New site… officially!

Hey everyone! It’s up and running!

If you don’t mind, please hop on over to janette.drost.ca. If you subscribe, you’ll be sent a verification email for the new site shortly.

Janette :)

Guest Post Mini-Series

ACK! I KNOW! Christine sent me an ultimatum today: “Update or mutiny :-)”

At least she said it with a smile. I have two words for you: FORGIVE ME. (or I’M SORRY… that works too.)

I promise that if you knew what my last two weeks have looked like, you would understand. However, I am alive and well, and I’m back now. No more excuses.

Except that…

a) This was my view a little more than I preferred – I was pretty sick for awhile. I ended up with 1.5 litres of extra fluid in my abdomen, which was about as comfortable as it sounds.

b) I’ve been working on a few projects like this booklet for my uncle. He makes amazing furniture (inspired by old French Canadian & Maritime culture) and actually uses wooden pegs instead of nails. More on that later, for sure!

b, Continued) I also spent part of an afternoon photographing some pretty photogenic people.

c) Don’t worry, it wasn’t just you I was avoiding. Our house has looked like this for most of the last two weeks.

d) I also completed my college final project! I finished the essay at 4:30pm today – plenty of time to spare before my 6:00 class.

e) I have also been doing a LOT of leaving in the nick of time and therefore tailgating people all the way to my destination… driving.

Case in point: I passed the lovely church in Maryhill 6 times today while on a series of 35-minute drives (one way).

Yep, it’s still winter ’round these here parts, but my car surely is grateful that spring cleaning is just around the corner.

f) We also spent time with wonderful family and friends. One of those events was a wedding shower for our fantastic new cousin Sarah, who may never read this because she is a cop and is way too cool to spend time reading blogs. A certain little girl enjoyed the balloons, and the rest of us enjoyed the static.

g) I’ve been trying to put my latest post into practice. I definitely had both failures and successes in that department.

h) And last but not least, Dennis & I have been filling the nooks and crannies of time with Captain Janeway and the rest of the Voyager crew. Live long, and prosper!

i) Oh, and also, my next post will be announcing the switch-over to my new blog domain :)

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In light of all this…

ANNOUNCING: Guest Post Mini-Series Contest!

I have a couple people who have said they will write guest posts to help me get through the last few weeks before life begins a relatively sane pace (you know you who are… RESCUE ME!), and suddenly I thought that it could be really fun to run a mini-series on guest posts from whomever of you would like to participate. I know lots of you are great writers, and the only reason you may not have your own blog is because you don’t want to become “one of those people” who start something and then leave their readers high and dry for a couple weeks on end.

So, if you would like to participate, here are (is?) the criteria:
- Post can be any length you like
- Post can be on any topic you think might be even remotely interesting to women, men, high schoolers, decorators, sports fanatics or people who love the outdoors. Etc.
- Post must include a few photos taken by you (quality doesn’t matter)
- You must not be offended if I adjust grammar or spelling mistakes
- The last day for submissions is April 15

Prizes
- The first 3 contest entries will receive a batch of cookies (if you are local – okay, I am trying to be economical).
- At the end of the 3 weeks (April 15), we’ll vote for our favourite post and the winner will receive… umm… okay, taking suggestions! What would you like to win?

(I am half afraid nobody will submit anything… so if you are hesitant, please do! Hehe.)

For Women Only

Warning: this post is really, really long and requires digestion along the way!

I hear a lot of people say that the Proverbs 31 woman can’t possibly be a real person – she’s just a representation of many different women.

I disagree. I think she was a real woman, and I think you can be just like her. I don’t find her intimidating… I find her inspiring.

Another argument I hear is: “She can’t possibly do all of this in one day!” As you read, take note of how many verses talk about the beautiful attitude this woman has, rather than focusing on something else she’s adding to her daily schedule.

I also think that by saying “she represents a lot of women,” we’re just giving ourselves an excuse to skip the challenging parts we don’t feel like working on.

I don’t have any photos today – just mentally insert the face of a woman you really admire. I can think of several who fit the Prov. 31 description to a T.

Okay, here are some of my thoughts…

***

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

The reason many people don’t think she’s real is because she is RARE. If you want to be like her, you will constantly be pushing against ordinary expectations (or lack of them) for the average woman.

Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

It doesn’t say “all the days after she gets married,” but “all the days of her life.” If you’re not married, is your lifestyle creating good or harm for your future husband? If you’re married, do you speak poorly about your husband to your friends, or does he have confidence that you are fully supporting him in everything you say and do?

(And also, does he have confidence that you will be the same person each day, or does he have to walk on eggshells around you because you’re in danger of having a freak-out moment?)

She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

I’ve never touched flax stems (straw? stalks?) in my life, and probably never will. But you can be creative in other ways, and you can do it with eager hands!

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

Umm, she is a good grocery shopper? Merchant ships traveled from port to port, seeking out the best products and prices. This woman was a savvy shopper :)

She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

Aside from the “servant girls,” I know quite a few women who will get up at the crack of dawn to roast a Christmas turkey, put supper in the crockpot before they leave for work, or make their kids’/husband’s lunches. (I’ve been failing badly in the lunch department lately.) Whatever hour you get up, I think the point is that she plans ahead and is willing to sacrifice her self-comfort for the sake of others.

