Kid sayings

I try to remember the cute stuff the kids say to write down, but it gets forgotten so quickly. Here's a few:

James was telling me how God sees us everywhere, in all that we do. He said, "Like when we're playing with Knapford Station, God says, "hey, there's James playing at Knapford Station."

At bedtime we were talking about how God made each of us special. I asked the kids to tell me what God had made special about each of them (thinking hair color, eye color). James says, "well, He gave me blood...and bones...and, oh yeah, meat!" (muscles)

Elise's Christmas medleys: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way; up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky; and Jill came tumbling after."

"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh; come on, let's go, Little Einstein's."

(this is from a few months ago when Grandma was here, but I still laugh about it) We were trying to think of something fun to do, so I suggested we go on a carousel ride. James immediately: "but what if we have to go to the bathroom and they won't stop it?"

Elise said "Christram" for Christmas all season. (Christram lights, Christram tree) She also called Joseph "Jofef and Mawy". Her other words that are her own pronunciation: wanting to eat a "yandwich" and go for a ride in"the Hentra" (the Sentra, our car)

Christmas Wishing

Two years ago, we happened to be in Target doing some Christmas shopping when we came across a guy dressed in a red coat (80's era polyester, I might add) with a hand crocheted Santa hat. He did have a long white beard, but just regular jeans and work boots on the bottom half. As we met in the aisle, he asked James (then 2 1/2) "have you been good?" James nodded in fear and astonishment and we kept on our way. Later that day at home when Daddy got home from work, the boys told him that they had seen Santa in Target and "he was buying our Christmas presents". From that day forth, that is the real Santa. We've seen hundreds of other Santa's around- in the mall, on advertising, in books and on movies, but somehow my kids know they're all just men dressed up like Santa. That guy in Target though, he was the real deal. Even today, 2 years later, James said, "Santa buys our toys at Target, remember when we saw him there." Luke adds, "because if he made them they'd be out of wood, but they are metal trains, so he must get them from Target."

I came in on them last night as they were talking in their room at bedtime. I asked them what the topic was, and they said, "we're just telling about what we want for Christmas." I asked if they'd share with me what they wanted. They thought of a few things, and then I said, "what if that isn't what you get?" ('cause you know Moms know this kind of thing) And Luke said, "well, we just might get it, you never know!" So this morning, they were making up these lists, to put in their stockings to give Santa some idea of what they want.

James'

0 (means start here)
Mavis the train
Hot Wheels
A Candy Cane
x (means stop here)





Luke's

I want
A toy gun
A candy cane
A hot wheels
A pop gun
I want
a shield & sword
(he drew them as he didn't know how to spell them)







I love their enthusiasm about Christmas. They are counting down the days, and feeling the presents that are already under the tree to try to figure out what's in them. James says, "I just know they are going to be fun!" My Aunt B gave us our presents when we saw her the other day, and when the boys discovered theirs and the conversation went something like this:
James: Mom, what does this spell?
Me: T-i-g-g-e-r? You know that one.
James: Tigger...this present says it's from Tigger.
Runs to his room and wakes up Luke who is still sleeping.
James: Luke, I got a present from Tigger. You know, the Tigger from 'Pooh'.
Luke: Huh, a present from who?
James: Yes, a present from Tigger. Can you believe he gave me a present?
Luke: No, I'll come and look.
They go look together confirm the findings and also find that Elise has one from Frosty the Snowman, and Luke has one from Buddy Squirrel. Hmm. How does that work out?

My Grandma Kurtti started that tradition when she wrapped gifts (and who knows, maybe her mom did it too) to her kids that they were always from random characters. My Mom and B carry on that tradition (and perhaps the other siblings too, I don't know), and every year there are all kinds of gifts from all kinds of characters under the tree. But there is always a gift from Buddy Squirrel, and no one ever has figured out who he is!

Christmas Letter 2011

Greetings this Christmas season;

Well, it looks like fall is winding down and winter is well on it's way. That's fine by me, although November and December tend to be rather windy in these parts, which makes going outside rather unpleasant. The loggers continue to log further up our hill, so there are log trucks passing by many times a day, which makes going for a walk not doable anyhow. I totally support sustainable logging, but when it interferes with my sleep or my walks, then I'm not so happy about it! They start going by at 3:30am some mornings and end at sundown. Talk about a full days work!!

Our biggest news is the birth of our baby Isaac William, on September 13. He was born at home (very quickly), so the midwife did not even make it in time. Greg ended up delivering him, and all worked out amazingly well. Isaac is doing really well. He is a very predictable baby, which gives me peace of mind, because I usually can find out why he's fussing and I also know what to do about it.

Luke is coming along with his homeschooling. He journals each day, works on spelling, phonics, reading, and math for lessons, and then reads history/geography/science books on his own for quiet time which he learns a wealth of information about different things. I like being able to see what his interests are and then find the answers for those subjects, rather than sticking to things he isn't interested in just because it's in the curriculum.

James is doing great these days too. He does a 'lesson' each day (coloring in a preschool learning book usually) and then helps me with chores while Luke finishes his schoolwork. He's a enthusiastic helper, but also gets distracted very easily and forgets what he's doing. He’s also full of funny sayings, so keeps us laughing most of the time. Yesterday he was asking why King Parrot killed all the babies during Baby Jesus' time. (Herod)

Elise is my best helper these days, but her intentions far outweigh her capabilities. She would love to wash all my dishes, but instead splashes water over the whole kitchen without getting any dishes clean.She loves to pester her brothers (and they love to return the favor!)

