Pickles and Pancakes

I made some refrigerator pickles this last week.  Yesterday, I tested them and ...  I didn't really like them.  Thankfully, Kevin and the girls did.  I think it was the sugar the recipe told me to add.  I think I'll skip that if I try it again.  Well, also, being pregnant, my taste buds/preferences have gotten very particular!

My last grocery shopping trip was a little incomplete.  I had everything I needed on the list (except the eggs...they never seem to make the list), but a part of each recipe for the week was missing when I returned home!  The pitas weren't in the usual spot so schwarmas got switched to Thursday, pudding was just missed, so no pudding pops were made, eggs were, as I said, not even on the list, so I couldn't make zucchini pancakes.  Thursday, we finally got back to the store to get the missing ingredients.

Today at lunch we tried the pancakes.  My initial taste was bad!  But I hadn't put anything on them and the recipe had 4 eggs and only a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar...so a very eggy taste.  But with some peanut butter and rhubarb strawberry sauce and honey...yumm!  I did end up adding a couple more spoonfuls of sugar to the rest of the batch, but just adding toppings was delicious!

PS. I also started soaking the almonds for homemade almond milk...we'll see if my blender can handle it.

Rest Time

It's our after lunch rest time.  Mainly the girls go into their room and listen to music or a story and play quietly and look at books.  Sometimes L naps, but usually not anymore.  Ahh...  Now, should I be doing all my bits or relaxing myself?  I haven't gotten any calls to show the house today so we're keeping it clean but not doing extras.  Laundry though had been piling up.  Almost done with that for the week.

Day 8 of kindergarten today.  They finished making their days of creation books last week, and today they sewed them together to hold them in book form.  Aunt R would be so proud!  I started helping L and told Kj that I would help her in a minute.  When I looked over, she was doing it beautifully all on her own.  :) 

Our routine for the morning went like this:

Breakfast - all the kids slept in this morning and didn't even see Kevin!  Which meant he could also leave a few minutes early for his 9 mile bike ride to work.  "Can we do school now?"

Clean up - Kj did dishes (MWF, L-TTh), cleared table, read devotional, brushed teeth, got dressed, brushed hair.  "Can we have school yet?"

Quiet reading - The girls picked out a few books and sat on the recliner and couch and looked at them while Mama got ready!  "Is it time for school now?"

School - Day 8 - My Father's World - We'll try to do 5 days this week.  3 from curriculum and the numbers 11 and 12, so we can finish their coloring workbooks that we found at Once Upon a Child.  I was wondering why it went to 12 and then realized that it got kids ready for clock reading.  Nice.

Snack

Laundry - girls sorting, me folding

Lunch and Pickle Making - Mmm...Kevin's mom was making some refrigerator dill pickles last week and when I brought her some extra cucumbers she added them to the jar.  I asked her how to make them and it sounded easy enough.  So, I found a recipe online and tried it out.  And we had some tasty mac and cheese.  Maybe we'll start a Mac and Cheese Monday tradition!  :)

Rest time!!  Well, I sat down now to write these bits, so now, I think I'll go get some more laundry done and then to the couch with a book for a while.  G's talking, he didn't take a nap all morning and then cried and cried and cried.  I am trying to get him to nap on the crib (instead of the chair), but that and the fact that we lost our working pacifier...no good!  Lots of tears.  The pacifier is somewhere in the house...  Hmm... 

"It's compost."

I have a new composting method.  It was mentioned to me by a friend who took a gardening class and I decided to try it. 

Blend it!

Yep, put all your compost in your blender, add plenty of water or juice or steamer liquid, and blend.  I had one very green blender-ful of compost going today and Kevin asked what kind it was.  "It's compost." says L.  Haha...no green smoothies today.  My blender is on it's last bit of energy anyways, so I figured I send it out purposefully. 

My rummage sale earnings this summer are going to a new high quality, durable blender.  I am already $60 into that goal.  We'll see what I can get as the summer goes on.  So, let me know if you are having a rummage sale and I'll add a few things to it!!  I've already been a part of 4 sales!

