Time is quickly slipping away. Thanks for the reminder from Erin over at Filling My Patch of Sky. Here's my list, please share yours!
10. Have the house organized and picked up. This is like trying to shovel an avalanche, but I'm determined to make it happen eventually.
9. Try this recipe for homemade crescent rolls and this one for homemade goldfish crackers.
8. Take my kids to Miller Park Zoo and the Children's Discovery Museum.
7. Go to the McLean County Fair.
6. Invite friends over.
5. Hike at Sugar Grove Nature Center.
4. Organize a prayer journal.
3. Take in Pops in the Park, a free concert featuring the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, on Sept. 4.
2. Ice cream from Coldstone Creamery.
1. Take a walk alone (i.e. without kids), hand in hand, with my husband of 16 years.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
in the kitchen this week...
Going additive-free is a challenge, but it's not impossible. When I joined the Feingold program, I received a recipe book, a foodlist of appropriate foods, and access to a member's bulletin board, so I've had a lot of help. Still, after doing some shopping I can see there are some things that are hard to find or very pricey. So I've been spending more time in my kitchen this week, trying to come up with food for our family to eat. Here's what we've done so far:
-Sandwich bread
I'm thankful for our bread machine! The kids give it two thumbs up. I made enough to put an extra loaf in the freezer, so we're in good shape.
-Honey mustard chicken
Eric said these were better than the chicken fingers at his favorite restaurant. THAT is quite the compliment.
-Carob syrup
It takes Josiah 3 days to stop reacting to chocolate after he's had even a bite. This alternative didn't look, smell, or taste that great to me, but Rachel and Josiah both seem to love it on their vanilla ice cream.
-White pizza
I never expected this to be a hit and served it alongside our favorite frozen variety (which isn't on our foodlist), just in case. It was preferred by everyone over the frozen pizza. Homemade wheat crust, topped with white sauce seasoned with oregano and basil. It tasted like breadsticks!
-Granola bars
I received this recipe from my sister-in-law a few years ago and already knew we loved it. They are flavored with peanut butter and cinnamon, but this time I had to leave out the chocolate chips. I'm trying not to miss them too much. The kids don't care at all.
-Popsicles made from pear juice
Kids are resilient. A popsicle is a popsicle.
-Knox blocks flavored with juice
These are better than jello! We rarely ate jello anyway, but I bought 3 more boxes of Knox this week. Josiah liked his flavored with papaya juice.
-Mango juice
Who knew this would be such a hit with my youngest? He doesn't like carrots, so here's a new source of vitamin A.
I spent hours in the kitchen on Mon. and Tues. The contractor who is working on our window walked through on Tues. afternoon and said, "Wow, there are always wonderful smells coming out of your kitchen. Do you bake like this every day?"
Hilarious to think a comment like that would ever be directed at me!
-Sandwich bread
I'm thankful for our bread machine! The kids give it two thumbs up. I made enough to put an extra loaf in the freezer, so we're in good shape.
-Honey mustard chicken
Eric said these were better than the chicken fingers at his favorite restaurant. THAT is quite the compliment.
-Carob syrup
It takes Josiah 3 days to stop reacting to chocolate after he's had even a bite. This alternative didn't look, smell, or taste that great to me, but Rachel and Josiah both seem to love it on their vanilla ice cream.
-White pizza
I never expected this to be a hit and served it alongside our favorite frozen variety (which isn't on our foodlist), just in case. It was preferred by everyone over the frozen pizza. Homemade wheat crust, topped with white sauce seasoned with oregano and basil. It tasted like breadsticks!
-Granola bars
I received this recipe from my sister-in-law a few years ago and already knew we loved it. They are flavored with peanut butter and cinnamon, but this time I had to leave out the chocolate chips. I'm trying not to miss them too much. The kids don't care at all.
-Popsicles made from pear juice
Kids are resilient. A popsicle is a popsicle.
-Knox blocks flavored with juice
These are better than jello! We rarely ate jello anyway, but I bought 3 more boxes of Knox this week. Josiah liked his flavored with papaya juice.
-Mango juice
Who knew this would be such a hit with my youngest? He doesn't like carrots, so here's a new source of vitamin A.
