Momma Robin's Sorrow And Our Lesson

On a dark, rainy, thunderbolting day, Momma Robin lost her eggs at the hands of a predator.  We're heartbroken over her loss!  The nest is located in a rain gutter corner, which we can't see from inside the house.  We don't know if it was a crow, a hawk, or a squirrel.  Regardless, Momma and her husband won't be back here next year, since it has proven unsafe.  Pairs will nest in the same place only if they previously had good luck there.

As an aside: Peter's photo of the blue robin eggs, shared earlier this week, made the eggs look larger then they really are.

Our only hope is that in prior years another robin pair--or we assume it's another pair--nested in the crook of one of our trees.  We hope to see them soon!  We're praying for nesting birds of any species.  Different species of birds nest at different times.  American Robins usually nest in April and in August, or more often if the Momma is especially healthy. 

As the tears flowed around here, I reminded the kids that we can have many interests, friends, and passions in our lives, but all of it eventually slips through our fingers; we will be disappointed in some way.  

I didn't mention, due to their young ages, that the same goes for our nuclear families.  We must love our families with all we've got, regardless.  But eventually, they too will disappoint us.  They too will pass away.

God is the only constant in our lives!  We must cling to Him!  We must hold everything loosely, while at the same time trusting Him enough to pour ourselves out for others, without expectation.

To cheer up the troops around here, I suggested spring-themed sugar cookies.  I used 100% whole wheat flour, which has worked for every other baking project.  I used to use Albino white whole wheat for sugar cookies, but I quit buying that.  We make sugar cookies far less often.

Anyway, don't try this at home!  It was very difficult to work with.  The cookies taste fine--everyone likes them--but we gave up on rolling and shaping them after about twelve shapes were completed.  We rolled the rest of the dough into balls.  I'm not sure this project cheered anyone up--especially not Momma--but it did distract us from Mrs. Robin's sorrow, and our own.

Today we will make the frosting and frost them.

I have a baking question for all you experts out there.  I just started making homemade muffins of different types, and I'm not satisfied with the moistness.  Am I stirring them too much?  Is there some secret to moist muffins?  Please share!

Saturday spiritual highlights

Saturday Gratitude

- Favorite quote from Saturday devotions, found in A Gospel Primer for Christians,  Learning to See the Glories of God's Love (Milton Vincent, 2008, p.54):

Understanding that I am not the ultimate end of the gospel, but rather that God's glory is, actually enables me to embrace my salvation more boldly than I would otherwise dare to do.  For example, when my timid heart questions why God would want to love one so sinful as I, I read the answer, "to the praise of the glory of His grace."  I figure, then, that my unworthiness must actually be useful to God, because it magnifies the degree to which His grace might be glorified as He lavishes His saving kindness upon me.  This line of reasoning makes perfect sense to me and convinces me to embrace the gospel with greater passion so that God might glorify Himself through me, an unworthy sinner.

Indeed, the more I embrace and experience the gospel, the more I delight in the worship of God, the more expressive my joy in Him becomes, and the more I yearn to glorify Him in all I say and do. 

- My Peter read the book of Jonah at the dinner table, without a single OCD-related stutter or repeat of words/phrases.  Momma proceeded to do the hallelujah dance.  How fitting that God healed it as Peter read from the Word.

- Nursing my toddler to sleep and watching her eyelids fall, long lashes resting against milky smooth skin.

- A perm from a very nice stylist in a salon where everybody had normal hair, which was quiet enough for me to read 2 more chapters from Ann's book.

- A 53-year-old stylist who shared my middle-age, wrinkling-skin angst. Like me, she doesn't feel any different and when she catches a glimpse of herself in a store or a random mirror, she questions who that person is.  "Surely that can't be me?"  I will be 45 in a few days, and I look 50.  I told her she'd taken very good care of herself--and obviously never resided in California--because at 53, she looked better than my impending 45.  She said that was nonsense.....and then I liked her even more.

- My handyman cousin is coming soon to size up some handyman projects that need to be done around here.  The dining-room light fixture is faulty, leaving us with too little light for school on dark, rainy days.

- Couch cuddling with my kiddos....something I'm making intentional nowadays.

- My Beth holding onto Goodnight Moon like it was a precious stuffed animal.

- A husband who let me sleep in, after at least ten wake-ups from my teething toddler.

- Whole-wheat flour shortcake with strawberries on top, tasting so wholesome.  Forgot to buy vanilla ice cream.....wishing we had an ice cream maker...hoping to find one at a garage sale this spring.

- The keyhole in the van is acting up, making it difficult to get it started lately.  I'm giving hard thanks for the way God uses that van to make it so clear that He is in control.

Now, Our God, We Give You Thanks

Oh, the joy of new cookie sheets!  Small things delight small people.  

I love that.

See that mischievous one on the left there?  She gave me an awful scare yesterday by getting into pure vanilla extract.  Paul had gotten ingredients out for a cake, and I told Peter to watch them while I put a few pajamas away.  I feared Beth would dump the sugar or flour on the floor (or something).  The vanilla extract wasn't on my radar.  

Five minutes later I went out to the kitchen to find Beth on a chair, with vanilla extract spilled down her chin.  I got the poison center number, after having myself a little panic, and learned that she'd probably be fine, but I should watch her for drunkenness.  (Um, what two year old doesn't act a little drunk? They're a goofy lot, to say the least.)  Thankfully we had used about 4 teaspoons of the extract, and there was still half of it left after the scare, so it appears she tried to drink some but it spilled down her chin and little got into her system.  

