Peppernuttery

Today we made peppernuts.  They are a spicy little cookie thing and nice to give away.  Zeke loved them surprisingly and I didn't that much.  They are like little ginger cookies.  Here's the link if you want to check out the recipe.  http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/homemade-peppernuts-the-best-little-cookies-in-the-world

Here is Zeke with hand, foot, and mouth disease.  How can he have sores on his mouth and in his mouth and be teething and be THIS adorable?  I don't know, but he manages it. 

Gorgeous playing with a car.

Gwen still hasn't got the smile down, but she sure is helpful (when she wants to be).

Silliness

Tonight Ben and I went on a date night.  We had dinner out and then walked around a mall we normally do not go to.  It is kind of run down and has some really random stores in it and one of those stores is an enormous dollar store.  Something I really enjoy about Ben is that he is silly.  Well... we liked these Indian stickers so much we bought them.  We also bought Gwen a cheap kite.  Let me show you a few of the stickers.

muscle man Indian

Eagle attacking muscle man.

Love affair Indians

Flirtatious Indian

Fat Indian with Eagle attacking him.

Declaration of Independence

I just want you to know that my blog for one will not have advertising on it and I will not make anything from it.  I also will not be offering "giveaways" on my site that are just ANOTHER way of advertising to you guys.  It will remain faithfully and truly pure thoughts from this horses mouth along with occasional pictures and videos of our foals.  (huh?)  I also might throw in some random things I happen to see along the way and food I like.  There you go... my declaration of independence.  Can you tell that is a pet peeve of mine?  Any opinions?

Sure On This Shining Night

This is our sister choir, Phoenix Chorale, singing Sure On This Shining Night.  We are preparing to sing this song on our concerts Sunday and Tuesday evening.  Lovely song with lovely words.  I'll print the words below.  I read up about the poem and it is a portion of a larger work from a book entitled "Permit Me Voyage" by James Agee.  This poem depicts going from life to death.  I think it is very thought provoking and beautiful.

Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand'ring far
alone
Of shadows on the stars.



*If you are viewing this on facebook, you must go to www.benmere.blogspot.com to see the video.  Gracias and come again!

Peace

Today after having an extraordinarily frustrating conversation with an insurance company and my bank over the phone I went up to check on the kids sleeping.  I peeked in the door and this is the scene I saw.  I leaned against the door frame and just cried.  Such peace written on such a little face.  Too bad I can't remember the days when my biggest decision was what bed buddy to bring to nap with me.

This baby that is beside her... when she picked it out to be her bed buddy today I said "well HI baby... where have you been lately?" and Gwen replied, "she came from a box mom".  HA!

Quotes at Dinner Time

Ben- "I need to get you a different frying pan"
Me- "yeah, but I'm not even sure where to get a really good one."
Ben- "craigslist"

Gwen- "I need to check for spiders under the table"
Me- "does that mean you have to go under the table to poop?"
Gwen- "yes"

What a family.

Birds of Prey

We went to a birds of prey show yesterday.  It was a little over Gwen's head, but she enjoyed seeing the birds and stayed in her chair and listened quite well.

This first one is a type of falcon.  The special thing about falcons is the way they approach prey... like a heat seeking missile.

Then one of my favorites... the red tailed hawk.  We see a lot of these around here.  The man wore a glove, but the hawk still punctured his skin and made him bleed with this talons.  Don't mess with these birds!  They are majestic and beautiful.

Then on to the barred owl.  It is a beautiful animal... just beautiful.

a stuffed owl they had there also.  This is a great horned owl.

Things I learned... if you see one of these that has been hit by a car... do not move it.  (like I'm going to put an injured hawk in the back of the car with my kids...but anyway)  It is a federal offense.  Also, when birds take flight they poop to make themselves lighter.  The man says it is owl breeding season right now and you can hear males duking it out all over.  They mate for life and only look for a new mate if their's dies.  The man also said that the hawk is very heavy and the only reason it can fly is the intricate and light weight wings it's got.  He also said that the birds imprint if you raise them from chicks and they can never return to the wild.  They associate being fed with humans.  Most of these birds got hit by a car and they try to rehab them and if they can't (the falcon had only one wing) they use them for educational purposes.

