Finnish Prune Tarts (recipe)

Here's my favorite Christmas baking item. My Mom made them when I was growing up, and if you're of Finnish descent, you likely have had them. If not, don't judge them until you try them. They are amazing!! There's no sugar in them, which I think is what makes them so addicting. I use my aunt Susie's recipe (in the Kurtti cookbook), but there is also one in the Finnish Cookbook (by Beatrice Ojakangas). Susie's recipe has a much simpler pastry (one step rather than two), which is why I chose it. Susie also told me that the original pastry recipe says "add liquid" because it had a shot of whiskey in the pastry. Hmm. I wonder what that tasted like!

Finnish Prune Tarts
1 lb. butter (not margarine) at room temperature
3 c. flour
3/4 c. cold water
1 pkg. dried prunes, cooked and mashed*

Cut 3 cubes of butter into flour. Add liquid. (Chill 15 minutes) Cut dough in half. Roll out (with flour to prevent sticking) into a 16"x16" square about 1/8-1/4" thick. Spread half of the last cube of butter on the dough. Do the same with the second half of dough. Cut each square of dough into 12 squares (or 3" squares, however many you get) Cut in each corner to make slits for a pinwheel shape (or use a tart cutter if you have one). Drop 1 t. of cooked mashed prunes into the center of each little square (I prefer to transfer dough to cookie sheet first) and fold in every other corner to middle, making a pinwheel. Place cookie sheet in fridge until they get cold. I often pull the sheets out of the fridge on Christmas Eve and bake them, then serve them warm. Bake 450*F for 5 minutes, and reduce to 425*F for 15 more minutes. *If they aren't already cut up in the package, cut prunes into small pieces. Then cook on med-low heat with a bit of water and then mash.

Enjoy!!

The notes in brackets are mine. I found if I chill the dough before rolling out, it works better, and then I don't chill it on the pans. But, this changes the baking time. I bake them 11 1/2 minutes at 400*F, and this works out well for my oven. Any longer and the pinwheel tips burn, any shorter and they don't brown yet. I also found that they turn out fine without that last cube of butter added, if you're trying to watch calories (and who of us isn't!)

Oh, and James said to me when I was taking the picture, "that's a weally nice pwate you have da tawts on Mom. Or is it a window? It looks like a window to me!" As a matter of fact, it does!

Christmas baking

What do you do for Christmas baking? I have old traditions, which I'll post soon (I hope), but this is a new one for our family. I used to work for a doctor from Spain, who would bring us trays of this from a specialty bakery (Italian) and it was divine! I've been meaning to make it since, but it finally became a reality. My husband wants it on the "must have" list for every year. And that's fine with me! And before we start, does anyone know the difference between baklava and bellaclava?? We once heard a comedian make a joke about them, and have always swapped the words at will since.

Baklava

"This is simple and easy. Serve it in cupcake papers. It freezes well, too."

Prep Time:30 Min,Cook Time:50 Min, Ready In: 1 Hr 20 Min

Recipe Yield 1 - 9x13 inch dish

Ingredients

• 1 pound chopped mixed nuts (some almost ground, some coarser for texture) toasted preferably
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp. (I baked it 35 and it was done)
   
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easy-baklava/Detail.aspx

If I make it again, I think I'll increase the honey and decrease the sugar/water. I love the honey taste, and with this one, it's pretty mild. I used almonds and pecans, but I know pistachios are great, as well as adding hazelnuts! It's also healthy. Butter, honey and nuts are all healthy, aren't they?! ;)

Update Dec 2011: I used same amount of honey, but used half brown, half white sugar and the flavor was perfect. Might try some Roger's Golden Syrup next time, as I'm sure that would be dee-lish! Used almonds, pecans, pistachios and hazelnuts

Uncle Rich

I first met Rich at my aunt Julie's condo when they were newly dating. I had just gotten back from my first trip to Alaska (2001) and we were hanging out at Julie's while I was in Oregon on vacation. I don't recall where Julie was (I think she was on a phone call for an extended time in the house), but I was stuck (so to speak) alone with Rich on the back patio. We talked about my trip, looked at my pictures and covered many other topics, killing time while waiting for Julie to rejoin us.

At that point, my first impression of him was that he was a know-it-all, and that he was just far too huggy. Those of you who know me, know that I'm not the kind of person to hug someone I've just met, especially not my aunts new boyfriend!! But, it seemed that Rich and Julie were destined to get married, so I figured I'd just better get to know him (and hopefully prove my assumptions wrong). And wrong they were. Well...I'll explain.

