On My Mind....

"Your love for God is only as great as your love for the person you love the least" --Dorothy Day

Be Radiant

Radiant Magazine is a Catholic publication for the "fun, fashionable, and devout woman." I happened up it because a friend (over at In Honor Of Design) happens to be the graphic editor/designer.
This article is beautiful and I felt like I had to share. It is not only for those single women looking for Mr. Right, but also for those of us who are married. It was that subtle reminder that even though I found my One And Only, modesty goes beyond impression. It seeks to glorify God in the person that you are. It doesn't stop at physical beauty but rather encompasses the whole person. What a wonderful reminder of what modesty is, what it is intended for, and who it ought to glorify. I invite you to read the article and the many others that grace the pages of Radiant Magazine.

p.s. it is written by a man who so eloquently makes a very strong point. Take a look...

Banana Bread Nostalgia

I remember as a kid the comforting routine of my day. Wake up to an all too familiar jingle that WJJY radio station played every morning around 7:15am....

"Good morning good morning good morning
it's time to rise and shine
Good morning good morning good morning
I hope you're feeling fine
it's time to get up and get out of bed
it's time to get up you sleepy head
the day is coming just for you
and all your dreams....
are coming true..."

Anybody else remember that one? This is what I heard every morning as I made my way downstairs. And as I entered the kitchen I'd be greeted by my all-too-perky-morning-loving mom flipping pancakes or making eggs or some other form of yummy hot breakfast. You see, hot breakfasts happened almost everyday. I know I know.....I was lucky. Aside from the fact that my mother loved us oh so much to get up before everyone, cook up a wonderful breakfast, and clean up after everyone left (we didn't get a dishwasher until....mid to late 90s), it was a matter of economy. My giant sized brothers (I had 3 of them) would each eat a box of cereal, a few pieces of toast, and a half gallon of milk if my mother didn't offer something else. It was necessity. On occasion.....okay, maybe once a week or so, there would be cinnamon rolls or banana bread waiting on the table just begging to be.....INHALED. She is a saint, my mother. Truly truly the best.
There is just something extraordinary about my mother's banana bread. She swears she does nothing special and it is a basic recipe - which it is.....probably Betty Crocker or something. Perhaps it is the pan. Or maybe it's the kitchen. Who knows. When my great-grammy died there was some conflict over a certain roasting pan she used for her famous "soft chicken". Everyone thought if HER pan was used for HER recipe then it would magically be like SHE made it. Not so. The pan does add to the nostalgia of soft chicken served on a cold winter night with the sweet cackle of Gram's laughter coming from the kitchen. But really?....it wasn't the pan. No. It isn't the recipe or the pan or the kitchen or even the cook. What makes food.....homemade food so wonderfully delicious and irresistible is the love. The love with which it is made. The love for whom it is prepared. And the love with which it is served. Sounds cheesy. But it is all about the love. Ask anyone who grew up on homemade food.
Back to the banana bread. It is a tried and true simple recipe and when it is used with the sweetest of intentions and made for those you love, it tastes as if it were dropped from heaven. Seriously....just try it....with any recipe. OR you can try it with this one:

1.5c butter
3c sugar
3 eggs
7 ripe bananas (black, squishy, and almost juicy)
1/2c milk (soured with 2tsp vinegar)
1T baking soda
1tsp salt
6c flour (mix 5....add 6th)

whip the butter, sugar, and eggs together. add the bananas and soured milk. add baking soda and salt.
mix in 5c flour until moist then add 6th cup.
pour into 3 large greased bread pans and bake at 325 for 1-1.5 hours. they are done when toothpick test comes out clean.

ENJOY.

Sweet November

I cannot even express my giddiness over the fact that today is November 1st. What is the reason for such giddiness, you ask? Well, let me tell you. September and October were insanely busy months for us. September being chucked full of harvesting our own garden, canning, getting things cut, raked, and cleaned up for the upcoming winter months, canning, lots of overtime for my husband, canning, adjusting to 3 school days a week for Hayden, canning, etc. etc. etc. I think you get the idea. All I looked at in September was tomatoes in my kitchen, tomatoes in my garage, tomatoes in my garden waiting to be picked, canning jars in my cupboards, lids all over my counters, filled jars waiting for a place to be stored for the winter, and utter chaos in my kitchen.

October was not much better…..actually it was much worse because not only was I STILL canning and cleaning up the garden, my husband was working extra hours at work and on his “days off” he was working 12-15 hour overnight shifts driving beet wagons and tractors for the farmer next door. There was literally about 8 days when I did not see him more than 30 minutes a day. Poor guy worked his butt off, slept very little, ate like a horse, and still managed to keep some level of sanity. I love him. Have I ever posted that?….I.LOVE.HIM.

So now that September and October are behind us, what I have to look forward to in November is utter sweetness: bitter frigid cold…..and probably snow. Yes. I admit it. I am overjoyed that the freezing winter months are finally here. I know, I know……..I’ve walked off the deep end. Truth is, I’m excited for the cold because it means no more major projects outside. It means that I get to see my husband more hours of the day. It means that he can relax a little bit and maybe take up a hobby and de-stress. It means that the only things that will steal my husband’s attention away from the warm inviting inside are the animals, moving snow, or splitting wood. I love the winter for that simple reason.

I say bring on the subzero temps. I long for snow days and closed highways. The snow can’t come soon enough. I’m ready. Our jackets are out, everyone has boots and thermal-wear. We are ready.

SMILE.....It's Monday!

