Tonight we put Baby to bed in a sleeper for pajamas for the first time since December 7, the night before she started her treatments, 17 weeks ago.
Since then it has been long sleeved onesies and socks with a blanket specially swaddled so that it does not pull her knees together each night.
I was surprised how emotional it was.
I was surprised by the emotions of today.
But I was not surprised by the goodness of our Lord because He has been faithful to us throughout all of this. We serve a tremendous God.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Harness Free is the Way to Be!
Baby's appointment at the orthopedic surgeon went very well today. We are officially done with the harness...or will be as soon has we have the ceremonial throwing out of the harness!
On the x-ray's they could see that both sides of the hips matched for placement of the ball, and you can actually see the socket forming around the ball! While the impacted side is still less developed, that is to be expected and it will catch up within the next year...the big news is that it IS developing!
So now we make our final adjustment...adjusting to no harness at all. If the previous changes are any indication it will take a few days for Baby to fully adjust. (Sometimes this has meant fussiness, sometimes this has meant long nights, we just never know.)
We will go back in 3 months for a follow up appointment just to have everything checked to make sure her hips continue to develop properly.
We suppose that according to worldly standards it could be argued that this was not "miraculous healing" because it followed the ideal medical standard. But it perfectly followed the ideal medical standard! Around here we call this the slow and steady miracle and praise the Lord!
On the x-ray's they could see that both sides of the hips matched for placement of the ball, and you can actually see the socket forming around the ball! While the impacted side is still less developed, that is to be expected and it will catch up within the next year...the big news is that it IS developing!
So now we make our final adjustment...adjusting to no harness at all. If the previous changes are any indication it will take a few days for Baby to fully adjust. (Sometimes this has meant fussiness, sometimes this has meant long nights, we just never know.)
We will go back in 3 months for a follow up appointment just to have everything checked to make sure her hips continue to develop properly.
We suppose that according to worldly standards it could be argued that this was not "miraculous healing" because it followed the ideal medical standard. But it perfectly followed the ideal medical standard! Around here we call this the slow and steady miracle and praise the Lord!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Because sometimes life is like gravity...
...and gravity sucks.
This is a longstanding joke in our family. It is a way of saying that life is hard and I need a laugh, because really, can you say that with a straight face? Yeah, we have a strange sense of humor around here.
Just to emphasize the point, did you see this post about cakes? Yup, and after posting that, yesterday afternoon I made a cake...from a box...and made the icing from scratch...so that it would be thick and I could scrape the bowl to eat the extra...hey, I did give my older daughter the spatula to lick, and my littlest a clean spatula to play with.... (Not one of my finer moments, but we were all very happy).
Wednesday I had a pounding headache, the start of a doozy of a tension headache, the kind my doctor actually says to treat with caffeine (long story, tried tons of methods, caffeine is the only thing that works without super powerful yucky not for nursing mothers medication). Yeah, I was shocked too. So I opened up a can of coke because it was the quickest thing I could find and it was already messing with my vision, poured it into a glass, and for what is sure to get me the mommy of the year award, I then washed the can, covered the opening with a cotton ball and masking tape and gave it to baby to play with in her high chair while we did dishes. Okay, I did dishes while she was mesmerized by that shiny red thing.
Honestly, nothing significant went wrong this week, but honestly, nothing went really right either, and everything just seemed tough.
Why do I share this?
I assure you, not to whine.
But I guess I have.
The point is, being a mom is not an easy job. Caring for your family, and I mean really caring for them, is hard work. There are days when nobody listens and if you were silly enough to ask your kids if they were raised in a barn they would probably say that it sounds like fun, let's try it.
Yeah, there are days like that.
But when life is tough, I remind myself that I am blessed to have 2 girls to care for. When I miscarried between them I remember feeling very little sympathy for a friend who was lamenting the chore of caring for two because I would have done almost anything for that "problem." I have never forgotten that, and I am thankful everyday for our 2 girls.