After Dinner

Ok, I'm sorry for my rant on facebook... now to show you something a little lighthearted.  This is what we do after dinner most nights... dance.  Don't you?



*if you are reading this on facebook you will have to go to www.benmere.blogspot.com to see the video

Time and Facebook

Ok, so I've been thinking of facebook and how it is a waste of time.  I mean, I didn't really need to know that peppermint mocha is everyone's favorite coffee creamer.  It is useful to keep in contact with old friends from years past... but is it really just another thing distracting me from reality?  Does it really make me feel less alone as a stay at home mom?  Does it cost me precious time talking with God instead of looking at little bits of nonsense?  So... I'm thinking of quitting facebook... I mean canceling my account just on the reasoning that it is a time waster and it's addictive to me.  What do you guys think of this?  Have you heard the statistics of facebook being a marriage destroyer?  I know blogging is another distraction too, but at least I feel like only my good friends are privy to my thoughts here.

Sweet Afton

I have this song on my heart today.  Enjoy!

Lunchskins

Check these out... reusable ziploc bags.  All you do it put it in the dishwasher to wash it.  I bought 2 for myself, one in sandwich size and one sub sized.  Love them!

The Quest for Sandwichy Bread

So I'm trying to find a recipe for great "sandwichy" type everyday bread.  My bread making in the past has been limited and the loaves a lot of times came out hard.  I'm trying a friend's recipe using dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten to make it more softer and sandwichy.  After making this recipe several times now I can now talk about it with some semblance of knowhow.  I had to order my dough enhancer from off line and then another friend of mine found some in a health food store and bought it for me.  I recommend "Augason Farms" dough enhancer because you get A LOT more for your money and it's not all pellety like the other one I bought.  The pellets were annoying because they never seemed to dissolve and so you have little brown pellets in your bread.. yuck.  The Augason Farms one is smooth like flour.  I got the vital wheat gluten from Wal-Mart.  My hope is that unless I have an awesome coupon and I can get it for free or close to free.. I'll not have to buy store bought bread any longer.  Almost all of it these days has high fructose corn syrup in there and yes, I know it's like sugar... sort of, but it seems weird and I've heard you can't regulate your blood sugar as well with high fructose corn syrup.

By the way... I went to CVS yesterday and using extra care bucks and another coupon I got 3 boxes of dishwasher tabs and a Sunday paper for $2 and the other day I saved $35 at Hen House using coupons.  I was pretty impressed. :)  I've started a little stockpile down in the basement for all my extra things I get really cheap with coupons.  Right now I have three boxes of cereal, 3 boxes of dishwasher tabs, two tubes of toothpaste, lotion, hair gel, deodorant, and a shave gel.  I'll keep you updated in my transformation of becoming a nutty coupon lady.  Below is the bread recipe if you are interested.

Andrea Bread (I normally double this to make two loaves... you can always freeze it.  Oh, and let it cool completely and then put it in the fridge uncut and then cut it.  You can get better sandwichy slices that way I think)

this makes one loaf:
1C hot water
2 T oil (I use canola)
2 T honey
1 T vital wheat gluten
1 tsp dough enhancer
1 tsp salt (I use sea salt)
3-4 C wheat flour (I use hard WHITE wheat flour... same nutrition as whole wheat, but less wheaty tasting... and no, I don't grind my own wheat, but I want to.  I buy it in the bag and I can't remember the brand)
1 T yeast

Measure liquids into bowl, then dry, use only 1/2 the flour (VERY important unless you want a rock) and add yeast last, mix until flour is moistened, continue to add flour until dough cleans sides of bowl.  Then knead and add flour until it's not sticky anymore.  Shape into loaf.  Put in a greased pan and let it rise until doubled... usually about an hour.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Art Therapy

Well... when you feel down and the sickness you thought you got rid of comes back again for another visit, that's when you need art therapy.  I've been feeling "artistic"... meaning moody... and so we painted some faces.

Here's Gwen's.  I thought it was very well done.

