Cupcakes & Cartwheels

New Blog

2011-10-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've decided to move on and start a whole new blog. It will have more of a purpose and theme. I'm excited about sharing fun, easy, and creative ideas for celebrating with family...creating family traditions and memories throughout the year.
Check back...I will be announcing the launch of my new blog soon!

Jumping Right In...

2011-01-20T07:41:00.000-08:00

Almost a year since I was here. Hmmm...so much was going on, I just could focus time, energy, or mental concentration on this blog. It has been a tough year with one thing and another, but I mostly feel like we've come out on the other side. Nothing life shattering, just life jarring. Through it all I've realized I need to call on God much more, and spend time daily in prayer...well, multiple times daily.
I know, DUH.
Lately I've been feeling the need to come back--to share, to connect, to release...

So, my goal for today is to put up a new header...thankfully it is NOT Spring 2010.

I'm ready for a new beginning.

2010-03-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Easter is just around the corner. This year I want to make my kids homemade goodies and get them simple, natural toys. Maybe some gardening supplies...like seed packets, little pots.

For some sweet, natural handmade toys perfect for an Easter basket, check out Garden Mama's great giveaway!

I love spring and Easter celebrations! I am so ready for warmer weather, greening trees, and family get-togethers with delicious food!

New Things

2010-02-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

New things are happening in my kitchen. Here is what I have done in the last week:

-Made homemade chicken stock
-Made spouts with quinoa
-Made homemade cream of mushroom soup (for casseroles)
-Cooked most of our meals from scratch
-Cooked and baked with coconut oil
-Made homemade Thai coconut chicken soup

I've also stopped buying:
-boxed mac & cheese
-canned soups, chili, spaghettios

Next steps I want to take:
-stop buying all processed food...crackers, tortillas, bread...(need to make alternatives first)
-learn to make sourdough bread
-find a recipe for Ranch dressing that my kids will eat
-find a recipe for non-dairy creamer that my husband will use
-buy local eggs and chicken from a farm
-cut back on white sugar

There are more things I want to do, but I'll get overwhelmed if I try to change everything at once...I do still have to feed four children and my husband!

I am reading:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
And these blogs: Kitchen Stewardship, GNOWFGLINS

So far I'm having a blast...hopefully I wont burn out before I make more positive changes!

Sunshine Break

2010-01-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

We woke to the comforting sounds of rain on our roof. We don't get a lot of rain here, so it was nice and cozy. Throughout the morning the clouds dissipated and the sun shone bright and cheery. We quickly pulled on socks, shoes and jackets to head outside for the first time in way too long.

The snow from over a month ago had finally melted away. Our new walker was utterly delighted to explore on her own two feet.

A puddle perfect for jumping into, riding through, and splashing rocks was filled with the sky and the sun.

It was a beautiful break in the middle of winter.

Right Now

2009-12-18T07:15:00.000-08:00

Right now...

I'm sitting at the computer, drinking coffee, listening to instrumental Christmas music on Pandora, enjoying my quiet morning house as the sun comes up on a snowy world.
Only one of my four children is awake...and he is quietly watching Little Bear while he drinks his morning milk.
Wait...a happy squeal from the little one's room...my one year old daughter is now awake. I'll let her play in her crib for a couple of minutes.

Today...
There will be a Christmas, oops, I mean a Holiday party at school for my two oldest. Sending cranberry muffins and candy canes.
So, at home we will have our own little party with our little 3 year-old friend, who I care for during the day, my 2 1/2 year-old son, and my one year old daughter. I am thinking...mini cupcakes to sprinkle and a Christmas story...if I have the chance, maybe I'll whip up some sugar cookie dough for Christmas shapes and frosting and sprinkles...but as I write this I think the mini cupcakes will be much easier and just as fun.

A few minutes later...
Well, three out of four children are now up and our little friend is here. Little one year old miss is eating fist-fulls of scrambled eggs, two others are squabbling (as usual), and one is back to his milk and Little Bear...time for me to get us all going.

Hmmmm

2009-10-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Playing around with fun blog designs. Maybe this will inspire me to post more. Part of my problem is TIME. Part of my problem is what to write about. I think I need to see my blog as my personal journal and not write for an audience. But I'm also considering focusing on food. We'll see .

Oh, my eleven-year-old daughter just started a blog for home school. She is going to post things she is learning about as well as creative writing stuff...and probably whatever she happens to think would be fun. She is such a sweet, fun-loving, happy girl. I'm so blessed to be able to be her mom.
Please stop by her blog and leave her a kind comment.
Thanks!

Course Correction

2009-09-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't been motivated to blog this summer. Too discouraged by what I don't accomplish, don't finish, don't check off my list. And then, I've also been struggling with meeting the needs of all four of my children. I love being a mom, and longed for motherhood for most of my life, but it sure is hard!

Mommy-ing really takes it out of me. Maybe because I'm an introvert who needs quiet to think straight and alone time to function on normal level. I jumped into foster care as a starry-eyed single girl who wanted to make a difference, and then--boom--five years later I have four children--wonderful, beautiful, precious children--who all have a multitude of needs that I have to meet. The depend on ME. Yikes, kind of scary.

Anyway, what I'm trying to get to is this. I've spent five years trying really hard to be a good mommy. I've failed so many times. But this is a learning experience. Hopefully, I'm learning from my mistakes. What I've realized recently is that during all this struggling, I've been slowly veering off course.

Off course of what? Of my walk with God. I didn't jump off all of a sudden. It's been a slow meandering away from His best caused by little choices and mixed up priorities. I forgot that He doesn't expect me to figure it all out alone, to face each day of diapers, messes, tantrums, tears, piles of dishes, and four little lives on my own. Or, maybe I didn't actually forget this, I just stopped asking Him for help. Somehow I am finding myself frantically peering around, looking for that path I used to be on. The path where I was in daily communion with God. Where I spent time in His Word, building my self up to face any life could throw at me.

So, now I'm in the process of trying to get back on course. I'm realizing that I can't be a good wife and mother if I'm always running on empty. I'll try to post an update now and then as I work to get back where I should be--spiritually and physically; work on taking care of myself as well as my family.

Home

2009-08-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

We are home.

We were away for a whopping five weeks! It was a long time to be away, but it was nice to have time to see friends and family more than once and get some time to relax and enjoy the summer up in our old stomping grounds. We played at the lake, the park, various Grama's houses.

We visited with friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, Gramas, Grampas and Papas.

We met Smokey.

We boated, floated, picnic-ed, and barbecued. We went though lots of sunscreen and flip flops.

We got new teeth.

Not that you can see them in this photo...

And we experienced a few firsts.

We had a great time.

But it's so nice to be home.

Now the school year is just around the corner, but we are going to try to squeeze in a little more summer magic.

Side note:

I am in the process of assessing my purpose here on this blog. I'm contemplating different directions that I want to take. I want to be more consistent with posting. So, if anyone is out there, if anyone is reading, please don't give up on me. I will be back soon!

...Checking In

2009-06-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I've been absent lately...we've been adjusting to new schedules, celebrating birthday boys and daddies, enjoying the sun, being lazy, and getting ready for a long trip to see family. I've had lots of post ideas floating around in my head, but it's been hard to sit down and formulate actual words. The call of the sun and fresh air, the garden; not to mention the usual housewifely duties and the fact that there are four energetic, hungry children running around...well, only three can actually run...anyway, you get it! Blogging hasn't been on the top of my list.

And now the kids and I are about to head out on a month long visit to see my family back home. We are so excited. We've really missed them since we moved last August. There will be lots of cousin fun, swimming in the lake, boat rides, marshmallow roasting, mud pie making, grama hugs, long chats with my mom and sister, laying on the beach in the sun while your cold-from-swimming-too-long skin gets all tingly and warm...falling asleep to cricket song and lapping waves...

So, I won't be posting much for a while longer. I'm hoping to be able to devote some more time to this blog when I get back. We'll see.

I hope you are enjoying your summer!

June Joys

2009-06-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

... dapples of sunlight on dimples...

...shady hats...

...strawberry rhubarb pie...

...baby quail...

...and don't forget...

school's out

cherries

roses

peonies

farmer's markets

days at the beach

lazy afternoons

picnics

cricket song

sleeping with open windows

~ah, so many things to love about June...

Then, we also have Father's Day and my son's second birthday...

Lots going on around here. Parties to plan, gardening to attempt, children to feed and occupy...I'm currently trying to map out a summer schedule and activities that will accommodate four children with a wide range of ages, interests, personalities, and capabilities; as well as a mommy who would really like everyone to be happy and sweet and peaceful all the time...I know, I'm dreaming here, but June is such a dreamy month, don't you think?

Come on, tell me what you love about June...I really want to know!

Help!

2009-06-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Something has been noshing on my baby broccoli and lettuce! I've also noticed that some marigold petals and a few nasturtium leaves have been nibbled.

What could be wrecking havoc in my little garden?

It's completely fenced in--so it can't be rabbits.

There are lots of birds in and out...quail, doves and others, but birds don't eat plants, do they?

Could it be some kind of bug? I've seen little black ants and those "roly-polies" as my kids call them. (I don't know what they really are called, but they roll up into a ball when touched.)

Oh, and so far, it's just one brick raised bed that's been affected. My herbs, tomatoes, and other marigolds are in different beds and are fine.

Any gardeners out there? Can you help? What should I do?

Garden Notebook

2009-05-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

I've been away from here for too long. Enjoying spring...day trips to the mountains and the lake (Tahoe), working in my little courtyard garden, sitting in the shade of my peach tree with the scent of lilacs drifting on the breeze. As well as all the daily rhythm of laundry, cooking, cleaning, dishes, diapers, and child rearing--all more sweet and peaceful with the spring sunshine and breezes flowing through the house.

(Oh, and celebrating...my daughter turned eleven. Eleven! How can I have an eleven year old? When she first came into my life, she was scrawny, sweet and six. She was missing her four top teeth and looked like a kitten when she smiled, which was often. Due to a speech disability, I couldn't understand a word she said...she pantomimed fluently for the first three months until, finally, through the grace of God, I understood most of what she was saying. Now, she is tall, almost as tall as me (which isn't saying much, actually), beautiful, and full of life as

Anyway, I'm stopping in to record some notes for my Garden Notebook. I will try to keep up on this through the summer.

***********************************************

Garden Notebook

May 22, 2009

Back courtyard garden

Planted last week:

~marigolds

~impatiens

~Spanish lavender

Planted this week:

~Broccoli, butter crunch lettuce, and nasturtium seeds

Herb garden:

Four inch pots planted May 20: basil, thyme, dill, chocolate mint, and chives

Peach tree-lots of fuzzy green globes, getting bigger by the day!

Oh, I forgot to photograph my tomatoes. One Big Stripy heirloom and four Sweet 100's.

To do:

~seeds to plant: peas, swiss chard

~buy and plant: bell peppers, onions, potatoes, garlic, and green beans

~buy ladybugs for roses (covered in aphids!)

***************************************

I know it isn't much; budget restraints are keeping me from going hog-wild at the garden center. But little by little, it's becoming my sweet little potager. Wasn't I blessed to inherit this little space already outfitted with brick raised beds, a peach tree, and two rose bushes? It gets a good amount of sun throughout the day, but gets nice and shady around five. It is all fenced in, so I can easily keep an eye on the little ones while I work. I've also been going out at nap time to sit under the peach tree to read. So peaceful!

Doves

2009-04-28T06:53:00.001-07:00

In my visions of my dream house there have always been doves, living in a dovecote, in a courtyard. You see, in a book I once read the family had a dovecote. For some reason, this resonated with me. This was peacefulness and serenity right in your own back yard. Later, I came across more imaginary homes with doves in the courtyard.

Well, sometimes dreams do come true. I don't actually have a dovecote, but I do have doves. Wild mourning doves. A pair of them are nesting somewhere around our property. As it happens they like to hang out in our courtyard! I've even seen two younger doves; offspring, I suppose. And I hear their cooing all the time. I love it. Especially when I am waking up in the morning, sunlight filtering through my blinds...so peaceful. I love how God can surprise us with wonderful little blessings like that!