The spilling down her chin?  That was the grace of God!  Vanilla extract is 70% ethanol by volume. Never before has it been an issue; when the others were little I used store-bought cookies and desserts.  I simply didn't bake much at all.  Whole foods or not, I'm seriously considering buying the fake vanilla extract until Beth is four years old.  In my research, I also learned that nutmeg is dangerous for little ones.  I don't have a locked place to keep spices.  That ingenious Beth can get into any cupboard in the kitchen.  

Here are some facts from justthefactsbaby.com

Baking Hazards

While your kids may love to help out with holiday baking, make sure spices and extracts are kept out of reach. Children can get high from nutmeg and become intoxicated and extremely sick from ethanol-containing products, such as vanilla and almond extracts. Ethanol causes Central Nervous System depression, which can lead to respiratory compromise when ingested. It may also result in dilated pupils, flushed skin, gastrointestinal distress, hypothermia and hypotension. Vanilla extract can be harmful even in small doses, as it contains up to 70 percent ethanol by volume (compared to beer, which contains between two and six percent ethanol). If you suspect your child has helped themselves to vanilla extract, contact your doctor immediately.

When the naughty mother eats too many chocolate baking chips, it's chocolate chocolate-chip cookies, without the chips.  Still good, mind you.

I wish I could say that I eat chocolate chips merely because I love them.....but no.  The truth is I eat them because life with a two year old, delightful though she is, can be exhausting and stressful.  The more she gets into mischief, the more I go to the cupboard to get a few chips.  Lord give me strength!  Or carrots.  The good news is that with her around, I rarely sit down, so chocolate chips don't make me fat.

What will I do when my house is emptied of their art?  I say yes to paint, to the mess, because someday there will be no brilliance like this coloring my walls. (Mary, age 4)

Eventually, we get around to washing hair and bodies.  I will miss bath letters someday, just like the brilliant paintings.

When you go into a closed bedroom to nurse your baby, you never know what the rest of them are concocting.  You just pray they survive your absence.

There will always be God's brilliant colors! 

Blue sky and sunshine after a new snow.  The camera doesn't capture it, but it's beautiful on these bright mornings.

The landscape changed again Sunday night.  All this snow is gone now.  Last night brought 50 degrees and thunderstorms.

Monday Gratitude

- For a book series that has my Peter continuing to read, despite his ongoing OCD issue with the repeating of words and phrases.  The mystery series, Jigsaw Jones, for 2nd and 3rd graders, is wholesome and funny.  I've read four of the series and I'm pleased with them, as are Peter and Paul.  I've laughed out loud and shed tears at the sweetness of the little boy, Jigsaw Jones.  They are fast-paced with good storyweaving.  Mind you, I've not read all of them yet, so I can't vouch for the whole series.  I read four chapters ahead of Peter and then hand the book over to him.  After he's caught up with me, I read four more chapters ahead.  He enjoys sharing the mystery, the jokes, and the smiles with me.

- For the Leapfrog Twist and Shout Multiplication device, purchased from Amazon for $22.  Peter is already making great strides with his facts, after just a few days.  

- For a gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love.

- For the dawning of a new day......for a new opportunity to be the face of Christ to my children.

- Holding husband's hand during church.

- For my children, who always forgive my sins after I confess.  It took me a half hour to fix a toilet tonight.  It made us late for baths, stories, bedtime, and I had myself a little hissy fit, exhausted from frustration. Parental fits stress the children and I always loathe myself afterwards.  Nighttime solo parenting is so hard, but God has blessed me with forgiving children!

- Family bonds strengthened by homeschooling

- Learning, living, working, loving.....together

1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

gratitude and introducing Harry the Hamster

 Auntie Lorrie and Mary

 Auntie Lorrie brought each child a Christmas present (we won't see her again until the spring).  Mary received a beautiful Rapunzel dress-up dress and a matching Barbie doll.  She is thrilled

Auntie Lorrie and Peter

 Our suggestion for Peter's gift was a cage for a hamster. We decided he needed a pet who will stay around for all seasons.  He loves his insects and amphibians in the summer, so winter gets long for this young lad.  A hamster seemed like just the thing.

This is Harry.

 And boy, he's a hit!  We picked him up Wednesday morning, and he's barely been out of Peter's sight, except for school time.  Very popular with Mary too, who is a sister after Peter's own heart.  She misses her butterflies, don't you know.  Summer is her favorite season as well.

Wait!  Is this me or Harry?  I get mixed up.  My days look an awful lot like this!  A spinning wheel, indeed.

.

 Auntie Lorrie with Paul and Mary

Paul just finished his airplane model, received for his birthday from Momma and Daddy.  

Baby Beth was asleep when I took these.  She received a stuffed dog and matching storybook.

My gratitude list:

- for sweet kids.  Not perfect, but sweet.

- for the privilege of caring for this family.  For making and serving them wholesome foods, bathing their squirrelly bodies, reading to their eager minds, for teaching them the ways of the Lord.  For all of it, thank you, Lord.

