Here's the latest of my 3 rascals. The boys were playing "fox" on the top bunk, and I happened to walk in with the camera, as I had been trying to take some pictures of E in the other room. The boys both crawled to the edge of the bed to see baby sister, and I just tossed her up there and got the camera ready. As always, taking pictures of multiple kids requires dancing a jig, so apparently the one I danced worked, while keeping camera still. I love it when we can get good shots of the kids, because they are hard to get!

The Napkin Nuisance

In a house with a bunch of kids, we tend to go through plenty of napkins. It seems like someone is always spilling something at the table, and we need to wipe it up quick. Or just very sticky fingers from those who forget what utensils are for (a 2 year old is great for that). It seems I was buying napkins or paper towels pretty often, and that was getting a little old. For one, it's the cost. Two, the amount of garbage accumulated by throwing them all out. So, I toyed with idea of making a bunch of cloth napkins to use. That was as far as it got. I never get to the fabric store, and I don't have a serger (which would make doing the edges pretty easy and fast), so we just kept going through the stacks of napkins and rolls of paper towels. Then one day my aunt and uncle were having a garage sale, and low and behold here is a huge stack of cloth napkins. My aunt says, "oh, those were Grandma's, and no one needs them, so we're selling them." (for $0.10 each, I might add, while the cheapest store ones run 0.05 each). I bought the whole stack, then and there. Not only do the blue ones remind me of so many dinners at Grandpa and Grandma's they also look surprisingly like drape cloths from working in the ED suture room for so many years. Double memories. I still have the paper ones on hand, but have found these cloth ones to work amazingly well. Not only do they absorb a whole milk cup with one napkin (and they are always in a basket on the table so we don't have to run for one), they wash well and we have never run out (something we did before and then had to wait until we went to the store to buy more). Anything less that I have to buy is a score for me. (I'm also experimenting with homemade dishwasher soap, which I'll leave for another post)

Rx: Neck Brace

The other day when we were driving along, there was this guy out in his ramshackle yard wearing a neck brace. You know, the big, thick, foam kind. And it was very well worn, as verified by it's no-longer-white-color. Greg says to me, "it's been a long time since I've seen someone in a neck brace." So I told him the truth about neck braces.

Back in Red Deer working in the ER when someone came in for whiplash the doctors would sometimes prescribe a neck brace. One older doctor would say in a very sympathetic voice to me, "I think so-and-so in bed 15 NEEDS a neck brace. Could you fix one up for him?" I soon learned what he meant by that, as he explained it thoroughly one day. Those who got the neck braces were the ones who they aren't really hurt but want sympathy as well as possibly an insurance claim. So, to "fix" them, we gave them neck braces more to make them look like an idiot and make them happy, since they weren't really hurt. A neck brace doesn't do anything, except maybe give your neck a rest for a couple days (which lying on the couch will do just as well). But the healing is more in the sympathy received following the "injury".

So, next time you see someone in a foam neck brace, give them a big bear hug and tell them how sorry you are for their injury. It'll do wonders for their healing!

"Aha" Moments

This weekend we had two of those "aha" moments. One is the good kind, you hope can be repeated. The other, well, not so much.

Last week in our house we talked about taking initiative. How if we are capable of doing something, then we should see what needs to be done and jump in and do it without being told. Our eldest is the kind of kid that would let you help him with everything his whole life, so pushing him beyond his comfort zone is difficult at times. He's a perfectionist, so doesn't want to even try unless he can do it to perfection. But, he seemed eager to listen and seemed to understand what we were talking about.

All of last week was spent tending to a sick baby girl, and the boys were feeling rather neglected. They have a habit of coming in bed with me to cuddle once G leaves for work in the morning and that morning I had both of them in my bed wiggling about. I quietly asked them to leave, since it appeared they weren't going to be falling back asleep as they often do. They went to read books while I shut my eyes for a few more minutes, since I'd been up a good portion of the night with baby. When I did get up, L told me that J had to go to the bathroom and that he helped him get his fuzzy pj's off and helped him in the bathroom, so that they wouldn't wake me up. How sweet. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to watch that procedure, and to hear the dialogue it contained. He was so proud of himself, and has been noticing things that need doing and just doing them ever since. That's one of those good "aha" moments, that he figured it out and just got in there and did it. We've also been singing "I Washed My Hands" lately which has a line in it that says, "I told my ears to listen, quite closely all day through, For any act of kindness, such little hands can do", so hopefully that is sinking in as well.