As for Greg and I, we're doing fine. Greg started a new job in February which has been a real blessing. It has less stress, more days off and is closer to home. We are very thankful for that. Before he started, we were able to take a trip to CA, AZ and NV with the family and enjoy some sunshine! Now we’re trying to get a few fall projects done (me- Christmas gifts for our annual Canadian cousins gathering, and he- cleaning gutters, filling muddy areas with gravel, hauling wood and *fun* stuff like that). He's also working on some Christmas gifts with his newest hobby of which I can't tell! Isaac sleeps fairly well at night, so we actually function well most of the time. Our family did get out clam digging a few weeks ago (at night) and that was pretty fun. I didn't dig, but just enjoyed watching the lanterns bob around on the beach. We hope to go again here soon.

Wishing you many blessings now as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Greg, Rachel and ours

Thankful for...

Lately I feel like I'm getting back to normal after the new baby stuff of the past few months. We've settled into somewhat of a routine, and life is good. As it is Thanksgiving tomorrow, I've been thinking of the many blessings that I've been given, and how God is truly watching over us and guarding and guiding us each day. My dear husband and beautiful children are most appreciated, as well as extended family and friends. This new little baby Isaac is truly a miracle, and I am so amazed at the birth of each baby, how perfect they are, how much they teach us about ourselves (not always such fun lessons, but important, none-the-less), how they truly make us into less selfish, more Christ-like people if we're willing to let them teach us instead of forcing them to abide by our mindsets and preconceived standards. Anyhow, for all the blessings I've been given, there are times that I miss the past. I do miss a few certain things every now and then, and was just thinking about them lately as one of my old friends brought up some memories that ignited more memories of "single days".

Then tonight Greg suggested watching a movie, and my thoughts went to "I wonder when the last kid will get to sleep so we can actually enjoy the movie" and "I'd love a bowl of ice cream while watching but I know eating it that late will give me a sore throat" (as I'm fighting a cold) and "is it worth staying up with, when I know I'll be awakened by one of four little persons much earlier than I want to be?" Well, turns out here I am writing on my blog while baby is asleep on my lap (tried putting him down at least 4 times, all of which he awoke crying) and my husband is asleep on the couch and I doubt (again!) any movies will be watched.

So, the things I miss about "single" days:
-Eating whatever, whenever, wherever and being young enough and healthy enough for it not to make much difference (now I'm on a nursing mother diet, recently on a pregnancy diet, usually a no-coffee-after-noon-or-I-won't-sleep diet)
-Staying up late meant sleeping in as late as I pleased. And if I couldn't sleep, I was guaranteed a nap, as long as I wasn't working at nap time
-My body was my own. I could go to the bathroom uninterrupted, sit and relax without someone nursing, jumping on me, pulling my hair or necklace
-Waking up to an alarm clock is not fun, but funner than a crying baby or crying toddler who's wet the bed
-The camaraderie of good friends. I miss just laughing and talking with my "old" friends for hours and hours. I have a very best friend in my husband, but our hanging out time together is pretty minimal these days and usually is quite distracted when we are together. (or we're too tired to come up with something to say)
-Going for a "quick trip" into a store. I now unbuckle and rebuckle numerous kids, have numerous bags and purses and diaper bags at all times. 'Cause it really sucks to be unprepared when you've got 4 little ones following you around. (if you forget something in the car)
-Swimming laps, and going to the gym and working out. I miss exercise, the kind where you get your heart rate up, and actually burn a few calories. It just doesn't work so well in the wet rainy windy November here when it's dark when my husband leaves for work and also when he gets home. We try to go for walks each day, but lately that hasn't even happened due to log trucks and blustery days. It just makes everything so sluggish when I can't get some exercise.
-When work was done for the day, you went home and it was done. Now it's never done.
-Going on road trips whenever I pleased

There are many things I don't miss though, and it wouldn't do justice not to mention them:
-Working on someone else's schedule by their rules. I now am my own boss in many ways (although I also now have 5 bosses in other ways)
-Having to take care of car repairs/maintenance
-Being alone and fearing that I would be the rest of my life
-Profanity/unpleasant people in the workplace
-Uncouth roommates at times
-Living in rentals (boring white walls, rowdy neighbors, many flights of stairs, tacky decor)

Now, for a few things I am thankful to God for:
(note that it's 11:30 and my brain is getting pretty tired)
-An adopted family that always takes us in for Thanksgiving
-Precious husband and children that love me and forgive me unconditionally
-A Savior that loves me and forgives me unconditionally
-A warm, cozy, family friendly, smallish, red and white house
-Wood stove with a glass front so we can watch the fire and firewood for it
-Money for groceries and a car that gets us to the store to get them (that's Luke's but I'll ditto it)
-An enjoyable view out the windows where I look each day
-A minivan that makes parenting so much more enjoyable!
-Health and energy to do my job each day
-Coffee with peppermint mocha creamer with Trader Joe's dark chocolate
-My Laz-Z-Boy for rocking kids for hours on end some days
-Family and Friends
-A good job for my husband with 3 day weekends
-Supportive loving parents (and grandparents)
-The ability to stay at home and raise my children in a Godly environment
And on and on....

