Quick Tip....Grapes

If you ever have grapes that have the potential of going bad...LOL! I know this is unlikely in a big family!....but we did have a trip we were leaving on and (I know this is nothing new), but I took a huge bunch of grapes and popped them into a Ziploc freezer bag.

These thawed as fresh as the day I put them in the freezer (which was about a month later) and they are also a yummy treat half frozen!

Noah Learns To Read......Almost....

Yesterday, we took a walk as a family around the neighborhood. Mostly, for exercise. Inadvertently, however, it seems to entertain the neighbors. You see, there are only sporadic sidewalks in our neighborhood and so we have a system to get safely around and safely home. Whoever has the stroller and Katie goes first, then Nick, Noah, Abbie, Gwen, Matt, and then the other parent follows at the rear to keep the ducklings together. This "stair-step" effect sets off a reaction when we walk.

Everything from low whistles of disbelief to a little sweet girl saying, "Mommy, look! It's a big huge family!!"...God bless her! She was so excited!

Well, on this particular walk, we were trying to prompt Noah to sound out the green street signs. We came to our own street and wanted Noah to tell us which way to turn after reading the sign. He was struggling, so we helped him sound the letters out to come up with 'Golf'.

"Gu...ol....lef."

Then we asked him to repeat.

"Goal....eff."

Repeat again.

"Goal..iff."

Not...quite...

Then, Noah got that "aha!" moment and said, "I got it!"

"Go Left!!"

These are the times that try men's...I mean, Mommy's soul....

Only is it at 2am on day 5 of a sleepless week with 5 of 6 children going in and out of the flu, that you and your spouse will enter into the mind-warped zone of insanity and come up with a new term like...."chuckabucket".....

Sigh...

Top Ten Things That Will Probably Happen When Mom Is Sick

Top Ten Things That Will Probably Happen When Mom is Sick:

#1-Dad will probably get to work and find that his to-go coffee

mug has coffee and SOAP in it.

#2-Someone will give the baby a marshmallow so that she may

explore many fibers, hairs, and items that will attach to her sticky self.

#3-The kids may make frozen waffles for breakfast and

use a whole container of chocolate syrup as the topping.

#4- A snack may consist of animal crackers with melted

cheese over the top and dipped in ketchup.

#5-The tinging sound in the background may be your

two little boys dropping their die cast Thomas trains

down the laundry chute.

#6-"Why don't you play a puzzle?" means that each child gets

out their own puzzle and proceeds to dump all the pieces to all

the puzzles into the center of the same table.

#7-Your babysitter for the day goes by the name...."Gamecube".

#8-You have a countdown to the second as to when Dad is

going to be home.

#9-Your child may have spilled a cup of juice and may have

wiped it up with a bath towel and may have thrown it down

the chute and it may have dyed your husband's underwear bright

pink when you dig into the laundry in a few days.

#10-Cereal for dinner!

The Easter Bunny WAS HERE!

We definitely teach that the real meaning of Easter is the day Our Savior rose from the dead, but we also weave a tale of the Easter Bunny joyfully making spring 'presents' to hide as gifts for us to help celebrate that most wonderful day with us.

So, yesterday the kids were playing in the yard by the sand box. I know we have about a hundred bunnies living around our neighborhood and I noticed a new hole that was created by a rabbit to cool himself in the warm temperatures.

I looked at Nick and Noah and asked them to fill the hole with some of their sand.

Nicky looked over at me...crestfallen.

"But, Mom, we can't do that."

"Why?" I asked. "Did you make that hole?"

"No." He replied, looking troubled. "The Easter Bunny did."

I was trying not to smile. "Why would the Easter Bunny be here in June?"

Nicky, looked over at me and made a frustrated face (That little child face that clearly states that parents do not see what is right before their eyes) and stated, "He has to make them to put the eggs in them, Mom."

So, alas, this tale ends with a cute hole remaining by the sandbox waiting for eggs.

Fun: Summer Bubbles!

Here is a recipe for homemade summer bubbles with everything I had on hand:

11 cups water

4 cups Ajax dish soap

1 cup light corn syrup

Directions: Gently stir together in a clean gallon container. Let sit overnight without lid. Then use whatever you have around the house to make the bubbles. We used: slotted spoons, a strainer, cookie cutters, and the best bubble maker was a metal cooling rack.