The other "aha" moment came last night. When something on the floor of the van looked strangely familiar to mouse evidence. After further investigation, aha, mice again. They seem to get in every once in a while, and we can't find where they do to stop them. So, today was spent cleaning the van from top to bottom, vacuuming and washing everything that had been in there. We did catch one last night, and have the trap set again tonight. Those are the "aha" moments I could do without.

Scenes I Care Not to Repeat

The other day I had an incident that at the time wasn't funny, but now looking back makes me laugh because it reminded me of something funny. If you'll recall from the movie Dumb and Dumber, there is a scene where Harry is gassing up a car, and then haphazardly throws his cigarette into a pool of spilled gasoline. This ignites, and the flames catch his pants on fire. At the same time he is trying to get a girls phone number, and she is going on and on and on, trying to remember her number (as it had recently changed). He's trying to be polite, get the number and then get the fire out. She takes so long that finally he yells at her to just give him the number. She gets offended and drives off.

The scene I was in, a very nice lady called me and was giving me directions to her house that I needed. Baby E was fussing in my arms when she called, so I was trying to make the call as quick as possible. The lady asked, "do you want the address to Google it, or should I give directions". I told her that I'd take the address and call if I needed further directions. She proceeds to give the address and then turn by turn (with picture details so I'd know what houses are on her road) navigation all the way to her house. E is still fussing very much, crying loudly by this time right into the phone, but I can't adjust her because I'm dropping the phone with the other hand. I'm on the corded phone, and the base is hanging in midair, making the phone quite heavy. This nice lady apparently did not hear the screaming at all, as she continued to slowly and sweetly keep explaining. I tried my best to politely tell her that I'd be fine since I had the address, but she helpfully kept telling me how people always stop at the wrong house, and how people think that this certain building on the road is the house, but it's actually a shop, and how some people think that a travel trailer at the end of a driveway is their house, since they live in a manufactured house, and on and on... She finally finished and E was hanging precariously from one arm, and the phone from another, and I politely got off the phone. Whew. Thankfully I didn't have to resort to yelling "just give me the address" or something like that, even though in my head I did.

I'm tired and should be off to bed, but wasn't quite ready. Hopefully this makes sense, and you can see the similarities, although my pants weren't on fire! Oh, and by the way, holding that certain screaming baby is somewhat like holding a combination of wet bar of soap/pinching crab/marshmallow/20 lb barbell.

Cornbread Update

Because I love cornbread so much (and love a challenge just about as much), I continue to experiment with cornbread. I haven't perfected it yet, but am still working on it. I swear, by the end of winter, I will have the BEST cornbread ever. Thanks to all you who offered tips, and I'll tell you what I've tried.
-new cornmeal (apparently it can get stale)
-cast iron pan (preheated in the oven with butter in it)
-more eggs (made it hold together better, but did make it on the verge of rubbery)
-white cornmeal instead of yellow
-mix with spatula instead of whisk
I think all those tips did help, although I'd still like it a bit moister and fluffier. I have also tried mixing the batter up, and then adding the baking powder last. This helped it rise without beating the baking powder out of the batter. All the recipes say "do not overmix", but I find this hard to do. To get all the lumps out without overmixing seems an impossible task. I undermixed (in the fear of overmixing) and we ended up with flour lumps (small but still present) in the finished product.
Next to try:
-increase oil/melted butter
-try Bob's Red Mill coarse ground cornmeal
-try Alton Brown's recipe with creamed corn in it (forgot to buy creamed corn last grocery trip)
I don't give up easy...

Eczema Information

I've been asked a by different people what we did for J's eczema to make it go away, and transform him from a crying baby all the time to a happy confident boy.

As far as eczema...well...umm...got no miracles here but I will share what I've learned. But, everyone is different, and what works for us may not work for you. We are definitely not eczema free yet (we went from total body coverage to a few small patches on his legs now), just keeping it at bay as much as possible and not stressing if it isn't gone completely.

Acidophilus is huge (chewable Buddy Bears Renew Life Brand, 3 x day on empty stomach, one of those at bedtime)
Digestive enzymes (chewable Buddy Bears Renew Life brand, 3 x day with meals). What we were told is that eczema is caused from the liver not processing as well as it should so the "toxins" come out the skin. We went to a herbalist who does live blood cell analysis and she told us this, as she could see undigested proteins and carbs in his blood. She got us on the digestive enzymes and probiotics, to give the liver a break and let it renew itself, and she's actually been the only person with a plausible explanation and a cure that worked. So, anything you can do to keep the liver clean and flushed will help. It took 4 months on these two things before we noticed a difference, and then the difference was huge.