I have to post this. A friend shared this on Facebook and I laughed hysterically. Hope you enjoy!



Okay, just checked out the original video. I've never watched it before and I have to say it is pretty darn twisted. Kinda creepy actually. But it does make the guys version that much better. ;-)

Lonely Farm Wife....

Sugar beet harvest began at 2am on Thursday. That means that most of the local farms are running (darn near) 24 hours a day harvesting and hauling. That means that the highways are overpopulated with large beet trucks the size of semis. That means that they are in charge no matter what.....you don't drive too close, you rarely pass, and you do not cut them off. They rule the highway right now and if they are left alone they do pretty good. Beet harvest makes me not want to drive anywhere unless I absolutely have to.

This year is especially exciting. Apparently (if the rain continues to stay away), this year may be one of the largest harvests in history here. This is big. HUGE actually. And oh so exciting. Though the rest of the country may continue to struggle economically, this small town and many of its inhabitants will most likely thrive this year. Praise God. Praise God. Everyone works so stinking hard around here......they work, they take pride in manual labor and caring for their land, their equipment, their community food shelves, community life in general. And, though we are not farmers by trade, we most definitely share in their joys and hardships......hard winters followed by intense spring floods followed by planting and growing and finally the harvest. 'Tis a beautiful cycle. It truly is.

Anyway, back to beet harvest. The farmer across the road asked John for help this year. And of course, being the incredibly hard working and charitable man that he is, John jumped a the opportunity to help. John's days since Friday have gone something like this:

Friday - 3am wake and head to Jays for 2 hours, stop at home for coffee and food and head to Cargill to work 6am-6pm; workout til 7:30pm; bed by 8:30pm

Saturday - 2am wake and head to Jays for 3 hours, stop at home for coffee and food and head to Cargill to work 6am-6pm; workout til 7:30pm; bed by 8:30pm

Sunday - 2am wake and head to Jays for 3 hours, stop at home for coffee and food and head to Cargill  to work 6am-6pm; home by 6:15p; eat, play, and in bed by 7:30pm.

Monday - 12:15am head to Jays 'til at least 2pm

And tomorrow isn't looking much better. I've tried to talk some sense into him but he's just like the farmers.....they do what they gotta do 'til the job is done and done right. And to be honest with you I am so proud of him for that. How blessed am I to have such a hard working man?!!! This afternoon I called him at work to express my concern over his lack of sleep and him working so darn hard. I told him that though I very much appreciate all that he provides for our family, I feel very inadequate and helpless. HE is the one out there working 18 hour days. HE is the one busting his butt to put food on the table and clothes on our backs. HE is the one providing for 100% of our monetary needs. I see how hard he works and it frustrates me sometimes that I am not out there too bringing home a check. His response was, "Theresa, you know like on Cars.....Lightning McQueen does all the races and gets most of the credit. But you know and HE knows he couldn't do any of it without a solid pit crew. You are my one woman pit crew. I couldn't do it without you to feed me, do my laundry, take care of my kids, and clean up my messes.   .......  Thank you."
I melted. The whole analogy is kinda funny.....funny that he used Cars, but oh so cute because he was absolutely serious. I got what he was trying to say and it made me love him even more. That man swells my heart multiple times a day. Just when I think I couldn't love him more, he does or says something or just looks at me with his smoldering eyes and ***BAM*** my heart flutters and grows and I go weak in the knees. Every.Single.Day.

Beet harvest is here. And I miss my husband oh so much.

Over Abundance

I absolutely love this time of year! Love Love Love. And I can hardly express the satisfaction in "harvesting" especially with such amazing fruits. We've been so blessed with such an abundance of everything. There is definitely much more than what we need.

*pumpkins (if you want a pumpkin just stop by and take your pick). I'm hoping to try my hand a canning some of it. We'll see how that turns out.

*tomatoes...I get about 2 baskets full every couple days. And it doesn't seem to be letting up quite yet. I must say, the soil here is like the Fertile Crecent of the midwest. AWESOME!

*wood. Though we do have propane heating, last year we decided to try to go 100% wood using our woodstove with the livingroom. I am happy to say last year was a success. It did get a bit chilly upstairs, but everyone has warm footy jammies and down comforters to sleep with, so it wasn't too bad. This year we are more prepared with firewood aplenty. The neighboring farmer decided to plow down a whole tree barrier that separated 2 of his fields. He was going to burn everything but thought to offer it to us first. Needless to say we...or should I say John and my brother have their work cut out for them for quite some time. This should last us a while.

We haven't even begun to dig up our potatoes. We planted an insane amount of potatoes. So if anyone needs spuds....come on over!!!!....they a huge, yummy, and there is a whole TON to share.

Oh Happy September to everyone!!!....my favorite season of all!

Homemade Yumminess

'Tis the season!!! As I'm taking inventory of canning supplies in preparation for some huge mass canning days coming up, I realized how short on jelly we were. And then I noted how many empty jelly jars we had. AND THEN, I went freezer diving to see if I find some buried fruit that needed to be jellied. I found blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Plus, in the cupboard I found 4 jars of grapejuice my mom canned last year. I then dug around to find some fruit pectin, canning lids, and LOTS of sugar. Needless to say, we have been replenishing our jelly stash.

*the juice I found.

*I got 2 batches out of the 4 pint jars. Not bad!
note: I know it is kinda a canning faux pas, but I reused some lids I had. In theory they should still be fine, but my mom always told me to use new lids. I thought I'd try to reuese them (*just once*) cuz I'm cheap like that. ;-)

*after 2 batches of grape jelly I was hooked. I then moved on to the blackberries. One batch yielded about 4 pints. Not as much as I'd hoped but I can't complain.

