Wordfull Wednesdays

It is hard for me to decide on one season that I love the most because as one is ending I look forward and anticipate the next one.  So my favorite is always the one I am currently in.  Each season brings opportunities to celebrate and draw my family closer together.  So for my post I thought I would list a couple of the things we like to do in our family that helps us make memories and enjoy the season we are in.  This is not an all inclusive list--I'm just mentioning a few.  You can never have too many traditions.

Winter

*Camping indoors

Valentine's Day

*I set and decorate the table for an extra nice breakfast of waffles, strawberries, and whip cream.

*Each person has a candle in front of their place.  We light my husband who tells about our courtship and falling in love--he then lights my candle.  We both then continue to tell about the birth of each child and light each child's candle.  We talk about how as each candle is lit their is more light or "love" in the family.  The children love hearing these stories every year.

*Everyone writes homemade valentines for each other that are in a special basket in the middle of the table.

St Patrick's day:

*While the children are sleeping a Leprechaun sticks shamrock stickers on the children's faces. *He usually leaves chocolate gold coins in the children's shoes and often the toilet water is green(the kids always want to be the first ones to the bathroom because of this)

*Shamrock green pancakes and green milk is for breakfast and of course we all wear green from head to toe even if it doesn't match.

Easter:

*Each persons basket is attached to a string that is wrapped all over the house.  The children must follow their own string through the web to find their basket.

April Fools:

* I usually trick the children somehow and now they anticipate it and I have to be tricky.

Favorite tricks in the past:

*after school snack Oreos (I replaced the cream with toothpaste)

*putting red jello in clear plastic cups with straws--the kids love this one and always want me to do it even though they now know it is not juice.

*taping their forks to table with clear tape

*putting plastic bugs in their cereal

*writing "April fools" on a paper and putting between their sandwich bread of their lunch.

*waking up the the children at midnight and setting clocks forward and then when they have eaten breakfast and dressed for school telling them to open the blinds. :)

Summer:

*Camping

*"Drive Inn night"

*Bear Lake

*Fall picnic:  We take a fall picnic up the canyon to enjoy the beautiful leaves.  I make a a large meal (stew,fresh rolls, salad, peach cobbler, and apple cider).  We find a picnic table at an empty campground and eat with the beautiful fall colors around us.  We take a hike and the children collect leaves to bring home.

Christmas:

*I wrap up the Christmas books and let the children choose one to unwrap and read each night.

*One night we sleep under the Christmas tree telling stories and reminiscing other Christmases.

*Santa leaves the children's stockings on their beds.  The children may wake up anytime to open the little presents in the stockings (I wrap everything, even the new toothbrush), but must wait for Mom and Dad to wake before opening the presents under the tree.

*Our children choose a name of a sibling and have to make a gift for that person.  It takes a lot more thought and time than just buying something.  (some of last year gifts: scrapbook, treasure box, Cd music mix, organizing a brother's comic collection, etc)

New Year's Eve

During the children color and decorate a Happy New Year's sign.  Each of them trace their hands on the poster and write a goal on it for the new year.  We sometimes cut these out and put them in their scrapbook or in their rooms to remember their goal.

   My favorite times in each season are the moments spent with my family.  Making these times specials and memorable is what makes the different seasons so wonderful.

**This is my first attempt at Wordfull Wednesday.  Alison convinced me to give it a try--plus someone gets a cool prize each month.  Check it out.***

Happy Birthday Joseph

I asked what Joseph wanted to do for dinner on his birthday and he said he wanted pizza and orange soda on the tramp.  He was so happy and said, "Thanks mom for the pizza on the tramp, it was great."I think it is interesting how sometimes the simplest things can make children happy. Next time he request a dinner on the tramp I will use individual cans of soda instead of a two liter bottle.  

Fast Food

So far this week I have use my Cuisinart pressure cooker everyday for healthy fast food.  I absolutely love it!!  On Sunday I used it to make cracked wheat for breakfast in 9 minutes.  Monday I used it to cook (3 min) some quinoa for a spinach vegetable salad.  Today I used it to cook (27 min) some dry red kidney beans for taco soup.  Tomorrow I may use it to make some millet for breakfast.  The beauty of it is that it cooks so fast!!!  It is great for someone like me who forgets to presoak beans or doesn't have anything ready to eat at 5:00 pm.  For the same time it would take to order and have pizza delivered I can make something healthy and have it on the table.  

Johnny is 20!!!

Happy Birthday Johnny!!!

Johnny sent these pictures today in his email.  I was excited to see that he received our birthday package in time.  I sent him the ingredients which they don't have over there to make his favorite brownies (Becca's recipe). He is doing great and enjoying teaching and getting to know the people in Greece.  He is in a beautiful city called Kavala which looks over the Aegean sea.  I can't believe he is 20 years old---I was engaged when I was his age!!  We love and miss him and are very proud of the young man he has become.