And I remind myself that my Heavenly Father is my example of how to be an exceptional parent, not the worldly experts or wannabe experts.
Which makes me think that if He is putting up with me (a gargantuan task!) I have a very small task of caring for little girls who love me and think that I am a genius (yes, Miss Pear called me that), and that I can fix anything with a snuggle (Baby would assure you of this, if she could talk). And God is there each step of the way with us leading us and teaching us.
Sometimes a little perspective makes a huge difference, and an eternal one changes a week.
So the point of this long and meandering post is simple: Yup, life is hard. God is faithful. Children are fun. Families are great. Chocolate cake fixes a lot. Prayer always helps. And today is Friday, praise the Lord!
This is a longstanding joke in our family. It is a way of saying that life is hard and I need a laugh, because really, can you say that with a straight face? Yeah, we have a strange sense of humor around here.
Just to emphasize the point, did you see this post about cakes? Yup, and after posting that, yesterday afternoon I made a cake...from a box...and made the icing from scratch...so that it would be thick and I could scrape the bowl to eat the extra...hey, I did give my older daughter the spatula to lick, and my littlest a clean spatula to play with.... (Not one of my finer moments, but we were all very happy).
Wednesday I had a pounding headache, the start of a doozy of a tension headache, the kind my doctor actually says to treat with caffeine (long story, tried tons of methods, caffeine is the only thing that works without super powerful yucky not for nursing mothers medication). Yeah, I was shocked too. So I opened up a can of coke because it was the quickest thing I could find and it was already messing with my vision, poured it into a glass, and for what is sure to get me the mommy of the year award, I then washed the can, covered the opening with a cotton ball and masking tape and gave it to baby to play with in her high chair while we did dishes. Okay, I did dishes while she was mesmerized by that shiny red thing.
Honestly, nothing significant went wrong this week, but honestly, nothing went really right either, and everything just seemed tough.
Why do I share this?
I assure you, not to whine.
But I guess I have.
The point is, being a mom is not an easy job. Caring for your family, and I mean really caring for them, is hard work. There are days when nobody listens and if you were silly enough to ask your kids if they were raised in a barn they would probably say that it sounds like fun, let's try it.
Yeah, there are days like that.
But when life is tough, I remind myself that I am blessed to have 2 girls to care for. When I miscarried between them I remember feeling very little sympathy for a friend who was lamenting the chore of caring for two because I would have done almost anything for that "problem." I have never forgotten that, and I am thankful everyday for our 2 girls.
And I remind myself that my Heavenly Father is my example of how to be an exceptional parent, not the worldly experts or wannabe experts.
Which makes me think that if He is putting up with me (a gargantuan task!) I have a very small task of caring for little girls who love me and think that I am a genius (yes, Miss Pear called me that), and that I can fix anything with a snuggle (Baby would assure you of this, if she could talk). And God is there each step of the way with us leading us and teaching us.
Sometimes a little perspective makes a huge difference, and an eternal one changes a week.
So the point of this long and meandering post is simple: Yup, life is hard. God is faithful. Children are fun. Families are great. Chocolate cake fixes a lot. Prayer always helps. And today is Friday, praise the Lord!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Signature Cake
If you ever doubted I was a little bit on the nutty side, this post ought to about seal the deal.
I come from a long, long, long line of women who can cook like no body's business. Really, we are known for the meals we can make. I would have been the third generation to manage an eating establishment, a formal one, not the household one, had I not decided to be a homemaker.
For generations my family was bakers. Except in the generation before mine, something happened, and for the love of all that is good, do not eat cookies my Aunt makes!
But I do fairly well in baking (my neighbor would fall over laughing if she read that statement and say that if I am fairly well that does not bode well for the rest of them), but in my opinion I do fairly well.
I have a roll recipe that when we are invited to friends and I ask what to bring, I am always told, "Rolls!" And I never have any delusions of bringing home the leftovers.
