Family picture and update....

If you were expecting a Christmas card this year from us... well this is the best you are going to get!!  Sorry it just didn't ever make it to the top of my to do list.

We had a great holiday season in spite of the stomach flu on Christmas Eve, Day and the day after.  I have come to expect it now for holidays.  I guess that is one of the effects of having this many germ mongers in our home.  The kids enjoyed a full 2 weeks off but we did miss our traditional snow trip that was canceled due to lack of snow.  California has been totally dry where normally we are raining 3-5 days per week.  It is finally in the forecast for this week so our plants will be glad for a drink.  

We made up for the cancelled snow trip by a ice skating trip.  Luckily I had the excuse that I had to watch Mamma's boy-Matt and I am pregnant and didn't want to hurt myself.  Otherwise, the five minute jaunt on the ice was not enough to revive 6 months of ice skating lessons nearly 20 years ago.  The other kids had a blast which totally surprised Dave and I.  I was all set for a miserable experience when they all spent the first half hour hugging the edge and making it around the arena one time.  But they all loved it and kept it up for 2 hours or more.  I finally started timing the boys and promised a reward for a fast time around the ice and they were soon zooming along.  It is always nice when you turn out to be wrong about how crazy and hectic an experience with many kids will be.

Our family in October at Dave's parents 50th in Burley, ID. (The girls had left their glasses at home on this trip. Ari's pose is the classic-I have nystagmus- look.)

In other news-

Jacob is doing well in 5th grade just don't try to change his after school routine.  He picks up his book and reads as he walks to the bus totally forgetting that it is Cub scouts and his mom is sitting in the parking lot.  Don't worry we have only had mix ups like this about 5 times.  I harass and tease him mercilessly for it and told him no reading until he gets to where he is supposed to be.

Thomas- Newly turned 9.  Starting to get more helpful at home especially if there is a Wii reward.  Read the last 2 Harry Potter books in the first week back to school.

Ariana-  Still working on reading.  I was hoping for another quick learning reading but it is not coming as naturally as for the boys.  Not sure if her vision is the root of the issue or just not as quick to pick it up.  Otherwise she does great at school and her teachers are always helpful to make sure that she can see.  Sometimes I am discouraged by her nystagmus issues but for the most part I don't feel she is much different than the boys.  

Lily- Loves to color draw and craft.  All the work is paying off and I am hoping we finally have a kid that will take to handwriting more naturally.  She also loves entertaining her bro Matt. He calls her "Lilo" and loves to be with her.  

Matt- now sleeping in a toddler bed.  The first week the transition went smooth but my resolve is weakening now that he gets out of bed more.  So far we are blessed at nap time and he always gratefully takes his pacifier and heads to bed.  I love this age-2o something months!  He is so funny-talking and interacting more with everyone.   Every Sunday as soon as they say the closing prayer in Sacrament he begins to scream because he knows that nursery is next.  But once we drop him off he is fine.  

Dave is enjoying the slow season at work and his weekly work at home days.  I am grateful that it is an option and that we get to have him around a little more.  

I am loving my primary calling(working with the kids) at church.  I have been in primary in some capacity for most of the last 10 years.  I would have a hard time now sitting through the Relief Society (for women) lessons.  I need a wiggle song or something. 

 I can't believe that we are more than half way thru this pregnancy.  The baby is healthy and normal which is fabulous and now you know as much as we know as we always wait to find out gender until it is necessary.  I don't want to gender stereotype my pregnancy.  Ha ha ha!!  No we actually love the surprise.  

Farm- No winter garden again this year.  Oh well there is always next year.  Dave finished a great coop for our chickens and we are finally getting about 5 eggs a day.  I don't know about your family but that is about the right amount for us.  We increased our goats by 2 this fall. And no one has shot our peacock yet and it is mating season again which means the hens are constantly getting a display of beautiful feathers but he is getting noisier and he roosts on our garage leaving a nice poop pile on the ground.  Otherwise we just have our mellow dog and 1.5 cats.  1 cat is always around but the other comes and goes maybe depending on the type of cat food we are serving.  

Lily as a sheep in our ward Christmas nativity

One of our two new kids that were born right before Thanksgiving. 

Feeling Grateful

After many prayers and even fasting by my husband and older boys, I am feeling so much better.  I am cooking and even looking forward to the Thanksgiving feast.  Everything is so much better when mom isn't sick.

Other news-
Dave made a quick trip to Guatemala for work.
Jacob spent a 5 days away at science camp.
Thomas is blossoming this year in 3rd grade and actually likes recess now!
Ari is making strides on reading and a great little 1st grader.
Lily cut her own hair and loves to eat frozen things for lunch
Matt is growing and starting to say lots of words. He is so much fun.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Number 6 is on the way!!! Here we go again......

So the last month has passed very slowly because I am in the middle of morning(wouldn't that be nice) full-day sickness.  I am very blessed to be have a 6th pregnancy.   At least I know what I am getting into because I have done it a time or two.  The worst part is my list of dislikes grows with every pregnancy because I have had so many bad experiences with different foods. Like last pregnancy when my husband made some farm not so fresh eggs and gave me this great lead in like "I don't know if these are any good but here you go."  Needless to say they didn't stay in me long and I haven't been able to tolerate the smell of eggs when prego since.

Our kids were pretty shocked.  I guess it is hard to top a baby born in the van but I will do my best.

So meanwhile as we prepare for delivery and beyond, I just have to survive the next 5 weeks until cross your fingers I will be cooking and feeling better again.  If any of you have great solutions to morning sickness let me know.  Right now I am living off faith and focus on the baby growing inside of me and a feeding schedule of a newborn(I am eating or puking every two hours).  Wish me luck!!!  Families are the best and though I don't feel so strongly about it now they are worth every sacrafice.