Happy Thanksgiving!!

The Case of the Missing Keys

So...I have this bad habit. One that I've had for many years, and although it irritates my husband greatly, it hasn't been enough of a problem that I have put forth the effort to change it. (regretfully)

My habit is that I leave keys in the doorknob after I unlock the door when we get home from somewhere. This is done out of sheer laziness, as I usually keep them in my purse or on a hook by the door, and I'm just to lazy to do it right away when I get home. So, they hang in the door until the kids are unloaded, baby fed, groceries brought in, etc. This usually isn't a problem, because we have a screen door on the outside, and the inner door is left open until I remove the keys and shut it. Well, the other day it became a problem. I was feeding baby, so I asked Elise get my keys and shut the door (since it's Novemberrrr and getting pretty cold out there!) She shut the door but left the keys in it. Greg came home later and was hauling wood and as he opened the front door, he found my keys much to his dismay (I had forgotten to get them, since the door had been shut). He then proceeded to "put them somewhere" and they haven't been seen since. I was feeding baby once again, and saw the whole ordeal, and will confirm that I saw him set them down somewhere in the entry way, but they are gone. We've turned the house upside down and been on the lookout for 4 days now, and still no keys.

I would like to say I hope I have learned my lesson. You'd think I would have learned it once before, since one time back when I was single I did a similar thing and as the keys were swinging in the lock, they caught on the handle of the screen door, making it impossible to open either door. I had to painstakingly remove the window from the screen door to get them out. I obviously didn't learn then. Now hopefully I'm a bit wiser.

The other bad habit (that I really am working on) that irritates my husband is that I don't screw lids on my juice/pop bottles fully while I'm drinking them. I mean, why screw it all the way back on when you're going to take a sip in another minute? Well, it so happens that many a bottle has tipped over or fallen out of the cup holder and leaked in the car (usually due to him not remembering my habit, or our unruly kids doing some stunt), so I am really trying to remedy that one.

Novemberrrr...

These pictures are from our recent fall photo shoot at the nearby lake. I usually have my aunt do the kids pictures every fall, but she took off to Kenya yesterday, so I decided to try them myself. My first location didn't work as the weather took a turn for the worse and then James fell out of the tree I was going to take a picture of him in. (and Isaac was screaming his head off, and Elise had a fever/runny nose) So, we did get one good family shot there, and then canceled that plan and then just took them at home later that evening. They turned out well, except I plan to redo Elise's, just because she has a pretty sick look to her in all of hers.

Birth Options and Opinions

I've wanted to write up my summary of our change in birth options this time around. I did a copious amount of research (and praying) prior to making the home birth decision, and want to share what I learned about our own situation, but also how it relates to birth in general.

My first 3 kids were hospital births, the first 2 with epidurals/induction/episiotomy/continual fetal monitoring, etc. For #3 we had a doula with us in hopes (and success) of avoiding an epidural to also avoid an IV, as well as other interventions that may have causes boy #2's jaundice => allergies (as per a snippet of information I had read somewhere). So, after a successful 'real' birth, (thanks to the doula and Bradley method of childbirth) I had the confidence that we could have a home birth without pain meds (my biggest fear for all my births), since we had done so already.

The only drawback was that my dear husband wasn't on board. So, back to my hospital midwife I went. At the first checkup, we brought the kids so that they could hear the baby's heartbeat. The midwife (who I love) asked the kids if they wanted to see their new baby. Of course they answered 'yes' and so she brought in the portable ultrasound machine and proceeded to find baby and take a few pictures of him/her. Less than 5 min was spent with the machine, we finished the appointment and out the door we go. Well, later that week we get a bill in the mail for $280 for that ultrasound. Ouch. Didn't even think of that when we gave our okay to it. This gave G the motivation to explore other options. He had just started a new job and there was a guy there whose wife had had all their babies at home, and they were expecting baby #5 at present. He and G got to talking, and he got a 'guys perspective' about the whole situation and soon G came home with the midwife's number. I prayed about this constantly, and then talked to the midwife myself and made an appointment, was still feeling pretty unsure and anxious about exploring a new avenue.

After our first appointment though, the midwife (Laura) had calmed all my fears and answered all my questions. She is about as experienced as they come (delivered 3500+ babies) and has never lost one. She's done many midwifery mission trips in 3rd world countries, and explained the licensing standards in the state of WA (of which I was confused prior). She is a Christian lady, and we felt like our prayers had been answered. She doesn't do the 'fasting glucose', but instead just tells you to eat before your appointment and she does a finger stick glucose when you get there. She has a little ultrasound machine and is able to check for fetal position, sex of baby, amount of amniotic fluid, cord length and placental position. Her pricing includes everything except the lab fee (for group B strep) and a birth kit (which you order yourself online to have at home when baby comes). Her mantra is "healthy moms have healthy babies", and if for some reason a mom ends up being high risk, then she doesn't even consider taking them on. That is what an OB/gyn is for, and she'll refer them as necessary.

