I Didn’t Realize

I've had several inquiries into what I've done with my hair. Thank you, I hadn't realized that I'd put you in suspense.

My husband's incredibly long extreme programming spree is almost up. To me, having some sort of reprieve from lacking contact with those over 4 feet tall will be close to bliss. The last couple weeks, I've been just hanging in there waiting on the weekends. So, please forgive me if I don't really care what my hair looks like right now. (hahaha)


This is generally how I wear my hair. I miss the length and look forward to being able to do something with it again.

This coming weekend is the "Women's Retreat" for our church group. I'm dreading and looking forward to it. I'll have Cow with me, Ben will have the other three. They'll have a good time. I won't have the built-in entertainment units of older siblings, so it should be interesting. It's hard to focus on the message at times when entertaining a baby.. and taking a baby to such a meeting often means that the woman is segregated from the group (after all, who else is used to a pottying baby?) (Note: This is better than just a few years ago when they would say absolutely no babies and I'd say that I wouldn't be able to go).
The 'Women's Conference' a few weeks ago had the nursing mothers in the nursing or infant/toddler rooms. In the morning, I was directed to the baby room - one other person there, and the baby was too tiny to play with Cow. In the afternoon, they stuck a sick person in that room, and I was directed to the toddler room. Cow had a much better time because there was someone else to play with, and I could focus on most of the message while keeping an eye on her. I even took notes! That was a good learning experience and I'll have to see what's available next time.

I need figure out what to pack. Clothes, toiletries, toys. Should I take the PackNPlay? Maybe just some extra pillows.

Earthquake

We had a nice moderate earthquake this evening. The second noticeable one since we moved here. I'm thinking it was in the 5 range. We'll see when they report it. Ah, the verdict's in: 5.6

TJ's concerned about preparedness. He's packing a bag for "When I'm the only one who gets out of this house alive..." Including a memory of each person.

Ben, we need a new family portrait. Cow's not in this one and TJ chose to pack a bib to remember her by. He just pulled his handprint from when he was 18mo or so down and packed that.. I may have to redecorate soon.

Looks like my next shopping list will be things to keep in the car, just in case: flashlight w/extra batteries & bulbs (or batteries & bulbs for some of the flashlights floating around here), fire extinguisher, snacks. And work on my 'food pantry' so that we have enough for an emergency (I've been working on that on & off).

Happy Teeth

Yesterday, I remembered to make an appointment for TJ while I was at the dentist's office. Today, I took him. Ben, of course, had to go to work, so I had the girls with me as well. When we arrived, the assistant asked if they were all going to be seen - they had enough time on the schedule and children's visits are quick. So, instead of just one, they looked at the teeth of three! I was given the referral to the orthodontist for TJ. AJ was also X-rayed to see if there were any toothbuds for those teeth that never came in - no, but looks like there should be room if the adult teeth show up there. BB was a perfect patient.. once she got in the chair. Now, I just need to see if we're doing the sealants for the permanent teeth.

Bicycles

I'm getting frustrated with lack of exercise. Sure, it's my own fault. I generally don't get going unless there's a goal. So, to get up early just to run around the block (and anyone in the area knows how dangerous that is! Monthly, if not closer to weekly, there are news reports about people getting run over while walking across the street *in a crosswalk* *with the walk-signal*). There's that, and the job-hours. If Ben were home, and awake with the children (or the children were sleeping), and I had a goal....

A new library branch is opening only a mile from my house.

So, if we're going to go against the odds and put our lives in danger, it may as well be at a good clip. Right? We have a bike trailer. And bikes that don't fit the riders. And a few mismatched helmets. So that leaves us with just the minor issues. Like, the baby. Have you ever noticed that most trailers and bike mounted seats are for toddlers and up. The child has to be able to a) wear a helmet, and b) keep it's head up whilst wearing the huge thing. That means that generally speaking, one doesn't bicycle with baby for at least a good year!

So, Ben asks, "What do all those crazy bike-riding Canadians do to get their babies home from the hospital?" I'm not sure, I'll ask. (edited to add: Her answer was what I told him originally, just have the baby at home! Those who go to the hospital generally take a cab home)

But, here's the answer from the Netherlands. They just attach the carseat to the rack!

I may have to wait till she fits in a regular bike seat.. or AJ can ride well enough to ride alongside. I don't know if I'd get up a hill with baby on bike and a 3 & 5yo in the trailer! Haha.. I could always try!

Slinging Around

Grandma's coming. Well, my MIL, the children's Grandma. She'll be here in just over an hour and we're so excited! AJ's birthday is Sunday, so she'll get to see Grandma off as she turns 5. We're planning on an aquarium trip tomorrow, and who knows what beyond cake and ice cream on Saturday.

I wanted to get some 'orders' out of the way before she came. So, Sunday we picked up some fabric for slings and I finished these 5 last night. 2 lavender and a purple for gals at church (still need to finish up a pink one for another gal, too), and I found a neat denim that looks reversible for one for me.

