Gwen and the Doll

I know the lighting in these photos kind of stinks...but I thought they were so cute I'd post them. I've never seen Gwen pick up dolls like she has in the last two days. She has been carrying around with her today and in the first picture feeding it a shrimp! :) I'm also trying to get a video of how she speaks all day. It is adorable. What a beautiful age.

What Do You Think?

What has happened to personal responsibility?

Meal Plan

It's been a long while since I posted what we eat out here in the Kansas wilderness. A friend's blog inspired me to share.

roast, carrots, potatoes in crockpot (haven't bought the roast yet, but I will ok?)
spaghetti, turkey meatballs, salad
easy beef stroganoff- had tonight... liked it
chili
roasted chicken and corn chowder- Ben about flipped over this

Easy Beef Stroganoff

4 1/2 C uncooked yolk-free noodles (I used however much I had of egg noodles)
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms (not a shroom fan, so didn't put in)
1 large onion, halved and sliced (I diced it in the food processor)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 can (14 1/2 oz) reduced- sodium beef broth (I used just regular)
2 T tomato paste
1 C fat-free sour cream (I used light instead of fat free)
salt and pepper to taste

cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the beef, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Carefully return beef mixture to the pan. Add sour cream, salt and pepper; cook and stir until heated through (do not boil). Drain noodles; serve with beef mixture.

Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder (do you like soup? gotta try this)

4 slices bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon)
1 C diced onions
1/2 C each diced celery and diced red bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 T minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
2 T all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, well drained
1 can cream style corn
2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast (I just boiled some chicken and chopped it up)
1 T hickory-flavored barbecue sauce (I just used what I had on hand)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook chopped bacon and chop up (I cook mine in the microwave). Not too crisp. Put it in pan with onions, celery, red pepper and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. (you may have to add some butter to your pan if you don't cook bacon in the pan or if you use turkey bacon because it doesn't give off enough fat)

Add thyme and flour. Mix well. Stir in broth and evaporated milk. Bring mixture to a gentle boil and stir continuously until soup thickens slightly.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 10 min stirring occasionally. Serve hot. (like you needed that advice huh?)

Let me know if you try these and what you thought.

Baby Bap Update

I went to see the baby doctor today and she made my due date January 11th. So, that means I'm 15 1/2 weeks along today. I heard the heartbeat and it was pumping away in there. I'm so curious if it is a boy or girl, but I know Ben will not want to find out again. Oh well... it will be a nice birthday present for me. Maybe our baby will share my birthday of January 6th.

Something Good

Ben is in a computer class from 6-9:30 part of this week and next, so that means I get the nightly routine to myself. Gwen's routine is a bath with the usual teeth brushing and all and then books and then the lights go out and she drinks a bit of milk and I sing to her. I have been singing hymns (cause you know it breaks my heart to think of her not knowing all the hymns I grew up on) and other songs. In the midst of "I Surrender All" and "Just As I Am" I sang this song. I love this song from The Sound of Music. That has to be my all time favorite movie I think. I looked at her when I was singing and I am sometimes struck by her beauty. I mean, don't get me wrong, I look at her all the time and think she is beautiful... but there is something to that private time before bed when it is just the two of us (and the baby within) that makes me see all of her. How long she's getting, how beautiful her eyes are, how she knows me and is my constant companion, how her personality and joy have captured my heart.

Noah's Ark

I know the Noah's Ark is a popular theme for kid's stuff. I understand why... I mean, the animals, the boat and such. But this plate makes me think. I mean... look at the top right hand portion of this plate.

I think of the real Biblical story and all of those people dying in the flood and I think... what a weird thing to put on a children's plate. Oh well... I'm probably the only one who thinks that.

Swimming

The other day we went and visited Ben's Aunt and Uncle and swam at their house. Here is Gwen in her bathing suit holding a naked Barbie that she named "Dee."


Entertaining the masses. P.S... she loves the huge dog they have.


Refreshments anyone?


All tuckered out.

Need a Laugh?

