tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83640518993868411012024-03-07T01:57:38.428-05:00My Country CupboardMiriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.comBlogger749125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-10102596675291972982018-11-26T17:55:00.000-05:002018-11-26T17:55:12.756-05:00Kids in the Kitchen - Baking Cookies with Susannah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;">This past Sunday evening Daniel played for a special Thanksgiving Service at church while the rest of us stayed home (and the littles finished their naps). Sundays after church are low-key for us, mostly resting and spending time together as a family.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="text-align: start;">This particular afternoon I decided to give Susannah some baking experience. She has helped me with baking a lot over the years (when she was a toddler she would stand on a stool watching and sometimes helping dump ingredients into the mixer). This time I decided to let her be as independent as possible, barring something terrible (salt instead of sugar, that type of thing).</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQNA-Kc_KqD02rdu3aa87DP0eWgFtCoCB-iuLx3qbfSnxA-tEmWKJFCOnLX58k_OFf3rYjmXkqungmoIWmoA8SBbhTWgdlwFRNicZPBGkAtdprTwLjeS_qkvMzd3uGKfZExkLo8Vtwmc/s1600/20181118_175336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQNA-Kc_KqD02rdu3aa87DP0eWgFtCoCB-iuLx3qbfSnxA-tEmWKJFCOnLX58k_OFf3rYjmXkqungmoIWmoA8SBbhTWgdlwFRNicZPBGkAtdprTwLjeS_qkvMzd3uGKfZExkLo8Vtwmc/s400/20181118_175336.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I chose my favorite Gingersnap Cookie recipe, partly because I was in the mood for them, and partly because it is a very simple recipe. And they are super delicious!<br />
<br />
I had her read through the <i>directions</i> of the recipe <b>BEFORE</b> she started putting ingredients into the bowl, to help her learn that ingredients list order isn't always the mixing order.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Do4GKecZzPwm7W-8EdpUcI1ykanwmTAsEZUBNoHfLffhu9RhaalHUQHF7JkHnGE2LVv0qu5PjUqD9PfWH_HW6YaTot49w1Mut63Lc-FoHW9Kn8714e1ilbzJnY6DW7o0qHxqJ5LkA0Y/s1600/20181118_175253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Do4GKecZzPwm7W-8EdpUcI1ykanwmTAsEZUBNoHfLffhu9RhaalHUQHF7JkHnGE2LVv0qu5PjUqD9PfWH_HW6YaTot49w1Mut63Lc-FoHW9Kn8714e1ilbzJnY6DW7o0qHxqJ5LkA0Y/s400/20181118_175253.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
From there she just started making the cookies! She had questions from time to time but I only had to intervene once when she used baking powder instead of baking soda. I was able to scoop out the baking powder, and I told her that I've made the same mistake before. :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7d285e4WOe58tZH_bHTG46i_4V9jx9zWCTEx_ZxIRuTyy81vHXsFGKh_aQOtMk2MBvo24GquH3jZ1beu85ntZ5S3PaLWNHnswgJWSSbefhR7k8Q_m9h_5WAOJNOGePof6nyUZN8qLMA/s1600/20181118_175332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7d285e4WOe58tZH_bHTG46i_4V9jx9zWCTEx_ZxIRuTyy81vHXsFGKh_aQOtMk2MBvo24GquH3jZ1beu85ntZ5S3PaLWNHnswgJWSSbefhR7k8Q_m9h_5WAOJNOGePof6nyUZN8qLMA/s400/20181118_175332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
She did all of the work from start to finish, even putting the cookies into the oven and taking them out when the timer beeped.<br />
<br />
I was proud of her and she was excited to have gained and earned that level of independence. I'm looking forward to lots more cooking and baking together in the days and years to come!Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-36714991317469468112018-10-31T23:43:00.000-04:002018-10-31T23:43:14.621-04:00A Day in the Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today was our first "back to reality" day after our vacation. We got home Friday, but took it easy Friday and Saturday. Sunday was the normal day of church and resting. Monday morning was my MUMS group meeting and Catherine had a well appointment in the afternoon. After her appointment I ended up getting groceries before coming home. Monday was also my day to work in the office, so once I was home I holed up there for the tiny bit of time left in the day. I didn't even put away the non-cold groceries.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As such, this is how my kitchen greeted me this morning:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinicsT6iHXaC7-MufNHko3pOYpVblvbvsaMyuw2r_3zZCXWx_iV5ocArp0H5fRqsbiWw4-gunS1zj3hTR5HncBfDYcd_Zpuw3D-eRB-8FhzfObhLRwJWas4R1-2cu0cobGzIAj0rHYIG0/s1600/20181030_103846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinicsT6iHXaC7-MufNHko3pOYpVblvbvsaMyuw2r_3zZCXWx_iV5ocArp0H5fRqsbiWw4-gunS1zj3hTR5HncBfDYcd_Zpuw3D-eRB-8FhzfObhLRwJWas4R1-2cu0cobGzIAj0rHYIG0/s400/20181030_103846.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The morning got off to a bit of a rocky start and a lot later than I wanted, but eventually the ball started rolling instead of skidding.<br />
<br />
Susannah did her piano practice, Charity unloaded the dishwasher and Sylvia had free time. After that, Susannah and Sylvia started their school-work for today. It's a challenge to get back into the discipline of staying focused and actually doing the work, but we managed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9kCPZ1WDwQUxARqDJq-PygsKn2Ztesw2Qtqey3QDCCYbIp0xcVvEt6plsB4CV_Kx-oKPrFEwnYUdoWjcJbt7PvPzo00fwnAoiBrzlk3gv0YebTMhfpMecE15FL1gU72dvtcPNSaFFkg/s1600/20181030_110519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9kCPZ1WDwQUxARqDJq-PygsKn2Ztesw2Qtqey3QDCCYbIp0xcVvEt6plsB4CV_Kx-oKPrFEwnYUdoWjcJbt7PvPzo00fwnAoiBrzlk3gv0YebTMhfpMecE15FL1gU72dvtcPNSaFFkg/s400/20181030_110519.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8HJ4YH1xdViJdhdaEyRv9hfWIytho65qTOhKQUpNQRd-xd_wbjjEecJGBN4wbt-06zQ2rIiLwPdyUNEIns9X_d9FHw2maUeSUGmgiLapX59MfdFoJB184Pkxht5lq-eFV0iPVMvrdR8/s1600/20181030_110528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8HJ4YH1xdViJdhdaEyRv9hfWIytho65qTOhKQUpNQRd-xd_wbjjEecJGBN4wbt-06zQ2rIiLwPdyUNEIns9X_d9FHw2maUeSUGmgiLapX59MfdFoJB184Pkxht5lq-eFV0iPVMvrdR8/s400/20181030_110528.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
While the girls did school I started cleaning up the kitchen. I started with the groceries because I was stepping around them to do anything. Plus Silas was wanting to open all the packages, and managed to open the lid AND the pull-tab inner lid of a can of peanuts!<br />
<br />
There was plenty of helping people with various needs mixed in every other minute or two. It seems to take forever to do a single task right now in life!<br />
<br />
Finally the groceries were away and Silas stayed busy for a bit "fixing" the kitchen door. He uses an old mixer attachment thing (that I no longer have the motor for) as a "screwdriver," and tinkers on the screws of the door. At one point he was outside fixing on the deck. He actually had gotten my meat thermometer to use at first, but I swapped him for the real pretend (??) screwdriver.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjFya-Il2ta-ivgwcDVnTSo1cAT8bWgKnGXcBZBugkIw4At3k692cNSNCJdWsO83a9QzB0IXX-FWgC99LGrj774mJDdpF9qUWeCIB9sDVYmkS01I-bf8Yen688zhLdK0gic4sq9VZZHA/s1600/20181030_110538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjFya-Il2ta-ivgwcDVnTSo1cAT8bWgKnGXcBZBugkIw4At3k692cNSNCJdWsO83a9QzB0IXX-FWgC99LGrj774mJDdpF9qUWeCIB9sDVYmkS01I-bf8Yen688zhLdK0gic4sq9VZZHA/s400/20181030_110538.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Charity played in the living room for quite a while. These magnetic tiles were a fun Aldi find a few months ago. I have always wanted some but never wanted to spend the money on them. When I saw them at Aldi they seemed to be a good price. The girls love playing with them, so it was a worthwhile purchase!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBd5Ewp_I8ksTpWp5Ch1YTjqkXEWInpzpvs9JU6TzhKzWl9DDIP3IRWtQ6wtUUpHWL6PzsSpcDCxiNex-WgXfFw4C1rNnRewlbJaOSH0_qGvXR2YJz6Ktnn7WAMSvnmsay4kV7_bTAv0/s1600/20181030_110652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBd5Ewp_I8ksTpWp5Ch1YTjqkXEWInpzpvs9JU6TzhKzWl9DDIP3IRWtQ6wtUUpHWL6PzsSpcDCxiNex-WgXfFw4C1rNnRewlbJaOSH0_qGvXR2YJz6Ktnn7WAMSvnmsay4kV7_bTAv0/s400/20181030_110652.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Before I got much headway on housework (oh, I did wash and dry some laundry here and there), it was time to make lunch. I made sandwiches for everyone else and a salad for myself. It was yummy: lettuce and spinach, tuna, apple, avocado and grapes drizzled with extra light olive oil and balsamic vinegar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIrIVExbtHptU7L2vhibEdD1uBBsP9y5MkjIIVYzbWFAzt1VGtEjy005wqwz_D-IypsybUrDzVyguJrgXQX-k4zy4DB-3kuuvbkxKOlp6VUVA3GMZjWidCteGsv-QmXMNprUwJIt5-Ro/s1600/20181030_133739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIrIVExbtHptU7L2vhibEdD1uBBsP9y5MkjIIVYzbWFAzt1VGtEjy005wqwz_D-IypsybUrDzVyguJrgXQX-k4zy4DB-3kuuvbkxKOlp6VUVA3GMZjWidCteGsv-QmXMNprUwJIt5-Ro/s400/20181030_133739.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
After lunch Susannah put away the food while I fed Catherine. Then I loaded Catherine into the Ergo (love that thing!) and we went for a walk. Our first stop was the chickens to look at the peeps that hatched while we were away.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGSMRxjActHHrubVEZlWM-M5g7g-yGqrw2uMbm9g_MSTt0rxFTE4ccWsDvtcNkla5Lsia-3ii3C_SmhfxECp9aLtygr6nj94p0XDRw3GAkvEc2j8dP_97z8cMvE8TRk_xGNatloAhz8k/s1600/20181030_141329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGSMRxjActHHrubVEZlWM-M5g7g-yGqrw2uMbm9g_MSTt0rxFTE4ccWsDvtcNkla5Lsia-3ii3C_SmhfxECp9aLtygr6nj94p0XDRw3GAkvEc2j8dP_97z8cMvE8TRk_xGNatloAhz8k/s400/20181030_141329.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Then we went to a "meadow" that is literally 1 house away from us to walk. This was the first time I took the kids for a walk like this. They loved it! We are definitely doing this more often. The weather was beautiful too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD5NmaeXYDrWOCVk2z-O4GmDPSOrc3Lxlpr8CCXwhNY3JEbfTpjcV5ma7LaYvhfwgWSeY00_saWG6De0h1a3vwybawJ5ZAxg-niaArJUMqqutbX7NtGhVNXFeWEdSvdkOD6RjwUbyYmI/s1600/20181030_142335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD5NmaeXYDrWOCVk2z-O4GmDPSOrc3Lxlpr8CCXwhNY3JEbfTpjcV5ma7LaYvhfwgWSeY00_saWG6De0h1a3vwybawJ5ZAxg-niaArJUMqqutbX7NtGhVNXFeWEdSvdkOD6RjwUbyYmI/s400/20181030_142335.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Silas held my hand for the first while. 😊 I tried to show him our shadows but he couldn't "get" it. Catherine fell asleep and was a content passenger.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02GVA669L86QdWG-jxa8HDudoOaN_iUO6W0z0JvvEtE2oq2vtbvugSk9qZ20NDKv27oqzY7K8P5VwkodbAxv9uTDSe9JjvuDTVr5AixlUXSw5kY7cjY7EUaa7GEJKIEpnGqWhBgnS7eM/s1600/20181030_142352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02GVA669L86QdWG-jxa8HDudoOaN_iUO6W0z0JvvEtE2oq2vtbvugSk9qZ20NDKv27oqzY7K8P5VwkodbAxv9uTDSe9JjvuDTVr5AixlUXSw5kY7cjY7EUaa7GEJKIEpnGqWhBgnS7eM/s400/20181030_142352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cm3scxj5_NUlE9WlWKXlyJrJizPZT0k8eGSxIZUrC572o3-dd-SQPnFL8bwq61S84SFmbQ01MIt0QKb_Uru734iXOiI2lAVlvHmcFYolcag6nj0mXlI_cm53uHGbs3gd5QO8daJXDhI/s1600/20181030_142405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cm3scxj5_NUlE9WlWKXlyJrJizPZT0k8eGSxIZUrC572o3-dd-SQPnFL8bwq61S84SFmbQ01MIt0QKb_Uru734iXOiI2lAVlvHmcFYolcag6nj0mXlI_cm53uHGbs3gd5QO8daJXDhI/s400/20181030_142405.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
I love the colors of fall and noticed the deep burgundy of these leaves. I think they might be Sumac but I'm not sure.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKLK_24pco7pvCd5q6hQA7_G23EZTZdc_PVqtZFCiLOFDiKtW1Ax4YZCz-MogZ1vPu7xkKOsOpaAiU-D9A6JQW9kYXyK2MyuBZZ5iFDXmgs0Xhy-uaFI7Hk1v-9MIkcRZP7sVXDlhNio/s1600/20181030_142526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKLK_24pco7pvCd5q6hQA7_G23EZTZdc_PVqtZFCiLOFDiKtW1Ax4YZCz-MogZ1vPu7xkKOsOpaAiU-D9A6JQW9kYXyK2MyuBZZ5iFDXmgs0Xhy-uaFI7Hk1v-9MIkcRZP7sVXDlhNio/s400/20181030_142526.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
This just begged to be photographed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9PHwdAgPwKKTQALv5HzYBET6GeqMZLVwY5fwkwKPd7a8OqIQgwIY_ojmiw3g_LVPLpQWCfKzx-jbmnRF5trKm02r3WTc7LpWLnGM80k_q_jGgg-6D2rdQgeOz08VjvpUBzTJx0gjfkI/s1600/20181030_142829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9PHwdAgPwKKTQALv5HzYBET6GeqMZLVwY5fwkwKPd7a8OqIQgwIY_ojmiw3g_LVPLpQWCfKzx-jbmnRF5trKm02r3WTc7LpWLnGM80k_q_jGgg-6D2rdQgeOz08VjvpUBzTJx0gjfkI/s400/20181030_142829.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On the way home Silas stopped often to collect rocks. It is interesting to see the difference between girls and boys! He also will collect sticks to carry. Hopefully I won't find toads in his pockets some day...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi7PQhkPhUy9AN-6qliE5awv28RHbVE-ja4EhWlIlKYrsPQ3-ZXlK2RicP3CuGAbVR96Qsya7jjpjRn4O34pHnNgGzQCu5g_kJKq_bAmG8EmCMM2E8g2GT6vUCDKfWK3Qbeg7lzliPPI/s1600/20181030_143411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwi7PQhkPhUy9AN-6qliE5awv28RHbVE-ja4EhWlIlKYrsPQ3-ZXlK2RicP3CuGAbVR96Qsya7jjpjRn4O34pHnNgGzQCu5g_kJKq_bAmG8EmCMM2E8g2GT6vUCDKfWK3Qbeg7lzliPPI/s400/20181030_143411.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
When we got back Catherine wanted to eat again. Susannah worked on her school some more (she was in Sloth mode all day). Silas went down for a nap and Sylvia and Charity played.<br />
<br />
I finished cleaning up most of the kitchen and then had the girls work on some picking up. Some worked more willingly than others.<br />
<br />
I made chicken pot pie for dinner. I just chopped up chicken to cook, added mixed vegetables, some chicken broth, 2 cans of Cream of Chicken, some Poultry Seasoning and some rubbed Sage. It filled the casserole dish to the brim, then I topped it with homemade pie crust.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RcNjpzG08eWojWR9szI50L0KsF9KUnx7OeejO__pSXmdDbuVkC2TIJuRZnwBEJsumrGl-qhfRdDmo2axB5qiE1MT7nyAqaOVKJwmlGRvTkq_4E0i35qvPgaVTywNd4rin5gefV4cNUI/s1600/20181030_175225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RcNjpzG08eWojWR9szI50L0KsF9KUnx7OeejO__pSXmdDbuVkC2TIJuRZnwBEJsumrGl-qhfRdDmo2axB5qiE1MT7nyAqaOVKJwmlGRvTkq_4E0i35qvPgaVTywNd4rin5gefV4cNUI/s400/20181030_175225.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
While it baked, Catherine ate again. About the time she was finishing I smelled something burning and thought the casserole was getting too overdone. As soon as I could I went to check, expecting to see burnt crust on the pot pie. Instead it had bubbled over a LOT, and was creating a puddle of oven lava on the oven floor. 🙄 Oh yay...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmfluFzi85UbFK41HOw1g58nZBNA3p1NSrQWgUKlkxxF5yArjfUw_DSwBsKyEBeKDD0efd0nwtU_i18q6xdCfg6v5WDDtXdRuGS5ikTb56FFwcpxBLbNvg5K8JYCIPMv3Vo1PU0xRXJQ/s1600/20181030_183438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmfluFzi85UbFK41HOw1g58nZBNA3p1NSrQWgUKlkxxF5yArjfUw_DSwBsKyEBeKDD0efd0nwtU_i18q6xdCfg6v5WDDtXdRuGS5ikTb56FFwcpxBLbNvg5K8JYCIPMv3Vo1PU0xRXJQ/s400/20181030_183438.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
Catherine was happy after eating and hung out in her seat while we ate dinner.<br />
<br />
After dinner it was baths for everyone. Daniel and I have a pretty good system down pat: I start with Silas and work my way up. As each kid is finished, he gets them dressed (well, Sylvia and Susannah don't need his help) and starts brushing hair and teeth. This works really well and really helps lighten my load.<br />
<br />
Eventually everyone was in bed, finally earlier than it had been for a while!! I went out and closed up the chickens, and came back to clean up the kitchen. (The oven spill will have to be cleaned later. This Mama can't be all things to all people and do all things too.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2JGXvXU_LdNUZsXGP1KDBsoHJq0eOysCB9qiFNDrG4Zm2R99NsxaqPhf-6Vv0Y6mP22SvS1WMvBpcGPkLAClXuoBNVUme-jmK6HWiqruMxbvVgGQYDCP9MTbrXHhyphenhyphenSL-Y5GAFfQvl_U/s1600/20181030_183447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2JGXvXU_LdNUZsXGP1KDBsoHJq0eOysCB9qiFNDrG4Zm2R99NsxaqPhf-6Vv0Y6mP22SvS1WMvBpcGPkLAClXuoBNVUme-jmK6HWiqruMxbvVgGQYDCP9MTbrXHhyphenhyphenSL-Y5GAFfQvl_U/s400/20181030_183447.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Oven Lava awaits...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'd hoped to get a lot more done than I actually did, but there were no dull moments in the day for sure.<br />
<br />
It was nice to end the day with a much cleaner kitchen even if I didn't get to every nook and cranny.<br />
<br />
The day ended with feeding Catherine once more before I went to bed myself.<br />
<br />
And that is a day in my life!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBDi0-GodoTJvTnaKSV6Avxy6-5_2A9z2ahmFJS9Pf0mnYoFGqe6tixdB4SAQvctFWb-MjhqRVwvUTwkcS_1vrolMK-XgMgxU_LNqS0_Y_dCuK8ZoRLgCMbdn2IumrHn1vde62UE2XoI/s1600/20181030_223422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBDi0-GodoTJvTnaKSV6Avxy6-5_2A9z2ahmFJS9Pf0mnYoFGqe6tixdB4SAQvctFWb-MjhqRVwvUTwkcS_1vrolMK-XgMgxU_LNqS0_Y_dCuK8ZoRLgCMbdn2IumrHn1vde62UE2XoI/s400/20181030_223422.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-61819645935742338922018-10-28T14:59:00.000-04:002018-10-28T20:09:07.661-04:00Favorite Fall Books for Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I am a bookworm through and through, and am thrilled to watch each of my kids be bookworms as well. My trouble though is knowing what are the <i>really great</i> books for little kids. Books for when they are past the board picture book stage but not into long stories quite yet. <br />
<br />
A few years ago I desperately wanted to add some seasonal books to our then meager children's book collection. Between asking friends and browsing kids books on the topics of "fall" and "apples" at the library, I found what became our 2 <i>very favorite</i> fall books. Both have their own elements of fun, both are illustrated with great pictures, and both are the perfect story-length for young listeners. {Depending on the attention span of your child or children, I would say these could easily entertain at least a 3 year old, probably even as young as 2 1/2 if your child is used to being ready to. My 6 and 8 year olds still enjoy reading or listening to these books read.}<br />
<br />
I first borrowed them from the library to see how we liked them. Sometimes books, while not "bad," are just kind-of "meh" and I wanted to give them both a trial run. We loved both of them <i>so</i> <i>much</i> that after we returned them to the library the girls continued to beg me to read them. So I found them online and ordered them. :) They are MUCH loved by each of our kids, and I will admit, I think they are really great too! I don't think I could choose between the two if I had to only keep one for our collection, they are that good!<br />
<br />
So what are these two books??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgCYxBKPOFPBjhQbiDphay296W0Xo00Rg24T_bYG4iLl46MRg3kPyfmDLpRmX_GH9prx8lEYfAl_Vi_di2BtscXZzkvET2esGAJ2IDGSs8s0d5x2T6QZW47uwVabtKt1C6nvZfe-ogyc/s400/fall-is-not-easy.jpg" width="257" /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br />
...and...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixERfUET7z-hyxfaVxJw0d_CqcbbCPHmWcM270HQ7F3V1jPSIeIVWo_-ImjLD7nYSRy2fdpz0v5otrYe2g8rZh5tgm8uZD4Q9MPQmJDJPj1yPIW4aR9Ebglvi-0SBSrHoyufVx2BS51vQ/s1600/20181025_150704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixERfUET7z-hyxfaVxJw0d_CqcbbCPHmWcM270HQ7F3V1jPSIeIVWo_-ImjLD7nYSRy2fdpz0v5otrYe2g8rZh5tgm8uZD4Q9MPQmJDJPj1yPIW4aR9Ebglvi-0SBSrHoyufVx2BS51vQ/s400/20181025_150704.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
(These are not in "favorites" order, I promise! You should have both of these!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://amzn.to/2CLni7Z" target="_blank">Fall Is Not Easy</a> is one that makes my girls laugh with each page turn. It was recommended by a friend who is a Kindergarten teacher as a book her students love every year.<br />
<br />
The story-line is simple as it follows a tree going through all the seasons of the year. The hardest season for the tree is fall. He has so much trouble getting his leaves just right. There are several silly pages as he tries and tries, over and over again. Finally he gets his leaves the right color and then... you'll have to read it to find out the end! 😉<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPS54WiDENWmqOSL1g3AELwEtHV_6ABdIbpXop4yPKsxBw0Yp3h0rUwt9gp2xZ1CG0DvzVKeegIDKu7IvFEIG4GhR9km7XRWlx0NZOqOgio8f5bpIo8NEa-TXmhv-ykYvx3kO0lmhWOE/s1600/fall-is-not-easy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPS54WiDENWmqOSL1g3AELwEtHV_6ABdIbpXop4yPKsxBw0Yp3h0rUwt9gp2xZ1CG0DvzVKeegIDKu7IvFEIG4GhR9km7XRWlx0NZOqOgio8f5bpIo8NEa-TXmhv-ykYvx3kO0lmhWOE/s400/fall-is-not-easy2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The pages are filled with pretty color pictures that follow the tree's experience. I love the detail that can be found if you look within the pictures: Look for the robin building her nest... the baby birds growing up and then leaving the nest. The flowers growing, blooming, wilting. Follow the squirrel as he darts around in the summer, later gathering and hiding nuts in the fall.<br />
<br />
My girls laugh and giggle with each page turn of this story. Even today when Charity (5) saw me writing this blog post she giggled and said, "Fall Is Not Easy! I love that book!"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://amzn.to/2CI4GFO" target="_blank">An Apple Pie for Dinner</a> is tied for favorite position among these two books. The mixed media illustrations along with the title are what caught my eye at first. Once we had the book I loved it right away. Perhaps my love of baking and working in the kitchen helps, but I think even non-kitchen-savvy people would enjoy this story.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEIuVp9tIJ3B_rH9N8_niF1mzs3ckmZtdjfAK2IOivB6ZazYoSN_zQYEMw4XzsOhGi2XJVp1hRG7dq7-6O68nOCRagBLhDM4SQuLKuwvYeVFNqc5EcO3ZNu3dHDH0oHdYCTC82hGWksY/s1600/20181025_150742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEIuVp9tIJ3B_rH9N8_niF1mzs3ckmZtdjfAK2IOivB6ZazYoSN_zQYEMw4XzsOhGi2XJVp1hRG7dq7-6O68nOCRagBLhDM4SQuLKuwvYeVFNqc5EcO3ZNu3dHDH0oHdYCTC82hGWksY/s400/20181025_150742.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a story of Granny Smith (haha!) wanting to make an apple pie but she doesn't have any apples. So she sets out to remedy that! Along the way she barters with people she meets, filling needs that they have, and in the end finally finds the apples she herself needs. Then she invites everyone to help make and eat the pie.<br />
<br />
I love the friendliness that Granny Smith shows in each situation she encounters. Early on she quickly trades away her plums for something she doesn't need, just because she is happy to fill the other person's need. <i>Psst, As you read this book to your littles, have them look for the ladybugs in every picture. It is one of the favorite things my littlest littles love to do as we read this story!</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HY78AJCfg40inoJUkYIeia0Iba-6ryuDUEsHstpHpsMCwOjzGOFwrWeaHII60Qxv33BfLVhZAKsIQ6nHwkJjv-j206hzBbKEdJxQB8UqemJr5lmAjA0rzGLXDPhrJiDLPRHC9ZE4LIA/s1600/20181025_150803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HY78AJCfg40inoJUkYIeia0Iba-6ryuDUEsHstpHpsMCwOjzGOFwrWeaHII60Qxv33BfLVhZAKsIQ6nHwkJjv-j206hzBbKEdJxQB8UqemJr5lmAjA0rzGLXDPhrJiDLPRHC9ZE4LIA/s400/20181025_150803.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In the back of the book is a recipe for an apple pie, and we have made it. It was a fun experience to make "Granny Smith's" apple pie, even though it wasn't my favorite apple pie recipe.<br />
<br />
If you are looking for books, I highly recommend these. You can get them from Amazon {<a href="https://amzn.to/2SoE95E" target="_blank">Fall Is Not Easy</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2Q5YMCp" target="_blank">An Apple Pie for Dinner</a>} but they may be available cheaper on E-bay; it would depend on the price and shipping. (Both books are Amazon Prime items, so shipping would be free if you have Prime membership.) These make great books for your own kids, for grandkids who come to visit, nieces, nephews, and they make great birthday, Christmas or baby shower gifts!!<br />
<br />
Let me know if you would like to hear more about our favorite books, and feel free to share your favorite titles! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.**</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I was not paid to write this post.