Living/Dining Room

In the process of painting our living room we moved our couch into the dining room.  It has stayed there ever since (umm...maybe 2 weeks since the painting was finished).  We rather enjoy it!  We finish a meal and go hang out on the couch, reading books, snoozing, contemplating what's next...  It is so nice! 

Now, since we like it so much and we like the openness of the living room, we are deciding what we should permanently do.  Currently there is one chair in the living room, and whatever toys land there throughout the day!  Haha.  Do we buy something new for the living room?  Do we just move it back to the way it was?  Do we bring the pew upstairs to put where the couch is in the dining room?  If we did that, do we recover the pew to at least coordinate a little bit with the rest of the place (it's currently red with dark wood)?  Also, we've been looking for used short wall cabinets to put along that wall to put a bench with storage and cushions in that spot...  I also found an oak buffet!  Oh, so nice, but...  a little more expensive than hoped!

What do you think of the arrangement?  Most people who come and try it, say it should stay!  :)  A fifth+ person at the table would make it a bit crowded, but...  Leave your comments! 

*Reminder:  If you leave first names of children in your comment, it will be deleted.  Thanks!

Produce Washing

I've seen a lot about washing berries in vinegar and water.  This, I've been told helps them last longer and helps them not to mold and gets all the chemicals off.  It was something like 1 part vinegar, 10 parts water...well, I came across something easier.  Fill your sink with water and add a cup of vinegar, submerge and gently stir all your produce and leave for 10 minutes.  Then take it all out.  It really does make my sink sparkle!  Oh, and cleans all those fruits and veggies. 

(Sorry about the sideways picture) 

New Dresses

Thank you MNS for the dresses!  They're sweet!  The package came just as L was waking up from a nap.  We opened it and tried them on right away!  

They convinced me that I had to try on my party dress too.  The one that Curl Grandma helped purchase.  We all took them off, put on our "everyday" clothes and are waiting to show them off to Daddy tonight.  :) 

Haircut Day

L just turned 3 a couple months ago, and for some reason grew very particular about her hair.  She would not let me put anything in it anymore.  So, I decided to ask if she would like it cut, even though I thought it was so pretty!  It took me a month talking about it with her and trying several new tactics to see if she would let me put things in her hair...and then it was haircut day.  Kevin needed one badly too (sorry no pics), and so he went first then the girls. 

"Cut it all." and "All of it,"  were the words from L while cutting.  I did, I am.  See!

There she is with her ponytail.  Long enough to donate, although it's still sitting in my room waiting for me to get to the post office.  

Here's Kj.  I had to talk her out of a short cut like L's.  I reminded her that she wouldn't be able to use all her new pretty rubberbands from her birthday if we cut it all off.  Also, that ponytails are so nice in the summer and for kindergarten!  Whew, it worked!

Here's the pretty girl showing off her trim.   She's in a silly - exaggerating posing stage.  :)

The end product (minus the donateable portion).  Below, the girls trying to get their pose together for the sister picture.  Kj tries to tell L what to do with her arms, and L knows what she wants, and it's not that...whatever that is!

Even the bed head is beautiful!

Birthdays!

We started a tradition this month.  My girls got to choose a cake flavor (L: Blueberry, Kj: Peppermint), and we made a cake together the morning of their birthday.  We used the The Cake Mix Doctor Cookbook.  Then we ate it gradually throughout the next week.  BUT since their birthdays are so close together we also had a birthday party for them and a couple others.  So, I made multiple cake mixes one day and made layers corresponding to their age.  B: 1, L: 3, Kj: 5, Bumpa: 62...ok, so I fudged a little on his, he got 1 layer with a big 62 on the top!  :)  Yumm...I'd skip the plain cake mixes next time though, as they are a bit drier than my doctored recipes which add yogurt or cream or pudding!! 

Cute Conversations

After Great-Grandma's birthday weekend:

Daddy:  What was your favorite part of this weekend?
Kj:  The birthday.
L (later):  Those doggies.
Daddy:  At first you weren't so sure about those dogs.
Kj:  At first I wasn't sure about that Tanner, but then...  (smirk)...  I got funnier with him.