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

I’d be surprised if she actually planted the vineyard herself – she probably hired people to do it. She knew how to invest and make smart business decisions. Some of you work full-time, some of you put in a couple of days a week outside your home, and others of you are also great at selling items on Kijiji or Craigslist, running a small daycare in your home or managing a rental property. It doesn’t have to be huge, but you can have a significant impact on your family’s finances. (i’m thinking about this one big-time, now that I’m venturing into the world of freelance design.)

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her task.

There’s no mention of Bible-time gyms… I think this woman was strong from regularly chasing kids, eating properly, using the stairs instead of the elevator, vacuuming, or helping at her church’s Super Saturday cleanup (paraphrased of course).

She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

Obviously, this woman must have slept! I think the point is that she watches closely over all the events of her household, and is prepared to deal with situations at a moment’s notice if they arise.

In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

The only time I’ve seen a real spindle was in a museum. You could also say “her fingers hover over the computer keyboard” or “in her hand she holds the steering wheel [of the soccer mom SUV]“… you get the idea ;)

She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

I love this verse, and it’s also the one I’m the most challenged by. My life is so full that I rarely think consciously of how I can extend my hands and heart to someone in need… an opportunity has to practically yell in my face for me to notice it. Yet, I believe this woman’s generosity is the key to her big, beautiful life. What a lasting imprint she has.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

She takes care of her family and clothes them with quality. She makes her home beautiful. She also values herself – she doesn’t stay in her PJs or wear track pants around the house every day! She dresses well and does her makeup each morning. (Alysia & I were just talking about this – it’s amazing how much better you feel, how much more productive you can be, and how much more loving/patient/joyful you are when you feel beautiful instead of sloppy.)

Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Behind every great man is a great woman… yep ;) If you’re fully supportive of your husband/brother/son, he feels like he can do pretty much anything. If he knows you’ve got things under control at home, he won’t worry about going on a business trip. If he’s proud to have you stand beside him and meet his work colleagues or sports buddies, it adds to his reputation… seriously!

She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Same thing as “buying a field and planting a vineyard…”

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

This woman knows her worth in God’s eyes and is confident that he will take care of her. She prepares for the future as well as she can, and then she trusts in God to see her family safely through any situation that may come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Wisdom doesn’t come overnight. It grows when you ask for the advice and guidance of trustworthy people, learn to accept correction in your own life (so you can extend it with grace to others), and spend lots of time with God, who is the source of all wisdom.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

This might come across as a little offensive (maybe I’m taking it too literally), but I find it interesting that she uses the phrase “bread of idleness.” We all know that it’s easy to eat when we get bored, or to “feed” ourselves with things like garbage reality TV shows. I know we hear a lot of people say that “weight doesn’t matter if you love yourself the way you are,” but I disagree. I’m not saying you must have a swimsuit body (and please don’t follow a crazy diet), but I think it’s hugely important that you stick to a healthy BMI for your sake, your husband’s (or future husband’s) sake and your family’s sake.

Also, make sure you’re feeding yourself with information and hobbies that build your life instead of water it down.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her.
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”

There it is again – lots of women do SOME of these things well, but this woman surpasses them. She is rare. It’s a tall order, but you can be like her too… and everyone your life touches will be better for it.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honour her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Bottom line – this woman loves God. That’s what causes her to be steady, secure, beautiful, and significant with a lasting imprint on the world around her.

Eggravated, and a little giveaway

On Wednesday, our church is holding “Guess Who’s Bringing Dessert.” Some people volunteer to host, others volunteer to bring dessert, the fairy named Laurie E. puts them all together, and the hosts don’t know who’s coming until they ring the doorbell.

Yesterday I tried to make these mini meringues to bring along. I don’t know if it was because I tried to make a triple batch, or if there was an eensie piece of yolk in the whites, but the disobedient batter would NOT whip up. So, I poured those poor 9 egg whites down the drain, washed the bowl & beaters and even chilled them in the fridge.

Try #2 (with only 3 eggs this time) = Another Epic Failure. Huh?

(By the way, did you know that if you rinse off a whole egg yolk, it’s really cool to roll around in your hand?)

Try #3 – wash, dry, chill… Oops, the yolk cracked into the bowl.

Try #4 – wash, dry, chill… Oops, the yolk cracked into the bowl again.

I gave up, and suddenly realized that I was going about this the wrong way. If 5 couples bring 5 whole desserts, and everyone eats only a small piece of each dessert, that’s still too much sugar for even me (and that’s saying a lot). So, I’m going to be disobedient and make a salty appetizer with not a trace of sugar. If you’re going to the Cronks’, please don’t copy my radical behaviour or we’ll have the opposite problem.

des·sert (d-zûrt)
n. A usually sweet course or dish, as of fruit, ice cream, or pastry, [or cream cheese & dill cucumbers with smoked salmon,] served at the end of a meal.
[key word = USUALLY]

***

Now, on to the giveaway:

This one is actually for YOU to give away! (Hehe, got you there.)