PS  I would add a picture of me in all my loveliness but you wouldn't really want to see that!

Fall

I have a very strong love/hate relationship with fall.  My husband is working 12 hour+ days and the garden is rewarding us for all of our early work.  But this is the work that I enjoy most preserving the fruit and veggies from our garden and other sources.  

This year I have canned peaches, pears, grape juice, pickles, salsa verde, and green beans.  I have more pears, sauerkraut, apple sauce, more grape juice and salsa to do.

I have frozen grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, boysenberries, jams, peaches, blueberries, zucchini, corn and cherries.  Luckily we scored on a freezer from craigslist and so now I have two and a half freezers to fill.

I am looking for something to do with an over abundance of watermelon and zucchini.  Any ideas?

There is one area of life that I find a lot of satisfaction-filling my pantry and freezer with yummies from my garden and other sources-to enjoy all winter.  This is one time where I can feel nothing but gratitude that I live in California where we can grow practically everything.

My goal this year is to plant a nice winter garden which should already be in the ground right now but I am just hoping by the end of the month.  

Other things on our little farm are not going so well.  We have lost 5 kitties and 12 chickens to something that is hauling them off.  Our egg production won't be as nice as we thought this year.  I am hoping that they just took roosters.

Kids have been back in school now for 3 weeks.  We are falling back into the routine of scripture reading, lunch packing, homework, and earlier bedtimes.  

Ari First Grader

Jacob 5th grader styling his hair with raid? 

Thomas 3rd grader

I get to keep these two around for at least one more year

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

So I guess that since my two food posts have been about sweets- You all know now that I like them.
This recipe is because of my need to use up lots of zucchini.  We all know that zuch is a very adaptable veg.  You can use it in many ways but for my non-veg eating son it is nice to put it in a few things I know that he will eat. (And I don't sneak it-He knows that it is there)

This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com  Don't be thrown off by the lack of eggs.  It turns out fabulous without them.

• 
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 c dark chocolate chips

Mix wet ingredients and zucchini together.  Add in sugar and then the dry ingredients.  Bake in preheated 350 oven in a greased casserole dish 9X13.  For about 25-35 minutes.

Very Delicious and very chocolatey.  Go out and pick one from your garden or stop on by I have lots to spare!!

The last four months

It has been crazy round here.  Since my last post we have had 3 birthdays

Lily turned 4-had a rainbow cake and friends over for dinner

Ari turned 6 -had a girly party with church and school friends and a butterfly cake

Jacob turned 10- had his first friends sleepover party

We hatched out 1 chick(long story) so I bought 21 more to keep it company but it only lived for a week.  Due to dogs and other unknown causes of death we now have 17 chicks. (I am hoping that they are not all roosters.)

Our garden planting crew

We planted a large garden and have been picking buckets of cucumbers, zucchini, green beans and corn.

Jacob on stage!

Jacob starred in the regional dance festival.  He did a solo dance in front of everyone. It only lasted about 20 seconds but it was awesome!


We went to Washington to attend two funeral services.

My sister's sweet baby-Angelica.  You can find her story here.  You must read it.  My sister is inspiring and amazing.

Ari, my dad, Grandpa, sister Candice& husband Peter

We were grateful that we took the opportunity to visit my Grandpa while we were there because 2 months later he passed away.

We came back in July to attend his funeral.  We got to see all my Aunts and Uncles and some other extended family.  I will miss so much about him.  So many memories-most of them involve Grandpa telling me to toughen up or work harder.  He was one of the hardest workers I know next to my dad.  He mowed his lawn the week before he died at  87, lost two of his fingers with a hydraulic post pounder at 83 years old and at 74 he joined the Mormon Trail reenactment from start to finish sleeping on a bedroll and driving a team of horses. Love ya Grandpa.

I guess that is just part 1 because I still got lots more...

A sweet post...

Ending the deafening silence on my blog with a sweet post...
Brown Sugar Graham Cracker Cake!

I took one of my favorite quick recipes -Brown sugar cake and made a few changes.  Here is the original recipe:
3 c flour
1.5 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 c butter
1/2 t salt

Mix dry ingredients and then cut butter into the dry ingredients until no large butter chunks remain.  Measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside.
3/4 t baking soda
1 egg
1 c sour milk i.e. 15 T milk 1 T lemon juice

Mix the baking with the dry ingredients and then add the egg and milk.  Stir enough to wet all ingredients but keep it a little lumpy.  Then put in a greased 9X13 casserole pan.  Sprinkle the dry reserved ingredients over the top.  Bake at 350 til lightly browned and done in the center.

Here are the changes that I made
2 c flour
1 pkg or 1 c graham cracker crumbs (finely ground)
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 t salt
3/4 c butter
1/4 c oil*
Same method as above cut in butter to dry.  Reserve one cup
3/4 t baking soda
1 egg
1 cup sour milk
Mix the baking with the dry ingredients and then add the egg and milk.  Stir enough to wet all ingredients but keep it a little lumpy.  Then put in a greased 9X13 casserole pan.  Sprinkle the dry reserved ingredients over the top.  Bake at 350 til lightly browned and done in the center.

It was delicious.  Serve with fresh fruit and whipping cream or ice cream.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

*I have been experimenting with replacing butter with oil in baking.  So far I have done as much as 1/3 and I can't really tell a huge difference.  I have been doing this for two reasons.
1.  I am trying not to buy margarine.  It has gotten really bad lately and full of bad fats. But paying 3 times as much for the real stuff can be painful sometimes and I know that oil is a lot cheaper
2.  Canola oil( which is my veggie oil of choice) is healthier than butter.


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