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil (vegetable works too)

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted (I use milk chocolate too, depending on what I have)

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (found at your local natural grocery)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well combined; set aside.  In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, yolk and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the vanilla and oil until well combined.  

3. With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough should be very stiff but not crumbly).

4. With moistened hands shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide.  Bake until set on top, about 10 -20 minutes depending on oven and altitude (Once the top no longer looks raw and some cracks have started to form, I take the pan out. If they cook too long, the biscotti will crumble when sliced).  Cool for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

5. Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with very sharp knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2 inch thick.  Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning biscotti over half-way through. Cool and store in airtight container for up to a week.  

Now just brew a hot cup of coffee (or tea) and enjoy!

I left the room for 2 minutes while she was awake and this is what I came back to :)

Aida's 3 Month Pictures and More

It's hard to believe that our Aida bear was 3 months old yesterday!  I love that her "birthday" fell on Valentines day :)  Almost daily over the last year, since learning I was pregnant, the words of David in Psalm 139:14 have come to mind, 

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."  

I am so thankful that Aida has been created with special intent and love by our Creator!  The sweet spirit, funny and playful personality that flow out of her daily in new ways are such a blessing to Peter and I.  It is a powerful and constant reminder that we serve a great God that is intimately involved and sovereign over each and every one of His creations, no matter how small.  

As new parents, we have been given abundant grace and mercy over the last 3 months. In that short span of time, we have gone from knowing(basically) NOTHING to having the insight and skill to care for and sustain another person - wow!  We have learned to flex in new ways and make major adjustments to daily life as we knew it. 

When I reflect on how vast those changes have been, I clearly see how great grace is! There is no way the last three months would have been filled with such (relative) ease and joy, if it had not been for the Lord graciously leading us through each day. Now, that's not to say it's been perfect.  We have each had our share of frustrations...I will admit to a few "meltdowns" on my part.  But comparatively, those times have been few and fleeting.  Here are just a few evidences of said grace, my "Ebeneezer's" for the first three months of Aida's life:

- a baby who typically only cries for a legitimate need (sleep, food or some type of physical discomfort); is a very decent sleeper for the most part - bad nights are the exception rather than the norm; is healthy and happy.

- a husband who was instantly a wonderful, very hands-on father; is exceedingly patient; was equipped with much more practical "baby knowledge" than me.

- supportive, loving, wonderful family and friends who have spent countless hours supporting, loving and encouraging all of us though time, travel, fun mail, food, gifts, prayer etc.

- a church body that loves Christ, his Word and his people through excellent teaching and ministry .

Here are a few photos from Aida's three month "shoot" :)