A couple months ago, I was at a shower for my cousin Sarah where we were just supposed to bring words of encouragement and blessing. I do love bringing gifts, so I decided to combine “words” and “gifts” by creating a fun little booklet of coupons.

I’ve turned the Sarah-specific details into something more generic and saved it as a PDF for you to download, if you would like to use it too.

Download “New Baby Coupons” (2.6MB)
*Note: you will need to click the link on the next screen that appears.

20 Hours with Bernice… maybe ;)

Every fall and winter, our church offers a 10-week semester with different “Life Groups” and courses. They range from Bible study, parenting and marriage to finances, hobbies and learning new skills.

Mom & I have an idea for something we’d [MAYBE] do in the fall, and she’s letting me throw it out there to see if anyone would be interested. Without giving everything away, these are some of the topics we’d [maybe] cover:

- Hospitality and making beautiful things at home, with [maybe] even some parenting/marriage thoughts thrown in ;)
- Creative/easy appetizers
- Decorating cakes & cupcakes (no tricky fondant required!)
- All the delicious things you never knew you could make with your bread machine (buns, jelly-filled doughnuts, Dutch olie-bolen, pizza dough, coffee cake)
- Christmas decorating/ornament ideas
- Christmas baking/squares/decorating
- Fun snacks for kids (plus a great Koolaid playdoh recipe)
- Etc!

This small group would be limited to young married women, and there would definitely be a cost involved. Don’t plan for it quite yet… like I said, it’s just a “maybe” at this point ;)

These photos (past & present!) don’t really do justice to Mom’s creations, but the point is that they’re all delicious, creative and in reach of the average novice. Mmmm.

(My cake & cupcake photo selection is rather limited… but trust me, there are some good ones. Easy too.)

Okay, just kidding – this is from our resort in Mexico ;)

New Site Coming Soon!

I’m in a bit of blog-hibernation mode… I’m getting my brand new site ready! After I’ve gotten Scott to help me decode a few programming mysteries, I’ll have it up and ready to go.

For those of you who subscribe [p.s., thank you], your subscription will automatically be updated. You’ll receive a confirmation link that you’ll need to activate, if you don’t mind.

Here are a few screenshots of the work in progress:

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I will officially be transitioning off staff and into freelancing in about a month, so I’ll have time and ideas to post a lot more often. I’m really excited about it.

Thanks so much for reading! I appreciate you all and hope that I can give you lots of inspiration in the coming months!

I’m looking forward to…

In no particular order:

• I am finishing up my last month of work and trying to get everything ready and out of my head into something coherent for the next person
• I am already receiving as many freelance projects as I can handle (yay)
• I have some major college projects due soon
• I have this blog I really like to work on, and sometimes spend hours editing photos that someone might look at only once and promptly forget
• We spend a lot of time at church
• I have some other projects I really need to work on
• We get together with family or friends at least 5 times a week (not an exaggeration, and we love it)
• We are still attempting to work on our house now & then
• We are trying to feed our bodies/souls/spirits something healthy and keep our home reasonably clean
• There’s even more but you probably don’t want to hear it ;)

I had to pause here and ask Dennis if I sound like I’m complaining… he assured me I’m not ;)

We love almost every minute of our lives… and we are especially looking forward to our HOLIDAY in June!! We’re heading to the beautiful land of the Maritimes for 10-11 days… glorious.

Our ambitious itinerary looks something like this, although there is definitely room for spontaneity:

Saturday
- Arrive in Quebec City
- Tour city, eat at Aux Anciens (oldest building in Quebec)
Sunday
- Tour city some more (romantic carriage ride, little French bistros)
Monday
- Arrive in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
- Stay at some romantic B&B or hotel
Tuesday
- Check out Anne of Green Gables’ house
- Drive around on the gorgeous red roads
- Fathers of Confederation
- Take the ferry one way and the Confederation Bridge the other way
Wednesday
- Go to Bay of Fundy, specifically Hopewell Rocks
- Maybe see whales???
- Arrive at Charlos Cove, Nova Scotia (awesome remote B&B)
Thursday
- Drive along the Cabot Trail
- Spend part of the day at Fort Louisbourg
- Stay in Sydney or Cape Breton
Friday
- Drive down the coast to Halifax
- Stop in little fishing villages along the way
Saturday
- Stop at Pier 21 to see where our grandparents arrived in Canada
- Peggy’s Cove
Sunday
- Drive to St. John, explore the city a bit
Monday
- Drive to Boston
Tuesday
- Home

One of the things I’m the most excited about is toting our little record keeper everywhere we go, specifically in places like little fishing villages and cafes. Watch for about 100 blog posts on all the artistic photos we will be taking.

***

P.S. If a road trip isn’t on the cards this year, or if your husband is more of the camping type and has to drag you along, this might help you out a bit with your summer vacation plans.

by Kelley Moore