No, this is not Gwen...but it's FUNNY!

Cat's In the Cradle

I heard this song today and it about made me cry. I think it was an attack of the pregnancy hormones, but it is a sad song that I haven't heard in a while.

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Baby Bap

In Britain, a bap is a big bread roll... so we thought it would be cute to call our next little one Baby Bap for now. Here are the sonogram pictures from July 2nd. I was according to the sonogram 12 weeks and 5 days along. It was moving all over the place and seemed very happy in there. :) In the first picture if you look closely you can see fingers and a foot.

Purple Peppers

Here are some purple bell peppers in our garden! I told Ben I am disappointed because they really look black instead of purple and his reply was, "well, I'm sure black bell peppers are pretty rare too." Peter Piper picked a purple pepper... makes it even better I think don't you?

Korea Jitters

Coming up in August I will be going to Korea... South Korea. I'm going there to sing with my choir in a choir festival. They are paying for my plane ticket and also a room for me, so I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity I couldn't pass up. I know absolutely no Korean and I basically do not know anything about the culture other than what I have read online. I don't know exactly why, maybe it's pregnancy hormones, but I'm starting to feel nervous about it. The long flight... I mean LONG. It's something like 20 hours I think. Me being pregnant... I'll be close to 20 weeks then... and then there is kimchi. I have a feeling I will have to try that stuff when I'm there. It is a fermented and pickled and super spicy substance that Koreans eat with every meal. Here's a pic to whet your appetite.

Want some? Didn't think so. Ben says to just decide in my mind that I will soak up the experience of being in a new country and not worry about the flight or the little petty things I'm worried about. I think he's right... why does he always have to be right? :) You can betcha I'll let you know what happens on my pregnant adventure to Korea.

What To Expect

You may be wondering what books a mom of a one year old and pregnant again has on her nightstand. (I know you have... stop denying it) Well... here you are!


I've got one question for you all. Does she look remotely happy? I look at this book so much and think... she must be in the early stage...but no, look at her belly. I guess it would be a little freaky if she had a big toothy grin, but still. A little grin with no teeth would have been nice is all I'm saying.

By the way, I can read these books until I'm blue in the face and I still won't know what to expect, but it makes me feel better, so I read them occasionally. :)

Don't Blink

I saw a friend at church and we spoke about her daughter turning 6 yesterday. She said to Ben and I, "just don't blink... it goes so fast." I thought of this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ySSg4QG8g

Garden Update and Play

I feel like I haven't blogged in a while... but then, sometimes you get a little dry on topics to tell people about. So... I thought you might be interested in a garden update.

Here is one of our bell pepper plants. See the little peppers coming?


These are just two of our tomato plants. A normal dowel rod wasn't enough to hold up these bad boys. They have already bent the tomato cages. Ben had a brilliant idea to use our tee kee torch holder things. These plants are lovin' some Kansas dirt.


Here are some of the tomatoes just waiting to get in my belly.

Last, but not least, here is a video of Ben playing with Gwen. He somehow got the plastic bacon to stick to his forehead. I know I put a lot of videos of Ben playing with Gwen. I play with her too...but it's not near as funny and I never get it video taped. She is becoming such a ham! She waves at everyone and says "hi" every chance she gets. She's absolutely enchanting and people can't help but stop and smile at her.

Plastic Food

I get a huge kick out of kid stuff. I have narrowed it down to my three most favorite plastic foods that Gwen has in her new kitchen. In the picture you see bacon, tofu I think, and a shrimp. I these are so cute!

Kitchen

So many things have been going on at the Barreth house. My mother-in-law, Pam, and my brother Preston both had surgeries and have stayed or will stay at our house. My parents are here now and so it's just a flurry of activity around here. My sister, Stephanie, has two of her own kids- Clay and Chloe, and so she very generously passes on things that they don't play with anymore. My mom and dad this time brought up a little kitchen from them. What a blessing! I mean, this thing is AWESOME! I would have loved something like this as a kid and Gwen loves it already. My sister and I had an easy bake oven and I thought that was awesome as a kid. There are all kinds of plastic foods that go with it.. sushi rolls, hot dogs, asparagus... you name it! Here are a few pictures of Gwen enjoying her kitchen.


