And... So it Goes

Baby Talent

2012-01-16T14:38:00.000-06:00

Something to Remember

2012-01-05T14:55:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:49:00.003-06:00

From our house to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas!

Day turned Week

2011-12-21T21:53:00.001-06:00

So that sick day last week... well it happened to extend. On, and on, and on. Rowan was home all week. This was a common sight:

I think we all held up surprisingly well, for having such a not normal week. Rowan surprised me with how much he knew when we worked on some "school" at home. I printed off some placement tests, just for fun. He's doing really well :)

We went through numerous boxes of tissue, as modeled here by Emery.

Thursday was the hardest day for me. It was supposed to be Rowan's school Christmas program. We had to miss it. This is the second year in a row (of 2 years of school) that he has been sick for his Christmas program. This Mommy didn't handle it all that well.

Keith had an awful week as well. Tuesday night he got pink eye SUPER bad. Like I've never seen someone's eyes get that red before. I felt so bad for him. A few days later he got a terribly sore throat. Thankfully it was all fairly short lived. He's 100% better now.

Saturday the kids had a bit of fun outside. It's just so odd that we have NO snow this Christmas! We hardly know what to do with ourselves!

We did enjoy the Christmas program in church on Sunday. Bria shocked us good and proper when she said her part with a smile, and no trouble at all! I thought for sure she'd pout and cry on stage, but I'm so glad she proved me wrong.Of course, posing for a picture was not on her list of things she wanted to do. So this is as good as it got.

Sick Day

2011-12-12T10:54:00.000-06:00

The past few days have had some of the Friesen clan feeling under the weather. Emery's been sick on and off for the past couple of weeks. She seems to catch things easily, especially when she's teething.

Keith has also been feeling less than excellent this past week, though he's still well enough to go to work and everything. Just kind of achy with a headache, etc.

Yesterday Rowan woke up feeling really lousy. Awful cough, stuffed up head. So today he's home from school. This is the scenery around our living room this morning. They are watching Sid the Science Kid :)

Bria still thinks it's summer... and who am I to tell her otherwise. We still have no snow!

I smiled when Emery curled up on the couch for a minute. She almost never sits still that long!

Rowan is busy at work here... just because he's home doesn't mean he can't do some "school"!

This is what Rowan is working on this morning.

Days at Home

2011-12-07T09:42:00.001-06:00

I admit, we don't get out much. Most of our days are spent at home, inside, trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. For those that live in our town, you know there is almost NOTHING to do here in Winter. I'm very thankful that we finally have a parent/child resource center here, but it's just getting started. I know in the past there has been some stuff offered, but at really bad times for people with toddlers (and ironically, it's the programs for toddlers that are at odd times) like 1:00 pm. Prime nap time. Who comes up with these ideas?

I remember as a new Mom, I just about went crazy at home. I got out of the house as much as I could, which wasn't always very convenient with a newborn! I spent a lot of time at my parents' house. Any new Mom can probably relate. You go from getting out of the house whenever you want, working at a job where you actually interact with people every day, to being at home with a newborn, little sleep, and having NO CLUE what to do when the baby cries. And then add another baby 2 years later, and a third a couple years after that. I have been house bound A LOT! I really don't know how other Moms manage to drag their kids all over the place every day. It often makes for grumpy kids around here :) And not enough nap time!

It's definitely gotten a lot easier over the years, and I can say that I am fairly content being home. That does bring with it one small (or big) problem. I have access to my computer all day. I'm ashamed to admit that I have become a slave to the internet, and I know it needs to change. It's been a great outlet for me as a stay at home Mom. I can have my friends at my fingertips, find new information, recipes, and of course, a bunch of useless information.It's not to say that there aren't a ton of benefits to being online, but I have abused this freedom.

Friday I decided to go "cold turkey" and just shut the thing down for the day. It worked! I had a much better attitude about my day, was less discouraged about my life, and I spent more time with my girls. It was so successful that I decided to do it again yesterday. I wasn't quite as strict about it. I was online for about 1/2 hour at lunch, and then again just before Keith got home for supper.I think I'm going to do this regularly. I admit I don't think that I can do it everyday, but a few times per week would already make a HUGE difference.

Being part of a Good Morning Girls Bible Study has been a really great thing for me. We are just wrapping up our study of 1 John, and will be starting Ephesians in January. I'm really going to miss it for the next few weeks while we're "off". I've been very consistent with getting up early enough to do my reading and that's HUGE for me! I have not been consistent with reading my Bible for YEARS.

Part of Good Morning Girls (a big part really) is having a group of girls that remind each other to do their study. I started out with a Facebook group of ladies that I didn't know, and it turned out that I was the only one really interested in accountability... what???? Yeah, I left that group fast. And then I found Candace! Candace and I have been emailing each other back and forth during the 12 week study. We haven't done it daily, but I have definitely felt encouraged. Candace has had a really full plate with her business, homeschooling, and going to meet her precious little daughter in Ethiopia! It's been really neat to get to know her better over the last 12 weeks.

So here is my question... is there anyone out there who is serious about spending time daily in God's Word? Who would like to join me in a Good Morning Girls Group this coming January? I would like to make a Facebook Group, as it seems to lend itself more to conversation. If you would like to join me (I'm going to keep the group fairly small, so if we have more than maybe 6 or so, I'll encourage you to start a new group), please leave a comment!

Before I Change My Mind

2011-12-02T07:46:00.001-06:00

I am declaring the rest of today a "NO COMPUTER" day.

I need to refocus.

New perspective.

More attention for my children.

Catch you all later!

Today on She {hearts} It

2011-11-29T07:47:00.001-06:00

Today on She {hearts}It I'm giving away some gorgeous fabric gift wrap from Furochic!

This is a great way to do something "green" without it being cheesy.

Go check it out :)

Nutrimill Update

2011-11-23T21:07:00.001-06:00

It's been a long time since I posted about using my grain mill. I've had it for a bout a year now, and I'm loving it more than ever!

I have been using my mill weekly for the past year, mostly for making 100% whole grain bread. Of course, I've made pancakes, cookies, muffins, and other goodies too, but mostly just bread. The kids really love homemade bread, and it makes a great healthy breakfast.

The last few weeks I've been learning more about grains and putting my mill to better use. Bread Beckers website is an awesome resource for learning. They also happen to be believers and they have done a lot of studying in the Word to see what God has to say about healthy eating. I've been watching their online video classes and have learned a lot about making bread and many other tasty things with whole grains. If you live in the US, you can also buy some amazing products from them. Of course, I highly recommend a mill, and if you live in Canada, you can buy one from Healthy Kitchens using the link in my sidebar.

I've experimented with several recipes for whole grain bread during the past year as well. Some didn't turn out that well, so I found a few others. My favorite is from Tammy's Recipes (NOTE: I use the 100% Whole Wheat version). It always turns out great. The only thing I don't like about it is using extra gluten. So I recently started making this one from Bread Beckers. The only downside to this one is the eggs (I don't always have a lot on hand), and I also have to cut it down by 1/3 so I can fit the recipe in my Kitchen Aid.

Tomorrow I'm picking up some more grain from our local buying group (I just used the last of my wheat today), and I'm excited to try some more recipes. One of the first things I'm going to try is using the Ezekial flour to make muffins. It's a mixture of grains and beans, which means that whatever you bake with it becomes a complete protein! Very cool.

There is much to be learned about whole grains still. I'm sure I'll be updating again when I learn more.

My Life Right Now

2011-11-22T09:56:00.001-06:00

Praying for the many friends and family members who are in pain.

Trying to live every moment.

Studying 1 John with Good Morning Girls.

Enjoying the cold days, staying warm inside with my girls.

Washing dishes, washing dishes, washing dishes.

Laundry.

Cooking and baking for my family.

Learning about grains.

Listening to Christmas Music.

Thank you God for the simple pleasures of life :)

No More Mullet Baby!

2011-11-05T10:46:00.000-05:00

So today was haircut day at the Friesen res. Emery's hair has looked like a wild mullet for a while now, and I figured I could spruce it up a bit.

Crazy mullet baby - front view

Crazy mullet from the back

Now, in no way am I trained to cut hair, but I figure a one year old isn't too picky about how her hair turns out!

She was very excited about the whole experience

So I gave it a whirl, and this is what happened.

I could just squish her up, she's so cute!!

And she still kept the cute little flip in her hair :)

And, of course, Mr. 6 pack abs needed a little trim too, so he got in on the fun.

Wish my abs looked like that :) Lucky kid!

A successful Saturday morning!

That's my handsome little man

Yummy

2011-10-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

Freezer Revisited

2011-10-08T15:13:00.000-05:00

If you will remember back a while, I posted some pics of how I had cleaned my refrigerator. The freezer, on the other hand, was left in a huge disorganized mess!

Some of you suggested that I check out iHeartOrganizing for some ideas, and so I did! Actually, that website was what got me started on cleaning in the first place, but I hadn't looked too closely at her freezer. Drea had pinned her pantry redo, and I'm hooked on that website now! I only wish my house could look that good.

After placing an order from the Container Store, I finally got my parcel (had to be picked up at the US/Canada border) and set to work!

So here is the before, in case you forgot the nastiness :)

And the after!!

I think it's a huge improvement. I used these and these. I'm just a little sad that I can't fit a Tupperware container full of cookies, or a big pail of ice cream in here anymore. But maybe that will help me to avoid eating them too :)

So what do you think? The containers were actually fairly inexpensive, and very good quality. I'm guessing there may be more orders from the Container Store in my future.

Why September just flew by

2011-09-30T11:37:00.000-05:00

This has been one intense month for us! With the start of school, came so many other "starts". Soccer, Awana, Boot Camp, planning a ladies day for our church, etc. And of course, with all this change and busyness, my girls (especially Bria) have needed to adjust. That in itself takes a lot of my energy. Trying to keep bedtimes, and some sort of a "normal" schedule, has been a challenge.

Rowan has been LOVING his first year of soccer. I knew he'd enjoy it, but I didn't know it was going to be so good! He's a very competitive little guy, so we've encouraged him to just have fun, and try to learn the rules of soccer. He's doing great! I'm sure we'll sign him up again next year.

Now I can sleep

2011-09-08T22:48:00.000-05:00

So my freezer organization/cleaning has taken a back seat. Yesterday was wildly busy with school, a mom's group that I volunteer at, baking, and Bible study. No TIME!

And today, my very lovely sister in law, Liane, gave me a huge bag of tomatoes!! So I did this instead:

Good night :)

Day 1: The Refrigerator!

2011-09-06T16:32:00.000-05:00

So I've realized that with kids in the house, deep cleaning takes T.I.M.E.

Lots of time!

So I figure I will tackle one room at a time, starting with the kitchen. One small task at a time, and it will get done.

Sometime during the day I decided to check out my copy of 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, and it seems that this is exactly the approach that the book takes. I very highly recommend it. There is even an amazing Facebook community to encourage you on your way.

I believe that there is a new 31 day challenge started up here, so feel free to join. Today is only day 4, so it shouldn't be too hard to catch up.