This is simply a product that I purchased and enjoy so much that I
wanted to share it with you, my readers. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">All opinions in this post are
mine.</span></i></div>
Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-38868198663917422882018-10-25T15:37:00.002-04:002018-10-25T15:37:16.036-04:00Kids In The Kitchen: Cooking With SylviaThis afternoon Sylvia and I worked together making dinner. I had gone down to the freezers this morning looking for dinner inspiration. As it was the first "cool" fall day, what better way to celebrate the arrival of cool weather than a cozy meal of beef stew? I got a beef roast out to thaw while we went about our morning of school and all the general goings on in a busy homeschooling, piano practicing, toddler-activity, baby-nursing household. 😊<br />
<br />
By early afternoon it was thawed and after Silas started his nap I asked Sylvia to come to the kitchen with me. I cleared off the counters while she got potatoes from the potato basket in the pantry. I peeled the potatoes and she cut them into large chunks, tossing them into the roaster. After we finished the potatoes, I peeled and she chopped up several carrots. Then I pulled out an onion. "Oh no, I'm not chopping that! I'm allergic to onions!" (She thinks that because it makes her eyes burn she is allergic. Haha!) So I peeled and chopped the onion for her.<br />
<br />
When we went to add the roast we realized that our <a href="https://amzn.to/2ELM0Yg" target="_blank">small roaster</a> wasn't big enough so we pulled out my <a href="https://amzn.to/2CH2tdS" target="_blank">big roaster</a> ($5 find at Goodwill!). We put the beef roast into the pan and seasoned both sides. Sylvia added the vegetables and arranged them around before we seasoned them. Next we sprinkled dried parsley all over everything. We both thought it looked pretty!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfad6uCjg7_JitMqsV9YkFkEmRtLum9vpvF89XFrY04wQTN6uvnhUk16d3iRsvTLvstIomEERKJevdV5JtxU0XmgkiPkqpsNWoSdyUb00eahSGn_3lFiguwZ8Qg1X2DF-V2v8NUJkTH4/s1600/20181012_154615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfad6uCjg7_JitMqsV9YkFkEmRtLum9vpvF89XFrY04wQTN6uvnhUk16d3iRsvTLvstIomEERKJevdV5JtxU0XmgkiPkqpsNWoSdyUb00eahSGn_3lFiguwZ8Qg1X2DF-V2v8NUJkTH4/s400/20181012_154615.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Seasoning for a Beef Roast:<br />
Season all sides generously with salt<br />
Sprinkle with a bit of garlic powder and pepper<br />
If adding potatoes and other vegetables, season them with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
Since this was a larger pan I did add about half a cup of water before we put it in the oven. Typically I don't add water as a beef roast (especially from a fattened beef animal) will render a nice amount of delicious broth.<br />
<br />
I had also been wanting to make a pumpkin pie and thought this would be a good meal with which to serve pumpkin pie. :) I found the recipe in my recipe book and showed it to Sylvia. While I mixed up the crust she worked her way through the ingredients list, making the filling. It was her first time independently following a recipe, but I wanted her to do it herself as much as possible. I knew there was a chance of something getting goofed up, but there is something to be said for independent learning <i>and</i> the experience of being trusted with following a recipe all by yourself.<br />
<br />
At one point she asked me to read the next ingredient amount (it was 3/4 tsp.) and I realized she had just interpreted 1/2 teaspoon as 1 teaspoon. Since she had just put in the salt, and we didn't want salty pie, I scooped some of it back out. After that she had me double check her reading of the measurements. She measured everything by herself! After she had everything added, she did the preliminary mixing and then I gave everything a good stirring to finish.<br />
<br />
The pie baked along with the roast, making the house smell wonderful! Supper was very delicious; the roast was amazing and had made a delicious broth that I made into gravy to pour over the vegetables. For dessert we had Sylvia's pie. It was very yummy and she was thrilled to serve it to us with whipped cream on top.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAr3Wi8wEY_ahmEtp0jaRjFezZ4F5Y8gVeOuJ_jI9XS3x9j1lbXyFfyC3EfysoG6q9cfE9iixg0OGYRrEanlxiNA5xC6LDq3INgQqXsSZoU8BCHXGIsW9h33mH28Has5r8Y0Kq2n-yVw/s1600/20181012_191551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAr3Wi8wEY_ahmEtp0jaRjFezZ4F5Y8gVeOuJ_jI9XS3x9j1lbXyFfyC3EfysoG6q9cfE9iixg0OGYRrEanlxiNA5xC6LDq3INgQqXsSZoU8BCHXGIsW9h33mH28Has5r8Y0Kq2n-yVw/s400/20181012_191551.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
The pie was a little "extra" with the spices, but for her first time measuring spices and making a pie, I think it turned out very well! I think the extra flavor came from accidentally packing the spices into the measuring spoons as she leveled them. I will show her next time how to better measure, but I didn't want to rain on her parade too much the first time.<br />
<br />
I am looking forward to having little cooks working in the kitchen with me this winter!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was not paid to write this post.</span></i></div>
</div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-53231528438565640772018-10-18T09:00:00.000-04:002018-10-18T09:00:07.898-04:00Catherine's Birth Story - Part 2In <a href="http://mycountrycupboard.blogspot.com/2018/08/catherines-birth-story-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, I left off when I was having mild contractions and was eating lunch. After I ate lunch I had to be on the monitors for 20 minutes. While we killed time in those 20 minutes Daniel finally settled on a girl name for if the baby was a girl, and we only had a first name for a boy. Nothing like last minute decisions! Amy had me in stitches with lists of the weirdest baby names ever. Amy watched the clock like a hawk and as soon as the 20 minutes of monitoring were up she went and found a nurse to unhook me so we could go walking again. If I have my times correct, it was right around 3pm when we started our next round of walking. During this time the contractions picked up in both frequency and intensity, but I was still doing the stairs and squats. I remember during one of my squats (during which I closed my eyes to focus through the pressure and contraction-like discomfort) some guy walked past and really questioned Amy as to if I was ok. I'm sure I was quite a sight, massively pregnant, dressed in 2 gowns, hanging off a hand-rail in a hallway. Haha!! She cheerfully assured him I was just fine. (Thanks for absorbing the awkward for me, Amy!!)<br />
<br />
Also during this time the lobby area seemed to be filling with people. I named it The Tourist's Trap, mentally choosing to not notice that there seemed to be 50 people I was parading past every little bit. I also had to stop at the one bathroom nearly every time we were at that end of our route. (Memorable, random note: the toilets are automatically flushing toilets. One of the toilets was "flushing" the ENTIRE time I was walking. I think their service men must have been hanging out with the security people who were supposed to unlock that supply closet in Part 1.) Amy later told me that not only were there a lot of people waiting for laboring mothers to deliver (I will never understand this), but also a lot of couples there for a L&D tour. I really was a spectacle! Haha! Tour exhibit 1: "Laboring Mother Walking Laps."<br />
<br />
I really have no concept of time-line at this point, but before our allotted walking time was over the contractions were strong enough that I was starting to slow or stop walking each time I had one. We got to one set of stairs and Amy suggested I do stairs again. I said "I don't want to do any more stairs." I don't know if I did one last squat there or if I said I didn't want to do any more of those either. We walked back to the other end of our route and I said I wanted to go back to my room. (They were SUPPOSED to be getting my room ready while we walked, moving me out of the bathroom stall sized Triage room.) As we approached the lobby full of people, I had to stop for a contraction. I knew they were getting a lot closer and a lot more intense. I either thought or mentioned to Amy that my goal was to get through the lobby and through the door to L&D before the next contraction. That meant I had to move fast, but I didn't want to stop mid-crowd of people. I waddled as quickly as I could and made a bee-line for the door. I had a serious conversation with the door guard person in my head, saying, "I am going through THAT door and it had BETTER be open when I get there!" Sure enough, somehow either Amy or I communicated to the guard that we were going back into L&D because they swiped their badge and opened the door for me. As soon as I was through the door the next contraction hit and I had to stop, but I'd made it through the crowd of observers!<br />
<br />
We still had to go to the Triage room, but once there I mentally refused to get on the bed or sit down. So I stood. In my mind if I got in the bed (1) they would take longer to move me, and (2) Triage rooms have gourneys instead of beds; gourneys are KILLERS to the read-end and tailbone!!! Plus they said they almost had a real room ready for me. During this time the room felt about 100° and I was roasting hot. Amy and Daniel took turns using the cafeteria tray from my lunch to fan me, which felt amazing. I was so hot that when they did come to take us to the real Labor and Delivery room (4pm), Amy took the tray along.<br />
<br />
Either before or right after we got to the room I asked to sit on a birthing ball. I had not liked it very well with any previous labors, but for some reason I wanted to sit on one. I sat beside the bed and labored while Daniel and Amy continued to fan me with the tray. Eventually I cooled off enough to ask them to stop. Around this time I also really wished I had actually put a CD onto my phone that I wanted to listen to so I could have a focal point. Instead focused on the chorus to the one song (my favorite), singing in my head. It was a peaceful and comforting distraction. (You can listen to the song <a href="https://youtu.be/PMd4o8HoH10" target="_blank">here<span style="color: #b00000;">.</span></a>) I had a rhythm of a rocking/swaying going on, but would stop as each contraction started, then I would resume once it left. Amy clued in to this, and began putting counter-pressure on my low back during contractions. She showed Daniel how to do it and they took turns. She also had a rice sock for me, but all I wanted to do was smell it. Haha! She puts essential oils in the rice and it had a very calming, peaceful effect for me. At one point, after every contraction I yawned a huge yawn. That was somewhat comical! Rock/sway, stop for contraction, yawn, rock/sway...<br />
<br />
Interestingly enough, with Silas' labor I was SO tired and felt like having lights on in the room would have helped. This time I had my eyes closed much of the time during active labor. Each labor is different!<br />
<br />
Eventually Amy commented that I was too comfortable and she wanted me to get up and move around after a few more contractions. While the contractions were not so much "painful," they were getting increasingly uncomfortable and growing in intensity. I had a love/hate relationship with Amy at that point, saying in my head, "I am NOT too comfortable!!" I did NOT want to get up to do ANYthing. I was very much in a zone, handling each contraction well, and I didn't want that rhythm interrupted.<br />
<br />
After several more contractions I decided to stall on Amy's suggestion and asked to go to the bathroom. (I guess I <b>really</b> didn't want to do whatever she maybe had planned!) I don't remember much of that at all except once I peed the contractions changed drastically. I don't remember how, but Amy and Daniel ended up in the bathroom with me while I was still on the commode. I was hanging onto Daniel's legs through the contractions that had grown in intensity about 3x what they had been before the bathroom trip. Not knowing that within what would seem mere minutes I would be having the baby, I said I thought I wanted an epidural. I was thinking I was probably at best around 8cm, and had probably another hour to go yet. I didn't want to labor for another hour+ with that level of intensity. Amy and the nurse both suggested that I should get in the tub. I adamantly declined. Partly because it didn't appeal to me at all in the moment (probably I would have liked it earlier), but the side of the tub looked about 4 feet high and I didn't want to have to climb in it.<br />
<br />
I made it back to the bed somehow, and no one made a move towards an epidural. I sat on the ball for another contraction or two before I leaned over and punched the call bell, asking for an epidural. I didn't know that both anesthesiologists were in emergency C-sections and wouldn't be available for a long time. Haha! They did send in someone from anesthesiology to put in an IV port, since 3 nurses hadn't been successful in their earlier attempts. Right before this, Amy had put a hair comb in each of my hands to grip; providing acupressure which both distracted and gave relief. The guy from anesthesiology thought it was a little quacky, I think. :P Anyway, with a lot of pain on my part, he got an IV port into the back of my hand, which hurt more than the contractions at that point! Ow!!! Next time I will decline it until I know for sure I need it!<br />
<br />
Then Amy said I needed to get onto the bed so the nurse could check me. I was having tunnel vision at this point and I think I looked at the bed in some kind of stupor. It also looked about 4 feet high and I had no idea how I was going to get onto the bed. (Amy told me later that she could see what I was thinking, but the bed was already as low as it could go, which is actually pretty low. Haha!!!) Getting onto the bed and onto my back was THEE most painful and difficult part of the whole labor and delivery. I think I was the most vocal through that than I was at any other point the whole day as I talked to myself the whole time... but I don't remember if I said my thoughts out loud or just in my head. Life was in slow motion and some details just vanished from my memory.<br />
<br />
I was finally on my back. Amy gave me her fingers to grip because being on my back was agony plus getting checked IS torture. The nurse started to check me and and instead found the baby's head at plus 2 station! (Which is pretty much ready to crown!) Amy asked if I felt like I needed to push and it was as if my brain only needed to hear the words. Immediately I nodded my head as I felt the baby being born. I don't remember really making any effort as my body was just pushing the baby out all on it's own, but I DO remember the nurse nearly yelling into her intercom "I need a table in here NOW! I NEED HELP! THE BABY'S CROWNING!" Amy said "oh yeah, there's the head!!", and then the baby slid out the rest of the way as the nurse yelled "I NEED HELP, THE BABY'S OUT!! Somebody call time!" (She was born at 5:42pm.)<br />
<br />
Right then the room was flooded with nurses and our midwife, they placed Catherine on my stomach, someone announced that she was a girl, and I, pretty much in shock at what just happened, looked at Amy and said, "WOW!!!" and laughed. All that happened pretty much simultaneously and couldn't have been more than a minute (or two, max) from the time the nurse realized the baby was crowning until Catherine literally slid out.<br />
<br />
Everything was a flurry after that. I got a glimpse of Catherine's face at one point and I thought that she looked like our baby. Not that she would not look like our baby, but her face was familiar, looking similar to our other babies when they were born. She looked like OUR baby.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrAdpIY5aWRBjC3_2RqLW3NTpKLXfURPZi-m1pKa_p0eVHAjpeewZ8LxFlb-lenJKgAeyu0Qfm3sXHihGi0ncrm9EEHaJdZFQumYKEk6SPs8X2GKY5upMXzPfk8lhQHA2z50Jjcnex4o/s1600/20180716_190910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrAdpIY5aWRBjC3_2RqLW3NTpKLXfURPZi-m1pKa_p0eVHAjpeewZ8LxFlb-lenJKgAeyu0Qfm3sXHihGi0ncrm9EEHaJdZFQumYKEk6SPs8X2GKY5upMXzPfk8lhQHA2z50Jjcnex4o/s400/20180716_190910.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneQDIHPOdTk_LRI74rsvLWCtNWbOZXSOwS3wxLh3TwrWgDlUwSdbMrCgcuQ8w-6vPGu60Tn6CzhA722Y3OhSbfPS02V5Dc21QLzhCZOPLBMOvZyrZl7ub3ejkdKMuEI_RubgxkD8jyH8/s1600/20180716_190929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneQDIHPOdTk_LRI74rsvLWCtNWbOZXSOwS3wxLh3TwrWgDlUwSdbMrCgcuQ8w-6vPGu60Tn6CzhA722Y3OhSbfPS02V5Dc21QLzhCZOPLBMOvZyrZl7ub3ejkdKMuEI_RubgxkD8jyH8/s400/20180716_190929.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
She weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. and was 20" long.<br />
This was my record-breaking labor, being the shortest at somewhere under 4 hours of active labor. Most definitely the fastest delivery. 😂<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2srcs_i8EUMqI1p6fQq5SABVbB3T0WAckgkCXpSdFj16HolKd5H59noHuSt77vi42-n2QivS0c3JR0Eejhs3lPLuGRlig2Oe9JDO4rnxP-rcok_9mdgfFl2iDxKwjxejttOT834d8CX4/s1600/20180716_195610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2srcs_i8EUMqI1p6fQq5SABVbB3T0WAckgkCXpSdFj16HolKd5H59noHuSt77vi42-n2QivS0c3JR0Eejhs3lPLuGRlig2Oe9JDO4rnxP-rcok_9mdgfFl2iDxKwjxejttOT834d8CX4/s400/20180716_195610.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
As the nurses were entering all the information, I overheard them talking about the timing of everything. "It asks for time of last cervical check, time pushing began, and time of deliver. Um... I'm just putting down 5:42 for all three!!"<span style="color: #009000; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<br />
Aside from the un-fun fundal massages, everything after Catherine's birth went great. I felt great, she was so soft and warm and snuggly, and on the OUTSIDE. Since they were so busy that day, it was nearly 2 hours before we were moved up to the mother-baby unit. Catherine went through the motions of her first feeding while we waited, and did a great job for her first time nursing. I kept waiting to have the post-delivery shakes like I had with Charity and Silas (with them it happened within an hour of birth) but it never happened. {I did experience them a few days after coming home.}<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfioY8Y3PuN3rjabqTOqSHLMGfGjAPfc9NGkDCUrfwM4H_zjg4QblbjLGnNDfd3ORsWGrq7JBtmGg1x05aSpSUOHcAqSxcsm-Yn5-q0s14k4zDIHBQjakuy3SpnlttCoEWsLhfJ3hPg4/s1600/20180716_200153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfioY8Y3PuN3rjabqTOqSHLMGfGjAPfc9NGkDCUrfwM4H_zjg4QblbjLGnNDfd3ORsWGrq7JBtmGg1x05aSpSUOHcAqSxcsm-Yn5-q0s14k4zDIHBQjakuy3SpnlttCoEWsLhfJ3hPg4/s400/20180716_200153.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
The most painful part (and really the only pain) of my recovery time in the hospital was my tailbone. It hurt SO badly the first day after she was born that the nurse had me take a Motrin, but that only took the edge off the pain. I'm not sure if it hurt so much from the time spent on the Triage bed or if somehow labor and/or the incredibly fast delivery may have contributed in some way. Thankfully by the 2nd day the pain was just a major discomfort, and through the first week subsided.<br />
<br />
That wraps up the story of Catherine's birth as well as I remember right now. She is a champion eater and sleeper, which has made our transition to having a new baby again be very easy in many ways.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mycountrycupboard.blogspot.com/2018/08/catherines-birth-story-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1 of Catherine's Birth Story</a>Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-8740186678233896822018-10-16T08:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T15:36:18.159-04:00The Great Applesauce Making of 2018This past Friday marked the end of our canning season for 2018. Before and after Catherine was born I canned peaches, and honestly had forgotten about applesauce. Somewhere in my mind I knew we were pretty much out of applesauce but I wasn't sure if I wanted to or could manage applesauce this year. And then my friend sent me a text asking me if I wanted her to get apples for me while she was getting her own. Of course without a moment of hesitation I automatically responded with "yes!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9skJEFT3xFrg2B0IFh1GdgA6rAEO-SvVGkjlKz7yiCSqjX2G3vDIX8tcmuPURtlD5qlaMK_Ps0b57rJZivzRNWCQCmPBhtj8O4CLCv2y5-x9rfLAtE1g-iUEsKlUZ1X_zdwLfPFvrbU/s1600/20180926_154144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9skJEFT3xFrg2B0IFh1GdgA6rAEO-SvVGkjlKz7yiCSqjX2G3vDIX8tcmuPURtlD5qlaMK_Ps0b57rJZivzRNWCQCmPBhtj8O4CLCv2y5-x9rfLAtE1g-iUEsKlUZ1X_zdwLfPFvrbU/s400/20180926_154144.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sylvia chopping apples.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When the 5 bushels of apples arrived on Friday reality set in: I needed to juggle homeschool, nursing Catherine, meals, laundry, and <i><b>making and canning applesauce</b>. </i>I decided I would just do it as best I could and not stress over anything that didn't get done. On days when we didn't go anywhere, at all, the day looked sort-of like this: breakfast and feed Catherine, get the girls started on school, do kitchen clean up, maybe start laundry, get the pots and cutting boards set up in the kitchen, get out the apples, and just get started. Of course this was all peppered with all the normal mom-things of meeting needs and helping little people, so it took a <i>lot</i> longer than it reads! But I wasn't in this to do it sprint style, I was doing it eat-an-elephant style: one bite at a time. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-qCz2ORVF1ZaO77Cin-_LQVK8r-S-tE5q34CHzQiu2KEMSQnVwAcmC77WdaDDt2ncLUwl2WS1H_-TL65Vv9urfZ-FqHrwvnbYu758sjUNJHePmFxeqksVxGiuvTmotMdFLaYGP0smsg/s1600/20180926_154212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-qCz2ORVF1ZaO77Cin-_LQVK8r-S-tE5q34CHzQiu2KEMSQnVwAcmC77WdaDDt2ncLUwl2WS1H_-TL65Vv9urfZ-FqHrwvnbYu758sjUNJHePmFxeqksVxGiuvTmotMdFLaYGP0smsg/s400/20180926_154212.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The reality would be that it was almost always early afternoon that I actually began working on peeling and chopping the apples. Silas loves fruit so he frequently stopped by for samples. The girls really wanted to help as well, and I wanted them to help (so they could participate <i>and</i> learn by doing), so often one of the 3 older girls would stand on a stool and chop the prepared apples into chunks and dump them into the large cooking pot. {Somehow I don't have any pictures of Charity helping me. :( She helped me for a little while one of the first days.}<br />
<br />
It would inevitably be near dinner-time by the time we had a batch of apples peeled, cored and chopped. The apples would cook through the evening and I would stir them every so often to keep them from burning and to get them to the "chunky applesauce" texture that we like. If things went really well, I was ladleing the applesauce into jars and getting them into the canner about the same time the kids went to bed. If I go the jars into the canner close to bed-time, I could go to bed myself at a decent (aka, before midnight) hour.<br />