This was hours of fun for the kids.

Enjoy!

Easy Caramel Dip with Apples

Ingredients:

1-8oz. brick cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar

1-tsp. vanilla

Apple slices

Directions:

Set cream cheese out at room temperature, to soften. When softened, add the brown sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese in a bowl and stir until completely combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with apple slices. 

This is a kid and adult favorite at my house! 

Silly Lilly

This past weekend, we visited the farm. On Sunday morning, we gathered in the kitchen and Kim picked up our little Katie to hold. Lilly, their dog, had to go potty, so Kim took her out without a leash. "She'll be okay." As she went through the door, my dad calls out, "You want to get the paper while you're out there?" 

I feel like Kim has enough in her hands, so I join her and take Katie and go to get the paper. Mam and Pap's dog, Lady, follow me down the drive toward the paper box. Lilly, a tiny Shiz Tsu, has no fear of Lady (a much larger dog) and comes running behind and jumping at Lady's face. Kim, afraid that Lady will tire of this treatment and bite thus Lilly's head off begins calling Lilly, to no avail.

Lilly, continuing to snap at Lady, receives her first 'snap' back from Lady. Kim, now sensing danger, gives up the calling of non-responding Lilly and goes for a broom.....for what, I am still not sure, but I think it was the first thing she could find. 

Lilly, is now tearing large circle eights and avoiding Kim at all costs. I am concerned that Lilly will end up in the road (where vehicles barrel down at around 60 miles per hour) and become puppy powder. I stopped half-way down the drive and keep Lady with me while Kim continues to attempt to catch Lilly.

"Just jump on her!" I yell. I have little experience with dogs, but Lady seems content to stand by me and watch Lilly. Poor Kim. Then unwise Lilly comes back to Lady and jumps at her face again.

Poor Kim sees this situation and simply states, "O.M.G."

I am now holding Katie and keeping Lady still to avoid adding anything to this scenario. Kim is now calling for assistance from my brother, Mike. I look at the house and see many observers in the windows, but no one seems to want to come and join the fray of: two women, two dogs, a baby, and a broom.

Finally, with the help of a bratwurst for Lady, Lilly is secured and placed in time-out, the paper is retrieved and delivered to said Pappaw, and two women in their pajamas screaming wildly while waving babies and brooms got their cups of coffee.

The End.  

It's The Pits!......Well, the Fire Pits, Anyhow!

This past weekend, my brother, Mike, and my sister-in-law, Kim, were with us having a BBQ at our parents' farm on Saturday night. The idea of roasting marshmallows came up and it was early in the afternoon, so Mam and Pap decided to get a small metal fire pit. 

Kim and Mike, who were going in to meet Vincent (new nephew), offered to stop at Walmart and get the fire pit. They did so and while my husband, Mike (we'll call him Mike#1), was grilling the supper, my brother, Mike (we'll call him Mike#2), was assembling the fire pit (we'll call it Fire Pit#1). 

I was in helping my mom with supper prep when Mike#2 came in and said, "I can't believe it. There is no bag of screws in the box!"

So, I went out to the garage where Mike#1 is searching through all the plastic and cardboard for the rogue bag of implements, yet coming up empty. I ask Mike#1 if alternate screws can be used. This was a negative because they are 'special'. I sigh. There is no bag.

Mike#2 arrives with wife, Kim#1, in tow and she begins the search and goes through every piece that was present. She finds nothing, either, and asks her hubby, "...if alternate screws can be used." This was a negative because they are 'special'. She sighs. There is no bag.

So, the decision is made for Mike#2 and Kim#1 to return Fire Pit#1 to Walmart for a replacement. 

45 minutes later, Mike#2 is out assembling Fire Pit#2 while Mike#1 is still grilling. However, they had run out of Fire Pits#1 at Walmart, so they had to get Fire Pit#2 (the more expensive fire pit) with a $20 off discount. Mike#2 was satisfied, because Fire Pit#2 was a better fire pit than Fire Pit#1. 