I spent hours in the kitchen on Mon. and Tues. The contractor who is working on our window walked through on Tues. afternoon and said, "Wow, there are always wonderful smells coming out of your kitchen. Do you bake like this every day?"
Hilarious to think a comment like that would ever be directed at me!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
as much excitement as we can handle...
In the past 24 hours:
-Micah had two permanent molars pulled in anticipation of getting braces by the end of the year. He did great and doesn't mind the temporary diet of milkshakes, pudding, jello, and banana bread.
This is the note he put under his pillow:
"Dear Tooth Fairy,
I need more money than usual. I had 2 teeth pulled."
He recieved $8 which is 4 times the going rate around here. The final two will be pulled on August 11.
-Josiah emerged from his sister's bedroom covered in green marker. It was all the way up his arms, on his legs, and around his eyes. It seems he came up with the idea and was the artist. We will not encourage tatoo artistry as a future career.
In the next 24 hours:
-We will have a hole cut in our house, on purpose. Workers are coming to put an egress window in the basement. Micah will have his very own, spacious bedroom by week's end! It will be nice to have each child in their own bedroom again, although we acknowledge this is quite a luxury in our world. However, with children spaced the way ours are, we're finding it will be quite helpful. Josiah doesn't sleep well with other people in the room, and Micah and Rachel need to stop sharing at this stage in their lives! I'm so proud of Eric who learned how to use a jackhammer to take out part of the back patio and dug a pretty large hole to help cut the costs in this venture.
-Micah had two permanent molars pulled in anticipation of getting braces by the end of the year. He did great and doesn't mind the temporary diet of milkshakes, pudding, jello, and banana bread.
This is the note he put under his pillow:
"Dear Tooth Fairy,
I need more money than usual. I had 2 teeth pulled."
He recieved $8 which is 4 times the going rate around here. The final two will be pulled on August 11.
-Josiah emerged from his sister's bedroom covered in green marker. It was all the way up his arms, on his legs, and around his eyes. It seems he came up with the idea and was the artist. We will not encourage tatoo artistry as a future career.
In the next 24 hours:
-We will have a hole cut in our house, on purpose. Workers are coming to put an egress window in the basement. Micah will have his very own, spacious bedroom by week's end! It will be nice to have each child in their own bedroom again, although we acknowledge this is quite a luxury in our world. However, with children spaced the way ours are, we're finding it will be quite helpful. Josiah doesn't sleep well with other people in the room, and Micah and Rachel need to stop sharing at this stage in their lives! I'm so proud of Eric who learned how to use a jackhammer to take out part of the back patio and dug a pretty large hole to help cut the costs in this venture.
Monday, July 26, 2010
can what we eat affect how we behave?
Three and a half years ago, God blessed our family with a much-desired third child. Those who know us or have followed my blog know that we've had our hands full ever since. Josiah is a delightful, curious, strong-willed, energetic, always-on-the-move, intense little boy. But this summer things took a turn I was not anticipating.
My older kids came home from school for the summer, and suddenly became targets for their youngest brother's aggressive behavior. The hitting, kicking, screaming, and annoying were almost constant and consistent, careful discipline was getting us nowhere. I had to keep Josiah constantly at my side in order to keep him away from the other kids, and even there I was having difficulty managing his out-of-control behavior. He rarely played with toys and couldn't seem to find ways to keep himself occupied. At the end of June I reached the end of my rope and took him in to his pediatrician. She already knew Josiah's history and recommended he be evaluated for behavior concerns. We are still in the midst of that evaluation and although I'm not sure how things will turn out, I highly suspect ADHD.
I thank God for my former training as an LD/BD teacher. Remembering the Feingold diet from college (even though I was taught then it did not work--recent research indicates otherwise), I began investigating how diet can affect behavior. We started Josiah on a diet with no food additives, and although we were making a lot of mistakes, we began to see a connection between what he was eating and how he was behaving. Near the middle of July, I joined the Feingold Association and received much-needed materials to put the diet fully into practice.
The results have been amazing so far. We left on a vacation we were somewhat hesitant to take--all the behavioral issues we had been dealing with left us stressed and exhausted. Yet we spent three incredible days with a sweet, mostly obedient child who didn't even need an afternoon nap to stay manageable.