I have a spaghetti sauce recipe that always works, is always a hit, and freezes like a dream. When I am taking a meal to help someone out, I take that most of the time unless they hate pasta.
I have a reliable repertoire of guest meals that work consistently and get rave reviews. Same with the family meals, and cookies.
But for the life of me I cannot find a signature cake. A go to recipe that I can rely on no matter what that is delicious, on the easier side, and a constant success (and does not involve a box mix).
Any suggestions?
I come from a long, long, long line of women who can cook like no body's business. Really, we are known for the meals we can make. I would have been the third generation to manage an eating establishment, a formal one, not the household one, had I not decided to be a homemaker.
For generations my family was bakers. Except in the generation before mine, something happened, and for the love of all that is good, do not eat cookies my Aunt makes!
But I do fairly well in baking (my neighbor would fall over laughing if she read that statement and say that if I am fairly well that does not bode well for the rest of them), but in my opinion I do fairly well.
I have a roll recipe that when we are invited to friends and I ask what to bring, I am always told, "Rolls!" And I never have any delusions of bringing home the leftovers.
I have a spaghetti sauce recipe that always works, is always a hit, and freezes like a dream. When I am taking a meal to help someone out, I take that most of the time unless they hate pasta.
I have a reliable repertoire of guest meals that work consistently and get rave reviews. Same with the family meals, and cookies.
But for the life of me I cannot find a signature cake. A go to recipe that I can rely on no matter what that is delicious, on the easier side, and a constant success (and does not involve a box mix).
Any suggestions?
Home Schooling Week 4 (this week): D and 4
This week things seem a little more settled. Our schedule is working, and most days we do most stuff, even if some of the crafting happens in the evening with Daddy. I think it helps that we all know what to do, and a lot of the craft ideas (like Fuzzy Numbers and Ice Cream Cone Scoops) are repeats because we just like them so much! It also became clear that Miss Pear ADORES the crafts, so I will give her a coloring page or something simple to do while I make lunch or change a diaper or the like, and that helps us all out!
While I still feel like the rank amateur that I am, I am encouraged that Miss Pear can recite the previous three weeks verses, and is getting this week's (I don't worry about the verse address, just the words at this point). I am encouraged that she is doing well at learning her numbers and letters, and is writing them better than I expected (the tracing stuff was just to work on how to hold a pencil correctly, the mechanics of writing, and to help us learn to identify numbers and letters better, everything after that is icing!) We are really feeling like we can do this, which is a huge tremendous blessing!
Miss Pear has been loving seeing which picture books were in the box, so I have started pulling books out of our bookshelves for each day of the week, and that seems fun for everyone. (And all the story books for each day are ones that we already have.)
Bible Reading Time (at the breakfast table):
Monday:
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
While I still feel like the rank amateur that I am, I am encouraged that Miss Pear can recite the previous three weeks verses, and is getting this week's (I don't worry about the verse address, just the words at this point). I am encouraged that she is doing well at learning her numbers and letters, and is writing them better than I expected (the tracing stuff was just to work on how to hold a pencil correctly, the mechanics of writing, and to help us learn to identify numbers and letters better, everything after that is icing!) We are really feeling like we can do this, which is a huge tremendous blessing!
Miss Pear has been loving seeing which picture books were in the box, so I have started pulling books out of our bookshelves for each day of the week, and that seems fun for everyone. (And all the story books for each day are ones that we already have.)
Bible Reading Time (at the breakfast table):
- Five Minute Devotions for Children: Celebrating God's World As a Family
- A Chapter in Matthew (Except for the once a week or so Miss Pear asks for Jonah...)
- Read Story for D in Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses, and Stories
- Memorize Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart."
- Review A, B and D verse throughout the day
- Winnie the Pooh Treasury
(sorry, it appears it is no longer in publication, which is a pity. Paperbackswap.com might have it).
- Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers
(Using the letter recognition in the back, and we love it)
- Number recognition - a little chart I made up based on Alpha-phonics.
- About 3 Workbook**
Monday:
- Read "My 'D' Book"
- Read Duck in the Truck
(we started reading this one when Miss Pear was about 9 months old and I would read to her while she was in her highchair.)
- D is for Dove Coloring Page and Tracing Page
- Baptism of Jesus Coloring Page
- Dove Craft
- Read Bible Count*
- Read Clifford's Day With Dad
- Read Daddy Hug
(Miss Pear is a bit old for this book, but she loves the pictures)
- Read "My Four Book"
- Four Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Four Number Buddy Coloring Page
- Fuzzy #4 (construction paper, glue, cotton balls)
- Read "My 'D' Book"
- Read Schnitzel Von Krumm's Basketwork by Lynley Dodd (hard to find in the US, but in the book he hides in the daisies and dahlias)
- Read Donald Buys a House
- D is for Daisy coloring and tracing page
- D is for Dinosaur Tracing Page (Alphabet Buddies)
- Bake Dinner Rolls
- Read Learning My Numbers*
- Read "My Four Book"
- Read Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
- Read Hairy Maclary And Zachary Quack
- Four Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Number in a Jar #4 - put 4 stickers in jar, do tracing, color
- Color and decorate #4 (Use large template)
- Craft: Ice Cream Cone Scoop Craft for Numbers scoop #4 (in the evening, this is the Daddy craft and the ice cream cone is growing up my kitchen wall).
- Read "My 'D' Book"
- Read Helping Mother* (Miss Pear loves this one!)
- Read Baking Day*
- Read Doughnut Day*
- D is for Dinosaur Tracing Page (Alphabet Buddies)
- "D is for Donut" coloring page
- Bake Doughnuts (this will also double as a family night activity, we will use the doughnut cutter that was handed down to me from when we used to make doughnuts when I was Miss Pear's age.)
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
WFMW: Excellent Read Alouds?
I am on the hunt! Amongst my friends I am known for my shopping skills - finding the teapot for a wedding gift no one else could, finding the best children's books, knowing the good sales and grocery deals, knowing when to buy what produce because it is perfectly in season etc.So I am somewhat shocked to admit I am at a loss. Yes, you heard me, I need something and don't know where to start looking, don't have a list to work off of, and don't know where to find said list.
I even tried the library and struck out!
You see, I am on the hunt for a list of excellent read alouds for my girls. Both will sit and listen to chapter books, and I would like to encourage that! We have always made it a point to read both at and above our children's reading level, and it is wonderful!
But my list of read alouds is mighty meager.
So please help me out!
What are your favorite read alouds?
Do you have a favorite read aloud list you refer to regularly?
Don't worry if they are to up there for our girls, I am looking for good reading material for me too! I mean...I would love to have lots of time to preview them! Yeah, that's it!
Homeschooling Week 3: C and 3
By week 3, last week, we were in a bit more of a routine, and were more consistently getting everything done everyday. Plus, Miss Pear had developed strong affinities for the crafts, so rather than trying to reinvent the wheel each week, so to speak, we have started doing the same crafts for numbers each week, just updating the number. While I would get bored, she loves them, and seems to love knowing at least part of the surprise in her boxes each week! I also found that having a couple extra coloring sheets allowed me to make lunch or do a couple little things nearby.
This is was the first week that neat themes for each day did not work, but it turned out that was okay too.
Bible Reading Time (at the breakfast table):
Monday:
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
This is was the first week that neat themes for each day did not work, but it turned out that was okay too.
Bible Reading Time (at the breakfast table):
- Five Minute Devotions for Children: Celebrating God's World As a Family
- A Chapter in Matthew (Except for the once a week or so Miss Pear asks for Jonah...)
- Read Story for C in Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses, and Stories
- Memorize Colossians 3:20 "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."