- for a faithful husband, strong in spirit, mind, and body, dedicated to all of us

- for Auntie Lorrie, who loves my children with all her heart

- for a house I enjoy mothering in, teaching in, dwelling in

- for a Heavenly Father who loves me

- for homeschooling

- for the new towels Lorrie gave us for Christmas (badly needed)

- for love that heals all

- for love that perseveres

- for love that is not self-seeking

- for love that is not easily angered

- for love that keeps no record of wrongs

- for a husband who loves me like these verses, even during times of trial and fatigue

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 
1 Corinthians 13:4-13

my pantry lessons

If you're going to cook and bake from scratch, have a well-stocked pantry.  I'm learning.

They loved the brownies.  More!  Let's make them again!

But no cocoa powder left for the frosting recipe.  No chocolate chips to melt.  Only unsweetened baking chocolate squares in the cupboard.

We finally used a recipe that called for melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, and just added extra (powered) sugar to sweeten up the baking squares.  Chocolate is horrible tasting.  Really horrible.  Without the sugar.  Notice that?  Good for you though.

Anyhow, the frosting recipe we planned on altering called for 2 cups of sugar.  Regular sugar.  I didn't notice this oddity as I was quickly mixing it up.

Then, I noticed.  Eeeww.  Grainy.  There is a reason frosting should be made with powdered sugar, rather than granulated.

We added this and that, trying to take away the grainy taste.  Then we stopped adding and decided to settle. They liked it; I was the one with the problem.

Momma:  "What a bother!  I will surely never print such a stupid frosting recipe again.  Who puts granulated sugar in frosting?

I was mostly talking to myself.  It was getting late and I was irritated.  I didn't intend on spending so much time on the baking.

Peter:  "Mommy!  You said stupid!  That's not nice."

Oops.

Notes to self:

- Buy every type of sugar, every type of chocolate (melting squares, cocoa powder, chips),  and every type of flour.

- Find a website on cooking/baking substitutions.

- Don't be a perfectionist!  It's frosting!  Just frosting!  Not some sculpture or painting.

- Don't call a recipe stupid, even if you've just spent half an hour doctoring it up.

- Use a thesaurus to come up with fancy words for stupid.  Tape the list to the cupboard if necessary.

when it rains, does it have to pour too?

Six-year-old Paul really likes popcorn.  He becomes positively giddy about it, in fact.  I buy it only occasionally because some brands have unhealthy oils (palm or coconut), and other brands have food dye.  I've yet to get him an air popper.

After the girls fell asleep tonight and it was time to read to the boys, I made them some popcorn.  Paul broke out in hives within fifteen minutes--his first case ever!  It took me five minutes to assess the situation and then I promptly gave him Benydryl.  He is sleeping soundly now, with no apparent breathing problems.  I can only hope since this is the first sign of allergy, that this episode will be mild.  Corn is a common allergen, but not on the Top 8 list.  If one is allergic to corn--a cereal grain--it is possible one will develop other cereal grain allergies.

Paul always refuses corn, but does like corn muffins and corn tortillas, both of which he's eaten in the past forty-eight hours.  He's had no new foods lately, except for a smidgen of honey on his corn muffin.  Honey isn't a common allergen, and besides, that ingestion was over twenty-four hours ago.

I'm a bit discouraged about this.  He started crying when I told him he might have a corn allergy.  His passion for popcorn runs so deep!  He was devastated.  And mad.  The only thing I could offer was that some children do grow out of food allergies (except for peanut allergy of course).

Although husband's family has serious seasonal allergies, none in that family have food allergies. My mom and sister have a milk sensitivity, but other than that my side is free from food allergy as well.

Three of my children are plagued by eczema, and in the past two years, both boys have developed pollen allergy.  I'm wondering what other allergies might surface.  Corn, as you probably can guess, is in so many things!  There is even a dusting of corn starch in food packaging.  What a nightmare!

Some days I just can't believe how complicated life gets.

I can only think of two positives right now, in regards to this.  First, we started on a whole food journey a few months ago.  That will help enormously if I have to eliminate all corn derivatives.  Second, Paul has always been a very picky eater.  Now I see that maybe the slower introduction to many foods could have been protective.

So, do you have any good news?  I'd really like to hear some good news!  Please.

Momma Robin's Morning (if you dare read)

My dining room features a sixteen-foot-long window, offering us a backyard nature viewing at every meal. Yesterday morning, as I gathered remnants of the hot oatmeal breakfast we'd enjoyed, I noticed a robin land right under the window.

Not moving a muscle, I watched.

Digging her beak into the soggy grass, she swiftly pulled out a squirrelly worm, about the size of a baby snake.

How do they always know precisely where to place their beaks?  They score worms faster than I score handfuls of chocolate chips!  From my secret place.

The inhabitants here might smell my poison, but they never see it.

 "I think I smell chocolate, Mommy.  Are you eating some?"

Surely, I mused, Momma Robin won't manage to take flight with that snakish thing in her beak?

She pecked it, grabbed it and swung it around.  Then dropped it.   Three or four times, she repeated the process.

Is she slowly killing it?  Wanting it to stay still, I wondered?

Finally, the worm's nervous system gave out.

Next, Momma Robin pecked at it furiously, tearing it into small morsels.

Oh, dear.

Disgusting!

I shivered.

The baby robins, nestled in a maple tree by our window, waited for Momma.