In other news, I had my first sonogram of the little baby #2 yesterday. They did an early sonogram to come up with the due date. With Gwen they told me a due date of May 31st and then when I had an ultrasound they backed it up to June 9th and she wasn't born until June 17th... so I guess I'm a little hard to predict. It was amazing to see that little baby in there moving around with arms and legs and I could see the fingers. Mom and Ben and Gwen were with me and we all heard the little heartbeat for the first time together. I have some pictures that I will try to have scanned and put up on here to share with you. I'm further along than I thought. According to the sonogram I'm almost 13 weeks... and I thought I was almost 11. So.. it looks like my due date will either be January 11th or the 16th. We'll see what the doctor says next time.

Mom's Invention

My mom's knees bother her walking up our stairs in our house so she invented something to help her. She hot glued and screwed this tin thing to a shoe and it makes the step that much shorter. She even chose a decorative tin. Of course, I find it very funny.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Last night my brother and I went to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Preston got free tickets from his work and they were very nice tickets in a box with food provided before the concert. We were feeling so pampered. My favorite song I think was one called "Homeward Bound". I'll put the lyrics to the song below. It was nice to do something as sister and brother. I'm so glad he lives in Kansas City. :)

In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing and the sky is clear and red.
When the summer’s ceased its gleaming,
When the corn is past its prime,
When adventure’s lost its meaning,
I’ll be homeward bound in time.

Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I’ll return to you somehow.

If you find it’s me you're missing, if you’re hoping I’ll return.
To your thoughts I’ll soon be list’ning, and in the road I’ll stop and turn.
Then the wind will set me racing as my journey nears its end.
And the path I’ll be retracing when I’m homeward bound again.

Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I’ll return to you somehow.

In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing,
I’ll be homeward bound again.

Just Cause and Meal Plan

I just had to share two of the things Gwen received as gifts for her birthday.



I know it has been ages since I posted anything regarding food or meal plans. That's because my meal plans consisted of opening canned soups or asking to go out or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I'm sure you all figured out how to make a PB&J a long time ago. Anywho, I'm reviving my determination to make home cooked meals as I eat much healthier when I do. So here goes...

sloppy joes using left over hot dog buns- are you salivating yet? HA! Actually, my mom's sloppy joes are really good and do not use manwich or whatever that stuff is in a can. Here's the ingredients...

1 pound hamburger
1 T wertishire sauce (spelling anyone?)
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T water
1/4 C ketchup
1 T mustard
3 T brown sugar
onion flakes (or I used onion powder)
1/4 tsp of cumin

brown the hamburger (we always do that in the microwave in my family) We just do 2 minutes at a time and stir and break up the hamburger till it's not pink anymore. Drain off the fat.

Add all the ingredients and stir and then put back in microwave and do 2 minutes and stir, 2 minutes, stir. My mom says cook at least 6 minutes, but I only did 4 and I thought everything was well mixed. Put on top of bun or hot dog bun and put relish or mustard or nothing at all. It's good!

Ok... back to the meal plan...

chicken pot pie with bisquits
meatloaf, corn pudding, green beans
quesadillas
chicken noodle soup

Gwen's First Birthday Party

We had a packed house today full of family and friends. For sure Gwen is one loved kid.

This is Clara, Gwen's friend that is just a few months older than she is. I thought this was a cute photo.


Grandma Pam recently went on a trip to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore and while there she saw prairie dogs out in the wild and also at an exhibit. She has now changed her favorite animal from a groundhog to a prairie dog. :) She bought Gwen a stuffed animal of a prairie dog. Don't see those everyday! This is Gwen with her second cousin Gracie.


She also got a prairie dog bib. :) Don't see those everyday either.


Gwen did NOT like my brilliant idea of the party hat. That was for sure and for certain.


She was so tired she ate some frosting and then just blankly stared at the cupcake. It was nap time for sure.