Someday, maybe I'll even have a dovecote, (like the one above!), for our doves.

I just realized that this post would work for Chatting at the Sky's Tuesdays Unwrapped! Head on over there for more simple gifts!

Menu Planning

2009-04-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

Menu planning saves my sanity. It makes grocery shopping easier, faster and more economical. I am not normally a very organized person, but in certain areas of life, I need to be.

This is one. When feeding a family of six three meals a day, it takes a bit of planning. Over the last few months, I've made it easier and less time consuming by compiling a list of meals we like and a chart to plan each week's dinners.

I decided on these categories: Soup/Stew, Mexican, Pasta/Italian, Casserole/Roast, Asian, Take-Out @ Home, and Quick & Easy. I made myself a chart with different meals under each category. I try to plan one meal from each category for each week, but I don't assign a specific day for each--I like to be flexible so I can decide what to make on a daily basis. Some people like to decide what they are having each day, and sometimes I do that, but most of the time I wait to see how the day is going or what I feel like.

When deciding what to make for the week, I look through the grocery store ads to see what's on sale. I haven't ever been good at using coupons, but I try to find good deals. Also, if I know I'll have leftovers, I try to plan one of the meals around them. For example, this week chuck roast was on sale, so I'm planning on making roast beef in the crock pot one day, and then I'll shred the left over beef for quesadillas on another day.

So, here is our dinner menu for this week:

Asian~Beef Sate with peanut dipping sauce, rice and peas

Soup/Stew~Corn/Potato chowder with popovers

Mexican~Shredded beef quesadillas with corn casserole

Pasta~Fish sticks (the only fish my kids will eat, besides canned tuna) with pasta and sauteed zucchini and mushrooms

Casserole/Roast~Roast Beef with carrots, potatoes, and gravy

Take-Out @ Home~Sausage and Egg muffins, fruit

Quick & Easy~Tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches

Lately, my husband has to work on Friday and Saturday nights, so I usually plan our Take-Out and Quick & Easy for those nights with just the kids. Sometimes we'll just have leftovers or breakfast on those nights, too.

I don't actually plan out each breakfast and lunch, but I try to make sure I have general idea of what we can eat. For example, this week I am making pumpkin or applesauce muffins to have on hand for breakfast, along with fruit, yogurt, or smoothies. For lunches there will be possible leftovers from dinner, tuna fish sandwiches, pasta with butter and cheese, baked potatoes, and of course peanut butter and jelly. My kids also like flour tortillas with cheese or jelly or even a scrambled egg burrito. So we just make what sounds good that day.

Do you plan out your dinners for the week? What works for you?

Feeling the Sun

2009-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's shaping up to be a warm weekend and even warmer week ahead! Hooray!

Here are some sunny fun plans for the next few days:

Make Ice necklaces with the kids...what a fun idea!

Garden, garden, garden...till, plant, weed...I feel so behind in this area, now is the time to catch up.

Make kites, blow bubbles, go on a hike...have a picnic or BBQ.

Maybe a little tree climbin'...

And I can't forget to just spend some time sitting, with my eyes closed, feeling the sun on my face.

Have a great weekend!

Our Easter

2009-04-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Our day was filled with sunshine, smiles, sweets and, of course...love. Hope yours was, too!

Easter Preparations

2009-04-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

The shopping is complete.
The baskets are assembled.
The cookies and cupcakes are baked.
The coffee cake is rising.
The fridge is stocked for an Easter buffet.
The outfits are ironed and laid out.
The eggs are dyed.
The jelly beans are waiting...

Mommy is tired, and she prays she remembers to focus on Jesus even in the midst of all the hullabaloo...

Happy Easter everyone. May your day be blessed and full of the joy of the Resurrection!

Laundry

2009-03-25T14:58:00.001-07:00

"There, everything

is order and

beauty, richness, quiet

and pleasure."

~Charles Baudelaire, L'Invitation au Voyage

What I wish my laundry room to be. The light! The order! The beauty! The fresh cut flowers!

What my laundry room really is:

Oh, the darkness, the clutter, the ugly brown paneling!

I know, the sad, plastic drawer thingy really doesn't measure up to that lovely green armoire, does it?

I found those wonderful laundry room photos in a Victoria magazine years ago. I've kept them in a binder, hoping for the day I could create the laundry room of my dreams.

So far, no dreamy laundry room. I will say that my current laundry room is better than any I've had previously. At least there is not a leaky sewage pipe in this one. AND it is right off the kitchen, on the main floor, not in a basement. AND it has a door that opens out to my courtyard where I will soon have a kitchen garden. So, it does have it's merits. What is doesn't have is richness, beauty, order or quiet. Hmmm...maybe someday!

Do you have a gruesome laundry room? Do you dream of a serene and lovely laundry room? Head over to Parisienne Farmgirl for an ugly laundry room contest!

Can I just say "laundry room" one more time. OK. Thanks.

Happy Spring!

2009-03-20T14:49:00.001-07:00

Can't stay. Gotta get back outside!

Hope you are having a lovely first day of Spring!

Garden Dreams

2009-03-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

This photo is from last May. I wish it was this year, but alas, I haven't even started any seeds. It is on my to-do list for this weekend. Well, "Plant Seeds" has been on my to-do list for a couple of weeks, so that doesn't really say anything.

I have big garden dreams for this year. I live in a new location with more land and planting possibilities, but I also have one more child this year. I picture myself with a baby in a backpack and a toddler at my knees, planting, weeding, and harvesting--just like Caroline Ingalls must have done. I can do it, right? I'm hoping to enlist the help of my big girls (ages 6 and 11), too.

I have a head start here. We have 5 apple and 2 plum trees, 1 cherry and 1 peach tree. I want to add raspberries and strawberries to the fruit list.

In our back field, my plan is to have a pumpkin patch and a sunflower house for the kids.

Someday, I would like to have big vegetable garden out there, but I am trying to be somewhat realistic!

For now, I am planning a small potager/kitchen garden in our back courtyard. There are already lots of brick planters and raised beds to work with--yippee!

Here I want to grow herbs, veggies and flowers. I want to start from seed as much as I can to save money.

I'll be sure to share my gardening adventures with you!

Now, children are calling...I'd better be off!

The Winner...

2009-03-08T22:37:00.001-07:00

...is Sarah! Congratulations!

Thanks to Sally, Jessica, and Andrea for your comments and for reading. I really enjoy each of your blogs.

It's been a fun year of blogging. And I like being able to go back and see what the year was like for my family.

Here's to another year,

Jen

One Year

2009-03-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Yup, a year ago today I finally did what I had wanted to do for quite a while. Start a blog. I'm not going to spend time reflecting here right now, because, well, I just don't have the time right now. Anyway, what I'm most excited about is doing a little giveaway in celebration of my one year blogging anniversary! So, I've been contemplating what to give. I wanted it to be meaningful and personal. I gathered a few items from around my house that fit my criteria.

First, a book that I love and have read many times:

It's funny, but this book (as well as a guest speaker at church one day) influenced me to do foster care. It got me thinking about creating a loving, wholesome home for whoever needed it. Fast-forward 5 years and I now have two beautiful adopted daughters as a result of that first little thought in my brain. Interesting how God works sometimes.

Next, one of my favorite places in the world, and one of my favorite hobbies all rolled into one watercolor painting:

The Beach and Painting. I painted this from a photo I took at the Washington Coast. I don't get to the beach often, but I'm just filled with the majesty of God every time I do get there. I love the weathered driftwood and all the shadows on the sand.

Finally, for my whimsical side, this vase I painted at a pottery shop:

I used my favorite colors, and I love the shape of the vase and the happy swirls.

O.k, if you are interested in the giveaway, just leave a comment. I'll draw a name Sunday night and post the winner.

Even if you don't want this random set of objects, I hope you'll leave a comment to help me celebrate. I'm hoping to meet some readers that don't make it a habit to comment, but are still out there somewhere.

Thanks for stopping by, and here's to another year!

Jen

Yesterday and Today

2009-03-04T13:14:00.001-08:00

Yesterday:

Today:

Late winter/early spring is always such a finicky time of year. Makes life interesting, I guess.

Oh, I have to express a little joy today. I feel very blessed lately. Last week I won Jessica's giveaway--a cheery bag that she sewed herself; and today I found out that I won Andrea's giveaway--a beautiful scarf that she knit!!! How cool is that! And so funny that I found Andrea's blog (and giveaway) because she found my blog after I won Jessica's giveaway! Uhh...does that make any sense? Well, very neat, no matter what.

Maybe I should get a babysitter and hit one of the casinos in town....

Ha! Just kidding...

Come back tomorrow for my 1 Year Blogaversary!! I'm cooking up some sort of giveaway...it's only fitting, I think.

Thoughts

2009-03-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

I've had so many thoughts or ideas that I've wanted to post about lately, but life has kept me from actually getting to sit down and formulate my thoughts into posts. It's hard to concentrate with a three month-old, a twenty month-old, and a 10 year old at home everyday. (I started homeschooling my daughter a couple of weeks ago.) Then add the fact that my six year-old has been having a hard time lately with behavior and such, well, blogging has been on the back burner. And that's o.k. This blog will be here when I do have the time. Like today.

So, in between feeding everyone and doing a load of laundry here and there, I've been able to spruce up my blog's look for spring. Yeah!

I feel like my life needs a little sprucing up as well. A spring cleaning. Just like my house. (In fact, a little house cleaning, or gutting, would probably help my mood as well.)

Hmm....please excuse the scatter-brained feel of this post. My thoughts are all over the place; it's hard to organize them neatly for some reason. I guess I'll just go with it!

Anyway, I was feeling the other day the need for a disengaging, a disconnecting, an unplugging from this crazy, swiftly tilting world. So, I came up with a list. I love lists. I wrote it in my journal. My journal that has three sections that I designated as Children, Household, and Life. I like having a place to jot down ideas, plans, and wishes--usually in the form of lists.

So, here is my list to help me Revitalize, Rejuvenate, and Reinvent my life this spring.

Watch less T.V. (Duh)

Less computer time

Get outside more: walks, play, garden, swing, run, explore, breathe

Read real books!

Read the Bible more

Write real letters to people

Draw/color/paint--create

Make do with what I have as much as I can

Cook from scratch as much as possible without going totally Little House on the Prairie

Grow food:

I'm planning on growing a variety of veggies in this back courtyard:

Shop at thrift stores

Listen to music

Walk to church

Use less chemicals

Raise chickens

Get rid of clutter

Walk or ride bikes to the farmer's market

Create family traditions throughout the seasons of the year

Be charitable

Focus on the good

Live in the now

Cherish little moments

Enjoy my children

This is an abrupt ending, but it's been a few hours since I began this post. I had to leave it for awhile to feed the baby, make dinner, change diapers, put on jamies, sing night-night songs, kiss foreheads, feed the baby again...now I'm going to go eat angel food cake with strawberry sauce from my lovely neighbor.

Hopefully, I'll be back soon with better formulated thoughts. Or I can give you my list for Ways to Like My House More Without Spending Big Money.

Oh! My one year blogging anniversary is coming up. I need to think of a way to celebrate. Stay tuned...

Have a great week!

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Two sweet goof-balls

It's been a wild week around here with appliances breaking, mice running rampant, head-colds all around, and trying to decide on new schooling options for my big girls. But I don't want to let all of that dampen the fun of Valentine's Day for my kiddos. Especially the two big girls. They haven't had as much mommy attention lately, considering I also have a 19 month-old, a 3 month-old, and I've been feeling yucky all week. So, I really want to bless them this weekend.

So, The Plans:

Saturday morning~mini chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

During the day~craft time with the girls-decorations and gifts for their friends.

Saturday night~family V-day dinner:

~Curry coconut chicken with rice and pineapple on the side

~Grasshopper pie (my husband's and girls' favorite) for dessert

(I know, a strange combination, but that's what my husband requested!)