The reason he seemed like he knew-it-all, was because he was a good 20 years older than I, and had that much more life experience than I did. He also was always very interested in others, so he learned a wealth of information from being a good listener and an excellent conversationalist. He was also a salesman, which helped in those areas too! And the hugs, well, he just hugged everyone. Whether he knew you or not, you got a hug. It didn't take long for him to be welcomed into our family, and what a blessing he was to us all. He is surely missed!

At the funeral home for his visitation, Rich's brother stated how that if we could all listen a bit better, hug a bit more and be more open, this world would be a much better place. I agree. These were Rich's greatest strengths, and we could all learn a lesson from his example.

My favorite story of his though, is when he lived in New York City. He was selling furniture in a multi-leveled (4-5 story) building, and was showing a family around, pointing out different pieces to them as they went. There was a 12 or 13 year old boy with his parents, and the boy kept ripping tags off the furniture and throwing them on the floor. (I'm remembering he had ripped like 100 or so tags off different pieces) Rich had patiently asked him to stop, nicely asked the parents to have him stop, to no avail. So, on one of their ride up to the next floor, Rich ended up behind this kid in the elevator. He then (I can't specifically remember) either elbowed the kid in the back all the way up to the next floor, or gripped the back of his collar while giving him a smiling do-it-again-and-you'll-really-pay look, and then they proceeded on with the tour. The boys parents wondered why he was behaving so well at last (they hadn't seen a thing), as the boy was good as gold the rest of the time. If he even thought about misbehaving, Rich would glare at him and he'd shape right up! It was probably the first "discipline" the kid had ever had.

It's been a while...

It's now December, season of the calendar being full almost every day. I've wanted to write for a while (not that I have anything that enlightening), but sleep has always called me first. Or Christmas cards, or trips to town, or kids needing help, or something.

Anyhow, I had meant to share my own encouraging thoughts, if anyone should need them. (to tie into the previous post) This one is a story that my dear husband told the Sunday School class a few weeks ago, which I overheard. Some of the kids have really been into rock tumbling and polishing this past summer, especially after they got a rock tumbler and didn't have to painstakingly polish the rocks by hand anymore! (from a garage sale) Anyhow, the kids had all been seeing the "before" and "after" states the rocks had been in. Greg questioned the kids on what the rocks looked like before and got the answers rough, bumpy, dirty, poky, etc. Then what were the rocks like after and he got shiny, smooth, pretty, etc. He then likened our lives to those rocks. How when we start out we are rather rough, bumpy and dirty and then how God tumbles us around and in the end we're shiny and smooth, and beautiful. But...that tumbling is never fun. Going around and around in a tumbler can't be very fun, but if the rocks never got tumbled, they'd never get smooth. If we never face hard times in our lives, or allow God to turn us in the right direction, we'll never have that beauty of Jesus shining out from us (only our sinful selves). How wonderful if we can be willing to be used for His honor and glory, no matter what life may throw at us!

One of the things I like to do when faced with adversity is to sing. Because usually when I'm low, that's when the devil likes to put evil thoughts in my way. But when I sing praises to God, those thoughts vanish. Reciting Scripture does the same thing. There is no room for evil, when our hearts are filled with Jesus and His love, His forgiveness and His truth. My absolute favorite song in these times is "Because He Lives" and I belt out the chorus loud and clear, to convince myself more than anything, and to reassure my kids of where our strength lies. "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, ALL FEAR IS GONE, because I know, He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!"

There are so many other hymns and songs that have been written in times of trouble that can really help us in our own tough times. I recently had a decorative plate holder I wasn't using, and put it in my kitchen window as a songbook holder so that I can sing while I do dishes. The better we know our hymns and our Bible verses, the more "arrows" we have against the temptations we may encounter. When we try to face him on our own, we will most certainly fail, but with Jesus on our side at every turn, we can do nothing but win!!

Encouragement

A friend of mine posted this note of encouragement on facebook, and permitted me to share it here. No matter what kind of trial you are facing, may you trust in His Word, as your sure foundation. And if you're not facing anything tumultuous, perhaps someone around you is and you can encourage them on the journey.

"God loves you so much that he will not allow you to become stagnant in your faith and spiritual walk. When you go through difficult times, he is not necessarily "testing" you, but drawing you closer to Himself, so you will realize that you need him MORE than you need the security of your daily life.

The security we find in this life is only temporary; a tornado could blow your house apart, or drought might make food scarce, but with God, you have security in everything, forever. Because He is taking care of you. He owns everything in the world, and remember, Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.