Things that helped us have been: lots of water (at least 2 sippy cups a day, and I do diluted juice because getting that much water in has been near impossible), daily multivitamins (they somehow don't absorb as much, so need more than recommended for their age), antioxidant juices (we noticed the most with mangosteen/goji, but you can use blueberry, pomegranate, cranberry, etc), fresh vegetable juices if possible (cabbage, beet, carrot with apple), limiting dairy except yogurt. I'd try goat, almond or rice milk (soy has estrogen-like qualities that isn't recommended for boys) Getting out in the sun as much as you can is very helpful too, and keeping 'stresses' to a minimum (which is hard to tell in kids, but just keeping at home in a routine as much as possible). Omega fatty oils (such as flaxseed or fish oil) are great. Use non hydrogenated margarine instead of butter, as animal fats seem to make it itchier. As a last resort I use hydrocortisone cream, which is close to a miracle in making it go away, but comes with the benefits of any steroid. I have tried pretty much every cream under the sun (I use Aveeno Soothing Relief Moisture Cream twice a day right now because it seems to work the best for the price, and goes on smoothly, which some don't), and haven't found any to be very helpful since the cause is internal. I think finding the cause is much more helpful, if that can be done.

Adventures in Babywearing

This first photo was taken one nice warm Arizona day when L was a baby. My mother-in-law and I found out about an antique fair, and HAD to go. First we knew that an antique fair was no place to take a baby in a stroller, so we stopped at the local Once Upon a Child and I picked up the first of many "baby carrying products", I'll call them. This front pack looks pleasant enough, but every time I've used it, I end up with an incredibly sore back and neck the next day. Not fun, and not worth the hassle I quickly found out.




















With another baby on the way, I researched some better options. Some people recommended a sling, but I found that baby was always too loose in it (I tried padded and unpadded, disliked both the same), and it also hurt my neck. The baby was always on the verge of falling out, and I was uncomfortable. Not much fun either. Back to the stroller...which is bulky, heavy and doesn't fit in tight places (like home, for instance) So... this is how J got carried his babyhood. On my arm, or else I just sat in my new-at-the-time Lazyboy. Let's just say I did alot of sitting with him.



















E has proven to me again the need to keep trying to find something to meet my babywearing needs. Recently I was at a garage sale where the lady was selling a BabyBjorn. I tried it on, it seemed comfortable, but my baby was asleep in the car and I wasn't about to wake her to see what it was like with her in it. I had finally decided not to buy it since it was too similar to the one that caused me all the neck and back pain, so I told her this and asked her how she had liked it. "Hated it, that's why I'm selling it" was her answer. When I delved into why, she had the same complaints as I, but did offer a solution. She said she loooved her Silly Goose carrier, and that her friend in Vancouver makes them, and that _____ is where they sell them. And that I should go to the Babywearing group in Vancouver because they have over 40 carriers to try on to see what I liked best. Well, I wasn't expecting that much information, but thanked her for sharing it. I did have her write down that information on the babywearing group though. That sounded like something I needed. It took a couple months before I actually got to a meeting, and although I felt a little uncomfortable driving to Vancouver just to look at baby carriers, I knew I had to meet these people who had mastered the art of a comfortable carrier and were willing to share that information. After arriving with my 3 little ones in tow, I started asking questions. The one lady answered every one of them better than I would have expected. I finally asked her if she would critique my 4 carriers I had with me (one was left at home), and she agreed to do so. The negatives she gave were exactly what I had been complaining (to myself and my dear everbearing husband) about. She lastly critiqued my latest carrier (made 2 weeks prior) and had nothing negative to say about it.

The last carrier (pictured below) was my own invention. It is technically called a mai tei (may tie), but I came up with the pattern myself after borrowing my chiropractors Ergo. I loved the Ergo, but they are far too spendy and I found out that they are best for trips around town and hiking, not everyday wearing around the house as they are too bulky. But, anyways, after borrowing the Ergo and taking the measurements off it, I made this one out of scraps from my fabric bin. I didn't want to buy fabric in case I didn't like it. But I love it! I wore her in it for 2 whole days at our Fall Services, and I didn't hurt anywhere the next day. Was tired- yes. Hurt- no. That has never happened before.