I'm spending a lot more time in the kitchen lately making homemade breads, cookies, and home-cooked meals. Cooking has never been my favorite activity but if I don't cook, we don't eat, so that is highly motivating. After all I have read about food dyes, artificial flavors, and preservatives, I'm not sure I'd want to go back even if we could. And now I have a child who has been engaged for hours this morning in imaginative play with his older sister.
Top Ten Reasons We Can Be Thankful for Feingold:
10. I'm finally learning to cook.
9. Homemade bread
8. Yummy Earth lollipops
7. Homemade sugar cookies
6. Cheetos White Cheddar Cheese Puffs
5. Chocolate seems to be a trigger...and it gives me headaches. More motivation to keep me away!
4. Meijer has a great selection of approved foods. I love that store!
3. We're eating more real food and less processed.
2. I get great recipes from my sister-in-law who is an outstanding cook.
1. And the best reason of all...Josiah's so much fun to be around again!
I'm so thankful for a supportive husband, kids, and extended family. They are the best!
My older kids came home from school for the summer, and suddenly became targets for their youngest brother's aggressive behavior. The hitting, kicking, screaming, and annoying were almost constant and consistent, careful discipline was getting us nowhere. I had to keep Josiah constantly at my side in order to keep him away from the other kids, and even there I was having difficulty managing his out-of-control behavior. He rarely played with toys and couldn't seem to find ways to keep himself occupied. At the end of June I reached the end of my rope and took him in to his pediatrician. She already knew Josiah's history and recommended he be evaluated for behavior concerns. We are still in the midst of that evaluation and although I'm not sure how things will turn out, I highly suspect ADHD.
I thank God for my former training as an LD/BD teacher. Remembering the Feingold diet from college (even though I was taught then it did not work--recent research indicates otherwise), I began investigating how diet can affect behavior. We started Josiah on a diet with no food additives, and although we were making a lot of mistakes, we began to see a connection between what he was eating and how he was behaving. Near the middle of July, I joined the Feingold Association and received much-needed materials to put the diet fully into practice.
The results have been amazing so far. We left on a vacation we were somewhat hesitant to take--all the behavioral issues we had been dealing with left us stressed and exhausted. Yet we spent three incredible days with a sweet, mostly obedient child who didn't even need an afternoon nap to stay manageable.
I'm spending a lot more time in the kitchen lately making homemade breads, cookies, and home-cooked meals. Cooking has never been my favorite activity but if I don't cook, we don't eat, so that is highly motivating. After all I have read about food dyes, artificial flavors, and preservatives, I'm not sure I'd want to go back even if we could. And now I have a child who has been engaged for hours this morning in imaginative play with his older sister.
Top Ten Reasons We Can Be Thankful for Feingold:
10. I'm finally learning to cook.
9. Homemade bread
8. Yummy Earth lollipops
7. Homemade sugar cookies
6. Cheetos White Cheddar Cheese Puffs
5. Chocolate seems to be a trigger...and it gives me headaches. More motivation to keep me away!
4. Meijer has a great selection of approved foods. I love that store!
3. We're eating more real food and less processed.
2. I get great recipes from my sister-in-law who is an outstanding cook.
1. And the best reason of all...Josiah's so much fun to be around again!
I'm so thankful for a supportive husband, kids, and extended family. They are the best!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
vacation, part 3
Our final museum stop was The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. This was a great way to end our trip...hands-on with something everyone could do.
The kids digging for dinosaur bones...
and watching real paleontologists at work cleaning dinosaur fossils. It was fun to watch them interact and ask questions.
Rachel has got the Momma Dinosaur act down.
The Egypt exhibit was one of my favorites. We came in through a simulated airplane ride and walked through houses, stores, and cafes that made us feel like we were really there. Josiah found another mule friend to love.
This was a favorite exhibit for Micah. He easily matched Star Wars characters to their weapons, the ones really used in the filming of the movies.
Rachel's take on Star Wars? "This is NOT for girls!!" So just the boys in this picture...
We found something that IS for girls, especially this girl. Kit's treehouse! "Mom, you have GOT to take a picture of me with this." When we got home, Rachel decided to cut her hair to match Kit's.
If you have any jobs requiring hard labor, here's your man.