But if you are asking God for security in this life, like enough money to keep your house, or some extra food in the freezer over winter, he might have a completely different plan than you; he might mean for your family to move across country in the next year in order to grow yourself closer to Him.

"No," I respond to your thoughts. "Change is not evil!" It is not something to stamp your foot at and cross your arms and mumble under your breath because God wants to grow you into something new and bold and strong in faith, and you just don't see it being possible.

He is in the business of doing miracles, and for Him, nothing is impossible. He sees you at the end of your life as a bold and strong woman of faith, just as much as he sees you as the tiny baby you were, unable to do anything for yourself. He brought you through a lot of changes in life, and he still plans to bring you through many more to grow you to be more like Jesus. He's not going to just let you remain a spiritual baby; he is going to allow change in order to grow your soul outside of the confines that you were born with.

"I'm too shy," you say. "I don't know what to do!"

But God does.

Like the potter with the clay, he needs to take this lump of unformed soul and mold it into a magnificent vase for holding flowers in. Never mind that you are an unformed lump of clay; God is forming you into something better. Just allow him to mold you rather than fighting against him and trying to get off the potter's wheel. Humble yourself to his caring hand.

He knows exactly which trials you need to go through in order to grow into a mature and shining woman.

If you don't know what to do in order to submit to God's changes, try prayer:

Oh God, I'm overwhelmed with the changes in my life, and I'm scared about what the future will hold. I don't know what to do. Help me to trust in you completely. My faith is in you, not in money or posessions, and I need your comfort, and to have you right next to me so I can survive through these difficult times. Please grow me into what you want me to be, and help me to know it's you bringing me through this."

Add your in your own thoughts, stir in a few raisins and some shredded carrot, and bake it at 350º for about 20 to 30 minutes, and voila! Carrot cake!

Matthew 6: 24-27 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

I have more of my own thoughts on this subject, but it's late so I'll share them another day when I can think clearer...nighty, night.

A Week Later

After a whirlwind week, one in which we had the visitation, burial and memorial, we are still recovering. My parents, younger sister and her little guy were able to come down from Canada and they stayed with us during it all. It was such a blessing to have them here, especially under the circumstances. As I've mentioned before, we (Greg & I) get tired of being strong all the time. It's nice to have someone "older and wiser" to lean on once in a while.

I have to say though, that the whole thing left me rejoicing and feeling very blessed but also very befuddled and disappointed. Rejoicing and blessed because of my extra large family (118 descendants from my grandparents down) and the love and support there is in that. But also disappointed because the opportunity I had to be with them was spent keeping kids quiet and calm, keeping kids fed and happy, and keeping kids still during the long stretches of sitting. Not visiting and "fellowshipping" as I would have liked. I also find it disheartening that at these type of events, I don't know what to say. I'd love to just talk and talk about memories of our loved one that has gone on, but I never know if others want to also. I also don't do well with small-talk on a good day, and when we're grieving and I'm trying to drum up conversation with cousins that I don't see very often (while trying to feed a baby who needs a nap terribly badly), it just doesn't come out very productive by any stretch of the imagination. And that discourages me. I want to have a good conversation with family, about a good (deep as opposed to shallow) topic and reacquaint myself if much time has gone by since the last time I've seen them. I also want to make sure that all the new in-laws are included (those who've married into the family in the past few years), but doing that also takes time and energy that isn't available to me at mass functions.

And the other part, is that I still haven't cried. Oh, tears have almost surfaced a few times, but then vanished before rolling down my cheeks. And that isn't good. Crying is an essential part of healing, and yet it eludes me still. My life still goes on as usual for the most part, but for my aunt, it is drastically changed. I wish I could take some of that emptiness and quietness of his absence away, but I cannot. I do hope that I can help her (and the rest of his and our families) share the burden of grief, and come out positively on the other side of it someday.

So, there's where it's at for me. A bit here and a bit there, but mostly still overwhelmed and in a state of disarray about it all.

Untitled...not sure what to think, say or feel

As I begin this, I'm just not sure where to start. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, and as soon as I thought I was getting used to one thought, another would bombard me (and all of our extended family), finishing today with my uncle Rich passing away. I think I'll start when I met him, and come forward in time until today.

Rich joined our family in 2001 when he married one of my spinster aunts Julie at the age of about 45. He was the newest addition of uncles, and so became more of a friend since we met as adults (unlike all my other aunts and uncles). We got married shortly after (2003), and he and Julie took the photographs at our wedding. Rich had an amazing eye for the beautiful, and out of the 8 rolls of film they took, there was not one bad picture in the bunch. And you will note that was before digital when you couldn't just hit delete on the bad ones!