(Picture taken by L who is still an amateur at photography. I kept it though, as my hair was even less flattering than it is most days, so I'll just pretend it's purposely cropped like this)

Back to the babywearing group. They told me that the mai tei is the best carrier for home use, as it's easy to put on (crosses in the back and ties around the waist and then goes over shoulders and ties in the front again, which you can't really see from the picture), isn't bulky, and keeps the baby in a good ergonomic position. I have to say that E loves it. She can look up at me all day long, I can even nurse her in it, and she can sleep comfortably too.

In a small sidenote, I'll tell you what I learned about baby carriers.
-Front packs (such as my Infantino and BabyBjorn) keep the baby looking outwards, causing too much stimulation for babies for any length of time, and also hold baby up by the crotch which likely isn't too comfortable, all the baby's weight is on Mom's neck and shoulders.
-Slings -great for keeping in a diaper bag for quick trips, but must be made correctly. At least 3" rings (for maximum adjustability) and a strong but soft fabric (linen is one of the best). Mine had 2" rings, so I could never adjust them correctly. Padded slings are also not very adjustable because of their bulkiness. Weight on neck and shoulders
-Moby wraps -great for many purposes, but the one I had made used too light of fabric causing baby to feel like she was falling out. Make sure to use a very heavy knit if you buy your own fabric. Weight is evened out on neck, shoulders and hips
-Mai tei - great for all around wearing. Use a light canvas, something strong and durable. Make sure it has wide enough straps to bear the weight more evenly so it doesn't cut in to shoulders. Weight is mostly on hips, with shoulder straps only to hold baby in. (that was why I love it so much)

So, now E is a happy baby. She still only takes her two 15 minute naps a day, but at least I can carry her while I try to get stuff done. I just wish I'd known this stuff about 4 years ago. Would have saved me alot of chiropractor bills and headaches and Ibuprofen. I'm working on getting them now to do a workshop in Longview for us folks up here. Maybe we can even start our own group. You can check out their website at http://www.nwbabywearers.org/ or maybe find a group in your own town to start getting comfortable today.

Tips From a Lazy (or is it Efficient?) Mom

"There is a fine line between being efficient and being lazy" Grandma K.

In my 4 year parenting career, I've come across all sorts of information that helps me on my journey. It's a constant work in progress, with needs changing with the times. I thought I'd share some of that information, in case it can be of help to you too. I won't take any credit for the ideas, because all of them come from parents more experienced than I, who were kind enough to share them with me. Well, one came from Dr. Laura too. She has good ideas now and then.

-Focus on making sure your kids listen, first and foremost. If they don't, it makes every other aspect of parenting more difficult. I like the theory "don't let them out of your sight until they can be trusted". This usually happens around age 3. I really like the parenting website raisinggodlytomatoes.com, because the woman tells you exactly how to do this, and has 10 kids of her own. Most parenting sites/books only deal with 2 kids, and bad behavior is tolerable when you only have a few. With 10, you must have kids listen, or you'd have a madhouse. She also does "time in" instead of "time out", because she says that time out changes the action, not the attitude. Time in involves sitting by Mom (or helping her with a task) for a certain amount of time (which is often harder) and in that time you can talk about proper behavior. And I find often kids misbehave when they want/need some attention, so this kills 2 birds with one stone.

-Next is "use a timer". Kids dawdle, and this lets them do a bit of it, but not too much. It actually is more useful for me, because when it dings, I remember to check if they are done doing what I asked them to, in the specified time. Because they can't tell time, they never know when it's going to go off, so work more effieciently too. We've only started this in the past couple months, and I sure wish I would have started long ago. Alot less "hounding" on my part, and alot more obedience out of the kids. We've honed our bed time routine (9 items) from 2 hours to 1/2 hour. And the kids lose priviledges if they don't get the stuff done (toys not picked up in time = no story)

-Limit your time on the phone. This one is hard for me, because I like to stay in touch with people. But...when I'm on the phone, nothing gets done, and my kids misbehave. Guaranteed. So, I try to limit non emergent (visiting) calls to 1 per week, and then either email or text message the rest. If you find you're not getting anything done because of phone distractions, shut off the ringer. Things are typically not that important. You can always listen to the message, and call back if it is important. Time on the computer fits in the same category.