I am finding that canning/preserving is rather addicting. I actually dread it every year because it IS a lot of work and it seems never-ending, but once I get going on it and see all the fruits of our labors, it is hard to stop until there just isn't anything left to can. For those fellow canners out there, you know what I am talking about. There is something intensely satisfying in seeing a pantry chucked full of homemade yumminess. Homemade yumminess that isn't riddled with high fructose corn syrup, msg, preservatives, and God knows what else. Homemade yumminess that comes straight from the backyard garden. Homemade yumminess that I don't have to go out and buy for a very long long time.....hopefully it will all last until this time next year (though we usually do run out by June).

Well, HAPPY CANNING to all my fellow canners out there. You are in good company! And for all of you who are on the fence as to whether or not to try it, ..... go for it! It is so worth it.

The Wheels On The Bus....

We did it. After much prayer and discussion, we finally made the decision to enroll Hayden in preschool. We are fortunate enough to have the option of two Catholic schools. You may be thinking, "What's the big deal?" Well, it was between enrolling him in one of the schools or homeschooling. I've never been a huge fan of homeschooling. I'm not sure why. I know a lot of well educated, well adapted, successful homeschool families. However, as Hayden got closer to school age I began to see the benefits of it.....parents being the primary teachers, style of learning is different for each kid and can be adapted, obvious one-on-one education, efficiency, specialized education, etc. We knew public school was out of the question.
Over the past couple weeks Hayden has been expressing the fact that he is "almost 5" and can go to school soon. He wants to ride the bus and make new friends and carry a backpack and learn. John and I talked in depth about it and figured we'd better make a decision because the classes fill up fast and school starts in a couple weeks. With 2 slots open, we filled out the paperwork and turned in his application today to St. Mary's Learning Tree Preschool.
He was so excited!!!! I suppose most of my hesitation is maternal.....he's getting older and more independent.....I want him home with me. That and the fact that once he starts school I KNOW Yvette will be anxious to attend as well. (*they have a 3/4 yrs old preschool class too - so technically she could start in January*).
Yikes!!!!

Goals, Cameras, And Screaming...

This would be a very random post. I realize it has been - yet again - another week since my last post. Apologies.
Random thoughts:

1. I feel lost without my camera in hand. I feel like a blog post just isn't complete without some picture for entertainment. The battery is dead and I just can't seem to find the charger. I know I had it in our bedroom but I'm thinking that "nobody" probably took it and hid it somewhere. I AM looking though. *sigh*

2. I am a runner. When it comes to exercise, running is my preference. I enjoy it. It is a challenge. It is an escape. And it is mine! However, my husband is a lifter. He can lift, bench, press insane amounts of weight. He told me the other day that he was doing 310lbs dead lifts. !!!! What the heck!.....I'm lucky if I can do 50lbs! Anyway, he's been pushing me to let him write up a lifting program for me to suppliment my running.....he said it would help me make gains. I was dragging my feet about it but finally gave in. AND OH DO I LOVE IT!!!! Wow!!!! I run 3 days a week and lift 3 days a week. I feel fantastic!!! and he was right....I am able to run for longer periods of time, I'm not as sore when I push myself, and I just feel a million times better. I should listen to him more often. ;-)

3. Wyatt screams. He screams at everything. He screams when he wants something. He screams when he is tired. He screams when we say "no". He screams when he is excited. He screams. And.It.Is.Driving.Us.Nuts!!!!! Anyone have any suggestions???? PLEASE?!

4. I just finished the book 20 And Counting by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. I checked it out because of a blog post that Miss Mallory wrote. I was curious. And she was right. Good Book.

5. I think I'm going to open up an etsy shop. I've got a decent stash of knitted things and I may just post them to see.

6. Yesterday I registered for the Fargo-Moorhead Mini Marathon on October 9th. They hold and annual half marathon, 10K, and 5K. I've been wanting to run the half since I started university in Duluth, MN but something has always gotten in the way. This time I think I'm actually going to do it!!! Here's to hoping!!!.....

7. I love NFP. Maybe that is "tmi", but it is the truth. We are in the 13th consecutive month and it has been fantastic!!! We know we are not done yet and the "fever" is getting stronger. But life is uber crazy right now and we both feel some stability, organization, and simplifying is necessary before we bring another life into this family. (*maybe in the spring or next summer*)

8. I want to learn to sew. I'm thinking about taking a class this fall and/or winter. I think it would be fun!!! And I've kinda made the resolution (a couple years ago) to learn and be proficient at a new life skill each year. The first year was knitting. Last year was spinning. This year (2010-2011) I'm thinking of sewing. I cook. I can. I garden. I think sewing would be next in line. ;-)

I think that is it for now. My husband just came to me to tell me to hurry up and get to the gym.....I have to get my run in. Such is scheduled training!!!!

Happy Wednesday to you all!!!!

A Shopping List Of C's

I have a marker board on my fridge where I write a list of groceries as I run out. I didn't realize it until this morning, but my growing list (over the past 4 days) looks like this:

crackers                   cottage cheese
cheese                      coffee
cereal                       cilantro
creamer                    Crisco frying oil
chicken breast

I had to (c)huckle a little. ;-) What are the odds?