We then got back in touch with them in 2005 when we moved up to WA. We stayed at their house when we arrived here, and have been good friends since. Rich had to work weekends much of the time (to his dismay), so often we'd visit late at night after he got off work, or we'd end up only seeing Julie.












Rich finally quit his job at the end of August to pursue his two passions - fly fishing and photography. He and Julie went on a trip to Yellowstone after he quit, and throughout the trip, he wasn't himself. He did all the driving, but that was all. He didn't even bring out his fishing rod, which was very unusual for him. He had been feeling generally ill (aches/pains/tired), but the doctor had not been able to find anything specific. When they got home from their trip, he was feeling very short of breath one evening, and they went to the ER. When they did a chest x-ray, they found he had pneumonia, but also that there was a mass on his lung. Cancer. In doing more testing, they discovered it had spread to his stomach, liver, lymph system and in the end it was throughout his body. He was able to get oxygen at home, but then that wasn't enough. His heart would hurt, and when they got back to the hospital, they found that his pericardial fluid had built up around his heart causing undue pressure on his heart. They drained 1L off and kept it draining and although he felt much better, he was still having shortness of breath. That was last Wednesday night, less than a week ago. He was admitted to the hospital and then on Friday transferred to a different hospital with a cancer center in hopes of getting started on chemo that day. Saturday he was still too short of breath to begin treatment. Sunday the same. Monday he decided that chemo was just too much, and that he would go home with hospice. Today he was better in the morning, so plans were made to bring him home. But around noon, he began to get much more short of breath (his O2 levels going down, down, down), and his pulse just kept going up and up. He never made it home. He was only 53 (almost 54) and had been married to Julie for 9 short years. His battle was short (3 weeks from diagnosis), but valiantly fought.

But now he's really home, in heaven. Even as close as we were as family, we never quite knew where he was spiritually, as he didn't talk about it too much. He believed in God, but we never knew if he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. Well, before he died, he did. He acknowledged this, and from the friends and family that were with him, he was a changed man. He was sad about leaving Julie, but excited about getting to heaven to see his Savior. What a blessing! How wonderful that he had time to clear things up about his eternal destination. We have all been praying for him, and now can be at peace that he was at peace.

Tonight ours and his families gathered at their house, and I was (and everyone else too) kind of numb. Not sure if we can really believe what has happened. Not sure how life will go on without him. Not sure if we should be more sad or more joyous for his victory! But, we do know one thing. We have trust in God our heavenly Father, and He knows what lies ahead. If we but trust, we won't go wrong. "Look ever to Jesus, he will carry you through" as one song says.

The following is a link to his photography website, as well as an article that will be published in a fly fishing magazine about him.

http://www.eastforkfly.com/index.html

http://unaccomplishedangler.com/2010/11/rich-schaaff-fly-fisherman-photographer-friend/














This picture was of Rich imitating Luke, and trying to get him to stop crying. He said to Luke, "see, I can make that same face and just as much noise as you". It didn't help, as you can guess!

Dream Come True

If I have ever had a dream house in my head, I have found the closest thing to it. Recently while reading a Cottage Living magazine (9/2008 issue), I came across an interesting article about a park in San Francisco called "The Presidio", which is a district full of history and 1491 acres of homes, parks, National cemetery, and much more located directly under the Golden Gate Bridge. It is government owned, as I believe it is an army base (or former one), which is where all the housing started. There are houses there from the 1860's up to the 1970's. Some of the older homes were getting run down, and a group of concerned citizens put together the Presidio Trust, committing to restoring these homes so they wouldn't get torn down. I believe there was close to 300 homes to restore. Anyhow, my dream home is among them. After finding more information on the website, I learned the good and the bad. The good - 3200 sq. feet, with 5 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths. This house is gorgeous! The bad - it costs $10,600 PER MONTH to rent. Wow! Now my big question is, who has that kind of money and would choose to rent a home? Here's what I love:

The glassed in porch for getting sun on windy days, or getting fresh air on stormy days. The lovely veranda for the rest of the time. And hey, this is San Francisco, I'm sure they get plenty of sunny days!


The little windows up in the peak. I imagined a cozy attic, but as you'll see below, it's even better!





The advertisement on the website describes these homes as: "Four large, nearly identical quarters were built in 1885 on the Presidio’s Officers’ Row to house the post’s highest ranking officials and their families. Constructed in the Queen Anne architectural style, these five-bedroom homes have been fully updated to include contemporary conveniences, including new kitchens and bathrooms. Surrounded by beautiful historic landscaping, the homes are located at the intersection of Funston Avenue and Presidio Boulevard on the Presidio’s Main Post, the cultural center of the park. Funston Avenue remains the oldest intact streetscape in San Francisco."