Here are the ones I did.  I did one depicting Gwen sad and crying (something I have personal experience with of late) and one of her happy.  We are hanging the happy one in her room to remind her what her face should look like.  Think it will work?  I blame everything on teeth... so her erratic behavior and waking at night?  I've decided molars are the cause.  If it's not don't tell me because I ain't listening.

The "smile"

Exodus and Leviticus

So I have read Exodus.  It was easy at first with the plagues and all to read about and then the ephods and cubits and instructions were a little difficult.  It's like reading an owner's manual.  Our pastor says when you read it to recognize that worship is important to God.  I had a hard time understanding why all the finery would matter to God.  Our pastor spoke on Leviticus on Sunday.  Here's what I took from it.

There were three free will offerings in Leviticus:
the Burnt offering
the grain offering
and the peace offering

Here's our free will offerings in the New Testament:

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.  (Hebrews 13:15-16)

So... what I intend to do this week and onward... praise, do good, and share.

Coupon Ninja

I've decided this lady is my new hero. :)

Cuteness

 Gwen and I have been making more Valentines.

I took some photos of Zeke the other day.  He is becoming a little boy now it seems.  He loves getting on the couch and just throwing himself down on it and wiggling around and laughing.  He also likes to splash really big in the bath.  He is a sweet cuddly little thing and TOTALLY melts my heart.

Gwen always has ideas for herself.  She decided to get out the paper and yarn and unwind a lot of it and start cutting paper behind the recliners... um... in her tap shoes. (two left feet)

Recipes

This week is the third time I've made this recipe.  My neighbor gave it to me and I've enjoyed this easy meal every week.  It's becoming a staple around here!

Shrimp Spaghetti Toss (or you could make it chicken if you don't like shrimp)

whole wheat spaghetti
uncooked shrimp (I use 2 lbs)- peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced (I use more cause... I like garlic)
1 T olive oil
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained.  (I tried it one week with the fire roasted and one week with one can of rotel.  I prefer rotel)
1/2 tsp dried basil or you can use 2 tsp fresh
dash pepper (I add more)
1/2 C crumbled feta cheese (um, I use more)

Cook spaghetti.  Meanwhile, cook shrimp and garlic in oil over medium heat until pink.  Add tomatoes, basil, pepper.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for a couple of minutes then toss with spaghetti.

Oatmeal Ideas

Peachy- top oatmeal with fresh peaches and low-fat vanilla yogurt
Blackberry cobbler- top oatmeal with fresh blackberries and crushed vanilla wafer cookies
Savory- top oatmeal with crumbled bacon (just a bit) and shredded cheddar and maple syrup
Black Forest- top oatmeal with chocolate chips and walnuts and dried cherries

Some of My Favorite Things

Lots of things are happening around the Barreth home, but most of it revolves around fits and discipline... so I thought I wouldn't talk about that.  :)  Instead I will share with you some recent favorite things of mine.  I'd love to hear what YOUR favorite things are.

This first one came home when Ben cleared his desk at his old job.  It's a turkey bobble head and it makes me smile.  I keep it on my night stand.

I don't know what's going on with me these days but I think I'd rather have a sweet potato than a brownie.  I crave sweet potatoes.  I've heard sweet potatoes undo a lot of smokers damage and that if smokers knew how good sweet potatoes were for them they'd eat them all the time.  Since I've never smoked that doesn't apply to me, but I got second hand smoke from my dad for years... so better keep going with my sweet potato obsession.  I'm off of oats for a while and onto sweet potatoes.

This oil I snagged from my mom when I was visiting Alabama at Christmas.  I put it on the kids scalps and if I'm in a hurry I put it on their bodies instead of lotion after a bath.  I also use it on my feet and put socks over that at night.  It smells nice and is da bomb.

This shampoo I got in a small bottle at Christmas as a gift and I liked it so much I bought a big bottle of it. I have the shampoo and conditioner.  It's eucalyptus spearmint stress relief kind from Bath and Body Works.