On a different note, my friend over at Hesitant Homemaker posted a very REALISTIC blog entry yesterday. I read it and could totally relate. Like 90% of my days sound just like what she wrote. I love her for being so completely honest about how motherhood can be and usually is (for me). I'd encourage moms with young children to take a peak. I've written about Mallory before. She is a beautiful person and her blog is absolutely fantastic. Her writing is witty, real, and relateable. She is a "what you see is what you get" kind of gal and I LOVE that!. If you have a few minutes, head on over to her blog for a dose of reality, some laughs, and random musings. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Thanks Mal!!!!

Pornado Siting

i just put yvette to bed. as i'm laying her down she says, "mom, is the big bad pornado all gone?......i scared of the pornado." yeah, i'd be scared of a pornado too. ;-)

Happiness!

Our boy is sliding back into a regular life. He is tired and needs a couple naps throughout the day, but for the most part he is back to normal and having fun!

Home And Happy

We have been home now for a little over 24 hours. And OH are we a happy happy family!!!! Hayden is a bit tired and can't quite keep up, but he is laughing and playing and talking and eating and giving so much love!!! He's our "one big hug" guy. We are so grateful. SO GRATEFUL! The past few days have been so crazy....so REAL....so terrifying.....yet SO beautiful. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone, though I am somehow grateful for it. God knows why this whole thing had to happen to us and we have yet to figure it out. I know I reflect on it constantly. My only prayer is that some way....some how.....we will all be better because of it.

Blessings to you and yours. Thank you once again for all the prayers and well wishes.

*pictures will come soon*

Miracle DO Happen

Just 24 hours ago we were faced with the most devestating news a parents could ever receive - aside from death itself . Our Hayden was literally fighting for his life against a disease they saw to be HLH. There were many tests that needed to be done and the results could not be completely confirmed until a bone marrow sample was taken. They couldn't take this right away because Hayden's blood levels were toxically low. But from what they saw under the microscope they assumed it to be HLH and would thus proceed with very agressive treatment (HLH is a severely aggressive disease and could kill him if not treated right away). So that was the plan. Build his blood levels up for a bone marrow test this morning followed by a chemotherapy drug (along with 2 others). They assumed they would find HLH. However, the little fighter's body began producing a good antibody that has not been linked to any HLH cases which made them think that maybe it wasn't HLH and it could be a form of anemia. Again, the bone marrow test would confirm either way. Our hopes were lifted with this news.

Hayden underwent a little procedure this morning and the tests have come back negative for HLH and positive for anemia. PRAISE GOD. He is being transfered (as we speak) out of the PICU and into a regular peds room where they will begin his treatment, monitor his progress, and hopefully discharge him before the end of next week.

I cannot even express my gratitude to God for this ginormous miracle he has granted our family. And I know with every fiber of my being that it is exactly that.......a MIRACLE. Hayden was dying. I held his limp unresponsive body in my arms, I saw his blood levels, and I heard from the doctors what that all could mean. He was fighting. And all we could do was pray and love. I want to thank everyone for all those prayers that stormed the gates of heaven. Because of them, because of the mercy and love of Our Lord, because of our love for Hayden, and because of the fantastic knowledge of several doctors, Hayden is here and safe and alert and WILL GET WELL again.

Thank you. With all of my heart, thank you.

Finding Hope

Dearest Friends (online and off),
I am writing this post from the pediatric ICU of MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, ND. This morning I took Hayden to the clinic because of his lethargia and pastey color. They immediately sent him via ambulance to Fargo where his condition has been diagnosed as HLH. I won't even try to write out what that stands for (right now), but all I know is my little boy is very very sick. VERY SICK. HLH is a very rare blood disease which attacks the red blood cells. It literally causes the white blood cells to "eat or burn" the red ones. His body is fighting against itself.....and losing (right now). We need prayers. Lots of them. He got very sick very fast....within 36 hours. And the doctors are trying very hard to stablize him enough to undergo a form of chemotherapy that will kill off this disease......hopefully before it kills him. Chemo starts tomorrow morning. Please please please storm heaven with prayer.....join us in pleading with God for Hayden's life. The survival rate is only 50/50. It is very fast acting, very fatal, and very rare. And Hayden is very young and not very strong right now. I beg you.....PRAY!

Things Go Wrong For A Reason (sometimes)

I have been looking forward to this upcoming weekend for close to 2 months. In the middle of April when things were pretty nutty for us, my husband promised that once things settled down for a bit that he would take the kids to his parents for a long weekend so I could get some much needed organizing and cleaning done before the summer started. PLUS his parents had been really wanting to spend some quality time with the kids. Perfect. John picked the first weekend in June....Friday morning through Monday morning he would be gone. Once the decision was made for that weekend I felt I could take on the world knowing a whole weekend would me mine and mine alone in the near future. For you moms out there, you know what I'm talking about. Even a few hours of being alone is like gold!
A week ago one of my brothers got a job offer out here and so he is now moving in with us for a little while until he gets his feet on the ground again. We are excited. It will be a fantastic move for him and we are so happy to be able to help him in whatever way we can. BUT that means some major moving and rearranging, packing and shifting to open up our extra bedroom for him. We've been using it as a "hobby room". It's messy. Lots of work needed.
Jump ahead to today. Hayden, our oldest, is sick. He is so sick......to the point to delusions. Puking, so weak he can hardly stand, sleeping all day, only drinking water and gaterade, wimpering and squirming in his sleep. He's miserable. John and I are beside ourselves. We know it will pass. He will get better. But these moments, these long long long moments of helplessness are crippling for us as parents. When all we can do is hold the bucket and rock him. All we can do is love him. I wish that were enough to make all the ickiness go away. My sweet boy, please oh please get better! I want you to have that time with Grampa on the tractor and running with the chickens. I want you to be yourself again.....so kind and intuitive, boyish and fun, smiley and goofy.
John's weekend away with the kids is shot. My weekend of quiet and much needed focus is shot. Why does this seem to always happen? A huge wrench in our wonderful peaceful plans that seem to be just what everyone needs?! Perhaps we need some bonding time as a family. Perhaps John and I need to just be satisfied with chaos right now. Perhaps the kids need us and more of our focused attention more than a weekend with Granny and Gramps. Perhaps we just need to throw our plans to the wayside and let the Good Lord take the lead again. Perhaps.
And so now I am off to the clinic.

