First Snow and Dancing Queen

and finally a quote from a book I've been reading called "Same Kind of Different As Me."  

- I'm a nobody that's tryin' to tell everybody bout Somebody that can save anybody.

Trash Pile Treasures

Ok, so my neighbor called me yesterday morning to tell me one of our other neighbors had a trash pile out near the curb.  I'm becoming more and more eccentric as I get older, so I don't have any hesitation to go dig in your junk if you put it by the curb.  After all, that's how I got the lego table and a wagon which I didn't show you all last time... digging in the trash.  It's amazing what people will throw away!  Well... I took a bookshelf, but I don't have a picture of that, and I also took this.  It strangely appealed to me because I mean, who sees an inch worm with buck teeth these days that also has a belly button.  I mean... who knew that inch worms have belly buttons?  I'll bet you didn't.  I thought out little buddy would look good in Gwen's green room.

"Owl" See Ya There

I've been making Zeke's birthday party invitations.  We are having a small thing really, but I think it is fun making these.  Gwen helped me... um.. stack the shapes. :)  We are going with the owl theme for his party.  I know it's ridiculous to some degree to do all this for a one year old, but it's fun and it's a nice memory for us.  Here's the poem I made up that's on the invite:

who's turning one?
Zeke, that's who!
Who are his friends?
That would be you!
Come and share a meal
and some cake ta boot
"owl" see ya there
it will be a hoot.

What do you think?  :)

Meal Plan

Grilled chicken, green bean casserole, deviled eggs with turkey bacon
elegant chicken (still haven't tried it)
tai style roast, brown rice
chili
chicken pizza with homemade crust
quiche, salad
taco salad

*gingered carrot cake cookies- making for Jake's Birthday today... the big 3-0. :)
*making cinnamon hot chocolate mix for gifts

*By the way, the other night we had edamame.. and let me tell you it is a fun veggie for little kids.  Gwen loves them and has mastered the popping out of the seeds.  For those who have never tried edamame... buy it frozen and when they are cooked salt them with sea salt.  THE BEST!

Christmas In The Air

Recently we had our first Christmas concert with the Chorale.  This is a video of me doing my little solo of "What Child Is This."  This is my more formal sounding voice, just so ya know.  Charles likes to call it your "big girl voice."



Gwen had her Christmas program at church yesterday.  Zeke was running a fever, so I didn't get to see the actual performance, but I did get to see her in rehearsal.  She was a sheep and super cute.  She did fine except she got tired and sat down once and then started to cry for unexplained reasons.  I think she just had had enough or something. :)

Here's a video of one of the songs.




Saturday we made these Christmas card holders from corkboards and clothespins.  They were supposed to be Christmas colors, but Gwen kept mixing the red and white... thus the pink color.  We put them on the wall with wall poster putty.  I looped the ribbon through them to see if I could make them a little more um... appealing.

*If you are looking at this on Facebook, you have to go to www.benmere.blogspot.com to see the videos.  I can't figure out why it won't show my videos...but oh well... a goal for 2011.

Thomas Rap

Check this out... lovin' this new Thomas the Tank Engine song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAy8DQdDPnA&feature=related

Great Frugal Gifts

There are so many ways you can give to others during the holidays.  Gifts of time, a handwritten note, and simple little things that tell the other person you care.  I love simple gifts... giving and receiving.  I always have a running list of things I'd like to try.  It keeps me sane in these winter months when you are indoors so much of the time.  If you are struggling for ideas... well... here are mine I want to do coming up.

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/giveaway/home-baked-holidays-easiest-gift-ever/

Stained-Glass Sugar Cookies

http://cooking.thenerdswife.com/2010/12/stained-glass-sugar-cookies.html

Peppermint Fudge Cupcake Jars

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/12/peppermint-fudge-cupcake-jars-striped.html

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Mix

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cinnamon-Hot-Chocolate-Mix?_mid=455702&_rid=455702.1288846906.38357

Chili Seasoning Mix

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chili-Seasoning-Mix?_mid=455801&_rid=455801.1288846898.38920

If you have any ideas out there I'd love to hear them.

Also... I've got this idea to fill the baby swimming pool up (inside) with Christmas wrapping paper after Christmas and let the kids go wild ripping it up.  :)

Also... do you think we should keep the tradition of the Christmas pinata?  I mean, last year was a bust because I was so big and pregnant and Scrooge like so we ended up doing it in June.  

Finishing My Vanilla Extract

I brought it up from the basement today to bottle.

I put some paper towels in a colander with a pan underneath to catch the vanilla seeds.

See all the black vanilla seeds?

Gwen was a great helper.

She didn't like the "dirt" on her hands though.