Beki introduced me to these aloe socks.  I have a pair without the nubby things on the bottom and I like them even more.  I wear them at home lounging around, in my shoes, everywhere.  I take them off only to shower.  I'm not lying.  You can get different kinds.  The nubby kinds come from Bath and Body and the non nubby come from Bed Bath and Beyond.  (does anyone else call Bed Bath and Beyond "Bed Butt and Behind"?)

Two more favorites of mine that are not pictured is the magic eraser sponges and dough conditioner.  I LOVE magic eraser sponges!!  Scrubbing my shower has never been better and easier.  I like for my shower to blind my eyes with its whiteness, and finally with these handy erasers I can make it clean.  Also... I recently ordered dough conditioner.  A lady from my church makes her own bread and uses vital wheat gluten and also dough conditioner to make it more sandwichy.  I'm looking forward to trying it and I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Blizzard of Oz and Valentines

Well... we've had a sick household during this blizzard.  It is because of a mother's desperation and a strong husband and kind neighbors that we got out and to a doctor.  It turns out both kids have pink eye and ear infections and coughs and runny noses.  I've also been sick too.  I'm not sure what I have, but I am super paranoid the eye junk is coming my way.  So... what to do when you are sick and stuck inside?  (and your fever is down)  Put on your dancing shoes of course!  Gwen found these tap shoes (both left feet I might add) in her closet and insists they are her boots.  She likes wearing them everywhere.  Today she wore them to CVS.  I just didn't have enough fight to prevent it.

Gwen has been practicing cutting with tissues within reach.

It drives me batty to be idle for too long, so we've been making goofy mustache Valentines for her friends. I got the idea from the paper.  They sell kits for these for $14.  Um... no way!  But I'll make em for free though... thanks!

This is the snow drifting on our front door.

The tunnel out of our driveway.

I put a ruler in the snow.. and the snow covered it up, so it's at least a foot.

The snow drifts almost covered my garden planters.  (sigh) garden planters... I miss seeing green in you.

We really will make it through winter... but I'm starting to get that "no one knows I'm here and no one cares about me" thoughts.  Today I thought... hey.. no one cares so why don't I go get a chicken biscuit from Chick-Fil-A.  Um, and yes, it was fried.  Not one of my best moments and it's really not true that no one cares... but sometimes in the dead of winter you feel like you are slipping into obscurity.

Job Searching

Not job, but Job, you know... like the person in the Bible.  When I first started reading Job it was interesting... I mean, what a horrible day that dude had!  Then I got to the point that when I would read it my mind would go kind of numb like I was reading a historical novel and reading a war scene.  Now that I've finished it and thought about it more and more I'm beginning to see what a wonderful book it is and how much I needed to read it.

Here are some of my thoughts:

Job 2:11-13 
"When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.  When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.  Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.  No one said a word to him, because the saw how great his suffering was."

I wondered, am I that kind of friend?  Do I know when to speak and when to be silent?  I think that's not one of my strong points.  I usually have something to say, but I have been asking God to show me the moments when I should say nothing.  Discretion... Now, I know these same three friends later on in Job gave him some misguided advice, but still... it is clear they cared.  I want to be the kind of friend that would sit with a suffering friend and just be with them and not have to say something.

Discretion... maybe it comes with age... maybe it comes with wisdom.  Here's Job speaking to God when he realizes that God still likes him and hasn't really been absent in his suffering.  I think his response is interesting.

Job 40
"Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You?  I lay my hand over my mouth.  Once I have spoken... Yes, twice, but... no further."

Here are some thoughts from my pastor.  I thought they were so good I kept the sermon notes.

1.  Don't assume you know why things happen.
2.  In times of suffering, don't curse God, lose faith, or forget all the good.
3.  Always remember- especially in times of suffering- that God is compassionate and merciful.

And finally... this question:
Why do we not question why God would give us good things?  Why is it that we question God when things are bad?