<br />
We repeated that general scenario for many days. There were some days that applesauce just didn't happen at all. One day it was all I could do to get the apples in the pot to cook, so I put them on low heat overnight and they were perfectly cooked and ready to can the next morning. One day I thought I had more flat canning lids but I didn't. I canned what I had lids for and ordered lids from Amazon. (I love Amazon in this season of life!)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-ToLNC2XC7aFjknTTyzfMVTByvbF4ZZqxWk0ai7rYsZA6eVd7ps6HynVs48FIsGWpd2BwFlPQCE8YIBCWjr1kqSTL8rgLZ7MlIF25CzJdt4mFRN_CF3lU2D6Yce8GOqdeNOiUvuVhhk/s1600/20180927_164101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-ToLNC2XC7aFjknTTyzfMVTByvbF4ZZqxWk0ai7rYsZA6eVd7ps6HynVs48FIsGWpd2BwFlPQCE8YIBCWjr1kqSTL8rgLZ7MlIF25CzJdt4mFRN_CF3lU2D6Yce8GOqdeNOiUvuVhhk/s400/20180927_164101.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sylvia and I thought this apple didn't want to be turned into applesauce. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had one day "off" while we waited on lids and that day was consumed by cooking and taking food to a fundraiser in which our family was participating. That was a Saturday and the lids arrived Sunday. Daniel helped me Sunday afternoon and we got a big pot of apples cooking in a shorter amount of time. It was really nice to have his help and we got to spend that time together talking.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3G8j6YnzK_zUs_4tMjLrJLwo8Kl2cWZywxbRa9ayDktWLh4ajRJRZdhBOji2XzlNx9vQkyqwztfiamAbndQ1dbI3DrRYrwGw2Uts_s-mmfTgesM6df1Eu87OVJL2EH50PjW6gbQJTcxQ/s1600/20181004_185340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3G8j6YnzK_zUs_4tMjLrJLwo8Kl2cWZywxbRa9ayDktWLh4ajRJRZdhBOji2XzlNx9vQkyqwztfiamAbndQ1dbI3DrRYrwGw2Uts_s-mmfTgesM6df1Eu87OVJL2EH50PjW6gbQJTcxQ/s400/20181004_185340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At one point, Susannah was beside me chopping apples and ALL the other kids wanted to be in the kitchen. It felt a wee bit crowded sometimes!!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once I had plenty of lids, I was ready to have it finished. I needed to have the canning done so I could get back to all the day-to-day things that were majorly sliding... like my own laundry, and cooking dinners. We were eating "fast" food most days for dinner, which is handy, but gets old quickly. I kept powering through working as quickly as I could and we used paper dishes to cut down on dirty dishes and to save kitchen clean-up time.<br />
<br />
On Thursday I decided I was just going to go into power-mode and my #1 focus (aside from keeping the kids alive and fed) was going to be applesauce. I peeled and chopped and chopped and peeled, cooked and stirred, and stirred and cooked. I think I did a double batch that Thursday, and Sylvia helped me intermittently with chopping the apples.<br />
<br />
On Friday the light was at the end of the tunnel and I thought that if I pushed <i>really</i> hard I could finish. Susannah wanted to be my main helper, so she quickly finished her school for the day and joined me at the kitchen counter. I would peel and core the apples and she would chop. If she behind I would help her chop and then she would work at peeling an apple while I chopped for a bit.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjMhDGxdnA1vIzO4qmNUMV7k57gZxS79RQ7j0wbN6wVl0zSaXNw-uqmFyu7ZRaBKysQUxAJXCi6hHAW-a63egHbRpgbuqfZkCJxUt2kH4CP9RXr36U3-xdIK29hcuVSnz-Etdpfqc5os/s1600/20181004_185349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjMhDGxdnA1vIzO4qmNUMV7k57gZxS79RQ7j0wbN6wVl0zSaXNw-uqmFyu7ZRaBKysQUxAJXCi6hHAW-a63egHbRpgbuqfZkCJxUt2kH4CP9RXr36U3-xdIK29hcuVSnz-Etdpfqc5os/s400/20181004_185349.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susannah taking a turn peeling apples.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At one point we had finished the bowl full of apples and I stopped to feed Catherine. All on her own, Susannah got another load of apples and began peeling them. I was completely exhausted and ended up dozing while Catherine nursed and burped. When I mustered up my reserve to get back to the kitchen, Susannah had peeled a whole bunch of apples! I was <i>really</i> grateful for her willingness to work ahead, and for all of her help that day! It definitely made a difference in how quickly we finished. When the last apple was chopped up and put into the cooking pot, I gave a big cheer. Susannah thought I was <strike>a little</strike> really silly, but it was worth it!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuLGr6zeRunbj7NxF-Ah5dx55xShetGWL5fmoZMlZBmm8lhHoOkEP4A6kIAX42BGBCHEAMpAjbI9nlazL9XCZMCRS3tZV0QfBRhMqggJ5aP377u6TxLBO1Q6aVvCBpAAvgDWulOyS__M/s1600/20181004_185358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuLGr6zeRunbj7NxF-Ah5dx55xShetGWL5fmoZMlZBmm8lhHoOkEP4A6kIAX42BGBCHEAMpAjbI9nlazL9XCZMCRS3tZV0QfBRhMqggJ5aP377u6TxLBO1Q6aVvCBpAAvgDWulOyS__M/s400/20181004_185358.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She took her work seriously.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think I pulled the last jars from the canner sometime between dinner and bedtime, and as soon as the kids were in bed I crashed into my own bed. The next day it was an amazing feeling to know I didn't need to work on apples. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy making and canning applesauce and love homemade applesauce, it was just a LOT of work and meant that a LOT of other things were put on hold. When all the jars were put onto the pantry shelves, I counted up that we had canned 63 quarts. It's nice to have our very favorite applesauce stored up to enjoy this winter. :)<br />
<br />
Farewell, Canning Season, we'll see you next year... probably.<br />
<br />
These are the canning lids I purchased:<br />
<br />
Regular mouth <br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mycountrycupb-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01I456BUK&asins=B01I456BUK&linkId=fcf4cc42784cfa436922aebf47019e39&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
Wide mouth (I don't have as many wide-mouth jars as I have regular mouth, but wide-mouth is a lot easier to wash and get clean in the dishwasher!)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mycountrycupb-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00614S4NE&asins=B00614S4NE&linkId=f6502260613185d13731638a42fb0d0c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
This is NOT the same pot that I have, but if you are looking to purchase a quality pot that you can use for both canning and cooking, I believe this one would be a good one. It has a thicker bottom and is made from a higher-quality of Stainless Steel. {Note that you would also need a canning rack to keep the jars from sitting directly on the bottom of the pot. You can use a layer of extra canning rings in a pinch, but I find that over time the rings can leave rust stains on the pot. I have linked to a canning rack below.}<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mycountrycupb-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00EZS5PEO&asins=B00EZS5PEO&linkId=ee6b7d94d0fa979bd0caa97df1d13c40&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <br />
<br />
<br />
I do not have this specific canning rack but my mom has one like this and it works very well. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mycountrycupb-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0767LZGDM&asins=B0767LZGDM&linkId=1a82b45f679759f1d15dadf7e2d790f5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.**</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was not paid to write this post.</span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></i>Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-40823689516955791072018-10-14T16:08:00.000-04:002018-10-27T23:28:51.759-04:00New Bibs for CatherineOur first 3 babies (all girls) pretty much never drooled so the half dozen or so Minnie Mouse bibs we had were plenty, and got the most use when the girls started eating solid food. Enter stains. After 3 girls they were pretty beat-up looking. Then we had Silas who started drooling torrents around 3 months old and didn't stop until he was over 18 months old. We collected bibs left and right for him. We probably have around 30 bibs for Silas; I'm not kidding.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNKu3uGknuyBgh14rtwQMTelLlKWrlnto79qBEcgpII5r0ntbKKaQKIQtolqSuDC2s0fwbloiR2hZLwECH5qwwjFv7rWFLFXRDe5Hrkri27uJQ5JrZI8-qrXpiHMIjBcNeNemEJbfFl0/s1600/20181012_140545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNKu3uGknuyBgh14rtwQMTelLlKWrlnto79qBEcgpII5r0ntbKKaQKIQtolqSuDC2s0fwbloiR2hZLwECH5qwwjFv7rWFLFXRDe5Hrkri27uJQ5JrZI8-qrXpiHMIjBcNeNemEJbfFl0/s400/20181012_140545.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Then Catherine was born and I knew I would need to replenish our girly bibs. After using bibs for 8 years, I have figured out what I like and don't like in a bib.<br />
<br />
Dislikes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Thin, single or double-layer terry cloth. Drool (or drips from cups) soak right through and quickly saturate the bib and anything it is covering. Basically they don't really work at all other than for appearance's sake.</li>
<li>Bibs that tie. I'm not sure how many bibs are sold these days that tie, but ties are a pain when you are changing bibs every 20-30 minutes.</li>
<li>VELCRO. Velcro is nice and sweet when the baby is not yet mobile and doesn't have the dexterity to pull the bib off. Once the baby can grab and pull, unless you have brute-strength velcro, bibs get pulled off... once again defeating the purpose of wearing a bib in the first place.</li>
<li>Lint-saturated or simply worn out velcro. I have tossed more than one bib that the velcro had either gotten so packed full of lint, or the "sticky side" had worn out, that the velcro just held together if you didn't move at all. That doesn't work well at all. </li>
</ul>
Likes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Absorbent fabric!! </li>
<li>Double layers of fabric!!</li>
<li>Light-weight, because once a bib starts soaking full of drool it gets heavy enough without being heavy, drool-soaked fabric.</li>
<li>SNAAAAAPPPPS Oh my, snaps are the best thing ever for bibs. Especially if there are 2 sets so the neck-hole can be adjustable as the baby grows.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82pn-ytJ791zc3xLt4Te7sLb0YPuYQxBcX4MXtYHO0mndLIFkgYiHqJFLNHkCnS_kPkl8c-VowspeGBoj9BOJlAk-3v9vaN_W8jGFmVMtCqzr1ZjgnkAk2Y2p5QvkuFQWsILSkFpyXlg/s1600/20181012_193935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82pn-ytJ791zc3xLt4Te7sLb0YPuYQxBcX4MXtYHO0mndLIFkgYiHqJFLNHkCnS_kPkl8c-VowspeGBoj9BOJlAk-3v9vaN_W8jGFmVMtCqzr1ZjgnkAk2Y2p5QvkuFQWsILSkFpyXlg/s400/20181012_193935.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
That said, Catherine started drooling a little, just enough that I decided to go ahead and order some bibs. I went to my handy-dandy Amazon app during one of Catherine's feedings and scrolled through bibs. I was looking for pretty and feminine, snaps, and a decent price. I am one that doesn't simply hunt down the most inexpensive of a product just to save a few pennies or dollars. Generally I go for a balance of quality and cost. Sometimes that means paying more for an item, but I am happy to pay a little more and the product last longer/work better.<br />
<br />
In my browsing, <a href="https://amzn.to/2yDuJu0" target="_blank">these bibs</a> caught my eye. I looked at a few more but ended up coming back to these and ordering them. When they arrived Sylvia opened the package and asked if she could unpack them. They are so pretty. Sylvia unpacked them from their box, ooh-ing and ah-ing over each one as she laid them all out to view. Each one was her new "favorite" though the one with pink cupcakes stayed at the top of her favorites.<br />
<br />
Since we have gotten them, Catherine has put them to good use and they are working very well! They haven't soaked through yet, but have gotten quite wet. Maybe I am changing them before they soak through, or possibly the fleece backing (100% organic cotton for the front, and polyester fleece for the backing) helps keep it from soaking through. Either way, I am really happy with them. {Note: I did not purchase them because they are made with organic fabric, but I certainly don't mind that part. :) }<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0K_wFs5ahS340D9h9jOe7LBomLl04RkuEJtX_4XiF4SjobHvXwFb5FXxHE-ziPG9nUydV8SZWImdCIe6-L36rmjvRcDvi75Iwj1P2x_uK3oQQ-vusGiy9DrgBq-FqTNfHBiiSWFw-u8/s1600/20181012_193835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0K_wFs5ahS340D9h9jOe7LBomLl04RkuEJtX_4XiF4SjobHvXwFb5FXxHE-ziPG9nUydV8SZWImdCIe6-L36rmjvRcDvi75Iwj1P2x_uK3oQQ-vusGiy9DrgBq-FqTNfHBiiSWFw-u8/s400/20181012_193835.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I would definitely buy these bibs again. They fit all of my requirements, are affordable, and are pretty bibs for a pretty little girl. :) If you would like to look at them or purchase them, you can find them here:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mycountrycupb-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B07C91F97P&asins=B07C91F97P&linkId=c906b449dbf8243b38ad13a749d6ad14&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.**</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was not paid to write this post. This is simply a product that I purchased and enjoy so much that I wanted to share it with you, my readers. All opinions in this post are mine. </span></i></div>
Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-43785749033171227932018-08-08T15:44:00.000-04:002018-08-08T15:44:52.390-04:00Catherine's Birth Story - Part 1Our family welcomed our 5th baby, Catherine Joy, on July 16th. Here is her birth story:<br />
<br />
Monday, July 16th was my due date based on the early ultrasound I'd had sometime around my 11th week of pregnancy. The Friday prior to the 16th I had a routine prenatal appointment with my OB (whom I like very much). For 3 of my previous deliveries, I had been induced within a few days before or after 41 weeks pregnant. For the sake of my emotions, I had decided on a mental due date of July 23rd. At my appointment I even set up an appointment on Thursday the 19th for the required "past due-date" non-stress test because, well, I was just planning that I would not have the baby until sometime around 41 weeks. We weren't doing a lot of school and I had a few projects I wanted to wrap up, plus a few special things I wanted to do with the girls and Silas to kill time while we waited for the baby. I planned to gather up most of the stuff I wanted to take to the hospital, get out the coming home outfits (one for a boy, one for a girl, because we don't find out the gender ahead of time), raise the crib mattress and put sheets on it, and so on. I also wanted to make soft pretzals, some cookies, a few breakfast things to freeze, and maaaybe even doughnuts. Just things to keep me from dwelling on being "past" my due date.<br />
<br />
At my doctor's appointment on Friday, Dr. P checked me and I was 3cm, almost 4cm. She was dead serious when she said "I don't think you'll make it through next week," to which I laughed. She asked what I thought, I said I was sure I wouldn't have the baby until my 41st week. We talked through a spontaneous induction scenario that I liked, because I don't like scheduled inductions, and I came home. I did a lot of office work getting things wrapped up before I would be "off" for a few-several weeks. I made sure bills were paid, deposits put in the bank, and basically just tried to get as much done as I could. Daniel brought home dinner, and we had a nice at-home date before we went to pick up the girls and Silas from his parents' (they keep the bigger kids most Fridays while I do office work for Daniel's business).<br />
<br />
On Saturday I felt a little uncomfortable and had some other indicators that made me tell Daniel "this is probably just from her checking me yesterday, but sometimes people have their babies within 24 hours of this." A friend from church sent me a text and asked me if I could sub for her in her Sunday School class as she needed to be home with a sick child. I said I would, IF I wasn't in the hospital. I wasn't, so I subbed for her. After church several people commented that "tomorrow (16th) was THE day!" I laughed and said I was sure it wouldn't be Monday at all.<br />
<br />
I slept REALLY good Sunday night. I got up with Daniel, showered, and dressed and was downstairs earlier than I had been in a long time. The girls and Silas weren't even awake yet. I was going to enjoy the quiet house and a cup of coffee as I made my breakfast and prepared theirs. I sat down to put on my shoes. I tied my right shoe and leaned over to tie my left shoe when I felt an unusual sensation of wet. I quickly tied my shoe, wondering "did my water just break??" and stood up to keep the rocking chair from getting wet... IF, in fact, my water had broken. Upon standing, I pulled my skirt up and observed rivers of liquidy stuff running down my legs. I knew that it wasn't my bladder leaking. {Side note: My water has NEVER spontaneously broken before, so this was a WHOLE new experience. Shockingly surprising to say the least!!} I grabbed my phone and dialed Daniel as I walked to the kitchen. I grabbed 2 kitchen towels and stuffed them between my legs, and waddled back to the school room to wipe up the drips on the floor. Daniel didn't answer, so I walked outside to talk to him. He was on the phone, talking to a customer and loading equipment into his van in preparation for his work day. (He has his own HVAC business.) He had just hung up so I yelled at him from the kitchen porch, "You're not going to work today!!" We both looked at each other in surprise as I told him my water had just broken. He had to make several phone calls to get things in place for NOT working that day after-all, and I began calling my mother-in-law. I called and called and called, and she wasn't answering her phone. I was beginning to get a little panicked and called a friend from church with whom I had *just* discussed, the day before, this very scenario happening. She assured me that we could take the kids to their house if we needed to. Then I called my father-in-law, who had just stepped out of a meeting. He said my MIL was home, but would be leaving at 9:30 for an appointment. I called her over and over again a few more times and she still didn't answer. Since I knew she was home, I went into highest of speeds to get the kids awake and into the van so we could get them to her house before she left. I had Susannah and Sylvia put a change of clothes into their bag, picked out a set of clothes for Charity and Silas, and was giving out instructions left and right as fast as they completed each task. They were crazy excited but also working quickly, knowing the sense of urgency and the need to beat the clock that was creeping closer and closer to 9:30. If you have ever watched the original "Yours, Mine & Ours" movie (Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball), the scene where he is running down the hall banging on the bedroom doors shouting, "Red Alert! Red Alert!" came to mind. I felt like I was doing my own version of "Red Alert!" and laughed about it several times.<br />
<br />
The girls and Silas were about ready to go and I had the girls carrying things out to the van. I was trying to make breakfast for Daniel and myself when my phone rang. I answered it and it sounded like a hen squawking on the other end. It was my MIL. To the best that Daniel and I have deduced, my FIL called their neighbor and asked her to go tell my MIL to answer her phone. Haha! My MIL was totally beside herself in excitement. We discussed how/when/where to trade off the kids and she decided to come pick them up and we would swap vehicles. That took the time-stress off of me, and Daniel came in soon after and was able to help get Silas ready to go. I called our doula to let her know what was going on; she planned to meet us at the hospital about 30 minutes after we would get there. I wasn't having any contractions though things did feel differently. I went upstairs and began throwing things into a bag for myself. I have learned over the last 4 times what I like and want to take to the hospital. The one thing I hadn't gotten out was comfy pants to wear and wear home. I had to dig around in my closet and my bin of maternity clothes to try and find them. I was feeling anxious and wanted to get to the hospital before I had the baby at home or in the car, haha!! I also wanted the kids gone so I could have a 1-track brain with which to focus. <br />
<br />
My MIL arrived and much to my amusement took nearly very clean towel from our linen closet and not only layered a bunch on the front passenger seat of her car, but she had also basically made a bed of towels in the back seat. Hahaha!! She came upstairs to chat (I wasn't really in the mood but put on my cordial face) and gave her version of instructions for what to do if I had the baby en-route to the hospital (I wasn't overly amused; I had delivered 4 babies just fine so far and was certain that if I were to have the baby outside of the hospital between Daniel and I we wouldn't be wondering what to do with the baby. :P ) After a quick hug she left and took the kids with her. Ahh, the house was finally quiet and I could think. I finished loading my bag and came downstairs, deciding I wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee on the way to the hospital, PLUS I wanted to mental clarity and energy it would provide. (My labor and delivery with Silas was done in a complete brain fog of exhaustion; I didn't want a repeat if I could help it.) I had eaten an egg and cheese sandwich, and also began drinking water to be sure I was well-hydrated.<br />
<br />
Daniel and I had a nice ride to the hospital, visiting and just enjoying being together. At one point I was replaying the "Red Alert" clip from Yours, Mine & Ours on You-Tube and was laughing a lot. I think I was on some kind of "new adventure" high... our baby coming ON it's due date, my water breaking on it's own, knowing we were going to have a baby within hours... it kinda puts you on a high!!<br />
<br />
Daniel dropped me off at the hospital entrance and I stood there and waited probably at least 5 minutes for them to let me into the Labor and Delivery unit. I debated walking while I waited but baby felt much lower than before and I didn't want to start anything without anyone there. Haha!! They put me in a Triage room and I donned 2 gowns (one forward and one backward) and the nurse began the 101 questions. The big question of the day from the nurse and the midwife was "You think your water broke? Was it a huge gush?" To my response of "yes, I know it broke but it wasn't a huge gush. I did soak 2 kitchen towels while I got ready to come, though," they ALWAYS said "well... that's a good story." I don't know why they doubted that I knew what I was talking about. They hooked me up to monitors but the midwife wanted to do the test to make sure my water had actually broken before they did anything else. And the waiting frustration began. In my mind I was going to arrive at the hospital, answer the questions, and go walking with our doula, and have the baby by early afternoon at the latest, best case scenario and not outside of what would be normal for me. Lo and behold, the test strips for checking for amniotic fluid were locked up in some closet that only a security person could unlock and security never arrived to unlock the closet. The L&D was completely full and our nurse and midwife were obviously busy as well. I was thirsty and finally Amy went and got me a drink in a styrofoam cup. Finally about 12:30 (after waiting for 1 1/2 hours in the bed, with my tailbone and backside beginning to really ache because those beds are horrible) the midwife decided to check me without first doing the amniotic test. Lo and behold she discovered that I was right; my water HAD broken (hello, duh!!), and I was still between 3-4 cm, but 60% effaced. That 60% news was exciting to me, it meant progress was happening even though I wasn't having contractions.<br />