- Review A and B verse throughout the day
- Winnie the Pooh Treasury
- Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers
- Number recognition - a little chart I made up based on Alpha-phonics.
- About 3 Workbook**
Monday:
- Read "My 'C' Book"
- Read Slinky Malinki
(a fun cat book that we think is funny).
- Read If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (If You Give... Books)
- Cat Coloring Page
- C is for Car Tracing Page (Alphabet Buddies) (this was the only tracing page with lots of C's to trace)
- Carrot Coloring Page
- Bake Carrot loaf
- Read Bible Count*
- Read "My Three Book"
- Three Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Three Number Buddy Coloring Page
- Fuzzy #3 (construction paper, glue, cotton balls)
- Read "My 'C' Book"
- Read ABC of Canada
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give...)
- C is for Car Tracing Page (Alphabet Buddies)
- If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Coloring Page
- Bake Cookies
- Read Learning My Numbers*
- Read "My Three Book"
- Read Canada 123
- Three Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Number in a Jar #3 - put 3 stickers in jar, do tracing, color
- Color and decorate #3 (Use large template)
- Craft: Ice Cream Cone Scoop Craft for Numbers scoop #3
- Read "My 'C' Book"
- The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale
- Jesus Is Coming Back!
- C is for Cross Coloring Page and Tracing Page
- C is for Car Tracing Page (Alphabet Buddies)
- Bake Hot Cross Buns talking about the Trinity and the symbolism of the Hot Cross Bun and letting Miss Pear steal plenty of raisins.
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Rice Cooker: Black Beans and Rice
I made Black Beans and Rice in the Rice Cooker last night, and it was really good! Rather than putting the cheese in the whole thing I just sprinkled on top at the end and served with salsa.
Very quick, very easy, very delicious...and also inexpensive.
This was enough for all of us for supper and a lunch for Mr. Pear.
Very quick, very easy, very delicious...and also inexpensive.
This was enough for all of us for supper and a lunch for Mr. Pear.
Homeschooling week 2: B and 2
By week 2 Miss Pear was terribly excited about this and loved getting the boxes out to see what was in there, and already had some clear favorites for activities.
Bible Reading Time:
Sunday:
Tuesday:
* From Rod and Staff
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Bible Reading Time:
- Five Minute Devotions for Children: Celebrating God's World As a Family
- A Chapter in Genesis (Except for the once a week or so Miss Pear asks for Jonah...)
- Read Story for B in Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses, and Stories
- Memorize Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
- Review A verse
- Winnie the Pooh Treasury
- Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers
- Number recognition - a little chart I made up based on Alpha-phonics.
- About 3 Workbook**
Sunday:
- We were home sick from church and Miss Pear was all but begging to make a fuzzy number 2!
Tuesday:
- Read Bible Count*
- Read "My Two Book"
- Two Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Color and decorate #2 (Use large template)
- Read "My 'B' Book"
- Read Skating with Bears
- B is for Bear coloring page and tracing sheet
- Bake Blueberry Pie
- Read Learning My Numbers*
- Read "My Two Book"
- Two Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Craft: Ice Cream Cone Scoop Craft for Numbers scoop #2
- Read "My 'B' Book"
- Bees (Down on the Farm)
- B is for Bumble Bee coloring page and tracing page
- Other Bee coloring pages were requested so I just searched for Bee Coloring Pages and printed some off.
- Bake Banana Bread (technically honey was on the recipe card....)
* From Rod and Staff
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Homeschooling Week 1: A and 1
After reading around about homeschooling we decided to follow Crystal's example of selecting a letter a week (okay, it helped that she was using some resources we had selected too...), but we decided to also add a number each week. So Monday, Wednesday, Friday we do a letter, and Tuesday and Thursday we do a number. I also try to work things into our everyday life that correspond...like making apple crisp for A week.
Anyways, I decided to post our schedule here because it was hard for me to find examples of families starting in homeschooling. As a family who was not homeschooled, and frankly have no close friends who homeschool that we could quiz we were searching for preschool examples that would give us some ideas. And yes, that is one of the reasons we are starting early, so we have time to figure this out.