So, what is considered high risk? High blood pressure, diabetes, multiple births, breech/transverse position, placenta previa. Not: first time moms, laboring too long/lack of dilation. (the state of WA has guidelines on what midwives can deliver and can't). The more information beforehand, the less chance of surprises at delivery. Good thorough prenatal care is key. My next question was: Why do you send moms to the hospital then? Answer: preterm labor (before 37 weeks), the baby flips to breech between last checkup and delivery, and pain control due to exhaustion. Hmm, none of those sound emergent. (she has a 4% hospital transfer rate, and the majority fall into the preterm labor category and are at 36 1/2 weeks) The next fear I had was hemorrhage. Why do women bleed (sometimes to death, as we hear of horror stories)? The number one reason is that the Dr/midwife/caregivers don't wait for the placenta to detach itself and they pull on the cord causing bleeding. Or, bits of the placenta are retained and this causes bleeding (quite rare, but requires a D&C usually).

Fetal distress (a common cause of C-section these days) is almost always remedied by change in moms position at home, and by not inducing the mom in the first place. Mom's are rarely told the hazards of induction (I know I wasn't), but rather the 'safety of the baby' is so highly stressed that interventions are started before they're even necessary.

Another question I had, which I read the answer to in "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin was: Why did women die in childbirth so often 100 years ago (as we hear so much about, which led to hospital births becoming the norm)? The answer to this is many fold, but the main reasons are 1) when the settlers came to America, the majority were young men and women. Skilled midwives stayed in the old country, so many deaths were caused by not having skilled help at deliveries. 2) many women had rickets due to vitamin D deficiency which caused them to have a deformed pelvis which could not properly birth babies. Neither of these reasons are present today that we should concern ourselves with.

More to come in part 2....

Our new precious bundle, Isaac William

9-13-2011 birth story written by Greg (aka the hero of the day~)

approx. 2:00am

Rachel wakes me up to say that she has been having mild contractions since 12:01am. I figure if they’re only “mild” then there isn’t any reason for me to be awake. I roll over hoping for a little bit more sleep before the action starts. That feeling only gets to live for about 20 seconds. I get up and help Rachel through the next contraction. They surely don’t seem too severe at this point. At 2:17 we call the midwife to let her know what is happening. Rachel tells her that it doesn’t seem that she is into active labor yet. The midwife asks what time we feel the baby may come, how far along do we feel we are. Rachel is thinking that we shouldn’t expect a baby before 8 or 9 that morning. With that, the midwife recommends that we call her when things seem to be proceeding to second stage labor. So we go along as we had been. Contractions are lasting less than a minute and spaced between 5-7 minutes apart.

At about 3:45 the contractions go from moderate to the light side of severe. Spacing is still about 5 minutes apart, but the severity prompts us to call the midwife at 4:00. Rachel desires that she comes to help with the pain. We still don’t think that there is a way the baby would come before 8 or 9 o’clock. The midwife recommends Rachel get into the bathtub as the water would take the edge off the contractions. At about 4:15 Rachel gets into the bathtub. The first contraction in the tub is quite severe. I believe it was now that we took the time to say a prayer asking for God’s protection over all involved. Two more contractions and on the third she jumps and exclaims, “I feel like pushing!!” At which I reply, “No, no, nooo.” She tells me to get our midwife’s cell phone number dialed into the cordless phone, so in case we need it all we’ll have to do is hit redial. I decide we better just call her cell phone to see how close she is. While I’m dialing the number Rachel hits another contraction with the urge to push. “Sweetie,” she says. “The baby is here!”

I detect a sense of urgency in her voice. Not panic, but extreme urgency.

The midwife answers her cell phone the same time I see that the baby is crowning. I ask her where she is because the baby is being born.

I detect a sense of panic in my voice. Not urgency, but extreme panic.

She’s still 30 minutes away. One push and the head is out. One more push and “Whoosh”, there he is. Our baby boy. I pick him up out of the water, unwrap the cord from around his neck and put him on Rachel’s chest. The midwife tells me not to worry. The baby is crying and by my account, there is no sign of distress. She comments on how fast this baby came. Even though she is the one with all the experience, we were actually able to figure that out on our own. The whole sequence had a dreamlike quality. I was literally “buzzing” from head to toe. I certainly needed to sit down and take a deep breath. It was such a blessing to witness that miracle first hand. Isaac William had been born at 4:30. If this would have been a planned hospital birth, we would never have made it in time. The first feeling we had that would have gotten us going to the hospital was the contraction with the desire to push. This would have put us about three miles down the road when the baby came, if we made it that far.

All in all, I wouldn’t want to go through it again. Although having been through it once, I might have a cooler head if the situation repeated itself. God answered our prayer and like I said before, the whole experience was a true blessing.