She did her morning duty, just like I do.  Breakfast morsels prepared for hungry babies.  Faithfully.  Systematically.

In the end, I didn't know for whom I should feel sorry.  The worm.  Or the babies?

At any rate, you won't find me grumbling about my morning duties tomorrow.  (Not that I ever do that.  I never wake up at 6:00 a.m. feeling cranky.  Not me.)

Now I know.

Momma Robin, my kindred spirit?

She has it far worse.

Pizza Hut book-it/ ADHD and pesticides

You've heard of the Pizza Hut Book-It program?  It is also available for homeschoolers.  You set a monthly reading goal for your child, and if he meets or exceeds it, he gets a free personal pan pizza (one pizza per month, Oct.- Mar.).  Here is the Pizza Hut website you need to enroll your K-6 child for the 2010-11 program.  Register through the end of June, 2010.

Did you see the article on ADHD and pesticides?  Not good.  I will never buy another non-organic strawberry!  My ADHD son has eaten tons of strawberries every year since his birth.  He also loves blueberries and every other berry, for that matter.  I do wash all produce, but I wonder how much good that does.

It is indisputable that ADHD is highly heritable.  One third of adult men with ADHD have at least one son with the disorder.  Where does that leave chemical poisoning?  Intriguing question.

I found other links after reading the main article.  A 2008 study revealed that 28% of frozen blueberries tested positive for pesticide residue.  25% of fresh strawberries also tested positive.  Celery was another offender.

We had to use a pesticide service in our home in California for a horrific ant problem.  Peter was 3.5 years old when we moved out of that house.  He began to display ADHD symptoms at about 3 - 3.5 years old.  Most of the spraying was done outside; they only sprayed inside the first time.  Other times, we had to use Raid indoors.  The house was literally built on an ant hill!

When we looked at the vacant house before buying, we noticed a lot of dead ants on the window sills.  Otherwise, it was a great house.  I figured the ants had something to do with the unmarried man who lived in it.  He was a fireman and had to leave the house a few days a week.

I was very wrong, and we learned a valuable lesson.  Always look for ants when looking to buy a home.  If the foundation is covered with them, the house will be infested too, most likely. Check the windowsills.  It is so hard to share a home with ants!  They were in every room in that house.  I stayed away from pesticides until I was going out of mind, and then we prayed about it and decided to get help.

Thankfully, this house gets few ants.  I love it for that reason alone!

P.S.  I found yet another review on the Story of the World history books.

Planning a garden with your kids?

Planting a garden this year with your kids?  Go here for a great lesson on planting potatoes.  Very impressive presentation.  Easy to understand for K level and above.

We learned, among other things, that you don't want to use store-bought potatoes (they harbor plant diseases, even if they look healthy).  Buy seed potatoes at a nursery instead.

We are expecting a frost this week.  Hopefully we can get started next week.  The kids can hardly wait and they check the weather every day.

hello there

It has been a week already.  Missed ya'll.  No, the organizing and purging project is not yet complete.  My baby has awakened numerous times this week, making my evening progress slow.  Who knew molars took so much time to fully come in?  Apparently, her problem is that every time she teethes, it's several teeth at once.

That Water Thing
Should you ever get the lofty idea that your kids should only drink water, think again.  Please.  I gave this no-juice, no Country-Time Lemonade thing serious discipline.  Any pediatrician would be proud of me.

And yet, for two nights I have been in heart-wrenching mommy pain watching my three-year-old battle constipation.  I hope we've seen the last of it.  Our family doesn't suffer from this, as a rule.  It was the decreased liquid she was taking in.  What an unpleasant experience!

I'm defeated.  It just isn't worth it.  Remembering that I didn't become an avid water drinker until my thirties, I'm realizing that this isn't something worth pursuing with young persnickety kids.

Whole Food Journey
Other aspects of our whole food journey are going well.  (Yes, Jess, I would like the granola recipe.  Thank you!)  I'm actually enjoying all the extra cooking, and I'm learning a ton!  We no longer buy anything boxed or jarred that's pre-made or pre-mixed (like pancake mix or cake mix--we make our own), and the only cans we buy are primarily those needed to whip up our own spaghetti sauce (I don't own canning supplies).

I've encountered a few problem areas, requiring more investigating at other stores:
- ketchup (most have high fructose corn syrup, and/or other additives)

- jelly (most have high fructose corn syrup, and/or other additives--paying more doesn't change this.  I need to learn to make my own.)

- peanut butter (high fructose corn syrup, and/or other additives)

- 100% whole wheat bread (I am paying more money for less bread, to get rid of additives!  Hoping to find a bread machine when garage sales start up.)

We'll see how it goes at a fancier grocery store, like Giant Eagle.  Maybe I'll find some healthier alternatives without breaking the bank.  It's no wonder that poverty and obesity are linked, by the way.  Healthy food can be expensive!

Culinary Lessons
I tried a new recipe the other day--scrumptious sweet potato soup.  If you click on the link, you'll notice that it calls for 1.5 cups of cooked sweet potatoes.  Folks, that isn't enough potato for a soup.  I knew it when I read it, so I slightly more than doubled the amount of potatoes.  Still, it came out watery and lacking flavor.  So, I kept putting another potato in the microwave to puree for the soup--three more times.  Finally, I came up with scrumptious soup, after also tweaking the spices and sugar amounts.