My good friends Sorab, Sonia, and their little cutie Atharv.


Gwen playing with a doll that she got today. It laughs the cutest laugh ever.


Gwen is so busy and curious these days that it is difficult to get photos of her face. I almost have to act like a monkey to get her to look at me. This is her laughing at a music card that Grandma Pam got her where cats sing "happy birthday". I asked Pam if she means to torture me. :)


Laughing...


To top off the festivities of the day Grandma Pam found Gwen splashing in the toilet water. I normally keep the lid closed and the door closed for a reason.... and this is one of them. The toilet paper was a clear target after the splashing.

Meekness

I've been thinking of meekness today. I had a conversation with my Indian friend, Sonia, last night and she truly embodies the word meekness. She explained some things about the Indian culture that would be maddening to me as an American, but she just quietly carries on.

She is a new mom and for the past few months her mother-in-law and father-in-law have been visiting to see the new baby. I asked about her own parents and if they had thought of making the long trip over to the United States to see her new country. Her parents have never been to the US, and I was fishing around to see if maybe Ben and I could help make that possible. She explained to me that when you marry, you are really in a new family. When you find out you are pregnant, you call your mother-in-law first, not your mother. You serve and give preference almost to your mother-in-law. It is against their culture for her mom and dad to come and visit her house for an extended amount of time. She said that when they lived in India that her parents would come and visit for one day. Her parents had to travel the distance of from Kansas City to New York to see her for that one day. Some Indians take it to an extreme and won't even accept water or food while they are in the house of their daughter. It would be considered taking from her new family, and they only want to give. It makes no sense to make the long and expensive trip to the US for her parents unless they can stay longer than a week. I offered an alternative that maybe they could stay with Ben and I and visit with them. She said that also would not work because people in India would find out and talk and they would be ashamed of that. So, her plan is to make the long journey to India with her baby to see her parents.

Meekness... I need more of that.

Garden Update

These are some lilies in our back yard that I think are pretty.

Right after taking these garden shots I weeded, so disregard the bedraggled look to the garden. These are pea plants and tomato plants.



Tomato plants, cherry tomato plant, bell peppers, peas and monster lettuces. The lettuce has gotten out of control. I took those out of the garden tonight. I figured it was time.


Ben has a "thing" for bamboo. He has a little clumping bamboo but that wasn't enough to satisfy his craving for the stuff. He got my mother into it and so she went to some dude's house in Alabama and dug up some starts for herself and sent us one. This is the running bamboo. It's working. Ben is so thrilled.


Here are my two to give you perspective with how tall the bamboo is. In the background you see one of our cannon flowers coming up and also a climbing rose that we got from Aldi's.


This week we have been dog sitting for my Mother-in-law. Her dog's name is Rusty. Gwen loves him and wants to sit near him all the time and touch his paws and talk to him. He tolerates it pretty well, most of the time. By the way, today is Gwen's 1st birthday. It's been both a long year and a fast year at the same time. Oh, and in this picture she has a little thing of sprinkles that she found when I left out my rolling pantry. We are having a party of sorts for Gwen this Saturday.

Indiana Jones- aka Ray Barreth

Check out my Father-in-law on an archeological dig out in Israel. It's been a lifelong dream of his and he's doing it right in the heart of Jerusalem.

http://raybarreth.blogspot.com/

Deanna Rose Farmstead

Today we took a family outing to the Deanna Rose Farmstead. It is free to get in and we've never actually been before... but it's incredible! They had all kinds of animals: hawks, bobcats, geese, ducks, goats, horses, sheep, an eagle, turkeys, rabbits, and pigs just to name a few. Here are some pictures from our day.

Gwen pointing to the sheep.

Pigs taking a siesta.


We rented a fishing pole and they give you real worms. It was fun until we caught a fish and Ben couldn't get the hook out for several minutes. We felt kind of sad to be scraping the inside of that fish. I think I'm no longer country. I've gone soft.


Here was my fine catch. I don't even think it would make a fish stick.