Ten minutes later, we hear a loud, "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!" bellowed from Mike#2 about Fire Pit#2. Mike#1 comes out to inspect the trouble. Mike#2 is cursing. Mike#1 is laughing. There is a missing leg in the box for Fire Pit#2. Mike#2 is frustrated, but is in acceptance mode. It is the 20 mile drive to Walmart that is angering Mike#2. Kim#1 searches for missing leg and is hoppin' mad and demands restitution!  Angie#1 is pretty fired up, also. Mikes #1 and #2 attempt to calm Kim#1 and Angie#1, with little success.

Mike#1 states that dinner will not wait for Fire Pit#3, so Mike#2, Kim#1, and Angie#1 decide it will have to wait till after dinner. 

Kim#1 is afraid to hurt Walmart manager#1, so decides it is safer to stay at the farm. So, Pap#1, Mike#1, Matt#1, and Mike#2 go to Walmart. They are not happy with the service at Walmart. They threaten to send Kim#1 and Angie#1 back to Walmart with Fire Pit#2. Walmart is scared and gives pre-assembled Fire Pit#3 to Mike#1 and Mike#2 as an offering. A dozen doughnuts and a watermelon were also purchased.

While waiting for Fire Pit#3, Kim#1 and Angie#1 and kids numbering 2-6 are outside playing and setting up a circle of lawn chairs. Angie#1 is fading. Kids #3-#5 are fading. Kid#6 is refusing to give in to exhaustion. Kim#1 and their dog, Lilly#1, are sitting and waiting. Misquitoes#1-#1,000,000,000 are feasting on Angie#1 through Kid#6.

Finally, Fire Pit#3 arrives. It is intact (see scared Walmart note) and is fired up for s'mores. Sadly, Angie#1 has, by now, faded completely and never gets to see Fire Pit#3 in action. 

Now that's the Pits!

Top Ten Ways to Tell If You Have A Large Family

1. Your vacuum is a wet/dry shop vac.

2. Your vehicle is so crowded that there isn't even enough room for a cup holder.

3. If you want to buy a vehicle that comfortably fits your brood, you probably also need a CDL license. 

4. Recipes are always doubled or tripled.

5. Your 'style' request at a salon is: "Anything I don't have to style."

6. Your dining table options are: a $3000 Amish set or a plastic 8' table and chairs. (Guess what we have??)

7. Your washer and dryer keel over about once a year from exhaustion.

8.  You have a 30 gallon trash can in your house.

9. Diaper companies send you a Christmas card every year.

10.  You have to use a minimum of 2 carts to do grocery shopping.

 

Easy Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Here is a quick (labor-wise!) and yummy dinner that is great for keeping the kitchen cool and making a delicious meal for all.

Ingredients:

3-6 frozen chicken breasts (I use some from a 3# bag of freezer chicken breasts)

1 to 2 cups your favorite bottled BBQ sauce

Directions:

In the morning, throw 3-6 frozen breasts (depending on your crowd size) into a crockpot. Cover with 1/2 of the amount of sauce (1/2 cup for 3 breasts/1 cup for 6). Cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low, depending on your schedule. 

After that time has elapsed, take the lid off and turn to low. Take 2 forks and, using one in each hand, shred/separate the breasts in the crockpot (they will easily fall apart). When done, stir them in the sauce that remains and add the other 1/2 amount of sauce (or add till desired consistency.....I never measure, I just squirt it in.) and stir to mix. Cook a bit longer, or serve immediately. The chicken is great served in hamburger buns with chips and fresh fruit salad.

A Day At the Park

We had a picnic and took the kids to Wildlife Prairie Park yesterday. It was wonderful and they have been doing many improvements there. We rode the train (both ways) and had a nice relaxing day hiking and stopping at the general store. They have a penny candy table there that is great and all the kids (and mom and dad) got a handful of candy for a total of $3.15! Good deal!

The black bear, wolves, bobcat, fox, otters, and cougar, were all out to show themselves. The buffalo were close and we could see a few small calves roaming out there. The elk were active also.

We did not make it to the 50 foot slide with the kids, but we are members, so we'll save that for another day. 

Mike finished his last final for this semester on Saturday, so he has a month off school till the summer semester begins. I think that we may go to Cahokia Mounds this weekend or go camping. Not sure yet, but ready for summer fun!

'What'.....Is So Funny??

Earlier this evening, we were preparing for a walk around the neighborhood as it is 60 degrees out right now....heatwave! 