So what did I do today? Well, I'm not quite through, but I needed to post this for motivation! My task was cleaning out the fridge and freezer. I have finished the fridge.

It now looks like this:

SO CLEAN!!! I'm loving it. I wish I would have taken a before picture. It wasn't that dirty, but I love to reorganize things, so it was fun. And I took apart every single piece to clean it thoroughly.

This is what my freezer looks like:

HELP!! Any tips for freezer organization?

Time to Clean

2011-09-05T16:15:00.000-05:00

So after two weeks of first recovering from dental surgery, and then spending a week at my in-laws, I'm ready to clean! My house has suffered like crazy in the last weeks and it was really starting to show. Today I whipped out the dusting mitt (Norwex... awesome stuff!), Keith vacuumed, the washing machine got going, and things are slowly shaping up around here.

I'm really hoping to get all my fall cleaning done in the next few weeks. That's something I haven't really done in the past years. Just not interested ;) I'm not much of a neat freak, so I tend to let things slide for way too long. I tidy the house often, but cleaning... nope, haha.

I also have two yummy loaves of 100% organic whole wheat bread in my oven, and it smells AMAZING in here!

So I hope everyone is enjoying their day off. It's been perfect weather!!

Just for kicks, here's a fun picture of my girls, since Keith is out with the camera and I can't load anything new.

Where my heart is today

2011-08-30T10:23:00.002-05:00

Crawling out from under the covers

2011-08-24T18:39:00.000-05:00

Quick update. Surgery went well. Except I do remember waking up during the surgery and feeling a lot of whatever they were doing. I remember crying, and they didn't notice cause I was wearing sunglasses.

The first evening was really rough. The pain was very intense, and I couldn't keep gravol down...

After a good night's sleep, I was a bit better yesterday, but still very nauseous. Today was even worse. So I switched out my T3s for regular Tylenol, and it seems to be a bit better. Anyhow, it's time for another dose, and I can feel it, so gotta go.

Hoping to be back to "normal" soon!

The dreaded day has arrived

2011-08-21T17:27:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is quickly approaching, along with it, the dread. At 12 noon I will be going under and getting all 4 wisdom teeth, plus one other molar, removed. The sore gums/mouth is one thing, but I recently found out that I have TMJ problems that have been causing my jaw to swell for the past 8 years. And it's bound to make me feel way worse than normal :(

The only positive thing I can see coming out of this experience is that I may lose a few of those pesky extra pounds, haha!

In all seriousness, please pray for me if you think of it. The last time I was under anesthesia was when I had my D&C, and it left me out of it for the rest of the day. They had to give me something for the nausea, and I ended up sleeping in the hospital for the rest of the day. And then not being able to eat real food for a while, I'm sure it isn't going to be fun. Keith is home for Monday and Tuesday, but after that I'm on my own.

Have you had your wisdom teeth removed? What was your experience?

Real Estate Revisited

2011-08-18T11:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Keith and I picked up my Dad and went for a second look at the brick house. We were having a really hard time making a decision, so we figured a second look would help.

I'm glad we went. Even up til we went, I was dreaming about moving there. Making plans in my head. It was fun :) But, of course, reality has to kick in at some point, right?

It was pretty glaringly obvious to me as we looked at the house, that it was just too much. Too much renovating. Too much time. Too much money. Every room needs so much attention. I think it would be worth doing, for someone who doesn't have small children. But we obviously are at a different place in our lives.

Also, when we factor in how much money it would cost to get it fixed up, we were left with a pretty small offer on the house, and the realtor didn't think it was good enough. So, that was a pretty firm answer to our questions :)

In some ways I'm totally relieved, because I was thinking about all the effort to be put into that house, and the stress it would cause. And the fact that we would have been moving to a different school district and be 20 minutes away from the conveniences I'm used to.

Just for your viewing pleasure, here are some of the details on the house. Most of them need a lot of attention.

Plaster falling off the wall in one of the bedrooms. The ceiling looked just as bad.

Unfinished attic

Chimney falling apart.

The brickwork around a lot of the windows is falling apart. But the window is gorgeous :)

Gorgeous peak.

Front of the house, in need of a lot of repair. There used to be a wrap around verandah here.

The windows are in disrepair as well.

The kitchen is one room that I could probably live with for a while, if I had to.

Bathroom needs a total gut. The ceiling was falling in too.

The front entrance was pretty awesome, other than the wall paper on the walls!

View from the living room through the dining room into the kitchen.

Floors in really rough shape. The white patch is actually a newspaper that is stuck to the floor.

Real Estate

2011-08-13T20:57:00.000-05:00

So here is the promised post about real estate. For those who didn't read my last post, the brief story is that on our anniversary, Keith and I went to look at a house. We love looking at houses. Old houses, to be more specific. We have looked at numerous older homes over the past 2 years or so, and never totally fallen in love with one... until now.

I think we must have looked at 5 or 6 character type homes here in our hometown. Some were nice, some weren't great. Most of them had some issues, and only two of them were actually big enough for our family. Not to mention, since we're looking to up-size a bit, it would be significantly more expensive than our house. That is a big deterrent to us, as we are not looking to get into any more debt. We're pretty firm on that.

So we had planned on waiting a few more years before we looked seriously again. Until we saw the ad for this house.

The house is an old brick house, in a neighboring community. It was built in 1906, and very little has been changed in the house since then. It needs a lot of love and attention to bring it back to it's beautiful old self. I'm talking major work. New kitchen, bathroom, finishing the hardwood floors, doors, and trim, most of the electrical, a new furnace, etc. Yes, that is A LOT!

So last weekend we took a trip to visit one of Keith's co-workers. She lives just over an hour away from us, and in the past five years, she has been doing exactly what we might be doing... restoring a 100 year old brick house. She invited us to come and take a look and see what she had done. The house was remarkably similar on the inside, to the one we looked at, so we had a good idea of what we might be dealing with. She has done an amazing job! And, of course, it's got us dreaming :)

We both just really fell in love with the house, and so now we think and pray, wondering what's the right decision. It's been hard. Thinking about things like possibly changing schools, moving to a different community (a small village). The village doesn't have a lot of conveniences that I am used to, and we'd have to drive back to our current town just to buy groceries. The village has a gas station, a post office, a convenience store, and an arena. Oh, and it's own fire hall. Not sure what else there is.

Anyway, we will continue to think and pray, and see where God leads.

July at the Friesen Residence

2011-08-08T16:45:00.001-05:00

July. It's a crazy month around the Friesen house! I guess it started out with Rowan being out of school, and just trying to adjust to having all three kids together all day. That made for a bit of extra fighting. OK... A LOT of extra fighting. At least for a while. They seem to have settled into vacation mode now, though I could really use some tips for the annoying sibling stuff, you know, the "he hit me" "well she said she was going to hit me!"...etc etc etc. I'm trying to not let it get to me, but it's kinda grating on my nerves.

Oh look! A picture of me :) A rare occurrence.

Canada Day was spent as a family, enjoying the great outdoors. We spent a night in the valley at my Auntie Anna & Uncle Glen's cabin. The kids had a blast, and it was great to just get out as a family. We don't do that often enough.

We made our breakfast in the woodstove, roasted our lunch over the campfire, went for a walk in the bush (I had 4 ticks, ICK!) and also a ride behind the quad.

The second weekend of July, we celebrated Keith's brother-in-law Darren's 25th birthday. We all met at a park and enjoyed the sunshine. The kids had a blast playing at a different playground than usual, and we all enjoyed the time spent together.
On the 15th, we went as a family to visit Keith's parents. Keith, Emery, and I stayed just til Saturday afternoon. We left Rowan and Bria there for the week, and headed home! I know the kids had an awesome time, and we got to hear some hilarious stories when they came home the following Saturday. Emery kept me busy as she REALLY missed having her siblings around. She didn't know what to do with herself, and I got the brunt of her sadness and confusion. She sure was happy to see them when the arrived!

So Rowan and Bria were gone from July 15-23.... during which time Rowan turned 6. Yup, my big boy was away from home for his birthday! It was a very strange feeling to not celebrate the day with him, but I know he had a great birthday with his Grandparents.

Since my Mother-in-law's birthday was the 25th, and Bria's was the 30th, we had a big party at our place when the kids got home on the 23rd. I loved hosting Keith's whole family for the day :) We don't get to do that very often.

My Dad also had his birthday in July, but they weren't home at the time either, so we never really celebrated at all. It's been a crazy busy month!

During the week that the kids were gone, I was actually surprisingly busy. I went to a training session to be an enumerator for the Provincial election (I'm just a sub, so I haven't done anything yet). I also had an appointment to prepare for dental surgery next Monday. I'm definitely NOT looking forward to that! I'm getting all four wisdom teeth, plus one other molar, pulled.

Oh, and hey, did I forget to mention that Keith and I celebrated our 8th anniversary on the 26th? Yup! It was really simple, but nice. We went to Boston Pizza for supper, and then to look at some real estate :) I'll have to post about that another day...

Do you have a Diastasis?

2011-07-18T20:59:00.000-05:00

Just recently I came across a bloger that talked about something that I think more women need to know about. I know I had heard of it once before, but never really took it terribly seriously. It's called Diastasis Recti, and I would guess that most women who have had children have this to varying degrees.

If you have a "mommy tummy" and just can't seem to get rid of it, despite lots of sit ups and crunches, you most likely have a Diastasis. Diastasis Recti is the gap between your muscles, straight up and down your belly. Sit ups and crunches only serve to make this gap wider, believe it or not.

Fortunately, I got in contact with Julie Tupler, creator of the Tupler Technique, and she agreed to send me a copy of her DVD, as well as a splint, to help me fix my tummy issues. I'm actually doing a review of these products for She {hearts}It, but I felt like it needed a bit more explanation and exposure, so I'll be blogging about it here as well.

First of all, I had to measure how big my Diastasis is. Here is a quote from Julie's website about how to check for your Diastasis:

CHECKING FOR DIASTASIS
A diastasis can be checked both during and after pregnancy. The object is to determine how many fingers will fit in the space between the two recti muscles. You also want to determine the condition of the connective tissue. The deeper your fingers will go towards your spine, the weaker the connective tissue. If you feel a pulsing while you are checking, this is a sign of very weak connective tissue. Start with your middle three fingers. You will also want to measure your waist before you start on the program. This measurement will get smaller as the muscles start coming together.

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your fingers in your belly button. Your fingers should be pointing in the direction of your toes. Relax your abdominal muscles and lift your head. If you are holding your abdominal muscles in as you check it will give you a false reading as this will make the diastasis appear smaller. The muscles will get closer together the higher you lift your head.

To get a more accurate reading, it is important to check yourself when you first start feeling the muscles coming together. You might have to come up and down a few times so you can feel how the muscles work. If you don’t feel the two ridges of the muscles with 3 fingers you may have to put more fingers in. If you see the football- like ridge you should start by using 4 to 5 fingers. You may even have to use 2 hands if your diastasis is very large.

So, using this technique, and measuring at the top, middle and bottom of my tummy, I measured:

Top: 1
Middle: 2
Bottom: 1
Belly measurement: 34 inches around my belly button (yikes, that's embarrassing to post!)

