House Work

These are some home improvements that we've been up to lately.  Now the whole downstairs has had the popcorn ceiling scraped off and painted a new color.  We only have two more rooms upstairs to do.  The hall bathroom and Beki's room.

Here is the downstairs half bathroom before.  Lots of wood.

We painted it, put in a new toilet (thanks to mom and dad), painted the wood and put in a new mirror.

I've also been busy hanging up things.  It has taken 3 years for me to hang stuff up.  Yes, 3 years.  These are some photos I bought from someone at an arts and crafts show.  I bought frames for them and put them up in the hall downstairs.  I think they are cute.

Happy America Recycles Day

Do this printable activity book with your kids.  Gwen and I are doing it.
http://www.first-school.ws/activities/occasions/earth1.htm

Here's Juan

Here's Juan Wijngaard at work.  His sleigh is in the garage.

Book and Bible Questions

I thought I'd share my favorite children's book at the moment.  It's called Going To Sleep On The Farm by Wendy Cheyette Lewison and illustrated by Juan Wijngaard.  I LOVE the illustrations to this book.  Can you tell partly why in that last photo?  ;)

I've decided with the "funk" I've been in lately I need to spend more time with the Lord.  More time in prayer, more time reading, more time just thinking on good things, things that are profitable and less on worry.  Big revelation huh? :)  Well... I started yesterday reading Proverbs 31, the famous bit looking into Biblical womanhood.  I got to verse 15 and it reads, "She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens."  Maidens?  Does that mean I can hire a house cleaner??  :)  Then I went on to read some of Mark.  After a dry spell I always start with a gospel to reintroduce myself to Jesus.  I read in the introduction that Mark is the first of the gospels and can be dated to about A.D. 55.  Now, why write it after oh... 22 years after Christ's death?  If you knew you had seen the Son of God wouldn't you have written it right then?  I mean, I know you've got the whole inspired factor in there too, but still I asked myself that question.  I found that after I read a bit, prayed a bit in the morning I had much more patience with the kids and I feel like it is a positive thing to think about my day from the Lord's perspective.  I mean, if our lives are like a vapor I'd better love as much as I can and serve as much as I can.  Ya know?  Let's all live on purpose today!

Meal Plan

turkey sausage patties, eggs, fruit (I have a new recipe that makes sausage from ground turkey... gonna try it)
BBQ chicken, steamed broccoli, potatoes
bowtie lazagna, salad
chicken noodle soup
frozen pizza
chicken burritos

Stuff I'm Learning

Well... here it is... the rant post.  I guess every blogger is entitled to at least one even if they don't publish it, which I haven't decided I'm doing to or not at this point.  I feel overwhelmed most days.  Gwen screams most of the day... and I mean loud.  She gets spanked, sent to her room, and the circle goes round and round.  I work with Zeke for hours on end at crawling.  He gets frustrated and we both cry together.  It's not all like that though.  We laugh and tickle and learn and grow.  Change is coming... that's for sure.  I've been short on words for this blog lately because I've just been in a funk.  I mean, how do you balance a vibrant walk with the Lord, a love relationship with your husband, have friends, and raise kids all at the same time?  I haven't figured it all out yet.  I know I am blessed.  I guess with motherhood I worry more than I ever have in my life.  It feels like I can't help it because I love my kids so much.  I worry I'm not raising them correctly as God would want, I worry Zeke will never move and I'll be carrying a 50lb 3 year old around.  Seriously, I'll think of something to write about sometime.. but I'll try to keep the whining and self pity down.  Like anyone wants to read that?  You still there?  CONGRATS!

Meal Plan

quiche and salad
bean and cheese burritos
vegetable beef soup- crockpot
hot dogs and baked beans
taco potatoes
chili and cornbread

7 Years Today

Then, in Rome.

Saturday night, Overland Park.

Daddy the Popular and Turkey

Now why are the kids always excited when Ben comes home?  :)



If you are looking for some really fun and easy crafts for your kids check out this site:  http://www.first-school.ws/
I go here quite a lot and print things for Gwen and I to do.  They have all sorts of topics on there and I just look at it during her nap and decide what she'd like... especially when it is getting to cold now to spend much time outside.  We usually spend some time playing outside, but yesterday we almost got blown over by the cold wind and she was wearing a dress!  Would you believe my tomatoes are STILL going?  I digress...  Yesterday it was this turkey.  It's great because it uses shapes and she practiced gluing.  At least it occupied her for oh, say 10 minutes. :)

Need A Laugh?