Isaac William Somero

8 lb 8 oz

22 inches long

Mommy's version: Since all my other labors were much longer, I was totally taken aback by the speed of this one (21 hours (induced after 18), 16 and 10 hours respectively). Although the pain level in this one was incredibly worse, I figured it was because it was the middle of the night and I was just "being a wimp" because of not much sleep/energy. The contractions confused me too, as I was still getting 5-7 minute breaks between them all, and they only lasted 30-45 sec. I was waiting for the increments to get closer together or the contraction lengths to increase, which never happened until about 5 minutes before he was born. The whole day before baby was born though, I felt weird (unexplainably) and figured our time was getting close. I rested alot and went for a few walks, hoping to move things along. When I went to bed, I just prayed for a good night's rest before I went into labor, as starting out tired is not very fun (been there with baby #1). But, other things were in order and I thank God that He orchestrated things like he did, because I don't know how I would have made it very much longer with the intensity of the contractions. When baby was born, I was amazed at the perfect working of a woman. He was born so smoothly, and without my interference much at all. I just let my body do what it was supposed to be doing, and I think that is what made things run so smoothly. As our midwife reminded me, "a birth will not be pain-free, but it can go smooth". A major change of view from the hospital scene. I wouldn't have known it could go like it did, but am still in awe at the workings of a woman's body without the interference of IV's, type and screens, epidurals, fetal monitors, uncomfortable hard beds, bedpans, episiotomies and all those other things that us women are subject to while laboring in the hospital. I won't recommend a home birth for everyone, but feel a woman should do her research and weigh the options in their own life. Many complications are caused by (unnecessary) interventions, and if a woman was left to herself (and a competent caregiver) in a relaxed, comfortable environment, it is an amazing process that God has perfected and how He made our bodies so perfect to bring children into this world.

John 16:21
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

Closing in on September

Well, we are now into September, and I'm pretty much ready to give up my pregnancy shoes for some Mom-of-4 shoes. When I said it to a friend the other day, it sounded weird, but I have to admit that with each child born, it's taken a few months to get used to the idea. With Elise it was even longer, as I'd been the mom of just boys for 4 years, and then had to get used to having a girl in the mix. Now it's going to be getting used to juggling even more. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and also thankful my oldest is 6 rather than 4 (which he was when we had our last baby), and will be a great help to me. I'm also VERY thankful we're not sending him off to school, as my fragile nerves likely couldn't handle the adjustment, as you likely read from my previous post about just letting him into the locker room by himself.

Luke is anxious to keep learning, so I know it's going to be a challenge to keep him challenged for these first few months with a new baby as well as structuring our home school. He's such an avid learner (but doesn't like to stick with anything too long), so therein the challenge lies. Keeping him busy and active while taking care of a (likely) fussy baby. I'm sure I can come up with lots of chores to keep him busy, I do know that!

James is right on his footsteps, and likes to guess at words and sound them out. I'm hoping that he'll be easier to teach, since he'll have such a base from listening to all Luke has heard from me. I think that is one of the greatest blessings of homeschool, is that the older kids can teach the younger. Just today at breakfast Luke was teaching James what camouflage is. James knows what the fabric looks like, but Luke was explaining that anything can be camouflage when it blends in and you can't see everything there. (he put a yellow fork put on a yellow plate to be used for an example) I love how they work together and seek out answers to their questions. But...trust me, I get plenty of questions myself from the 3 of them. Luke usually asks knowledge based ones, James "what if _____?" and quizzes us about all these impossible feats, and Elise likes to ask, "what _____ mean?" (she picks some word she's heard and then never even listens to the answer because her little mind is off on some new topic already)

Elise also likes to talk, talk, talk (not so good at the listening end of things!) I do have a new appreciation for moms of girls, because I never knew they could talk so much. All day, every day, every where about everything. And she's only 2 1/2! Does it get better? Or worse as the years go by?

So, the countdown is on until our new baby decides to show up. I haven't been ready for the changes up until last weekend. It's definitely a emotional, spiritual and physical surrendering to get to that place where you're ready for labor and baby and all, but I'm there now. Praying for strength and patience until the big day (and especially on the big day) as there always seems to be so many unknowns in the waiting game. My Mom is showing up this week, so that'll be nice to have her here for emotional support and also to visit with if we do have some days to wait until baby's birth. Sometimes the days before the birth are more draining than those after just due to the discomfort and anticipation. Feeling good overall, but ready to give up the big kicking belly. Very ready!!

Been rereading my birthing books though, and hopefully they'll work as well as last time. I wish I'd known about them with kid #1 and #2, but that's water under the bridge. They are "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Robert Bradley and "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" by Susan McCutcheon. They are very different from the Lamaze classes offered at the hospital (which I had assumed they were similar before I knew much), and work amazingly better. The relaxation techniques and exercises as well as emotional signposts of labor progress are priceless for a birthing mother or husband (who likely isn't sure what his role is/should be, but this book totally guides step by step). We haven't taken the classes, but likely for first-time parents, that would be very beneficial. http://www.bradleybirth.com/

Summer update

I've been meaning to write for quite some time, but unfortunately something always takes priority. Today Greg has the kids outside doing projects with him and I have completed my tasks for the day. Well, that doesn't mean that I'm all caught up. It means that my endurance has reached it's maximum, and the baby is letting me know (by gravity and by kicking) that he/she has had enough moving around and being busy. So, it's time for the Lazyboy and laptop to wait while supper cooks.

(Playing 'wash the animals at the zoo' on one rare warm-enough-to-swim days. A hot shower followed as one little girl claimed "I'm fweeding cowd")

This summer has brought much mixed emotion for me. I'd like to blame hormones, which I know are responsible in many ways, but also will blame a lack of sleep which seems to trail me throughout these parenting years. I had hoped to "get alot done" this summer, as well as enjoy some sunshine before the dreary wet days fold in on us again, but seem to fail at that each day. Today it was actually sunny in the morning (when I have a bit of energy), so I did mow a bit of knee deep lawn and washed our truck, which felt really good. We have a ton of projects to tackle, but with my huge-ness and cumbersome nature these days, I have to leave most of them for my dear husband who is much more limited for time. Summer also brings vacations (usually) and so I'm kind of down that we can't go on one when I hear of others traveling here and there. Driving is extremely uncomfortable for me, so a stay-cation would be our only option, and we haven't been able to make that happen yet, and time is running short.

