With a cow.


We saw the cutest little Indian popping her head out of the tee pee.


She is a rare light skinned Indian. :)

Vic

I like this guy... and I LOVE this song. I've never heard of Vic Demone before, but he's got skills.

Playing With Gwen

Her laugh is so contagious I just couldn't resist posting this.

Dinner Theater

I have such a wonderful husband. He makes me laugh so much. I truly think that laughter is so important, especially in this time in our lives when we are raising kids. I have been feeling very sick so far with this pregnancy and tonight was no exception. I'm not sure if it's psychological, but right around the time I'm supposed to make dinner it hits the worst. In the last few nights I've pushed through it and made dinner. Tonight I was just so queasy that I didn't know if I could do it... so Ben decided he'd make dinner. I chose something easy because he normally doesn't cook. I chose a box of macaroni and cheese (yes, I know, so nutritious) and some chicken fingers and green beans. I went and sat in the living room in the recliner and took some deep breaths. All the while I hear Ben in the kitchen reading the instructions for the macaroni. 6 cups of water... ok... Then Ben starts to entertain the restless baby in the high chair. This is what I was seeing from the living room:



Afterwards he asked me how many tablespoons of milk to put in and by the time I said 3 he had put 6 in. He said, "well, it's probably better that way anyway. We'll just serve it with a slotted spoon." :) So.. we sat down to our meal of macaroni and cheese with the slotted spoon and chicken fingers and green beans. Ben is one of those rare people that can work all day, ride his bike to the bus stop, ride his bike home, bound through the door and cook dinner and entertain a baby all while making his wife laugh-- all with a sunny attitude. What can I say, I love him.

Scripture Reading

I've been reading through Matthew and last night were the final chapters. I came across a verse that I've read before, but it astonished me anew last night. It's in Matthew chapter 27: 50-53 "and when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people."

So I asked myself why God would raise all those holy people back to life and don't you wonder if they knew why they had been raised to life? Maybe it's foreshadowing the second coming, maybe it's to show that death is not the final victor. Also, if Jesus died before the robbers, they would have seen the sky darken and the earth quake and all that. I wonder what they thought.

Next I'm reading Phillipians. I am the character Lydia coming up in our church's vacation Bible school. I'm going to dress up like her and say a speech to the kids. Now that I've read and studied the small bit about her I want to read Phillipians and see if I can imagine the Christians there meeting in her house. What have you been reading lately?

First Fruits

These are our first fruits from our garden. I'm so extremely proud!! The single one looks so perfect I couldn't help but single it out. I know, it's dorky.


Here is what Gwen's lunch is going to be tomorrow. I ate one pea tonight and they taste nice.

Possible Candidate for the Island of Misfit Toys?

This might be a little overkill for Gwen's first birthday coming up, especially since she's only recently got the hang of using opposable thumbs. Posted by Ben

Turbo Heather: Radio Controlled Southern Belles

Early Stories

I'm writing this down to remember. Here lately I have been taking slices of granny smith apples up to have beside my bed. They help with me feeling nauseated. I was joking with Ben the other night and told him when I get up in the night and I feel sick I might eat a bit of apple and told him it was like sleeping with a horse. He said to me, "well... I have one question for you then. How bout them apples?" I don't know why that is so funny to me, but it is.

Tonight we went out on a date night. I felt sick in the car and Ben was asking me where I wanted to go. I told him between huffing and puffing air that I didn't care. He decided on a pizza place. I walk in and told him nothing too adventurous and he comes back to the table with a pizza ordered with turkey sausage, pine nuts, and he proudly said "it was supposed to have Gorgonzola cheese on there, but I told them to put mozzarella instead". Well, my stomach did a turn at that, but I was able to eat a little of the crust at the end of the pizza and a small ceasar salad. We walked around Walmart after that and we took our blood pressures. That is a nice date if you ask me. :) I felt fine after dinner and then in Walmart it seemed that there were millions of different smells in there. Candles, plastic smell, fertilizer smells. It's nuts!