The thing is, I didn't get upset!   Something didn't work out initially in the kitchen, and I didn't get upset!  I used to feel like crying, or actually cry, when a recipe didn't work out.  For me it was confirmation that I'm lousy in the domesticity department.  This time, I blamed the recipe.  Poorly written recipes are not uncommon; it isn't always my failings.  In my humble, non-culinary-artist opinion, a recipe should never use cups to specify how much of a fruit or vegetable is needed.  Better to specify 6 medium sweet potatoes, or 5 medium apples.

A Good Read
I wanted to share a piece I read today from the Pursuing Titus 2 blog.  It's about this: to be an effective parent who leaves a powerful legacy, we have to be nice to our kids.  Simple.  Many other things are important too, but how often do we discount the importance of just being nice?  How often do we get annoyed about a muddy floor, or about another pair of dirty socks left lying around.......and then take out the irritation on our kids--lecturing them yet again?  I found her post to be very convicting on many levels.  It's worth reading.

Weighty Unemployment News
It's been a year since my husband first applied for unemployment compensation.  The weekly amount is based on the prior 15 months' earnings (two highest earning months are used).  When he reapplied this March, we found out that he'll be getting a much reduced amount, putting the house payment in serious jeopardy.  Because he works part-time, most weeks he won't get any unemployment.  The amount is small anyway and they subtract some when you work part-time.

We should have known this was coming, but didn't.  So many are in the same predicament.  In a normal economy, most people find something within the standard, 26-week unemployment period.  Now, more and more people are into their second year of financial trouble, with all safeguards gone.

The government can't extend unemployment much longer, regardless of the economy.  Our country just doesn't have the money!

Upon learning the somber income news, we just had to look at each other and wonder--what's next God?  There are only very low paying jobs, and sometimes hundreds of people apply for the same ones--many of whom are over-qualified.  I'm sure it will all work out, but we're awfully weary.  He saw a job the other day for a computer tech, paying only $7.00/hr! Very discouraging for us, since that's what he hopes to become, at an entry level.

I strongly suspect that companies are taking advantage of the economy by offering lower wages.  I guess some of them could be genuinely hurting themselves, but much of it is on purpose, since so many desperate people have to take any wage.

Anyhow, I won't be blogging daily anymore.  Too much praying to do!

Take care, and enjoy the beautiful spring weather!  There are always blessings, and plenty of them!  I'm counting them daily.

culinary matters

For a few years I've been buying most of our meat from the fowl section--7% lean ground turkey, whole chickens, and lean turkey Italian sausage.  Recipe options abound for each of these meats, so we never feel like we're lacking variety.

Today I thawed ground turkey for meat and cheese enchiladas.  Half a hour before I needed to start prepping dinner, I remembered that I'd stopped buying enchilada sauce--because of that whole foods thingy we've got going on.

Dinner can't be late these days because my three year old gave up her nap and needs to be in bed, clean and brushed, by seven o'clock. So this no enchilada sauce thing threw a glitch in my evening.

I rushed to the Almighty Internet and perused enchilada sauce recipes.  Each time I do this, I reject any recipe that has too many steps or too many ingredients.  That's not my life.

Sometimes, like last weekend, picking the simplest recipe brings on culinary disaster.  The cobbler recipe I printed off flopped.  I didn't have tapioca so I had to reject many of the recipes.  I'm learning that a good cook/baker researches ahead of time, and has a well-stocked pantry so that good recipes aren't rejected due to one or two missing ingredients.  I'm too new to from-scratch cooking to ascertain, by myself, what items a "well-stocked" pantry requires.

Now for that enchilada sauce.  We love Mexican dishes around here, but I'm not an authentic Mexican cook by any means.  My version of enchiladas probably resembles more of a baked chimichanga--if there is such a thing.

The simplest recipe I found actually turned out just fine, and quite authentic.  And by authentic, I refer to the fire-department shout out with each taste of the masterpiece.  Was I wise in putting in only a third of the chili seasoning called for?  Definitely.  And even with a third, I had to employ a trick I learned from another online recipe--adding an eighth teaspoon of sugar offsets the fire from the chilis, should said fire overwhelm.  My husband and I pride ourselves on our ability to brave most Thai or Mexican or Indian spices.  But I had to think of the kids--who ended up eating tacos anyway, instead of Momma and Daddy's enchiladas.  Too many folks around here calling for the fire department extra milk didn't seem like a good idea.

When looking for more chili powder a few weeks ago, I noticed the two brands available at Walmart--which unfortunately is the only close supermarket--both contained a preservative.  So I chose Chipotle Chili Pepper, by McCormick, in place of chili powder.  Pray tell, what is the difference between chili pepper, and chili powder?  A question for all you authentic Mexican cooks.

Here is that simple enchilada sauce recipe, which by the way, had me cooking up my first roux.  I know it's pitiful to have reached one's forties without ever having made a roux.  Better late than never, right?