It's encouraging to see they can work together sometimes and even have fun doing so!Saturday, July 24, 2010
museum vacation, part 2
Our second museum stop was in Dayton, OH, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The boys really loved this stop. We saw hundreds of airplanes, starting with the Wright brother's invention and ending with the B-2 Bomber. It was a walk through history and boggles the mind to consider how far we have come in 100 years!
Micah standing in front an airplane that responded during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The pilot was still in his pajamas.
There were about 8 airplanes outside, including the Hanoi taxi which brought home POW's from Vietnam. (Not pictured here.)
Little boy, big dreams...
Helicopters are his favorite.
Sitting inside!!!
Dreaming of joining the Air Force? Maybe a little...
My favorite, the B-2 bomber. It's hard to see in the picture, but that seems fitting for this stealth plane.As we reflected on our visit, it is easy to see why we put so much faith in our military strength, yet that is not where it should rest. Ps. 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Still, we appreciate those who have made the sacrifice of protecting our country. The sweetest moment of the day was when Rachel spotted a woman dressed in military fatigues and worked up the courage to say, "Thank you for serving our country." She was noticeably touched by her expression of gratitude.
Friday, July 23, 2010
three museums + three kids + three days = a great vacation! part 1
We are currently in the midst of a relentless heat wave in Central Illinois, so our museum vacation was the perfect fit. Our first stop was the Creation Museum, just south of Cincinnati, OH. Our hotel was in Indiana, the museum was in Kentucky...so we got three new states on the list of places our kids have visited all in one stop!
If you want a Biblical understanding of how dinosaurs fit into creation, this is the place to go! The fossil record and natural catastrophes like Mt. St. Helen's eruption easily lend themselves to the view of instant burial in a worldwide flood that happened thousands, not millions, of years ago. The museum was organized around 7 C's: creation, corruption, catastrophe (the flood), confusion (Tower of Babel), Christ, cross, and consummation.2 Peter 3:5-6 "For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished."
This dinosaur was especially friendly to the 12 and under group.
Josiah's favorite spot: the petting zoo, complete with a cow, goats, and even a zorse--part zebra, part horse. But boy, was it ever hot! Here Josiah's petting his favorite: a mule (really a donkey, but don't argue with the boy.)
Well, this was a close second. Holding a soft rabbit is pretty great, too.Other highlights: a beautiful botanical garden with walking paths and waterfalls (did I mention it was hot?), beautiful southeast Indiana and northern Kentucky scenery, the planetarium, a Noah's Ark replica that only shows what 1% of it looked like (that was one big boat!), and some really nice people all together in one place. Even our hotel atmosphere seemed different with guests who prayed together before meals and an instant camaraderie only known among fellow Christians.
Monday, July 12, 2010
the great rescue
For some time now, I have watched the horizon, anticipating clear skies and brighter days. There have been days, even months, of partial clearing, giving some hope that relief was in sight. However, just when I begin to breathe a sigh of relief, the storms begin again. I'm knocked back down to the ground, trying as hard as I know to fight my way back to my feet.
"Lord, save me!" I cry for the umpteenth time, but I am ready to give up hope. "I feel as though I am about to break!" is the cry of my heart. Yet almost as soon as it finds voice, I hear a stronger and louder one thunder through the depths of my being.
"A bruised reed he will not break," and I run to my Bible to find the reference. "and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." In Isaiah 42 I read on of the salvation of the righteous God, who will cause His people to rejoice as He is glorified in His mighty triumph over sin. Verses 14-17 breathe new hope into my heart as I read, "For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now..." and then come all the "I will's," outlining God's mighty acts on behalf of His people, which end in a crescendo in verse 16, "I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth."
With the Psalmist I cry again, "Why are you downcast, oh my soul, why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
Once again, the clear skies are the ones in my heart, not the ones over my head.
"Lord, save me!" I cry for the umpteenth time, but I am ready to give up hope. "I feel as though I am about to break!" is the cry of my heart. Yet almost as soon as it finds voice, I hear a stronger and louder one thunder through the depths of my being.
"A bruised reed he will not break," and I run to my Bible to find the reference. "and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." In Isaiah 42 I read on of the salvation of the righteous God, who will cause His people to rejoice as He is glorified in His mighty triumph over sin. Verses 14-17 breathe new hope into my heart as I read, "For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now..." and then come all the "I will's," outlining God's mighty acts on behalf of His people, which end in a crescendo in verse 16, "I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth."