-Limit tasks each day. Don't try to clean the whole house every day, or you'll end up disappointed in your lack of abilities. I set a task for each day (the same each week), and try to commit an hour to do so (during baby's morning nap or while the kids are dawdling through breakfast) Then if things need attention, you know they will get done in a day or two, and you can let it go. My house stays cleaner this way, because I don't feel overwhelmed every day with a dirty house. Also, lower your expectations. Although I'd love a spotless house, I'm not willing to stay up late (and sacrifice precious sleep) or ignore my kids needs to get one. So, that means I'll never have one or I have to hire someone. Good enough is good enough. (a friend also mentioned that when she has a spotless house she yells more at her kids, as she wants it to stay that way, she said keeping it at 80% clean works the best)

-Don't overcommit yourself. Learn to say no. You don't have to go to every event, birthday, etc. You don't have to have a big party for everything, or everyone. Ask your kids what they want for their birthday and you might be surprised. We've found this formula works in our house: 1 event per weekend (either Fri or Sat, preferably not Saturday night as we have trouble behaving in church if out too late), home by 6 on Sunday (or else the week is just a disaster before it starts) Find what formula works in your family, and be committed to sticking to it.

-Find other parents (preferably with older children) that you can aspire to. Watch and learn. See what you like in them, and fit it to your life. Weed out that which you don't like in your life. This is a continual battle. In relation to this, adapt only one new thing in your life at a time. More than that will be overwhelming, and you'll quit before you start. Whether it be behavior modification or cooking healthier, limit it to 1 thing.

-Cook easy. As a parent with small kids I can give 4 good reasons to cook easy. 1) Less time for prep, 2) Kids don't appreciate it anyways, 3) You don't appreciate it as you're too busy wolfing it down before the baby needs you, 4) It's cheaper.

-Get your kids to help you with everything you do. This is a lazy mom's secret. Why waste your energy when you could be teaching someone else to do it? How is a kid to learn if you never teach him/her? If you involve your kids in everything you do, then they are always in sight (less discipline issues), learning as they watch, and then you don't have to be spending so much "quality time" with them, because they are getting it while you get stuff done. Greg tells about a crotchety old machining instructor at college that said, "if you have question, watch me long enough and you'll see me answer it". Not the theory we hear these days, but effective! My mom gave me a list of things kids can do at what age, and that has helped immensely. An example of this would be making pancakes for breakfast:
4 year old: gather everything he can reach (mixing bowl, measuring cups, flour, etc), set table
2 year old: sit on counter and hold spoon/wisk, stir at appropriate time, help set table, carry syrup, butter to table
baby: sit in bumbo on counter watching and chewing on spatula, involved in process
Mom: help measure ingredients, 4 yr old pours them in bowl. Answer million questions, heat up pans, cook. Guide process, but let the kids do most of the work. "Quality time is quantity time"

-This is the Dr. Laura advice. There is no such thing as balance. When you try to balance, something always loses, and then nothing gets your full attention. So make the best decision at the time and give it your full attention. As moms, we have to multitask, but for the most part, if it's time to play, play. If it's time for your husband, give him your undivided attention. Don't be thinking about what you coulda/shoulda/woulda done.

-Read magazines that inspire. I find many mainstream magazines (Parenting, Parents, etc) focus on earthly things, which isn't where our treasure should be. Find magazines that help you be the parent you aspire to. Two that I like are No Greater Joy, and Above Rubies. Both are free (with donation if desired) and usually the writers have much more on their plate than I do, and it makes my life seem pretty doable. You can order them at www.nogreaterjoy.org and www.aboverubies.org/

Now...if we can only implement these into our own life, things would be awesome. Well, life is good, there just seems to be a lot of overwhelming days these days.

In Search of Rubber Boots

I saw these boots by the front door the other day, and it prompted me to write down the story of them. It's not oh-so-thrilling, but I'm just satisfied that a discovery has been made. I will note however, that said boots were not in this neat order when I found them, much more strewn about...so much so that they wouldn't have fit in the same picture, as left there by their rightful owners.















In the Pacific Northwest, rubber boots for kids are a must. I had this notion when I moved here that my kids would only wear boots for play, not church, town, and other functions. I've been converted. They wear them everywhere (I still try to not let them wear them to church, but will admit they have). The trouble in this all comes because I'm so cheap, that I refuse to pay full price for anything. And that doubled with the fact that kids around here don't get rid of boots, they wear them out instead. So finding used ones is nigh on impossible. After forking over the full-price cash for one pair when my son needed some and I had discovered this fact of life, I vowed I wouldn't do that again and that he better wear them right out. Well, he did wear them out...in a matter of months. Sick. If this was how it went, I'd be buying about 3-4 pairs of $15 Made in China boots per year. Not only did this make me disgusted because of the money, but also because I try not to be a throw-away kind of person. Just not good stewardship. I'd rather buy quality, as it's just better overall.