_____________________________
Note from other post:  Thank you, Terri, for your water bottle suggestion.  I have for a few years been looking for good-quality reusable hard-plastic water bottles, to no avail.  The lids are always cheaply made and the plastic caps detach too easily and get lost.  I'll have to try a higher-end store, I think.  Walmart and Target don't have any thing worthwhile on their shelves.  If any of you have found something that lasts, let me know.  Thank you!

hodgepodge

Blog Design
If you have a small monitor, you won't be able to see the new border design on this page.  We have one small screen and one large screen, and the brown definitely overwhelms on the small screen; there's not much else in the frame.  You won't have to put up with this design for long though.  I can't decorate my own house, so I'll use this space to exercise that womanly part of me.  The part that wants to make a house a home a screen a whimsical escape.

Teenage Pregnancy
My husband's classmate relayed that the young girl will be keeping her baby.  She decided this before we delivered any letter.  I'm not sure about God's purpose in having me get involved emotionally.  Just to pray for her?  Or maybe the emotional involvement was my doing only?  Maybe the Lord wanted me to love my husband even more?  I certainly did fall in love with hubby all over again over this matter--his tender heart touched me.

At any rate, we'll keep praying for baby and both sides of the family.

Whole Food Endeavor
We still pursue a switch to whole foods.  My efforts to purge everything with food dye from our cupboards recently included the children's beloved Country Time Lemonade.  A huge undertaking; my children aren't fond of water and I'm not fond of juice.  Juice--even real juice--is mostly empty calories and lots of sugar.  Nutritionists don't agree that it equals a half serving of fruit.  Unfortunately, some kids drink their calories and suffer nutritionally.  Country Time has far fewer calories and less sugar, but it has yellow food dye.

With the lemonade out, they stopped drinking liquid and began asking for a lot of milk.  My resolve weakened, people.  Pediatricians tell you to give them water--if they're thirsty, they'll drink.  You know the mantra.  Well, they didn't.  And their urine got darker, and a serious inner battle plagued me.  I bought a bag of lemons to flavor water for them, like restaurants serve it, but no success there.

Next, I bought kid-sized water bottles, in desperation (yeah I know, water bottles aren't a "green" purchase).  But they worked!  They now drink water from their cute little water bottles!   The price of the bottles about equals the lemonade cost, but eventually we'll get a water filter to offset that.  If I can keep the baby from choking on tossed aside water-bottle lids, I'll declare this hydrating experiment a victory.

Now, if I can only get hubby to give up the Mountain Dew.  We don't drink tea or coffee, so I guess he needs it for the caffeine.  I drink only water and sip cocoa on less-busy winter evenings.   Coffee or tea would be healthier for him, but he doesn't care for either and it's hard to get him to drink water, which he needs to offset the caffeine in the soda.  The blood work from his last physical indicated slight dehydration.  Makes me wonder if caffeine skews natural thirst, as well as dehydrates a person?

Highchair Dilemma
For many months Beth had the annoying habit of standing in her highchair within a few minutes of being served (unless Italian food topped the menu).  She hearts Italian, like her Momma.  Boy, I miss the Olive Garden! My sister gave us a gift card, but we have no babysitter right now!

Anyhow, by the time I help serve all the children, and finally attempt a bite of my own food, Beth is done eating and repeatedly standing.  Various scenarios played out over these last months, but each one ended in the same frustration--I couldn't eat hot food.

Older sister Mary behaved similarly at this age, and recently it dawned on me how we solved that problem.  A  booster seat with safety belt (straps to the dining-room chair)!  I guess I was too sleep deprived to remember this earlier.  Boosters with straps make for a tighter fit and keep baby in place for the entire meal.  Walmart had one for ten dollars and I eagerly brought it home and laced the straps.  We set her in it, and BINGO!  VICTORY!

Momma can eat hot food, and maybe even finish her food once in a while!

I can also strap her in while I shuffle the laundry!  I'm just so tickled at this victory over everyday frustrations around here.  She stays safe, and now she can practice "drawing"  with crayons while I fold clothes.  So far she's just trying to eat them, but we'll get there.

She loves the new big-girl seat!

Momma is full of smiles.

Mealtime is a pleasure, once again.

Okay....maybe not a pleasure, per se.  Manners still haven't found my boys.

But we've certainly made a dent in restoring sanity.

aspirations of grandeur

As a young girl I sang along to the Carpenters, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Bread.  There were others, too, I'm sure.

And do you know, I wanted to be a singer so badly.  So strong was the desire that my heart ached at times.

Because I had a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad voice.  My sister and my cousin told me so.  Once.  And they laughed at my tears.

So I became a teacher instead of a singer.  And I was happy.

Then along came Brandon, a tall, blond first grader, who decided to inform me that Mrs. Colosky, his kindergarten teacher, sang A LOT BETTER THAN ME.

Oh, the ache.

Now last year my beloved Paul looked me straight in the eye, cupped my face in his hands, and said, "I love the way you sing."  The song was "Hush Little Baby", and I've sung it hundreds of times.  That's apparently how long it takes for me to sound good.

Anyway, I also really want to be a good cook.  Very badly.  But the thing is, once again, I'm pretty horrible at it.

No one but me spends ninety minutes, while fighting sheer exhaustion, looking at different recipes for homemade chicken broth--learning about all the intricacies.  I hate touching chicken, but my hubby thankfully does that part--he's the meat lover and I'd just as soon never buy meat again.  Unfortunately, all our children take after him--real carnivores.

I may have to practice a good year or more, but by golly, someday....

Someday....I am going to make chicken broth worth commenting on.

And someone will cup my face in their hands, look me in the eye, and say, "I really love the way you make chicken broth."