Now doesn't that street look pretty much like the American dream?







Steaming hot cup of coffee and a magazine in a wicker rocker in the morning? Can't think of a better place to start my day!



I've always wanted white cabinets. I would prefer the old 50's style with dark countertops, but I'll settle for this.



So, here's the 'attic'. I could get used to soaking in the tub up there.

And lastly, the living room. Most of the homes are all redone the same, in white and the same wood floors are constant. You could do almost any sort of decorating you want with this scheme.

Someday I'll hope to get my dream house, but for now I'll just remain content in what God has blessed us with. Much cheaper, that's for sure! The one main reason I love this house, is that it reminds me alot of the house that my Dad grew up in. (I'd scan a pic of that one, but my scanner is in storage for now, maybe someday) It was a big white farmhouse of the same era, and this one is an improved version of it. I was about 5 when that house was burned down due to unsalvageable rot, so I don't recall what it was like inside. (Although I do remember my uncles burning it, and that was a fire to see!) So this is what I can imagine it looked like.

Here's if you want to see more, and the bottom link is for "my" specific house.

http://www.presidio.gov/

http://www.presidio.gov/leasing/residentialleasing/neighborhoods/funston/

Praise Report !!

I just got done one of the more challenging jobs as a mom. But the most blessed also. My two littlest ones fell asleep on my lap, so the challenge became how to get them off my lap at the same time not waking them up, and getting them into their own beds. They normally fall asleep in their beds, but tonight James wanted some more "tuddle time", so I had Elise and him come sit with me on the Lazyboy while we sang our good-night songs, while Luke cuddled with Daddy. The moon was looking especially beautiful, peeking in and out of the clouds and shining its light on the yard when it peeked out. I kept rocking and watching the cloud formations, while the kids fell asleep. What a beautiful thing! Those are the moments that make you so thankful that God has blessed you with such a wonderful blessing. The only words that come close to describing it are as the Psalmist writes, "my cup runneth over."

Today was just a wonderful day all around. Although we hurriedly rushed to get ready for church this morning (and were late, even then as we had slept in just a little too long), it was a great day. After a wonderful sermon at church (which I didn't hear alot of, due to squirming kids), we came home and made a quick lunch (mini pizzas on hamburger buns toasted under the broiler), we tidied up our aftermath mess, and then settled down for a visit. Little girl took her nap, and our friend G (minus his lovely girlfriend E, who is out of town) stopped in. I love it when he drops by, because the conversation is much more varied than with people who are just acquaintances. You feel like you can state your true opinion, without offending anyone or that you might step on someone's toes. Anyhow, after discussion about something, we decided to watch Food, Inc., which I've been wanting to for a while. I had some low-cost bean soup simmering in the slow cooker, so after mixing up some biscuits and baking them, we settled in to eat and watch (and critique of course). Since I've been kind of interested in the topics they discussed, I knew pretty much what to expect. What infuriates this farmer's daughter (me) the most, was how the huge corporations hold their thumbs over the farmers. The farmer's are only trying to make an honest living, in yet are so stifled they are not able to do the right thing. It made me more adamant to know where my food is coming from, and who I am supporting when I buy items. So, goodbye Doritos, and all those other prettily packaged enticing foods. I don't need you anymore! The hard thing is being willing to pay more for the quality products. But, as they mentioned, when you pay taxes (that subsidize the cheap things to make them cheap), you factor in the cost of health care/medications, and quality of life- it doesn't work out any cheaper in the long run. And the only way to get the prices of quality products down, is to buy them and demand them. Write letters to your grocers, demanding organic, wholesome foods. And then buy whatever ones you can fit in your budget. Anyhow...I'll stop my rant there. You get the picture! http://www.foodincmovie.com/

So, the rest of the praise report is this: I'm back! After a somewhat doomful but successful facade this past year, I'm for real now. The inquisitive, investigative, more patient, more energetic, chipper, cheerful, motivated me is back! Almost a year of depression later, I am now actually looking forward to getting up each morning. What I suspected the ailment was, it was. And that was overtaxed adrenals and thyroid. Both of these get depleted when you're under stress, and I became a victim with my sleepless nights and endlessly crying but adorable babies. I had my thyroid checked by my Dr. about a year ago (which checked out fine), but apparently your levels have to be extremely low to register as low on their scale. So, I began taking some herbs to assist with that, and after 4 days of being on them, I feel like a new person. I was so productive the first 3 days of last week though, that I had to rest all day Thursday, as my body couldn't keep up with my motivation or my mind! We (Greg and I) also went running 3 days last week, and hope to continue that. (we'll see, now that it's raining this week!) We didn't run far, nor fast, but we did it, and that is the main thing.