The morning of L's birthday:

Daddy:  What do you want to do for your birthday?
L:  Anything.  (meaning:  nothing)
Daddy:  Do you want to go somewhere?
L:  I want everyone to stay home.  (meaning:  Kevin should stay home from work)
Daddy:  What about someplace fun like the zoo?
L:  Yeah!
Daddy:  Who would meet you at the zoo?
L:  Curl Grandma.
Daddy:  What about Nana?
L:  No!
Daddy:  Why?
L:  She no where the zoo is!
Daddy:  I think she does!

The day after getting family pictures done...at which L was shy and didn't want her picture taken:

L:  I want her to take pictures of me.

Better Than Chocolates

Can you guess what the girls call "better than chocolates"?  Red peppers!  Kevin suggested it and they agreed.  But not only were peppers better than chocolates but also "all begtables".  Yes, they have tasted chocolate. 

Third Life and Hair

L came up with a third life for a pair of leggings.  They had been Kj's leggings, then I serged them off to make shorts for L.  Then on Saturday, L decided that they would make a great hat.  :)  Also, since it was Saturday and the girls were just lazing around during B's nap, I let them decorate my hair.  I thought about going out with my hairstyle, but then washed it before we headed out for some errands.

Teddy's Sweatshirt

Kj has been wanting to do some more sewing so I had her trace teddy on a piece of paper. Next, I enlarged the "pattern" a bit and cut it out. She then traced it on to cloth and cut that out. Then traced another time with out the head part. She's been stitching, stitching, stitching and finally it is done!  The last picture is of the attached bracelet.

Cooking Pumpkins

We're cooking our last pumpkins today.  It got so busy this last fall that they sat in our basement until today.  They will make: baby food, pumpkin leather, and possibly some more pumpkin jam.  Did I say before that we bought a dehydrator for our Christmas gift?  Well, this week I bought a couple more pieces so that I can make 4 layers of fruit leather at one time.  I pureed up kiwi-banana yesterday, pumpkin today and we'll see what else...I found a few recipes/combinations in a baby food cookbook.  I think I'll get it all set to start tonight and see how they are in the morning.   

Evaluation:

Fruit leather:
Kiwi-banana - yumm!
Apple - always good
Pumpkin-apple-cinnamon - the girls liked it
Pumpkin-honey-cinnamon - don't waste the honey

Other:
Dried Kiwi - good!
Dried Pumpkin bits sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar - not so good...maybe it was originally baked with sweetener...might work well in baking...

Lessons From Foster Care

• Take any new child in for a thorough physical to see if there is anything, ANYTHING that needs to be treated.
• If you have clues, about a previous illness, that have come with them, ask about them.  Push and prod until you know for sure that the illness is gone gone.
• Try to do this before coming into contact with all your family and friends.
• Persevere, all the love and work you are putting into this child will make a difference no matter the size. 
• Despite possibility of some illness, don't be afraid of loving them completely - and let your little girls love on them too.  
• Accept help from others.  
• Ask for help from others.  
• Get the sleep you need, even if all the linens, clothes, and cloth anything need to be washed and dried in high heat.  There is time for that tomorrow.
• If your child is fussy...lay them down and sing/play:  
• "Clap your feet  - clap feet to the rhythm
• All you people
• Shout to God with a voice of triumph
• Clap your feet
• All you people
• Shout to God with a voice of praise
• Hosanna  - alternate legs up and down
• Praise Him
• Shout to God with a voice of praise"  - clapping again
• My husband can take 2 seconds on my post and take the dots off the "list" that I just wanted to be song lyrics.
• Baths and splashing can be a reprieve (for parents) and a delight (for kids).
• Oatmeal baths are cheap and easy ("recipe")
• God is good, all the time.  All the time God is good.
• Pray!  Pray for perseverence, pray for the kids, pray for the parents, pray for change, pray for miracles, pray for courage.
• Make connections.  As we are now taking care of our first foster child we were given a foster parent mentor that we can call and email.  What a great idea.