Bare Naked Alpacas....

Here are a few of the before and after photos. The "during" photos will come soon.

Shearing day was so much fun! It went from a normal shearing appointment to an all out yard party. Brian Fitzpatrick is our shearer. He and his family were traveling to a family event for the weekend. We happened to be on their way. So we figured since the wife and kids are along we'll plan on having a supper for everyone. My parents heard about it and asked if they could come and watch/spend part of the weekend here. SURE! Why not. John's parents were interested in seeing it too so they planned on coming. A few people from town heard about it so they showed up. A couple guys John works with stopped by with their wives. And the neighbors decided they'd like to see what all the fuss is about and showed up later in the evening. Needless to say we served about 40 people (15 of which were kids age 8 and under....YIKES!). It was fun. I think next year we will actually PLAN for the party and send out fliers or something.

Okay, the before and after.....

A Fellow Blogging Mommy....

I have to pass this blog on. I don't think she'll mind. Heck, that's what this whole "mommy blogging" is about anyway.....supporting eachother. Sharing. Mallory is actually the little sister of a high school friend and she married one of my brother's childhood best friends. We go back. But I think we've found a kinship in the blogging world, parenthood, and faith. She is a fantastically REAL mom with 2 young boys. She loves her faith, her family, her husband, and her life. Mallory's blog is definitely one to take a peek at.

Speechless

Butterflies and Weak Knees

Yeah. I just can't help myself. I'm just wondering if there is anyone else out there who goes weak in the knees, gets butterflies, and needs a fan when your husband or significant other wears sunglasses and/or a tool belt.??? There is just something about my man when he's working outside with power tools and a shovel that gets me all worked up.

Cheers to all those women who caught themselves a hard working handy man.

Good luck and happy hunting to those who are still looking. ;-)

Darn Squito Bugs

The mosquitos are out. If it weren't for the fact that I grew up in Minnesota, my nearest and dearest reside in Minnesota, and the scenery of this state is truly spectacular.....if it weren't for those things, I'd leave. Scratch that. The only reason I stay in this state is because my family is here. That is it. I'd give everything else up because of those blasted bugs! Seriously?!!!.....I cannot for the life of me think of any possible benefit for the existence of mosquitos. They are quite possibly the most annoying, blood sucking, disgusting parasites that JUST DON"T GO AWAY! Perhaps that is the reason for their existence......to get everyone that much closer to heaven. Sanctification. Could that be their purpose?......to help instill some level of virtue in the inhabitants of Minnesota? Nah, that couldn't be it. That is too noble of a purpose. Mosquitos are not nearly that important. *sigh* I hate them. I do. But I live with them because I love my family. There. *sigh*. I sure do hope my family realizes how much I love them. ;-)

The weather has been absolutely beautiful for a couple days now. After weeks of rain and gloominess, the grass is like a thick jungle, the bugs are hatching and spreading, and my little babies are getting eaten alive! Does this stop them from playing outside? NEVER. My oldest son Hayden comes up to me yesterday (while itching the nasty little bites on the back of his neck) and says, "Mom, do you think that if we were nice to the mosquitos and let them sit on our fingers like butterflies do then they won't bite us anymore?"
Sigh. Oh the innocence. But I just had to break the news to him, "No sweetheart. Mosquitos are meant to be killed. You go ahead and swat at every single one that lands on you."
"OOHHhhhhh. Okay. Don't worry Mom, I will save you from the squito bugs."
Since our mini facts of life conversation, he has taken it upon himself to be the official mosquito hunter of the family. He's getting pretty good at it too.

Darn squito bugs.....

Scheduled Posting.....

I made a post schedule. Apparently that is the thing to do for "serious" bloggers. Now, I really don't consider myself a super serious blogger. But I DO appreciate it when my favorite blogs are updated on a regular basis. I suppose I could only follow suit and return the favor. I'm told there are a good handful of people who read/check this blog on a daily basis........but aren't very good at leaving comments. ;-) Okay Okay....I'm an affirmation junky. People tell me they read it and nag me when I don't post but they very rarely leave comments to encourage me to keep up. Yup. This IS baby cry for affirmation.

Okay, I'm over it.

Anyway, like I was saying, I've gotten the idea that many bloggers (I read) tend to have a general topic for each day of the week. For some it is the same every week. For others they mix it up a little but go back to an organized schedule on a regular basis. They never really admit this. I've just kinda caught onto it. Maybe this realization is a blond moment this "little known fact" just isn't "little known" but rather common knowledge? Whatever. I just now figured it out and I think it will help me stay on track and be a bit more committed to posting.

Thanks for reading. I am flattered that people actually care.

Stay tuned for a post every day this week. Yes....EVERYDAY.