To Say For Going To Sleep

I would like to sing someone to sleep,
by someone to sit and be.
I would like to rock you and croon you to sleep
and attend you in slumber and out.
I would like to be the only one in the house
who would know:  The night was cold.
And would like to hearken within and without
to you, to the world, to the wood.--
The clocks call striking to each other,
and one sees to the bottom of time.
And below a strange man passes yet
and rouses a strange dog.
Behind that comes stillness.
I have laid my eyes upon you wide;
they hold you gently and let you go
when some thing stirs in the dark.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Heart Strings

As we anticipate a foot of snow in the next few days... um... we'll be doing more inside projects I'm thinking like this one.  :)

A Few Daily Moments

This little pond is on our way to church.  We enjoy watching the geese there stopping for a rest.  It's like march of the penguins or something with how many are there.

Gwen got her hair cut the other day (for free) at a place called "Sheer Madness".  Her hair was all uneven and basically a baby mullet that had grown out a little.  It's a place for kids and Gwen chose to sit in the Mercedes convertible to get her hair cut.  I knew she took after me.

Bathtime Kisses

* If you are reading on facebook you must follow this link to see the movie... www.benmere.blogspot.com

Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pot Roast

This is for you Lisa! :)

2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (I did not put them in)
2 large carrots, sliced (I put a lot of those little carrots and left them whole)
1/4 C chopped celery (didn't put in cause I didn't have any)
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 1/2 lbs)
1 T canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp grated orange peel (I used frozen orange juice... just a little spoonful)
3/4 tsp baking cocoa
1 Can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1.  Place potatoes, carrots and celery in a 5 qt. slow cooker.  In a skillet, brown meat in oil.  Transfer meat to slow cooker.

2.  In the same skillet, saute onion in drippings until tender.  Add garlic; cook for 1 minute.  Combine next 11 ingredients; stir in tomato sauce.  Add to skillet; heat through.  Pour over beef.

3.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.  (I cooked mine longer than that)

Shiny Penny Project

Close up of my Zekeaboy.  He got discharged from physical therapy today.  He is crawling really well now and in a few short weeks has managed to figure out going up stairs and pulling up and beginning to cruise.  I am amazed at him.  He also has learned to "kiss" and shrieks like you wouldn't believe when he sees injustice, such as Gwen getting apple juice and he isn't.  Ben says it sounds like a baby eagle getting stabbed by a fork.  Pretty accurate I think.

We attempted to shine all our pennies today.  We have a lot of pennies.  Gwen wore her princess (low cut) number for the penny shining party.  Let's just say I was not impressed with the results.  Don't bother is all I can say.  So, we sorted the pennies from the other coins.  Good practice for her and I've decided I'm going to teach her about Benjamin Franklin and how he said "a penny saved is a penny earned."  He did say that didn't he?  Can you find a coloring page of Benjamin Franklin?

Our penny jar.  I told her when it gets full she gets to take it to the store and buy a toy.  I pity the salesperson.

She helps me sweep all in her princess garb and holding a flower.  Tra la la...

Is there any other word that comes to mind but GORGEOUS????

New Job, Salt Sculptures

Ben is starting a new job Monday, so he brought home all the things from the office... including the cardboard cutout of himself that he has.  He had it done in Miami as a joke for a meeting he wasn't going to be at and well, he kept it.  I think it will be of great use when Gwen starts to date.  What do you think? :)  We fooled Gwen when she got up from her nap with the cardboard cutout of daddy at the end of the stairs.

She said "hi daddy" and then I said "wait, this isn't daddy" and pushed it over.  We didn't want her to get upset so Ben jumped out and said "here I am."  She laughed.  Oh, and yes, she wears dance outfits to nap sometimes. :)

She is such a daddy's girl right now.  I can't blame her really.  He is quite remarkable.

Today we made the salt sculptures that I told you about in my post entitled "winter fun".  I don't want you to think I suggest all these things and never do them.  Oh no!  Well... it's crumbly and really for older kids... but we managed to get a Z and G and little man out of it.

Very "Tiny Tim" like don't you think?  One leg is shorter than the other... oh well.  I'm not going to tell you what Ben thought it looked like.  I'll give you one small hint.  It's something that a baby does lots of.

What's next you may be asking?  Shiny pennies activity of course!

There Is No Rose

You can't see me in the picture, but I'm there.  This is from our Christmas concert.