Part of fixing the Diastasis is wearing a splint. The Tupler Technique offers it's own unique splint, which works to hold the muscles closer together. The goal is to wear this splint 24/7 for the next six weeks. I'll be honest and say that I am currently taking a small break.

Another part of the program is some very simple, yet effective, exercises that need to be done daily. For more information on these exercises, I suggest either getting a copy of Julie Tupler's book, or her DVD. Both are available here for those in the US, and here for those in Canada.

The program also includes specific instructions on what can make your Diastasis worse, and what movements you need to do properly to prevent making it worse.

So, over the next six weeks, I hope to be updating here occasionally. I want to stress that while I may not have a huge Diastasis problem, my transverse is very very weak, and I have a lot of back pain. My goal is to really strengthen my transverse and close the small gap that I have.

Hair fun... updated!

2011-07-07T10:52:00.001-05:00

I think I'm one of the most non-hair savvy moms out there :) I totally don't know how to use flat irons (I do own one), my hair looks the same every day, and my girls are lucky if they get their hair brushed and a clip in place for the day (or a few minutes, til they take it out).

But today Drea posted a very easy and fun way to get curls without heat, so I experimented with Bria's hair. You can read Drea's post here, but this is the video that she learned from:

So I started with Bria's hair. She has her mama's hair, that's for sure, very fine and very slippery. So I had to spray it first with hairspray, and then pull it through the headband. She also has fairly short hair, so I couldn't pull the back through at all. I love the way it looks all twisted up though. We'll see how the curls turn out later!

OK, so Bria didn't last very long with the headband in her hair. So, this is what it looks like! I think I'll definitely do this again. Very sweet and simple :)

To Remind Myself

2011-07-05T17:01:00.000-05:00

^{Matthew 6:}
²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?
²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I really needed to remind myself of this right now. I have such an issue with worrying! What should I be eating/avoiding to be healthy? What should I wear? Why don't I have any NICE clothes?

I'm realizing more and more lately that I tend to turn to the internet for answers on everything. I mean, google is a great tool. But when I am constantly searching online, instead of spending time in God's Word, then what benefit is it to me? I seriously need to bust my online habits.

Yesterday I read a post on Women Living Well that was a huge challenge to me. I actually was just going to ignore it, but I find that I really need it. I encourage you to check it out. Courtney from Women Living Well is logging all of her online time this week. I might just have to do the same. Can I break this habit? I pray that I will. It's got to stop!

Inspiration Workshop - Week 5 Bathrooms!

2011-06-30T09:08:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed that I have missed the last three weeks of Gussy's Inspiration Workshop. I've just been enjoying my guilt free time away from blogging :)

Today though, the prompt is Bathrooms. When I think of bathrooms, I think of my kids, cause we seem to spend a lot of time in the bathroom together! That made me think of the bathtub and dirty, grimy, messy kids. And then I remembered a photo of Bria from 3 years ago (wow, it's been that long!)

So, here's my photo for today. Doesn't it just inspire you to go scrub your children in the tub, lol!!!

What I'm Thankful For Today

2011-06-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

I'm thankful for a Dad who will drop everything to come over and help put in a patio door. A Dad who loves my kids so much that my little girl's first real word was Papa. A Dad who is willing to make himself vulnerable in Sunday School, sharing from his heart, with a few tears mixed in. A Dad who selflessly spent many hours with me as a kid, delivering newspapers. I Love You Dad!!

I am also thankful for a Father in Law that makes every moment special for my kids. A visit to "Muddy Grandpa" is always anticipated for days and followed by "Can we stay longer?". I also see how he has been a very positive example in Keith's life, and for that I am very grateful.

And lastly, to the father of MY children :) Keith is such an awesome Daddy to our kids, and I love to watch him interact with them, take them on special "dates" and teach them things that a mother just doesn't think of. He is an excellent provider, caring for all of our needs. I couldn't have picked a better Daddy for our littles :)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Beauty

2011-06-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

My hubby brought this gorgeous bouquet home for me the other day :) I think it's probably my favorite bouquet ever. The colors are just happy and summery and I smile every time I look at it :) Doesn't it look lovely?

Facebook Hack

2011-06-04T09:18:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it, but someone finally hacked into my facebook :( So if you received an email from me, or a message on Facebook, please ignore it! I won't have access to my account for the next 24 hours, which is annoying, but hopefully it will help move things along. They even tried changing the email address in the account to keithandstacey@ymail.com. Sickening. Argh.

Inspiration Workshop - Week 1

2011-06-03T08:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was one of those crazy days with too little sleep and too much to do, so this totally slipped my mind! I joined up with Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop, and yesterday was to be the first post. I completely forgot about it! Better late than never, right? My post yesterday did sort of include what I wanted to write about anyway. The prompt for this week is something handmade. And so I figured the most recent thing that I made was my costume for the Ladies Tea! It was very simple to make, but lots of fun to wear. I'm guessing it may come in handy in the future too.

You can join the Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop too! Just click on the button for more information.

Ladies Tea

2011-06-02T14:16:00.000-05:00

So the Ladies Tea at our church was a HUGE success! I had a lot of fun dressing up, and enjoyed seeing the costumes that the other ladies came up with. Definitely a lot of creativity flowing! We had some ladies who dressed in family members clothing, some that borrowed outfits from friends from other cultures. Others shopped the thrift stores, and still others did some sewing.

I think the heart of the evening was beautiful too, and I really hope that we will continue to get to know each other on a more personal level. It was a great beginning though :) (photo credit: Eva Krahn)

The Leading Ladies of the Youth Group :)

African Women

Very authentic Mennonite :) You ladies were awesome!

Cheese Cheese Cheese. I figured out that I don't like most of it, lol.

I still had my share of food!

A group shot of all of us! Huge turnout for this event!

Kindergarten Field Trip 2011

2011-05-30T16:27:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday Rowan went on his first ever field trip! All the Kindergarten kids from the morning classes at his school loaded onto the bus at 8:30 am. They headed to a farm about an hour away. I didn't get to go along, cause I had no one to watch the girls for the day, but one of the other moms was super sweet at took a bunch of pictures for me! So thankful for that, cause I almost cried when I realized I wouldn't be able to go along. I mean, it's his first field trip! What mom wouldn't want to experience that with her kids?

On the bus, ready to go! Can you find Rowan?

Rowan and his buddy Kyle. Kyle's mom sent me the pictures.

Playing with the sheep... and the girls? LOL!

Hay Ride!

Enjoying his first ever school lunch! I probably packed way too much :)

Kids, or cows?

Trying not to squish the chick!

What if we were real?

2011-05-27T14:06:00.000-05:00

This blog is my outlet. It's my place to show the real me. Sometimes it's not pretty. Sometimes I really let it all out. Most of the time, it's a place of thoughts and happenings in my life. I know I've neglected it lately, and maybe that's because there is just so much swarming around in my head, I don't quite know what to write and what not to.

Tonight we are having a Ladies Tea at our church, and I'm SO excited! The theme is Women Around the World. We are supposed to dress up as a woman from another country/culture. I'll share my costume yet, but not til after the evening is over :) Don't want to ruin the surprise!

The whole point of the evening is to really connect as women. We have a very unique church in that about 1/2 of our church body is not originally from Canada. Many have moved here from Germany, and previously from Russia and surrounding countries. It seems that there just seem to be barriers there, even if we didn't intend to do things that way. I believe our church is incredibly welcoming, but maybe we've dropped the ball along the way when it comes to really reaching inside people, getting to know them, and building a strong church body together. I'm excited to turn the focus a bit, from intense Bible training, to getting to know the hearts of the women I see every week.

Part of the issue is just the surface relationships. Like "Hey, how's it going?" "How was your week?" etc. When you know that you will just get a surface answer like "Oh, I'm fine" or "I planted the garden, baked some cookies, etc". I want to really know these women. To make a deep connection. I want to be familiar enough with people that they know they can just drop in anytime, call me for no reason, and that I can do the same!

I don't know a lot about Mandisa (thought I do remember her from American Idol), but today I came across one of her new songs, and it TOTALLY spoke to me. This is what I want. Have a listen :)

Allergies can make you itch, OOOHHH Allergies...

2011-05-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

Sound familiar? Yeah, I wish it didn't. Today I'm fairly miserable. I feel like I'm in a major fog. So tired. My allergies have been keeping me up at night, and making me feel lousy during the day too. Itchy, sniffling, irritated. It's so hard to be positive!

But, it did make me think of a song from my childhood. Fred Penner was always a favorite, and I remember singing this song over and over as a child. I wish I could post all the lyrics, but I can't find them anywhere online! Weird. So here's the chorus. It totally sums up how I feel.

Allergies can make you itch. Oh Allergies.

Allergies can make you twitch. Oh Allergies.

You sneeze and wheeze, sniff and hack.

Go away, and never come back!

Oh, where do they come from, how long will they stay?

Will I always feel this way?

I'll be so happy when farming slows down for a while, and I can breathe properly once more. Between farm dust/smoke and all the pollen and spring "stuff" floating around, I've had enough!

Homemade Yogurt

2011-05-14T14:49:00.001-05:00

See all those pretty jars in the top left section of my fridge? That's all super yummy homemade yogurt! I've been meaning to try making yogurt for a long time now, cause I know how much cheaper it is, and I figured it would probably taste better too. It was totally worth the time and effort!

I used this recipe/method and will definitely use it again. It was clear, easy, and gave great results. I did the whole 4L (gallon) jug of Whole Milk (3.25%), ending up with 4 quart jars and 2 pint jars full of yogurt (Obviously I should have used another quart jar instead of the pints, but I didn't think it would make that much yogurt, so I ended up quickly getting out another pint jar).

In the recipe, she says that she used 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 2 TBSP of vanilla. I cut back the sugar to 1 cup, and it's still really good. Better for the kids that way too! Just for reference sake, when you look at your store bought yogurt, 4 grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. That will help you figure out how much sugar is really in it. One of the brands that we have tried that we really liked was Astro vanilla yogurt, and it has 14 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup. That seems like a lot, and my recipe, if I calculated correctly, is less than half that much sugar. Note: you can actually see a container of the store bought yogurt I usually buy, in the shelf under my homemade jars. It's Astro Original Balkan Style. That is what I used as my yogurt starter because it's just milk, cream, and active bacterial culture. No additives.

My kids all love it, and I really do too. The amount of yogurt that we made, all for a $5 jug of milk, should last us about a month, and would have cost between $15-20 in the store! And because I made it in canning jars, they actually sealed in the process, which will keep them good for a long time.

If you've never made your own yogurt, I highly recommend giving it a try!

She found the one mud puddle

2011-05-02T13:40:00.000-05:00

I'll Rise Again

2011-04-22T09:39:00.000-05:00

This morning I couldn't help but think back to my childhood memories of Good Friday and Easter. There were two albums that my family listened to every year, without fail. The first was Agapeland's Little Tree. I hope I get the chance to share that one with my kids, cause it was very powerful for me as a child.