The one fun thing I did want to do, and did do so brought me more grief than I had anticipated. I wanted to camp in the yard with the kids, so we went ahead and set up the tent on the deck. They've gotten many hours of playing on it, but then we slept out there one night and the 2 little kiddos both ended up with nasty coughs that are still lingering (and keeping me up with them every night) 3 weeks later. Makes me wonder if it was worth it, even though we enjoyed it. I was able to share camping stories with them and have lots of question/answer time with them while we were waiting for the sun to settle down and go to sleep which is priceless.

















We did get our family room painted this weekend too, which has been waiting for about 5 years. We spend most of our time there in the winter as that is where our woodstove is, and the paint has been rather dark. I was given 5 gallons of white paint, which I had hoped to tint, but then when I went to do so, found out that it had already been tinted a shade of white that would make tinting it muddy looking. So, Greg ended up painting the white on the walls, and it looks great and much brighter.


















We also got our 6 year old riding a 2 wheeled bike and got him through a session of swimming lessons which is exciting and challenging for him. It's fun to see him advancing, but also a bit hard on my already-fragile-nerves to let him go off in the men's changing room by himself and in the deep end of the pool (with lifejacket of course) without my protective-ness getting in the way. Hopefully he can keep practicing these skills, as I would like to see him keep getting braver and bolder.





Playing Doctor in the tent





Supper is about ready, so I should close for now. Taking it one day at a time (sometimes one hour), keeping up with the vitamins and rest (not sleep necessarily, but at least resting frequently) and concluding each day that growing a baby is one of the hardest jobs out there! (especially the older I get and with each successive baby).













(Our shed with new deck and windows thanks to my father-in-law and hubby. Now I just have to finish painting it up.)

Baby Thoughts

Since we’re expecting #4 soon here, I’ve been reevaluating what we need and don’t need. All our babies have been super fussy (colic/food allergies/eczema/excessive crying) for the first year of life so our ‘needs’ may be different from others. I thought I'd share my favorites, and then those we've either done without, or had and then gotten rid of for some reason or another.

Needs:

-swing (we love Fisher Price’s cradle swing, as it goes side to side. All 3 (5 now) kids loved that motion but not the front to back motion of other swings). No worries about addiction- they get bored with it as they grow older.  Ours use it for about 6 months and it has been a lifesaver for our fussy babies.
-stroller (umbrella works for most needs (unless you're tall, then they're a pain), but I like a bigger one for all day treks to the zoo, etc),
-bassinet (got for $4 at Goodwill and is still going strong) we have it at our bedside for sleeping in part of the night and the rest we co-sleep,
-cloth diapers (bought used off craigslist almost new), I only use them at home in the day, so a box lasts about 3 months as opposed to 1 box/month with disposables.  Save about $200-300/year.
-mini-rocker (like a bouncy chair but I take baby all over the house with me in it) (that's the baby in the chair, not me!),
-babywearing carrier that you can nurse in (Moby type wrap (newborn), maitei (4-12 mon.) and Ergo(bigger babies)),
-boppy type pillow (made myself for under $5), I have tried other brands/ones, but my homemade one works the best.
-nursing cover (made myself for free for my super wiggly nursers),
-high chair that clamps to table (even easier to clean than the chair mounted type, and little babies love it once they can sit up, because they’re involved with meal time even if they aren't eating yet,
-baby car mirror (one of our babies heads flopped forward and he was too little to pick it back up at 3 weeks old and he was all blue when I looked back in the mirror. I hate to think what would have happened if I didn’t have it and was able to stop the car and readjust him immediately)
-reusable nursing pads (yep, lots and lots of them)
-zip up sleepers (why waste your time with dozens of snaps?)
-gripe water (for fussy babies)

Don’t need:
-double stroller (bought 2 kinds used and sold them too as they were too bulky to steer, plus they were both front heavy with the toddler in front. I do have a double jogger that I use for walks at home, but never take it anywhere as it has a stationary front wheel which makes turning it almost impossible, bought cheap at garage sale),
-johnny jump-up (don’t have a good place in my house for one and worry about back compression with them),
-baby tub (we just shower them with one of us as soon as their umbilical cord falls off. Put a washcloth around them so they aren’t so slippery),
-baby soaps (so many have yucky ingredients, and they don’t need all the extras anyhow),
-hiking backpack (good intentions, just never got used),
-limited clothing (one change for each day of the week, more for new babies, get rid of the rest)

I've also read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" since it was recommended by my sister and sister-in-law who both just had babies this spring. I keep praying and hoping this baby will be 'happier' than the last 3, although am not getting my hopes up. This book recommends the 5-S's (swaddling, swinging, side/stomach, shh-ing, and sucking) so I'm eager to try if these will help. He also explains how they need to be done (precise!), so we'll see. I've read A LOT of books with very little success, but am still trying to be an optimist! Our babies did love swinging (in the swing), but I always felt guilty having them in there endlessly. This book (along with my husband) both state that you can't keep them in there too much if it keeps them happy. Going to try more of that to save my sanity when my arms/head/back/neck are exhausted from carrying them. He says in the book that they'll outgrow it when they're ready, but some babies just need that swinging motion a lot more than others. For the price of a few extra packs of batteries, I'm willing to try it. (later note: LOVE this book.  Works!  Better than any other way, for sure!)