I'm planning on getting out my grandmother's china and making it a festive, fun night.

Then, on Monday there is no school, so we are having a Valentine's Day Tea Party for the big girls and six of their friends. I'm planning on making some sweet treats, serving cocoa in a tea pot, and doing a craft with them. Maybe, I'll remember to take pictures, and maybe I'll find my long lost USB cord, and maybe I'll post about it all next week!

Have a great weekend!

One of Those Days

2009-02-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday: mice in the house, mommy with a bad cold, sisters fighting, baby crying, toddler fussing, dog poo tracked in, dogs fighting, blood all over dogs, girls worried, MICE IN OUR HOUSE, science fair project-already over due, dinner to be made, dishes to be done...aaahhhh, the chaos, the horror...mommy about to lose it, big time...

........cough, hacking, cough........

And then...

Daddy comes home...miraculously everything calms down, everyone is happy...and he brings mouse traps!

Hooray for Daddy!!

Food Thoughts and Taco Pie

2009-02-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

So, I realize that most of my posts have been about food lately. I was contemplating this, and I think there are a couple of reasons for this. One, I'm nursing my two month old, actually, I've been pregnant and/or nursing for over two years now. What I'm trying to say is, it takes a lot of calories for my 5' 1", 105 lb. frame to keep up with all this baby growing and feeding, so food has been extra important to me. Second, I enjoy feeding my family. It is something that I can take pride in, and since it is something that has to be done, I try to have fun with it. Also, it is a chance for me to be creative. There isn't a whole lot of time for other creative pursuits right now...

Anyway, here is another recipe! I made this last night. My family loves tacos, and this is a little easier than assembling everyone's individual tacos.

Taco Pie

(or Taco Lasagna, if you will)

1 lb. ground beef

salt and pepper

about 1 T. cumin

about 1 T. chili powder

about 1 T. dried minced onion

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

6 flour tortillas, soft taco size

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, or Mexican mix shredded cheese

Season beef with salt and pepper, brown in a skillet and drain. Back in skillet mix cumin, chili powder, minced onion, and tomato sauce with beef. Heat through.

In a deep, round casserole dish layer a tortilla, spread about 1/3 cup meat mixture on top, and sprinkle on about 2 tablespoons cheese. Repeat about five times until you reach the top of the dish, ending with meat and cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 min. Slice like a pie and serve with your favorite taco toppings.

Well, I hear my little miss waking up...time for another feeding...

Simple Things

2009-01-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

It just takes a few simple things to feel contentment about my day:

~the sound of the washing machine churning away tells me: something is getting accomplished

~the aroma of Cowboy stew simmering in the crock pot says: your afternoon will be calm and easy

~the taste of Constant Comment tea implies: both little ones are asleep at the same time!

That is today. Ahhh...the bliss of it all.

(Sheesh, I guess I need to get out more. Common household items are starting to talk to me!)

Oh, that photo doesn't really pertain to this post. Just a cheery, springy sight for this cold January day.

Applesauce Muffins

2009-01-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Warm up your kitchen with this yummy snack.

Applesauce Muffins

1 cup flour + ¾ cup whole wheat flour (or 2 cups white flour)
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup butter, melted

12 apple slices
cinnamon and sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
Add egg, applesauce and butter.
Stir until just blended.
Spoon into greased or lined muffin pan.
Top with slice of apple and sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Bake 18-20 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.
Enjoy!

Cowboy Stew

2009-01-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Or "Cowgirl Stew" as my girls like to call it. I love this recipe because it is quick and easy, everyone loves it, and it simply cooks away all by itself during that busy time between 4:30 and 5:30 when every child needs my attention and the baby needs to nurse. I can get it in the slow cooker during nap time, at my leisure, without stress. My kind of meal!

1 lb. ground beef

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 can cream style corn

1 can pork and beans

1 can chili beans

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

chili powder

cumin

salt and pepper

Brown the beef with the onion and green pepper.

Season with salt and pepper, chili powder and cumin to taste.

(I just add a little and taste, add more and taste until I like it.)

Drain well.

Put all ingredients into a slow cooker.

(Sometimes I'll add more chili and cumin after tasting everything stirred together.)

Cover and cook on low 7 to 10 hours, or on high 3-5 hours.

My family likes to add sour cream, shredded cheese, and even tortilla chips to their bowls.

Oh, Cowboy(girl) Stew is great with corn bread, too!

Check out more great soup (or stew!) recipes at Jessica's Soup Swap!

Back from a Blogging Break

2009-01-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

An unintentional break. Christmas, kids, and a trip to see family, and Facebook have all kept me away. But now, two kids are at school, a toddler is napping in his crib, and a 7 week old baby girl is snoozing in her swing (love that swing!). So instead of putting away Christmas stuff, instead of doing the never ending laundry, instead of taking a nap myself, I made a cup of coffee, grabbed a couple of cookies from the tin and sat down at the computer.

So much has happened since I last posted. Here's a run-down:

Shopped for and wrapped a gazillion presents.

Hosted Christmas Eve dinner and made a ham for the first time.

Packed for myself and four children for a 7 day trip to our old home town.

Survived a 2 1/2 hour flight with four children by myself. Yes, I survived.

Spent a week in the snowy north (see photos below) battling bad roads, but having a great time visiting family and friends, enjoying my mother cooking for me, and generally being spoiled.

Survived a 2 1/2 hour flight with four children by myself. Again.

Kissed the pavement when we landed. Just kidding. Felt overwhelming relief while my husband drove us home from the airport in our roomy, comfy suburban.

Celebrated my 36th birthday.

Started putting away Christmas stuff, not finished yet.

Started de-cluttering and cleaning the house. Also not finished.

Got hooked on Facebook. Connected with some old friends.

Well, better stop there. Just the highlights of the past couple of weeks. Now, check out my photos of the snow!! I took them from the car on the way to the airport after realizing I hadn't taken a single picture of the record breaking, obnoxious, yet beautiful snow. By the time I left, they must have gotten 3 feet or more. The area I visited had storm after storm, and they are still getting more. I wonder if anyone can guess where I went. It made the national news more than once.

Happy New Year everyone! I'm already looking ahead to spring and gardening since it's so warm here today. Probably a little premature, but it's never to early to start planning!

Before and After

2008-12-12T12:45:00.001-08:00

The day before baby was born:

Thanksgiving Day, with baby in my lovely Moby wrap:

(Excuse the goofy grin)

Simple Priorities

2008-12-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

It can be a little overwhelming to find myself a mother of four. How can I meet each child's individual needs? It is frustrating when two or more of my children need something from me at the same time. Not a lot gets done during the day with a newborn and toddler in the house. So I've been pondering what's important to me right now. A perfect house? Gourmet meals? Lavish Christmas plans?
Nope.
What is important to me right now are happy, healthy children and meaningful Christmas memories.

So, my to-do list for December:

*plan easy, healthy meals to enjoy as a family
*throw in one load of laundry a day
*keep gifts simple and shop online when possible
*bake cookies with big girls
*play chase with my little man
*dance with sweet baby
*read a Christmas book to the kids at bedtime each night
*tell my husband I love him

Oh, and I can't forget:

*Ask the Lord for help each day, and be thankful for all He has blessed me with

There.
Simple, right? Well, better than trying to do everything.

So Good

2008-11-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

Everything went wonderfully well. Sophia was born on Monday at 8:47 am. She weighed 6 lbs, 5 oz--so tiny! We came home Wednesday afternoon and are doing lots of sleeping and eating.

Thanks for all the good wishes!

Birthday

2008-11-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

I'm off to the hospital. My scheduled c-section is this morning.
So excited to meet my new baby girl.
I may not be posting for a while, we'll see.
But I will be back with details and maybe a photo or two.
Jen

A Mother

2008-11-12T12:45:00.001-08:00

I had a hard mommy day yesterday. Home from school, my six-year-old daughter proved to be as challenging as ever. By bedtime I questioned God's wisdom in making me her mother. I obviously wasn't the right person for the job. Deep down, I know He knows what He is doing, but last night was one of those times that I just couldn't see it. I thought I was doing my best as a worn-out, 38 week pregnant, mother of three could do. But we both ended up in tears, she accusing me of "not even liking" her. All over some trivial little thing. Sigh.

So anyway, I found this post today over at High Desert Home that inspired me as a mother and a homemaker. Just what I needed.

Now, I need to read it a few more times, or maybe everyday.

Gratitude Journal

2008-11-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

It's been way too long since I did this. I really need to focus on thankfulness more often. Right now, when I'm discouraged about certain things, this really helps me to focus on the goodness in my life.

I'm surrounded by blessings, big and small:

-hugs from my little man

-kicks from my little lady (eleven days until I hold her!)

-helpfulness and sweetness from my big girls

-hard work and sacrifice from my husband

-phone calls from far away mom, dad, and sis

-blue skies and golden leaves

-warm house

-food in the cupboards

-wonderful dishwasher and laundry machines!

and most of all:

-Faith in my Lord

Even though it seems there may be dark times ahead, I know my God is beside me, He is bigger than any man, and He will not forsake His children. I am thankful to be able to call on Him for courage and strength.

Fall Beauty

2008-10-28T14:41:00.001-07:00

Sierra Nevada's, quaking aspens, a creek, and the last photo is one of our cottonwoods.

Well...

2008-10-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...guess I haven't been posting much lately. Maybe because I've been busy around the house and haven't taken time to sit down to write much. I'm probably nesting.

THREE WEEKS UNTIL BABY!

I'm kinda excited for that. And I'm kinda anxious to get some things done around the house. I went through my linen closet and washed loads upon loads of sheets. And comforters. I went through more hand me down baby clothes (love them!) and washed, sorted, and stored those. I even set up the bassinet.

Do you think I'm nesting. Maybe. Just a little.

So...not much posting going on. Sorry.

I'll try to write something soon. In the meantime, here are some great blogs that I have discovered recently. (Yes, I have been exploring blogland, just not participating much.)

The Inspired Room

The Nesting Place

Check them out for good decorating ideas and witty commentary.

Soup Swap

2008-10-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

Mmmm...I love soup; especially in the fall and winter months. Jessica over at Turkey Cookies is hosting a Soup Swap. Head over there for lots of great soup recipes.

Here is my contribution: Curried Cream of Chicken Soup. I found this recipe at In the Heart of My Home. I've changed it just a little to make it fit my own family.

Curried Cream of Chicken Soup

1 TBSP. butter
2 cups chopped sweet onion
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 TBSP. curry powder

Cook the above ingredients over low heat until tender.
Add:

7 cups chicken stock
2 lbs peeled, diced butternut squash
3-4 chicken breasts, bone-in (you can use a whole cut up chicken if you want)
1/2 cup basmati rice (I haven't tried it with rice, yet)
salt and pepper to taste

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is done (25 minutes or so).
Cool chicken in stock. (I let it sit out a few minutes, too.)
Remove meat from bones and dice.
Remove fat from broth. (I usually remove the skin from the breast, so I don't have a lot of fat.)
Stain soup, reserve solids.
Puree solids in food processor or blender with some stock, in batches. This makes it so creamy and yummy.
Return puree to rest of stock. Add diced chicken.

Then add:

1 cup half & half
10 oz. frozen peas, defrosted

Simmer 15 minutes or until peas are done.

This is really good with pumpkin muffins!

Even my kids like this soup. It is definately a family favorite.

Homemaking Inspiration

2008-10-17T20:25:00.001-07:00

Check out Ruthann's lovely post "Housewarming: Blessing Your Nest for Fall...Part 1", and her follow-up post for lots of Autumn inspiration. I just found her blog-Warm Pie, Happy Home, and I love it. Her home is so beautiful, and wonderfully decorated for fall. And she sees being a homemaker as a way to bless her family. Both posts are chock-full of great decorating and homemaking ideas.

I've been pondering my own role as a homemaker, what that entails, how I can go about it with a joyful heart. Ruthann has certainly figured that out!