The second album I loved was Dallas Holm's His Last Days. Particularly this song:

Oh those Dunkaroos

2011-04-20T14:59:00.000-05:00

We just had an early Easter gathering on Sunday. Of course, the kids came home with a little bag of treats to enjoy. Emery's got put away for now, and the kids get to enjoy a treat every once in a while. The first thing they both chose was Dunkaroos. When they finished, the (almost) empty containers went into the trash. About an hour later, I heard Emery making these cute little lip smacking noises in the kitchen, so I went to investigate....

I think it was yummy.

A New Day?

2011-04-11T09:34:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. Thank you for sharing your stories, and some encouragement for me :) Obviously my life hasn't radically changed since I posted, and I still can't say I have any close friends here to talk to, but my outlook has improved a bit. It probably helps that the sun is shining today. So here I go, ready to enjoy the day!

My Facebook Mini Meltdown

2011-04-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

Monday is a day that things just didn't go well, at all. See, I've been trying my hardest not to stress over our rental house, which was trashed a few weeks ago. And while I was doing pretty good about it, Keith has also had to be there every evening fixing it. So my days with the kids, are loooong. And I was tired. Not that I should use that as an excuse, but well, it affected my outlook on life greatly.

Anyone who is friends with me on Facebook saw a glimpse of what I was feeling that night. Alone. Defeated. Mostly, alone. Struggling to deal with the kids, while just feeling so low. It resulted in some angry words that I regret. I am so thankful for the forgiveness that comes so easily from my children.

Back to the alone thing. This was my status on Monday night:

Just wishing that out of 352 Facebook friends, I had one "real" friend that I could call when I'm having a bad day.

I don't know why I have to continue to struggle with this my whole life. I don't want to be this way, and I don't want to place blame on anyone. I just can't seem to push out of it, and come through the other side. This loneliness, feeling like I don't quite fit in anywhere. It's lame, but yet it's very real for me.

Many times in my childhood, and well into my teen years, I had horrible experiences with "friends". I spent a lot of time crying by myself, wondering what was so wrong with me that no one would stay my friend. Always feeling like the outsider in a group. Wishing they would happily include me in whatever they were doing. I seriously vouch for the whole "mean girls" thing. I was on the receiving end.

I remember one time in particular that was very hard. I was part of an amazing vocal jazz group in high school, and we qualified to go to a National music competition in Toronto. That in itself was super awesome :) But when we got to the college dorms where we were staying, I was basically told to go sleep in my own room, while everyone else got a roommate from the group. That really stung.

I also had my best friend from my Jr. High years tell me that I wasn't cool enough, and she wanted more than just one best friend. She wanted to be popular, and I didn't fit in enough to be part of her new group of friends. That was after I convinced her to ask her mom if she could go to public school after being home schooled for years. Yeah. I still haven't gotten over that. How do you know if you've forgiven someone? I want to, but I soooo cannot forget that memory.

I think maybe this is all so vivid for me right now because Rowan started school this year. All those memories have been haunting me as I think of my kids going to school. I don't want that for them. It scares me to death to think that they would either be on the receiving end of such hurtful things, or even worse, be the giver of hurt.

I used to think that all of these experiences made me a stronger person, and that I was more able to reach out to others. Now I just feel it all crashing in again, and I don't know why. I feel myself drawing inward, instead of reaching out to those that are in the same boat.

I'm hoping that maybe by writing this all down, I will be able to move on. There has got to be more to this life!

Daddy Reads

2011-04-01T09:23:00.000-05:00

It was so nice to spend some time relaxing this past weekend. We really needed it. Life somehow seems to always get too busy, too crazy, too un-fun. When we get away from our house, things seem to tame down, at least for a while.

We spent a couple days with Keith's family at their house, sitting in the sunshine, walking on the snow (it was so crusty you didn't sink in!), eating yummy food, and watching our kids enjoy Grandma & Grandpa.

Keith is often off doing "manly" things most of the time we're at their house, but he did have time to sit and relax a bit too. He spent a few of those moments reading to the kids. It was lovely :)

Piano Wiggles

2011-03-29T22:04:00.000-05:00

So, maybe my earlier post needs some explanation :) Basically, Keith's sisters like to steal my camera and take silly pictures without me knowing. I figured I would get back at them. So it's probably only funny to me!

And here, without further adieu, Emery plays piano.

Thievery Never Goes Unpunished :)

2011-03-29T15:09:00.001-05:00

Silly Emmy

2011-03-25T14:28:00.000-05:00

Emery has this odd obsession with her snow suit. She would wear it all day, all the time if I let her! Today, she found it (cause the kids destroyed the closet, sigh) and brought it to me. Then she went and found her fleece. I guess she likes to be warm!

Taste the Rainbow

2011-03-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I so badly wanted to make these last week, for St. Patrick's Day, but Thursdays are enormously busy in our house! With Women's Bible Study in the morning and youth in the evening, we spend most of our day at church.

I gathered inspiration from Drea, who planned on making a rainbow cake for Owen's first birthday. She linked to this site, where I got some pretty good directions for cupcakes. I really appreciated the chart for making the different colors.

My initial thought was to find a white cake recipe instead of using a cake mix. Cake mix is handy in a jam, but it sure is far from healthy. When I read things like aluminum carbonate in the ingredient list, it makes me question what exactly it is that we are putting in our bodies.

When I finally ended up making the cupcakes though, I was again pressed for time, so the cake mix it was. How healthy can rainbow colored cupcakes be anyway?! Just a treat :) And I must say, they were a hit! I brought them to a church potluck and they were one of two desserts that were totally cleaned out.

Nothing is safe!

2011-03-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

She's at it again.

This time I found her sitting on Bria's chair.

And the next time I turned around, she was STANDING on Bria's chair!

Then it was "Look Ma, no hands!".

I think I'm going to need some stress relief soon. This girl is NUTS!

Oh yeah, and the next time I looked, this is what I saw.

Just OK

2011-03-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love trying new recipes. Especially when they are really easy and I have all the ingredients in my house. This recipe uses super simple ingredients that I always have on hand. However, it was not my favorite recipe ever. It was just OK. But, in a pinch, it works. I was slightly disappointed, because I expected greater things coming from Smitten Kitchen.

I recently tried another SK recipe that we all loved. Homemade pop tarts. Yummo. I made them with cinnamon and sugar, and would love to try them with jam sometime.

Anyway, on to the Potato Pizza. It really is just pizza dough with potatoes and onions. And some sea salt and olive oil. Can't get much more simple than that! One thing that may or may not have affected the outcome is the crust. I ran out of time to make the crust from her recipe (needs like 2 hours to rise), so I subbed in my super easy fast rising one. I may give it another go with the original recipe, just to compare.

Sunday Morning Photo Shoot Gone Wrong

2011-03-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

The Places She'll Go

2011-03-09T18:50:00.000-06:00

Life is getting more and more interesting everyday. Emery continues to get herself into crazy places, doesn't understand the word no, and basically just wants to make sure that I never sit for more than 2.2 seconds. Makes me smile to see the things she tries. Like this.


Hey mom... need a ride?

I seriously didn't know she was so coordinated. Now I know :)

Oh the days of my youth :)

2011-03-07T13:17:00.000-06:00

This weekend we took our youth group to a youth retreat at Nipawin Bible College, and boy, let me tell you, it sure makes me feel old! This is the college that Keith and I met at, and it was fun to catch up with some of our friends and classmates. It was seriously crazy to think that it's been 9 years since we both finished our year at NBC! Sure makes me feel old :)

I'm pretty sure our youth had an awesome time, if their Facebook status updates today are true. That makes me happy. Cause I had a great time too. The worship was awesome, the speaker was clear and fun to listen to, and of course, our girls pulled some good pranks :) GO GIRLS!!

I can't wait to go again, whether it's next year (I hope!) or in the next few years. I'm sure we'll be back. NBC will always be a place of good memories for me. My first year out of the house, my 18th birthday, my first (and only) serious relationship (which resulted in a fabulous marriage of almost 8 years), my first kiss, some great friendships, and of course, many great lessons learned. I would encourage anyone to take at least a year and go study at NBC.

Hopefully later on today, or in a few days, there will be some highlight videos up on youtube. So, until then, this post will remain pretty boring looking :) I totally forgot to take my camera out of my purse (and let's face it, my hands were FULL the whole weekend. I had Emery to lug around everywhere on campus.).

Today is the Day

2011-03-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

It's launch day!! That means you should really go and check out our new site, ok? I promise you won't be disappointed! Today's giveaway is an awesome $60 prize pack from Pure Anada. And I KNOW I have some faithful Pure Anada users as readers! Here's your chance to get some free product. There is also a great discount code if you check out the review. So make sure to stop by. I'll be posting a giveaway tomorrow, and you won't want to miss that one either.

She {Hearts} It

2011-03-01T13:17:00.000-06:00

Many of you know that for the past two and a half years, I have been writing for a blog called Glimpse Reviews. It is an awesome Canadian resource for all moms out there, and I really enjoyed my time there. Recently though, I decided that it was consuming too much of my time, and made the choice to say good-bye.

Only weeks later, Drea and I were chatting, and she mentioned that she might need another editor for a brand new website that she was working on. I told her that I just got too busy with Glimpse, and wasn't looking to replace that with anything. And then she mentioned that I would only be required to write twice per month...

So, I am now part of a awesome new team of women, working together to make She {Hearts} It an amazing website for women everywhere! Our official launch is next week, March 7th, and we really really hope that you will all come by and see what we're all about. After all, without readers, a website cannot thrive!

Make sure to pass the word along, because we will be having some fabulous giveaways!

Sneak Peek...

2011-02-24T16:03:00.000-06:00

... of my new ring sling love :)

Awana Grand Prix

2011-02-23T14:33:00.002-06:00

He chose the design himself, but Keith did most of the work ;)


See that Swiss Cheese mouse trap? That belongs to my cousin, Madeline.

Friday night we got to enjoy our very first Awana Grand Prix with Rowan. He was super excited to try out his car on the track. And, us being first time Awana parents, lol, had no idea what to expect! We were kind of surprised how official it all was.

Honestly, Rowan was pretty disappointed at first, because his car was not the fastest. I'd say it was about average speed. BUT, he did win 3rd place for best car design in Sparks :) That made for one very excited boy! He grinned like crazy as he accepted his award, and of course, the sweetheart that he is, he wanted to share his chocolate bar with all of us.

I think he's really looking forward to next year, and trying again to make the fastest car!

Watching the race with his friend Ashton and Bria.

As we figure out the whole routine and the way things work at Awana, I have to say that I'm so glad that we decided to send Rowan this year. I know I've heard it said before, and totally agree, that it is important to get our kids memorizing Scripture at a young age.

The younger the better, because it is so much easier for them to learn when they are young! Rowan has shown that he can do much more than I ever thought. I can't wait to sign him and Bria up for next year!

Even Emery got right into the action, sitting with some girls that we don't know, lol.

See that grin? Happy, happy boy :)

Happy Birthday Emery Shae!

2011-02-19T23:01:00.000-06:00

It started with this.

and then ended with this.

A year later, this is what we have :)

So what is our little one year old up to these days? Well, here's a few things.

~Taking her first steps! She's getting so much braver. She'll try walking halfway across the room now, and sometimes, she makes it!