Crazy Bread sticks

I made these for the mother daughter activity at our church.  They are called crazy because they can be on the table 40 minutes after starting them and it is crazy how fast they are eaten!!!

1 T. yeast (I use about 3/4 T)

1 1/2 C warm water

2 T sugar

3 1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C butter

Parmesan cheese

In large mixing bowl (like your Bosch) mix together yeast, water, sugar, flour, and salt.  Knead 3 minutes.  Cover and let rise 10 minutes.  While rising preheat oven to 325.  Melt butter and pour into large cookie tray that has sides.  Roll out dough and put in pan flipping over to coat with butter.  with pizza cutter cut down middle long ways and then in to 1 inch strips.  sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Bake 20 minutes

For Crazy cinnamon sticks -sprinkle the buttered dough with cinnamon sugar.

I do this recipe in my Cuisinart food processor.  Add all dry ingredients pulse a few times to mix.  Add room temperature water while mixing.  Add the water till forms into ball. (I usually have about a tablespoon left over from the 1 1/2 cup--don't want it sticky).  Once in ball leave mixer on for 45 seconds to knead.  Then follow rest of above directions.  

You also can make these a head of time and cover in refrigerator till later and cook when ready

Fall Harvest

   Ifsomeone told me when I was was younger that I would enjoy the domestic arts, I would have laughed. Yet I do find simple joy in preforming skills or tasks that bless my family. When I was married I had no idea how to cook, clean, menu plan, etc; yet over the years I have love learning skills that help me in my role as homemaker. (I still have yet to capture the joy of cleaning bathrooms). 

 Yesterday I went to a friends orchard and picked peaches.   I do not remember my mom canning anything except grape jelly when we lived in Boston, but RayAnne who is an expert always walks me through it each year.  I love how the smell of fresh peaches permeates the house and the occasional taste of a juicy peach as I slice them.  I felt such a mixture of peace and gratitude as I preformed this simple task. (OK all my kids were at school at the time--I never canned with little children around) I know many people can 100s of cans each year, but for me doing these 45 jars was such an accomplishment.  I like leaving them out on the counter for a day like they are trophies for all to see. Anyone want cobbler?

Soccer Fans

Grandma and Grandpa came to Natalie and Rachel's soccer game to watch and cheered for their granddaughters.   It was funny to sit by my dad and mom and hear their comments and questions.  Soccer was not a big sport when we were little so this is all new to them.  My dad would say, "why don't they just shoot it into the goal" or  "why didn't that girl just kick it up the field" or "that girl blew it"--I had to quiet him a few times because other parents were sitting close by.  I think they both started to understand the basics of the game and enjoyed seeing the girls play so well.  Natalie scored a goal which was an added bonus.--Yeah Natalie! 

teenage hair crisis

Natalie had her first ever haircut at a beauty salon.  In the past I have always just given her hair a trim.  She paid for highlights with her own money.  She also got bangs.  I think she looks cute---she has been stressed out since, thinking that it is too light and she looks blond.  

I remember my first trip to the salon and what a disaster it was.  I was a junior in high school and because of early morning seminary I told the hairstylist I needed a really easy hair style.  My hair is straight and fine so I thought she would recommend a perm that was so in style in the 80's.  She said she had the perfect cut and it would keep my hair long, so instead what I came home with was a mullet.  It was so ugly.  I remember walking in to my English class and some guy saying "nice hair" sarcastically.    It took the whole year to grow out, by prom I think I had a short bob.  I think because of that experience I have not change my hairstyle at all since high school.   I need to go find the one horrible picture I let my dad take of me at that time so Natalie can put her hair in perspective.

Josh's first Dance

Josh went to homecoming last night.  He looked really handsome in his new suit.  It actually was his first official date.  He had a great time and had a fun group of friends to go with.  He is already looking forward to the next dance.

Spaghetti Recipe

I found the recipe on All recipes.  I blanched, peeled, and seeded the tomatoes first before putting them in the saucepan.  I also just did mine on the stove top.  I used fresh oregano and doubled the amount which was a little strong, but still good.  It is a good recipe to play around with.    Thank you Al for showing me how to add this link!

Garden Spaghetti Sauce

On Joseph first day at school I made homemade spaghetti sauce from the tomatoes,  green peppers, and herbs from my garden.  It turned out great and I yielded 3 quart jars.  We had one for dinner and the other two I froze.  It tasted so delicious and fresh, but my kids still wanted to know where the Prego was. 

Joseph 1st day of Kindergarten

Joseph was very excited to go to kindergarten.  He is so friendly and social and always eager to make friends.  He will do great.  I am a little sad--the house is very quiet without my little buddy around, but wow I have 2 hours and 25 minutes without any interruptions to get things done.  Just when I start missing him he comes  home and I will have 3 hours with him alone.  I think kindergarten is definitely for the moms to help them ease into full time school.  I have decided to split the time using half of it to clean/cook/organize and the other half is for me to do whatever I want.  I am excited for this new chapter in my life.