Thursday, January 28, 2010

Gotta try making these

I would never consider posting a recipe that I hadn't tried before, but when I came across this one, I decided it sounded worth it!

If you've never baked your own crackers, try it...they're so much better than storebought. Here's hoping that these turn out well...


Whole Wheat Crackers

1/2 c Whole wheat flour
2 T Butter (or applesauce)
2 T Sunflower seeds
1/8 t Salt
1/2 c Cottage cheese

Put all ingredients except cottage cheese in a blender until fine
crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl. Add cottage cheese to blender
until smooth. Return flour mixture and process until ball forms.
Roll out dough thinly. Prick dough all over with a fork. Cut
crosswise into 4 equal strips and then lengthwise into 3 equal
strips, next cut equally into fourths, for a total of 48.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

My new mentor


Growing up, I never would have thought that I'd ever be a passionate housewife. I hardly envied the non-glamorous lives of my mother and her friends. I wanted to move to a big city and live in a trendy 12th floor apartment, alone.

That's not exactly how things ended up for me...

Would I change the way things turned out? NEVER!

And the strangest thing has happened. I have discovered that, deep within me, there lies an absolute
passion for homemaking. That's what I do now, and I want to do a bangup job of it. I adore Martha Stewart's website. During our trips to Barnes and Noble, I thumb through as many books in the cooking, decorating, and homekeeping sections. When I have the time, I don't mind cleaning. I love to cook. I love to find clever ways to organize all of our "junk".

The traits that I envy the most in moms: frugality, creativity, and a skill for efficient housekeeping.

I recently purchased a motivational book for moms at a consignment sale. I finally got a chance to sit with it, excited to snuggle up and be inspired.
The author was a working mother of ONE.

I am not discrediting moms of one child. I know that having an only child must present its own challenges. (For starters, YOU are the only one to entertain the child!) And I am certainly not saying that working moms don't have it difficult. Dear Lord, I can't imagine trying to juggle a full time job and my children!
I am saying that it was very hard for me to connect with this mom. It was hard for me to receive advice from someone who has lived a life very different from my own, just as it would be hard for her to receive from me. We are just
different.

Then,
I found her. Mary Ostyn. Have you heard of her? She is a mother of ten, wife of a husband she absolutely adores, and she has written a BOOK about being FRUGAL with meals. Hello!!! Now THIS is someone I want to hear from!



Her book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week, has plenty of recipes. While we eat very differently from how her family eats and won't use all of the recipes, I appreciate her challenge to cut my family's grocery budget. I want to hear her advice.

And her website, oh....
I stayed up FAR too late last night, inspired to start my own garden, start canning, raise my kids better, love my husband sweeter...

Check her out: http://www.owlhaven.net/


I vow not to stay up late with my new imaginary friend tonight...

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Helpful-homemaking-and-Mommy-tips-that-need-a-better-name???

Having a small (1800-something sq. ft.) house full of seven people requires some serious creativity as far as homekeeping, storage, and life maintenance goes. While I don't have all of the answers, I'd love to share the few things I've found helpful.

We've all heard of Martha Stewart's "Good Things". I need a snappy name for my little mommy tips and would love suggestions!

For now, we'll go with Mommy Tips.

So, Mommy Tip #1:

Keep baby's bibs in the same drawer as your dish towels. This may seem simple, but I spent way too much time running to the nursery to grab a bib before mealtime with my first four kids before I realized the common sense behind it all. Plus, I wash my bibs with my towels, so it makes putting laundry away easier.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Just another day in paradise






Survival

Here we are again...man weekend. The Daddies are gone to do what men do...

Tuesday night, I was violently ill. Spent the day in bed yesterday. (I NEVER do that, no matter how sick!)

So I will spend the next three days recovering, and hopefully, enjoying the time I get to spend with the kids. I'd love to think of this weekend as something more than a time of survival, as I often do when Greg's away. I'd love to really relish in my time with my babies.

Time for lots of snuggling, games, Barnes and Noble, candlelit dinners with the kids.
And I'll try to refrain from cleaning...at least while they're awake!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

She better not be mistaken for a boy anymore...


Two weeks ago, we visited my inlaws for New Year's Day. So fun. Lots of food, lots of laughing...

It was snowy there. The kids had a blast sledding in their backyard.

The adults stayed inside. It's amazing how quickly your blood thins when you haven't lived in the bitter cold of Western New York for a few years. I was a total wimp and watched from the window.

We ventured out to the MALL with all of the kids for entertainment. We passed Claire's.

Now, let me clarify...I wanted to pierce Emily's ears when she was an infant. I may has well have asked Greg if we could cut a few of her toes off. He looked at me like I was crazy and replied, "No way! Why would we do that to her?"

He finally allowed it when she was six years old, after she pleaded with him herself.

My sweet, beautiful Avery is still waiting for a perfect head of hair at three years old. If anyone could use a pair of earrings to look a little more feminine, it's her. I thought it was a long shot, but that I'd ask...

"Honey, let's do it...please???"

No response...just a sort of blank smile.

"Can we?"

He was thinking about it...


A half hour later, Avery had screamed so loud, I'm sure every single store in the mall heard her, but she had pretty little pink earrings...

I couldn't believe it...



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

It's OVER!

It all began the first weekend of October...more than three months ago!

I was in a hurry to complete the three hour trip down to my brothers. I found out that morning that I would be seeing U2 with him that night. And, so, I was pushing my speed.

There aren't too many things that can sink your stomach like flashing lights, obviously pursuing your vehicle.

The officer from the Petersburg Police Department had no mercy. Ticket for reckless driving (20 mph over...yikes! pretty uncharacteristic of me since becoming a mom, by the way...) and a ticket for having a brake light out. I cried and everything. To no avail.

Bummer...


A few weeks later, I carted all three little ones into the courthouse, where I ended up waiting in the hallway for over TWO HOURS. Avery had to go potty, Nadia had to nurse. Levi was freaking out because it was naptime. I was sweating my butt off. By the time I got into the courtroom, the kids had lost it. Avery ran laps around a couple of rows. Levi was screaming. I was soaked with sweat. "How do I plead? What? I don't know...what's happening?"

I left, frustrated that, even with an 8-hr. course, I'd end up paying over $120.

I waited until after the holidays to begin my online course. But the knowledge that it was lingering swooped over me everyday, like a vulture.

A few days ago, I ventured out to the UPS store to take my online exam. I passed. Thank God!
Now, hopefully, I'd get my certificate in the mail before my license was suspended.

Yesterday was my last chance. I went to the mailbox. YES! I once again drove the 40 minutes to Petersburg, paid my fine, loaded and unloaded the kids, and sighed a HUGE sigh of relief on the way home. Today, upon review, my case will be dismissed.

I feel normal again, whatever that means...

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

long time coming

We have had a lot going on over the last couple of weeks. It's been Christmas vacation time, so I'm sure everyone has.

And I can't blog anything with pictures.

We got a new MacBook...finally! The problem is that I can't upload photos yet.

So I'm saving all of my fun for when we can. Lots to share, coming soon.
(That sounds a bit too suspenseful. Don't worry. No REALLY big news...like babies or anything!)