<br />
As soon as the midwife was finished, Amy took me walking. We walked the L&D halls a few times but could not find any stairs. With permission we went and walked and walked and walked the hospital, making our way between two sections and doing the stairs at each end. She also had me do a deep squat after each set of stairs. (By deep, I mean hanging on the hand-rail, knees to my chest and backside nearly on the floor.) The squats were definitely uncomfortable but not painful, and seemed to be very beneficial in making progress. After our first walking session, we had to go back for another round of monitoring. By that time I was roasting hot from the hot stair-wells and the roasting hot hallways of the hospital, and I was starving hungry. Without asking permission from the nurse or midwife, Daniel left to go get some lunch for me and him from the cafeteria. When the nurse came in and asked how I was doing, I said "hot and hungry!" and asked for a real cup of water. When she heard that I was going to eat, she said "I didn't hear anything about that," meaning she was going to ignore the fact that I was eating before having a baby. (Eating during labor is very new in this hospital.) Daniel brought back 2 trays of food and let me choose which one I wanted to eat. The options were a meal of seasoned fish, rice and some vegetables, and a BBQ sandwich and I forget what else. Since throwing up is a possibility, I decided I would rather throw up fish than BBQ and ate the fish. It was completely tasteless to me except for the tarter sauce I put on top of it. Then I dug into the wild rice, hoping for some flavor, and it tasted like I was chewing rye seed from the grain drill back home. Hahahaha!!! We all had a good laugh about that. Daniel exclaimed how good his BBQ sandwich tasted, and knowing I love really good BBQ, offered me a bite. I took one and the flavor of electrical smoke filled my mouth. It tasted absolutely nasty to me. We decided that being in labor had changed my tastebuds temporarily. At this point I was having some mild contractions but they were irregular and not strong enough for me to really pinpoint a start or stop time.<br />
<br />
I am going to post this as "Part 1" to keep it from turning into a longer-than-long post, and you can read Part 2 once I get it written. Plus I have some little people that need some adult encouragement to stay focused on their work. :) Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-87342903045247721692018-05-10T22:46:00.000-04:002018-05-11T08:22:29.702-04:00God Provided A Sane Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm just going to spill from within for this blog post. Usually I try to organize my thoughts at least, but not this one. So word spilling forthcoming!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I. Am. Pooped. Like feeling more tired physically and mentally than I have in a long time. In reality, I have myself to thank. I'm the one who decided it would be nice to makeover Susannah's bedroom before Sylvia moves in with her. I'm the one who is doing this mostly solo in my 30th week of pregnancy. However, as much as the want to is still there, I am reminded that my body is doing a lot of work already and I'm pushing myself probably a little more than I should. But other than legs, feet, hips, back, and shoulders aching... I feel fine. Just completely and totally spent.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIjIbVuUTxLlaAYlvYu_Vu1gVIEppsB6zlSAHTfpQJrO5Tz2_jp7SYK5lw8raVme4Ta6JURhc2sFfNpTnsywVj2ODfGra-taRjkj_6FYjGvs2cfSX7EPbFRFf57djMT2SXj7VKguMQps/s1600/20180510_182916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIjIbVuUTxLlaAYlvYu_Vu1gVIEppsB6zlSAHTfpQJrO5Tz2_jp7SYK5lw8raVme4Ta6JURhc2sFfNpTnsywVj2ODfGra-taRjkj_6FYjGvs2cfSX7EPbFRFf57djMT2SXj7VKguMQps/s400/20180510_182916.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This furniture is what I left in the room. It has been grunted around multiple times as I painted all 4 walls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am doing my best to power through this project because I am a "either do it and get it done or don't do it at all" personality. (I can see that there are benefits to both bulldozing through projects and working on a project more sanely paced.) Part of my desire to not drag this on is that I am very eager to have Silas moved downstairs so I don't have to lug him up and down the stairs for naps and bedtime. Last week he randomly tried to launch out of my arms for some unknown reason as we were halfway down the stairs. I barely kept him and myself from crashing down the remainder of the way!<br />
<br />
So I've been pushing myself, largely ignoring the housework (hello cases of paper dishes for such a time as this!), and the girls have been having a wee bit more free time than usual. Which ... always leads to squabbles. Painting when Silas is awake is pretty much the end of his world because he wants to be IN the room WITH me. All of those things together pushed me to get it done in as little time as possible.<br />
<br />
That meant when I had ONE wall left to paint last evening, I pushed through and painted the last wall (after Daniel kindly helping me unload 30 zillion pounds of books and moving the bookcases). Then I had cleanup. It ended up being almost 2am until I lumbered upstairs to crash into bed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzaRNMPMCvKUmm3Odg_NNXmtpwWbie3wM5DmzRwtaYNL8BFxHkzx8QR0jhp30acL9GT2FP29BrlmsfBV9q18Er8g_Lhq7zXwqc_wxypbuBDwy9W3_z3P2iHJFSsCJdN1wBxYMZHy9qKY/s1600/20180506_183520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzaRNMPMCvKUmm3Odg_NNXmtpwWbie3wM5DmzRwtaYNL8BFxHkzx8QR0jhp30acL9GT2FP29BrlmsfBV9q18Er8g_Lhq7zXwqc_wxypbuBDwy9W3_z3P2iHJFSsCJdN1wBxYMZHy9qKY/s400/20180506_183520.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare, sweet few minutes from Sunday afternoon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So physically tired, pregnant body that wakes up multiple times a night to shift, move, roll over, combined with a very SHORT amount of sleeping hours (piano lesson this morning), and I was tired. My body was tired and my brain was tired<br />
My temper and patience were trying to ride the Tired Train as well. Why? Just because when I'm tired I don't want to have self control. Self control takes effort. It takes thinking before I speak. It means remembering that just because I don't want to or feel like [whatever] doesn't mean everyone else is feeling the same way.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvgIstRA2JjG0iwDBWeupYTbRZxOGBBahr59Z4KdOyRjKARyZAYnTJD_z5MsCBUrlwKE6yg__gcunenfHaTQNMMxwSNyHnoqvZQgTx7-_TeCdIDVItTEwIb41r4i5JrSR1BmL8US5tbo/s1600/20180506_182059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvgIstRA2JjG0iwDBWeupYTbRZxOGBBahr59Z4KdOyRjKARyZAYnTJD_z5MsCBUrlwKE6yg__gcunenfHaTQNMMxwSNyHnoqvZQgTx7-_TeCdIDVItTEwIb41r4i5JrSR1BmL8US5tbo/s400/20180506_182059.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He will climb any stool left in his reach!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
By dinner time today I was propping my eyelids open with toothoicks. Walking took conscious effort. I messaged Daniel hopeful but doubtful that he would be home for dinner (his work is like every dam and retaining wall broke loose). He confirmed he was still out for a while yet. As I stood there chopping a quick salad to go with stuffed shells from the freezer, I honestly didn't know how I could stay awake for 3 more hours let alone care for 4 other people. So... I prayed. I don't remember what I prayed but it was basically "Lord, I can't do this alone. I need You to supply what I need in order to make it."<br />
<br />
When I was serving up everyone's food it dawned on me. Everyone helped get the table ready for supper. Everyone was sitting with good attitudes. No one was whining or bickering because "she X, Y or Z-ing and I don't like it." The girls were speaking kindly and politely. They had ALL gotten their own cups of water WITHOUT me telling or reminding them. The entire meal was pretty much this way. God was giving me what I needed in that moment to make it through. He didn't put a huge burst of energy into my body. He didn't suddenly remove the exhausted, aching discomforts in my body. He didn't fast forward time so we were all suddenly through the evening and tucked into bed asleep. He did a simple thing I could have easily missed: He gave me 4 cheerful, content, helpful children who ate like champions. After dinner He gave me an out of the blue idea for how I could sit on the couch with my feet up... and direct a "workout session" for the girls on the living room rug. They loved it! (Silas was enamored to hold my phone and crawl around and sit beside me on the couch.) He gave me girls who asked to get into their pajamas as soon as dinner was over (I didn't need to tell them). He gave me girls that brushed their own teeth while I put Silas to bed. He gave me a girl who didn't complain once when I reminded her of our (newish) rule that if her blankie isn't on her bed at bedtime, she goes without it. And now He has given me a quiet house as I prop my feet up.<br />
<br />
God is so good and provides above and beyond anything we could think or ask. I could have asked for specifics and then chosen to be disgruntled when He didn't answer to the T of my request. However, when I asked just to get through, He provided perfectly as He always does (it is often our desires and ideas of "perfectly" that are skewed). It is rare that a single-parent evening goes this smoothly for me, especially when single parenting happens multiple days in a row. (Hmm... do I need to learn from this??)<br />
<br />
So... just be encouraged and reminded that sometimes just asking without being specific is all we need to do.<br />
<br />
Now I am going to go slather my aching legs with some essential oils and crawl in bed. The bedroom make-over will resume tomorrow. After I get some sleep. The next step is putting all the furniture back. Perhaps I will eat Wheaties for breakfast, haha!!<br />
<br />
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-71196105066837292662018-04-15T23:59:00.000-04:002018-04-16T06:53:05.847-04:00Weekly Menu Plan, the "We are BUSY" version!!I will admit, it was tempting to just skip a menu plan for this week. When I look at the calendar for this week, I have to take a deep breath and know it's all going to be ok. Just because we've had a few weeks of normalcy doesn't mean we've escaped weeks that are hectic and crazy. I'm trying hard to embrace a "we can do this and do it sanely" approach.<br />
<br />
You probably already know that we homeschool, and in our state we are required to do end of year testing and turn in the test restults to our county school board. I'm totally fine with that. We have a wonderful group of homeschoolers in our church and each spring we have a few ladies that organize a testing week for all of us that wish to participate. We get together and our kiddos test together by grade. This week we have testing Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. This means we are gone 3 mornings, all morning, and I need to be VERY proactive to get us out the door much earlier than usual. The sensible side of me (not the wimpy side of me) knows that for us to leave on time, all the wheels must be well greased and everything ready to be set in motion. "To fail to plan is to plan to fail" doesn't sound so exciting after all.<br />
<br />
That said, some of our breakfasts will probably be eaten on the road, and they need to be speedy-prep-friendly. Our lunches will be any combo of leftovers or sandwiches, and a few of our dinners will be easy-peasy as well because we also have a variety of doctor appointments this week... of course!!! When it rains, it obviously pours. :) (Hooray for grace for every moment!!)<br />
<br />
Without further ado, here is this week's menu plan:<br />
<br />
Sunday:<br />
Breakfast - freezer french toast for everyone else, ham/provolone sandwich for me<br />
Lunch - sandwiches<br />
Dinner - A hodge-podge breakfast for dinner that consisted of waffles, apple crisp with yogurt, the last 5 strips of bacon from an open package that needed eaten, and the rest of the leftover sausage/sweet potato dish I made last week.<br />
<br />
Monday: Testing all morning and then I'm getting together with a few other MOPS moms late afternoon and evening to do some major freezer cooking.<br />
Breakfast - scrambled eggs and ham, toast<br />
Dinner (Daniel will be home with the kids) - Stuffed Shells (freezer) and Italian Cheese Bread. I might put together a salad, not sure yet how time will work out.<br />
<br />
Tuesday: Testing all morning, Susannah has 2 doctor appointments in the afternoon so Daniel will be home in the afternoon and I won't be home to make dinner.<br />
Breakfast - Strawberry Muffins, Yogurt (Silas will get a muffin and fruit/yogurt pouch)<br />
Dinner - Chicken & Dumplings (freezer, crockpot meal), this was one thing I didn't get made on last week's menu.<br />
<br />
Wednesday: HOME!! Woohoo!!<br />
Breafkast - Oatemeal with fruit<br />
Dinner - Chicken & Rice Casserole (that I'll actually be home to make!), vegetable<br />
<br />
Thursday: EARLY appt for me (glucose test, meh), Daniel takes the kids to Testing<br />
Breakfast - Muffins & Yogurt<br />
Dinner - Leftovers<br />
<br />
Friday: Office Day/Kids at Grandma's<br />
Breakfast - Cottage Cheese Eggs, Toast<br />
Dinner - Whatever I find in the fridge<br />
<br />
Saturday:<br />
Breakfast - Cereal<br />
Dinner - TBD<br />
<br />
Really sadly (to me), I am on an egg sabbatical. Every so often (as in, this might be the 3rd time in nearly 14 years?) I randomly get excema from eating eggs or foods made with lots of eggs. Recently it broke out all over my jaw, cheeks, neck and the backs of my hands. I have never had excema on either of those areas before, so it took me nearly 3 weeks of misery to figure out it was eggs. I have missed eggs SOOOO much this week!!! I love eggs for breakfast and life doesn't seem complete without eggs. Especially as I am nearly in the 3rd Trimester of this pregnancy, I get hungry and eggs with breakfast or a few scrambled eggs as a 4th meal were a go-to that really satisfied my hunger. I am still trying to find "that food" that will have the same filling satisfaction. I'm also hoping and praying that by the time the baby is born I will be able to eat eggs again at least in moderation. I don't remember how long of a break I have had to take in the past.<br />
<br />
All that to say, my breakfasts are more time consuming and challenging right now. Instead of being able to throw some eggs in the skillet when I'm needing a quick breakfast... well, I'm not sure what I'm going to do! Currently my plan is to just make time to make a decent breakfast for myself so I'm not pigging out on carbs (which leave me feeling hungry too soon, and then the cycle continues). This past week I ate mostly spinach or brussels sprouts sauteed with onion and ham or Aidell's sausage. Enough of all of those ingredients plus a piece of toast seems to work, but takes a few minutes. Oh well, it is a season and I am grateful that it is such a temporary trial. I'm also very thankful that all of the horrible, horrible itching I was experiencing has such an easy "fix".<br />
<br />
If you have any protein packed, filling, stick to your ribs, hungry pregnant mama, breakfast ideas, please let me know!!!! I might thank you. :)Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-42277471651594630432018-04-10T17:30:00.000-04:002018-04-10T17:30:09.346-04:00Menu Plan for Family of 6 (April 8)I love menu planning for a week at a time, but I don't do it as much as I would like. Which then, of course, leaves me flying by the seat of my pants. I have to think about it from the time I wake up until I decide what I'm going to make, and sometimes I don't have the time to think, or don't decide, until later on in the day which leaves me rushed or having to make "fast" food.<br />
<br />
Sunday night after everyone was in bed I sat down with 2 cookbooks, my own and the one from our church, and made a menu plan.<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday</b><br />
Breakfast: Freezer French Toast<br />
Dinner: Frozen Pizza and Salad<br />
<br />
<b>Monday</b><br />
Breakfast: Blueberry Streusal Coffee Cake*, Sausage & Sweet Potato fry*, Strawberries<br />
Dinner: Chicken with Artichoke Hearts & Mushrooms, Pasta, Broccoli<br />
*portions of what I made to take to our MOPS meeting<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vvBvSLW5n7Us3szoRf8N3OoGHM5GhIV_RpeETAZyqD0vCVJvH4g58zyOl2CrlflPRnO5O3NZV9Lt2ly5p8TA-Nq8u_8hZHAlMYgnZdaCAZ1efMbgQjZ4yf6QoD9Uu9S_Q8R0_ESMIk4/s1600/20180409_190103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vvBvSLW5n7Us3szoRf8N3OoGHM5GhIV_RpeETAZyqD0vCVJvH4g58zyOl2CrlflPRnO5O3NZV9Lt2ly5p8TA-Nq8u_8hZHAlMYgnZdaCAZ1efMbgQjZ4yf6QoD9Uu9S_Q8R0_ESMIk4/s400/20180409_190103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken with Artichokes & Mushrooms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Tuesday: </b><br />
Breakfast: Leftover Oatmeal with Bananas and Maple Syrup<br />
Dinner: Stuffed Peppers Casserole, Zucchini<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday:</b><br />
Breakfast: Eggs, Biscuits, Fruit<br />
Dinner on the way to church: Chicken Nuggets, Fruit, Chips<br />
Snack after we get home from church: Yogurt with Applesauce<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday:</b><br />
Breakfast: French Toast, Sausage Patties<br />
Dinner: Pickle Roast, Mashed Potatoes, vegetable<br />
<br />
<b>Friday:</b><br />
Breakfast: Eggs, Toast<br />
Dinner: Kids at Grandma's, I usually work on leftovers or whatever is easy to find in the fridge<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday:</b><br />
Breakfast: Cold Cereal<br />
Dinner: Chicken Dumplings (freezer meal)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~~~</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This past Saturday night, after all the kids were in bed, I spent a while in the kitchen frying up 2 big loaves of French bread into French Toast. I had cleared WalMart's marked-down bread shelf several weeks ago on a rare trip to WalMart, and stuck all the bread into the freezer. It was several loaves, maybe as many as 8, (ranging from $.25 - $.59 ea). We have used a couple as garlic bread to go with Italian meals, but the majority I wanted to make into French Toast for the freezer. It makes a yummy, quick breakfast when you reheat the slices in the toaster (our toaster has a "frozen" setting which really helps it thaw, heat evenly, and crisp up just perfectly). </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Monday's dinner is a new recipe. In the mood for something "different" I browsed the church cookbook's Main Dishes section and found this recipe which works out perfectly because I have some fresh mushrooms that REALLY need used, and a can of artichoke hearts in the cupboard from a while ago. I just hadn't taken the time to find a recipe for the artichokes (I like to use them in meals from time to time). </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Wednesday night dinners are far from my favorite, but we make it work. We have to leave at 6pm to get to our Wednesday church activities which, if I wanted it to, could really throw a wrench in my dinner plans. So... I had to figure out a solution outside the box. Right now what is working is that most Wednesdays we have frozen chicken nuggets (that I buy on sale at Costco), fruit of some kind, and a salty, crunchy something. Right now it is the individual baggies of chips from the huge variety box Costco sells. If I don't have fresh fruit, the girls usually get an applesauce pouch.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our Thursday night roast. :) Susannah has been asking for a pickle juice roast for a long time, and I finally have enough pickle juice saved to fill her request. I simply put the roast in the crockpot, and pour a jar of pickle juice over it for the seasoning. I have used dill pickle juice in the past, but the most recent was made with juice from bread & butter pickles and they REALLY liked that. This week's pickle roast will be a Bread & Butter roast.<br />
<br />
Our lunches are always sandwiches or leftovers, sometimes on Sundays we will pick up lunch from CookOut if it is going to be late till we get home from church. I usually let the girls have a snack at some point each afternoon. Sometimes it is a cookie and piece of fruit, sometimes a graham cracker with peanut butter, or occasionally a small amount of dry cereal, some pretzals, or animal crackers.<br />
<br />
And that's the plan for this week!</div>
Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-34497611758206598722018-04-09T16:09:00.003-04:002018-04-09T22:30:53.158-04:00Monthly(-ish) Grocery Shopping at Aldi, Costco & Kroger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has been a long, long time since I have shared anything shopping related. In all honesty, while I really enjoy sharing my grocery hauls (which have changed <i>quite</i> a lot since my couponing days!!), there are seasons of life where it just doesn't fit into my time. This week it does. :)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago we randomly stopped into a newer Aldi store for the second time ever. I had made a quick walk-thru soon after it first opened a few years ago, and for some reason it didn't meet my expectations by a long shot. Recently I had heard several friends saying how amazing Aldi's prices and products are. One evening after a swimming lesson, in a moment of "it is late, mom is pooped, and we haven't had supper yet" we went in and bought some frozen pizzas. While there I was ecstatic to see several things we normally buy for <i><b>really</b></i> good prices! We snagged a few items and I knew I wanted to go back. I had the opportunity to go back alone, armed with my very long grocery lists for Kroger and Costco, my two usual stores. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lo and behold, I found a LOT of things that were on my list for much lower prices than I typically pay! I was so excited when I checked out with a cart FULL, for pennies under $100! So much so that I sent Daniel a picture. Haha!! Then when I got home I went live on Facebook and shared it with the world! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My first real Aldi haul:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAKAjcyrdbixFV4rUZUCdcG3-lvbOhLa_m_KSKfu1lYyfBxt3b12qdf505Vto-GRuCKTmL-8Z7LySITMWVkKTYMelewd5Udo_kmWhAwO9PB70O3PNEKeUubqmIxPrwJPT5S-mRgOt7dg/s1600/20180403_161148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAKAjcyrdbixFV4rUZUCdcG3-lvbOhLa_m_KSKfu1lYyfBxt3b12qdf505Vto-GRuCKTmL-8Z7LySITMWVkKTYMelewd5Udo_kmWhAwO9PB70O3PNEKeUubqmIxPrwJPT5S-mRgOt7dg/s400/20180403_161148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