The End

Peter and the kitchen

As I've mentioned, Peter no longer takes medication for his ADHD.  Instead, he cooks and bakes.  The more I involve him in the kitchen, the more I find myself wondering if he even has ADHD.


Keep him busy, I've told myself over the years.  But often, this didn't alter behavior enough.  Now I realize he has to be busy doing something he's passionate about--like hunting insects, or cooking and baking.  The calming effect is marked, and the outbursts much fewer, following substantial time in the kitchen.  I'd call that therapy.

Earlier this evening Peter and Paul enjoyed hallway basketball.  My husband attached a hoop to the door at the end of the hallway, providing a winter outlet for exercise.  Vigorous.  That pretty much describes the hallway scene around here.

I started dinner during their game (nerf basketball), and Peter's radar didn't disappoint.  Interrupting their play, he appeared in the kitchen.  "Are you cooking?  Can I help?"

Above you see the vegetables he prepared for the steamer basket.

Here you see the salad he prepared.  I only washed the greens and cut off the cauliflower stems.  He did the rest.

He knows how to poke the yam and potatoes, readying them for the microwave.

While he worked it dawned on me that at eight years old, he could easily prepare a whole meal.  We will most certainly work toward that.  In order to succeed at whatever he chooses in life, he must learn to control his ADHD.  I believe the kitchen will be a big part of that, and I thank God for pointing us in the whole-food direction.  Creating food from scratch consumes much of the day, if one counts the three meals plus snack preparation.  My right-hand man stands ready to assist.  Or take over.

Lessons we're learning along our journey to whole, healthier food:

- Plan menus weekly to facilitate prep work--like soaking beans, or starting spaghetti sauce, or making corn muffins.

- When shopping, check labels carefully.  I found that the jelly and peanut butter in our cupboard both contain high-fructose corn syrup, which hasn't been studied enough, in my opinion.  It is highly processed.

- If you don't keep up with snack-food prep, you'll end up feeling like there's nothing to eat.  Fruit won't always carry you to the next meal, and cheese is an expensive option.  Plan ahead for snacks, as well as for meals.

Speaking of snacks--here's what left of the Chocolate Chip Oatmeal (And Bean) Cookies.  The second day, they were softer.  The kids devoured them.  We started with 45.  Okay...maybe I did eat eight of the 45.  But only because I couldn't find anything else to eat!  I didn't like them.  Really.

I researched fat substitutes and learned that applesauce or other fruit puree succeeds as a substitute for oil in cakes and muffins, but not as a substitute for the butter in cookies.  I think the bean puree is a good alternative, but in the recipe I used, it eliminated all but 3 TBSP of the butter--substituting 3/4 C white beans (pureed in blender with 2 TBSP reserved bean liquid). Also, the recipe reduced the sugar and increased the cooking time.  Lower fat recipes overcook easily, so it didn't make sense to bake them for fifteen to seventeen minutes.  I did 15 just to make sure I followed the recipe fully, and they were too hard (although for whatever reason, they were softer today).

My research also taught me that when taking fat out, one has to put flavor in--so next time I'll increase the vanilla extract.


Anyhow, I'll be tweaking both oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookie recipes this week, with a little bean fun.  Emphasis on a little.   I'll post the resulting recipes when they're finalized.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup links:

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

High-Fructose Corn Syrup - How Dangerous Is It
_______________________________

That concludes this update.  Good night, friends.  Thanks for reading!

whole-foods update

I just spent two hours researching healthier food options as part of my quest to cook from scratch and avoid additives.  I love research!  Seriously.  I easily lose track of time doing this.  My husband thinks I'm nuts in this regard, but he always comes to me when he needs an answer to something, although rather reluctantly (it means he has the kids solo while I do my research magic).

Even after ten and a half years of marriage, it still amazes me how we complement and balance each other.  God is a perfect matchmaker, isn't he?  Oh, sure...we like to take the credit for choosing a good husband.  But the truth is, left to our own devices, we'd probably pick a toad.  God knows us intimately--the good, bad and ugly.  We tend to define ourselves by just the good, and sweep the rest under our subconscious rug.

Anyhow, I didn't sit down here to write about marriage tonight, truth be told.

I wanted to share two nutrition resources I found to be particularly good.  One is the Nutrition Data Blog, located on my sidebar.  It has a search feature, making it easy to look up any topic.  The other is a Mayo Clinic website, listed at the very bottom of my blog roll (no RSS feed).

I've been to the grocery store twice since deciding to cook from scratch and avoid processed foods.  On the spectrum of processed foods, our cupboards weren't horrible, but there were definitely things we could do without.

The only thing slightly processed from the first grocery trip was dry tortellini.  The ingredients list isn't bad at all, the nutrient count is good, and I find them great for livening up homemade vegetable soup, making it a hearty, healthy winter lunch option (although watch for sodium content).

The second trip involved a search for chicken broth, after learning that homemade broth, while a great idea, happens to be very time consuming (I'll get to it occasionally).  We love soups in the fall and winter, but commercial broth is expensive, considering the amount needed.  For the past four weeks we've been using chicken broth granules to save money.  Today I was horrified to learn that they contain MSG!  Of the liquid broths, only one brand was formulated without MSG (Swanson), which I bought.  We are now making all our own snack foods (no more baked chips, crackers, cookies), so I can probably justify spending more on the best broth option.