When I was "down", I would drink coffee, hoping it would perk me up. Well, it perked me up energy-wise, but it did nothing to improve my mood. I still didn't have any motivation nor zest, that I normally have. I just got through each day drudgingly (the spell check tells me that isn't a word and that I should use "grudgingly", but you know what I mean...) I've also been taking a good quality B-complex for a while now which helps with all sorts of things like: metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and provides the body with energy. They also support a healthy nervous system and mood, and are essential for healthy skin, hair and vision. (I was taking a cheap drugstore brand that did nothing, so paying the extra for a good quality one from a health food store is worth it). If you are suffering from any of the same things I have been, check these out. They are a much better option than meds, as medications only mask the symptoms and don't solve the problem. (I do use meds occasionally, but try to use the natural route first, mostly because I hate supporting those same corrupt companies that feed us lies to line their own coffers with our hard earned money)

The third part of this praise report is that I don't have to put a new zipper in a favorite jacket of my daughter's. The little square plastic piece fell off the bottom of the zipper, thus rendering it useless. But, thanks to my new dog and cat (aka Luke whose name is "Furry-Woofs-Around-All-Day" and James whose name is "Pet-A-Kitty-All-The-Time") who were roaming around the house on all 4's in their Hallowe'en costumes, they found it and I was able to super-glue it back on and fix it lickety-split. We had been in town all day and I hadn't noticed when it fell off, so I thought my chances of finding it were pretty slim.

So, there's my schpeil for today. Thankful for the blessings of the day, as well as the answers to prayers of myself and many of you to start feeling better so I can enjoy life again instead of dreading each day, wondering how to cope. Praise the Lord!!

Money Saving Tips

The other day my dear husband had a few days off (supposed to be the whole week) while his parents were here. Unfortunately he got called back into work before his time off was done. Because of this frustration, he has been exploring options to not be so tied to work. Finding a different job in this market would likely not be a beneficial move, so he was instead inspired to pay off our mortgage much earlier than planned. He has it all calculated out how it can work, but it's going to take some dedication on our part to make it happen. I (nor he) has the energy to be "gazelle intense" (to quote Dave Ramsey), but at least have some tangible goals we're going to try to reach. If we were to get as intense as we could, that would mean no vacations, no eating out ever, etc. for a few years, and we're not inclined to be that enslaved to the budget. Although the freedom of no mortgage is very enticing!

If you are in a mindset to save more money, I would get yourself a copy of The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn as well as Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover to start. It will give you a base to know where to start. I had never budgeted at all nor had I even balanced a checkbook until Luke was born, and at that point decided I'd better get on it if I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Many people may find a budget limiting, but I would say that being a slave to debt is much more limiting. I look at a budget as the freedom it gives me, rather than the restrictions it gives me.

Here's a few money savers (some of which I do, some which I hope to do, and some which I don't do but probably should...I won't tell you which!)
~make a written budget, spend each dollar on paper at the beginning of the month, and ask each dollar "who are you, and where do you think you're going?" (to quote Dave Ramsey)
~use the cash envelope system, no matter how much easier it is to use debit/credit, you'll automatically spend less because it hurts to give cash
~cut up your credit cards
At home:
~hang dry your clothes
~cold wash, use half the detergent called for
~cloth diapers, potty train as young as possible, fabric reusable feminine products
~breastfeed and get in touch with La Leche League for support/to answer questions
~buy bulk (family packs of meat, grains), buy clearance foods
~get rid of high speed internet and do dial-up, no cable/satellite
~home phone only and get rid of cells (updating your gadgets is expensive!)
~pay cash for cars, even if it means driving a clunker while you save up for a nicer one
~garage sale for as many items as you can - this means thinking months in advance but it reduces impulse buying. Be willing to wait to find the perfect deal! Start at your lowest price store and move up to more expensive stores if you can't find it at a garage sale. For me this is: Goodwill/other thrift stores, Once Upon a Child, Kids Resale, Ross, Walmart, Target...I rarely have to buy new items, plus your selection at used stores is much more varied than new stores. This also means setting a budget for shopping garage sales. For me, for clothes I will pay a maximum of $0.50, unless it's a shoe size I need or a nice jacket. If you plan far enough in advance, you rarely will have to exceed that. $0.25 is even better! Being patient is the key, and having a chart of sizes/clothes needed (as I've posted before in a previous post) so you know what you need, much before you actually need it. Even at 90% off in a regular store, you can't even come close to $0.25!
~meat free meals 1-2 times a week (eggs, beans/rice, lentils, pancakes), cut the meat in half in recipes that can take it (spaghetti, chili, etc)
~drink water more, and less juice/milk
~learn to make your own cosmetics/shampoos/cleaning products out of staples
~microfiber cleaning cloths (I'll have a separate blog on this one!)
~do 80-90% of your shopping on the perimeter of the store. The inner aisles should only be for staples (oatmeal, flour, beans), no prepackaged foods
~ let your baby eat off your plate, get a baby food grinder and don't buy prepackaged
~ find free food whenever you can (trees with the fruit falling off) and learn to can/freeze it
~ cloth napkins, super absorbent microfiber cloths instead of paper towels