We are just starting out, and are certainly not experts! This seems to be working for us right now, but that is this month....
I have 6 homeschooling boxes, one for each day of the week, and one for everyday, and I have to tell you, that is working out great! Miss Pear does not get to see what is being put into each box, so she thinks that each box is FULL of surprises! Everything except the devotional and Bible are kept in those boxes, along with any needed supplies (so if we are doing a craft, all the supplies are already in there!) So she thinks it is a huge treat, and it keeps mommy organized - that would be a double blessing!
Bible Reading Time:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Weekend with Daddy: Begin Ice Cream Cone Scoop Craft for Numbers - Cone and #1 scoop
* From Rod and Staff
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Anyways, I decided to post our schedule here because it was hard for me to find examples of families starting in homeschooling. As a family who was not homeschooled, and frankly have no close friends who homeschool that we could quiz we were searching for preschool examples that would give us some ideas. And yes, that is one of the reasons we are starting early, so we have time to figure this out.
We are just starting out, and are certainly not experts! This seems to be working for us right now, but that is this month....
I have 6 homeschooling boxes, one for each day of the week, and one for everyday, and I have to tell you, that is working out great! Miss Pear does not get to see what is being put into each box, so she thinks that each box is FULL of surprises! Everything except the devotional and Bible are kept in those boxes, along with any needed supplies (so if we are doing a craft, all the supplies are already in there!) So she thinks it is a huge treat, and it keeps mommy organized - that would be a double blessing!
Bible Reading Time:
- Five Minute Devotions for Children: Celebrating God's World As a Family
- A Chapter in Genesis (Except for the once a week or so Miss Pear asks for Jonah...)
- Read Story for A in Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses, and Stories
- Memorize Colossians 3:23 "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."
- Winnie the Pooh Treasury
- Alpha-Phonics: A Primer For Beginning Readers
- Number recognition - a little chart I made up based on Alpha-phonics.
- About 3 Workbook**
Monday:
Tuesday:
- Read Bible Count*
- Read "My One Book"
- One Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Read "My 'A' Book"
- A is for Apple tracing page (alphabuddies tracing page)
- Bake Apple Crisp
- Read Learning My Numbers*
- Read "My One Book"
- One Tracing Page (number buddies tracing page)
- Craft: Make Fuzzy 1 (draw a 1 on construction paper, glue cotton balls to it, done!)
Weekend with Daddy: Begin Ice Cream Cone Scoop Craft for Numbers - Cone and #1 scoop
* From Rod and Staff
**Rod and Staff online is not the same company as the Rod and Staff catalog, even though they carry the same stuff. Often the best pricing and regular discounts comes from the catalog, available upon request at 1-606-522-4348.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Menu for the Week of March 28 - April 4
After about a year, I am finally returning to Meal Plan Monday. Things are finally settling down enough!
I plan Saturday to Saturday because we are a one car family and go grocery shopping Saturday morning. The baking list at the bottom of the menu contains a few items in each area that I make sure I have the stuff on hand for. That way if I need to make bread I know I have everything for it, but I don't make every item every week (much to my oldest daughter's disappointment who would love it if I made all the cookies!)!
Saturday
Breakfast - Hot Cross Buns
Lunch - Leftover Pasta and Sauce
Supper - Chicken Taquitos (made with this enchilada sauce, make it a day ahead for better flavor, and it is so good I will never buy the canned stuff again) and spanish rice
Sunday
Breakfast - Hot Cross Buns
Lunch - Leftover Taquitos and Rice
Supper - Filipino Noodles (I am trying to find a good recipe!)
