Feeling Artsy.

After a particularly stressful Monday morning of hustle and bustle, I got a strong whiff of inspiration. I had to do something artistic, and the calling was immediate. Did I mention it was only 10 am? Yes, it was that kind of a morning.

I had a project in the back of my mind that I kind of wanted to do... so now was the time. First, I lugged this large dresser downstairs and moved it outside of the garage.

The dresser belonged to my mom before she was married. She had it for nearly 30 years. Then it met my kids. Two years later, the drawers were busted out and deemed unsafe. Instead of throwing it away, I turned it around and used it as a shelf for the kids' stereo and books.

Count it... 1, 2, 3 little helpers...

I painted a white border around the edges and used a washable crayon to rough-out a Lightening McQueen.

I should mention that I do not like characters.

I'm not a huge fan of Disney.

I just don't like clothing or toys with Thomas, Mickey or Dora. They feel so materialistic and just seem, well... obnoxious to me.

The kids don't feel the same way.

While we've avoided most obsessions by simply not watching very much television, we have not escaped Cars Movie. I have one Cars Movie fan, and one Cars movie fanatic. (The fanatic is the girl.)

Now back to my painting.

This project went so fast. It took me an hour to complete my work from start to finish- and this includes a trip to Hobby Lobby for some red paint.

With three grubby kids.

And only ONE was wearing shoes.

This was a mistake.

This was embarrassing.

This required too much carrying of two barefoot, grubby children.

This was the reason we forgot our paint at the checkstand and the cashier chased us out of the store to return it to us in the parking lot.

Ok, that last part perhaps cannot be blamed on the lack of footwear.

It was an unfortunate incidental.

And the finished project, upstairs in it's place... in the GIRL'S room!

And yes, she is going to probably be the only 2 year old girl with a Cars Movie room theme. It's going to be the most feminine Cars room you've ever seen... trust me!

I must say I love painting for my kids. Here are a couple of other paintings that I have made for my oldest son:

How 'Bout Them Apples?

We go through at least 20 lbs of organic apples per month. Not only are apples a great snack for the kids, but they love applesauce. 

On a side note, applesauce is a food that literally makes me gag, so I applaud myself for cooking it up for the wee ones. It is truly a selfless act, because applesauce appeals to me about as much as NyQuil. Or Castor oil.

Anyways, I usually make applesauce of different varieties in my baby food maker, but decided to go big time and use the stove. It was so easy!



First, peel (optional) and core your apples. I used my apple slicer-peeler-corer. You can get them for less than $20 and they save so much time!



Put the apples in a large kettle with a few inches of water at the bottom. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Next, I added some frozen organic strawberries (I bought these in bulk and have way too many to use up!) and blackberries (same story!)

I blended the tender apples and berries in a blender. I stopped blending when I reached the consistency of applesauce you would find at your grocery store. For a thicker, homestyle feel, you can mash with a  hand tool if desired. Isn't it pretty? So easy, healthy, and at $1/lb for organic apples-- cheap!

A special thanks to my Mother-in-Law for giving me the tips on making applesauce. And for not hating me when I turned down her applesauce for the first time (and every time after that!) It's not personal!

Naptime Jabbering

Yesterday I hear Thor jabbering very loudly in his room during naptime. I went upstairs and listened by the door for a few moments. It sounded as though he was giving someone directions. I thought it was really loud and disruptive for the other two that were sleeping, so I decided to go in and quiet him down.

Me: "Thor, you really need to be quiet. It's naptime."

Thor: [in a serious, hushed voice] "Well, you really need to be quiet, too. Thor's on the phone."

Homemade Yogurt

I'm going to summarize what just happened in my kitchen last night.

In three words: I made yogurt.





My ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pints whole, raw, [Jersey] cow milk-- it was starting to sour. Please note: Plain ol' storebought milk works just fine for you non-milk-freaks out there.
• 3 Tbs. organic YoBaby banana yogurt [hello, culture starter.]
• Brand spankin' new YoGormet Electric Yogurt Machine
• 1/2 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
• A print-off of Tamika's blogpost for reference and general guidance. I like to have something to stare at obsessively while waiting for my milk to come to that perfect temperature. Something to misplace on my kitchen counter a dozen times, panic, find it, repeat... you know.

and to add to the plain yogurt the next morning...

• Bananas and blackberries lightly steamed, pureed with 1/5 cup of white sugar. (Don't have a 1/5 measuring cup? Me neither. But that amount strangely seemed just right.)

I'll spare you the details, because I'm no professional. See the referred-to-blogpost above for specifics. The resulting yogurt was great, although the consistancy is just a bit lumpy. I think I incubated too long... about 9 hours. Still,  delicious. 

Here is what I wound up with. It's beautiful!

 Ever have something so good that you just collapse on the floor and call it a morning? Yeah, it was that good.




Momma's Doin' Zumba.

So I started Zumba.

None of these are me.

It is fun.
I laugh a lot.

I'm not coordinated.

I really like to dance though. I've always felt a bit of a calling to be a hip-hop dancer. And a cattle ranch hand. And a childen's clothing line designer. Do I have to choose one?

Wait, can I choose one?

Anyways, Zumba.

I think all moms deserve to get out of the house and sweat it out. Need an excuse?

Excerise is proven to fight depression, reduce stress and anxiety, increase stamina, reduce body fat, and control weight. It just feels good.

Even if I don't get all (any?) of the moves right... it doesn't really matter.

Because if sweat means anything, then I am getting a really good workout.

As it Turns Out, Quinoa Goes With Anything.

One more blog post about Quinoa, and then I will move on with my life. I promise. As it turns out, quinoa goes with everything. It's a great boost for any baby food recipe that you (errrr... the baby) are sick of.

My older kids are weird. They like baby food.

Veggie Quinoa

• 2 C Sweet Peas
• 2 C Sweet Corn
• 1 C Quinoa

I prepared my quinoa ahead of time. I prepared it like rice, but it can also be ground into a fine meal. (Think baby's first rice that you would buy at the store.) Steam the veggies and blend it all together into a sweet, healthy puree.

Butternut Squash Quinoa

• Butternut Squash
• Apple
• Quinoa

Steam or bake the squash and apples, and blend together with quinoa. Delicious!



Thanks for the food, Mommy! Oink oink!



Favorite Age

"Mommy, you are my best friend ever and I'm going to pull up this chair and watch you."

[says the three year old boy as he scoots up a green plastic chair to the couch where I am crashing resting after putting two-thirds of the children to bed.]


Sigh. Can I keep him at this age forever?


A few other phrases from today which I wish to not forget, so I will jot them down right here and now:


"You're my favorite mommy in the whole wide world."
"Thanks for the food, mommy. You make good food!"
[After I buckle him in his carseat] "I give you a hug? [Great big carseat hug.] And a kiss!"


Not to discount the other children and their age-appropriate actions.


The baby is adorable. Gooey, soft, and stupidly happy. However, he wants to eat constantly and crawls all over me like a little parasite if I am not in motion.


The two year old is sweet and cuddly... when she is sweet and cuddly. However, the very slightest provocation puts fire in her eyes and sends her into a frenzy.


I don't have a favorite child. But I do have a favorite age. And tonight it happens to be 3.