~Saying a few simple words like Dada, hi, Mama, uh-oh

~Signing 'all done' and 'more'

~Nodding her head for 'yes' and shaking her head for 'no'

~SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!!!! Finally :) This sure was a long time coming! Oh the freedom, to not have to nurse her in the middle of the night. I'm so thankful that we are both able to sleep better this way.

~Naps... one longer one in the afternoon, and just a short one in the morning.

~She loves oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, and Baby Gourmet foods. She's kinda fussy about what she eats, and will definitely let me know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she does NOT like something!

~She weighs 22 pounds (10 kg) and is around 30 inches tall or so. (She was so squirmy at her appointment, I'll have to try re-measuring myself at home!)

~She has 4 teeth, see!

~She doesn't like having sticky hands, apparently :)

~Looks really cute in her birthday outfit

Dreaming of warmer weather

2011-02-16T16:06:00.000-06:00

Rowan at the park as a little guy :)

The last few days the snow has actually been melting here, and it's been fun to let the kids go out and splash in the puddles :) Makes me dream of summer, and how nice it will be when they can go out anytime and play in the yard.

Right now our yard is just a huge big open canvas, and one day, I'd love to have a swing set to put out there. That's one of our kids favorite things to do when we go to the park, and I know they would enjoy having one in our own yard.

If you check out the website in the link, there are some fun looking swing sets. I love that some of them have 3 swings, so all of our kids could swing at the same time!

Maybe, just maybe, one of these years we will get a swing set!

This post was sponsored by CSN stores.

TAG!

2011-02-09T10:30:00.000-06:00

Drea tagged me in this fun little questionnaire, so I figured I'd join in the fun!

Rule #1: the tagged person must write their answers on their blog and replace any question they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

Rule #2: tag 4 people to do this quiz; they cannot refuse (ok, so nothing bad will happen if you don’t participate but I would love to see your answers). The tag-ee must state who tagged them.

1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals or are they members of your family?
We don't have any pets, but to me, animals are animals, not members of the family.

2. If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?
That I would be able to raise up my kids to be passionate followers of Christ. That's a huge 'life' dream. A more selfish dream is to live in the perfect old character home, with a nice big kitchen :)

3. What would you do with a billion dollars?
In no particular order, because obviously a billion dollars would easily cover all of this :)

Tithe
Pay off our church building and finish all the renovations that need to be done
Buy our build our dream home
Buy an RV so Keith and I can go traveling when we retire :)
Put away college savings for our kids
Put away money for retirement
Donate to missions

Buy Keith his dream car and a shop to work on 'manly stuff'
Buy baby carriers for all my friends who are having babies :)

4. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
Focusing on what is really important in my life, praying, and sometimes, hanging out with friends or family for a while.

5. What is your bedtime routine, with your kids?
Keith usually puts the older two to bed, and I put Emery to bed.
So, for Rowan and Bria, it's bathroom, jammies, story, pray, turn out the lights
For Emery, it's jammies, sleeping bag, and then I nurse her into oblivion, lol.

6. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your significant other?
We met at NBC, way back in 2001! We were both there for one year after high school, and honestly, we were both immediately attracted to each other :) We started dating 2 months after we met, got engaged just over a year later, and married 5 months after that!

7. What kind of books do you read?
Right now I mostly just read my Bible. Not a lot of time for other reading, except to my kids of course! The book that I need to finish is Baby-led Weaning. I'll be posting a review of it on here sometime soon, hopefully! I just never take the time to sit down and read these days. Bible School kinda killed my love of reading. I used to be a major bookworm, until I HAD to read so much for school.

8. How do you see yourself in 10 years?
Well, I'll be 37 then... according to Keith, life is over at 30, lol. Hopefully I'll be a happy mother of 3, a loving wife, and serving God wherever He wants me to be.

9. What’s your fear?
That I won't be a good parent to my kids, and they will turn out to be rebellious and turn away from God.

10. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to see outer space?
No way! I have no desire to see outer space. I'd much rather eat my junk food, lol.

11. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Roll over and try to sleep some more. (Sorry Drea, I had to steal your answer!)

12. If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?
That he would be more of a leader, and make more decisions.

13. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I've always loved my name. My Dad picked it out :)

14. If you had to choose between six months of sun or six months of rain, what would you choose?
Definitely sun! That's why, even though our winters are nasty cold, I'd much rather be here than on the rainy coast. How depressing.

15. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
I'm a carbaholic! So bring on the bread, pasta, cake, etc.

16. What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?
Looking back on my life years later and seeing what I was dealing with back then.
Keeping in touch with friends and family.

17. Do you prefer salty or sweet foods?
Both!

18. What items are in your purse right now?
My wallet, a reusable grocery bag. That's probably about it :) Maybe some hand lotion? I really don't know. I'm not much of a purse person.

19. If you had to choose between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains where would you go?
I'd say the mountains. I love the sun and all, but there isn't a whole lot you can do at the beach.

20. What do you watch on television that you know you shouldn’t?
Well, sometimes watching shows like Love It or List It make me covet other people's homes. But I don't think I really watch anything bad. Most of it is home reno stuff or happy reality shows. I used to watch a lot of crime shows, which were not so good for me.

Now I tag...
Andrea @ Spoken For
Randi Lynn @ S Club 4
Kalle @ Growing C's
Lindsey @ Diary of a Crazy Person

Anyone know?

2011-02-07T08:55:00.000-06:00

My sweet Grandma has been losing her vision very quickly, and is devastated that she can no longer read. Reading was her main hobby, and she loved it, so now that it's taken from her, she gets super lonely and bored. It's hard seeing someone so very discouraged.

I'm hoping to find her a good audio Bible that she can use without having to read anything, or use ear buds. Does anyone have a good suggestion? That kind of rules out sets of CD's, because she'd have to read the words on the disc to be able to figure out which book it is. And who has a Grandma that enjoys ear buds? I can't imagine too many :)

So, if you've heard of something that might work, or have one that you really like, please share with me where you got it! I'd love to bless her in this way.

Dialect/Accent Vlog

2011-02-01T11:07:00.001-06:00

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

▪ What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

▪ What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

▪ What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

▪ What do you call gym shoes?

▪ What do you say to address a group of people?

▪ What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

▪ What do you call your grandparents?

▪ What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

▪ What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

▪ What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

So now that you've heard me talk, it's your turn!

(Vlog tag from Windy Poplars)

Glory to God!

2011-01-31T10:37:00.001-06:00

Just a song I'm enjoying this morning...

Still fits :)

2011-01-27T14:21:00.000-06:00

So Drea posted a cute little picture of Owen on Facebook the other day. He was wearing a shirt that I sent as a baby gift, and she was showing me that it still fit. I figured I'd show her Emery in the adorable dress that she sent back in July. So, first, Emery in July, and then a couple days ago!

Popcorn for breakfast

2011-01-25T09:26:00.000-06:00

Today I feel like being a little more laid back. Not laid back as in lazy, but as in more fun. I think my kids would tell you that I'm a bit of a no-nonsense kind of mom. In some ways, that's OK, but I need to let my hair down every once in a while and just have some fun!

So, when Bria asked me for popcorn for breakfast this morning, I thought, why not?! It's air popped, lightly buttered, lightly salted, which has got to be healthier than sugary cereal, right? And it's way more fun!

So, here we sit, eating our popcorn, enjoying the sunshine this morning :) I think it's going to be a good day.

Pretty in the Kitchen

2011-01-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

I love aprons :) I've been looking around for the perfect one for a while now, and found the Emmeline Apron pattern. I do a bit of sewing, but this wasn't really something I wanted to try, since I get tired of sewing super fast and well, I'd hate to waste a bunch of fabric, lol.

So, I searched around and found a great little Etsy shop called Cookie Jar Scraps with a gorgeous Emmeline Apron, all finished and calling my name. Unfortunately, her shop is empty right now, but you might be able to request a custom item if you contact her.

The best part of this apron is that it is reversible!

I love these kiddos :)

2011-01-12T15:13:00.000-06:00

You know what I love? I love how carefree and crazy kids are. Making silly faces, singing silly songs, asking questions, making up funny stories.

These are the kinds of memories that I want to treasure. Bria trying to exercise alongside me. Rowan learning verses for Awana. Emery learning new skills like playing on a xylophone.

They grow up so fast! Lord, help me to remember these moments.

30 Day Shred Update

2011-01-11T10:51:00.000-06:00

Well, I just completed my fourth day of the 30 Day Shred! So far, I'm impressed with how much of a workout it is for just 20 minutes. Of course, this is coming from someone who is completely out of shape, lol.

It's already becoming a bit easier, so that makes me happy. If it means that I am gaining strength and endurance, that's exactly what I'm looking for.

I'm still praying that I have enough follow through to make it through all 30 days. My plan is to go Monday-Saturday and take Sunday off. Here's to good health!!

I'm gonna shred...

2011-01-05T21:30:00.000-06:00

So after 9 months of pregnancy, and nearly a year of taking care of a baby, my body is in serious need of some muscle tone and cardio fitness. Enter: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It's on it's way to me, and I can't wait! 30 days sounds like an attainable goal to me, and I've heard nothing but good stuff about this workout.

I really have been meaning to order this for a while, but I finally broke down and did it after spending New Year's Eve with my in-laws. They drove me to it, lol. OK, so not really :) My 3 beautiful sisters-in-law and I all weighed in that night, wrote down our starting weights, and are going to be doing the shred TOGETHER!!! Yippee! That makes me smile :)

And then, just like 2.5 minutes ago, I was reading Mama Notes, and noticed that she was starting up a 30 Day Shred Challenge. So, hop on over and join us, OK? I'm guessing I won't be able to start on the 7th, like everyone else at Mama Notes, but that's OK. I will start as soon as the DVD arrives at my house.

I'm looking forward to that feeling you get when you exercise. Not the super sore, I can hardly walk feeling, but the happy, I've been physically active feeling. I need that.

Reminder... Inspired By Finn... Amber Jewelry Discount Code!!!

2011-01-05T15:38:00.001-06:00

Once again, we have major teething going on in our house, and I am SOOOO thankful for the amber necklace that Emery wears daily. Not only is it effective, but it's pretty cute too, lol.

I just wanted to remind you that if you use the code StaceyF, you will receive 25% off your order at Inspired By Finn. If you do use the code, let me know! I need to let them know how many items were purchased with my code. Thanks, and enjoy!

It all started with Google Chat

2011-01-03T18:34:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday night, I was having a really tough time. OK, so lets face it, I've been struggling for a while, and you've all noticed. I was online, just trying to figure some things out, and noticed that Drea was online. We often chat with Google Chat (awesome, if you haven't tried it) when our kids are sleeping or we have a few spare minutes.

That night though, my heart was super heavy, and I shared with Drea how I really needed to do something to help me stay accountable with my relationship with God. I really want to grow closer to God, but I'm so terrible at sticking with things. I have always struggled with setting aside a quiet time each day, and things haven't changed.

