Merry Christmas!

This year has been another year filled with God's blessings on our family.  I am overwhelmed at His goodness toward us (in meeting our daily needs) and am ever thankful for His Son, Jesus.

We have made the most of this season with decorating, ornament making, cookie decorating (and eating), visiting Santa, reading Christmas stories, watching classic Christmas movies,  serving at 3 Trees ministry, attending Adrian's Christmas program, school parties, and more things I can't even think of.  I love this time of year because it seems easier to be intentional about spending time together and making fun memories in the mist of our daily routines.  

Genius, pure genius...(evil laugh)

Every Friday, I like to kids to do a thorough job cleaning up the playroom.  When I tell the kids it's time to start picking up, I get bombarded with whining and complaints.... and "but I didn't play with that" and "he/she isn't helping"... it was making me absolutely crazy.  I realize that if I enforced the rule that after you play with it, you put it away, then there would never be a mess.  However, enforcing this rule would require that I spend all my time following the kids around and reminding them to pick up....  not exactly helpful. 

Today was different.  I made a list of all the playroom clean up jobs I could think of (while waiting in the carpool line), tore them apart, and put them in a bowl. Each kiddo picked 5 jobs (and I got all the miscellaneous stuff) and got to work.  It was magical.  No complaining at all and the whole room was cleaned up in 10 minutes.  Plus, when something wasn't done, I knew who was responsible!    YAY to a clean playroom, no mommy meltdown, and no complaining.

Jesus takes care of us

Adrian got the flu late last week and is recovering great!  Today, while we were playing with knights and our castle, he wiped his nose with his hand.  Yuck!  I told him to go wash his hands and then we could play some more.  He didn't want to.  I said "There are lots of germs on your hands and you don't want Mommy to get sick, do you?  Then who will take care of you...(or something like that).  He said "Jesus will take care of me Mommy." Amen, sweet Adrian!  That is exactly  right!

Adrian and Eli

precious Aaron

Birthday party with Cooper

SOCCER!!

So, I'm officially and a soccer mom and all I have to say is that I LOVE it!  I wish I'd played soccer growing up because it looks like so much fun!  Go JG and Go Blue Devils!

(No pics this time as it was overcast)

Aaron's first haircut

Showing our Support

Standing!!

1 kid with chickenpox=housebound fun

A word to the wise...

don't attempt to trim the front of your wiggly 3-year old boys hair...

Summer sorbet

Job

So, at the beginning of this year, our pastor challenged us to read through the Bible this year.  I have failed at this terribly.  Anyway, a few weeks ago, I started a new chronological reading plan and am now reading in the book of Job.  I came across these few verses and they touched my heart.  I thought I'd share them in light of our upcoming Easter celebration.

(This is Job talking to his friend about God)
"He is not a man like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.
If only there were someone to arbitrate between us,
to lay his hand upon us both,
someone to remove God's rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
Job 9:32-36

Wow, what it must have been like in the days of Job before Jesus came on the scene.   Job longed for what we have today,  "someone to arbitrate between us" and God, "someone to remove God's rod" from us so that we could "speak up without fear of him."   I am so thankful that we have Jesus "to lay his hand upon us both."  What a wonderful gift!

Champagne, on a Tuesday?

So I posted this picture on the blog (from my phone), and my mom called 5 minutes later and asked what I was celebrating... a Tuesday perhaps??  Actually, this the champagne that I bought to either celebrate Valentine's Day or our anniversary (Jan. 4th).  We just now  got around to opening it!  In the pic, my glass has a taste of champagne and a couple of sliced strawberries in it.  After a taste, I added about 5 parts orange juice... I keep forgetting that I don't really like champagne much.  How could I remember that if we only have it once a year and then I can't even remember to open it :)  

So, that is what life with 4 kids, 6 and under, does to your brain.

Bread success

I have been trying for several years to find the perfect bread recipe for my family.  There are plenty of delicious recipes out there, but I was looking for one that is super healthy also.  My requirements were 100% (fresh ground) whole wheat, no sugar (honey preferred), no butter or margarine (preferably coconut oil or olive oil) and absolutely yummy.   The bread I made tonight was fabulous and met all my requirements except that it is only 2/3rd's whole wheat flour.  I think I will give my quest for the perfect whole wheat bread a rest for awhile and just enjoy this one.   Oh--the only problem I've found with this bread is that no one can stop eating it!!

I'm posting the recipe here in case I lose my copy.

11/8c. warm water

1/4 c. honey

2 T. oil (olive or expeller pressed  coconut oil)

2 c. organic whole wheat flour (not pastry variety)

1 c. bread flour

1 t. salt

4 t. vital wheat gluten

2 t. yeast

For my bread machine:

Put the ingredients in the machine in the order listed above.  Set on dough setting.  Remove dough and punch down.  Knead in more flour if the dough is sticky.  Shape into loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until the dough has risen 1 in. above the rim of the pan.  (I heat oven to 200 degrees and then turn it off and stick the bread in (covered with a dish towel).  After risen, bake in a 350 degree preheated oven  for 30 minutes. (I put a dish of water on the bottom rack of the oven to help the crust stay soft).  Let cool for 20 minutes and then slice.

super healthy banana bread recipe

For awhile now, I have been trying to get my family away from processed food (including unhealthy oils, white flour, and sugar).  I made a new recipe today and had to share it.  It is from a great website called: www.100daysofrealfood.com.  The only thing I did differently was add 1/4-1/3c. unsweetened applesauce to the batter as it seemed a little to dry.

Whole-Wheat Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil (I used melted coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4-1/3c. unsweetened applesauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl mix mashed bananas with yogurt, honey, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
4. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until blended. Do not over mix.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan or muffin tins.
6. Bake large loaf for 40 – 50 minutes or until it comes clean with a toothpick.  Bake muffins for 16-18 minutes.

Other notes:  I buy organic whole white wheat flour at Natural Grocers by my house (in the refrigerated section).  I would not recommend making this with a bag of wheat flour off the shelf of a regular grocery store.  The bags in the grocery store have been sitting for a long time and the wheat has lost most of its nutritional value.   Plus, white whole wheat is a little softer grain...

Finally a muffin recipe I can feel good about feeding my family regularly.
Enjoy.