Thankfulness - in no particular order

From Anna:

• Kevin - wonderful, practical, thoughtful, caring, God-fearing, diligent, frugal, energy efficient husband (to name a few of his attributes)
• my girls - they add so much joy to our lives.  I love watching them grow and learn and care for others (especially little B)
• little B - I am thankful for his transition into our lives and that for a time I can be his mama.  I pray for his mama and family that they will be found fit to care for him soon!  May the Lord bless you and keep you, little B.
• our extended family - and all the ways they support us in our family life
• the van - despite having to crawl in from front and back today (sliders were frozen) it fit us all in and got us where we needed to go.  It also allows us to invite friends on our adventures, and foster kids into our family.
• our friends - bringing us meals, calling us, babysitting, sharing, holding, confiding, visiting
• our house - just right for our current family situation - 2 1/2 bedrooms for us, girls, and baby
• generosity of  people - a meal, a vehicle, a carseat, some clothes
• Kevin - learning to get up early for him (to study) and for our kids (because they were up) and for me (so I could sleep)
• little B's laugh
• my front, really big window that lets lots of light in!!  It was worth it!
• God's faithfulness
• Jehovah Roi - God who sees
• Jehovah Rapha - God who heals 
• L: "B has black hair, just like me."  :)  
• fall colors
• tree branches' profile against the evening sky
• drawings by Kj and L
• a gas stove
• canning
• sewing
• library
• ...

From Kevin:

• "for you"
• Kj, L
• good health
• good job
• good town to live in
• The Truth
• thermal pants for biking
• children laughing in our home
• Bible teaching church
• parents close by
• no one else got pneumonia
• gadgets (my word for it)
• ...

Girls vs. Boys

Just wanted to share an example of girls vs. boys.   L is playing the piano and B is shaking and eating the piano (pictures above and below).  That's all.

My Girls

Above is the type of clothes combinations that L brings me in the morning to help her get dressed in.  Today, she brought me: a dress, pants, skirt and pull-over sweater.  Below is a similar situation with Kj.  I give her bits for a "silly lunch" and she puts it all together.  She has:  cinnamon-raisin swirl bread, deer sausage, cheese, carrot and peanut butter.  I ask her what her favorite bread topping is, and she replies, "Sausage and peanut butter."

Multi Grain Gluten Free Cereal

I got a little tired of eating plain Chex every morning for breakfast.  So, I am mixing it up a bit with Corn Chex, Rice Krispies Gluten Free with Brown Rice, and Arrowhead Mills Puffed Millet.  I had originally tried the puffed millet alone, but it was soft, not crispy like Rice Krispies.  So it seemed (although I have never tried it) to be like eating those little styrofoam pellets.  It goes best with Silk Vanilla Coconut milk too, as opposed to the original version. 

Purging Progress

The purging process has had its ups and downs. I've been very actively pursuing it, and then leaving it be for a few weeks.  Last weekend, we had a rummage sale so I furiously went about getting more out of the house for that.  It worked.  I think I got through the whole house, although I could maybe go through a few more sections again. 

Prior to this weekend, all the results of my purging were in piles in my room, in the sewing room, the dining room, the storage room, laundry room...wherever.  Oh, what a nice thing to be able to walk all those places again.  I do wish I had before and after pictures for that.  I completely forgot!  I don't even have any of the rummage!  It was a success.  Although slow at times, I made about $60 and my friends each around $30.  We had a fun day of conversation and friend introductions.  The kids all played with Curl Grandma.  At one time there were as many as 7 with her in the backyard. 

I decided that I could not bring anything back in the house unless it had a purpose.  Such as, it was for another friend.  Friend S mentioned while shopping at my sale that she planned to have a sale in the next couple weeks, so I decided to save only the best things for that.  Only 2 bins, unless I can get around to purging some more!!

Well, enough of my chatter with no pictures, I am probably boring you.

aj

Personality

Here are the personalities of my girls.  Thought I would give you a little continuation from yesterday...  L when she found out I was taking their picture hid her face.  Kj when she found out, posed very well, and pretended to read.  These were their songbooks, I believe.