Mothering

I fell in love with Mothering Magazine when I was pregnant with my oldest son. I was preparing for a homebirth and found this publication to be such a breath of fresh air in regards (most of) our views of parenting and how we wanted to live our family life. I love love love Mothering Magazine and they are offering a free 1-yr digital subscription. Check it out!!!

ALMOST As Good As Chocolate

Carob Cake:

3cups flour
2cups sugar
1/2cup carob powder
2tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
*mix all above ingredients very well, then add the following:
2tsp vanilla
2TBS lemon juice
2/3cup oil
2cups water (I used milk)
*mix well and bake in a greased pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

A vegan friend of mine uses this for church potlucks and stuff. People think it's chocolate cake. No one could tell the difference. This is a great alternative for those who may be allergic to chocolate (my brother) and/or eggs (notice it doesn't contain either one), don't like the caffeine that chocolate contains, and/or for kids when you don't want to side effects that chocolate (caffeine) has on them. This is a fantastic recipe, delicious alternative to chocolate, and I'd highly recommend it for those who love to bake new things!

Thanks Courtney!

Eye Candy

Eye candy for the vintage/retro eye........

Modcloth

I Am A Prairie Girl

I've done some traveling. Not much comparable to most people nowadays, but I have seen many different places. However, in preparing to drive to Montana I found the excitement growing. I had never seen the mountains. I've flown over them, but never stopped to LOOK....never driven through. Heck, I had never gone farther west (by car) than the western boarder of Minnesota. I was excited. I was also prepared to absolutely LOVE the mountains......love them so much I just might want to find some way to move there.....find some possibility of making a life there. This was my thinking before even beginning our trip.

Again, I've grown up on the breathtaking beauty of the Minnesota lakes and seasons.

I've spent months by the ocean listening to the soothing sounds of the waves and winds as they hit the shore. I've traveled to Europe and witnessed the historic wonders of ancient Italy. And now I've seen the grandiose magnificance of the Montana Rockies.

But none of those....NONE of those stands close to the contentment and peace I find in the wide open prairies of the Dakotas. I know....many of you are thinking, "what???!...." There isn't anything particularly extraordinary about the prairie. And for many there probably isn't anything beautiful about them. But to me, there is a glorious peace and freedom in the open space......just land for as far as the eye can see.....nothing scary or threatening about it. Just land.....and wind......and sky. Yes. I DO love it here. The mountains and lakes and ocean and Europe....they are all beautiful and exquisite in their own way. But the prairie is where my heart is....the prairie is where my peace, contentment, freedom, and HOME are.

We Went For 3 And Came Home With 5

I posted a while back about our desire to have a hobby farm and our intent to purchase some alpacas. Well....we did it. This past week, John and I drove out to Montana to visit some wonderful new acquaintances Sarah and James Budd from Alpacas of Montana Ranch. Our intent was to bring home 3 alpacas that we have been looking at. We got there and were presented with a rather large (in number not price) package deal. It was hard to pass up. So we took it. We are now the proud owners of 5....YES 5 huacaya alpacas.

left to right: Luigi, Chester, Frederico (in front), Ike (black), Bonanza (in the back)

What the heck are we going to do with 5 alpacas, you say.

??? What do you think? ;-)

p.s. leave a comment with some suggestions and I just might make you something. ;-)

Newly Weds

John signed us up for possibly being premarriage sponsors. I said, "That's great but I think they probably need/want people who have been married longer than 6 years to do that." His response, "No. Actually, the priest said they'd love newlyweds to sign up for it because it would be a great ministry for them to together during those first few years of married life." John gave me this melting....smoldering look and continued, "I mean....we're still newlyweds. TO ME, we're still newlyweds." *sigh*

6 years, 4 babies, multiple deaths, multiple moves, sufficating stress.....and to him we are still newlyweds.

How sweet is that?!!!

Seeking Silence

Seeking silence to focus is about as acheivable as world peace. Seriously.....it is a beautiful concept that is likely to stay only an ideal rather than a reality (in my world). So what is my realtiy? My reality is better than silence. My reality is "Mom! I need you....Mom! I love you.....Mom! I need help... Mom! Can I have some tickles?...Mom!" My reality is dirty diapers, piles of laundry, a perpetually messy kitchen, shoes everywhere, crying, laughing, screaming. My reality is the opposite of silence. My realtiy right this second is a two year old girl who seems to think she doesn't need a nap and she is communicating this by screaming at the top of her lungs until she gets her way.....or passes out. Whichever comes first. How do I handle a screaming two year old with a trantrum (or someone acting like one)? I have to remember that I am the adult. I am the parent. And I have the final say. And so I am silent though the world around me is not.

Seasonal Love

A favorite meal option during these warm, fruitful garden seasons are the cold veggie salads. I love them. Love, love, love, love. For me, they serve the purpose of most anything....snack, full meal, side dish, heck....maybe even dessert. ;-) And, seeings how we have had above freezing weather for quite some time, I think that I could assume that perhaps the snow is gone for good (until fall) and that spring/summer dishes can be added to the menu. With that said, this afternoon I wallowed in the making of my most favorite summer veggie dish: BROCCOLI SALAD. Yum. Yum. Yum. I know this is probably nothing new for anyone who reads this blog. It is like chocolate chip cookies. Everyone makes their own variation of this salad. Mine variation isn't anything special......just a recipe I took from an old church cookbook I got as a bridal shower gift. (FYI: those church cookbooks are usually worth the small fee. They usual hold tried and true old family recipes and they are delicious!!!)