We're also trying different birth options this time, which I'll explain after the fact since I'm not sure how it'll all play out at this time. Prayerfully doing what we feel is best, and praying for wisdom and guidance from above, above all else!

Well, nighty night. I'll try to add more later, if I think of stuff or welcome your ideas too!

Homemade Bread Recipes

I'm going to share a couple of my favorite, easy homemade bread recipes. These yield a nice soft interior with a crusty crust, which is great for toast or dipping in soup. The links are listed below if you just want to print them yourself.

This first recipe makes just one loaf (which is great for first time bread makers). I make it in the evening and then it is ready by supper time the next evening.

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-12-01/Easy-No-Knead-Dutch-Oven-Crusty-Bread.aspx?page=2#ixzz1QalQPGGh

This next one also tastes pretty much the same, except you get more loaves out of the recipe. (about 4 depending on size). It pays to read the whole article, as they explain very well what ingredients do what, and why you do each step. There are many more steps to this recipe, but also many more options as to what to do with your dough (cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, etc) I bake these loaves on my stoneware pan, and it works great. Also a cast iron pan would be fine, just make sure your pan is good and hot.

The Master Loaf (Boule)

(Artisan Free-Form Loaf) Makes 4 1-pound loaves

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)
1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt
6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel

Mixing and Storing Dough

1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket or lift a corner). Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.

3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife; don’t pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don’t knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough loose enough to conform to the container.

4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don’t need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional recipes.

5. Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven.

Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on four “sides,” rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn’t need to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.

6. Place the ball on the pizza peel. Let it rest uncovered for about 40 minutes. Depending on the dough’s age, you may see little rise during this period; more rising will occur during baking.

7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on another shelf.

8. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing, serrated knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1⁄4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the top. (This helps the bread expand during baking.)

9. With a forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there’s little risk of drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. When you remove the loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle, or “sing,” when initially exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. The perfect crust may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.

10. Refrigerate the remaining dough in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next two weeks: You’ll find that even one day’s storage improves the flavor and texture of your bread. This maturation continues over the two-week period. Cut off and shape loaves as you need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx?page=4#ixzz1QanMnP4N

Boccone Dolce (sweet mouthful)

One of my mother-in-law and my favorite places to go is a restaurant in Portland called Papa Haydn's. We don't generally eat there, or then we wouldn't have room for their luscious desserts. This year for our tea at church, I decided to try one of the desserts for myself, and found that it was not only just as delicious, but fairly easy to do also. Here's the recipes I used. Must use fresh NW berries though! (one of the few bonuses of living here after putting up with all our rain all winter!)

I followed a different recipe for the meringues, although made them 8" round so that I could make the big cake, rather than individual ones. Also, with 8" round, we cut them into 6 slices. They looked huge, but everyone (except one avid dieter who didn't understand the beauty of eating the whole thing) ate the whole slice. After all, it's about 90% air (meringues and whipped cream)

Swiss Meringue Shells Recipe

Ingredients

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

Directions

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla and cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
• Drop eight mounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Shape into 3-in. cups with the back of a spoon. Bake at 225° for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until set and dry. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven for 1 hour.
• Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Fill shells with berries; garnish with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Swiss-Meringue-Shells


This recipe comes from Papa Haydn's, one of Portland, Oregon's favorite dessert masters. This recipe uses fresh Oregon berries, which are some of the best in the world.

Meringue Layers (2-3)

	6 oz melted bittersweet chocolate (feel free to substitute your favorite kind)
	3 pints mixed berries (may use your favorite fruit, we love fresh raspberry and blackberry)
	Sweetened whipped cream

For the meringue layers, you'll need the following:

	1 1/2 cups egg whites
	2 cups sugar

1. Bring egg whites to room temperature for 30 min. Whip the egg whites on high until they come to a stiff peak (use metal/glass bowl that's impeccably clean)
2. Turn down the mixture to medium speed and start adding sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time, every 2 to 3 minutes. This allows the sugar to be absorbed. You'll notice the meringue will become very thick and glossy.
3. You will need to line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw the circles (the size you want your meringue layers to be) on the under side of the parchment.
4. Take a rubber spatula and start spreading the meringue inside the circles.
5. Bake at 225 degrees for 2 and a half hours. Meringue should be white in color and crispy all the way through. If they're still soft after this time, you can bake them longer. The low temperature will prevent them from browning too quickly.

For the sweetened whipping cream, you'll need the following:

	4 cups heavy whipping cream
	1 Tablespoon vanilla
	1/4 cup sugar (or more, to your taste)

1. Whip cream to soft peak
2. Add vanilla and sugar

3. Whip cream to stiff peak -- then it's ready to use. The cream needs to be stiff in order for it to hold the meringue layers together. (I used Piping Gel to stabilize the whipped cream and make it stiffer ~R)
4. Flavoring the whipped cream to compliment the fruit with a smidgen of spice like ground cardamom or an orange liqueur adds another a counter point to the classic vanilla.