I was in the closet in the living room getting a hat and jacket for Katie. In the kitchen, I overheard my husband, Mike, talking to our son, Noah. 

Noah obviously did not hear Mike because he immediately asks, "What?"

We all have our pet peeves, but for Mike it is the reply, "What?" to something misunderstood. I next overhear him coaching Noah in the kitchen. 

"Noah," Mike says, frustrated. "You do not say "what" when you cannot hear someone. You say, "pardon me".....

Noah, obviously not hearing or understanding, again asks, "What?"

"Noah!" 

Mike tried again, bless his soul. "Do not say "what". You should only say "excuse me" or "pardon me" if you cannot understand."

"What?"

"Never mind!" (loud sigh from Mike) "Go get your shoes on."

By this time, I am laughing my head off in the closet. It is too funny!! Gwen comes into the living room at this time and sees me laughing.....

"What?" is Gwen's question to me, to which the irony of it all only makes me laugh all the harder.

So, I go to the kitchen to dress Katie in the coat and hat and Mike sees me giggling. 

"What?" he asks, confused.

At this point, I am totally laughing and leaning on the table till tears are falling. I replay to Mike what I overheard and what Gwen said and the humor finally sinks in to him and he and Gwen and I are all laughing our heads off over all the irony.

Like a perfectly choreographed scene, Matt comes back in the door right then. He sees us all laughing and asks:

"What?"

'Pamper the Momma' Lunch Wrap

Take some grilled (or just cooked somehow) chicken leftovers chopped up to equal about 1/2 to 2/3 a cup. Then add about a tablespoon or so of Miracle Whip or Mayo and a tablespoon of dried cranberries and a tablespoon of chopped walnuts. Mix well. Place mixture in the center of a flour tortilla, fold the sides in and roll up from one end. Enjoy. 

YUM! 

On the Battlefield at Aldi

Mike and I have been analyzing our grocery bill and have found that Walmart's increasing prices are not making that 'one-stop-shop-super-walmart-saved-my-life' as cost-effective as it once was. 

So, we have turned to our other friend: Aldi. 

In fact, it is twice as money-saving because it is 4 blocks from our house. It is great and the prices are low, but it has a few very odd 'quirks' that cause me to twitch. For instance, Aldi carries cranberry/peach chutney and dill infused marscapone cheese, but no baking powder........go figure.

Well, Mike and I went on our monthly 'big' grocery trip this evening. It was a 'hot night' at Aldi and the crowds were thick. I could see why with .69 cent eggs, $1.79 milk, and $1.49 butter. I was impressed. So, we filled almost 2 carts. Many who walk by us throw out the customary comments...

"Hey, you feeding an army?" .....Almost.

"What time do I show up for dinner?"....Har har...

I giggle at the usual comments and am fully impressed with a truly original line someone throws my way. Aldi is unique also in the fact that they have the most inexpensive and absolutely wonderful German chocolate I have ever tasted. Since they are based in Germany, so much of their food is from there and it is great. Another bonus. They have really come up with some competitive items like a brand of coffee that we got called "Donut Shop Coffee Blend". Well, it looked liked Dunkin donuts coffee, but the jury is still out as to whether it TASTES like it.

So we are armed with two full carts and are revving our engines for the actual sport which is Aldi. It's like a free workout. I am serious. You almost have to be doing some extra training for this part of an Aldi trip, but you'd better be ready because it's coming and there is no way around it.

That is the checkout.

These cashiers are tired, grumpy, and FAST. You'd better be getting those groceries up on that conveyer as fast as you can get them up there, because those groceries are going to fly....literally. There is a cart that is kept at the end of the line where this cashier is flipping them into the bottom as fast as they can cross the infra-red line. The beeps from scanned groceries sound like the EKG of a runner after a marathon while the customers are flinging groceries as fast as possible onto the line. Almost surreal. However, do not slow down, or the 'regulars' will be yelling their 'line rage' from the back.

"Come on!"...."This is taking forever".....

I dare not slow down.

So, the cashier, amazed even then at the amount of groceries we have is flinging and manages a comment.

"That's a lot of rice."....well, I guess a 10# bag is large....

I am, at this point..panting, however. I do manage a, "We....have a ....large family...(gasp!)."

"Lot a kids, eh? Let me see. I'll guess from the looks of things that you have 6."