Through our chat, Drea and I decided to start a blog together, where we will post the things we are learning, encouraging each other to spend time with God each day. We have opened it up to other online friends and family, so if you are interested in being added as an author, please let me or Drea know. We're working out the details, but it should be a great source of accountability and encouragement for all of us!

So, here is your invitation to become a reader of And This I Pray. For now we are leaving it public, and we'll see how it goes. We may choose to make it a private blog if we feel it would be better that way, but we want to be able to encourage anyone who might stop by.

Just a side note as well, we started this after hearing about Good Morning Girls. You can form your own group, or find some new online friends at the Good Morning Girls forum. It's all meant to be daily accountability for women in their walk with God.

Life Update

2010-12-30T15:24:00.000-06:00

I've been sitting here, trying to decide what to post about, putting it off for so long, and now it's time to just write! I sometimes wonder what you, my readers, want to hear about anyway. Is my life really that interesting? Do I make an effect anywhere with my humble little blog?

So what has been happening in our house these last few weeks. Well, one word can sum it up pretty well! Sickness. Yup. The kids have all had their share of viruses, and I'm getting really tired of it all. It started with Emery & Rowan getting what I think was Rotavirus (a day of vomiting, then a week of diareah). Thankfully Bria avoided that one. Then Keith and I both had some bug that left us feeling nauseated for a few days. I'm actually only just starting to feel better now. The slight stomach ache just wants to hang around.

And, if we hadn't had enough of the sickies, Emery and Bria both have a horrible cough and runny nose. Yesterday Bria had a fever as well. It just never ends! What on earth can we do to get rid of all this crazy sickness?

OK, so enough about that :) In other news, Rowan has been on holidays since the 22nd, and it's been soooo nice to not have to rush out the door in the morning! I have to drop him off at school and pick him up, everyday, and it can sure get tiring. I get up before everyone else on school days, so I've been enjoying a tiny bit of lazy time this last week. I honestly think homeschooling would be so much easier in that way! Not that I would get any free time, but I also wouldn't have to wake up my baby from her nap just to go get Rowan from school. I wouldn't have to start the vehicle when it's -20 outside.

Rowan has been doing really well in school. When we talked to his teacher about a month ago, she said he could do everything she had already tested him for, and was sure he was able to do many other things as well. He is really taking off with his reading, and often reads to Bria. It's very sweet :) The funny thing is, he doesn't seem overly excited about going to school. I wonder if he just doesn't learn anything new, so it isn't very exciting? Not sure, but I know I didn't ever push him to learn, so there's not anything I can do about that! He has a few friends that he talks about regularly too, which is nice. Hopefully he will hang out with kids that will be an encouragement, and not a bad influence. That is one thing that really scares me about school. I never really had good experiences with relationships at school. I spent a lot of time crying and trying to figure out why no one liked me. I don't wish that on anyone, especially not my kids!

So what does Bria do when Rowan is at school? Well, she likes to be wherever I am. All. the. time. I'm trying not to get frustrated when she wants to 'help' me with everything. I know this is something I need to take as an opportunity to teach her about homemaking. So far, she loves washing dishes with me, sweeping the floors, and throwing the laundry in the washing machine. She's also pretty good at folding towels :) Bria's personality is 100% vibrant and full of expression. There is never a dull moment. Ever. From her animated stories and conversations, to her fun songs, she's always chatting away about something. The house is incredibly silent when she's sleeping! We love her energy, and pray that she will learn to use her creative mind for good things. What age do they learn impulse control anyway... lol.

Emery. That's one very determined little girl! She may just rival her big sister when it comes to being mischevious! Emery is very confident with getting around the house, but isn't quite brave enough to walk yet. I thought for sure she would walk before Christmas, but she's just way to fast crawling and that keeps her happy for now. What else to say about Emery... Maybe point form is easier.

~She loves to eat yogurt, bananas, oatmeal, and mandarin oranges. It's very hard to coax her to try anything else right now, which is quite frustrating. I think it might just be a stage, and I also think it is directly related to....
~Working on a few teeth right now! She only has her two bottom teeth, but I *think* I can see 4 new ones coming in! I sure hope I'm wrong, cause that's a lot all at once! Then again, this teething business is no fun at all, and I'd love to get it over with. Especially since they pulled Hyland's Teething Tablets off the shelf. Those things were the only thing that worked, and I'm so upset that I can't buy them!
~She's starting to 'talk' more. Lot's of bababa and dadada, a few mamas, and nigh nigh, even nanana. I think she may even be trying to make specific sounds, but who knows :) Can't really ask her, hehe.
~She isn't very interested in toys. She likes boxes that she can open and shut, things that she can put in her mouth (especially things that she shouldn't, like garbage), and she really likes touching things that she knows she shouldn't (like the TV)
~Still thinks she's a newborn. She still wakes usually twice every night, and wants to nurse. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do next with her. She goes in phases. She'll slowly start waking later, and less, and occasionally has made it through the night no problem. And then the whole crazy cycle starts over again. Need I say that I'm exhausted? Some say just let her cry. We've tried that. It doesn't work with her. And even when she does start sleeping through the night for a day or two, it never lasts.

And how are Keith and I? I'd say we're OK. Trying to make it through this stage of life right now. Tag teaming at night with the kids, trying to stay positive! There are so many things that go through my mind everyday. Thoughts like...
~I need to stay positive so I don't get depressed
~This won't last forever, so enjoy it while I can
~My kids need to have a positive mom, not a yelling one
~How can I get through to my kids on a daily basis without getting angry with them
~What am I doing wrong
~stay positive, stay positive, stay positive.......

So, I'd have to sum up this month, even year, and say that it's been a struggle. I'm fighting the negativity, but it's definitely not easy. I really don't know how other parents can handle having more kids. I'd love to know their secrets. I'd love to spend a week observing a family that has it all together.

And that's it for today's ramblings :) We'll be celebrating Christmas with Keith's family this weekend, so I'll be back next week sometime. I hope.

Days like this

2010-12-22T14:40:00.000-06:00

I wish I was a good photographer! The beauty outside my windows right now deserves more than the quick snapshots that I take. Winter may be cold, and often miserable, but it sure is beautiful!

So Proud!

2010-12-20T11:14:00.001-06:00

Last night was our church Christmas program. The kids did so well! I was especially proud of how well Rowan did :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I don't make it into photos very often...

2010-12-15T15:07:00.000-06:00

Delmar Christmas Banquet, 2010

This parenting thing is hard

2010-12-15T10:16:00.000-06:00

This last week has been a struggle. First Emery got sick. Just when I was thankful to get a better night's sleep, she was waking many times again. Then Rowan got sick. He is home from school for the third day in a row. I thought for sure he'd be back today, but he just doesn't feel good yet. Tonight is supposed to be his school Christmas program. Right now I'm not very hopeful that we'll make it. I'm so sad! The very first school program for our family, and we'll likely miss it :(

Part of having sick kids at home means that I am home with them all day. Last week I made it out to get groceries, and that was about it. Keith and I also were gone for Saturday for his work banquet, and then Sunday night was our church Christmas banquet. It's been a really long long week. I'm really struggling with staying positive. My prayer all day and night (when I'm up) is that I will have patience. But you know what? I so quickly turn into "Angry Mom". I never thought I was an angry person, but somehow it all comes out when my kids are disobedient and whining. It's a huge struggle for me.

I've been struggling with this all for a while now. I was so thankful in Fall when our church started a parenting course called Growing Kids God's Way. It seemed like a lifeline for me. But doing it as a church group has proved to be very frustrating for me. The lessons take 2 weeks instead of one, and there isn't a real good discussion time. I find myself getting more and more discouraged because I just am not getting anywhere with it. I'd love to do this with a smaller group.

I feel like a real failure as a parent. Why can't I figure it out? Why can't I get through to my kids? I knew parenting was hard, but this is just eating at me. I want to find joy in parenting, but right now it's just not happening.

More about Kefir

2010-12-10T11:13:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd give a little update about Kefir, since I've been making it for a while now. First of all, some excellent resources for learning more about Kefir. I found two websites, and I've learned a lot more about making Kefir, and what it is all good for.

This website offers 3 days of emails with the basic information. All of the information is available on her website anyway, but you might have to search around a bit. She is also available to email, which is really nice.

The second website is a little harder to navigate, and you do have to pay if you want to get all the info. I figured it was cheaper than wasting a bunch of milk trying to get things right, so I payed for watching the videos. I was very impressed! This is the best information I have found so far. It sure helps to be able to see things happen before your eyes, and to know what it should look like when it's ready.

I have found that my Kefir grains are finally starting to really produce. At first, they were tiny and kind of shriveled looking. They didn't travel very well, seeing as how it was around 3 weeks from when they were put in the mail, til when I got them. They need time to recover, and I'm happy they are finally plumping up. In a few weeks to a month, I might even be able to give some away.

The Kefir tastes better now too. I guess it all takes some rebalancing, since it's a culture of beneficial yeasts and bacteria. I did finally try it plain, because I was curious to know what it tastes like. It's like really strong plain yogurt (which I really don't like, lol). Sour, with a slight yeasty taste, and a little bit effervescent. So, I add in stuff like Stevia, cinnamon, vanilla, etc. Or I make smoothies with fruit, peanut butter & chocolate, etc.

Right now, I'm counting on the probiotics in the Kefir to keep me from getting the stomach flu. I've been dealing with Emery's flu all week, and I'm tired and worn out. The last thing I need is to come down with this nasty flu. So far, so good. No sign of getting sick, and it's been a week since my niece Keziah got the flu (she was at our house last Friday and was throwing up later that night). Am I in the clear? I sure hope....

Holly Jolly Blog Hop!

2010-12-09T09:51:00.001-06:00

The last few days have been full of puke and poop at the Friesen house, so I'd like to forget about it for a little while and post something more fun! (Emery has the stomach flu, in case you're all wondering who I'm talking about.)

It's the Holly Jolly Blog Hop over at Windy Poplars, and I thought I'd join in. You can check it out as well, and make sure to join in! Today is day one, and the theme is holiday food. The idea is to share a favorite holiday recipe, and I'd like to share my favorite Turkey Dressing recipe. I'm not in to stuffing the bird, so we'll just call it dressing this time. This recipe is incredibly rich and tasty. Not dry, not soggy, just awesome. It's my favorite part of Christmas dinner!

My recipe comes from The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, which is a staple in most homes where I live. If you want rich, comforting, fabulous, yet simple food, this is the best cookbook! It also includes great tips for canning, cooking, etc. The interesting part is that many recipes don't include a lot of directions. It comes from an era where everyone just knew how to do things.

Without further adieu, here it is!

Delicious Turkey Dressing

1 1/2 cups margarine (I change this to butter. I don't allow margarine in my house, lol)
1 cup onion
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 tsp accent (I have never used this. I just substitute more poultry seasoning)
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 qts bread cubes

Simmer all ingredients except bread cubes for 10 minutes. Add to bread and stir. I always throw it in a roaster and bake it, stirring often, til it's slightly crispy.

Multitude Monday

2010-12-07T16:45:00.000-06:00

So this is my second Multitude Monday! I almost forgot about it, since it's been a crazy day around here (puking baby). But here I am, none the less, with a list of things to be thankful for!