I've been reading labels for a very long time, but I look mainly for sodium, fat, fiber and protein content.  Time to hone my skills in this regard.  Food industry companies have horrible ethics; they simply can't be trusted (the lesson of the day).

Tonight I also spent a good forty minutes researching bread-making machines.  We use a loaf of bread every day and a half, at between $1.88 to $2.30/loaf for 100% whole wheat (3 grams fiber per slice).  Bread ingredients aren't all that bad, but you have to watch for unhealthy fats, too much sodium, and of course...most have preservatives.  Costlier brands might not.  I'm convinced we are better off using a bread machine and just making one loaf a day.  The Nutrition Data Blog guru, Monica, suggests a blend of whole wheat flour with King Arthur hi-maize flour.  She also mentioned a white whole grain flour (made from albino wheat, I believe it said) which bakes up softer with better taste.

Lastly, I have to tell you something truly exciting--if you're a nutrition nerd, that is!  You can bake up healthier snack foods for your family by substituting beans for 75% of the fat content.  Weird, huh?  Who cares!  People say it tastes fine.  I printed out a recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (And bean) Cookies, which we'll try tomorrow.  Try this link for a list of healthier baked goods.

Well, then.  That concludes today's update on my whole food/healthy food journey.  Do any of you have a bread machine?  I read that the Panasonic model, selling at approx. $125, is the best mid-priced option.

good things

When it snows and snows, and then snows some more, what do you feel like doing?  Sipping cocoa?  Playing games?  Cozying up together for a movie?  Getting crafty?

Around here, the answer is baking or applesauce making--if we have enough apples.  I'm trying hard not to bake up our favorite (chocolate chip cookies) very often, since nutritionally, it's a poor choice.  

But I still want to respect our sweet tooths.  

The answer for us?  We've been baking up healthy cookie bars, sweet breads, and fruit crisps.  Today we made a delicious pumpkin bread, substituting whole wheat flour for the white flour.  Compared to the 1 cup of butter in chocolate chip cookies, the pumpkin bread required only a half cup of olive oil.  The pumpkin was packed with fiber (and other wonderful things), and the wheat flour added three more grams, compared to less than one gram of fiber for white flour.  I personally love a grainy taste.  My family will get used to it--barely noticing the difference after a few months.  I plan to use only whole wheat flour for baking from now on.  They've all eaten whole wheat bread since infancy, so the transition to grainy baked goods shouldn't take long.  

The cookies require 1.5 cups of sugar, while the pumpkin bread calls for 1 cup--not a huge savings on sugar, but oh well.  I love all things pumpkin!

I'm glad Hubby took this picture. I will treasure it always, despite the cluttered-counter view.  I'm so grateful for the togetherness that homeschooling affords us.  It feels very right...for us.

I turned away to beat some eggs on the other counter and to help brother with a tricky math problem.  When I turned back to pour in the eggs, I saw this little darling up on brother's chair.  She's asleep now of course, but oh how I want to kiss that little nose!  Pictures always humble me, reminding me of the blessings before me.  In the chaos of a single day, that thought can get temporarily lost.  

We also baked up some butternut squash, with brown sugar, butter and cinnamon.  What a wonderful smelling house we enjoyed today!

Looks like we won't be making that homeschooling Valentine party tomorrow.  Two of our kids started wheezing on exertion today, and they all still have junky-sounding coughs, with sneezing and drainage.  We are so disappointed!  But, we have quite a bit of new snow, with more expected tomorrow.  The roads in the area of the party won't be plowed (country roads)--so maybe God is saving us from something?  I choose to look at it that way.

I hated to post about food tonight after reading two more Haiti stories. Lately, I cringe every time one of my kids complains about their food.  The depth of despair overwhelms!  I think many people will be forever changed by these stories--that's true for me.   Perhaps God's intent all along?  

Many are perishing now, but without some intervention and/or exposure in terms of their corrupt government, more and more would perish over many years.  The extent of the corruption is known well now, the world over.  Going forward, very little money will go directly to their government, bringing positive change over time. 

With continued coverage, more Americans will give on a regular basis--either their time, money, or talents.  I really believe that.  Between the effects of a serious recession, and the recent images of poverty and hunger, the American years of material gluttony are hopefully over.

Finally tonight, I want to include a bit about God's faithfulness and provision.  We did our taxes recently.  My jaw dropped at the final number for our 2009 income....less than $25,000.  Um, yeah.  For a family of six.  Shocking.  

And we aren't going hungry.  And we haven't defaulted on our mortgage.  And our credit is still good--except for the fact that we had to put car repairs on our credit cards.  A tax credit is coming our way (earned income credit).  It will be a cushion for the house payment going forward, which is a blessing.  Unemployment extensions expire shortly.

It could be far, far worse.  Next month will make a whole year of underemployment.

I stand amazed at the miracle.  Whatever you're going through, remember this......it isn't as big as your God.  Think about how he has held you up in the past.  We all have these stories.....whether financial or otherwise.  Write them down.  Build your faith--and your children's--with them.  God comes through in miraculous ways...feeding five thousand with a few loaves...making wine from water.  

Don't be downcast, thinking there is no solution.  It can be painful....and long....but God will sustain you, as he works things out for your good.

^{Romans 8:28}  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.