This got me on the rubber boot hunt. I know you can buy good US made boots at farm supply stores, but they cost way too much for my budget. And they are boring. I wanted something so all my kids aren't fighting over whose boots are whose because they all look the same (strange fear, but I remember having to do this all the time as a kid, and someone getting one of their own boot and one of someone elses size). I did find a couple pairs at the Goodwill (of the cheap quality) so did snatch them up while I looked for a better product. I finally found what I was looking for in a thrift store up in Canada last summer. These boots are made in Canada, and are sturdier than anything you'll find around here. Plus, the hot item up there is winter boots, so rubber boots only have a short spring season, thus are not worn out and can be found in the thrift stores. Jackpot. I bought J some for a couple bucks, and L just got a pair now (he wore out his Goodwill ones in a matter of months again). So, from now on, my Mom is the rubber boot buyer. Cheap price, good quality and different colors. That's all I wanted. Now I'm a happy Mommy...in that area. I love it when a "dilemma" is solved. I have a million more to solve, but that will keep me appeased for a while. I hope.

A Day in the Life update

Reading back on my post from the other day, it looks pretty productive (and it was). Most days aren't like that. Today involved waking up with a head cold and sinus headache, 2 out of 3 kids crying (the 2 biggest ones, go figure), me very grouchy, and no productivity whatsoever. Greg made supper and did dishes, and here I sit with a fussing baby on my lap. It had alot of yelling (from me which I regret) and alot of telling the boys to be quiet because my head hurt. Then J got a sliver in his hand and we didn't know it, and he refused to use his hand for an hour after waking up from his nap, so I spent that time with him crying on the couch and finally figured out the hand issue. Friday was a much more enjoyable day, and I wish I had more of those. Oh yes, and today was Monday. How could I have guessed. :)

A Day in the Life of a Mother With 3 Small Children

A couple weeks ago at Bible Study, we were discussing the invisible-ness of God, and then were talking about what it would be like to be invisible, like He is. My dear husband said, "I'd like to be invisible to see what really goes on at home while I'm at work" with a smile on his face. Well, dear...you asked for it so here it is. (also, my sister-in-law did this last week for her own record, and I enjoyed reading it on her blog, as we both are in the same stage of life these days)

0430 Alarm clock goes off for G, I awaken slightly
0515 G leaves for work, comes to say goodbye, I awaken again. Feed a waking baby girl.
0625 J comes to the bed to cuddle and falls back asleep.
0800 Awaken to piercing shriek, fly out of bed to investigate (thinking L must have fallen out of bed and broken his arm or something worse), and find him in the bathroom sobbing because he accidentally peed on his pj's in his tiredness. Calm him down, help him get new pants, go to cuddle with him on the couch in a blanket while I try to wake up myself and start to plan my day
0830 Get going for the day (today is laundry day, normally it's Thursday, but we were gone, so it's Friday this week). L gets empty laundry baskets, we start to sort kids laundry. We talk about why we sort lights from darks, etc. L pushes the full baskets to the laundry room.
0845 J gets up, I help him to the bathroom and get him dressed. Back to laundry room and get load #1 started, stain treat what needs it too and soak if necessary.
0855 Take dill (which I picked a couple weeks ago after it has gone to seed and I didn't use it) out of laundry sink and harvest seeds to plant next year.
0900 Make breakfast. Cream of wheat for boys (as requested) and leftover cornbread for me (there wasn't enough for all of us), tidy kitchen a bit while cereal is cooking. Boys are on floor playing with cars and dominoes. L giving running commentary of what toys are doing, J humming "Jesus Loves Me" over and over and over. Cereal done, forgot to buy milk. Scrounge and find some almond milk in pantry. Boys satisfied with that, although have to explain my neglect.
0915 Done breakfast. Look in cookbook to see what dessert/snack to make for tonight (dinner at friends) I hear E waking up, but she's playing quietly, so I leave her a few more minutes. Make some coffee while boys finish eating, tidy kitchen a bit more while it's brewing.
0930 I get dressed, get E dressed, change her diaper. Back to help J finish breakfast. In meantime, L complains of stomachache and can't eat. After investigation of symptoms, I conclude he should go to the bathroom and sit for a while. I remember my coffee, should be ready by now (French press). Pour into favorite china mug (thanks, Amy). Continue to encourage J to eat while holding E. Decide to make gingersnaps for snacks, as I have all the ingredients on hand. Take butter out of freezer to soften.
0945 Still at table with J. Disgusted at rain the night before, as my "save the carpet" rug is drying out on the deck rail. Now it's soaked. J just spilled more breakfast on the floor. L has had success in bathroom, tummyache gone, now can eat. J done eating, giving extra big hugs and kisses to E (still on lap). Get one sip of hot coffee.
0950 Put E in the "blue-green" (J's name for the doorway bouncer which is blue and green) as requested by J, so I can get sheets off my bed to wash
1000 Morning call from G, discuss weekend plans (dinner tonight, chop and stack wood tomorrow). Sip of somewaht warm coffee. Sort more laundry. Start another batch washing, get drying rack from out on deck to dry inside today as it's a wet-ish day
1015 Boys hanging their clothes on drying rack. I tidy it after they're done so it drys better. They keep E happy while I finish. J helps get laundry from our room to laundry room after I help him in the bathroom. E is crying (time to feed) Sip of lukewarm coffee
1030 Boys help me move the hope chest from family room to guest room. Organize in there to make it work. E plays on blanket on floor. Sip of now cold coffee. Get spit up on for first time today.
1045 Baby decides she wants to eat more. Put Pooh SingAlong tape for boys (as requested)
1055 Sip cold coffee, think I should heat it, too lazy. More spit up (on shirt this time, it was pants last time)
1100 Get on computer to print off new sticker chore charts for boys (last one is full), check email, facebook, pay a bill online all with baby on lap
1130 Put baby in baby carrier, take load out of dryer, put new loads washing and drying. Sun is shining, so instruct kids to get boots and coats on to go for a walk
1200 Come home early from walk as J has to go potty (he won't pee outside yet) Check mail. Change his pants that are soaked from splashing in a puddle they found on our walk. Baby still awake in carrier
1205 Back outside, hear phone, so go back in to take call
1215 Off phone, L changes his wet pants, back outside to finish walk (and hopefully get baby to sleep)