So, this past week I've been working on a Housekeeping Notebook to stay organized, and I've also been searching out pretty things stashed around the house that I can use for some fall decorating.

I'll try to share ideas and photos from both projects soon. In the meantime, make sure you head over to Warm Pie, Happy Home for encouragement and inspiration.

Please Pass the...

2008-10-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hash Brown Quiche

I acquired this yummy recipe from my old church. Every year they have a women's breakfast, and this was one of the choices for the hostesses to make for their table. Everyone loves it, and I've been making for my family for a few years now. What's really great is that you can do most of the prep and assembly the night before.

24 oz. shredded hash browns

1/3 cup melted butter

1 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

1 1/4 cup diced ham or bacon

6 eggs

1 1/2 cup cream or half & half

1/4 t. salt

pepper

Thaw hash browns and press out water with paper towels. butter 9x13 in glass baking dish. Press hash browns into dish and brush on melted butter. Bake 25 minutes at 425 degrees. Let cool a bit.

Layer cheddar, then ham or bacon, then Swiss onto the hash browns. (These steps can be done the day before and refrigerated until the next day.)

Beat eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Pour over other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. I like to let this sit for a bit before serving.

For more breakfast and brunch recipes head on over to Please Pass the... going on at Today's Housewife.

Have a great weekend!

A Mother

2008-10-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

"...admonish the young women to love their...children..."
Titus 2:4

I was one of those girls who loved playing with dolls. In fact, I think I played with my dolls until 8th grade! My sister and I would have all kinds of adventures with our babies. All through growing up, I couldn't wait to be a mommy. I waited all through my twenties, and then finally at 31, I was a teacher, I was still single and I had just bought my own house. I decided I needed to fill it, and my time, with children. I became a foster parent. I was tired of waiting for a husband. I could help these children, and I could "play" mommy.

I happily fixed up an extra bedroom, went to my foster parent classes, bought diapers and clothes and toys. Finally I got my first child; a 23 month-old little girl. Wow, was I in for a big surprise. Being a mom was HARD!

In all the preparation that I did, I failed to take time to think about what it meant to be a mom, or what kind of mom I wanted to be. So for the next few years I flew by the seat of my pants as I tried to mother this little girl and her sister, too. (Of course, the fact that I didn't know that I would get to keep them during the first two years made it difficult as well.) But, gradually, as I've been able to finally get through the fog of exhaustion and emotions, I've put some thought into mothering.

Here is what I want to do as a mother:

*see each child as an individual person

*meet each child's individual needs-

-physical: nourishment, sleep, cleanliness, clothing, health

-emotional: nurturing, love

-spiritual: self-discipline, Godly character

-intellectual: encourage personal talents and interests, learning, critical thinking

My Goals for Mothering:

1. Meet their needs with a joyful heart

2. Cherish and enjoy each child

3. Instill Godly character and values by living them myself

4. Create good memories with them

5. Instill healthy habits-eating healthfully, chores, self-care

6. Establish one-on-one time with each child

Sometimes (well, much of the time) in the day-to-day busyness of caring for my children, I forget how extremely blessed I am to have each and every one of them. I want to remember that they are gifts that I need to cherish each day. God has entrusted them into my care, and I have this huge responsibility to do my best for them. Thankfully, the Lord is always there to help me! I definitely couldn't do it without Him.

Now that I've made my list I need to think about ways to put each idea into practice. I have been doing a lot of this already of course, but I want to make sure I'm meeting those needs the best that I can. If I don't make a plan, I tend to float around only accomplishing the absolutely necessary-such as feeding them :). I want to do more than just survive!

If anyone is interested, I'll try to share my ideas for meeting my children's needs joyfully and creatively. And I'd love to hear other's ideas. Leave a comment with your ideas, or let me know if you would like to hear more about what I want to do with my kids. Thanks!

Coming soon in this little Home Making series: The Household Manager

A Wife

2008-10-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

"Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."

Proverbs 31:11-12

Words to aspire to. Will I ever be there? With three children and one more on the way, it is hard to put our relationship first. Except for our first month of dating, there has always been a kiddo in the equation (because of my foster-then-adopted daughters). We've only been married two years--our anniversary was on Monday!--and those years have been very busy in the kid/baby department. So this part of my "job" feels a little neglected.

As a wife I want to:

-support and encourage my husband in his job and in his roles as husband and father

-listen to him, respect him

-communicate my needs to him in a rational manner (um...this is a hard one for me! I forget I have needs until one day fall apart-not exactly healthy communication!)

-be frugal with our household budget

-take care of my appearance-make an effort to look nice

-create a calm, comfortable, beautiful home for him to come home to

-be a partner with him in raising our children

That's my list so far, I'm sure I'll think of more things to add as time goes on, but here is where I'm at right now.

Coming soon: my lists for Mothering and Housekeeping. And I'd better throw in Taking Care of Myself or I won't be able to do all those other things! That's tough one, a hard list to write, but important, I'm starting to realize!

Have a great October day!

My Home

2008-09-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm a homemaker. Ever since I had my son and stopped teaching, I've been trying this stay-at-home-mom thing. I had done the working mom routine for three years with my two adopted daughters, and it was HARD. I felt torn in so many directions. It didn't help that for the first two years I was single and the girls were foster children, not my own. I know that many women have children and careers and love it and handle it just fine. I, however, am not one of those women.

So, last fall when I didn't have to go back to work, I was in heaven on earth. It was so wonderful! I could enjoy my baby and my girls, I could get the house work done and have dinner on the table. I had fun; I was happy and filled with gratitude.

Now, this year, I have even more time since I'm not homeschooling the girls. But I'm kinda just floating, kinda in a funk or something. Probably because we recently moved, because my husband has been out of town finishing our move, because we haven't really had a chance to settle in yet. But still.

I need focus. I need direction. I want to enjoy homemaking and mothering, not just do it cause I have to. I mean, really, this is a huge blessing, to be able to be home with my children, to be able to make home a special place for my family. To be able to nurture and nourish them. This was my desire for years, and God has given it to me. Now when the reality of caring for a family with all of the hard work and self-sacrifice it entails comes true, too, am I going to give up and be crabby and whiny? No way!

So, list maker that I am, I've been writing out my "Job Description" as a homemaker. I've also been listing goals I have for each aspect of my job as a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Focus and direction.

And most importantly, I need to choose to find JOY in all the little things I do. Have fun doing laundry. Let my creativity flourish in the kitchen. Cherish my children. Love my husband. Remember that they are blessings, not work. How will I do this? Prayer. Only God can help me change my attitude and really see how blessed I am.

Over the next few days I'll post the lists I've come up with, as well as how I'm doing in the joy department.

Please Pass the...

2008-09-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

Pork chops, rice, and gravy!

This is one of my favorite recipes that my mom would make us. I make it for my family quite a bit. It's easy and yummy.

What you need:

4 pork chops (bone-in is best)

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and pepper

1 package brown gravy mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup + 1 can of water

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper. Brown chops for a few minutes on each side. Meanwhile whisk soup, water, and brown gravy mix in a bowl. Add a little salt and pepper if you want to.
When the pork chops are nice and brown, turn down the heat
and pour the soup mixture over the meat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so--less if your using boneless.

We serve this over white or brown rice and sprinkle green peas on top. Yummy.

Find more family recipes for Please Pass the...over at Today's Housewife.

First Days of Fall

2008-09-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Well, our weather isn't exactly fall-ish, but I have embraced this new season in the kitchen, at least. I've made curry pumpkin soup (which we thought was ok), vegetable beef soup (which we all liked), applesauce from our apples (very tart), and a batch of my Great Grandma Kelley's ginger cookies (which everyone loved). Tomorrow might have me whipping up our favorite potato corn chowder, we'll see if the mood strikes me.

We, well, really just the kids, have been enjoying the apples from our trees. Especially my little man. Here he is sampling from the apple bowl (I took these without a flash, cause the evening light was so nice, but they turned out blurry for some reason. However, I like how they look.)

Especially that last one. I like the light and the shadows. Kinda like impressionist paintings.

Here's to fall!

Happy Fall!

2008-09-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Well, today was a whirlwind and I didn't get to post anything I wanted to for the first day of Fall. I wanted to do the Soup Swap over at Turkey Cookies, and I wanted to finish up my Autumn Delights lists. But that just isn't going to happen. I'm only just now eating something for dinner(Kraft mac and cheese), and I really want to go veg in front of a movie instead of blogging. So, I hope everyone had a great day! I did, just busy.

Now, that Hallmark movie on my DVR is calling my name; oh, and I think I can hear the chocolate-chip-mint ice cream, too...

Autumn Delights Days Seven and Eight

2008-09-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

*above image from Better Homes and Gardens

Autumn Delights: Decorating

There is so much of nature's bounty to use inside and outside your home!

-Gorgeous gourds-check out this slideshow at Better Homes and Gardens

-Pretty pumpkins-stacked, scattered, carved and center-pieced

-Lovely leaves-layer in baskets, hang from string for a window mobile, clip into a garland, work into wreaths

-Natural nuts-pile deep brown chestnuts and sweet little acorns into pretty bowls, jars or baskets

-Fabulous Fruit-fill pretty mixing bowl or baskets with colorful apples or pears

Our first Autumn Harvest-soon to be applesauce and pie!

But first, we'll enjoy their beauty for a day or two.

For more great fall decorating ideas check out the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Autumn Delights Day Six

2008-09-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Autumn Delights: Yummy Drinks

-hot apple cider

-warm, milky, spicy tea, like Constant Comment or a chai

-cocoa with whipped cream and a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg

*all are especially good on a cold, perhaps rainy, day; while curled up with a book

Autumn Delights Day Five

2008-09-16T20:43:00.001-07:00

Autumn Delights: Fall Fun

-Jumping in the leaves

-Leaf rubbings

-Trips to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch

-Candy corn

-Costumes

-Corn mazes

-Carving pumpkins

*photos from last year

Autumn Delights Day Four

2008-09-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Autumn Delights: New Things to Try

-Knitting

-Embroidery

-Making Bread

-Homemade applesauce

-New soup and stew recipes

(Does anyone have a suggestion for a good beginner knitting book, a how-to type of thing?)

Autumn Delights Day Three

2008-09-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

Autumn Delights: Creating a Cozy Fall Kitchen

-First of all, wipe down all surfaces with warm soapy water scented with lavender oil.

-Start a "Pot O' Goodness" simmering on the stove. (see below)

-Decorate with mini pumpkins, apples from our trees, and Fall scented candles.

-Hang white twinkle lights above windows to cheer things up on darkening Fall afternoons.

-Stock pantry with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cans of pumpkin puree, applesauce and other baking supplies.

Pot O' Goodness

To a small pan add:

a few lemon and orange slices

(any citrus will work)

a cinnamon stick

a sprinkling of whole cloves

a bay leaf

Cover with water, simmer on stove, adding more water as needed

to fill your kitchen with warm, homey goodness.

My sister and I made up this name. We got the idea/recipe from her mother-in-law a few years ago, and we've been enjoying it every Fall and Winter since.

Does anyone have any more cozy kitchen ideas? I'd love to hear them. And please cast your vote in the Favorite Fall Things poll in my sidebar!

Come back tomorrow for more Autumn Delights.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

2008-09-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Bread/Muffins

2 cups unbleached white flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ t. ground ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. salt

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
½ cup applesauce
4 eggs
2/3 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans, 24 muffins cups, or,

as I usually like to do, 12 muffins and one loaf pan :)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. I like to use a wire whisk for this. In a separate bowl, blend pumpkin, applesauce, eggs, and water. Add wet stuff to dry stuff. Stir until all is moistened. It doesn't look like it will all mix together, but it will! Pour into pans.
Bake: 20-25 minutes for muffins, 40-45 minutes for loaves, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Yum!