1 1/2 heads broccoli
1 cup chopped or sliced carrots
1 medium onion
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup sunflower nuts
1lb bacon....fried crispy and chopped in pieces (YUMMY)
dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise + 1/4 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons vinegar

mix the veggies
add the dressing
chill for a couple hours
ENJOY!

A Few Of My Absolutes...

Is there anyone else out there who thinks macaroni and cheese tastes better with shaped noodles?

There are some things in my world that just HAVE.TO.BE. For instance:

- my macaroni and cheese noodles must be shaped
- my oreo cookie cream must be white....NOT holiday colors like green, red, or pink. WHITE.
- spritz cookies taste the best when they are shaped like christmas trees, dyed green, and have sprinkles...no matter what time of year it is. ;-)
- molasses cookies are only edible (to me) when they are rolled and cut with an old Spam can
- Santa only comes on Christmas morning.......not Christmas Eve, not days before or after.....Christmas morning
- smiles and compliments are meant to be given no matter what type of mood you are in....it will most likely make you feel better. ;-)
- gifts and favors are meant to be given without expectation
- always return what you borrow
- loan only what you are willing to lose
- wedding anniversaries are meant to be celebrated and recognized (especially in this day and age)
- family members are meant to be cherished no matter how crazy, selfish, reserved, or annoying they can be
- piles of autumn leaves are meant to be jumped in before bagging and burning them
- don't be afraid to tell your siblings you love them or give them a hug....you never know if it will be the last (believe me)

- share yourself - your person, your time, your talents, your laughter and smiles with those who mean the most to you....

Just a few absolutes in my life......

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Another Beautiful Spring Day

So I have been a bit.....absent. The weather has just been so wonderful that I have a hard time spending any significant chunk of my day in front of the computer. And by the end of the day I am so darn exhausted that I fall asleep before I even hit the pillow. Gosh I love springtime!!!

For the past couple weeks every inch of my clothesline has been utilized every single second of our daylight hours. That means that I haven't turned my dryer on more than 2-3 times in two weeks. That means that our next electric bill will (God willing) reflect that. Yay. mmmm, yes......I am truly loving spring.

Just Be A Mom

All day yesterday my thoughts kept returning to this random thought about "just being a mom". I don't know where it came from and why it consumed my day, but it was rather wonderful and offered solice in moments of chaos and stress. Just be a mom. How great is that? To only have to worry about the happiness and wellbeing of your children. To have the one and only focus of your day be their growth, health, and smiles. To be completely available to whatever whim their curiousities met. What could possibly be more important than that?....laundry? dishes? naptime? a phone call? "mom time"? projects? deadlines? I'm not saying these things aren't important. They are and they are necessary tasks. But all too often I think we get consumed with fulfilling our tasks, staying busy, moving down the ever growing checklist, etc and we miss out on the most beautiful and innocent moments of our children's day. I have taken to stopping before answering any question with a decisive NO.....what is it I'm saying NO to? Can I stop for a moment and help? Can I drop what I'm doing for just a second and give Hayden that "big hug" he's asking for every 30 minutes? Why can't Yvette help me with the dishes or play with my hair? And Wyatt.....all he wants lately is to be in the action. How hard is that? We can make room. Life really isn't that hard. Most of the time what makes it hard is WE get in the way....WE get selfish. Life isn't that hard.....it is simple (and exhausting most days)....and beautiful.

I woke up and got John off to work this morning. I wanted to go back to sleep but got sucked into the computer instead. And I found this. Such a beautiful post.

Such Character!

"Yvette, go get some underwear on."

 "Got it, Mom!"

Crazy For Cloth

 
We invested in cloth diapers with Hayden. When I say "invest", I mean it. At the time it was a hit of about $375 in one fell swoop. And that kinda hurts when you don't have much to begin with. But $375 got us 24 adjustable sized diapers. And those 24 diapers are now on baby #3. They've been stained, reinforced, and literally been through the ringer. But they are STILL in fantastic shape and are perfectly useable. With the cost of disposable diapers ranging anywhere from .20-.45 EACH, cloth diapering is most certainly a great economical and environmentally friendly way to go.

Top 10 Reasons To Cloth Diaper:
1. saves loads of money
2. so much softer on baby's bottom
3. environmentally friendly
4. cute
5. less garbage....less stink
6. supports local/small business owners
7. does NOT cater to societies "disposable" mentality. ;-)
8. it is EASY! and simple
9. no more diaper creams
10. husbands LOVE the fact it is easy on the pocketbook and quickly pays for itself.

*If you have any questions regarding cloth diapering please don't hesitate to ask. Or you can email me at tjback(at)charter(dot)net
*I have many friends who are cloth diapering junkies as well.......if you guys have any comments to add or tips to share please post!
*My favorite go-to site for cloth diapering is Cotton Babies. Also, I have a friend who makes fantastic diapers at reasonable prices: Chelory.com

Is Spring Coming?

It was 51 degrees today with a bright sun and a beautiful breeze all day. Perfect for airing out the down comforters before packing them away for a few months.

I hope it stays like this. I absolutely LOVE the smell of clean laundry off the clothes line.

Please, oh please stay beautiful weather!

My Own Homemade Birthday

I am 29. I've never been one to freak out about age or getting older. And though I still think of myself as 23-24ish, 30 IS right around the corner and that IS shocking. Not scary. Not sad. Shocking.

Anyway, it was a simple birthday and a seemingly normal day. John worked. We stayed home and played. My brother and his daughter were here which made the day fantastic!