6 Boxes of Millville brand cereal, ranging from $1.15-$1.99 ea.<br />
<i></i>Fresh Pineapple, $.89; cucumbers $.49 ea.<br />
3 2lb. boxes of macaroni, $.69/lb.<br />
Organic baby food pouches w/ yogurt, $.79/ea.<br />
<i>The cheapest I've been able to get this at Kroger was $1/pouch.</i><br />
<i></i>3 bags dried fruit, $1.89, $2.39 & $2.49<br />
<i>I compared price-per-package at Kroger, and these are significantly cheaper.</i><br />
<i></i>10 pkgs. sliced cheeses, 7-8 oz. ea., ranging from $1.17 - $1.45 ea.<br />
<i>I got a variety of cheddar, Colby Jack, Swiss, Pepper Jack, Gouda and Havarti. At most it is $2.90/lb, which is a really good price for good cheese.</i><br />
4 (8oz) pkgs. shredded Swiss + Gruyare, $2.99 ea.<br />
Clancy's brand pretzels, $.89<br />
<i>Since this shopping trip, many friends have shared with me that the Aldi brand of foods tends to be very good quality! </i><br />
Large Canister of Quick Oats, $2.29<br />
2 bags Clancy's Kettle Cooked Chips, $1.05 ea.<br />
2 large Cottage Cheese, $1.75 ea.<br />
2 large Organic, Plain Yogurt, $2.69 ea.<br />
3 pint Sour Cream, $.89 ea.<br />
2 bags frozen Potato Puffs (hash browns), $1.55 ea.<br />
3 bottles Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, $.89 ea.<br />
1 pk./3 heads Romaine Hearts lettuce, $1.59<br />
Carton Orange Juice, $1.49<br />
Pure Almond Extract, $1.99<br />
Lg. clamshell of Kiwi, $3.59<br />
Cuties/Mandarin Oranges, $2.79<br />
11.5 lbs bananas, $.39/lb.<br />
4 lbs. seedless grapes, $1.19/lb.<br />
small bag choc. Eggs, $.99<br />
<b>Total: $99.04</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I didn't take a picture of it, but that same day I went to Kroger to finish getting my Kroger items that I hadn't gotten at Aldi. I had a couple of Kroger coupons, too, that I wanted to use.<br />
<br />
6 Tombstone Pizzas (coupon + buy 6, save $2 sale), $3.49/ea.<br />
5 (5lb) bags of King Arthur All Purpose & Bread flours, 2/$3.99 ea., 3/$4.99 ea.<br />
<i>I am waiting on a Wagon Train from the West to bring me my usual 50 lb. bag of baking flour from Sharp Shopper. The Wagon Train, aka, family, just hasn't been here in a while! So buying it from Kroger is how we roll at the moment.</i><br />
Raisins (canister), with a coupon, $3.99<br />
2 Kraft Mayo, $3.49 ea.<br />
Chili Powder, $3.99<br />
Quaker Instant Grits, $2.69<br />
Oat Bran, $2.59<br />
1 lb. dried Black Beans, $1.49<br />
3 (or 4?) lb. dried Great Northern Beans, $3.49<br />
2 lb. brown sugar, $1.29<br />
3 bottles Kingsford BBQ Sauce, $3.49 ea.<br />
<i>This is the closest I have found to my homemade BBQ sauce, contains all the ingredients I personally use to make BBQ sauce, and I like to keep some on hand for when I need BBQ sauce but don't want to dip into my ketchup supply.</i><br />
2 boxes Keebler Club Mini crackers, $2.99 ea.<br />
1 qt. Whipping Cream, $3.69<br />
1 large tub Ricotta Cheese, $3.79<br />
1 roll marked down, fresh Goat Cheese, $4.97<br />
3.86 lbs. Zucchini, $1.29/lb<br />
3.40 lbs. Yellow Squash, $1.29/lb.<br />
2 bags Mini Sweet Peppers, $1.99 ea.<i> This was cheaper than their cheap bell peppers!! I've never seen this price before.</i><br />
2 marked down Eggplants, $.99<br />
large bag Chow Mein noodles, $1.79<br />
<b>3 store coupons totaling $5.70</b><br />
<b>Total $108.74</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I did raid the Easter candy and Spring décor mark-down tables and bought several items. Some Easter Candy that we are using as school treats or special chore treats, a few games, some stickers, play-dough, and whatnot. I also restocked several personal care items like toothpaste and shampoo. Those items I do not include in our grocery spending. Some of the grocery items, like the Club Cracker Mini's, are specialty items I don't normally buy. Those are great snacks for Silas right now, and I just got them for some variety. The pizzas I like to get when they are on sale for easy, quick dinners.<br />
<br />
So then... on my kid-free Friday, when my Mother-in-Law keeps all 4 littles for the day while I run errands and do office work uninterrupted, I made a Costco trip (for her and me, actually). I also realized I had forgotten a handful of things from Kroger, so I went back to Kroger to fill in those gaps. That is all pictured below.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN_cIHITeqa6K8BbigKqONP4nvaxwf8nDlyAvicys65rUosub085uLIAWWOjK7PLMP1B_g4Ja2YRGzE66z9w7vZrrrH88EzbZS4cq4Cg_Xf6rVwyZDm2upDKaJ76SoCthdPPEaeLDrRg/s1600/20180406_165756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN_cIHITeqa6K8BbigKqONP4nvaxwf8nDlyAvicys65rUosub085uLIAWWOjK7PLMP1B_g4Ja2YRGzE66z9w7vZrrrH88EzbZS4cq4Cg_Xf6rVwyZDm2upDKaJ76SoCthdPPEaeLDrRg/s400/20180406_165756.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Costco:</b><br />
1 sleeve each Large and Med. Dixie Plates, $15.99 ea.<br />
1 sleeve small Dixie Plates, $12.89<br />
1 sleeve Dixie bowls, $9.99<br />
12 oz. Dixie cups, $11.59<br />
5 oz. Dixie cups, $10.99<br />
Charmin TP, $21.99<br />
2 bags frozen corn, $6.59 ea.<br />
1 bag frozen peas, $6.99<br />
6-can case Crushed Tomatoes, $6.99<br />
#10 can Diced Tomatoes, $2.89<br />
3 liter Extra Light Olive Oil, $17.99<br />
2 pk. Grape Juice, $6.39<br />
double bag shredded Mozzarella Cheese, $10.49<br />
Tilapia filets, $15.99<br />
Salmon Burgers, $15.99<br />
2 pk. Kirkland thick-sliced bacon, $10.99<br />
2 pk. uncured, sliced ham, $10.99<br />
2 pkgs. Roasted Turkey Breast, sliced, $12.26 & $11.92<br />
5 lb. bag sweet onions, $6.99<br />
1 (3 pk.) Aidell's Sausage, $13.99<br />
Spinach/Artichoke dip, $8.49<br />
Feta Cheese, $7.39<br />
3 pk. Chunky Guacamole, $8.99<br />
2 (2 lb.) Strawberries, $5.99 ea.<br />
Croutons, $6.99<br />
Coffee, $16.29<br />
Better than Bouillon Chicken Base, $5.99<br />
3 box pk. Club Crackers, $7.59<br />
Yeast, $4.49<br />
Tostitos Scoops, $4.49<br />
Stacy's Pita Chips, $6.99<br />
Applesauce pouches, $9.99<br />
4 jugs Apple Juice, $15.98<br />
2 pk. Cooking Spray, $4.99<br />
<b>Total: $394.38</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Kroger:</b><br />
2 rolls Jimmy Dean Sausage (to make a sausage dish for our MOPS meeting), $3.79 ea.<br />
3 family trays Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, $1.79/lb<br />
1 family tray Chicken Thighs, $1.49/lb.<br />
2 dented Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, $.69 ea.<br />
Baking Soda, $.79<br />
1 Kraft Mayonnaise, FREE with coupon<br />
3 pkgs. Kroger Muffin wrappers, $.99 ea.<br />
Waffle Bowls (reward for the girls), $3.39<br />
2 cans Bakers Joy cooking spray, $2.69 ea.<br />
dented box Captains Crunch cereal, $1.49<br />
3 boxes Valentines (for next year!), $1.00 total<br />
<b>Total: $61.33</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Grand Total: $564.45</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Many of these items will last a long time, such as the paper dishes, the baking soda, coffee, etc. One thing that I was a little disappointed about was that Costco did not have their large canister of Baking Powder or the large bags of Baking Soda. I have bought Baking Powder there and was counting on buying both Baking Powder and Soda there again to restock my stash! I much prefer to buy it in large quantities instead of multiple piddly containers. I have never had it go "bad" even though it takes us a while to use it.<br />
<br />
This past Saturday Sylvia and Charity worked on the bananas I had bought at Aldi, and we mashed and froze 6 cups worth, I believe. In the past I have picked up marked-down bananas on the rare occasion I found them at Kroger, and used those to freeze. I haven't found any for a long time and had used up my freezer stash. Lo and behold, Aldi's banana price was the same as Kroger's mark-down price! That is why I bought so many bananas. We are eating about half of them fresh, and we froze the other half after they had ripened sufficiently.<br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j0devXU97WvyO0l2io9Uj9WLRqMnwvvkm0nYd_EdXbFlFMZwZDe_UoSYHkdpl04l5l-2qqxJSHe7IwXW9frGpFbEVFm3h2wHK1F3HNa2tfLtYUgJMKVF-VmWuHiCNGRXBEx461NJXEo/s1600/20180407_114430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b></b><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j0devXU97WvyO0l2io9Uj9WLRqMnwvvkm0nYd_EdXbFlFMZwZDe_UoSYHkdpl04l5l-2qqxJSHe7IwXW9frGpFbEVFm3h2wHK1F3HNa2tfLtYUgJMKVF-VmWuHiCNGRXBEx461NJXEo/s400/20180407_114430.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
In my next post, I'll share our menu plan and little about how I work our big shopping trips to last for several weeks at a time. :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Report on our Aldi groceries so far: </div>
<div>
The cereal definitely passes our quality test! I do not like cheap, "cardboard" cereal so I don't waste our money on off-brand cereals (why buy it when we don't enjoy eating it?). Because the boxes looked nearly identical to the brands we typically buy, I took the chance. It turns out I have found a huge savings on cereal!! When I was in Costco, I double checked the prices of the cereals we typically buy (which are bulk price!), and it ranged easily from $3.50 - $4+ a box!! We typically have cold cereal once a week on Saturdays, so it isn't a HUGE expense, but I am tickled to have found quality-tasting cereal for a much, much lower price.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The buttermilk ranch dressing is still up for debate. It definitely isn't the same as the high-end Yogurt Buttermilk Ranch we enjoy from Kroger. I'm not sure if I will buy it from Aldi again, or perhaps I'll try a different brand I saw, before deciding if we will get our Ranch Dressing from Aldi or not. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We REALLY love fresh fruits and vegetables so I am very, very excited to have this resource that will allow us these good, healthy foods much more affordably. I have discovered that they don't always have the same items, but with the haul I made this past week I am confident we can continue to shop there for the majority of our fresh produce and vegetables. Also their dairy quality seems good, and will be a big savings on our grocery budget. Typically dairy and fresh fruits and vegetables takes up a much, much larger portion of our grocery bill.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I hope to be sharing our grocery trips a little more regularly, at least for now. I'm sure once Baby 5 comes my time will again be used doing things besides blogging about grocery prices. ;)</div>
Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-203735425012255792018-03-08T12:23:00.000-05:002018-03-08T13:43:14.648-05:00First Aid Kit Organization <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
{I debated titling this post as "Everything But The Kitchen Sink".}</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You guys. I have been waiting on the edge of my seat (proverbially speaking, because I do have 101 other things going on at all times) to show this to you!!! I just had 2 key pieces on which I was waiting. When they arrived this evening, as soon as everyone was bedded down I put them in place and started taking pictures. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Warning: picture heavy post!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
*Drum-roll*</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Please meet our <b>NEW</b> medical/first aid kit!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
TA-DAAAA!!!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Isn't she purty??</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSHTB2YrYP1Bn0BIwNPZdalNSe9I0zvcHUSaIV53RQq_BJVYalPTvxCsMS_hppE-_kVGcjxYgqy7UNnwJBoMhSqseJDjoIUvb07Q8wh0H2pkIi43C5OEOxSHAoIKhHajyH7aLh-7FFy4/s1600/20180307_224629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSHTB2YrYP1Bn0BIwNPZdalNSe9I0zvcHUSaIV53RQq_BJVYalPTvxCsMS_hppE-_kVGcjxYgqy7UNnwJBoMhSqseJDjoIUvb07Q8wh0H2pkIi43C5OEOxSHAoIKhHajyH7aLh-7FFy4/s400/20180307_224629.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I had been waiting for eons, probably about a year, to figure out the perfect solution to our overflowing, <i>everything must be packed JUST SO to fit and we still ended up with other bags of stuff,</i> plastic shoebox of a first aid kit that I put together the first time we went camping after we got married.<i> (If I learned anything from my growing up years, it was to never go on a trip without The Medical Bag.)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Then I stumbled over <a href="https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Storage-Organization/Viva-Le-Pink-Grab-N-Go/p/119792" target="_blank">this thing</a>. I pretty much swooned on the spot, both at how it was exactly what I wanted but also at the price tag. I held off. I searched the internet and stores for something else. Daniel even bought parts organizer trays from Lowe's to see if they would work.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I couldn't find anything else. I kept holding off because I didn't want to spend money on a whim, I wanted to be <i><b>SURE</b></i>. I combed every store I could think of, including Amazon, trying to find a fabulous deal. One store ran a great sale... but the medium bin was only available online and the sale was for in-store only. The store didn't carry the size I needed. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I finally took the plunge, buying this medium-sized <a href="https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Storage-Organization/Viva-Le-Pink-Grab-N-Go/p/119792" target="_blank">Creative Options Grab'n'Go</a> bin from Hobby Lobby, using their 40% off non-sale item coupon. I was tickled to find the medium size in a physical store so that I could actually look at it before buying it. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdQV2zAYOXIjyIpBTWQAKu0tq7b32Zx8RoIe-RfZEzZaUoenTo08VLbF74TVl11GKry2-0yFFRwwy4-d6wx_4IrASN5zXD_s9VLYowwT_FWZ5i3MR4H-td6DTofqB8y1EME-LUnS9ZZg/s1600/20180307_224640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdQV2zAYOXIjyIpBTWQAKu0tq7b32Zx8RoIe-RfZEzZaUoenTo08VLbF74TVl11GKry2-0yFFRwwy4-d6wx_4IrASN5zXD_s9VLYowwT_FWZ5i3MR4H-td6DTofqB8y1EME-LUnS9ZZg/s400/20180307_224640.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I looked at both the small size and the large size. I liked the large but it rivals a full sized suitcase and I knew that would be overkill, not to mention hard to store amd heavy to carry! I went with the medium size. (It is also available in a <a href="https://www.hobbylobby.com/Fabric-Sewing/Sewing-Quilting-Notions/Sewing-Boxes-Storage/Medium-Rack-Storage-System/p/156886" target="_blank">teal-blue color</a>.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
One thing I like about the medium size is the varying tray depths: 1 shallow and 2 deep. You can also adjust the individual compartment sizes within each tray, which was another requirement of mine.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7Z976puXMZ_CIp4A0VaQXFZqwiKdqKw5a7AZJvvYnUeI7Jfyj0LYeb5awx9GSWO1aR_sW7QQctEchXO9lO4KE7TwcIwcCldoUrjxHLR_fy0c5PxciWK_9NLu8Cla8k0wEl5PFWiaIYs/s1600/20180307_224707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7Z976puXMZ_CIp4A0VaQXFZqwiKdqKw5a7AZJvvYnUeI7Jfyj0LYeb5awx9GSWO1aR_sW7QQctEchXO9lO4KE7TwcIwcCldoUrjxHLR_fy0c5PxciWK_9NLu8Cla8k0wEl5PFWiaIYs/s400/20180307_224707.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 3 trays pull out like drawers. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The top is also very spacious, so I knew it would be perfect for holding my bulky items and anything extra I might want to throw in before a trip (children's Tylenol, essential oils, vitamins, etc.).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba_ynf56tBquqQbdRNZVqNNEuKJ3NdKiAab0ivnXMm7zbx7ZMss2-tSfNE_O8JUIUlm_RGm4SWZONNGoq2XySpz5WOAEieEc_sVsyoQDYxF_c6w_7ualqXlVbo6cQoMY_kby5wTrCR9k/s1600/20180307_224801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba_ynf56tBquqQbdRNZVqNNEuKJ3NdKiAab0ivnXMm7zbx7ZMss2-tSfNE_O8JUIUlm_RGm4SWZONNGoq2XySpz5WOAEieEc_sVsyoQDYxF_c6w_7ualqXlVbo6cQoMY_kby5wTrCR9k/s400/20180307_224801.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here is the grand tour. The OCD part of me could stare at this for a long time. 😍</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the top I have the bulky things. I even ordered some <a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/LLucy" target="_blank">Thirty-One</a> pouches to hold a few items so they are neatly contained and easy to grab. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFvv9Q7E4RTpvd53MCCHui2SN4fMr2xb6FBPUEYHk5im95pmLKxqBtKVo0Oeq2ORvYs90FoTw89o9vhZcVSiRg2MuFrKaeQaTS7jmGjem1uB_rlRAcnOds7-zbHA2FrQvAfZ68xA5Q_8/s1600/20180307_224914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFvv9Q7E4RTpvd53MCCHui2SN4fMr2xb6FBPUEYHk5im95pmLKxqBtKVo0Oeq2ORvYs90FoTw89o9vhZcVSiRg2MuFrKaeQaTS7jmGjem1uB_rlRAcnOds7-zbHA2FrQvAfZ68xA5Q_8/s400/20180307_224914.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNZYbjADFB2mBZ3hw73l26CD4P6bUAgKiYH7-_4EYB63HCyYgbHcu84qRDnDBKvB-Fq-HU1uQhanhRDp0cFLiwrPR_PyYGQ1-cJxAqIKcLc_Iwdeh3EeTFydy5QiYtsFDvgAJ5A01D4c/s1600/20180307_225001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNZYbjADFB2mBZ3hw73l26CD4P6bUAgKiYH7-_4EYB63HCyYgbHcu84qRDnDBKvB-Fq-HU1uQhanhRDp0cFLiwrPR_PyYGQ1-cJxAqIKcLc_Iwdeh3EeTFydy5QiYtsFDvgAJ5A01D4c/s400/20180307_225001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the <a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/llucy/product/8404" target="_blank">Rubie mini zipper pouch</a>, I have our thermometer and odoscope. <i>Yes, I'm that kind of mom!!</i> This pouch still has room in it if I decide to keep something else in there, but I wanted these two items contained so they weren't jostling around. This also makes them easy for anyone to find and grab. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMtb7btJCYmtCvryTg6O2806wcek1v7qspMNSucQEXghkjH6tXEpPlLD_vmFctECpRlSZolkUP29HkMXYcpbylIMeLkXF6xHkCwrm46OHWY1SxIx2mQlvzeP_TRDPm7XkUud4F9IbVdg/s1600/20180307_225009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMtb7btJCYmtCvryTg6O2806wcek1v7qspMNSucQEXghkjH6tXEpPlLD_vmFctECpRlSZolkUP29HkMXYcpbylIMeLkXF6xHkCwrm46OHWY1SxIx2mQlvzeP_TRDPm7XkUud4F9IbVdg/s400/20180307_225009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The polka-dot liner adds a fun pop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN5k6f40p7zZf4NCPyiU4QUygVyknQ5W5UVIws2ESoW7li0Vp2y1Ao7WFjmzifNQEQ14kHIg4fXqGpe86d8Lz8ty3CsGKPajKqST0_GWdDZO09PN82gyJA5J-hTVEdbsZ24QrMH6o74g/s1600/20180307_225019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN5k6f40p7zZf4NCPyiU4QUygVyknQ5W5UVIws2ESoW7li0Vp2y1Ao7WFjmzifNQEQ14kHIg4fXqGpe86d8Lz8ty3CsGKPajKqST0_GWdDZO09PN82gyJA5J-hTVEdbsZ24QrMH6o74g/s400/20180307_225019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the larger <a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/llucy/product/3045/zipper-pouch-got-dots" target="_blank">zipper pouch</a> is the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. When all my crazy heart stuff started going on, I bought a cheap set so I could hear my heart rate instead of trying to feel it (it was too fast to count by touch sometimes). I've used it several times listening to our kids' lungs, too, so I feel this is a good medical kit accessory (if you know what to listen for). I also figured out that with some ninja-like skills, I can take my own blood pressure. #nerd</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-64showHCsEzZwNvqK13JSPXUsY7gzsLb8vdkjwDMgHWpVH1YJ55b1DTOdM1cy1PW6jLqxKC_gqBauxGo612rW5yl3n5Plrn8krbFvXQIQwz44mnxeQQGN4oZwRVO28bga3JAsOGEus/s1600/20180307_225043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-64showHCsEzZwNvqK13JSPXUsY7gzsLb8vdkjwDMgHWpVH1YJ55b1DTOdM1cy1PW6jLqxKC_gqBauxGo612rW5yl3n5Plrn8krbFvXQIQwz44mnxeQQGN4oZwRVO28bga3JAsOGEus/s400/20180307_225043.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The <a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/LLucy" target="_blank">Thirty-One pouches</a>, <i>monogrammed to boot!</i>, are so much neater and prettier than the wrinkly old ziploc baggies we had before.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is the top compartment empty. It can hold a <i>lot</i> since the lid is domed!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v9aCvLNpvKxFcn-70ZxA7a6BLjwzhjCnJUO9yA-hPutfk0waADv_BdCRZCf2CzqxFpBGwF2zjBSbu4WWRr3PVX26k2CrRS2NFoiEK83XMwAXZncKsfoF39XKdzZJo_Ex1RJsplURmGw/s1600/20180307_225100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v9aCvLNpvKxFcn-70ZxA7a6BLjwzhjCnJUO9yA-hPutfk0waADv_BdCRZCf2CzqxFpBGwF2zjBSbu4WWRr3PVX26k2CrRS2NFoiEK83XMwAXZncKsfoF39XKdzZJo_Ex1RJsplURmGw/s400/20180307_225100.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The first tray is my OCD Band-Aid tray. Daniel picks on me about it. ;) I luuuurrrve not having to shuffle through 75 bajillion packages to find the right bandaid. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71NTO84OEd-69MyntZcw2mWVU1kqyR3FyEJYNJnR-Avv-p8HjvD05fLcBNilgt-Ij-5wt9ep-1m1Z7LscwfWnBzK2kzdqfQke3Pi6JW75xg5jiZ3XwmMr9UohndKsmjS94J4vQKt0JJI/s1600/20180307_225310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71NTO84OEd-69MyntZcw2mWVU1kqyR3FyEJYNJnR-Avv-p8HjvD05fLcBNilgt-Ij-5wt9ep-1m1Z7LscwfWnBzK2kzdqfQke3Pi6JW75xg5jiZ3XwmMr9UohndKsmjS94J4vQKt0JJI/s400/20180307_225310.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This was another set of items that was previously stored in snack size ziplocs. It worked, but I like this so much better.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0W1sYR-degYUDAOWStQk8kNMjYcR3Unsjo29KgNUNvf8Ef0SjpgImv8lDWfu49xRAZdSvZEuOWpZSnCH91xOMEGQeOhw7c6YNhSRFr4R0ReJlf2Rnl7YVl3F4Ug70PVaXdoHX5bqA04/s1600/20180307_225431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0W1sYR-degYUDAOWStQk8kNMjYcR3Unsjo29KgNUNvf8Ef0SjpgImv8lDWfu49xRAZdSvZEuOWpZSnCH91xOMEGQeOhw7c6YNhSRFr4R0ReJlf2Rnl7YVl3F4Ug70PVaXdoHX5bqA04/s400/20180307_225431.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back 2 left: large fabric bandaids<br />
Back right: giant bandaids and fingertip/knuckle bandaids<br />
Middle L-R: Water-block, tiny square, novelty<br />
Front L-R: tiny fabric, med. fabric, novelty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The center tray continues with first aid items that are a little bulkier. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32n8xg01ye6xesfw2BmAb1AjfklvX1LsVQ_yaBgraKZUszfXfv93_ttQbRCxWRbBubhphPlpfgj0JyTyePscZD2_JMvqFNIr3j8Lgxw5KXaOscexBD4b4Am42YS3CPKIoO1rOEozRME/s1600/20180308_122019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32n8xg01ye6xesfw2BmAb1AjfklvX1LsVQ_yaBgraKZUszfXfv93_ttQbRCxWRbBubhphPlpfgj0JyTyePscZD2_JMvqFNIr3j8Lgxw5KXaOscexBD4b4Am42YS3CPKIoO1rOEozRME/s400/20180308_122019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I like to be prepared for anything, y'all!!</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-adYMZ1rF3D4XLKLOtmYrgmthJHJAdYC8uDVEqJ46NXZGoRH_qiwCQCbyrjYG1VGtY1701McwY9WK4mGi2EMAiPDsm8aelaT_5JsjSAHW0jRGUTmyzQjWYqfvo6w6UFYZ2pkBQyyMHU/s1600/20180307_225659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-adYMZ1rF3D4XLKLOtmYrgmthJHJAdYC8uDVEqJ46NXZGoRH_qiwCQCbyrjYG1VGtY1701McwY9WK4mGi2EMAiPDsm8aelaT_5JsjSAHW0jRGUTmyzQjWYqfvo6w6UFYZ2pkBQyyMHU/s400/20180307_225659.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back L-R: gauze pads, q-tips & alcohol pads, butterfly closure bandages (and directions!)<br />