Ooohhh.....an expert.

"Why, yes, we do." I am exhausted, but impressed. "How did you know?" 

I have to know.

"Well, there are a lot of families that shop here that have a lot of kids."

A moment passes while I crawl to the register to pay. Breathe slowly....

Mike is already starting to bag and box all he can as quickly as possible when she delivers the next question. 

I must have a sticker on my forehead. 

We had no kids with us.

"You homeschool too, don't you?"

Bingo!

 

What is it with Paper and Danger??

Being the mother of six young children, I am always in a state of awe and wonderment at the point that each of my children have fallen in love...in fact, become obsessed...with two things.
Paper and danger.
This has occurred with all six children at around the ages of 8 months to maybe...well, I'll have to do a future study on this one. It is like their palate has honed in on the flavor, texture, and otherwise utter blissful 'mouth-feel' of.....drumroll....paper. Yes, folks. Paper. That bland nasty white or colored stuff made out of trees that have been pulverized, chemicals added, and rolled out to a fine sheet. It ranks number one at our house in toddler dietary requirement. There is always some type of paper in Kaitlyn's mouth and she will pull on shelves, heedless of any danger (also a love of toddlers at my house) for.....paper. It's like I can read her mind..."Love paper. Must have paper." If there is paper in a fifty foot radius of her, she will do everything to get it into her mouth.
My husband always laughs...and winces...as the comics come out....well....you know.
Another thing highly desired is danger. It's like her guardian angel is checking us to be sure we are on our toes. If there is a set of stairs to climb, a shelf to pull, or a needle in a haystack...a baby will find it. Lost something small, metal, and sharp? Just put a crawling child on the floor and you will have it in mere minutes. They are like human metal deteators. And when they find it, you better be alert, because it will go right into the mouth. Amazing.
Recently, one of my other kids spilled a bunch of my mother's straight pins on the floor. All five of my children looked all over the floor (and myself and my mother) for at least half an hour to find them all. Wouldn't you know it, but every time we saw Katie, she had another we all had missed in her hands.
Mike did an experiment where he laid out a bunch of her bright and shiny toys in front of her and placed his Swiss Army Knife in there randomly (closed, of course) and sat Kate in front of the array of items. She quickly scanned the items and immediately grabbed the knife.
Scary...
Hmmm....I wonder if paper has any nutritional value......

You've Gotta Laugh..

To say that our life is mildly crazy right now, is an understatement. Sometimes, however, exhaustion can take on something more exciting, like a poor imitation of The Three Stooges.

Yesterday morning, Mike was getting ready to walk out the door...and I was ready to take the rest of the coffee and down the whole thing directly from the pot...when I looked over and saw that he was juggling school books, a to-go cup of coffee(yikes!), and a garbage bag of trash. 

So being 'wifey', I went over to open both doors (kitchen and breezeway) so he could get to the garage without dying his white shirt brown. 

Here's where the fun starts...did I mention I was not quite awake yet?

I get through the first door okay, but I was in this gargantuan robe and as I opened the second door so Mike could step around me, I catch the robe on the trash bag he's hauling. This causes Mike to stumble and whack into the door. I tried to grab the coffee, which knocked an umbrella that was resting against the wall over onto the floor. So, as Mike recovers from his first whack and steps through the door, I grab the umbrella (I am vexed by now so I jerk it up off the ground) and unfortunately the umbrella catches the door and I whack Mike AGAIN now with the corner of the door in the side of the head. He drops the trash bag, but somehow manages to save the coffee and school books....and his schoolbooks from the coffee...well, both were saved from his ever-graceful wife.

Mike just sighs and looks at me.

Then smiles and kisses his "Oh-So-Helpful" wife.

Sigh....

Well, I at least I didn't spill the coffee all over him.........

Yet.

So, I did what any rational woman would do. I went back into the house and chugged the coffee directly out of the pot.

Oh, The Breads We Weave!

Ah....homemade bread. 

There is little accomplishment for a mother than the praise that comes from a little elbow work and a lot of flour. It's like we have created a masterpiece and the praise follows. This is the joy of Wednesdays in the wintertime at my house.

That is my bread day. During breakfast time, the kids are munching on cereal and I am mixing dough for four loaves of bread in a bowl. Then I knead it and place half into two greased bowls and cover them, clean my floured area, throw the dishes into the dishwasher, and I am ready to head downstairs for school and let the yeast and gluten do its job.