Monday
Breakfast - Cereal, toast, fruit
Lunch - Healthy Mac and Cheese
Supper - Rice and Black Beans in the Rice Cooker
Tuesday
Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - Leftover Healthy Mac and Cheese
Supper - Sweet and Sour Chicken over Rice (chicken is loaded with veggies so no side dish needed)
Wednesday
Breakfast - Cereal and fruit
Lunch - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and fruit
Supper - Tortilla Soup and Rolls (the recipe I am always asked to bring when we are invited over for supper and I ask if I can bring something....)
Thursday
Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - leftovers
Supper - Spaghetti
Friday
Breakfast - cereal and fruit
Lunch - Poached eggs and toast
Supper - White Chicken Chili and rolls
Saturday
Breakfast - Overnight Blueberry French Toast
Lunch - Pizza Rolls and Veggies
Supper - Hamburgers and Pasta Salad
Breads
French Bread~
Oatmeal Bread~
Cracked Wheat Bread*
Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle
Spicy Oatmeal
Loaves and Muffins
Banana Loaf
Other
Dinner Rolls
Hamburger Rolls
Doughnuts (In our homeschooling Friday is D is for Doughnut day, therefore we are making doughnuts)
* Recipe is from New Cook Book, Limited Edition "Pink Plaid" : For Breast Cancer Awareness (Better Homes & Gardens)
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hot Cross Buns
This was the first ever recipe I posted on my blog, but it is so yummy, and so wonderful during Lent and Easter that I had to post it again. Plus, why should I be the only one trying valiantly to not sit down and eat the whole pan?
The Symbolism of Hot Cross Buns
Did you know there is a lot of symbolism in hot cross buns?
The cross on top, of course, points to our Lord's sacrifice on the cross.
A traditional recipe calls for three kinds of fruits to represent the Holy Trinity.
The fruits are in one bun representing how the Holy Trinity is one God.
The buns are covered in a cross as our sins are and when we come to the cross we receive all of God, just like we get all the fruit in the bun.
And of course there is the sweetness of the glaze that makes the cross which I am convinced must be symbolic of the sweetness of the Christian life.
Hot Cross Buns
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp water
Confectioners' sugar icing
2 tablespoons water
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. Stir in butter, eggs, sugar and salt.
Combine 3 cups flour, raisins, currants, cinnamon and allspice; add to yeast mixture and mix well.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; shape into 1-1/2- to 2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each roll.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls.
Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Pipe icing over rolls.
The Symbolism of Hot Cross Buns
Did you know there is a lot of symbolism in hot cross buns?
The cross on top, of course, points to our Lord's sacrifice on the cross.
A traditional recipe calls for three kinds of fruits to represent the Holy Trinity.
The fruits are in one bun representing how the Holy Trinity is one God.
The buns are covered in a cross as our sins are and when we come to the cross we receive all of God, just like we get all the fruit in the bun.
And of course there is the sweetness of the glaze that makes the cross which I am convinced must be symbolic of the sweetness of the Christian life.
Hot Cross Buns
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp water
Confectioners' sugar icing
2 tablespoons water
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. Stir in butter, eggs, sugar and salt.
Combine 3 cups flour, raisins, currants, cinnamon and allspice; add to yeast mixture and mix well.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; shape into 1-1/2- to 2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each roll.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls.
Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Pipe icing over rolls.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
White Chicken Chili
FishMama does the Ultimate Recipe Swap each week, and I am always happy to peruse it. But this week she picked a theme that makes my participation close to mandatory: Freezer Meals!
A new favorite around here was delivered by friends when we brought Baby home from the hospital, but I cannot remember if it was after she was born or after her bout of viral meningitis because meals were delivered by our church friends both times and the meals, delicious as they were, kind of blend together in my head.
I begged the recipe from my dear friend and it reads as:
White Chicken Chili
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken or ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 small can chicken broth
2 cans Great Northern beans (undrained)
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
2 t. fresh cilantro
1 c. Montery jack cheese
1) Cook chicken and onion in oil. Drain.
2) Add broth, beans, and spices. Bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cheese for last 10 minutes.