Autumn Delights Day Two

2008-09-13T08:07:00.001-07:00

Autumn Delights: From the Kitchen-

-the joy of cooking comes back with cooler weather

-soups and stews simmering along all day, filling the house with warmth and comfort

-baking, baking, baking

-pumpkin bread and muffins

-pumpkin pie

-pumpkin bread pudding

-apple pies

For tomorrow: creating a cozy fall kitchen

Oh, Yeah

2008-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

I should point out that the photos of the trees in the previous post are from last October. I took them at a park near our old house. Here in Nevada, our trees haven't begun to change color yet. I am excited to see how the elms, cottonwoods and apple trees look this fall.

Autumn Delights

2008-09-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

Only ten more days until the First Day Of Autumn. (In all caps, because, like in Winnie the Pooh stories, I want to emphasize Something Important.) Over the past few years, Fall has become my favorite season. It wasn't as a child. Back to school time probably ruined it for me. And those grey, wet days that are inevitable. But now, I can appreciate so many great things about this season.
Mmmm, the colors, for one thing.

So, I think a list is in order here. A list of Autumn Delights. The things that make this season so, well, delightful. I think what I should do, though, is break my list up into sections, and each day leading up to The First Day of Autumn, I'll post a section of the list.

So for today, I'll start my list with-

Autumn Delights: Sights and Smells

-bright, colorful leaves against deep blue skies

-blushing apples

-ripe pumpkins

-drying, crunching leaves

-smoky air on a cool, crisp morning

-warm, comforting smells drifting from the kitchen (which leads to tomorrows list...)

Happy Autumn dreaming everyone!

The Nursery

2008-09-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

So I found my 14 month old son playing in his room this morning-all by himself. It was great. He must have been occupied for a good 15 minutes or so. I snuck in to snap some pics:

Then I decided to get a few photos depicting the paint color I picked out. This will be the baby girl's room, too, so I decided on this blue/green called 'vintage map' by Martha Stewart. This blanket gave me the idea--see the polka dots?

I think it is perfect for a boy and girl's room. Not too boyish or too girly. Here is the top of baby girl's dresser:

And here are some of little man's things. The paint looks a lot darker in this photo:

I am really happy with the paint. We almost didn't take the time to paint the kid's rooms right away, but my prego hormones took over and my mom and husband had to comply. They did a great job!

I'll post pics of the big girls' room soon. It's, uh, a little bit of a disaster at the moment.

Lack of Posts

2008-09-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Our night visitor (raccoon?) seems to have moved on after a couple of nights. So nothing too exciting going on around here. That, and the fact that all three of my kids have taken turns getting the stomach flu this last week, and my husband's out of town. So, although thoughts of fall are floating around my head: ideas, menus, projects-I haven't had the chance to really get all posty about them. Hopefully, prayerfully, the flu bug will bypass this tired mommy, all the kiddos will be good as new, and I'll have a chance to get back to blogging soon. But I will leave you with a fall photo from last year.

See ya all later!

A Wild Night

2008-09-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

SOMETHING was up in one of our trees last night.

I heard all three dogs barking at about 3am. What was really strange, was that Shilo's bark turned very high-pitched and incessant. She just wouldn't stop. I got up and peered outside, calling to the dogs to be quiet. I couldn't see anything. Sammy and Tripod ran up to me all excited, but Shilo continued to bark non-stop in the vicinity of the cottonwood trees. I couldn't figure it out. I tried to find a flashlight, but none was to be found. I debated calling 911. I knew there was no way I was leaving three kids in the house and going out there to investigate while being 7 months pregnant. (My husband was out of town). I stayed up for a while, trying to get Shilo to quiet down. By this time I figured it wasn't a human intruder, must be some kind of animal and there was nothing I could do, so I went back to bed. At least Shilo was taking a break from barking now and then and I could fall asleep.

At about 5:30 the barking got crazy again. All three dogs were freaking out. I got up and it was just barely starting to get light. I could see that the sprinklers were on, Sammy was whining at the door, Tripod was barking and running from the trees to the house and back again, and Shilo was barking her crazy high-pitched bark from somewhere near the trees. I couldn't see her, and I was worried that she was hurt and getting wet from the sprinklers. She wouldn't come when I called, she wouldn't stop barking. I wondered if I should go out and see if she was ok. Finally, I saw her standing by the trees, getting wet, and barking. I couldn't turn off the sprinklers from the house, and Shilo wouldn't come when I called her. I finally just went back to bed, thinking maybe there was a bear or something up in the tree. I guess, last summer, a bear did come into the yard. I was worried about Shilo, but I wasn't about to put myself and the baby at risk. So, when we all got up at about 7:15, I could see Shilo sitting by the trees, staring up, but not barking.
She stayed there during another set of sprinklers, getting all wet, and she sits there even now. Sometimes she'll get up and walk around the trees, sniffing, looking up. But she won't leave them. I finally went out to check things out when my son went down for a nap. I couldn't see anything. I guess whatever it was must have gone from tree to tree, over to the neighbors and away. Poor, good Shilo. I hope the kids can coax her away when they get home.

A Garden Tour

2008-09-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

I took these photos earlier this summer. I just love our yard. We have great trees and so much space.
Behind the trees, above, we have a large, undeveloped field. It get lots of sun, so I'm envisioning a vegetable garden, a cutting flower garden...oh, the possibilities! And somewhere, of course, we have to fit in a sunflower house for the kids, and their own little garden plots.
Below is our back yard/patio. I guess it isn't really a "yard". There are lots of brick planters, walkways and trees. Even a peach tree, with nary a peach this year...I hope we can convince it to produce next year.
This little "courtyard" will be really fun to fix up. Things need trimming, and lots of planning and planting needs to be done. Any suggestions for the planters? There are also brick rimmed beds around the house and fence.
If you look closely, you can see white, fluffy stuff from the cottonwoods. This piled up in drifts like snow in July. I'm guessing a leaf blower will come in handy next year.

I am hoping that I can get some planting done this fall. Poppies, peonies, and drifts of daffodils under the cottonwoods.

MMmmmm....I was all excited for fall, and now I'm already thinking spring!

I just gotta say...

2008-08-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

I choose babies over polar bears. To me, there isn't even a question; there shouldn't even be a choice.
Thanks, Brin, for speaking up.

An Award!

2008-08-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sunshine Mom! Wow! This is my very first blog award. How fun! I'm supposed to pass it on to seven blogs that I love. It is hard to choose which ones, but here goes:

*For beautiful photos and homemaking inspiration, I love My Messy, Thrilling, Life; Pleasantview Schoolhouse; and Turkey Cookies.

*For spiritual and mothering inspiration I love Holy Experience and The Flourishing Mother.

*For lots of giggles I love reading Boo Mama.

*And for creative family ideas I love SouleMama.

These are blogs that I have been reading for a while now. I'm always finding new ones to enjoy though, too.

I have three more that I check everyday, my cousin Sarah's blog, and my good friends' Sally and Kim. I love being able to keep in touch with them through our blogs!

A Nice Day

2008-08-26T20:52:00.001-07:00

I had a nice day today. Let me list for you just what made it so nice:

My son's sweet and silly smiles as he ate his breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
(I'm not sure why he was so happy at meal times today!)

Scrubbing the kitchen counters and sink with warm, soapy, water infused with lavender oil. (The lavender actually makes this chore fun, and my kitchen still smells like lavender.)

Homemade pumpkin bread and muffins. To snack on all day.
(Yum.)

Picking up two cheerful girls from school.
(I am so glad they like it.)

Fried potatoes and chicken-apple-gouda sausage for dinner.
(Love this sausage, thanks, Sarah!)

Playing outside in the evening sun.
(Isn't it gorgeous?)

A Moment

2008-08-24T11:18:00.001-07:00

I'm just taking a small moment for myself. I made a cup of Constant Comment tea, a buttery toasted bagel, then threw in a rice crispy treat for good measure. I sent the girls outside and little man is having his morning nap.

So, I've been checking up on a few blogs, and now I want to post something. But what?
Oh, I know, I've been wanting to remind myself of all of the blessings I have in my life. I started last night, laying in bed, not sleeping because a certain little sweet thing decided it was time for utero yoga or maybe she was practicing her backstroke. What ever she was up to, I certainly could not sleep with all the high-jinks going on in my belly.
Anyway, as I lay there, thinking of all the things I still needed to do in our new house, and feeling a little homesick, I decided to focus on the good stuff instead.

Here is what comes to mind now, in what ever order my mind thinks of them:

-a healthy family
-freshly painted kid's rooms (one buttery yellow, one 'vintage map')
-brand new carpet
-a laundry room right off the kitchen (instead of in the deepest, darkest corner of the basement)
-a pantry and fridge full of good food
-Internet access
-a loving husband
-relief at getting my girls into a great school (we started out on the waiting list)
-a huge yard with beautiful trees and lots of possibilities
-a new baby girl's arrival in approximately three months
-a house to decorate and make ours
-space for crafts and play
-the thought of fall--cooler days, soups and stews, baking...

Well, there are more, but duty calls, lunch time...

Hello

2008-08-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to drop in for a quick "Hello." We are in our new state, our new town, our new house. Internet and cable were hooked up yesterday, hooray! I feel like I am slowly crawling out of the piles of boxes and am able to see some light ahead: a life that is not centered around moving.

The girls start school on Monday. No, I am not homeschooling this year. With moving and having a new baby and a toddler to care for, I just knew that I wouldn't be able to give them the education they need (not to mention the structure and routine). We found a cool public Montessori school that looks like it will be a great place for them.

I am by no means fully unpacked. Yeah, I think that may take awhile. A fourteen month-old who is now walking all over and loves to explore and get into things makes it hard to get a lot done at once. That, and being 6 months pregnant, doesn't leave me bustling about full of energy. I'll have to take it slow. But, at this point I feel like I can take few moments now and then to sit down at the computer or call a friend. Ooooh, and write a list or two, that always makes me feel better.

Hopefully, I'll be able to start posting more regularly now. And I can't wait to check in on all my favorite blogs...yipee!

A Quick Update

2008-08-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Two days until we head out to Nevada. It's been a little chaotic around here, to say the least...there's been lots of packing, of course, last minute appointments, a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, and as many visits with friends and family as we can squeeze in. Then, my little man decided it was time to get on his feet and start toddling around. All the better to get at all the boxes and help mommy UNpack, I guess. But, I love seeing him walking; it's so cute, and he is so proud of himself! Oh, then, he had to go and get a nasty cold that kept us up all night with a croupy cough which almost sent us to the emergency room. Then I discovered Dimatap and a humidifier can be lifesavers, and we all slept peacefully for the rest of the week.

Now we are down to two days. Time to pack the necessities for our first week. My husband will have to come back to get MORE stuff, but I wanted to just get down there already and try to get settled and find a school for the girls, and just be able to start living normally again. My mom is going to go with us, thank the Lord, and stay for a week. There's no way I could handle everything right now without going into preterm labor or something. In fact, I've had a couple of days with light contractions after doing too much. Mom will help us look at schools, unpack, take care of kids, etc...She is so awesome. It's going to be hard to be so far from her now.

Ok, time to caffeinate, eat, hydrate (in that order) and start packing--or getting ready for church. Oh yeah, it's Sunday. Time for more goodbyes...sigh.

Wow, I sound so dreary. But, really, I'm excited for this adventure. There is lots to look forward too: a new house to make a home, new friends to meet, a new town to explore, a new baby to cuddle! This wild few weeks is almost over. Soon we will be all moved, the girls will be in school, my husband will be working, and I'll be homemaking and mothering to my heart's content. And hopefully blogging all about it!

Back when I can be!
Jen

I'm Back, Sort Of

2008-07-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

Well, besides being busy getting ready to move, my Internet would not work for me all week. My husband was out of town, and I'm not that technically inclined. So, I haven't done much blogging lately. Not that you've missed much: I packed a little, organized a little, took care of my kids, saw some friends (yeah!), and, oh, yeah, I've been trying to nap every morning when my little one does. I've been so tired lately, all the packing, trying to see people, the heat...being pregnant...