With the Psalmist I cry again, "Why are you downcast, oh my soul, why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
Once again, the clear skies are the ones in my heart, not the ones over my head.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
real lemonade, take 2
Today was my second attempt at homemade lemonade. Why did we ever drink the powdered stuff? (OK, it is a bit easier on the hands than handling the juicer, but there's no comparison when it comes to taste!)
Josiah's low pulp homemade lemonade
Juice from 8 lemons
8 cups water
1 1/2 tp 1 3/4 c. sugar
Mix in gallon pitcher. It doesn't make quite a gallon but will overflow a 2-quart.
Josiah's low pulp homemade lemonade
Juice from 8 lemons
8 cups water
1 1/2 tp 1 3/4 c. sugar
Mix in gallon pitcher. It doesn't make quite a gallon but will overflow a 2-quart.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
a fun morning at home
With Micah in Rockford spending time with grandparents this week, I'm getting in some special time with the two babies of the family.
I promised Josiah we would make real lemonade today. He insisted on trying a bite of lemon, and seemed to like it just fine. I notice in the picture his mouth is a bit puckered.
Smash the slices, stir it up; a great job for busy hands. Thanks to my friend for sharing this recipe with us. Next time we'll try it with her secret ingredient (limes). Josiah didn't care for the pulp, so maybe we'll use the juicer, too.
After reading numerous studies linking behavorial concerns to food additives, we're eating a bit differently around here lately. Once again, my cook was at my side to help with homemade waffles.
We'd had breakfast an hour ago, but Josiah insisted on a sample and ate the entire thing, topped with real maple syrup.
Next we went out to the garden before the sun got too hot. I never expected it to be such a hit. The kids went back and forth, dropping their freshly picked tomatoes and green beans in a bowl. Rachel squealed with delight, "Mom, look at the pickles!" Sure enough, we had several large cucumbers ready for picking. Josiah helped me weed and pick blighted leaves off our tomato plants.
"This one is big, Mommy!"
Smash the slices, stir it up; a great job for busy hands. Thanks to my friend for sharing this recipe with us. Next time we'll try it with her secret ingredient (limes). Josiah didn't care for the pulp, so maybe we'll use the juicer, too.After reading numerous studies linking behavorial concerns to food additives, we're eating a bit differently around here lately. Once again, my cook was at my side to help with homemade waffles.We'd had breakfast an hour ago, but Josiah insisted on a sample and ate the entire thing, topped with real maple syrup.Next we went out to the garden before the sun got too hot. I never expected it to be such a hit. The kids went back and forth, dropping their freshly picked tomatoes and green beans in a bowl. Rachel squealed with delight, "Mom, look at the pickles!" Sure enough, we had several large cucumbers ready for picking. Josiah helped me weed and pick blighted leaves off our tomato plants."This one is big, Mommy!"
For Josiah, the fun stops with the picking. At the table, he won't touch vegetables. But Rachel was so excited about the beans she immediately cleaned and prepared enough for our lunch. We blanched the rest for the freezer.
thirteen is not an unlucky number
This past weekend we headed north with Eric's family to the Wisconsin Dells and the Wilderness Resort. In three days we hit the 8 different water parks on their property and had a great time together!
My oldest nephew and niece. Nathan is 19 and Sarah is sweet 16.
Josiah was happiest sitting on the steps playing in the water. Behind him is Rachel in a working whirlpool--the kind that spins you around and around and around...
Three peas in a pod...Rachel, Anna (age 10), and Micah. They were inseparable.
This was my favorite pool, looking out over Lake Delton. (Yes, it's back!) We had to take a boat across the lake to get here.
Enjoying a boat ride...Eric's parents along with Sarah and Faith (age 6).
Eric, Josiah, and Nathan...
Leah, Wayne, Tammy (Eric's sister), Micah, Anna, and Rachel.
Micah enjoying the pool.
Micah enjoying the pool.
Rachel was very brave, going down many slides that she's never tried before. I followed her example, finding one that absolutely terrified me, but I can say I did it!!
Josiah enjoyed the baby swings, although he was just a bit big for them!
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