Then, when we come up for lunch, the dough has risen enough. So, I get the kiddos lunch on the table and take my brief snack in before I call them up from the depths of the house to eat....(or I skip lunch and eat the abandoned food they leave behind!) 

I divide the dough, knead it again, and roll it into some kind of loaf shape. So, there are three loaves of bread. The final will be rolled out and buttered, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and rolled and sliced for cinnamon rolls. They all rise again till ready to bake...about 3 pm. This night, we have "Brinner"...or Breakfast/Dinner. Cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, coffee, milk, and sliced apples with cheese slices.....or bananas or orange slices...whatever is on hand.

So, here is the recipe for "4 In A Day Bread"

Ingredients:

12 cups bread flour (I recommend 'high bouncer' from GFS)

1/2 cup sugar

2 packets or 5 tsp. yeast (GFS sells ~a year supply in a pack for $4.50 or so)

1/4 cup veggie oil

2 TBS. salt

4 1/2 cups very warm water

Directions:

Put 4 cups flour in large mixing bowl. Put sugar, yeast, and salt into bowl and mix with flour. Measure the 4 1/2 cups very warm water and add oil to the water before adding to flour mixture. Add water all at once and stir to mix. Then add 4 more cups flour in, stirring well after each addition. The last 4 cups will be more difficult to work in, so go one cup at a time till the flour will not seem to take any more and roll onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, or until soft and combined well. Prepare 2 large bowls with 1-2 Tbs. oil rubbed around the inside of the bowl. Split dough in half and place one equal dough round in each pan, turning once to cover with oil. Let rest as long as it takes to double. Cover with oil-sprayed plastic wrap to keep humidity in. (Dough is done when fingerprint stays without bouncing back.) Then, spray 4 loaf pans with cooking spray. Punch dough in each bowl (that is my favorite!) and divide each bowl's dough in half. Then knead that dough approximately 40 times on a lightly floured surface into a loaf and place each into a loaf pan. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap (I cut the ones from the bowls earlier in half and reuse.) and allow to rise again for 2-3 hours. Till about 1 inch over the top of the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Tap on bottom to test doneness. (Should sound hollow.)

Cool for about 1-2 hours (if you can wait..LOL!) and slice thinly. Place slices in gallon freezer bags and freeze until about 4 hours or the night before needed and take out to thaw on the counter. Good for about 3 days fresh/after thawed.  

Cinnamon rolls: That 4th loaf should be rolled out after the 2nd kneading to 12"x 8" or so. Lightly butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over butter. Roll from one shorter side to the other and pinch end where dough stops very well to keep from 'blooming' during second rising. Slice log in half, then each half in half until you have 8-1" slices. Placed on a greased 9x13 inch pan and allow to rise until double. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until desired brownness has been reached. Some like them a touch underdone, but 25 minutes is about perfect. Cool.

We mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, a few drops vanilla, and milk to desired consistency (1 tsp-1 TBS). Stir and drizzle over rolls. Enjoy.

Kiddo Funny Moment...

Here's another Noah moment...

Last night, Noah lost a tooth. This is pretty traumatic to a little guy with Sensory Processing Disorder, but we made it through and always kept everything positive for him.

This morning, Noah found some money for his tooth in the pillow 'Ol Pappaw Markert bought for me at a small 5 and dime in Alpha, IL, when I lost my first tooth. Noah , of course, was thrilled to find "cash" under his pillow.

Mike asked Noah if he knew where the money had come from.

Noah, always giving a moment of thought to everything, replied..."The dentist!"

Frugal Food

I know that everyone is feeling the economic pinch this year, for a large variety of reasons. Some of us have been 'pinching' for years. I decided to list a few frugal breakfast ideas and tips on retrieving those items.

My SIL, Mary Frances, has inspired me with her bread making. We visited over the New Year and she had made all varieties of delicious breads from rustic to french. During that time, she gave me a few 'insider tips' which has formed me into a '4-loaves-in-1-day-girl'. These four loaves take a little time and save a lot of money, not to mention the complements of fresh-baked bread from Mike and the kids. I will give the tips and recipe in my next blog.