Middle: creams, paper and water-proof bandage tapes<br />
Front: anti-itch gel, cotton balls, latex gloves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And finally the bottom tray. It holds a lot of odds and ends. Some are not really first aid, but things that we might really want to have in a pinch. Did I say I like to be prepared? ;)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
{Please do your research and make wise and safe decisions regarding keeping prescription medications.}</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ01K02O3-Rjfz3LeUXWc08E39ceiLezqxtg67DTIz1KIA1EDaWWoZUPMd34XTriA3Cfwj0WjiW-eYntF2cqNOjCoRrqqfKPqobAkWXt_MEKbwgUiU3IIS-OnvOJ4L82sGklFZZGQMyXI/s1600/20180307_225834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ01K02O3-Rjfz3LeUXWc08E39ceiLezqxtg67DTIz1KIA1EDaWWoZUPMd34XTriA3Cfwj0WjiW-eYntF2cqNOjCoRrqqfKPqobAkWXt_MEKbwgUiU3IIS-OnvOJ4L82sGklFZZGQMyXI/s400/20180307_225834.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The bottom tray really has a variety of stuff. 😂 </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ace bandages thanks to breaking my leg on vacation! Do they make travel-size, compact crutches? I would put a pair in here if they did!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A nightlight. We have kids, being in a strange place at night without a nightlight could be interesting. #prepared</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Poison soap and lotion. I got these when we tent camped. Now we cabin camp but... #prepared</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And the oddest and endest stuff:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-A pocket sewing kit I chopped down to hold a bobby pin, safety pin and a few stick pins.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-Advil, saline drops, 2 kinds of ear drops, Tums (these lifesavers were NOT in our old box, thus NOT along on vacation when my pregnancy-caused heartburn decided to rear it's flaming head for the first time ev-er. Cue emergency trip to WalMart!).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-razor, pen light, ziploc with flossers and a few hairbands, bandage scissors, regular and fine tweezers.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSM7mcI952F5RWkZyemppb8M3w4SIr1fAh-bk9t3WSkcswXIeAkoRZXwUHQIvg5MGxbZyZkBE7LyaoETsDdc6JeAddC9mbDF1dHvlUHGHuqwo7lfq04EoQWLVnrkRpxLOPlXxXbsnU5Y/s1600/20180307_230140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSM7mcI952F5RWkZyemppb8M3w4SIr1fAh-bk9t3WSkcswXIeAkoRZXwUHQIvg5MGxbZyZkBE7LyaoETsDdc6JeAddC9mbDF1dHvlUHGHuqwo7lfq04EoQWLVnrkRpxLOPlXxXbsnU5Y/s400/20180307_230140.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And it all fits in this box!! It isn't too bulky or too heavy. I can now tell Daniel or Susannah (or anyone else) exactly where to find something. It will also be easy-peasy for someone else (grandparents, babysitters) to find anything. No longer does finding one thing require unpacking and careful repacking so every item fits. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaz8qdIVguy4SGwb4_GTFKznLLLSNv0_lo8cx4bc73kOEFOLvKdk1flhCL85syK4R7ciPMz_yiLxYbUg52zhKiUVB9ZnmQ08dOfxwRO671Sahqw23EsIgtBXV0HO9wkq2F-yuEAISHWE/s1600/20180307_224629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaz8qdIVguy4SGwb4_GTFKznLLLSNv0_lo8cx4bc73kOEFOLvKdk1flhCL85syK4R7ciPMz_yiLxYbUg52zhKiUVB9ZnmQ08dOfxwRO671Sahqw23EsIgtBXV0HO9wkq2F-yuEAISHWE/s400/20180307_224629.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We have been using this for about 2 months now and I am still 100% satisfied and happy with it. I am a careful spender, but when I know something will serve us well, I don't mind [wisely] plunking down some moolah. This was one of those cases (ha, pun!) for sure.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What about you? Are you a neat and organized first aid kit kind of person or a hodge podge, throw it all in 1 box personality? What have I missed putting in our kit besides the kitchen sink? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
*This post contains links, none of which are affiliate, but if you are looking for Thirty-One items my friend is an excellent representative!!</div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-82248338214458752882018-03-06T23:41:00.004-05:002018-03-06T23:41:59.556-05:00High Ambitions Check-In: Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Somewhere, somehow, back in January or early February I stumbled over a blog. Occasionally I come across a blog and scan a few posts and move on. It is rare that I identify and connect with, admire, feel inspired by, feel encouraged in all three areas of my life (relationship with Christ, and roles of wife and mama), and feel a kindred-spirit connection with a total blogger-stranger. But this lady's blog drew me in like walking into that place that is so familiar feeling you just KNOW you are going to feel at home even though it's not your own home. Anyway... to avoid further rabbit trailing, Abby at <a href="http://misformama.net/" target="_blank">M is for Mama</a> has a wonderful blog through which I have been reading post-by-post back through her archives. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
At some point she had a series going on, while deeeeep in the motherhood trenches (shoot, she still IS with 7 littles now!), and she called it "Project Elephant". Basically the whole list of projects she wanted/needed to work on was much too big, but one bite at a time she worked on it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sound familiar much?? Hmm. Maybe there's a reason I identify with her so!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I feel like this mini-series could easily be called "Project Elephant". I didn't accomplish anywhere near everything on my list, but!! I'm not giving up! I worked as best I could, when I could, and bit by bit forward progress <i>WAS</i> made.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, back to Thursday, my last day of last week to do anything on the list. Throw in some real curveballs and well, we all survived!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The day started off with Charity waking up not feeling well. It was piano lesson morning and I was thinking Charity was just extra hungry since our dinner the day before had been considerably earlier than usual. I zoomed around <strike>barking orders</strike> giving instructions for the girls to be getting ready for the day so we could eat breakfast and leave. I got breakfast made and coaxed Charity to eat a few bites. She ate 2 bites of egg and a nibble or toast. She had zero appetite. Zilch. Nada. Hunger wasn't the issue. I felt her forehead and thought she was maybe running a fever. I pulled out my handy dandy thermometer and sure enough, 101.ish read on the screen. A quick text off to the piano teacher alerting her of our highly-likely cancellation and began to quiz Charity on her stomach. <i>{Pleasepleasepleaseplease don't have a stomach virus! Or the dreadful flu that has been going around like vultures swarming over roadkill.}</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
All she wanted to do was sleep. She wanted her pillow, her ducky quilt, her blankie, and my rocking chair. I slathered her up well with oils that would support her body's immune system as it worked, and let her sleep. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLPDLSGJMrBqNxr40ShlDwzplrl9wwp0m9q8tWc6SJNe5-4RrjNTvgp2F1iJg8y1PGQPcJxembzWX813tReYLapbfeVk8EaPySh_svTC9lYsxLs9ZqMDeaMgQJ2fZk7d7p0AMWvic2hg/s1600/20180301_105810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLPDLSGJMrBqNxr40ShlDwzplrl9wwp0m9q8tWc6SJNe5-4RrjNTvgp2F1iJg8y1PGQPcJxembzWX813tReYLapbfeVk8EaPySh_svTC9lYsxLs9ZqMDeaMgQJ2fZk7d7p0AMWvic2hg/s400/20180301_105810.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Essential oils and rest,<br />
excellent wellness support!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
So now suddenly my morning was free. I got the bigger 2 started on school (after a lesson on <i><u>Plans Change And We Must Be Flexible</u></i>, geared mostly towards my firstborn who wanted to know every single how, when, where, why, what ifs and buts about the cancelled piano lesson) and ... I don't knpw what I did next. I think I started the Day of Laundry That <b>Never</b> Ended. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Silas is a bundle of mischief that never ends! One of the things he did Thursday was find his way into the office, where he managed to swipe the wireless mouse and Daniel's pocketknife from Daniel's desk! He was meandering the hallway clicking the mouse (which was still speaking to the computer; all kinds of things were happening on the screen!) and quite pleased to have a knife. #lifeisnotdull</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1mns3Kb_6VCfDzyCMlXaZRvCzIhvhoQ1Hf5fcWuTKwie-6UP2ypWB9t3b0CikCYZ-RDDUmqjVQ26BxR6ZhvcRtcOqoH4WJ72ViQOcXzcdyZrm6bq6yFUxwFuM6iWdFazsKqpNJM8Om8/s1600/20180301_110354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1mns3Kb_6VCfDzyCMlXaZRvCzIhvhoQ1Hf5fcWuTKwie-6UP2ypWB9t3b0CikCYZ-RDDUmqjVQ26BxR6ZhvcRtcOqoH4WJ72ViQOcXzcdyZrm6bq6yFUxwFuM6iWdFazsKqpNJM8Om8/s400/20180301_110354.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As I alluded to in my previous posts, we had a busy weekend ahead. Daniel and I were going on a weekend getaway for our 14th anniversary, and all 4 littles were staying with Daniel's parents. That meant two things had to happen: the house needed cleaned (I so dislike coming home to a not clean house) and everyone needed clean clothes. I was beyond scraping the bottom oc the barrel for some of my clothes so I started with mine. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Between load after load after load of laundry (skipping 2 days earlier in the week did not help!!), keeping Silas properly entertained instead of trying to poke Charity's eyeballs or pester her, keeping people fed, wiped, changed, oiled, checking temps, encouraging juice and crackers, passing out drinks, making meals, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and so on, we also did school. With the whole day turned on end, it wasn't the most motivated school day but it happened and was accomplished. #pushingtotheend</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
At one point I found Sylvia doing spelling on her bed with Elizabeth. She said she was teaching Elizabeth how to spell. :)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YqSiho56NzW_tXobFb1WzGR4wNeYyOW9GJKhWny5x38kg00dUNzjWYhZ5LYV-kJuFr1yEssRczG3uhqUCLCOvgLvT0iSGiiqWbbi4umybOzVZFYo5y0KVDBz_R7wFElgOLLHp6xRzyM/s1600/20180301_111612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YqSiho56NzW_tXobFb1WzGR4wNeYyOW9GJKhWny5x38kg00dUNzjWYhZ5LYV-kJuFr1yEssRczG3uhqUCLCOvgLvT0iSGiiqWbbi4umybOzVZFYo5y0KVDBz_R7wFElgOLLHp6xRzyM/s400/20180301_111612.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
During afternoon naptime I finally got to one of the elephant projects. It helped that I was working on the girls' laundry and this heap was the hide-out for many socks that had abandoned their mates over time. There were also random odds and ends of things that just needed put away. I started with those and eventually whittled through the whole pile. Some were clothes waiting for the thrift store so those went into a bag. Others were out of season clothes that needed put away until later. I even *<i>gasp</i>* threw some things into the trash!! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhq0epA8aQYrXj5LJgceT7WI-A5xbeNFs8W3EI45MmNQeB5nVlULl8v5vO0nPxY7xap6_6R056uHffI046Mjg0rKQsjcO9NObu6ct9aMG2ZwU40oL6kJUbJPDlMpCCtUtOC6LJtZonqo/s1600/20180301_160238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhq0epA8aQYrXj5LJgceT7WI-A5xbeNFs8W3EI45MmNQeB5nVlULl8v5vO0nPxY7xap6_6R056uHffI046Mjg0rKQsjcO9NObu6ct9aMG2ZwU40oL6kJUbJPDlMpCCtUtOC6LJtZonqo/s400/20180301_160238.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
By the time I had been through the entire pile, this was what was left. A definite improvement but the pile was still not annihilated. I suspected this would be the case as the missing sock club has an always revolving door at our house.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFu1tJMRjat4t2-hZSu98Py5YpZcyoOrlC5oAPb0250a9AfziA_yRmO01Lx8gKVTAUyIVdd1E0skrhOW7dj-dgQ2ftbOKK1o2piEZ-JOAsB97IpSBlMPI0LmU4_AktIqelEL0lrVgRsg/s1600/20180301_165128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFu1tJMRjat4t2-hZSu98Py5YpZcyoOrlC5oAPb0250a9AfziA_yRmO01Lx8gKVTAUyIVdd1E0skrhOW7dj-dgQ2ftbOKK1o2piEZ-JOAsB97IpSBlMPI0LmU4_AktIqelEL0lrVgRsg/s400/20180301_165128.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, by the end of all my laundering, in which I tried to gather up <i>allll</i> the random bits and pieces from the girls' rooms, the sock pile had diminished even more. There is one more place we have missing socks, so another day I will pull out all the socks from every crack and cranny and basket and do a real matching and purging. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In all, I didn't make that much grand headway on my <a href="http://mycountrycupboard.blogspot.com/2018/02/high-ambitions-speed-cleaning-whole.html?m=1" target="_blank">initial list</a>, but progress is progress no matter how small! I certainly don't plan to give up on the list. I plan to keep it around and keep whittling away at it. I might just keep posting updates about it now and then too!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Do you ever feel like you could tackle a huge project when reality seems to laugh in your face and say "no way"? Don't give up!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-82283966586275899252018-02-28T23:58:00.001-05:002018-02-28T23:58:18.708-05:00High Ambitions Check-In: Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I think yesterday and today were the single most time consuming portions of my list, barring laundry. Somehow today just never found a good groove. Possibly because I used a portion of my productive time (aka Silas's nap) to shower and do my makeup before church tonight. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
But even this morning and early afternoon there were near constant interruptions from my off-spring. Not that those are bad; meeting their needs and caring for them is far above any organized refrigerator for sure! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anyhoo, here is a fresh "before" of my work today: the cram-full fridge. We had even emptied some containers of leftovers yesterday for lunch. It <i>really</i> needed some help.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YWZrBdncvO0CweMCLCuYQcDLQIuiysHMobqeh_nKesmadBEGiRJher8O2suoYi75qtQ8pTTBJwfH09bZtoN5I61QWNUkP0pfSUL_JWzESGZ-THMrp0joP5HNHHjnG4ODaO2MH9eGlo0/s1600/20180228_114530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YWZrBdncvO0CweMCLCuYQcDLQIuiysHMobqeh_nKesmadBEGiRJher8O2suoYi75qtQ8pTTBJwfH09bZtoN5I61QWNUkP0pfSUL_JWzESGZ-THMrp0joP5HNHHjnG4ODaO2MH9eGlo0/s400/20180228_114530.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I started by emptying the entire top shelf. Charity helped me carry things from the fridge to the counter. Surprisingly there were only 2 discard items!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A jar of salsa that had gotten lost, and a bit of goat milk that had gone stale. Not too bad for all that was up there!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzItSbSStXaDo0v1w3Bzeg6cYeacdK2sv1cvHjmo6uBHwKJNlokADJp7VAaAK49qAENRUOqp3-ThZBMhOkszg1ljHfNsp0YuWBgvdxzxufRq-bwQysboC0yrM1zITMdhEYeL3QUEfqy9I/s1600/20180228_115310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzItSbSStXaDo0v1w3Bzeg6cYeacdK2sv1cvHjmo6uBHwKJNlokADJp7VAaAK49qAENRUOqp3-ThZBMhOkszg1ljHfNsp0YuWBgvdxzxufRq-bwQysboC0yrM1zITMdhEYeL3QUEfqy9I/s400/20180228_115310.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After wiping the sop shelf and putting everything back in an orderly fashion, I emptied the middle shelf. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I tossed a random bottle of salad dressing that I'm not sure how we came to have it and we have never used it... so time to get rid of it. Some ancient homemade chocolate syrup and Nutella went bye-bye. Neither one has an eternal shelf life and apparently we don't use them enough for me to make them! (Ok, we could eat more Nutella but I like my pants to fit. Even if they are currently maternity pants!) Some past-their-prime pancakes and leftover veggie mix that I've decided we like fresh but not really leftover (obvious much?). </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTp9qelQtzNGOZY06FxHdWpCOWsIBhc5_Kw4JWpoUCrbHEesoh124QYeiHDgdYRMEPWpv8Q1wYd-KqdyT9KPcz_lx4yW_TssOyEd7-ebGMv0AyZ_4lDCyWM21DjMWUNWfR8rVWAiICI8/s1600/20180228_142654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTp9qelQtzNGOZY06FxHdWpCOWsIBhc5_Kw4JWpoUCrbHEesoh124QYeiHDgdYRMEPWpv8Q1wYd-KqdyT9KPcz_lx4yW_TssOyEd7-ebGMv0AyZ_4lDCyWM21DjMWUNWfR8rVWAiICI8/s400/20180228_142654.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Then I clumped together the meat & cheese drawer with the doors. This is where the dinosaurs came out!! Marinade that was eons old and obviously not so wow as to be finished. Tahini from... an embarrassingly long time ago. It looked fine but... I'm not my mom, so it left. Homemade Olive Garden salad dressing that I decided was past it's prime, garlic bread spread that had grown a beard, some of Charity's "snacks" that she puts in baggies to save for later (and forgets), and I purged our fast food condiment collection.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71JWUng2kCYm7J_51X295CV4yx3272UTJ48NBoONLa4WOa2A9EWSA012-YqyBehm58NZW-u63j8Gws3Mgt4_PQcQhOii8txD-_ZoE4-OSinUZLUFWCD1baF-JFA0YFKl7yKDmlkWrTZQ/s1600/20180228_171458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71JWUng2kCYm7J_51X295CV4yx3272UTJ48NBoONLa4WOa2A9EWSA012-YqyBehm58NZW-u63j8Gws3Mgt4_PQcQhOii8txD-_ZoE4-OSinUZLUFWCD1baF-JFA0YFKl7yKDmlkWrTZQ/s400/20180228_171458.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I know the lighting is terrible, but this is my "after" picture. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWbofV3BQrvphhyphenhyphenad09CKHRKrkHS0KqkFyK1iNbJrhh4YzmH-gKrCyFpnrVjQGwRD_1d5keHvEBvxks4hXgbXrxQzF76nqfr2HcCDyQm8ovmpZ_QUSGW__QOA7PrwTzJgntYhTrNVSoU/s1600/20180228_225929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWbofV3BQrvphhyphenhyphenad09CKHRKrkHS0KqkFyK1iNbJrhh4YzmH-gKrCyFpnrVjQGwRD_1d5keHvEBvxks4hXgbXrxQzF76nqfr2HcCDyQm8ovmpZ_QUSGW__QOA7PrwTzJgntYhTrNVSoU/s400/20180228_225929.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What I discovered:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 open jars of olives</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(They are a pregnancy craving I randomly get.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 jar of applesauce AND 1 jar of cooked apples. I try to only have 1 open at a time.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 jars of Bread & Butter Pickles!!! Yes, the fridge had become a black hole, I guess.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
2 jars of dill pickles; 1 for eating and 1 for making a beef roast. Adding that to next week's menu!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I also realized I have a problem. I love fresh fruit (not a problem). I have this strange idea that I/we need to ration it out and eat only a little at a time (this is the problem). As a result, we end up with a lot of dried berries. 🙈 I need to get past that mentality and just enjoy the delicious fruit!! Right now I have some aged blackberries that I will probably toss into a cobbler tomorrow.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The doors mostly needed rearranged and put back in order.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xKIHB82IzqIt2rhziEW4Xgn9Dzf5Mty5QwTfNU9hczHlf0YtFvyywBe9mHdvu_1HjQPve86Yxjs_O8j-IX1eERBi12q_xG1u6RzF75j3GoL8cbaNHhVxVvKf-CHx-SVi0-88sWbCMIE/s1600/20180228_225932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xKIHB82IzqIt2rhziEW4Xgn9Dzf5Mty5QwTfNU9hczHlf0YtFvyywBe9mHdvu_1HjQPve86Yxjs_O8j-IX1eERBi12q_xG1u6RzF75j3GoL8cbaNHhVxVvKf-CHx-SVi0-88sWbCMIE/s400/20180228_225932.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0sfxfPFl0XM8Yh7KgU_hrwQBSk-mBEnenQIs63yWLrOAjrVpziZozQEcLyj3Hq6LI_gpIBLFuk2tx2q9b0ix0dk8spn86L6k_SzY2MDr_gROJVvURFpargurx2UKbfi3nALu63aNI9w/s1600/20180228_225937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0sfxfPFl0XM8Yh7KgU_hrwQBSk-mBEnenQIs63yWLrOAjrVpziZozQEcLyj3Hq6LI_gpIBLFuk2tx2q9b0ix0dk8spn86L6k_SzY2MDr_gROJVvURFpargurx2UKbfi3nALu63aNI9w/s320/20180228_225937.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We like cheese. :) One of my time-frugals right now is buying sliced cheese. We like quality cheese, but I struggle with old-school, "how I grew up" practices. Not that buying bricks of cheese is a problem! It's not!! But there is nothing wrong with buying sliced cheese, especially when it saves me having to slice umpteen pieces of cheese for sandwiches. (For some reason I'm the only one who can slice cheese evenly in this house. Even Daniel freely admits this.)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEK9at50esMdvr0dt6LEAme_PCKpcRMpuuD6X96txJBQdWTqi6VDfpVWAIudq5a1K3BO3HmnMmc-7n7zf2Z-Qe_9MqukdM_BqU2w2Abzy0fR_GLuOZexV6knWfCbVocuKOxkQtmato6g/s1600/20180228_225947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEK9at50esMdvr0dt6LEAme_PCKpcRMpuuD6X96txJBQdWTqi6VDfpVWAIudq5a1K3BO3HmnMmc-7n7zf2Z-Qe_9MqukdM_BqU2w2Abzy0fR_GLuOZexV6knWfCbVocuKOxkQtmato6g/s320/20180228_225947.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So yeah. This wasn't a hugely obvious part of the list. Definitely not a task creating loads of visual progress, but a clean and organized fridge is a nice thing. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Tomorrow is my last day before our busy weekend starts. My realistic side says to not hold my breath on getting a lot more done. The dreamer, high ambitious side of me says "but most of those tasks except laundry are short, quick tasks" so maybe I can get several accomplished. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Time will tell! Come back for the third and final recap tomorrow night, or more likely, sometime Friday. </div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-37971645691006386252018-02-28T01:45:00.000-05:002018-02-28T01:45:17.244-05:00High Ambitions Check-In: Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This morning I wrote about my very lofty goals for all I would like to [<i>ideally</i>] accomplish this week before our very busy weekend. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>{I also realized this evening that I need to squeeze in making a birthday cake for Sylvia!}</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anyway, since it is basically the center of my household (figuratively, definitely not literally!), I took the first bite of my elephant-sized project in the kitchen. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As a reminder, here is the before. Lots of big dirty dishes, and some things that needed hand-washed. Plus generic clutter that mysteriously appears on flat surfaces.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhY8iGOMFT_74GN3CanaFeq3BS62gc_ioCYlg59IhWmsuCEsbCoM8ZBrhWZDJz1jej-Z4fKNAmpffguEF75u16yPt0g8aUzX47kdg-8W4TEy29fFhJIDOEBUE9r3l8RxxkkpHttBxXIQ/s1600/20180227_102342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhY8iGOMFT_74GN3CanaFeq3BS62gc_ioCYlg59IhWmsuCEsbCoM8ZBrhWZDJz1jej-Z4fKNAmpffguEF75u16yPt0g8aUzX47kdg-8W4TEy29fFhJIDOEBUE9r3l8RxxkkpHttBxXIQ/s320/20180227_102342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is the opposite side of the kitchen where things just... try to live!!! It's like this section of counter has a bright, neon sign over it, labelling the space as "<b>Homeless Stuff Shelter, OPEN 24/7, No Time Limit</b>"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well, without a permit from ME, that unauthorized set-up wasn't going to last another day if I could help it!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceMypwPcAjq4apQAxzJrIDtGhR1iWe9ioab4IFrHp1n7hG2W2JleTojZXODJDeuGYAdZd42xUOrmb-zCPgkcu1GXu3V5d5vlY1U8Prh5EOeWHTgaFSjrKLFLSVvb_sxuM_Cz4OK6wkY4/s1600/20180227_102359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceMypwPcAjq4apQAxzJrIDtGhR1iWe9ioab4IFrHp1n7hG2W2JleTojZXODJDeuGYAdZd42xUOrmb-zCPgkcu1GXu3V5d5vlY1U8Prh5EOeWHTgaFSjrKLFLSVvb_sxuM_Cz4OK6wkY4/s320/20180227_102359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After breakfast and memory verse/quiet time, everyone worked on their before school chore. I work hard at rhythms and routines so we can one day run more smoothly! Someday...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Charity unloaded most of the dishwasher, and the first minute I had, I finished unloading what she couldn't and loaded that puppy back up and got it going! One of my "frugalities" in this season of life is <b>RUN. THE. DISHWASHER</b>. as much as I possibly can, and handwash as LITTLE as I can. I know this spits in the eye of what many would consider frugal, but this is how I can use my time most wisely and efficiently. 5 minutes loading the dishwasher vs. 10-30 handwashing? I will definitely opt for the 5 minutes, freeing up 5-25 minutes to do something like... oh, teach a math lesson, change a diaper, wipe a bottom, get someone a drink, work on food, answer 72 questions... or anything else. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I might even use 1 of those now free minutes to redirect this little rascal from disecting my clothespins one at a time to playing with TOYS. (I never believed the girl/boy personality difference until this guy became mobile. Oh. My. Word. He is Dennis the Menace and Jeffey from The Family Circus rolled into one, and he's only 14 months old!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzeIJaNYciTT-lWh4RnvF30GBH4E-kVV4Xn8JIjXVWAqjHqUcBPNT_SdU7UuPZXJuvbIXcTECbmbNw559iRVMKhqoPhsQMdBXzvnFtA1E5BhrHshyphenhyphenC1zPd2jiL4S2IbHjhmkLGn18s48/s1600/20180227_110502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzeIJaNYciTT-lWh4RnvF30GBH4E-kVV4Xn8JIjXVWAqjHqUcBPNT_SdU7UuPZXJuvbIXcTECbmbNw559iRVMKhqoPhsQMdBXzvnFtA1E5BhrHshyphenhyphenC1zPd2jiL4S2IbHjhmkLGn18s48/s320/20180227_110502.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anyway, in spurts and spits, I ran the dishwasher twice and washed the handwashables in 2 different chunks of time. Both of those made a huge dent in the mountain of "dirty, big dishes". A bit longer of putting away and cleaning up, and this side of the kitchen counters was clean! Not spotless and not magazine perfect (eggs need put in the fridge, cups for the day on the counter, Silas's powdered goat milk where it is handy for daily use...), but orderly, clean, and neat. Mission accomplished for this spot!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDfFK9M_zU50-qvszXNq_z-8kybBWKUtLng-NkRomGFMCe7ZaaJrP4AgGWVOclr-NG7YR12ELXcjf1H-kgcIe3Ylz6M9IahMkfJgsK1DwD-HRaTjPl830vHfv-4xmmvtonEc3fMdHTVA/s1600/20180227_145300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDfFK9M_zU50-qvszXNq_z-8kybBWKUtLng-NkRomGFMCe7ZaaJrP4AgGWVOclr-NG7YR12ELXcjf1H-kgcIe3Ylz6M9IahMkfJgsK1DwD-HRaTjPl830vHfv-4xmmvtonEc3fMdHTVA/s320/20180227_145300.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
By this time it was mid afternoon and nearing time to leave for swimming lessons. I had a little time to whittle at the homeless-stuff collection, and then that had to pause. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After swimming lessons we picked up Taco Bell for supper (I didn't plan my supper plans quite well enough, we were short of leftovers and people were going to be <i>very</i> hungry by the time we got home). I have figured out how people go broke not making their own food! Yikes! But it was good and filling and the best option for the situation.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After supper, baths and bedtime, I tackled the rest of this side of the kitchen. It really wasn't time consuming as it was just a lot of odds and ends that needed put where it belonged. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Again, not magazine perfect. Egg cartons waiting to go back to my MIL, an item to be mailed, a smashed tissue box (somehow tissue boxes never keep their shape these days), and don't pay attention to the random ribbon that held a Christmas decoration that got stolen to use as a kitchen toy. 😄 (It was a decoupoaged cookie sheet, and Charity "needed" a cookie sheet for her cooking! I think I'm actually the one that grabbed it down for her in a quick moment.) But again, straightened and neat counters were my goals. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZDH_NVt5AF9G5Mu0rqJ63CxHWCdpncxuwBfI8HiQFQqKzPMwbhqKNfP1PzaBxZsdIBb3-3dtHrC1A9CZtcdFxXDsvub8yusob47sSfhimxVVOZOMNLcH7lgRj79y_QkqrKY69H6DyCY/s1600/20180227_215019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZDH_NVt5AF9G5Mu0rqJ63CxHWCdpncxuwBfI8HiQFQqKzPMwbhqKNfP1PzaBxZsdIBb3-3dtHrC1A9CZtcdFxXDsvub8yusob47sSfhimxVVOZOMNLcH7lgRj79y_QkqrKY69H6DyCY/s320/20180227_215019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I even cleared off "my space", which is visible in the bottom left of this picture. It can pile hiiiigh with anything related to me that the girls don't know where to put. And maybe I dejunk my pocketbook there on occasion as I am running out the door and suddenly don't want to lug around 725 receipts and Sunday School papers. 🙈</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Not pictured, but I did spend a chunk of time tonight working in the office on "taxes"... or, getting things ready for taxes. Business ownership isn't for the faint of heart, that's for sure! Especially when the computer program blips out a couple of times and other random things that make me exclaim "THIS is why I prefer paper and pencil!", to which Daniel replied, "but this is really SO much faster!" He's right. When all is working smoothly, no computer or operator blips, it is faster and easier.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, that is that for today! Tomorrow I will see what happens and post again with my progress! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Do you ever get a wild-haired idea to suddenly stop everything and clean the WHOLE HOUSE? Tell me I'm not the only one!</div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-10598475019141619332018-02-27T11:03:00.000-05:002018-02-27T11:03:59.952-05:00High Ambitions: Speed Cleaning the Whole House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Normally I would want to tackle a big project starting on a Monday, but yesterday was pretty much a wash between MOPS in the morning, rushing through lunch and then 2 doctor appointments for the girls, followed by a trip to the shoe store for Susannah. It turned out that trip was only 2 shoe sizes <i>looong</i> over-due!! She now has sparkling new dress shoes and tennis shoes that aren't threatening to burst at the toes! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Add in that due to not sleeping great for a few nights, I was completely exhausted by halfway through the day so I mustered through supper and an early bedtime for everyone (everyone was tired!), and fell into bed myself about 2 hours before I usually do. I slept great<i> allll</i> night long and have renewed spirit today. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thus my high ambitions to get the whole house surface cleaned between today and Thursday (we have a full weekend). While I ate breakfast, oversaw the start of school, drank a massive mug of coffee, changed a dirty diaper, kept Silas from playing in the office or pulling the plugs out of outlets {why that is one of his favorite bad things to do, I'll never know}, I made a list. Then I re-wrote it neatly on a clean page in a nearly-used note-book, because moms use notebooks until they die and a neatly written list on a clean sheet of paper is just more... tackle-able?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0leI2s5zgz73ah_U0_Fo7MlTwERPo7b_xo98IFFA_OMUaeWsc2CXAghKKT5X64Vjf5C8UXjnivZ8Fp8jR81qyTB9Bty5qz7JPVY2Sv4rFkMAoK8N4xEnKUd4e-YI-eKs9TsfJDKCiCcY/s1600/20180227_101614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0leI2s5zgz73ah_U0_Fo7MlTwERPo7b_xo98IFFA_OMUaeWsc2CXAghKKT5X64Vjf5C8UXjnivZ8Fp8jR81qyTB9Bty5qz7JPVY2Sv4rFkMAoK8N4xEnKUd4e-YI-eKs9TsfJDKCiCcY/s400/20180227_101614.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here is what I want to accomplish this week. The reality will be how much I can actually do between school, mama-ing everyone, piano and swimming lessons, feeding my family, diapers, instructing, quality time, dicipline, encouraging, redirecting, laundry... and I could go on. If you have kids you know. 😉</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ngFE1Vr6fqJIbqez1NcjdS5KuBFIZNcZTAS20jMEeCg6MpdM82uuS1GS08zLUFGH47AAU0D92Z_0iabh7wU4IAMyVBn1MJ5SyCGno9RnW_SoxmF8FHoO9meWgOr9ExdGeQg6LybJcqI/s1600/20180227_101951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ngFE1Vr6fqJIbqez1NcjdS5KuBFIZNcZTAS20jMEeCg6MpdM82uuS1GS08zLUFGH47AAU0D92Z_0iabh7wU4IAMyVBn1MJ5SyCGno9RnW_SoxmF8FHoO9meWgOr9ExdGeQg6LybJcqI/s400/20180227_101951.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The kitchen is my <b>Big Deal</b> space. If the kitchen is clean, I can deal with <i>just</i> about anything else. So it always comes first when it comes to cleaning. Honestly it has been a while (read: a week?) since I gave it a good, thorough surface cleaning and somehow it clutters back up before I can change a diaper or give a bath.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
But here it is in it's current non-glorious state: dishes (mostly big stuff that piles up like elephants in a bathroom stall)...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZWDSmRv2PznfydgMZyi9-8_wtptAWwTyKM8l4FNqjk9RZxGaAco5RGjohzMrUAQBmLP1LgwsA6LsLPRDmNq-V4A3BCfip5Ip-z8p6aYrI3Y8681K7Ok6tGbuMmMf_X4deAXqMbIXUao/s1600/20180227_102342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZWDSmRv2PznfydgMZyi9-8_wtptAWwTyKM8l4FNqjk9RZxGaAco5RGjohzMrUAQBmLP1LgwsA6LsLPRDmNq-V4A3BCfip5Ip-z8p6aYrI3Y8681K7Ok6tGbuMmMf_X4deAXqMbIXUao/s400/20180227_102342.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
...and then the counter that collects stuff. Stuff like bunny rabbits multiply. Stuff that gets dropped mid-whatever when I have to stop, drop, and roll... with whatever incident needs dealt with <b><i>right. now.</i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUs2PGcQISKWVEyOnDZA-AxaZnGQPhKGtjCyuWK1vCRMEIxBf8lVw5p_UXU61snEAsE8jDBG45oNicq4MLDE5zKd7kEGETr5_Tk7trV1_TOH_E0hZJJo8CSDkUZOhPZ4hCF1MCH8UyfM/s1600/20180227_102359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUs2PGcQISKWVEyOnDZA-AxaZnGQPhKGtjCyuWK1vCRMEIxBf8lVw5p_UXU61snEAsE8jDBG45oNicq4MLDE5zKd7kEGETr5_Tk7trV1_TOH_E0hZJJo8CSDkUZOhPZ4hCF1MCH8UyfM/s400/20180227_102359.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My poor fridge. 😂 I don't think there are too many fossils in here, but it definitely needs some cleaning out and reorganizing. It is always like playing fridge-jenga after a Costco trip (which was last week). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
{See Silas? He is saying his famous line, "Eh! Eh! Eh!", telling me that he wants one of everything.}</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s0nwAjsq9GWzpZoIM09V9DeLezk87CsMTon6CvoPdlCmpYxAz3NbEZIcXu3vD9XGq3aduFaP_mHleuCCOW4aRZxldjbPhmxXXJ-Uw0YLWhWbuOmk_wTCw44bPFCVaRqIBsb-_sCxNFo/s1600/20180227_102422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s0nwAjsq9GWzpZoIM09V9DeLezk87CsMTon6CvoPdlCmpYxAz3NbEZIcXu3vD9XGq3aduFaP_mHleuCCOW4aRZxldjbPhmxXXJ-Uw0YLWhWbuOmk_wTCw44bPFCVaRqIBsb-_sCxNFo/s400/20180227_102422.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So... this is my starting place! I will post back tonight with a progress report! If I aim high, hopefully I won't land too low!</div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-51964144590374929222018-02-13T00:24:00.000-05:002018-02-13T00:24:42.683-05:00The Week The Sink Broke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I really wanted to title this post "Holy Week" or "Holy Sink, man!" but decided to go with something a little more... appropriate. Oh wow, was this past week everything on the rollercoaster and then some! I know that my life is never dull, but God in his goodness allows events that keep me reminded that I <i>don't</i> have it all together and I <i>can't</i> do it all on my own strength and will-power. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Case in point, this past Monday evening. Daniel had a work related conference out of town (out of state, actually) and needed to leave Monday evening. I'm a big girl, I single-parent a lot of all-dayers often, this shouldn't seem a big deal. But knowing he was leaving and wouldn't be home even at the tail end of the day had me a wee bit on edge even though I tried to keep it all supressed and ignored. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The day was going fairly decent if I remember correctly. It had taken a bit of the morning and early afternoon to get the girls over their weekend slump and back into "it is time to do school, you need to do it well, staying focused, and not goofing off, withOUT me standing here reminding you every pencil stroke."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I was in the kitchen making dinner and heard 2 of the girls goofing off. Not a huge deal, though the toothpaste being smeared recreationally earlier on the day should have clued me in to their antic-abilities that day. Except I was half distracted by dinner, wondering when Daniel would be home from work and secretly wishing either I could whisk away with him (to the Gaylord Conference Center & Resort, no less!!), or that he really wasn't actually leaving. Since neither of those was actually happening, I was just acting as though everything was fine and dandy and... what pregnancy hormones have me all over the place? 😛</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Then I heard timidly-frantic voices talking about the sink. Things like "we didn't mean to!", "a crack started and then a hole!", and "it's broken!!" Immediately my mama-brain kicked into red-alert mode and my antennas went way up as I wondered "what on earth???"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By this time, which was actually just seconds, one of the vandals had run into the kitchen talking a frantic mile a minute. I decided whatever it was, I wasn't going to act on my first inclination which was to BLOW UP. "Whatever has happened has happened and no amount of voiced frustration, anger, or disappointment in this moment will do any good," I told myself as I walked toward the bathroom, still not quite believing that the sink could possibly be broken (hooowww???).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But, what to my wondeeing eyes should appear... but a sink. With a hole shattered in it. For real. With my husband, the solid rock emotions guy, not home from work yet and leaving for 24-ish hours soon after he would get home. *breathe in, breathe out, repeat*</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepnfblGizXzIYoz1e9Sbf0ojuNpcsfIdyvo1pD8Ch0TOtbnFWeJiTbRQ9X0dfxzs4nDmQUYB7F7asN12i0sJV0gRrIcsEd2Xrw3KfKyIVduDJ1U_iAXBtVPhuDnNpSlzSCzoZQDNgLzk/s1600/20180205_175201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepnfblGizXzIYoz1e9Sbf0ojuNpcsfIdyvo1pD8Ch0TOtbnFWeJiTbRQ9X0dfxzs4nDmQUYB7F7asN12i0sJV0gRrIcsEd2Xrw3KfKyIVduDJ1U_iAXBtVPhuDnNpSlzSCzoZQDNgLzk/s320/20180205_175201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I very, very briefly quizzed the 2 offenders on how the sink got the hole in it, which I couldn't quite understand even after they both said the same thing. What they said sounded like the dumbest idea ever. But, dumb thibgs happen so I just said we were going to close the bathroom door and leave it for now. I locked the door so no one would "mistakenly" happen to go in there to assess the damage and... who knows what else. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I freaked out a message to Daniel, who was by that time on his way home. He suggested duct tape, I decided it was in everyone's best interest for me to stay focused on dinner and keeping the hyenas from further home reno-demo since we aren't in the demo stage of any renovation projects right now!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Daniel got home, put duct tape over the hole in the sink for a temporary "fix", we ate dinner, he packed his bag and left, and I shuttled all the sweet children into their beds. And then I wished for a really tall glass of wine!! Actually, I think I crawled in bed and read a blog or something. The sink still has it's duct-tape band-aid, I've since learned more of how it got broken (which was still foolish but makes more sense), and Daniel and I joked about tearing the whole bathroom down to start the next stage of our house addition/renovation project. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRokYtM6kJcF1ev3WztK1NekyhMSw0ggtJCgFEHrArdZ-3bRPeJjewAfbJe6FcdSD7GJF1sjhyphenhyphen5LGauvdbjAKuZECL5sPcK69oG7VzG4F2Ujl9WYAyXCx1P376m_dkzwOeyBF0o2P7YeU/s1600/20180207_092357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRokYtM6kJcF1ev3WztK1NekyhMSw0ggtJCgFEHrArdZ-3bRPeJjewAfbJe6FcdSD7GJF1sjhyphenhyphen5LGauvdbjAKuZECL5sPcK69oG7VzG4F2Ujl9WYAyXCx1P376m_dkzwOeyBF0o2P7YeU/s320/20180207_092357.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This guy right here? When he wakes up before I am ready for the day, I bring him into the bathroom with me and he plays with my bobby-pin holder. For a while. Until he decides to go crawling through our wet walk-in shower. 🙃</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our week ended on a much higher note than it began, thankfully!! Friends of ours were married and we attended the wedding. Being the ages they are, weddings are practically watching a live fairy-tale for the girls!! They were very excited to say the least.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Charity was the most excited about the dancing that was mentioned on the invitation. All three girls spent daaaaays talking about which friend they were each going to dance with, but Charity always came back around to saying she would dance with Daddy. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When they invited any daughters and their dads to join the bride and her dad on the father-daughter dance, I gave Daniel a nudge. "You should ask Charity."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Charity, would you like to go dance?" </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"YES!!"</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvMkgvvr9aqG5IzK6fMloIk3nlsLNndJWAQ-2YsQIRtnLiba5FUEUWOPtD5bZPctVDl87sogkJNiuucN2PJvCJGt61d2_1nyYKUp4FxZuPLeueSwTThsgJG3y-RgsaxJc5eU_UpXkveI/s1600/20180210_181251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvMkgvvr9aqG5IzK6fMloIk3nlsLNndJWAQ-2YsQIRtnLiba5FUEUWOPtD5bZPctVDl87sogkJNiuucN2PJvCJGt61d2_1nyYKUp4FxZuPLeueSwTThsgJG3y-RgsaxJc5eU_UpXkveI/s320/20180210_181251.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuxzqSsTgZaMSibtzzJyYXo10qhY8_A2oaBMBWGhHwiqJT6IiR0aNxVmLUZzzQqsVnRN0Sv9R3lP8T0f-HYPT3O9LURzcgHjGV5AIDrXHE3YSa46AyUeXEFE5SCJTWcX7kwqdREmOu50/s1600/20180210_173945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuxzqSsTgZaMSibtzzJyYXo10qhY8_A2oaBMBWGhHwiqJT6IiR0aNxVmLUZzzQqsVnRN0Sv9R3lP8T0f-HYPT3O9LURzcgHjGV5AIDrXHE3YSa46AyUeXEFE5SCJTWcX7kwqdREmOu50/s320/20180210_173945.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was the start of their first "dance". My mama-heart just didn't know what to feel!!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">She loved the dancing and danced many times with Daniel. Neither Susannah or Sylvia wanted to dance, but Charity did. Later in the evening Daniel said he was having "flash-forwards"... I admit I kinda was too. She will be grown up and the bride dancing the father-daughter dance all too soon!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And that wraps up our week. From sinks to weddings. Two exciting events on two very opposite ends of the emotional scale!</span></div>
<br />
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-19322105791601816552018-02-05T00:28:00.001-05:002018-02-05T00:28:41.920-05:00Various Sunday Sundries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I am writing a blog post for the first time in a long time! I have been wanting to blog again and have posts whiz through my brain usually once or twice a day, but finding/making/takong the time to actually write just never gets above the must do's of the day. I finally decided to just do it. Whenever, whatever, and however long or short, it doesn't matter.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSOv2tqQr1BIChJhZOj0XzNi0uAF5FVu_Q2GCHBROCeePmsTOWaJgxuHewlQYVrXclAg7-vMtAQoE-OE7-x9U2_HS5sOQp946aOhS0R55DdDzJrR6X0pkTJ42CUWn7fZI_MxjhuSngfY/s1600/20180129_130049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSOv2tqQr1BIChJhZOj0XzNi0uAF5FVu_Q2GCHBROCeePmsTOWaJgxuHewlQYVrXclAg7-vMtAQoE-OE7-x9U2_HS5sOQp946aOhS0R55DdDzJrR6X0pkTJ42CUWn7fZI_MxjhuSngfY/s320/20180129_130049.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susannah making her lunch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Life has been a roller-coaster of normalcy and "we will survive!" this past week and a half. We were getting into a good rhythm for our every day with chores, school, and all the other things that go with daily homeschool/homemaking. Then... a stomach virus invaded and everything went haywire.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLINUDmCzIVi1oVaIPdtMdIaijrz-UaiHVBjkoXBcMvrNo1wcAPdRJ8nCop56D0vEoUvS1N8F4Yf0c-EN5Xk4w-WwLpd2QFp_kTjToBzdNwb9Lf6YXaSzQtX75SGwbHglZ_CeUy-kvU/s1600/20180129_130053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLINUDmCzIVi1oVaIPdtMdIaijrz-UaiHVBjkoXBcMvrNo1wcAPdRJ8nCop56D0vEoUvS1N8F4Yf0c-EN5Xk4w-WwLpd2QFp_kTjToBzdNwb9Lf6YXaSzQtX75SGwbHglZ_CeUy-kvU/s320/20180129_130053.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sylvia made lunch for herself and Charity one day when I was busy ... with something, I don't remember!<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thankfully it stayed contained to the younger two. The rest of us were drinking our grapejuice with activated charcoal faithfully, and we escaped!! But 3-ish days of trying to keep school going for the well crowd, the mountains of sick laundry PLUS regular laundry, the sick crowd needing extea TLC, and well... the house quickly returned to upheaval-ed state.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXocjjezVZig7w3EqRjqKe1zxJBBiANuV1VyUo6FjYWSFR-2PKulp2_FszF6E8LJ0SMHh_E6iNk-jVdw53N7P2bb_f1RSwP9S2fFpzOIo5VtpAcQPsTPEJc1MrgMjgWKeZnwPLXf_T5ec/s1600/20180129_163604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXocjjezVZig7w3EqRjqKe1zxJBBiANuV1VyUo6FjYWSFR-2PKulp2_FszF6E8LJ0SMHh_E6iNk-jVdw53N7P2bb_f1RSwP9S2fFpzOIo5VtpAcQPsTPEJc1MrgMjgWKeZnwPLXf_T5ec/s320/20180129_163604.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Charity has officially joined the daily chore crowd, rotating which room is her room to clean* and vacuum.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