Things I haven't figured out how to save on:
~ gas (this is one of our biggest budget blowers every time) and even if I increase it, we still go over
~ health care premiums
~ fitting odd things that are sporatic into the budget (chiropractic, vehicle licensing,etc)
~ life insurance (term vs. whole life policies)
~ can I really save money by going to many different stores, when I have to drive further (eg. Costco) and have membership fees? How often do most people shop? (we go every 2 weeks, but I know some people go weekly, and yet others seem to be able to do monthly trips)


I also would like some "cheap food" recipes. I'm willing to eat more beans and rice, rice and beans, lentils, etc., but my repertoire is quite limited. Expanding that would be much appreciated. Please comment, or email me your favorite recipes or money saving tips.

Multi-level marketing/ Microfiber wonders

I feel used. Well, not used so much as almost used. When Greg and I moved up here, this couple befriended us with 3 different tactics (and many times with each one). They seemed a bit too friendly for someone who didn't know us from Adam. Each time, it didn't work out to get together with them. It was just recently that I put two and two together. I found out that they belong to a very pushy multi-level marketing company. (I know another couple who sell this same product, and they have worn out their welcome with many, due to their ultra-spiritual, ultra-"healthy" ways). Here I thought these people were befriending us because we were new to the area, but now I see that they just wanted us to buy into their scheme.

It was after going to a party for microfiber cleaning products, that I started thinking about this MLM (multi-level marketing) stuff. The products are amazing, but extremely expensive. No matter how clean I want my house, spending $799 isn't a deal. I could hire a maid for alot less than that!! Anyhow, it got me thinking about all the MLM's, and how does one know if one is legit or not. Some offer great products, but some are just scams. These two quotes stood out, on the various websites I visited, trying to learn more. I seem to have lost their source, but here they are:

"I am not against the concept of multilevel marketing if the product is legitimate and is helping people, and many people have made a good income this way. However, more often than not, the people at the bottom of the chain end up losing more money than they make, or spend a lot of their time for little profit, or end up alienating some friends and family members due to their persistence. I personally know several people who spent enormous amounts of time and energy as distributors for little gain."

"He claims that over 99% of new distributors for various MLM companies lose money."

These are both from a MLM watchdog organization. So, what did I do with my new found information? I decided to go to our local stores, and see if I could find similar products for alot less money. The cleaning products from the party were microfiber cloths, so I found some at TJMaxx as well as some at Walmart. I brought them home, and voila! they clean just as well as the $80 ones. (it was $80 for just the kitchen kit, $799 for whole house kit) This company says their cloths last 4-6 years, so we'll see how long my $10 of cloths last. I still use dishcloths we got at our wedding 7 years ago, so why would these ones wear out faster? We'll see. I can replace my Walmart (Quickie brand) every year, and still be much further ahead.

But, I'm glad I went to the party, because I learned how to clean effectively with the cloths.
1) spray the place you want to wash with just plain old water from a squirt bottle
2) wipe off with the microfiber cloth. It takes everything right off (grease, finger prints, and allegedly germs)
3) rinse your cloth in warm water, hang to dry
4) throw in the laundry when it seems to need it, likely about once a week
5) hang to dry

My faucets just shine cleaning this way, so I will vouch that they do work. My windows are completely streak-free which they never have been (I washed them with a squeegee brush with just water, wiped them down with the squeegee side, and then dried them with the microfiber cloth in the sunlight (which normally is a no-no for windows). My mirrors are also streak free. So, I'm curious to see how these hold up, and if they keep doing the impressive job that they are doing. The cloths are supposed to work better over time, as you get rid of the soap/cleaner residues from what you are cleaning, as well as the fibers fray more and become more absorbent. I wouldn't trust them to disinfect from things like chicken juice, but for everyday gunk, I think they'll work great!