Here are some frugal breakfast ideas:

1) Cold cereal...bought from Aldi or Walmart (I buy all the ones that are less than $2, as they rotate and this gives variety)

2) Oatmeal...I use the whole oats and stir in butter and brown sugar at the end

3) Grits....good with white sugar stirred in

4) Apples and cheese slices...each kiddo gets half an apple sliced thinly(it makes a pile of apples) and 2 or three slices of a brick of cheese

5) Toast and jam...from that homemade bread..can add a few cheese slices for variety/protein

6) Cinnamon Rolls...these are a weekend special at my house (I roll out the 4th bread dough loaf for these..see next blog..)

7) Pumpkin Chip Bread...topped with cream cheese, if desired....easy to throw together 2 loaves together and bake while homeschooling (freeze well)

8) Pancakes...also saved for a weekend breakfast...homemade and special! Leftovers can be frozen and microwaved for a weekday breakfast.

9) Toast and Peanut butter plus 1/2 banana....spread PB on hot toast for a treat!

10) Scrambled eggs and 1/2 slice toast

11) Hard-boiled eggs and 1/2 slice toast and 1/2 sliced orange (make the eggs the day before. the kids love to peel them at breakfast)

12) Cinnamon Coffee Cake...quick to throw together, but takes 1 hour to cook~I usually do this on a special occasion day and serve with bacon or sausage...

13) Muffins...you can find a basic recipe and add all sorts of things to the base. They will freeze well also to pull out the night before you want them.

Tips:

1) Watch your ads. If you can be diligent, Walmart will honor any ad that is a price for the EXACT same item. So, bring in the ads and save gas driving around for brand name deals. Mike and I do a 1x per month/2hour trip there for all the basics. We usually spend ~$150 in household and ~$200 in groceries. Then, over the rest of the month, we will buy ~$150 in milk, fruit, cereal, eggs, fresh veggies at Aldi. 

2) Buy what you can at Aldi. You usually come out ahead price-wise and they really have upgraded their selection and healthier choices.

3) Make more from scratch. I have to now for medical reasons, but I have noticed we spend much less on groceries that way.

4) Think about using the 'Share' program, where you can get a lot of fresh foods for only ~$20 per month. You can even buy more than one. I have not found the 'ad-ons' to be the best for the price, but the holidays have some good deals.

5) Keep an eye out for marked-down items at the grocery that can be frozen. Our deep freezer was full last year of price-reduced items that we froze when we got home. This included meats, etc...they are always a few days shy of actual expiration.

I will post more later.... 

 

Kiddo Funny Moment...

Somehow...a lot of these star Noah....

I was doing school with Noah today and we were talking about God's creatures. Today was farm animals. We were discussing how each animal helped us. 

First, there was a chicken. Noah said, "They lay eggs we eat and we eat chicken."

Then, there was a cow. He said, "I know! They lay milk!"

LOL!!!

Recipe: Crockpot Apple Chop

Here is a recipe that I came up with. It is very simple and my family has pretty simple tastes, but it goes great with mashed potatoes and does all the work itself.

Ingredients:

1-Family sized package of variety pork chops (they are fairly inexpensive)

4 or 5-small or medium apples (any kind)

1/2-cup apple juice

Directions:

Lay pork chops in the bottom of a 5qt. or larger crockpot. Core and slice apples and throw them on top of the chops. Pour apple juice over all. Let cook on low for 6-8 hours. You will have to be aware that there are bones in the meat when you are done, but it is delicious over mashed potatoes. Mike does put Heinz 57 sauce over his, but the kids and I like it as stated.

Enjoy!

Funny Kiddo Moment

Yesterday as I was going over Religion with my 5 year-old, we were recalling that the day before we had been discussing Adam and Eve. I asked him if he remembered them and he nodded that he did.

Then I asked him, "Do you remember where they lived when they had obeyed God?"

He looked confused for a moment and pressed his fingers into his forehead, as if to help find the details. I despaired him remembering, when he suddenly shot up in his chair.

"I remember!" He shouted excitedly. I felt a rush of happiness that he could recall the name.

"It was the God Ranch!"

Sigh....(but I couldn't help doubling over with laughter!)