Meal Plan

corn dog muffins, beans
sloppy joe and cheese whole wheat pockets
ranch pork chops and steamed broccoli, salad
cheesy beef and brown rice
turkey patties and garlic cous cous, peas

*Ranch dressing mix- attempting to make my own for Christmas friend gifts.  My Christmas friend gifts will include ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, homemade vanilla extract and possibly granola or other treat like cowboy cookies. Any other suggestions for a friend gift?  Maybe hot chocolate mix?

Halloween 10

We had a fun time dressing up and having fun.  Beki and I dressed up as pirates together and the awesome thing about these costumes is that we didn't spend a dime on them.  Zeke went as a dinosaur (costume given to us) and Gwen as Raggety Ann (costume given to us). :)

Leaves

My Sweetheart

Conversations with Gwen

Here is a video I took of Gwen the other day.  Sorry for the longish length, but I wanted to share it.  She is quite the talker and extrovert.  She is always sure of what she wants and very verbal... so believe you me she gets lots of instruction these days.

Skull Fracture

This is baby.  Gwen carries this "soft and cuddly" doll all over the place.  Actually, it is hard and non cuddly.  The other day I shut the van door and while it was closing she dropped baby.  I heard a crunch and I thought baby was no more... well... a skull fracture, some Elmer's glue later, and then inspecting the skull fracture over and over all have resulted in this.  Baby is just sitting there.  She doesn't seem sad about it.. but she sure likes to look inside baby's head.  I wonder what is inside my baby's heads too.  Somehow I don't think it's the same though.  :)

Who Am I

This is my new favorite song. This isn't the best audio of this... but here ya go anyway.

Meal Plan

Since I've been having company I've just sort of winged it a bit on the meal planning.  When you have guests you eat out more and are out more... but I just have a list of ideas that I draw from and have the ingredients on hand. These are some I've made while we had company.

sloppy joes
pizza pockets
tacos
beef stew
cheesy beef and rice
hamburgers with homemade whole wheat buns- My first experience making my own buns... it was interesting... and I liked them although the people that came for a burger party were afraid to try them.  Oh well...

Here's what I planned for this week:

corn dog muffins, salad
cheesy beef and rice
tuna melts and tomato soup
Bart's black bean soup
pierogi beef skillet
lentil and ham soup

Can you tell I'm in the mood for soup lately?  LOVE SOUP!  Unfortunately, Ben is not a HUGE lover of soup... but alas he will eat whatever.

Almost Coat Time

Gwen and Uncle Jake.

She was a snowman she said.

The Kansas City Chorale

Michael Bolton and Cuteness

Last night we saw Michael Bolton.  We were so close I could practically see his nose hairs.  Here are some pictures for you.  My favorite is still "How am I Supposed To Live Without You."  I'm really not sure how he can sing those songs in that way for so long.

This is too precious not to share.  This is Gwen on the potty with the Bible.  She is particularly interested in "reading" the Bible everywhere she goes now.  PRECIOUS.

Gwen Reads the Bible to Zeke

Possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Toothy Grin

Here's my precious with his two teeth poking through.

Baby Pics and Such

These will be all out of order... but I can't be bothered to put them in any chronological order. :)  A lot has been going on.  This kind of shows you what's up in the Barreth world.

Grandma Morris has come for a visit and this is them on the carousel.

My brother, Preston, ran a 5K on Saturday.  He has lost over 100 pounds in the last 8 or 9 months... wow... what a difference!!  Way to go Preston!!

My mom with my baby Zekey.  Does his hair look reddish to you? :)

My wonderful husband giving me "the dip" and looking all mad scientist like.

Mom and I after a choir concert.

Ben and I.

Gwen on the back porch.  Look at those eyes!

My family enjoying the weather.

Old photos my mom brought... I'm on the right and my sister is on the left.

Me as a baby.  Look at that hair and birthmark down my forehead... what a looker!

Is that a Mexican baby crying in that chair?  No, it's ME.  HAAAA!

Michael Bolton

Yesterday Ben and I got two free tickets to see Michael Bolton next Wednesday.  We are on the 5th row.  I'm SUPER PUMPED!!!!!