So, although I don't write off all these MLM's, as we do get some vitamins from another company, buyer beware! Check them out with the Better Business Bureau and be prepared to do research, and don't just listen to the excited people that are selling them to you. They are trying to make money, so it's a given that they are going to be super-nice, super-friendly and super-sneaky about whatever they are trying to sell.

Kid Quotes

I will not say that my kids are the 'cutest', as all kids are cute in some way or another. I love them most of all because God gave each one to me (us) as a precious gift to cherish. Some days I cherish them more than others (depending on how many antics they come up!), but one thing they always do is to make me laugh. Here's the latest:

Luke on the way to the zoo to James "if you see a dinosaur that looks real, but isn't, it's called a 'fake'."

James to Elise when she was using his toothbrush "Give that back to me. Do you want to get big boy germs on you?"

Luke, after a rather rambunctious friend was over and they had been wrestling all day (he was showing me his injuries). I told him to get used to the idea, because most boys just like to wrestle. He said, "kind of like girls just like to boss?" Yep! Pretty much!

Luke after rescuing his Doodle Pad off the deck at bedtime before I locked the door. James asked him why he was bringing it in. Luke said, "well, you don't want it to get stolen, do you?" (I'm sure that would be the first thing a thief would be after. Not his bike or our cars, but a Doodle Pad!)

The boys were discussing when we could get a pet (so we could actually go down the pet food aisle). I told Luke maybe when he turns 6 we could get him one. James said, "I could get one when I turn zero." I asked him when he'll be O. He said, "well, at about 9 o'clock." Have no idea what he meant by that.

James (3) "I want to build a big bonfire up to the sky. But then Jesus would say, "hey, why is there smoke in my house?" "

The other day when we went to the Habitat for Humanity Re-store and when we went up to the antique section (which is mostly broken tables, dressers and such) and as we walked up the stairs he exclaimed, "Wow, this place is bee-yoo-tiful". I do think he actually meant "gigantic" or "humongous" but it was cute, none-the-less.

Me: James, you're always so happy, is there anything that makes you sad?
James: Just when I have to go to jail!
Me: When have you been to jail?
James: Well, never...

Friday Night

Not much going on tonight, but I thought I'd write a few thoughts. The one being: "Note to self: making Chinese food dirties every dish in your kitchen. Remember that before you start!" I did make my Panda Express-like Orange Chicken as well as a recipe that said it was Panda's chow mein, but wasn't. I think with a bit of tweaking I can get it to taste the same, but so far every recipe has been more unlike it than like it. The orange chicken is amazing though (recipe I posted some months back). I did precook the chicken though (while cooking it for another meal earlier in the week), and then pan fried it instead of deep frying, and that seemed to work better (and much safer and faster).

I have a sick little baby girl (cold, low grade fever and last tooth erupting), so today wasn't near as productive as I'd like it to be. I had promised to help G unload his workshop/shed, as it is going through big changes tomorrow. We have had it on our driveway (it's 16'x20'), but in hopes of someday building a real shop on that spot, we decided to move it to another spot. We have a hillside in our yard that is unusable and very hard to mow (actually you can't mow it, you have to weed whack it), so we decided to put the shed on pilings on that, and then build a little bridge out to it. And then someday turn it into a guest house, sauna, studio, bunk house, who knows?













So, I had promised to help, but with a fussy baby, I didn't get much done. We ended up cuddling and watching the Berenstain Bears adventures instead. That's okay too, because cuddling with kids is a pretty good way to spend a day, if you ask me. It seems they grow more every day, and I know it won't be too long when they'll be too big to cuddle (or not want to) with me.














One thing that James did though, was yesterday. He was apparently "helping Daddy", but when Daddy went to find him, he had climbed out onto the far side of that frame for the shed. He was standing way out there, and so Greg asked him calmly to come back (as not to scare him so he'd fall). He turned around, and Greg asked him, "isn't that scary?" (it's a good 6-8 ft. high), and James replied, "yes, fun scary!"

I guess we'll see what happens in the morning. We have a friend who has it all worked out how this move is going to go. I don't have it quite figured in my head, but that's okay. I'm in charge of feeding the crew, so I'll just watch and tend to my own responsibilities. And next time my husband comes home from work with a flatbed truckload of railroad track (not ties, but track!) or something as strange (since he already brought home the track) I won't ask questions. I'll just smile and wonder adventure he's up to next!

Now, I've finished my honey chamomile tea, so should skeedaddle off to bed now!