It looks like we are a couple of weeks from heading down to our new home. I have mixed feelings, because I'll miss all my friends and family up here, but I really want to get settled and back into a routine with the kids. My five-year-old doesn't do well with change, and she is having a hard time. I think we will do better when we can get some structure in our lives with school, regular bed times, etc...

Ok, enough with all of the ...

I'm off to catch up on my favorite blogs, then maybe I'll take a nap... (ooops), even though I should be packing.

101 Things Update

2008-07-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

So, I have accomplished a few things on my list. I highlighted what has been done in blue, the works-in-progress in orange, and I've changed a few in light of our move.

1. Grow our own organic produce

2. Fix up both bathrooms: paint, flooring, decor-our new bathrooms do have their problems

3. Start making healthy breakfasts for the family

4. Get photos printed and in albums or photo books

5. Paint kitchen cupboards and replace knobs-just knobs for our new house
6. Learn to embroider

7. Learn to knit

8. Send birthday cards to family members

9. Get into daily chore routine

10. Start a gratitude journal

11. Read Stepping Heavenward

12. Pretty-up broom closet: paint, organize with nice storage containers-change to laundry room/pantry

13. Baby proof house-add new house

14. Make freezer jam with organic strawberries (homegrown or u-pick)

15. Preserve fruits and veggies this summer and fall

16. Make homemade ice cream

17. Make more meals from scratch

18. Go on an inexpensive family vacation (Nevada)

19. Go camping

20. Make a photo book for baby's first year

21. Learn to be more frugal

22. Plant a sunflower house for girls

23. Read/research about sensory processing disorders (to help my 5-year-old)

24. Create a serene, peaceful home

25. Get rid of STUFF, keep only the useful and beautiful, preferable things that are both

26. Cut out the junk food in my diet

27. Fit in time to be creative everyday

28. Cherish my children everyday

29. Love my husband everyday

30. Choose joy everyday
31. Train up my children in the way of the Lord

32. Play with my girls more

33. Practice my cartwheels!--After the baby is born and my incision heals! :)

34. Teach 5-year-old to swim

35. Teach 9-year-old to dive

36. Invite my dad and step-mom over for dinner more often-invite them to Nevada more often!

37. Invite friends over for dinner

38. Have many backyard BBQ's

39. Make homemade lemonade

40. Get up before kids in the morning for quiet time

41. Write a children's story

42. Illustrate a children's story
43. Go to Maryjane's Farm

44. Grow great swaths of lavender

45. Make lavender sachets

46. Do more craft projects with girls

47. Kiss my husband everyday
48. Enjoy taking care of my family

49. Shop at second-hand stores for vintage treasures: linens, dishes, books...

50. Teach girls how to cook

51. Teach girls how to do dishes

52. Have another baby (due November 27th)

53. Bake lots of fruit pies this summer...can't wait for strawberry rhubarb

54. Experiment with creating my own recipes

55. Help girls to plant their own gardens

56. Eat more fruits and veggies everyday

57. Bake my own bread

58. Wardrobe overhaul: get rid of out of date, frumpy, too big, too small...(now I need to replace some things, but I'll wait until I'm out of the maternity stuff)

59. Get some cute flats

60. Get some cute flip-flops

61. Get a hair cut I like

62. Find a way to add to our income from home

63. Take girls out for a Girl's Day once a month

64. Get together with my mom and sisters without kids more often

65. Have tea parties with my girls

66. Give girls more hugs

67. Schedule in mom-refreshing days once or twice a month

68. Go on dates with my husband twice a month

69. Go away for a weekend with my husband to the bed and breakfast where we got married

70. Start having Family Days: spend the day together doing something fun

71. Bake a cake from scratch

72. Eat more organic foods

73. Cut down on my sugar intake

74. Eat extra-healthily during this pregnancy

75. Stay fit during this pregnancy

76. Get all Christmas shopping done before baby is born

77. Find a larger car/van-(we now have a Suburban, I think that'll do)

78. Find a good Christian school for girls for next year

79. Make and freeze a variety of meals before baby is born

80. Wean my son (after 12 months)

81. Get my son to sleep through the night (he did this on his own )

82. Paint wicker chair--too bad I don't like it now

83. Create a nice relaxing patio: potted herbs, flowers, cushions for chairs, lighting Now I need to do this at our new home--fun!

*84. (Just realized my first list didn't have #84) Set up a craft area for me and the kids

85. Go to farmer's market once a week this summer (maybe next summer!)

86. Go huckleberry picking

87. Learn how to use more features on my camera

88. Make pasta from scratch with my new pasta machine

89. Find some new, fun, easy lunch ideas

90. Paint living/dining room-add: every room in the new house
91. Frame and hang my children's black and white portraits

92. Learn to sew

93. Hang curtains in son's and daughters' rooms

94. Make and hang curtains in kitchen-change to new valances for living and dining rooms

95. Take more walks with my kids

96. Do nice things for my husband, just because

97. Keep a garden journal

98. Focus on positive in life, not negative

99. Be a role model for my children

100. Watch my words...confess truth, life, hope

101. BE the daughter of the King I'm meant to be

Not bad, so far.

Now, for a while, I need to focus on packing, planning, moving, dealing with my pregnant emotions as well as my sad girls and assorted family members and friends (who are not so happy about our moving so far away), etc...and still try to enjoy the rest of summer. So I may not be posting much, we'll see how it goes.

Lots of News

2008-07-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, we are having a girl!! So excited. Sofia...something. We haven't decided on a middle name. Either Ann, Elizabeth, or Lynn. My mother-in-law's middle name, my mother's middle name, or my middle name. Hmmm....It's a hard one.

In other news...we are moving to Nevada. My husband's sister offered him a job in their family business. It's a huge move. All of my family is around me here, but I do think it's the right decision. We have a million things to do as we want to be moved by the time school starts at the end of August. So, I'd better get busy working on some of those now. I'll leave you with a picture of my new back yard. One of the big selling points for me.

Yes, that's a deer. No, we won't be living in the woods. It's the middle of town. But it feels like the country with our yard full of cottonwood, cherry, and apple trees. And the deer.

Anyway, back to the million things...

The Cake

2008-07-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

My cousin Sarah told me about a good site for birthday cakes. I found the cute beehive cake and bee cupcake ideas there.

So, the frosting on the cake got a little wild, but you probably can't tell. Overall, I was happy with the results.

And, more importantly, my little man was happy with how it tasted.

Ahh...home

2008-07-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Nevada, but it is always good to be home. We drove all night Monday and arrived at 8am Tuesday morning. It was already 80 degrees, and our house was a disaster since we took off the day after the baby's birthday party, but it was still wonderful. So I've been trying to unpack, put the house back in order, survive the heat (no A/C), as well as all the regular day to day duties of a wife and mother. Yesterday we took a break from all this and headed up to my grandma's lake cabin. It was great, if a little chaotic. It sure is a different experience now that I'm a mother. It's a lot more work, for one. And constant vigilance with a one-year-old in tow. It was still fun, though. Picture one grandma, one great-grandma, three mommies, one aunt, one dad, and thirteen children ranging from one to seventeen. Oh, don't forget the PILES of gear. Wow. The beach was so full of beach bags, life jackets, floaties, sunscreen, towels, and more, that there wasn't a lot of room left for relaxing. But everyone had a good time, and Grandma Jo was loving having the cabin full and cooking her chili and cornbread for all of us.

Now I just need to get the house back in order and be ready to enjoy the Fourth. We will probably spend the day at my mom's lake place, and then come home to watch the city

fireworks display from the comfort of our own backyard. We have front row seats.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Hello from Nevada

2008-06-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

We headed out Sunday afternoon and arrived on Monday morning. We are visiting family. I'll be home on Monday, and I'll post birthday boy photos. The birthday went well, although it left me exhausted.
Have a great week everyone!

One Year Ago

2008-06-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

On this day one year ago, I spent the day doing a bit of nesting.
First, I worked on painting my daughters' room (we had just moved them downstairs). I remember squatting in the window well, in 80+ degrees, hot sunshine, painting the window frame, thinking "This better not make me go into labor." It was my due date, and I had a lot to do.
Next, I set up the slip-n-slide, again in 80+ degree sun. More squatting.
Then, I swept and mopped the baby's room.
Then, I hauled the crib pieces up from the basement and put it together in the baby's room.
Later, I finished painting the bedroom and somehow managed to get pink paint on my big belly.
Then, of course I had to set up my girls' bed so they could sleep.

So, is it any wonder that my water broke that night, while singing the girls to sleep?

The nurses all thought I was having a girl when they saw the pink paint on my belly. (Yeah, no time for a shower.)
That was the least of my worries, though, when my son's heart rate dropped twice, before I was barely even settled in my room.
So, after an emergency c-section, my son was born at 12:48 am on June 21st.

And now, one year later, my son is one of the biggest joys of my life.
It was quite a day.

Peonies in a Jar

2008-06-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Aren't they gorgeous? Only one of my five peonies have any signs of bud or flowers. I'm not sure what's wrong with the rest. They bloomed wonderfully last year. I'm not letting these go to waste. I might have to carry them with me where ever I go around the house today.

On another note, my sweet little man is turning ONE on Saturday! We are planning a backyard barbecue/picnic with family and friends. Everything is planned out except for his birthday cake. We have a tradition in my family that birthday child gets his/her very own cake on their first birthday. It's a great photo op as they either tuck in enthusiastically or gingerly sample this strange new treat. Well, I've been trying to come up with a fun, summer picnic themed cake to make for my boy. I haven't hit on one I truly love. So far I've thought of a bumble bee, a beach ball, or a sail boat cake. I can't decide for sure, and I need some input. If anyone out there has a good cake idea, please leave a comment or email me. I'd really appreciate some more ideas.

And this little sleeping surfer dude really needs a fun cake!

Doesn't he look comfy!

Now, I'm off to read, by myself, out in the sunshine.

(Well, after I throw in one more load of laundry, that is.)

Simple Woman's Daybook

2008-06-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

For Today, June 16, 2008

Outside my window...blue skies, sunshine, blooming peonies

I am thinking...about my son's first birthday party this weekend

I am thankful for...my sweet children

From the kitchen...left-over strawberry rhubarb pie

I am wearing...khaki linen Capri's, white tee, brown flip-flops, pony tail

I am creating...summer plans and schedules

I am going...to the lake

I am reading..."Martha Stewart Living" and Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

I am hoping...for sunshine on Saturday

I am hearing...my son yelling out the front door, at birds, perhaps?

Around the house...laundry, pack for lake day, water veggies

One of my favorite things...fresh cherries!

A few plans for the rest of the week...cousin to stay, birthday party prep

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

My newly set-up vinaigrette making station. Trying to get myself to eat more salads.

For more Simple Woman's Daybook entries, visit The Simple Woman.

Have a beautiful day!

Father's Day

2008-06-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

We had such a great day. Finally, the weather has been improving, and yesterday was the best day so far. Blue skies, sunshine, not windy.
We spent the day at my sister's with my dad. She lives above a lake on some wooded property, so the setting was just perfect. The kids ran around, dug for worms, jumped in the sprinkler, and had a great time. The babies (her daughter is one month older than my son-who will be one this Saturday!) played with the ice in the drink bucket, crawled and toddled around, and sat on laps. The dads relaxed, joked, talked truck, and enjoyed themselves. My sister and I prepared the meal (with the exception of the yummy ribs, which her husband was in charge of), ran after kids, and chit-chatted. We all had a great time.

Our menu:

Barbecued Ribs
Cedar Plank Salmon
Corn on the Cob
Baked Beans
Watermelon
Strawberry Lemonade

and for dessert:

Grasshopper Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (with vanilla ice cream, of course)

It was all simple, messy, and so good.
I wish I had pictures of our day. I guess I was too busy chasing kids, applying bug repellent and sunscreen, and eating!

And now for another day in the sun...we are off to my mom's lake place for the day!
I just love summer.

Summer Lists

2008-06-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

I love lists. I love getting all the ideas and thoughts that swirl around in my head into nice, neat, orderly lists. As I've been waiting for real summer weather to arrive (come on, it's been cold and rainy for a week), I have created pages of them. Thought I would share some. (I don't know about you, but I also love reading other peoples lists.)