Pumpkin Pie

Yesterday, I bought a Cinderella pumpkin and used it to hold my stew (Mom's recipe.. I can't say more currently.. can't even write the name..). We had a nice potluck. Afterward, I brought home my pumpkin and began chopping it up. For the stew, I had baked the pumpkin for an hour. Well, this pumpkin is so thick that had hardly cooked it! Out came the steamer pot. Mine is a nice double-steamer that Dad gave me in England. I filled the first layer with pumpkin, filled the second layer with pumpkin, put that in the fridge. Found some containers and filled them with pumpkin and went to bed.

At that point, I hadn't cut up half the pumpkin.

This morning, I boiled the water in the pot and pulled out the steamers. They went for most of an hour and then I switched the layers so the top could cook better. I mixed my sour dough starter and ran out of flour... and walked to the store.

When I came home, the pumpkin was perfectly cooked. I pulled it off and finished my sourdough starter (it's been going for about 2 weeks, soon I shall have sourdough!).

I pulled the half cooked pumpkin from the fridge and finished cubing it. Staring at all that pumpkin.. I searched for "pumpkin honey" online. First up, Pumpkin Honey Pie. Sounds good! Searched for a crust. Found several, but not exactly what i was looking for. So, for today, it was about 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cold butter -cubed, 1/2 tsp salt, ~4Tbsp cold water. Mixed and stuck that in the fridge while I made the pie filling.

Once the pie was in the oven, I surveyed the kitchen. Needful of storage containers, I loaded and ran the dishwasher. Out came the old red check cookbook (mine's about a 1983) and I flipped through the index. 'Squash' was mainly side dishes, so to 'pumpkin' I looked.

I whipped together Pumpkin Bars.. Though, they call for Cream Cheese Frosting and I'm out of powdered sugar.. Then it was on to Pumpkin Drop Cookies! Oops, out of raisins, but I can live with that.

Pause for Banana Smoothies.

Ben called. He's coming home! We've mainly seen him as he left for work (or snoozed in the mornings) since last weekend. I think he made it in by 2AM this morning, one of the earlier nights.

Baby's fed, time to make Macaroni and Cheese. Not Kraft, a real mac 'n cheese casserole.

Shhh… I didn’t tell him..

Locks of Love, here they come!

The last few days the baby has been grabbing my hair, I haven't given it as much time as it needs, and I had a weird dream about it being shoulder blade length. My aim had been to grow it down to my bum (classic length), then chop it back to my ribcage. My hair was to my waist, which is the longest I've ever had it, and that only took about 6 years (with a few big trims). Goal 1: Locks of Love has been accomplished. Now that I know that I like that length, it's time to aim longer :)

Chocolate Beet Brownies?

Yes, I said, "Beet."

And, they were good, too. I should have taken a picture! I based them on this recipe that was copied and had the link on the CSA recipe page.

I forgot to 'mash' the beets in the blender, they were mostly small chunks instead. And, I ground some wheat fresh, so I used a cup of that and a cup of 'regular' (white whole wheat by King Arthur) flour instead of the flour and wheat germ called for. I spaced the nuts entirely.. And, I think I beat the eggs a touch too long because I had to skin the beets that had just finished cooking -super simple, just rinse the beets to cool them in the pan and keep the cold water running, under the water pinch/rub off the skins; they come off really easily and didn't stain my fingers that way!

I'm out of chocolate again, and ate half the remaining beets, so can't make this again soon enough! I finally found out what my Mom was trying to explain when I was a child -fresh beets are really good! There wasn't that bitterness I remember, certainly a beet flavor, but sweetly so. In the brownies, they reminded me of cherries, and J- suggested cranberries.

Definitely try this odd recipe!

Bread

I plan on freezing some dough. So, I'm following these directions for freezing bread dough. I've got Active Dry Yeast, so basically it says to mix the bread and let rest 10 min, then shape it and put straight into freezer bags in the freezer.

I'm trying this recipe: Bread Loaves. Note: not the best recipe for freezing because she seems to add such a small amount of flour at first -very sticky dough!

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! The unthinkable has occurred!! No more wheat flour!! I thought there was another bag! "What to do?"

Crayon

You Are a Green Crayon

Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors. While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around. Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease. You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows! Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Thanks, Lindsey!

Scholastically Thinking

Sometimes you have to stay up late to make it happen in the morning. I had hoped to skip out Saturday morning to plan my school week. Instead, we stayed up late Friday night till about 5AM Saturday morning watching Netflix. Needless to say, he had some good sleep. I was so tired Saturday night that I went to bed about 7PM! Sunday, as usual, we scrambled to church. After, we wandered about the mall for the longest time. When it was getting toward bedtime, I went quietly off to get Cow to sleep. Soon after there were the strangest sounds.. Ben had the children tidying up! When I had Cow to bed, the work began for me.

I wanted to head to bed with a) a game plan or basic schedule and b) having read the teacher's material so that I at least had an idea what I'm supposed to be doing.

This morning, I got up late, but went for the basic schedule outline. Feed baby, see if she'll sleep more (no), get dressed (hurrah, I'm dressed!), get TJ started, help girls get started, clean something (the girls had colored their closet doors..), eat breakfast, feed baby, start school.

The piano teacher should be here shortly and I'm happy to say we've done our Latin work for today and figured out where we are in Math (he took 2 tests today) and the girls have been working on their "handwriting skills." Well, they flipped the papers over and drew on the back..