I Heart Chalkboard Paint!

I picked up the little red tin at Goodwill for $1.88 - I just didn't want to put sugar in it. So. . . out came the chalkboard paint. I am so addicted to that stuff!

Poor Gabe.

I don't think he is aware that his big sister is trying to get barrettes in his hair already.

Kind of reminds me of how cruel I was to my younger brother- oh, the things I made him do. Poor guy. I think he's still bitter. . .

Future Mamma

Diaper bag- check.
Phone- check.
Bottle- check.
Comb- check.
Stroller- check

Oh, right, don't forget the baby! (Check.)

It's so tough to get out of the house!

Tree Climbing - It's a Boy Thing

The first injury. Quick trot into the house for a Bandaid - look at Cambria's worried expression!
And right back at it!

The Paramedical

JD carries around a first aid bag with him almost everywhere; I have warned him that the one he's using right now looks like a purse and he may want to choose something more masculine. But, no, it doesn't bother him, and it has plenty of room for all of his band-aids, triple antibiotic, kleenex, and treats.

He carried it into Sunday School the other day and I overheard another little boy say, "Jacob, why are you carrying a bag?"

JD (a little defensive and indignant): "This is not a bag, it is my paramedical!"

The Meals:

Monday: Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic & Lemon

Tuesday: Hot Dogs - {maybe we'll make some w/w hot dog buns to offset the tragic sodium/nitrate intake}

Wednesday: Black Bean Lasagna & Guacamole

Thursday: Turkey Ham Pockets, Fruit, Oatmeal Cookie Bottomed Brownies {I'll blog the brownies- yum yum, my fave}

Friday and Saturday are not cooking days. Woohoo.

Sunday: We've been packing sandwiches and fruit and water bottles and heading to the park after church since Daniel's been working Sundays. We'll be back at Sunday dinners soon.

Booster Seat Make-over

Before:

After:

Welcome to my (Real) World

My inlaws were here for the week.

A lot has changed in my life since the last time they were here and my mother-in-law noticed and commented.

A recipe fell behind the fridge and I said, "Well, I'll get it later. I need to clean under there anyway.

I don't use cloth napkins anymore. (I vowed I'd never use paper. O foolish vow.)

The floor considers itself quite lucky if it gets swept once a day instead of every time a crumb falls.

Is it that I don't care? No. . . not at all. I do still care about those things. I still love a clean house. I love making our home special. That's why I hung on to the stupid cloth napkin concept for so long. One day last summer I just realized it was ridiculous and unreal to expect that kind of idealistic perfection. I packed them all away, not able to bring myself to actually trash my hard work. Maybe someday.

Someday there won't be little fingerprints all over the windows.

The refrigerator will be cleaned (and organized) on a weekly basis.

I'll have time to coordinate cloth napkins and table linens.

The floors probably won't even need to be swept.

No one will go potty on me while I'm trying to pack people up to get to a Financial Peace University class that I'm attending alone even though I wasn't the one who signed up for it. (Ok, that was venting.)

But for now, welcome to my real world. Not perfect, just real.

Jacob-isms

JD: "When we go to church in the morning and the night, it's Sunday. When we go to church just at night, it's Cubbie Day. [Wednesday] When we go to church in the morning at like, ten o'clock, it's a funeral."

(He almost sounds like a PK. His daddy is proud.)

*

*On our way to a bridal shower for great friends, Layla and John.

JD: "Who is Layla getting married to?"

Me: "John, your buddy!"

JD: "Oh, yeah, I knew that! The John Layla lives with!"

Me: "Well, actually they don't live together yet, but they will after they get married."

JD: "Oh, right, because they haven't found their rings yet. When they find their rings and get married, then they can live together."

I let it go at that.

*

JD, contemplating what to name his bear. "I think I'll name it Sate."

Me: "Huh?"

JD: "Sate. Do you like that?"

Me: "Well, not really. It reminds me of Satan."

JD: "Who is Satan?"

Me: "The devil and the devil doesn't like God."

JD: "Well, how about Soul? Or maybe Chrishty for Christian, since we do like God?"

What about Bob or Peanut Butter or Fluff Ball?! Seriously, the child thinks wayyy too much!

Cornmeal Rolls

2 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3 T. oil
2 t. salt
2 T. yeast
2 eggs
5- 5 1/2 cups flour
Additional cornmeal to dust the bottom of baking sheet

With 1 3/4 cup of the water, cornmeal, sugar, oil and salt, boil to make a "mush." Let cool to room temperature. Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir yeast mixture & eggs into cornmeal mixture, and add flour to make a soft dough. I also added about a 1/2 cup of leftover oatmeal from breakfast. Knead and allow to rise for about 45 minutes. Punch down and shape into rolls. Let rise another 45 minutes and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Butter the tops!

These are so soft and great with any barbeque sandwich filling.

%This Week's Meals%

Monday: Cornmeal Rolls, BBQ Ham & Coleslaw

Tuesday: Fish Cakes & Oven Fries

Wednesday: Big Salad

Thursday: Big Salad

Friday: Big Salad & Pizza

Saturday: Big Salad

Sunday: Sandwiches & Trail Bars (probably a picnic with the kids if it's nice; Daniel is working and I hate doing nice Sunday dinners without him!)

Can anyone guess which days my salad lovin' organic livin' west coaster inlaws are going to be here?! We're so excited for them to meet Gabe for the first time!

*off to write natural salad dressing on my grocery list.

Nate & Allison

Wow, what a fun group of bridesmaids!

Here we took turns praying for Allison minutes before the ceremony- special time. I'm bending down right behind Alli- and it's one of only three pictures I got at the wedding, so I'll have to steal from someone else eventually. (Hi, Cassie, I love you. )

The photographers were friends of Allison's from LA and wow, were they amazing. We had so much fun doing pictures! They already have great pictures up here and here.

Now I'm going to sell my dress on ebay and go on a huge Salvation Army shopping spree with the proceeds.

*footnote: I didn't get a picture of my nanny for the weekend, but she really deserves her own post. My little sister Abbie rose at the crack of dawn with me and Gabe and was my lifesaver! (All for the meager pay of bagels & a raspberry latte from Starbucks. Maybe I'll have to take here on my shopping spree.)

All Ears

FD Delivery

We are headed to see Daddy with these:

Streusel / Oat Rhubarb muffins

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

splash of vinegar in milk to create "buttermilk"

1 egg

1/2 cup oil

1 t. vanilla

2 cups finely chopped rhubarb

Streusel:

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup rolled oats

Mix dry ingredients for muffins, add wet ingredients. Spoon into muffin liners. Top with streusel crumbs and bake at 400 for 12 - 15 minutes.

Coffee - Pecan Scones

2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c butter, cubed
1 T. instant coffee granules dissolved in:
1 T. vanilla
1/3 c. whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 (or more) cup pecans
1/3 (or so) cup mini chocolate chips


Mix dry ingredients; cut in butter to resemble bread crumbs. Stir in vanilla/coffee, whipping cream, and sour cream. You may need to add a little more whipping cream. The batter should be like biscuit dough.

Stir just until moistened, pat into circle on floured surface and cut into wedges. Place in pan, brush with more cream and sprinkle with sugar. I used coarse sugar. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

First Barefoot Day

{Cambria trotting away from me with my phone}

[and her skirt is one of my projects from last week]
{Liberated feet}

{Not-so-patiently waiting for me to read}

{More interesting than reading about Pa's trip to town}

{Trying out the shades}