Summer Reading List:
(sorry, I don't have the time to link all of them)

For me:

Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by ??

Mittenstrings for God by Katrina Kenison

Gift from the Sea (again) by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott

(If I have the time, I'm sure I'll add to the list)

For the girls:

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Pipi in the South Seas by Astrid Lindgren

The Worry Week by Anne Lindbergh

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace

And-one of the Boxcar Children books, a summery one, and I'm trying to find something by Enid Blyton, because I keep seeing her name pop up and the books sound great.

Summer Kitchen:

Clean thoroughly
Organize cupboards
Grow herbs in windowsill
Stock baskets with fruit
Stock freezer with kid-friendly ice-packs and homemade popsicles
Set up a vinaigrette making station on counter with vinegars, olive oil, shallots, garlic, and lemons
Get grill ready: clean, refill tank
Set out juicer and blender

Summer Car:

Clean (!)
Stock with:
-hand wipes
-paper napkins
-snacks: granola bars, fruit bars, graham crackers
-band aids and alcohol wipes

Store in back:
-big blanket
-stroller
-extra diapers
-beach bag with towels and life jackets
-toys and games for long trips

Summer Outings:

beach (at a local lake)

Grama's lake cabin (That's Grama Jo, above, with my five year old)

my mom's lake house (I know, aren't we lucky!)

parks

Riverfront Park (has rides, a carousel, large fountain to run through)

walks
play days at friends' houses
berry picking at local farms
free children's movie mornings (at a local theater)

Summer stuff to do @ home:

be outside as much as possible
make playdough
crafts
read (together and alone)
paint outside
make a tent in the backyard
tend the garden
water table
mud pies
barbecues and s'mores
run through the sprinkler
ride bikes

Okay, now I'm excited, yet exhausted. I need to go curl up with a book. But a dirty house awaits...
Lists are nice, but they don't really get anything done!

June

2008-06-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

June is a wonderful month:

School gets out.
It's not too hot, not too cool.
Everything is green and blooming.
And...Summer officially starts!

Something from childhood-the promise of three months of freedom and adventure, perhaps-stirs up in my heart, even at 35. Plans, dreams, ideas flutter around my head as the days lengthen and the air warms.

I can't wait for the first trip to my Grandma Jo's lake cabin. I've been going there since I was two years old. Just like I used to, my children scamper up and down the trail barefoot, make mud pies, run down the dock and jump into the lake, have adventures with cousins, and go to sleep with lullabies sung by my grandma, their great-grandma. I still love to sleep out on the deck, listening to the waves lapping the shore, the crickets, the occasional boat speeding by. Waking up to fresh breezes, bird song, and the smell of Grandma's pancakes. Wow, we (my sister, cousins and I) really were so blessed to have this special place. And we still get to enjoy it.

Other summer treats:

strawberry picking
walks to the park
barbecues
lazy afternoons
lemonade
music from the ice cream truck
picnics
laying in the hot sun after swimming until your lips are purple
family get-togethers
farmer's market delights
camping trips

...the list could go on and on...

Let's just say, I'm just a little in love with summertime.

Home"schooling"

2008-05-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

I have a teaching degree. I taught elementary school for 11 years, yet when I began homeschooling my girls, I couldn't do "school". The reasons for this are many and I won't go into them now, but sometime this year I found a blog with homeschooling ideas I love. This list was in a sidebar:

Six things to include in your child's day:

*meaningful work
*imaginative play
*good books
*beauty (art, nature, music)
*ideas to ponder & discuss
*prayer

Now, that's living, learning and loving. My kind of school.

Gratitude Journal

2008-05-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful this morning for:

big sisters who love to play with baby brother

dappling sunlight across my floor

tiny flutters of tiny hands and feet

good children's books

sleeping with the window open

My Little Garden

2008-05-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've been so bad at posting. But I've been waiting to get my USB cord from my husband's office, so that I can post a bunch of photos. Don't know why it took like a week to finally communicate the fact that I NEED MY USB CORD, BUT YOUR OFFICE IS LOCKED. I guess I wouldn't really remember until he had left for work. But, now, I am ready.

We had great weather last weekend...Oh, my gosh, I think I just felt the baby! For the first time! Wait a moment while I hold still and see if I feel anything else...Hmmmm, I don't know, I'm only 13 and a half weeks...was that the baby or gas? I'm gonna say it was the baby. How cool! I love being able to feel the baby. It's so reassuring and special. Anyway, back to my post...

My little garden has gotten off to a good start. Here is a list of what is growing on my back deck:

from seed:

green beans

sugar snap peas

little finger carrots

sweet bell peppers

eggplant

tomatoes

from seedlings, my little herb garden:

lemon basil

thyme

sage

dill

chives

lavender

peppermint

still to plant:

lettuce

broccoli raab

cucumber

(I'm not sure where these will end up, I'm out of pots and soil, unless I break down and buy more.)

I also bought a few pony packs of these pansies and cosmos.

I have sweet pea and nasturtium seeds to plant as well. I'm trying to be very frugal with this gardening stuff. I would go hog wild buying plants if I could. But it is kinda fun to -ok, definitely feeling the baby now, more than one movement, and it feels just like my son did. Yeah!, but no one is home to tell!!! Baby boy is napping, and he wouldn't get it anyway. I'm gonna have to call my sister when I'm done here.

More photos:

Our view. I love watching it get greener and greener. It changes so much with the light. At sunset, the city looks so much closer. Here is a rather grey day:

And here is today, much brighter:

Hmmm, so bright, you can't see the green very well. Bummer.

Last week the girls did school outside:

They had a lovely snack of strawberries,

Well, the little man has woken up, time to go and play...

Have a great day everyone!

Nice Things

2008-05-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Baby is sleeping.
Girls are at school.
Husband is at work.

The house is actually quiet. I can hear the hum of the fridge and the clacking of the keyboard; oh, and a few birds chirping.

It's so nice.

I just ate my third breakfast, so my tummy is actually full; not a common occurrence these days.
My dishes are not quite done, but they're close.
It's a grey day, but not raining, and it's supposed to be in the 80's starting tomorrow and all weekend.

I have a veggie garden to plant. It's going to be in containers, because we have a bit of a marmot problem. They seem to think it's ok to run all over our backyard and eat whatever they fancy. I'm not taking any chances. My veggies are going to grow in containers on our back deck. I've already planted sugar snap peas, green beans, carrots, and a tomato plant. I have eggplant seedlings to transplant, tomato seeds planted indoors, and a few more seed packets to deal with. I think this kind of garden will be better for me this summer anyway. Much less maintenance to worry about.

Oh, another nice thing: on Monday, I had an ultrasound and got to see "belly baby"! (Trying to differentiate between baby in utero and baby who is currently still referred to as "the baby" by his sisters.) It was amazing to see this little life, only an inch and a half long, but looking very baby-like, kicking and moving its arms. So cool! This is early to have an ultrasound, but my midwife wanted to find out how far along I really was since I'll be having another c-section. Baby looked fine, and due date stays the same--Thanksgiving Day! But we'll schedule the section for a week or so earlier.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying their own "nice things" today.
I'm off to plant some more seeds, or do my dishes...or play with my baby boy who I hear waking up as I type.

Have a great day!

Back to Normal

2008-05-12T12:10:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. We had a nice quiet day, since I was exhausted after my daughter's slumber party on Friday and birthday party on Saturday. How did I get roped into allowing TWO parties? I was 8 months pregnant last year and did the same thing. This year I am 11 weeks pregnant with hypothyroidism (is that a word?). I was so tired on Saturday evening that I just burst out crying. Not as bad as last year when (on Mother's Day no less) I got so upset that I sent my girls to bed without bedtime songs (which we sing EVERY night, except that one), and proceeded to scrub the kitchen floor on my hands and knees. At eight weeks pregnant, crying all the while. My poor, sweet husband, between checking on the girls, got down and helped me scrub!

Well. This year wasn't so dramatic. I was really tired, though. I told my daughter that she will have to pick one party from now on. I'm tired of being tired and cranky on Mother's Day. At least next year I won't be pregnant. Well, I think I won't be! At the rate I'm going...

We did have a good day, anyway. My husband puttered around the house all day doing laundry, dishes (3 or 4 loads), vacuuming under beds!!! and all sorts of odds and ends. It was so sweet. Then we went to dinner. No kitchen floor scrubbing this year.

No matter how quiet or dramatic, I'm so thankful to be celebrating Mother's Day. Only a few years ago, I felt forlorn and sad, longing for my own sweet babies, longing to be a mommy. The Lord has certainly taken care of that desire of my heart!

Busy, busy, busy...

2008-05-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a big fat busy weekend. My oldest daughter turns 10 on Sunday. Ten! She is almost as tall as me, now (not that I'm all that tall at a mere five-one, but still). She was such a tiny little sprite when she came to me at 6. Well, ever since the first birthday party I gave her (when I thought it was the only one I would have with her) the parties have been kinda big. Some how we were talked into having a slumber party and a separate birthday party, every year.
So, Friday is the slumber party, at which the girls will pretty much have to entertain themselves. Not that they want me interfering anyway. My girl is great at keeping her friends having fun.
Then, after a late night of ten year-old antics, the girls have to get up and go to a parade that my daughter is in. Thankfully my good friend volunteered to take them, while I stay home a prepare for party number two. This year's theme is Secret Agents, complete with training exercises and a crime to solve that takes them around the world. Well, hopefully it takes them around the world. I have yet to plan those specific details. The agents will have to decipher codes, solve riddles, and collect evidence to capture the Mr. Bad Guy. I think it will be great, I just have to sit down and actually write out the mystery and clues and what not. No worries. I work better under pressure. Last year, we did a treasure hunt that I came up with the morning of the party. Yep, procrastination fires up my creativity.
Then, of course Sunday is Mother's Day, and the actual birthday date. She is so excited that her birthday is on Mother's Day this year. For some reason, she thinks that is so cool. It's sweet really. Maybe this means she won't try to make be breakfast in bed. The thought is sweet, and she is getting much better at cooking. She can finally make more than toast. But, it's really hard for me to lay in bed, waiting, when everyone else needs me. Maybe we will go out to breakfast this year.
Better be off...I have groceries to get, a family to feed...a crime to plan. A mother's to-do list never ends.

So Nice

2008-05-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at my computer right now (obviously), taking a quick snack break after spending some time weeding in the sunshine. I can hear the Ice Cream Truck and a Lawn Mower and Birds Chirping.

Now, what is more spring-like and wonderful than that?

Well, maybe lots of things. But still. It's nice.

Finally (sigh)

2008-05-02T10:10:00.001-07:00

From February to May.

What a difference. I love watching spring gently unfold. Sometimes I wish it would just burst forth, but I appreciate it more when it happens slowly. Spring is so much sweeter after a hard, dark winter, too. I've lived in places where the seasons are less defined--Oregon, and even more so, Hawaii. And springtime wasn't such a wonderful, delightful event. It was just more of the same--green and rainy in Oregon, and green and warm in Hawaii. Here, though, especially after our extra long winter, with so much snow, spring really is a reawakening, a rebirth, joy after mourning. It makes me wonder if people who suffer more in life can also experience more joy. I don't believe that God causes suffering, but did He make it work this way, knowing we would suffer? Isn't there a Chinese proverb about the larger the jar of suffering, the more joy it can hold? I'll have to try and look that up. Anyway, spring is finally here in my corner of the world, and it could not be more welcome. I think we will be spending as much time as possible outside today, basking in sunshine and drinking in the green beauty around us.

One more photo: I just love the delicate green laceyness of the leaves and buds that trees are clothed with in early spring. (Now I sound like Anne Shirley!)

Gratitude Journal

2008-04-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

sunshine slanting through the house
sisters playing together
banana popsicles
naptime
grocery shopping done
cupboards full
dinner in the crockpot

(I'm really thankful for food right now, must be the pregnant and nursing thing...)