Church and Children

Church with a large family of little ones is a challenge for even a Saint. Every week, we do our best to attend Mass and keep the kids from erupting in the pew with anything from a loud noise, crying, talking, arguing, making body noises, or picking thy nasal cavity.
Those are just to name a few issues.
Mike and I have 'battled' getting to church for more than a decade and most of those years contain at least one child under 12 months. It has challenged us.....so much! 

The typical Sunday finds us winding our way to an open pew and filing in. I kneel down and do my best to focus on prayer by asking God for help in being a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, and thank Him for all the blessings he has given our family.

Suddenly, I feel a shove against my back and realize that Nick and Noah are laying on the pew and kicking their feet at one another. 

AARRGGHH!

Score:

Peaceful meditation: 0   

Church Challenges: 1

So, I jerk them apart, usually by an ear, and remind them that God is asking us to be especially with him in adoration at Mass. Sheepish, yet suspiciously suspicious looks are staring back at me and my first finger, which is always pointed toward someone. So, I tuck my finger back into its holster and turn around. For at least another 20 seconds...

"Dear Lord.....Noah, stop it........thank You for all that You have blessed us with.....put the books back, Nick............please help, God! Amen."

Mike and I have decided to break our family up into defensive zones of control. We alternate between one with Katie and the older 3(who are fairly obedient at mass) and the other gets the two boys. This has, for the most part, worked out to some degree. It means one of us is walking Katie at the back of church and the other appears to be in a referee/wrestling/disciplinarian role the entire time.

I know that there may be a day in the future when I am sitting in the pew and thanking God for all I have and asking Him to help me be a better mother, wife, grandmother....and I will look over and see a mother with her little children. 

And remember. 

And miss.

So, I am doing my best to love every day and to embrace the vocation of motherhood that He has blessed me with. To also remember that ultimately, God knows my heart and knows my struggles and that He is understanding of my situation currently. 

My Mass may be complex and prayers may be brief and in between a small skirmish, but He knows me and loves me and that helps comfort me during church when I seem to need Him so much.

A Kiddo Funny Moment...

My birthday boy...Today!...has the flu. He has been ill for three days and I gave him something to drink when he asked last night.

"What is it?" He peered at the orange liquid with suspicion.

"Gatorade," I replied. "It will make you feel better."

He drank it and later called to me a request.

"Mom," he yelled. "Can I have some more of that alligator juice?!"

Too funny!

Oh...The Good 'Ol Days of Illness...

Let me say this for starters. 

For some reason, peppermint comforts me. I like the sweet and bitingly cool and refreshing flavor and scent of it. It comforts, soothes, and relaxes me.

This past two weeks have been filled with days and nights of fevers, emesis buckets, Kleenex, baths, showers for croup then followed by 5 minutes in my bathrobe outside in -5 degree temps to help 'shock' the bronchial tubes, dripping noses, pink eye, headaches, bleach, crying miserable kids, and diarrhea.

Did I leave anything out??

For some reason, my family likes to take illness in children to the heights that only a death-defying ride at Six Flags can provide. We don't just get one illness, we get them all at the same time in some wild round robin fashion where varying viral illnesses and bacteria jockey for their rightful place as emperor for a day...before moving on to the next unsuspecting tot. Then we will exchange that virus for this bacteria between siblings so at least everyone has one...dare I say three illnesses at the same time. I mean...we are teaching them to share.

Sigh...

So, is it any wonder that this drooling sleep-deprived dishrag of a woman is sitting here with Peppermint spritz body perfume sprayed on, drinking peppermint tea, and eating candy canes and peppermint Hershey Kisses?

Not to this girl, folks.

I'm just trying to hold on to sanity...and a box of Kleenex. 

Life in Perspecive

I am jumping in here with a 'life in perspective' moment. We do tend to, as humans, place too much weight on some things and not enough on other more important things in our lives. A saying that I cannot remember the origins of comes to mind. The saying states that if you hold a pebble right up near your eye, the eye must focus entirely on it and is unable to proper see much else. Stretch your arm out and hold the pebble as far away as you can. Only then is the pebble in its proper perspective and you are able to place that which you were so focused on away from consuming you and into a more manageable place and where it should be in relation to your life.

To expand upon our humanity, please visit this site, which will only emphasize where we really are to our universe. But, isn't it wonderful how special and important we are, even then!

www.kiroastro.com/writings/perspective