I should've gotten bigger jars and I shouldn't have labeled them until after I filled them.  Stuff goes everywhere.  Ah well... next time.

Her job was handing me the lids when I asked for some.

The finished products. :)

We're drying the beans to put in some sugar to make vanilla sugar.

Can you tell it's been cold out?  We've done lots of crafts to adorn our walls.

Thanksgiving and Early Training

Seasoned Oyster Crackers and ranch dressing mix

I love this ranch dressing mix.  I put it on meats to season them and just about anything you can dream up.  I make up a big batch... double or triple this recipe so I can have some on hand.

Ranch Dressing Mix


1/2 C dry buttermilk (you can find it in most grocery stores)
1 T dried parsley, crushed
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper (I of course, put more)

Blend.  For dressing- 1 T mix with 1 C mayo and 1 C milk (never done this before)

Today I made seasoned oyster crackers.  This is your warning.  These things are highly addictive and if you are on a diet... um... low carb diet... you had better watch yourself.  You try two to "make sure they did ok" and eat about 40.  THEY ARE DIVINE!  Oh, and Stephanie... why you'd want to season oyster crackers?  Cause they are DA BOMB!  They are great on salads like a crouton, in soups, or plain like a snack cracker.

2 12 oz packages oyster crackers
1 C vegetable oil (yes, I know... I put the whole amount in, but next time I'm going to half it- they should be fine)
1 1/2 T ranch dressing mix (I added more cause I wanted them to be ranched up good)
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp dill weed (I didn't add any of this because my ranch dressing mix is rather dilly I think)
1/2 tsp garlic salt

mix all up until they are all coated and then put in 200 degree oven for an hour and stir them every once in a while.  Makes a great frugal gift for Christmas.  By the way, my vanilla extract is about to be bottled.  I'll fill you guys in on that when the time comes.  My next project will be making my own hot chocolate mix.

Little Things

Dear God, please give to me
a thankful heart for little things--
for sunshine on my kitchen floor,
for news the postman brings...

grant me appreciation
of small joys that are mine--
the children's birthday parties,
my honeysuckle vine;
the clean, fresh smell
of clothes just washed;
the ivy on my wall
the children's thrilled delight
to wake and find the first snowfall.
for robins in the springtime,
and autumn's crispy weather--
for leaves that crunch;
friends in for lunch
and laughter shared together.

...I do not ask contentment
that would ambition stay--
but let me love the little things
I find along the way.

-Helen Lowrie Marshall

More Thanksgiving- Day after

Beki and Zeke.  What can I say other than GORGEOUS?  Just today he got up on all fours and rocked back and forth for the very first time by himself!  The video below is my response to that.

Gwen loves to dress up.

Coloring with Lily.

Thanksgiving

Ben and the kids this morning.  What a great dad.

Here they are in the church nursery.  We had our Thanksgiving celebration in Kingsville Baptist Church.

My handsome young man.

My adorable daughter.  Notice Ben in the background with his turkey hat on?  Gwen is looking like "can you pass the grey poupon?"

The fits started when she saw this little girl wearing this.  She couldn't get it that it was that little girl's dress and not hers.

Well.. the little girl (Lilly) shared.  :)  Gwen LOVED the dress.

There are videos... to follow.

Turkey Time

My two hugging.

Yesterday my neighbor was going to throw away this and it had leggos in the pockets on the sides... large sized ones.  I um... took it off of their hands and what a great activity for the kids especially little Zeke on his knees.  I'm hoping he'll pull up on it one day.  He can't get into this position by himself, but he's getting there.

This is the coloring sheet Gwen got at church last Sunday.  I was a little bit amused by it.  See the duck building a sandcastle?

Today I made my rolls.  These are the garlic knots.  I was pleased with the way they came out.  I got the recipe from http://annies-eats.com/.

I also made some honey whole wheat rolls also from Annie's Eats site.  Here they are before they go into the oven.

Here is after.  How beautiful!

My physical therapist gave me an idea to do a thanks chain.  She did leaf shapes, I did ornament shapes.  I think it's nice and colorful.  Each circle has a thing we are thankful for.

Notice oats is on one of them.  :)

Yet another year of the turkey hat.  How blessed we truly are!

15 Random Things

My brother did this on facebook (except he did 30, but I can't think of that many), so I thought it would be fun to do too just for kicks.

1. I grew up milking goats twice a day. Yes, that's right.

2. I had a Volkswagen Beetle in high school and college and I loved that thing, but had to sell it when the door started flying open for no reason and the stick shift popped out of gear.