Zeke's 9 Month Stats

Zeke had his 9 months doctor visit the other day and he weighed in at 21 lb 3 oz and 28.5 inches long.  Boy, is he growing up.  I've been a little concerned with Zeke making no attempt at crawling.  He can sit up just great now when I place him that way... but the crawling thing just does not seem to be on his agenda.  He is perfectly content to just roll over and play with a toy or stare at the ceiling.  In the coming weeks I will have someone come and observe him (for free) to give me tips on how to encourage him and help him in this area.  In the meantime, I'm trying not to be a psycho mom about it and give him his time.

Zeke is such a sweet natured little guy and he is very attached to me.  When I leave him in the church nursery he basically will cry until I come back.  That is a completely different experience than Gwen.  She didn't pay me any mind almost.  Zeke looks at me like I am the Queen of Sheba.  I wish I could capture in words just how special I feel both of my children are.  I'm sure every mother feels similar things.  Zeke has just recently cut his bottom two teeth.  I've got to get a photo for you to see.

Lately

 Lately it has been busy.  We've had Uncle Jake move to Kansas City and my mom come and visit.  We've been outside quite a bit enjoying the weather.  One way we enjoy being outside it drawing with chalk.  This is a drawing Gwen did with her daddy.  It is of a cow on a bike.  Now where did Gwen get her creativity?

Here is Gwen and Zeke today.  Like my aloe plant?

We had a Halloween preview the other day and we're deciding between humble pirate and Raggety Ann.  My vote is Raggety Ann.  What do you vote?

Owl Cupcakes

I think I've decided I'd like to do an owl themed birthday party for Zeke in January.  I know... it's several months away and no, I'm not going and buying stuff and freaking out.  I just found this CUTE cupcake idea and I'm into owls right now.  Is that the cutest thing EVER?  Do you think an owl birthday party is strange?

Whole Wheat Pizza Pockets

I have made these a few times now and Ben loves them!!  Gwen likes them too and they are great to freeze either uncooked or cooked to warm up for a fast lunch.  I have frozen them cooked and then warmed them in the microwave.  By the way, I know the dough has a bit of butter in there... but it makes a LOT of dough.  You can vary your fillings and be creative.  I got this recipe from this website.

Crust:

3 1/2 C whole wheat flour (I've been using whole white wheat flour recently... still whole wheat... just a different variety and it is a lighter flour and less of a "whole wheat" taste- wonderful)  You can get this flour in health food stores.  I got mine at Whole Foods Market.
1 t. sea salt
1 C melted butter
1 C plain yogurt

Stir it all up and I let my dough rest in the fridge for 10 minutes or so because if it gets warm it's hard to handle.

Pizza Sauce- you can used jarred spaghetti sauce (what I used last night) or I have tried this sauce too and it is good also.

1 1/2 C tomato sauce
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. basil (I put in some of my fresh basil and it was GOOD)

Stir and simmer for a few min.

I get a fourth of the dough out at a time.  I let the rest sit in the fridge.  I roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a large coffee cup to cut the circles so the pockets are relatively the same size.  I roll out the circle and then put in the fillings.  I like to put diced chicken, mozarella, peppers if I have them and sauce of course...but you can make them any way you like.  Then fold over and seal with your fingers and then use a fork to seal it completely.  If the fork sticks to the dough, put the fork in flour.
If you freeze them uncooked, then put on a cookie sheet at this point and freeze them.  Pop them off after an hour and stick in a bag.  OR... cook them.

If frozen:  400 degree oven for 30 min.
If thawed:  400 degrees for 20 min

I prefer to cook them and then freeze them after they cool completely.  

Bathroom Progress

Here's what we have so far.  It's not 100% completed, but getting there. :)

This was before... you can't see that well, but here ya go anyway.  Home improvements take SO LONG in this house!!

Additions

Did you know that sugar is added to the peanut butter that stays solid and you don't have to mix?  Yep... oh, and the "natural" stuff you don't have to mix?  Yeah, added palm oil... like you needed any MORE fat in peanut butter!

Did you know also that the vanilla extract you get that is "pure" is watered down?  Don't believe me?  Look at the ingredients... water was the first one on mine.  NOT THIS YEAR BABY!  You guys better get ready for some REAL home brewed vanilla extract!!

(can you tell I'm on rant?)