What did I receive, you ask? Something I never expected or even thought I'd want. An ice cream maker. And yes, we tried it out. YUMMY! Homemade ice cream is like homemade jelly - once you've had it, you never ever think to consider buying it off the shelf ever again! THAT is how absolutely scrumptious it is. Of course it is probably 10x as fattening as Dove or Breyers, but seriously?.....who cares! It is way better!. I asked my husband why he got it for me or what made him think of getting it. His response was so sweet, "To slow life down a little and enjoy the process. Plus I thought it would be fun for the kids to help and enjoy this as a 'past time' they love. 'Homemade ice cream on the farm.'"

Does my hubby know me or what?!

So I did what every other stay at home mom with 3 kids and a working husband does on her birthday. I made my own delicious birthday cake and churned my own ice cream. ;-)

Strawberry Ice Cream:
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups half and half
5 cups whipping cream
5 cups pureed strawberries (add to chilled mixture before freezing)

Scald milk until bubbles form around edge of pan. Remove from heat. Add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Stif in half and half, vanilla extract, and whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Freeze as directed (on your ice cream maker).

The cake is a personal recipe NOT to be shared at the moment. ;-)

Project Knit 13:52

This pattern is from JoJoland titled "Wine Tasting". I used the recommended yarn of JoJoland Melody Superwash color ms18. It requires 2 skeins and US4 needles with a cable needle.

GREAT yarn to work with. I've made hats from this stuff and it is fantastic. Soft, elastic, beautiful!

Tuesdays With Him (week 3)

The Midwives, Jochabed, and Rahab

It brought tears to my eyes as I read through this chapter. I love this Bible study for the simple fact that it brings to life the most beautiful examples of faith, femininity, and motherhood. I suppose I'm stating the obvious, but it just has to be said.
All I could think about were the little souls God has placed in our care. The little lives we have been blessed with to raise and form. Oh the responsibility!! I love parenthood. I do. It trials...the ups and downs...the never-the-same days....the joy and humor these kiddos bring to everyday life through their innocence and childishness. I love it!! I beg God every single stinking day for the grace to do right...to do His Will. I beg for the grace for myself during these formative years and for the children in the future as they begin to choose for themselves.

Life! I just don't understand how people can snuff it out. I just don't understand how people can say NO to it. I just don't understand how society has made it into this disposable object that can be brought about and/or killed according to convenience. I just don't understand!!!

I love Rahab and her story. Her life, her person, her virtue humbles me.

Tuesdays With Him (week 2)

 I'm sorry this didn't post yesterday. I had it written and preset to post at a certain time. Obviously never happened. 

Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel: Wives of the Patriarchs

As I began reading this chapter I found myself stopping and chuckling to myself. I knew exactly the direction this one would go. And I chuckled because it is exactly what someone like me needs to be reminded of.
It has been so long since I’ve read of these women. The humanness!…..the femininity!!!……oh how we can all relate! We see in each a call to holiness…..a side of insecurity and jealousy…..a “need” to please….a longing for motherhood….all ending with peace in His Will. Not always an easy route, often confusing, many many mistakes along the way with consequences…..
THAT is what I can relate to. THAT is what jumped out at me. The humanness of these women. The innate femininity of these women: the trust and respect for their husbands, their service and strength, their humility and silence, their faith and hope in God, their motherhood and sacrifice. And their love stories! How beautiful!
I can honestly say that this is the first time EVER that I’ve seen these women as the role models they ought to been seen as. They’ve always just been stories…people in the Bible…..not much else for me. Perhaps it is just reading with different eyes, seeking with a different heart. Life circumstance removes blinders sometimes.
I am grateful for that.

This chapter as a whole was wonderful!!! Absolutely beautiful.

What stood out for you? Was there one in particular that you can relate to? Is there are specific point or insight that jumped out at you?

How Faithful He Is!

Last night I went to bed with a very specific question consuming my thoughts. A question that had neither a right nor a wrong answer.......just in a very indecisive one. This morning I got John off to work, filled my mug with coffee and said my morning prayers in silence as the sun came up. My petition?....Lord please make your will clear for me....how should we handle this? I opened my prayer book and read the gospel passage assigned for today.....BAM! The answer, clear as a bell, literally spelled out for me.

God is SO FAITHFUL!!!!

Pie Just Sounded Good....

I had the apples and a frozen pie crust.....it was easy!

 

preheat your oven to 350

pull out your frozen pie crust (I have never succeeded at making my own)

peel and slice about 6-8 medium apples

3/4c sugar

3T flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cinnamon

mix everything together and fill pie crust

topping: 1/2 c flour + 1/2c sugar + 1/2 softened butter = yummy topping!!!

mix these together and crumbling it on top

Bake for 45-60 minutes and enjoy the sumptuous aroma

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Fat Friday Lent

This shouldn't even be "legal" for a Friday food during Lent. But.....we just have to go meatless. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the only manditory days of fasting and abstinence. So technically, this IS legal. And it was SO good!.....

I have been a "follower" of The Pioneer Woman for years. She makes me laugh, has fabulous recipes, tells great stories that I'm not too sure if I believe or not, takes beautiful pictures, and now has a delicious cookbook to call her own. Fantastic site! I highly recommend browsing. Be careful, you may become a "follower" yourself. ;-)

Anyway, this recipe is hers. I've used it since the day she posted it. It is fantastic for entertaining, movie nights, meatless Fridays ;-), gaining a few pounds, etc.