Let's put together the Boccone Dolce:

1. Put one layer of meringue on your serving plate
2. Drizzle melted chocolate over the layer
3. Spread 1/4 of your whipped cream on top of the layer, and top with berries.
4. Spread 1/4 of the cream on top of the berries.
5. Repeat with next layer
6. Top with 3rd meringue layer. Drizzle with chocolate.
7. Decorate with edible fresh flowers, fruit, mint or geranium leaves. Enjoy!

Source: Papa Haydn’s Natasha Ohlman - Portland, Oregon

http://www.subrosa.arbre.us/SubRosaBoccone.html

Pesto Potato Salad

I have a hard time finding potato salads (as well as coleslaws for that matter) that I LOVE (not just tolerate/like). Here's my new favorite though. If you love pesto, I guarantee you'll love it too.

Pesto Potato Salad

3 1/2 lbs. red potatoes
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. basil pesto
1/3 c. mayo
12 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)
1/2-3/4 c. red onion, chopped fine (depending on flavor you want)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (shaved preferable)
1/4 c. chives, chopped fine

Boil potatoes until firm-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, drain well, chop coarsely. Combine sour cream, pesto and mayo in a large bowl. Add potatoes, bacon and onion. Toss. Top with Parmesan and chives. Chill overnight for best flavor.
~from Company's Coming "Salads to Go".

*I like to add a bit more pesto, bacon and Parmesan as I love those flavors.

Luke turns 6

Well, now our last birthday is done for the year. My big boy turned 6. He's definitely fitting the class of 6 year olds, who is losing teeth and tying his shoes by himself (although he'd much rather throw on his crocs to save time). We're hoping he'll learn to ride his bike this summer, but up until now he's been pretty timid (our steep gravel driveway doesn't help matters).


















I just love this boy so dearly too, and feel so blessed to be able to spend every single day with him. Luke is my thinker, who is ever helpful and thoughtful (and doesn't forget a thing, even if you should want him to!) He loves books, and has been learning to read all year. I've tried to teach him slowly, because I know he'll end up a bookworm, and want him to be creative on his own as long as I can prolong it. Lately he's been "reading" the Far Side comic books we have. I'm not sure what he find so interesting, since most of it is adult humor, but will admit that the pictures are pretty funny!



















He loves playing on the floor here at home, and lately it's been Cars as we recently watched the movie again. Thus he wanted a Tow Mater cake for his birthday, which I decorated while we were camping. He is getting more independent, and loves to be learning from Dad all the time (and pestering and bugging Dad too). I'm so proud of how he takes on his role as the oldest, and pray that he'll always stay as sweet as he is to his younger siblings. The little 2 find such security in his bravery in different situations.














I'll try to write more about our Luke another night, but tonight my pregnancy hormones are overwhelming me, and I just come to tears thinking about how much I love this boy and how I want him to grow up to be a man like his Dad, but how I also want him to always stay my little sweet boy. (sniff, sniff)

Camping Conclusions

So, this past weekend we managed to get out and go camping for Memorial Day. Our church group goes every year, and we went last year as well. I've come to a few conclusions, which I'll share, and hope that some of you veteran campers can help me find more ways to make it enjoyable with small children (without nixing it altogether until the kids are bigger).













The good:
-Warm, dry camper to sleep in, make meals in (since it was too windy to build a fire much of the time), play in and relax in
-Kids having a very good time, especially the birthday boy!
-Family time together- building memories
-Decent weather- only a few short rain storms
-Showers at the campground for needed refreshment
-Good meals/treats that we don't usually have at home, and the dishes situation worked well (paper plates, real cutlery, a few pots to wash)
-Ability to bring family bikes along, although didn't really have a chance to ride them
-Visiting time with friends and family that we don't always get
-My sweetie to make breakfast for us (as seen in below picture)














The not-so-good:
-Pregnant Mommy (yeah, that'd be me) who had to do more lifting/bending/climbing than usual (resulting in poor/very little sleep and much discomfort)
-Recently sick kids who Mommy worried about with the cold wind present much of the time
-A sharp cornered camper door that is just the level of a curious little girl's head (which did get whacked numerous times), as well as her fingers getting stepped on for playing on the stairs
-No enjoyable rest the whole weekend. I did bring a book along, in hopes of reading...it never left it's spot in the truck. I'd love to just drink a cup of tea while sitting by the fire reading. Umm, yeah, that'd be dreaming!
-Too cold/windy to enjoy a fire most of the time (we only had one on one evening for just a little while)
-No potty in camper and too public to pee in woods/grass, spent most of our time taking well-hydrated boys to the bathroom; never at the same time, of course!














My suggestions for better success next time:
-Camp with Grandpa & Grandma (or like folks who can share the work- meals, kid watching, etc.)
-Camp closer to home (we were very tired when we drove the lonnng 3 hours home, and both ended up sick the next day).
-Park near woods so the boys can pee there. (We have a 'bathroom' in our camper, without a toilet, but currently need that space for spare tire and such...rearranging somehow could make it work). I brought along the kiddy potty, but they refused to use it.
-Camp later in the summer when the weather is predictably warmer.

There were two trains of thought (and possibly more out there) as I discussed "camping with little kids" ideas. One was: it's worth the work as the kids love it and will cherish and remember the memories. The second was: it's not worth it. Camp in the backyard and the kids will enjoy it just as much, without tiring out Dad & Mom so much. Then go further away as they get bigger. I think I'm more on the second train of thought at this stage, but we'll see what the summer brings.