Variations: Add canned or fresh corn, green chilies, or substitute different beans (I like using 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of pinto beans)
My variations: I use my crockpot because I like to get what I can ready for supper in the morning so that I have a less hectic afternoon...and sometimes it works. I always add the can of green chilies for the flavor boost, I prefer it with the shredded/chopped chicken, and I always double it so that I can freeze 2 meals after we eat one meal.
If you are new around here, I did a whole series on freezer meals, just click on the label below!
A new favorite around here was delivered by friends when we brought Baby home from the hospital, but I cannot remember if it was after she was born or after her bout of viral meningitis because meals were delivered by our church friends both times and the meals, delicious as they were, kind of blend together in my head.
I begged the recipe from my dear friend and it reads as:
White Chicken Chili
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken or ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 small can chicken broth
2 cans Great Northern beans (undrained)
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
2 t. fresh cilantro
1 c. Montery jack cheese
1) Cook chicken and onion in oil. Drain.
2) Add broth, beans, and spices. Bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cheese for last 10 minutes.
Variations: Add canned or fresh corn, green chilies, or substitute different beans (I like using 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of pinto beans)
My variations: I use my crockpot because I like to get what I can ready for supper in the morning so that I have a less hectic afternoon...and sometimes it works. I always add the can of green chilies for the flavor boost, I prefer it with the shredded/chopped chicken, and I always double it so that I can freeze 2 meals after we eat one meal.
If you are new around here, I did a whole series on freezer meals, just click on the label below!
Excellent Easter Craft
Okay, I have a huge confession to make. I love to decorate for holidays...and I don't really like Easter decorations. I love the spring time flower decorations, but as cute as bunnies are, a girl can only take so much...unless it is Peter Rabbit of course!
So in my hunt to find a craft that would double as a decoration for Miss Pear and I, I searched many a site in frustration.
But then I found THE PERFECT Easter Craft! It is simple, used a lot of what I had on hand, Miss Pear could help with the gluing, and the office supply store to get the laminating done was right next to the fish store. But the best part is that we now have the continual reminder of the sacrifice our Lord made for us each day. We hung it in the room we do most of our living, and Miss Pear asks about it a lot, and thinks it is beautiful.
If you are looking for an Easter craft, I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
So in my hunt to find a craft that would double as a decoration for Miss Pear and I, I searched many a site in frustration.
But then I found THE PERFECT Easter Craft! It is simple, used a lot of what I had on hand, Miss Pear could help with the gluing, and the office supply store to get the laminating done was right next to the fish store. But the best part is that we now have the continual reminder of the sacrifice our Lord made for us each day. We hung it in the room we do most of our living, and Miss Pear asks about it a lot, and thinks it is beautiful.
If you are looking for an Easter craft, I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
Sweet Potato Mishap
So it sounded good. The people at the nursery recommended it! They should know, right?
Maybe not.
The experiment of quartering a sweet potato and planting it has not gone well. To my Orange County reader who asked what I did, that is it, and it did not work.
It is supposed to work.
But it did not.
However, I keep telling myself that the rotting sweet potato will be excellent compost.
There are very few companies who will ship plants into California because they need special tests etc. done. But there was one. The Sand Hill Preservation Center actually carries sweet potato slips and is willing to ship to CA. So I requested a catalog and we see what happens.
What I do know is that both girls love sweet potatoes, so this is something that I really do need to figure out!
Maybe not.
The experiment of quartering a sweet potato and planting it has not gone well. To my Orange County reader who asked what I did, that is it, and it did not work.
It is supposed to work.
But it did not.
However, I keep telling myself that the rotting sweet potato will be excellent compost.
There are very few companies who will ship plants into California because they need special tests etc. done. But there was one. The Sand Hill Preservation Center actually carries sweet potato slips and is willing to ship to CA. So I requested a catalog and we see what happens.
What I do know is that both girls love sweet potatoes, so this is something that I really do need to figure out!
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