3. The day Ben and I got married I was getting ready and heard a banjo player in the next room. Seriously, some guy was playing the banjo in Miami, Florida. I still don't know what that was all about.

4. I have a "thing" for oats. If I believed in past lives (which I don't) I would have been a horse for sure.

5. One of my most embarrassing moments was when I was teaching children at church. I had this clever thing planned to cut a banana peel a little, squeeze all the insides out and put in a hot dog up in there. I'd ask the kids what they thought it was judging from the outside and they'd say "banana" and then I'd amaze them that it was a hot dog. They wouldn't see the slit because I'd be holding it against my hand. WELL. it started leaking down my arm and then when I asked what it was they said "EWWW... a milkshake"

6. My favorite food is Indian and if you haven't try it, just do it.

7. I grew up in the south, but I'm not a southerner at heart anymore.

8. In 1999 I moved to Miami with only what I could fit into my car and having never seen the place I was going to live and the people I'd live with. That was the year of Ilian Gonzalez and it was wild. I lived with three charismatic divorced women. You fill in the rest. :)

9. I want to go to Ireland. I'm sure I will one day and I'm going to love it.

10. I absolutely love games, but with kids it is getting increasingly hard to play them without being attacked.

11. Ben would like three more kids. :) I think I'd be fine with one more.

12. I thought Gwen was going to be a boy. I had a "vision" from God that his name was to be Jackson Ray Barreth. Well... out came a girl. So much for my discernment.

13. I'd like to take tap dance lessons but Ben thinks that is silly and I'd never use it anywhere. Well.. he might be right on this one.

14. I aspire to be fit, but self discipline is not my strong point.

15. The Cosby show made me cry the other day.

And with that... I've run out of interesting facts. Oh well.

The Phoenix Chorale

This is our sister choir in Phoenix. We share our awesome conductor, Charles Bruffy.

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

My new favorite song.  All you facebook peeps can see the video at www.benmere.blogspot.com

Bart's Black Bean Soup

Yesterday I had black beans in the crockpot all day.  I didn't soak them overnight, so I ended up having to put them on low the whole night after having them on high all day for them to get soft enough.  Anyway.... I made this after church today with some cheese toast to go along side.  WHAT an easy meal.  I love it.

1 can black beans (or 1 1/2 C of cooked beans)- drained and washed
1 1/2 C chicken broth
3/4 C chunky salsa
1/2 C whole kernel corn, I just put it in frozen
dash of hot pepper sauce
2 tsp lime juice
*Optional garnishes- cheese and chopped green onions

You can microwave all this or on the stovetop.

Meal Plan

It's Thanksgiving week!  Lots of cooking.. and lots of well, cooking!

I have been assigned rolls and butter.  I've decided to make garlic knots and whole wheat yeast rolls.  Maybe if I get into the roll making mood I'll make white too.  Who knows?

I'm trying to batch cook... I've got beans in the crockpot cooking all day and I'll put some more in for tomorrow to cook.  I'm going to try to use my crockpot a lot this week and see how it goes.  I plan on making pancakes and waffles to freeze for easy breakfasts for the kids.

Here's this week:

black bean taco soup
zucchini, pork chops, lightened up sweet potato casserole
easy and elegant chicken, potatoes
cheesy turkey and rice, green beans, salad
waffles and fruit
turkey patties, broccoli
chili- to take the day after Thanksgiving
lentil soup with ham

Tree and Ornaments

Gwen spent last night with Grandma, so this morning it was just Zeke.  Wow.. how quiet the house seemed!  We put up the tree yesterday to see if it would encourage him to move.  He's scooting a little bit and raising up just slightly.  He's getting there.

One of my favorites for this year.  This is how I feel after Thanksgiving and Christmas. :)

I like this little guy too.  Probably because he's the underdog.  I mean, he's losing his scarf, his mouth looks like he has a deformity... but I think he's adorable. :)

My Little Seed

"The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows-- how, he himself does not know.  The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head."  Mark 4:26-28

I'm trusting in God that he knows how Gwen and Zeke will grow and mature.  I just have to do my part... watering and keeping the weeds out.  :)

Homemade Turkey Sausage

I tried this last night. Boy, it was good and everyone raved about it.  It's infinitely better for you than pork sausage.  I'm going to make a batch and freeze it all crumbled up for later use in breakfast casseroles or something.  I had to buy a new spice for this I didn't have... marjoram...but it is SO WORTH IT!  Once again, I got it from my favorite blog:  www.heavenlyhomemakers.com

1 lb ground turkey
3 T minced onion
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 oregano
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
2 tsp sea salt
1 egg

Mix everything.  Chill for about an hour.  (I didn't and it's fine) Form into patties and saute in a little butter.

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.