Waiting

2008-04-25T09:34:00.001-07:00

Come on sun. Come on warmth. We are so ready for you.

Oh, Man

2008-04-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

You know your pregnancy hormones are going strong when your 5 year-old daughter mentions casually at dinner: "I don't want to have a baby in my tummy, cause I don't want to be mean and not play Go Fish."

1000 Gifts

2008-04-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

I got the idea for my Gratitude Journal from Ann at A Holy Experience. She started a list of 1000 Gifts. Now, she has begun a Gratitude Community blog roll. Check out her list and the blog roll; you'll find both in her sidebar. If you haven't visited Ann's blog yet, spend some time in this quiet place of peace and reflection. You may shed a few tears (I have), but you'll definitely be inspired.

Oh, and the second song that plays? Sometimes I'll go to her blog just to turn up that song and dance with my baby boy.

Gratitude Journal

2008-04-21T15:07:00.001-07:00

The gray skies and snow flurries are threatening to dampen my spirits, so it's a good time for a dose of gratitude.

I'm thankful for:

a patient, loving husband
food on our table
happy children
sprouting seedlings
the promise of spring (it has to come sometime, right?)
good friends
a forgiving God

Mmmmm...Banana Bread

2008-04-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

I love making banana bread. It is so easy ( I don't even bother with my mixer), and all you need is a few pantry staples and some extra ripe bananas. Whenever we end up with over-ripe bananas, I just throw them in the freezer; they last forever and work perfectly (just thaw in microwave or on the counter before peeling).

This is my Grama Nancy's recipe that I adjusted to use some whole wheat flour. I like it better with the whole wheat; it seems a little chewier-which I like! And of course, it makes it healthier.

Grama Nancy's Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Combine in a small bowl:

1 cup sugar

1 cup white flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or 2 cups white flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl mash 3 bananas. I used a potato masher, but a fork would work too.

Add:

1/4 cup softened butter

4 Tablespoons milk (or just 3 if you're using only white flour)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I leave these out for my baby)

Stir well. Add the flour mixture a little at a time and mix until combined. Dollop into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes for all white flour) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I love the first slice, warm from the oven, smothered with butter. YUM.

Sunshine

2008-04-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

My spirits perked up quite a bit last week when I heard that sunshine and warmth was on the way. The forecast was for 60-70 degrees and lots of sun for the weekend. This was a huge improvement. Early spring resembled the middle of winter up here this year. I was ready to start some gardening plans and play outside with the kids.

Friday, after seeing many marmots scamper around our yard, I decided to put our veggie garden in large containers far away from the hillside where the critters live. I don't want to run, screaming out to the garden all summer in an effort to scare them away from our crops. Containers will also be easier than rototilling and preparing the beds like I had planned to do. And I think maintenance will be more manageable as my belly gets larger and larger! I didn't get to implement this plan yet, but I did sow eggplant and bell pepper seeds to start indoors.

Saturday dawned clear and beautiful. I did my grocery shopping early, and by lunch time we were out in the back yard with quilt, baby toys, and lemonade. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing, reading books on the quilt, laying in the sun.

I also had time to peruse a great magazine that I just discovered.

Beautiful layout and photographs, filled with scripture and inspiring articles, home keeping and hospitality ideas...

I wanted to take some pictures of the girls doing cartwheels, but decided to wait until later in the afternoon to get that beautiful slanting sunlight, and then of course we got busy with dinner and stuff so...no cartwheel photos.

Sunday, we headed up north to my mom's house. She lives on a small lake surrounded by mountains. It is so lovely. The lake was still icy frozen, but getting slushy. The mountains were still sprinkled with snow. As the day wore on, the lake went from dull, mushy grey to sparkling blue. I wish I had taken some photos, but I was too lazy, the sun was too warm, and the breeze was too delicious to go in search of my camera.

All in all, a wonderful weekend!

Monday's To-Do List

2008-04-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Ok. I had a lazy week last week. As much as a mother of 3 can be lazy. The laundry piled up. The dishes piled up. The grime piled up. (The warm, sunny weekend weather didn't help this problem). I did do the grocery shopping, and I did feed everyone consistently, and I did love on my kids, so all was not lost. But here I am, Monday morning, faced with a large list of stuff to do around the house. At least the weather is cooperating; it's raining, grey, and cold. We'll see how much I can actually get done!
Update: I highlighted the things I have done so far (3:45). And those in progress.

-Catch up on laundry: baby's, towels, and folding
-Dishes: current stack, and later accumulation
-Clean kitchen: sink, counters, floor
-Pick up clutter around house
-Blog about my weekend
-Make sure I eat enough.
(I am nursing my son as well as growing a baby, so this is definately a daily chore for me. I know, poor Jen, but I'm not a big eater, unless we're talking junk food, and it's hard to take time out of my day to plan, prepare and eat healthily.)

It doesn't look like a lot, but it is when you consider that I also have to feed everyone, my 5 year-old has a fever, I have a nine-month old baby boy, and I'm tired and hormonal at almost 8 weeks pregnant. But, hey, all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us!!
I'll let you know how it goes.

Tired

2008-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. I'm so tired and it is only 9:30 in the morning. I have so many things that I want to do. Just look at my list in the post below. And that doesn't include all the daily tasks of caring for my family and home. All I want to do is go lay down. I haven't let myself do that yet. I'm sitting at the computer, reading blogs, writing this post, hoping for a burst of energy to go get something done. But my baby boy is napping, my girls are playing together and not fighting...maybe I should go lay down for just a little while...
On the bright side: I'm not morning sick, thank the Lord. I've been blessed in this way, and I'm very thankful. I know many moms who get so sick. I'd rather have tiredness and crankiness any day, at least I can try to rest and change my attitude.

OK, now for that little nap...

101 Things in 1001 Days

2008-04-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

My cousin Sarah did this on her blog. I've been trying to make up my own list. It's taken a few days to think of 101 things to do. I love lists, but don't always finish them. Maybe sharing my list and posting about things as I do them will be incentive to keep going.

1. Grow our own organic produce

2. Fix up both bathrooms: paint, flooring, decor

3. Start making healthy breakfasts for the family

4. Get photos printed and in albums or photo books

5. Paint kitchen cupboards and replace knobs

6. Learn to embroider

7. Learn to knit

8. Send birthday cards to family members

9. Get into daily chore routine

10. Start a gratitude journal

11. Read Stepping Heavenward

12. Pretty-up broom closet: paint, organize with nice storage containers

13. Baby proof house

14. Make freezer jam with organic strawberries (homegrown or u-pick)

15. Preserve fruits and veggies this summer and fall

16. Make homemade ice cream

17. Make more meals from scratch

18. Go on an inexpensive family vacation

19. Go camping

20. Make a photo book for baby's first year

21. Learn to be more frugal

22. Plant a sunflower house for girls

23. Read/research about sensory processing disorders (to help my 5-year-old)

24. Create a serene, peaceful home

25. Get rid of STUFF, keep only the useful and beautiful, preferable things that are both

26. Cut out the junk food in my diet

27. Fit in time to be creative everyday

28. Cherish my children everyday

29. Love my husband everyday

30. Choose joy everyday

31. Train up my children in the way of the Lord

32. Play with my girls more

33. Practice my cartwheels!

34. Teach 5-year-old to swim

35. Teach 9-year-old to dive

36. Invite my dad and step-mom over for dinner more often

37. Invite friends over for dinner

38. Have many backyard BBQ's

39. Make homemade lemonade

40. Get up before kids in the morning for quiet time

41. Write a children's story

42. Illustrate a children's story

43. Go to Maryjane's Farm

44. Grow great swaths of lavendar

45. Make lavendar sachets

46. Do more craft projects with girls

47. Kiss my husband everyday

48. Enjoy taking care of my family

49. Shop at second-hand stores for vintage treasures: linens, dishes, books...

50. Teach girls how to cook

51. Teach girls how to do dishes

52. Have another baby (6 weeks along!)

53. Bake lots of fruit pies this summer...can't wait for strawberry rhubarb

54. Experiment with creating my own recipies

55. Help girls to plant their own gardens

56. Eat more fruits and veggies everyday

57. Bake my own bread

58. Wardrobe overhaul: get rid of out of date, frumpy, too big, too small...

59. Get some cute flats

60. Get some cute flip-flops

61. Get a hair cut I like

62. Find a way to add to our income from home

63. Take girls out for a Girl's Day once a month

64. Get together with my mom and sisters without kids more often

65. Have tea parties with my girls

66. Give girls more hugs

67. Schedule in mom-refreshing days once or twice a month

68. Go on dates with my husband twice a month

69. Go away for a weekend with my husband to the bed and breakfast where we got married

70. Start having Family Days: spend the day together doing something fun

71. Bake a cake from scratch

72. Eat more organic foods

73. Cut down on my sugar intake

74. Eat extra-healthily during this pregnancy

75. Stay fit during this pregnacy

76. Get all Christmas shopping done before baby is born

77. Find a larger car/van

78. Find a good Christian school for girls for next year

79. Make and freeze a variety of meals before baby is born

80. Wean my son (after 12 months)

81. Get my son to sleep through the night

82. Paint wicker chair

83. Create a nice relaxing patio: potted herbs, flowers, cushions for chairs, lighting

85. Go to farmer's market once a week this summer

86. Go huckleberry picking

87. Learn how to use more features on my camera

88. Make pasta from scratch with my new pasta machine

89. Find some new, fun, easy lunch ideas

90. Paint living/dining room

91. Frame and hang my children's black and white portraits

92. Learn to sew

93. Hang curtains in son's and daughters' rooms

94. Make and hang curtains in kitchen

95. Take more walks with my kids

96. Do nice things for my husband, just because

97. Keep a garden journal

98. Focus on positive in life, not negative

99. Be a role model for my children

100. Watch my words...confess truth, life, hope

101. BE the daughter of the King I'm meant to be

*OK, some of these turned out to be life-long ideals and goals, but I want to remember to work on them all the time. What did someone say about actions leading to habits and habits leading to character? Or something to that effect? I'll have to look that up.
In the meantime, my list awaits...

Oh, when will 1001 days be up? I really don't want to do the math, my brain doesn't work so well when I'm pregnant. Can anybody help? Let's go from March 15, that's about when I started writing the list.

More Snow= Potato Corn Chowder

2008-03-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon the feather-like flakes started swirling through the air.

They soon started piling up, so a warm, comforting dinner was in order.

I have been making a potato corn chowder recipe for a long time that my family loves. But I was getting a little bored with it. So, last night I changed it up a bit. I made it thicker and creamier; and I added fingerling potatoes, cheddar cheese, and broccoli.

Jen's Potato Corn Chowder

1 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

8 or so fingerling potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup frozen corn

1 1/2 cups half-n-half

3 Tablespoons flour

3/4 cup broccoli florets, bite size

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter with olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, cook, covered; stirring occasionally until translucent, about 10 minutes. Don't let it brown.

Add chicken stock, russet potato, corn, and a little salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, add flour to a small bowl, add a little half-n-half, whisk with a fork until smooth, adding half-n-half a little at a time until it is all incorporated.

When potatoes are soft, mash in the pot with a potato masher. Stir in half-n-half mixture and fingerling potatoes. Simmer about 5 minutes, add broccoli, continue to simmer for a few more minutes until broccoli is al dente (unless you like it softer). Take soup off heat, stir in cheese.

To serve, I add a little frozen corn to the bottom of each bowl, then ladle in soup. This cools off the soup for my kids (and husband) without watering it down.

I wish I had taken a picture! Next time...

I like to make popovers or corn muffins to go with this. This time we had warm corn muffins with butter and honey. Yum.

This morning we woke to this:

So, I guess we need more comfort soup tonight. Anyone have a good recipe?

Gratitude Journal

2008-03-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

sleeping in

waking up to baby laughter and babble

sunshine after snow

daddy playing with his girls

family dinner

dishwasher humming, dishes done

...Thank you, Lord