1. Beautiful sunny winter skies.
2. Family time spent putting up the Christmas tree.
3. A fresh new haircut.
4. A Dad who so generously clears our driveway when it needs to be done.
5. Despite being sick, Emery is still her happy little self.
6. A fresh new life in our church family... congrats John & Eva!
7. A washing machine to wash those pukey clothes in...
8. Friends who bring me back to reality once in a while.
9. Children who are FULL OF LIFE!!!!
10. A husband who is hard at work, having a busy day, just like me :)

A favorite Christmas Song

2010-12-06T15:14:00.001-06:00

I've been a big fan of Downhere since they began, way back in like 1998 or something like that. From their humble beginnings at Briercrest Bible College, to the big time in Nashville, they have remained true to who they are. I think that's pretty awesome.

The song is called How Many Kings, and it's a big favorite of mine.

How Many Kings ~ Downhere

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger

Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you

Meet the new Bria

2010-12-04T11:39:00.000-06:00

This morning we decided to go get Bria's hair cut. She was SO excited, but when we got there, the fear set in and she clung to my leg. Once I finally got her peeled off, and into the chair, she did so well! A little uptight, and totally silent, we made it through her first salon hair cut ever! I love her new hair, and I know it will be so much easier to take care of! No more screaming when I comb her hair. I hope.

Inspired By Finn... Amber Jewelry Discount Code!!!

2010-12-03T16:08:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if I've blogged about this before, but my girls and I all have amber necklaces. Many people have noticed that my little girls wear cute little beaded necklaces, and I get to explain the benefits to them. Amber is fossilized tree resin that contains succinic acid. When worn next the the skin, the amber warms up and releases the succinic acid. This provides pain relief, which is why these necklaces are often called teething necklaces.

I have found, personally, that they really do work. And not only that, they are super cute!

Since I love to share the nifty things I find with my friends, I thought I'd also share a discount code with you all! This code is unique to me, so you won't find the same code anywhere else online.

If you use the code StaceyF, you will receive 25% off your order at Inspired By Finn. This is the store I've bought all of our amber from, and I highly recommend it! Great customer service, speedy shipping, and a great quality product.

If you do use this code, please let me know how many items you purchased! I need to let Inspired By Finn know when I've reached a certain amount of items. Thanks, and enjoy!!

The Long Awaited Room Reveal!

2010-11-30T10:57:00.001-06:00

Our bedroom has been finished as much as it will be, since exactly my birthday (Nov. 13). Perfect, since it was my birthday present, lol. If I ever find some bedding that I love, and can afford, I would like to replace ours. It would also be nice to have matching night stands, but again, it will have to wait!

I really love how everything turned out, and I actually enjoy being in our room now!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Multitude Monday

2010-11-29T15:54:00.000-06:00

So far I have forgotten to post on Mondays about what I'm thankful for, so I'm going to start, NOW! I'm excited to do this. I know I've struggled many times in this last week, with feeling down in the dumps. In the moments when I remembered to be thankful, I really did start to see things differently, and for that I am most grateful. So, without further adieu, my list.

1. Snowy days that I can stay inside
2. A night full of fun and visiting with friends on Friday. I was out waaaay too late (2:30 am), but it was so needed, and so worth it! I don't regret staying up that late at all.
3. Parents who are willing to help us out when we need a hand. On Saturday they helped me paint the living room, bedroom, and dining/kitchen in our rental house. It looks a million times better, and I'm so happy to be finished with that job.
4. Supper that is cooking away in the slow cooker. Yum.
5. Happy children who had a blast playing in the snow today.
6. A baby who is slowly learning to sleep better at night.
7. A nice warm house on cold nights.
8. A great time with family watching the Grey Cup and eating too much good food.
9. A cup of peppermint tea to relax me.
10. The fact that we have all we need.

If you want to join in, you can find the details over at the Gratitude Community.

Round 1: Bread from Fresh Milled Wheat

2010-11-20T11:53:00.001-06:00

Last night Keith brought me some samples of grain from work, so I could give the Nutrimill a try. What a sweet guy :) He brought me all kinds of stuff, but I decided to try what I have read is the best for bread, which is Hard Red Spring Wheat. This is also what is grown most here in Canada, so it's what I know will be easily available to me. Keith says that it accounts for most of the wheat grown here. I will have a much harder time finding soft wheat for things like cakes and pastry (which I don't bake nearly as often anyway).

Anyway, I put about 3 1/2 cups of wheat in the mill, and that made just enough flour for two loaves of bread (about 5 1/2 - 6 cups). I used just over 2 cups of water, if that helps you figure it out better. I'm wondering if I could have used a bit more flour though, because my loaves sank a bit when they started baking. Here is my approximate recipe:

2 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
2 1/4 tsp yeast
2 tsp salt
2 tsp gluten
approx 5 1/2 - 6 cups fresh milled flour

I always use my Kitchen Aid mixer to mix bread, and it can only handle enough flour for 2 loaves of bread, so that's what I stick with.

My thoughts on the loaves of fresh bread...

I obviously need to practice baking with whole grains, because the texture was not that great. It's really soft, but it just falls apart really easily. Not sure exactly what I need. Maybe more flour? More kneading? I let it knead for about 12 minutes in the Kitchen Aid. Any bread experts feel free to chime in.

The taste is also totally different than what I'm used to! I didn't really think it would be that different. It tastes so fresh, and slightly sweet, instead of the sort of bitter taste you usually expect from whole wheat. I can definitely get used to that taste!

So I need to spend some more time practicing making bread, which should be fun! I'll let you know how future attempts turn out too, and if I come across the perfect recipe, I'll share that as well.

Apparently she's 9 months old

2010-11-19T21:45:00.000-06:00

While reading through blogs today, I noticed first that Aliesha posted that Vera is 3 months old. Then I noticed that Drea posted that Owen is 8 months old. That can only mean one thing... Emery is 9 months old!! These three were all born on the 19th, so it's easy to know their ages.

As for Emery, she's still her busy little self! She's started to really get into stuff now. She's constantly crawling over to the wires by the computer desk, crawling underneath and between chairs under the table, trying to climb things, etc. A couple days ago she managed to climb on top of the little stool in the bathroom, while holding onto the toilet. AH!

She's somewhere around 20 pounds or so, and around 28 1/2 - 29 inches long. Long!!! She wears 18 month clothing and up. And some of that doesn't have much room left to grow. For my Canadian friends, she easily fits into size 1 Superstore clothing. I'm starting to run out of clothing options for her in Bria's hand me downs!

Emery hasn't been the greatest sleeper, though it does improve once in a while. I don't like to talk about it, because as soon as I say something nice, she sleeps even worse that I thought possible! So, don't ask, k?

Emery is starting to really notice when I leave the room. She does NOT like it! She needs Mommy in her sight at all times.

She's babbling a lot. Sometimes I think she's trying to say words like 'hi', or 'bye'. She definitely knows who 'da' is.

She still has just two little bottom teeth, with no sight of any new teeth coming in. That's fine with me! She's a horrible teether.

I'm thinking she'll be walking before the end of the year, but I could be wrong. She's quite steady when you walk her around holding her hands. Time will tell I guess!

Emery is such a joyful little thing, and we love her to pieces! I plan on posting a video of her tomorrow, but I'm running out of time here.

Another little kitchen experiment

2010-11-18T15:06:00.000-06:00

While I wait for my Nutrimill, which I *think* is waiting for me at the bus depot (YAY!!), I thought I'd share another recent kitchen experiment that I've been working on.

How many of you have heard of Kefir? I didn't know anything about it until I started reading about it on some of my favorite blogs. Tammy has once again inspired me to try something new. So far, I'm on the fence on whether I really like it or not.

Kefir is a probiotic drink made with milk and kefir grains. You need about 1 Tbsp of kefir grains to start, and you're set for life! You just put the grains in a glass jar with milk, let it sit out for a day (or two, depending on how you like it, and the temperature of your house), strain out the grains, refrigerate the kefir, and start another round with the grains and fresh milk.

I got my grains from an Etsy shop here. They came to me within about 2 1/2 weeks, which is pretty average for a package coming from the US. When I got them, I put them in the fridge for a few days, because I was a little intimidated at first. Not really sure why, cause it's actually really easy to make kefir. Anyway, once I finally did it, I followed the great instructions that were sent by email from the shop I purchased the grains from.

As for the taste, I wasn't brave enough to try drinking it straight. I have heard that it's a lot like plain yogurt, which I think is gross :) So, I poured it in the blender with a banana, some frozen blueberries, and a splash of vanilla. It wasn't too bad that way. As long as I don't think about it too much (I have a thing about 'sour' dairy), I think I can consume the stuff. I was reading that it can also take a few batches to 'recover' from traveling, and also needs to adjust to being in a different type of milk, so I think it might change in the next week or so.

I know you can also use it in baking in place of buttermilk, etc, so I plan on using it to make pancakes and waffles. I'm not sure if you have heard of soaking grains, but kefir is also great for that. I haven't experimented with that too much yet, but I might. I always need something new to try!

Here are some links to Tammy's posts about kefir:

All About Kefir
Instructions for Making Kefir
Maple Sweetened Kefir
Fluffy Kefir Pancakes

2010-11-16T14:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I was reading though some of my favorite blogs, and I came across this post from Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking. I really enjoy her blog and once again, she had a post that really touched my heart. I seriously felt like I could have written the first part of her post.

One of my goals this year was to become a radically thankful woman. I know in my heart that thankfulness is key to true joy in this life. I know that I could truly experience the fullness of life when my heart chose to purposefully focus on the good. I know my life could bring honor and praise to my Creator, and attract a watching world around me, when I was thankful and did not take for granted the precious gift of this life. This is my quest.
And yet so often, I falter in depression. I stumble into focusing on my little daily troubles – the ever growing laundry pile, the messy toys thrown here and there, and the financial struggles of staying within our budget. I loss sight of the good…I loss sight of the beauty all around me.

I mean, it's obvious. Just go a few posts back, and you get a glimpse into my life and how far my focus is from where it should be. I don't want that to be my life story. I want to be someone who can truly be thankful in every situation.

It's really quite amazing how many wonderful reminders God has brought into my life since my depressing post last week. From my friend Renee's blog, to Lindsay's blog, to 19 Kids & Counting. Seriously. I was watching the special on Sunday night, and Anna Duggar said something that just really hit me. She was sharing with some women in a prison about how she had miscarried a baby a couple months ago. She said “One thing that really helped was thanking God, thanking him in the good times and thanking him when things don’t go the way we expected them to … If you thank God it really, really releases you and helps you to be able to go on with life.”

I think that choosing to be thankful is hard. But I also think that it is what God wants. These verses say it well.

Colossians 3:15-17 (New International Version)

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I am joining the One Thousand Gifts Multitude Monday blog roll.

Check it out, and maybe you'll feel like joining too :)

It's on it's way to me... updated :)

2010-11-15T15:04:00.005-06:00

I've been saving for months. All the money that I got here and there for selling items that we weren't using has finally added up to enough to buy a Nutrimill! I'm so excited and can't wait til it gets here. I'm hoping it will be here by the end of the week.