1240 Back from walk. On the walk, we discuss the fall leaves turning color, and how that happens. Also, how the sun makes shadows. Pick a few strawberries. Baby still awake and starting to get fussy. Heat up leftovers for lunch (lasagne, green beans, fried potates, spinach dip and crackers)
1:10 pm Finish lunch, baby fusses in car seat throughout, so I rock her with my foot while eating and cutting boys food. I decide now to just keep her up for another hour, so she and J can nap at same time
1:20 Check clothes coming out of washer for stains before throwing in dryer. 3 items need more treatment. Start another batch washing and drying. Send L with clean batch to my room to unload basket on my bed to fold. Boys try to amuse E, not working. She's tired...so they go back to drawing pictures on paper on the floor (L drawing semi-trucks, J poking holes in paper with a pen)
1:25 Find some scissors and cut an annoying tag of E's bib. Change her diaper. Have boys put lunch plates in dishwasher. They want more crackers so I give them some. I heat up another 1/2 cup of coffee.
1:30 Coffee out of microwave. Realize I haven't started cookies yet. Put it off until little ones are napping (at the same time, hopefully) and L can help me. Holding baby and walking house with her until 2 when J starts getting tired. While walking I see a photo album with 2 pics I need to scan for an upcoming blog idea. Scan them while standing and baby E is pulling my hair and chewing on my shoulder. I see a favorite shirt in one picture and remember that I need to buy some dye to dye it, as it got bleach on it (from those Clorox wipes at church, I'm usually banned from using bleach) Find grocery list book, and write that down.
1:40 Boys are still hungry (or so they claim). Get them each an apple. Find 2 more items for Goodwill pile (I'm clearing house these days) and also find nail clippers for L to clip his nails after he's done his apple