*"clean" has different definitions based on each person's abilities. </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Yesterday, Saturday, we were all home all. day. long. Guess how much it *felt* like had been accomplished when I crawled in bed that night? Not a lot, really. But the reality is that Sylvia and I made our bread for the week (2 batches, 6 loaves), and even though we use the Kitchen Aid mixer it still takes a big chunk of time.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The girls *did* pick up and vacuum floors and even cleaned the main bathroom. (again, "clean" has many definitions but it WAS cleanER than before!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzhOKvsJYTOpwVfKEKUsen4VwthfilqQ12pr1PqsXurEvD0ld-iG8xlE1JEePiNnJjwh4_6QWrlvkAb4p7YSQylLR6vwG6UDnLoFD3L5_ia-5fdxwQSTEN3Q7PyYhVWFXvr8YmplvjhI/s1600/20180127_124646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzhOKvsJYTOpwVfKEKUsen4VwthfilqQ12pr1PqsXurEvD0ld-iG8xlE1JEePiNnJjwh4_6QWrlvkAb4p7YSQylLR6vwG6UDnLoFD3L5_ia-5fdxwQSTEN3Q7PyYhVWFXvr8YmplvjhI/s320/20180127_124646.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silas, 13 months, has earned a nick-name of Mr. Long-fingers. If he can manage to reach it, he will pull it down from wherever it is and dig into it. Like... someone's Christmas candy they didn't put up high enough!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I am looking forward to a new school week starting tomorrow, with everyone healthy and well, and on top of our game!Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-65282501548837511562017-05-09T00:31:00.000-04:002017-05-09T00:31:28.677-04:00Almost 2 Susannah<span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm not sure what my intentions were with this post, but it has been sitting in my drafts folder for over 5 years. 2 cute pictures from when my days were mostly just me and Susannah. This was about 2 months before Sylvia was born. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In the first picture Susannah is playing with some fun "bumpy blocks" that were a Chrslistmas gift.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In the second picture I am pretty sure she was telling me something about whatever she was holding in her hands. Even though she didn't use words mich yet at that age, she still enjoyed communicating. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAtgMiG2ynxplrYjVGqtuUoe2IS-wwAN8zMBS3eHLwRwfifrk0Bj9aFXmWGkm6f-i1I5_QpvTFS_cEP0pBG3MiuvveP9GPw7fD3txBNVlUMhPbfQUksoc4vtSU-71t5NmX5IcoSnvML5e/s1600/January+31+2012+002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704008156365865266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAtgMiG2ynxplrYjVGqtuUoe2IS-wwAN8zMBS3eHLwRwfifrk0Bj9aFXmWGkm6f-i1I5_QpvTFS_cEP0pBG3MiuvveP9GPw7fD3txBNVlUMhPbfQUksoc4vtSU-71t5NmX5IcoSnvML5e/s400/January+31+2012+002.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTDdIvJEDrFSJ5bNn3VqS8lhsKVR71nhF2TjVk3pmSO-19eL6IIDALsAF74dXmy4aLb3yAx4U9iWEy2BXkRy4NEWj-tSrcnuYDvq99zQWObzH0zZpDwm3bcLhy78wQ9Lpn3epZd5sbwQ4/s1600/January+31+2012+011.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704008158763665938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTDdIvJEDrFSJ5bNn3VqS8lhsKVR71nhF2TjVk3pmSO-19eL6IIDALsAF74dXmy4aLb3yAx4U9iWEy2BXkRy4NEWj-tSrcnuYDvq99zQWObzH0zZpDwm3bcLhy78wQ9Lpn3epZd5sbwQ4/s400/January+31+2012+011.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-82997290420228681272017-05-06T23:01:00.000-04:002017-05-06T23:01:24.213-04:00Tiny Talk Tuesday ~ No Noodles! ~ From May 2013One day this past week we were eating leftovers for lunch which included some pasta. Susannah was telling me about all the different plants we have in our garden. <br />
<br />
"Peas, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower... MOM! Noodles! We don't have any growing noodles!!"<br />
<br />
I tried to explain to her then that noodles don't grow on a plant, but instead they are made out of flour, eggs and water.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
At the supper table, Susannah reached over and pushed the short sleeve of Daniel's work shirt up. Then she wrapped both arms around his upper arm, gave his arm a big hug with the side of her face smooshed up against him and said "I <i>LOVE</i> your big muscle!!"<br />
<br />
Daniel grins, flexes and a big S for Super-Daddy glows on his chest when she admires his strong biceps. :-) <i>I hafta say... I kinda like them myself. ;-)</i><br />
<br />
*****<br />
<i> </i><br />
After lunch today I had planned that we would run to a local produce farm to get another flat of jam berries. It was time to begin getting ready to go so I instructed Susannah to go to the bathroom by herself (which she can do). I turned the light on for her and went about my own preparations which included going outside. While outside, I hear "Moooom!! Mooooom!!!" coming from the open living room window. She had finished and walked out to the living room looking for me.<br />
<br />
I went inside and she asked me to help pull up her pants as she was finished going potty. I noticed that her undies and capris were wet. I asked if she forgot to close her knees while she was on the potty and that's how her pants got wet. She said that wasn't the case. Then I asked her how her pants got wet and she said "I peed like a boy!" ... meaning, instead of <i>sitting</i> on the toilet like girls have to, she <i>stood</i> as she has seen some of her boy cousins do. Like Daniel said, "well, now she knows!" that it doesn't work that way for girls. Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-39757504211902068422017-05-06T23:00:00.001-04:002017-05-06T23:00:25.869-04:00Sylvia - 16 months ~ Originally written July 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibZbtVaZUkJeuQ_of_IGjGhiZrX1gQHGjNcjxa8LV52ucie8JrzMzUU7B2_Z5VsDPtQ0Z9Th_O5mcp1xt9cNl9oRS_Ib_2HeRP9EBNLpbtyG1bWQrLhtXGjFXxNJ3b_zuUnPztFT-qCs/s1600/0612131208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibZbtVaZUkJeuQ_of_IGjGhiZrX1gQHGjNcjxa8LV52ucie8JrzMzUU7B2_Z5VsDPtQ0Z9Th_O5mcp1xt9cNl9oRS_Ib_2HeRP9EBNLpbtyG1bWQrLhtXGjFXxNJ3b_zuUnPztFT-qCs/s320/0612131208.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
It is hard to believe that a whole 16 months have passed since Sylvia came into my arms as a tiny baby (well, an almost 9 lb. tiny baby :) ). She is not so little anymore!!<br />
<br />
This summer she has really started using words and will imitate some sounds for us. She knows some baby sign language and we know how to read her. Her verbal vocabulary consists of Dah! (still said as a shriek if she hasn't seen him for a while), Ma, sometimes 'Nuh (for Susannah), up, hot, help, kitty, ha (like "haha") and the animal sounds meow and ROAR. Her sign language is very basic, please, all done, milk/drink, and thank-you.<br />
<br />
She did a little singing early this spring, but that was short-lived and I haven't heard her sing in quite a while. She DOES sing with her hands, though! It is not unusual for her to burst into song, doing hand motions to many of the songs we sing throughout the days. I just have to figure out which song she's motioning for since she wants me to sing it. :) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FAgdstgI2myOUkbbHUKHLmwATfh1T5eiVP8DCueVyhcT_MvhBRs6Pc7tHBM_DaBgC0qxCk-PXDFt006a-In5kAhRZlHUXwBJ7fslO0Edr3YJvDQERSeiaAcds3Wd9qvLWX0yfRw7Xfw/s1600/0620131832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FAgdstgI2myOUkbbHUKHLmwATfh1T5eiVP8DCueVyhcT_MvhBRs6Pc7tHBM_DaBgC0qxCk-PXDFt006a-In5kAhRZlHUXwBJ7fslO0Edr3YJvDQERSeiaAcds3Wd9qvLWX0yfRw7Xfw/s320/0620131832.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcNGIGsvD-td9QiaZZlVQZXIbUsiqLcvC4szEjEJEZAefbOjJtk-kT9647eI9Kjyf8_b2bULS0t0CphKP9ENlQTZDhL6q7yw_22I5mbeYef6WqzK6-Pg1Vb9Jw5dhZIKctU2MDTOm9so/s1600/0630131922a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcNGIGsvD-td9QiaZZlVQZXIbUsiqLcvC4szEjEJEZAefbOjJtk-kT9647eI9Kjyf8_b2bULS0t0CphKP9ENlQTZDhL6q7yw_22I5mbeYef6WqzK6-Pg1Vb9Jw5dhZIKctU2MDTOm9so/s320/0630131922a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-9LxD1EM-Laz8BWOo60bhxaGcNN_sDO7nG5gEhecMK3TLzkibebT1hcpKVOH0UbQ7hDCaV2U_2gnTRqhRPu7FDuC0m_JPEqh2YZbE6Gx5sZx93JMu5UJ2V6K67_Kl_Ei4KTnNo8sHeY/s1600/June+30+2013+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-9LxD1EM-Laz8BWOo60bhxaGcNN_sDO7nG5gEhecMK3TLzkibebT1hcpKVOH0UbQ7hDCaV2U_2gnTRqhRPu7FDuC0m_JPEqh2YZbE6Gx5sZx93JMu5UJ2V6K67_Kl_Ei4KTnNo8sHeY/s320/June+30+2013+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-42936725967382016702017-05-06T22:59:00.001-04:002017-05-06T22:59:23.847-04:00The Goings On Around Here ~ from Spring 2013<br />
The garden is coming along well. The peas are at the beginning of their picking season and I need to get out there today to see what all I find. I picked 2 handfuls on Saturday. As much as I was not in the mood to plant peas this year, or even really devote huge chunks of my time to a garden, period, this summer, since it's in and it's growing, I'm enjoying puttering around in it and the solitude of working out there during afternoon naptime.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv9e2lJelqn8a8x7K3dhXuScUBEk80gaE5S9L9jI2oPKQaDHwwjHZzLyXbajHL45d40MqeR2RqkYpMrruo9Ahw3t9rZ5BL_IfreshNLwbN8rYgIso1HdrI49w997VdrtESlfEp_s9QZg/s1600/0506131232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv9e2lJelqn8a8x7K3dhXuScUBEk80gaE5S9L9jI2oPKQaDHwwjHZzLyXbajHL45d40MqeR2RqkYpMrruo9Ahw3t9rZ5BL_IfreshNLwbN8rYgIso1HdrI49w997VdrtESlfEp_s9QZg/s400/0506131232.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The tiller got a flat tire over the winter and after one attempt to fix it, Daniel realized it needs a new tube since the leak is at the stem. He is a very busy man and hasn't had time to shop around and find a new tube yet. In the meantime anywhere I plant, I use a hickory-handled "tiller". I tell myself it builds perseverance and muscles! Needless to say, both me and my back are eager for when I don't have to use this method anymore.<br />
<br />
I need to get more corn in, but the weeds have taken off and I can't just go out there and start turning dirt anymore. I need to pull the weeds first. I started pulling weeds for the next rows of corn Saturday, I hope to work on it again today and see how far I get.<br />
<br />
I am enjoying having our chickens. :) A few weeks ago we went to the feed store and they were desperate to get rid of the last 7 pullets and the store owner offered them to me for half-price. Since our 4 hens are older and not laying consistently we were planning to add more chickens anyway, so after consulting with Daniel we took them. They should start laying soon. I'm so eager to not buy store eggs anymore!!<br />
<br />
This year is the year for flowers around here. Susannah loves flowers and I do, too, so every time we go to the feed store I buy a few more to stick in the ground. Tuesday we had to go get more chicken feed and while we were there we browsed the flowers. One of the ladies that works there told me the flowers had been on a 50% off sale for the weekend and I could still get 50% off any I purchased. Instead of just picking up a few, I got more than I was planning to get. Now I am slowly working at getting them into the ground. I am enjoying having some beautiful blooms in the garden and a few flower pots/bed. We replanted two places with new zinnia seeds since none of the old seeds came up. I had 5 packets of different varieties and just mixed them all up and sprinkled them in the dirt. I am eager to see them up and have their bed bursting with blooms for Susannah to pick!Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-24554622611953204482017-05-06T22:57:00.001-04:002017-05-06T22:57:13.963-04:00Pictures from Christmas 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7yeN_hdxBqAWHFv3JmtqFWwLbhjwtVdVPB3P5N0dzQMjzXkgb2uAn_QVD_Vvi3-GpNddOp72BJrmPybGuo1TKWKX6JextyUu-Bf8W65rxzTIXhyphenhyphenM3Wo9bYnx4uefKpVbqQw5GBJ2RCM/s1600/December+13+2013+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7yeN_hdxBqAWHFv3JmtqFWwLbhjwtVdVPB3P5N0dzQMjzXkgb2uAn_QVD_Vvi3-GpNddOp72BJrmPybGuo1TKWKX6JextyUu-Bf8W65rxzTIXhyphenhyphenM3Wo9bYnx4uefKpVbqQw5GBJ2RCM/s320/December+13+2013+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Susannah age 3 3/4, Sylvia age 1 3/4. I was 6 months pregnant with Charity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuk2mpuXqBx7o7uvNZRGDBYyJdBvRwvdvXHqDYDKS4BeWDtgx71DAYNkeH2IhjrAFvwyjcDm4jIXBYBRBRlDZgyXbA8gpTCIvV6QvRSiMaK0uE4xL4z4YjuDH28pBDO86W21V2ZSwIHQ/s1600/December+22+2013+011-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuk2mpuXqBx7o7uvNZRGDBYyJdBvRwvdvXHqDYDKS4BeWDtgx71DAYNkeH2IhjrAFvwyjcDm4jIXBYBRBRlDZgyXbA8gpTCIvV6QvRSiMaK0uE4xL4z4YjuDH28pBDO86W21V2ZSwIHQ/s320/December+22+2013+011-003.JPG" width="229" /></a></div>
<br />
We had very simple gifts this year. Now that I am editing and publishing this 3+ year old post, I don't even remember what they were! I think books. Maybe coloring books and special colored pencils or something.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpYkh0vLW3dLwgcQeRnH_LVkGIk-NEqEG6KSjzgpHmeofFYWaiJHSjtblypwzvLtXELQq4pZpn6fIo7eoGFebw_yYTemhkllyRn6ksAZqBTYnVW11CCM0XGjd_cXhQODfYzDV8SbJ5Hs/s1600/December+25+2013+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpYkh0vLW3dLwgcQeRnH_LVkGIk-NEqEG6KSjzgpHmeofFYWaiJHSjtblypwzvLtXELQq4pZpn6fIo7eoGFebw_yYTemhkllyRn6ksAZqBTYnVW11CCM0XGjd_cXhQODfYzDV8SbJ5Hs/s320/December+25+2013+004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We also had Christmas stockings for the first time. I bought sweaters from Goodwill and made stockings from them. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarr-txaR2jiUS_WHkJxTVNwiQ11rCO8vG3LEh0hv0CoIsE7vtdHDwTntaBc0_IbFA8v3Zd-IOC2IYsat_gbJc8JF9e_6vH9K7jLa0nN9W1F62iFYV5FaFI755uhucHEg3SZqPh_OH0h4/s1600/December+25+2013+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarr-txaR2jiUS_WHkJxTVNwiQ11rCO8vG3LEh0hv0CoIsE7vtdHDwTntaBc0_IbFA8v3Zd-IOC2IYsat_gbJc8JF9e_6vH9K7jLa0nN9W1F62iFYV5FaFI755uhucHEg3SZqPh_OH0h4/s320/December+25+2013+013.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
In the stockings were new toothbrushes, some fun individual snacky things that are special, and in the toe of the stocking an orange, just like in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqPoYkgroIQZan1NraGUAuAM3rvD2O7_eXzwGF52-OPkD6MycNfuim0q-802FwY2NJqDmMpnZexDEdXm46LOfzaqQIriqJ6wJqzS4JxctywHU_RXa-PqQwV-nZ6JL6_m6O2yea4sY5DE/s1600/December+25+2013+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqPoYkgroIQZan1NraGUAuAM3rvD2O7_eXzwGF52-OPkD6MycNfuim0q-802FwY2NJqDmMpnZexDEdXm46LOfzaqQIriqJ6wJqzS4JxctywHU_RXa-PqQwV-nZ6JL6_m6O2yea4sY5DE/s320/December+25+2013+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One gift we gave Susannah was a ladybug necklace. She loved all things ladybug and Daniel called her "Ladybug". <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C_95WNcJXhpPcR-m_73G_YIHH5XZxfmK3rL93xR9zSSaYDi-5yKcS5HADgJGDuHRlssI2BMxGdNYwpnTYkgQp52HNEi9zVLLzI1aiCCC3c0g82prYiuuy4tZHat8od3b-h0GyNb3mxA/s1600/December+25+2013+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C_95WNcJXhpPcR-m_73G_YIHH5XZxfmK3rL93xR9zSSaYDi-5yKcS5HADgJGDuHRlssI2BMxGdNYwpnTYkgQp52HNEi9zVLLzI1aiCCC3c0g82prYiuuy4tZHat8od3b-h0GyNb3mxA/s320/December+25+2013+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I made a birthday cake for Jesus, we sang Happy Birthday, and the girls blew out the candles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjignP-nRrqtBgln55TAx9war1_8ARV7DgIHhdoY6Bk0sdBkWd91ue299XOvwrGA_XdNeEAc5cw56fEsmQZO7WPm8Oj3sOThaebdHqa8VUeyc_vzTkzE9YRFXf3Gjtsd3PUXSbHaoxrwl0/s1600/December+25+2013+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjignP-nRrqtBgln55TAx9war1_8ARV7DgIHhdoY6Bk0sdBkWd91ue299XOvwrGA_XdNeEAc5cw56fEsmQZO7WPm8Oj3sOThaebdHqa8VUeyc_vzTkzE9YRFXf3Gjtsd3PUXSbHaoxrwl0/s320/December+25+2013+047.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Tucking their dollies into a hand-me-down cradle we were given, and I had kept hidden away to give them at Christmas.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2HlSZ6Gy3Yccvb4vkgzjQEDXwkJuhDY8RgCu-AIKTZzbDHX2v00MyYwwyaefUIr2p8_13tXeOcoZAmM9R9ppDkZ_b0jipYR25zhf2ntnAe-B10kB9wXE3_3FvdSYNsKpM_4imF-cZ6M/s1600/December+25+2013+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2HlSZ6Gy3Yccvb4vkgzjQEDXwkJuhDY8RgCu-AIKTZzbDHX2v00MyYwwyaefUIr2p8_13tXeOcoZAmM9R9ppDkZ_b0jipYR25zhf2ntnAe-B10kB9wXE3_3FvdSYNsKpM_4imF-cZ6M/s320/December+25+2013+062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364051899386841101.post-62724511654771685492017-05-06T22:50:00.003-04:002017-05-06T22:50:55.950-04:00Charity ~ The First 5 Weeks<i>Here is another post I found waiting in my drafts folder today, May 6, 2017. This was originally written probably about the same time 3 years ago. Charity is now 3 years old. :)</i> <br />
<br />
I am not sure when I blinked and two whole months have passed without a single post about Charity!! I have memories that I don't ever want to forget that I must get written down or I <i>will</i> forget them.<br />
<br />
Let's see...<br />
<br />
We brought our sweet girl home from the hospital on Wednesday (she was born on Monday), and because her biliruben levels had been up a little bit (low teens) we had to take her for a check on Thursday. She left the hospital weighing 8 lbs, 12 oz. and the next day weighed 9 lbs. even! I wasn't sure my milk had even come in yet but she must've been getting something! I was pleasantly surprised. :)<br />
<br />
The first week and then into the second week I got into the "feed every 3 hours, round the clock, even in the middle of the night" routine. I set my phone alarm when it was night so I would be sure to wake up since I, of course, was dead tired. I stopped setting my alarm after she turned 2 weeks old.<br />
<br />
She was a pretty good eater (feedings took 45 minutes, sometimes an hour) but I did have to work to keep her awake to eat. That part is always so, so hard to do! She was <i>not</i> a good sleeper. The first week, so many of my sleeping times ended up with my sleeping either in the rocking chair holding her, or lying in bed with her on my chest. If I put her down either in her bed or even in our bed beside me, she would just fuss and fuss and fuss. At first we thought she was just getting used to life outside the womb. By the time the second week started and this was still the case, I asked Daniel if she seemed to be fussier than our first two babies or had I forgotten? He confirmed that she <i>was</i> fussier. At that point I just about came unglued many times, not knowing how I was going to "get through life" with a baby who most days would fuss her entire naptime at least once, and other naptimes weren't so great, either.<br />
<br />
I made sure I wasn't eating gassy or spicy foods and she still fussed. It wasn't at any certain time of the day or night; there was no consistency or regularity to it at all, which made survival with the two big girls HARD. I well remember Daniel's first loooong work day after Charity was born. I didn't get the big girls supper until about 7:30, Charity was crying and crying and crying the entire time I was trying to get their food on the table, both Susannah and Sylvia were very out of sorts and very uncooperative, I finally was able to get Charity and hold her and she continued to cry. Susannah wanted something her way (which was just not possible at the time) and had a major, MAJOR meltdown, Sylvia wasn't eating her food, and Daniel wasn't going to be home until after 9pm. Charity FINALLY fell asleep (it was getting close to 3 hours that she had been awake; way, <i>way</i> too long for someone her age to be awake - in my book!) and I wasn't about to put her down for fear that she would start crying all over again. Susannah was still having her melt-down and I finally decided the big girls were going to bed. That was it. I didn't care that it wasn't bedtime yet, that they should have baths, teeth brushed or even pajamas on. I managed to change Sylvia's diaper while holding Charity and both crying big girls were put in bed with promises that Daddy would kiss them when he got home.<br />
<br />
Then I went and had my own cry, deciding that I couldn't handle having a fussy baby and not knowing how on earth I was going to survive if this was how it was going to be for a long time. I prayed so many of those "I am so tired I don't even know what to pray" prayers.<br />
<br />
Charity was a really good baby... except when it came to naptimes. Sometimes. It just didn't make any sense to me, at all, and I wasn't ready to just chalk it up to her being a fussy baby. Something just seemed wrong. She didn't spit up, she didn't have excessive gas, she didn't scream or act like she was in horrible pain, she ate, peed and pooped like a normal baby, but my gut feeling was that there was a <i>reason</i> she wasn't sleeping well a lot of the time. She would have better days and worse days, seemingly unrelated to ANYTHING (going to church, noise levels in the house, etc.).<br />
<br />
And then we ran out of ice cream. I had been surviving on ice cream, eating some almost every day. And fruit and yogurt, and chocolate milk. It was protein, it was fast, it was easy, it was filling and I didn't have to cook it, make it, heat it up or anything. I could get a spoon and just EAT. A few days went past and we did our first grocery shopping since she had been born because we desperately needed some groceries. I bought yogurt and ice cream. That night I had a banana split. The following evening Charity was the most fussy that she had been in a few days. Following my stress-eater instincts and because I was hungry at 10pm, I ate yogurt and fruit. While eating the yogurt I went over each and every single detail of the previous several days to try and make a connection to ANYTHING and her fussing.<br />
<br />
<i>Dairy.</i> I hadn't eaten ice cream or yogurt, then I did eat ice cream and exactly 24 hours later she started fussing again. What? Dairy?! I put the idea out in Facebookland. Several people replied that yes, dairy can certainly make for fussy babies. The next day was Friday and I ate pizza for supper. The pizza had cheese on it and I gazed upon that cheese and relished it to the last morsel. I was giving up all things dairy to see if it made a difference.<br />
<br />
It made a difference. By the time 36 hours had passed since I'd eaten the pizza, we had a sleeping Charity at naptimes. Which meant a sleeping MAMA, too!! She slept better, which meant she woke up better, which meant she ate better... which meant life was better for all of us. Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03171889409871334109noreply@blogger.com0