Now of course I'd love to hear all about your experiences with a grain mill! I know some of my readers have them, and I've chatted with a few of you about them. I've also read a couple other blogs which helped me make the decision to buy a grain mill, and which mill to get.

I decided on the Nutrimill because of the way the canister works. If you load the top, it makes enough flour to fill the canister, so you don't have to measure. I also like that it has solid reviews all around for quality, ease of use, etc.

So why did I want to buy a grain mill? I'm guessing at least a few of you are wondering :) Well, the biggest reason is because the flour we get from the store just doesn't contain the nutrients that the whole grain wheat does. Even whole wheat flour from the store is lacking in the essential vitamins and nutrients that should be there. Did you know that once milled, wheat loses 45% of it's nutrients within just 24 hours of milling? And within 72 hours it has lost 90% of it's nutrients! Makes me wonder what good we get out of store bought flour and breads. It's certainly not what we think we are getting!

I also love learning new things about health and experimenting with food, so I really think I will enjoy milling my own flour. I bake bread at least twice each week, and occasionally I bake cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. I even make pasta, tortillas, and pitas once in a while. It's just something I enjoy doing.

I'll be sure to update you all once I've got the Nutrimill in my possession. I wish I could invite you all over to try the first loaf of bread too :)

*I just signed up to be an affiliate of Healthy Kitchens, which is the major online Bosch dealer for Canada. They sell all things Bosch, the Nutrimill, and many other great products. If you click on the button in my sidebar to make your purchase, I would greatly appreciate it!*

How I feel right now

2010-11-10T15:16:00.000-06:00

Slightly overwhelmed.

Tired.

Like I'm wandering aimlessly.

A bit embarrassed by how much I spent on groceries for my birthday meal/cake.

Wishing I had some plan/direction for my life.

Proud of my great kids.

Happy to have a husband who loves me.

Trying to figure out how to bring down the stress levels in my life.

Wondering why I get stressed out so easily.

She eats

2010-11-08T21:02:00.001-06:00

This little girl loves her food! Tonight I made Homemade Pasta, Beef Stroganoff, and Mixed Veggies. She loved it all. Watch and see :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Waffles... mmmmm mmmmm GOOD!

2010-11-03T13:44:00.001-05:00

Bria's waffle with applesauce

A favorite in this house with the littles is anything to do with waffles or pancakes. My kids would ask for them everyday, though I try to only make them a couple times a week at most. And when I do make them, I make them as healthy as I can while still keeping them super yummy! So my waffles (and pancakes) are mostly oatmeal, no sugar, and we put homemade pudding or applesauce on them. And occasionally I even make some pretty awesome syrup! I didn't have that on hand today, but I'll add the recipe to the post anyway, since it's incredible. Like I could eat spoons full of the stuff :) And it's totally unhealthy, but I like to think that it's better than using syrup from the store that's full of weird ingredients and preservatives.

Oatmeal Waffles

3 cups Quick Oats
3/4 cup Flour (White or Whole Wheat, doesn't really matter)
3 cups Milk (I like to do half Buttermilk)

Mix this altogether and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. The longer the better! Then add the following ingredients.

2 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup Melted Butter (so much better than oil, but you can substitute oil if you really want to)

I like to get this all mixed before I plug in my waffle maker. That way the baking powder and eggs have time to do a little magic! Cook in a hot waffle maker or iron. Makes plenty of waffles for our family. We don't need them all, but today we ate them all :)

Applesauce for Waffles

3 McIntosh Apples
3 Granny Smith Apples

Peel, core, and chop them up and throw them in a pot with:

1/4-1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Water (more if it gets too thick for your taste)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Brown Sugar

Heat til it boils, then turn down to simmer until the apples are as soft as you want them. The McIntosh apples get really soft and turn to applesauce, while the Granny Smith apples stay in pieces. This makes for a really nice texture.

Vanilla Pudding

1/3 cup White Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Egg
2 cups Milk (Whole Milk is best, but I usually just have 2% on hand)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Stir the sugar and cornstarch together in a small pot. Make sure there are no lumps. Whisk the egg together with the milk and pour into the pan. Cook on medium heat, whisking almost constantly. You don't want it lumpy or burnt, both of which can happen pretty quickly. Once it starts to bubble, cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Buttermilk Syrup
1 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Butter
1 tsp Baking Soda

Mix altogether in a pot over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, cook for 7 minutes. Make sure you keep stirring to prevent burning! And make sure you use a big enough pot, because the baking soda makes this stuff bubble up like crazy!

The Grumpy Face

2010-10-30T13:50:00.000-05:00

Hehe :) Just came across this picture the other day. It was taken back in July, I think when Keith was on holidays. Bria has this funny grumpy face that she likes to make, and so we asked the kids to both make a grumpy face. Turned out pretty good, huh!

And yes, I'm dreaming of the days of fires in the backyard and GREEN leaves on the trees! It's gonna be a looooong winter at this rate.

Kids really do say the most interesting things

2010-10-23T18:40:00.001-05:00

Check out this little video of Bria. I'm not sure if what she is saying was prompted by a certain Grandpa (you know who you are!) but non the less, it's super cute and funny. If she only knew what she was talking about!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Work in progress

2010-10-22T21:32:00.003-05:00

So, what do you think so far? Hopefully I'll have a new header soon, but for now, I'm just playing with the background, colors, etc.

And this is what I SHOULD be doing...

2010-10-22T14:50:00.001-05:00

Ready to change things up

2010-10-22T12:13:00.001-05:00

I think it's time to change things up around here! I already did a little tidying in my sidebar, and now I'm hoping to change up my template and header a bit. Hopefully soon I'll have something new and exciting!

Learning To Be {Content}

2010-10-20T14:42:00.000-05:00

Contentment. It's a big word, and it's a really hard one to learn! There are always at least two ways to see each situation in life, and one of those is with contentment. I want to see life that way. I'm working on seeing life that way. I had to pray really hard about seeing life that way last night! Right now I have 2 sick kids, and the third is barely feeling better today.

Emery is such a joy, such a happy girl. But at night, she still gets me up at least twice, usually 3 times, and she wants to nurse. I don't resent that. I love spending time with her. It is incredibly exhausting though, and it's really starting to take a toll on me physically and mentally. I have a hard time keeping my cool throughout the day.

So, last night, while I was up with her for the second (and third) time, I prayed for joy. You know the little song "The Joy of the Lord is My Strength". That is what was going through my head. Cause it's kind of hard to be joyful when you can hardly keep your head up!

And to go further along the lines of contentment... You know Keith and I started the big process of remodeling our bedroom, right? Well, I had a lot of plans for our room. Plans like new lamps, new furniture (even if only a couple nightstands), new bedding. At this point, non of those things fit into the budget, and work has ceased for now. I'm trying to get past that, be thankful for how beautiful my room looks now (even without trim and baseboards, lol). I'm trying not to let things bother me, like seeing my friends beautiful new homes, hearing that they go shopping across the border for the weekend whenever they feel like it, seeing all the fancy, shiny gadgets that they own. It can wear on my mind after a while.

So, I'm SUPER thankful that we are going through a great book with our ladies Bible Study group on Thursday mornings. It's called Calm My Anxious Heart. So far, I'm really challenged by the book. Can I wake up in the morning and make it through my day with no regrets, no jealous thoughts, just pure contentment? That is my goal. To know that I have a beautiful family, a home that suits our needs, clothes to keep me warm, and a God who cares about the little details, should be enough.

I want to share a small quote from the book. I find it incredibly challenging, and I hope that one day I can really say these things are true in my life.

* Never allow yourself to complain about anything - not even the weather.
* Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
*Never compare your lot with another's.
* Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
*Never dwell on tomorrow - rememer that {tomorrow} is God's, not ours.

This was written in the diary of a woman who had truly learned to be content, despite living in Africa for 52 years, leaving all that was familiar behind, and suffering through staggering heat day after day with no relief.

I am struggling most days, but I know that God's plan for my life is far better for me than what I can dream up. So, that is where I will leave it, in His hands.

^{Philippians 4:11-13}

¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Little of this and that

2010-10-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

This past week has really flown by, yet dragged on. It hasn't all been fun, and it hasn't all been bad either. Make sense?

We started out with Thanksgiving. It was beautiful. We spent the evening with my Dad's family, enjoying a great meal and fun conversation. But that day was also very sad. Keith's Grandpa passed away that morning. It's hard to find yourself in that situation. Celebrating Thanksgiving, yet mourning at the same time. It's a very strange feeling.

The next three days were spent planning for the weekend, which also included celebrating and mourning. Thursday evening we loaded up in our van, drove three hours, and then put the kids to bed at Keith's parents house. It was so good to be there.

Friday we spent remembering Grandpa Brandt, sharing memories, and saying goodbye. It was a beautiful funeral, if a funeral can be. I know Grandpa Brandt will be greatly missed.

Saturday included house hunting with Darren & Stacey (Keith's little sister and her husband) and celebrating a couple birthdays. Stacey and Keith's Dad are both another year older (and wiser, of course).

Sunday was a gorgeous day. We started out with a community church service in Riveton, and then celebrated Thanksgiving together for lunch. Great food, and even better company :) Faspa at Grandma Brandt's house was a great way to end our weekend.

It was full, busy, crazy, beautiful, sad, tiring, and now it's over.

She just doesn't stop :)

2010-10-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

Check out Emery's latest trick. She seriously just keeps pushing the limits, in a good way! I'm always amazed by what she will try to do. Just minutes after I took this little clip, she was crawling in the dining room. She spotted a piece of pancake that had fallen on the floor earlier, and she went after it. She crawled over the table feet to get it, lol. After I took away the pancake (it was covered in syrup) she crawled all the way under the table and stood up, holding on to the base of the table. I have a clip of that too, which I will load later :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

3 Months

2010-10-06T16:46:00.000-05:00

Just three months. Sounds short, but feels like forever! Three months ago I said goodbye to a friend. Elaine and I met just over 3 years ago, when Bria, and Elaine's daughter Lina, were just babies. They had come from Germany just a short while before they decided to visit our church, and somehow we managed to click, despite the language barrier. Of course, Elaine learned to speak fluent English SUPER fast, and we had very little trouble communicating :)

Anyhow, it's a long story, and one of God's hand being at work, but the short story is that Elaine and her family moved back to Germany in July, following God's leading for her husband to attend Seminary. And I miss her :) I wish money grew on trees so I could pick some and go hop on a plane right now! But I'll just have to wait. And pray for my friend. Missing you today, Elaine!

Our 'farewell' photo

You are my sunshine...

2010-10-02T16:02:00.000-05:00

Whenever I sing this song to Bria, my mind races back to 2 years ago. Waiting for a surgery date to come. Praying that Bria would be OK. Singing this song, crying through the "please don't take my sunshine away". I know it was just surgery, but it was a major one, on my baby, and it scared me like crazy.

And here we are, almost 2 years since she had her kidney surgery, and she's a bundle of life! I'm so blessed. She's got to be the most animated child I've ever seen. Such a silly, fun, crazy, wild, talkative, beautiful little girl!

love her