2:00 J gets a book, goes potty. I lay down with 2 little ones. Nurse E.
2:25 Both kids now asleep, L has been waiting in kitchen to start cookies. Have to clean off counter before we can start. Start dishwasher running, wash a few hand dishes, check on laundry. Next batch is washed, and I realize that I've forgotten to press start on the dryer last time, so I have 2 wet, none dry. L still waiting for me.
2:40 Trying to find some ginger. Find all sorts of other spices that I've bought in bulk and need to be put in jars. Do that. No ginger though. I do have some fresh, so L grates that to use instead. We discuss fractions while measuring out the ingredients (1/4 means 4 parts fit in 1, 1/2 means that 2 parts do)
3:10 Dough is made, in fridge chilling for 15 min. L licks beaters. Take a drink of water and sit down to relax until timer goes off (7 min left after I washed the dishes) Sit down and read one sentence in a magazine and I hear E waking up.
3:30 E had a burp, I try nursing her back to sleep, no luck. Get her up, change diaper. J is up too. Put E in Bumbo chair on counter while I make cookies. J sits there beside her. L is on a chair helping me roll cookies in sugar and puts them on the pan. E is chewing on a package she found on the counter.
4:00 Last batch in oven. Reheat last of coffee to try with gingersnaps. Boys licking bowl and spoons. E watches enviously while chewing on a boring spatula. I try a cookie. Very good. I made them with spelt flour to increase nutrition and you can't tell. I'd say it adds flavor. The fresh ginger is really good too. I might just use that from now on.
4:05 Take a picture of the boys rubber boots by the door (another blog idea)
4:10 Check 3 kids clothes. Does anyone need cleaning up before we go? No, looks good. Wash all faces and hands. Throw last load of laundry in dryer and hang on rack. To my bedroom with baby E to start folding clothes. Give the boys each a swat on backside (through clothes) for ignoring my request to go get some socks on (we have to leave as soon as Daddy gets home) They obey, and I help J with his. (although L said, "that didn't hurt, Mom". Recruit J to help me chug (train terminology) the last laundry basket.
4:45 (Supposed to be leaving for dinner, G not home yet)
4:50 G gets home, quickly showers, I have had a few extra minutes to finish folding laundry. E plays in crib with mobile while I do so. Boys fold washcloths and match socks, and find their clothes in the mountain. Change E's diaper and clothes.
5:15 Get out the door, text friend that we're going to be late (Dinner at 5:30, it takes an hour to get there) L and E fall asleep on way there (E only 1 mile before their house) Enjoy dinner and homeschool talk about our coming year (goals, what we've found works so far). The one husband was homeschooled himself (for 4 years), so he shares what he liked/disliked. (Like: everything, dislike: wishes his dad didn't work so much, so could've been more involved)
11:15 Get home, E slept about half the way, after crying the first half. Boys still awake but in pj's
Feed them snack and do prayers, tuck them in. Help G put clean sheets back on bed, didn't have time earlier.
11:50 J is still awake, coughing. G goes in a puts Vicks on him. He then starts crying. G goes back and can't figure out what he wants. I'm nursing E all this time.
12:00 J still crying, L complaining "J is crying and I can't get to sleep". I stop nursing E, hoping she's asleep. She seems to be. Go see if I can figure out why J is crying. After many questions, I finally ask him if he wants me to lay down with him. I finally get a yes. So I lay down, sing them 2 songs and they are both asleep.
12:05 Back in my own bed to stay. Transfer E to her crib and go to sleep. Good night.

We dread the cornbread

I have a long standing history with bad cornbread. I recall being 17, staying at my cousin's house for the summer helping out, and making cornbread as instructed by my aunt. My younger cousin refused to eat it. His elder sister made fun of it, but at least humored me and ate it. Over the years I've tried every recipe I can, and they all come out mediocre at best. Usually too dry, sometimes too flat, often doughy in the middle and overdone around the edges. Adding real corn helps with the dryness, but usually you don't know if that will be a problem until it's cooked. Then there is the question of which pan to use. Do you use a smaller pan so it'll turn out thicker (and not be so dry), or a larger pan so that it it's thinner and cooks faster (I've heard the Pampered Chef stoneware ones are good, but don't have one). Or should I use muffin tins? And how hot should I cook it? Most recipes call for 400-425, but that never works for me either. Overdone around the edges, every time. Lowering the temp to 375 seems to help, and then increasing the time but I haven't been successful enough with that to even be sure that'll make it turn out. Adding an extra egg also helps with the moisture and fluffiness, but I still have the done on the edges/not done in the middle problem to contend to. Using honey instead of sugar helps increase the liquid (to reduce dryness), but I haven't yet mastered the right combination of everything to guarantee an enjoyable product. To me, the perfect cornbread is hearty, yet light and fluffy, thick (at least 2-3 inches) and moist, not too crumbly (a few are fine), and tastes good too. Is that too much to ask?? (I have had this at Julie's diner, so I know it does exist, just not in my house) Tonight I made a pretty good batch using my cousin M's recipe in the Kurtti cookbook, but it was still slightly underdone in the middle when the outside was at the right stage of doneness. But I haven't given up yet, and someday, a miracle just might happen.