Projects and pastimes (as of late)

I've trying my best to do more of the things I need (time in the Bible, sleep, exercise, etc.) and the things I love.

I've done a little sewing,

^^ The new pillow! It's amazing how much more I enjoy our living room all because of a little pillow. Plus, a smidgen of my current knitting project, a simple hat.

a little more knitting,

The hat is reversible & I love the ordered look of the rib, but that bumpy texture is appealing too! (more details on my Ravelry)^^

and a lot of baking.

For those of you who have asked about our favorite recipes, our absolute favorite gluten-free baking recipes mostly come from Summer Harms.  We love gluten-free recipes that don't require several unusual flours or lots of time to prepare (because that can take the fun out of whipping up a quick batch of muffins, you know?) And she has so many gems in her recipe index, both baking and savory recipes! Our particular baked goods favorites (made very regularly in the DeVries household)::

• Blueberry muffins (gluten-free)—I usually use chocolate chips instead of blueberries, per husband's request, but either way these are SO good and super easy
• Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (gluten- and dairy-free)—Our favorite cookie. I made them twice(!) in the last week....
• Cornbread (gluten-free)—great alongside soups; we double this batch for a pie plate or 9"x9" pan

Although we're much more settled now, our apartment still feels a little like "transition zone," seeing as we're still furnishing it bit by bit.  We're still on the lookout for a few larger rugs (which will soften our living space) and a lamp or two. Bonus: our new kitchen table should be delivered today!

^^ As a side project, I've been reading about caring for wooden utensils and cutting boards, and this morning I applied mineral oil—it gives such lovely sheen and deepens the natural color of the wood. So pretty! Also, I re-seasoned our cast iron skillet this morning, so now everything is ready for more kitchen action.

On another note, community is on my mind a lot lately.  I was journaling and praying about this on Sunday, specifically that we would grow in community with the Youngs, but also that we would seek and find fellowship outside of the four of us in Austin. Potted plants do grow some in small containers, but for us to flourish, we need to let our roots extend beyond our comfort zone and tap the ground of Austin. If we're going to live in Austin, we want to be fully present here.

And this quote, seemingly simple, but oh-so-good is running through my mind the past few days.  It's quite the challenge.

Make God's glory your object in life. C.H. Spurgeon

P.S.—One more project! The tiniest bit of dark red knitting (pictured in my last post) turned into these booties for a friend's baby boy :)