Baking for the Soul

Hard to find time to blog with family in town, five kiddos, a migraine, and loads of things to get done around the house... this crazy weather is stirring up pollen's and such and bugging my allergies more so than usual leaving me with a killer headache today.

One thing that always calms me, helps me think things through, or forget the hurt is baking or cooking. So I headed in the kitchen and started making dinner and desserts. I made some veggie soup (carrots, celery, carrots, onions, kale, tomatoes, corn, peas, leeks, spinach, potato, and some egg noodles - also made from scratch), blackberry muffins from berries we picked at the farm during the summer, espresso brownie bars, chocolate cupcakes, and fresh french bread. During the baking I used some peppermint oil on my head to help with the headache and towards the end of baking I realized my headache had vanished.

yikes - its nearly midnight --- guess this post will be just about our baking adventures today. Hope everyone else had a great day. Even with the headache I had a very enjoyable afternoon in the kitchen baking away with the help of some of the kiddos while listening to the other kiddos play with Aunt Naomi, and all while Jon and Andrea watched some awesome food documentaries (my mom says those always get us in trouble because we love all the nutrition/against big corps/anything against GMO type documentaries and they always help keep our flame burning on our passion for health food, nonGMO's and blacklisting different companies).

French Bread in the making...  the mixer, oven, and I are the bread machine in this house. I love making, smelling, and eating fresh bread - so delicious

Conrad helping making the blackberry muffins

Trucks are always needing to help with the baking, lol. Zekie was playing trucks while watching me bake

the color from the blackberries was so pretty

Yum!

happy boy eating his salad

fresh out of the oven, super hot and so good

made some little bite sized egg noodles --- very easy and beats store bought any day. Added some turmeric for extra color and an added health benefit

Veggie Soup

my addiction - tazo passion tea with frozen raspberries and lots of lime

Is it January?

Today was one of those days that you have so much to do but you think there's no way you can get it all done, but you do and its awesome!

This morning Jon and I had some errands we needed to run so we took the three youngest and left the two big kids with Grandma Andrea and Aunt Naomi. We went to Lowes to buy some stuff for the yard and some paint to repaint our master bath. (I love tools and gardening, and could spend loads of time and money there) The weather forecast had been saying something about being in the fifties today. A shock for us as it is January and we usually are covered in snow and freezing. We were hoping that we would be able to get our yard worked on since it wasn't suppose to be miserably cold. We were blessed with weather in the high 60s while we worked outside, and even had to go put some summer clothes on. It was insane but wonderful. Did I mention that our tulips are already starting to grow... We have them planted around our mail box and tree in the front yard and while working in the yard I noticed that the buds or shoots, whatever they are called are starting to poke through the dirt. It was hard to remember that its only January with weather and greenery like that.

While I was upstairs painting I heard Jon calling for me, and by the time I made sure I had no paint on my feet and made it out of the bathroom he was walking in our room saying something about going downstairs because I had a package. I was really confused as to what package I would be getting. So I headed downstairs and found three vegan cookbooks waiting for me. I had been wanting these three for awhile but hadn't brought myself to buy them. So Jon surprised me and ordered them. What a great surprise delivery. (Cookbooks are really the best gift - because they give back loads of goodies). That was like a cherry being added to my already excellent day.

We raked leaves, pulled weeds, mowed the lawn, put down some more mulch, and even painted our master bath --- amazed we pulled it all off, oh and I made some more cupcakes.

Oh - and I also learned that I love to mow the lawn. Jon keeps teasing me about it tonight, but he is right --- it goes well with my OCD (Jon diagnosed me with it years back). I love vacuuming because I love seeing the lines in the carpet, that and I love clean carpet. Well tonight I mowed the entire lawn (we have a large lot) and I loved creating the lines. lol. We all have our odd quirks and that's one of mine. 

fell asleep eating again

love her chubby cheeks

our yard gnome - the cutest in the neighborhood

Jon relaxing in the warm sunny air

fell asleep in the car

playing with Aunt Naomi

playing in one of the leaf piles

oops, the cloud dough was dumped on Grae's head  

yard work time

how many kids fit in one little jeep? 

giving kisses and loves -- Andrea, Naomi, and I all had our cameras out because they were being so adorable

Family Visit

Yesterday was a different schedule for us because Jon's Mom and sister flew into town. His Mom, Andrea, was out here last year when Graesynn was born but we haven't seen her since. His sister, Naomi, has never been able to visit since we moved away five years ago, but we have seen her the few times we've made it out to California (last time was over 2 years ago)

We have all been looking forward to their visit, and I know they have been extremely excited too. Shortie was really excited about using sign language with her Aunt Naomi (she is deaf and loosing her vision). She had been trying to practice the few signs I've taught her and is ready to learn a bunch more (I wanted to be a teacher for the deaf and the blind and, in what seems like a different life time, was actually very good at American Sign Language, but haven't been keeping up on it -- another goal to add - get back to signing, I love it)

Yesterday was spent in much anticipation for their visit. After dinner all the little ones were in bed and we were watching a movie when I realized I hadn't taken any pictures - what a bummer. They will be visiting for the next ten days --- we hope to do some fun adventures outside of the house and also spend some low key days at home enjoying each others company.

Another Great Thursday

Bubba making trains. 

he was eating Annie bunnies and pretzels with a spoon, but got silly when I tried to capture it on camera.

she looks so sleepy but she loves doing math school work that she wanted more

I was finished doing dishes while Jon went upstairs to get the kiddos ready for bed. Conrad brought  a blanket  and pillow down and laid behind me in the kitchen. Such a cute little man 

Breakfast

There are few things that we can count on like clockwork with five kids. Yet there is one thing that every morning Jon and I can count on, and in fact predict its coming. Before it even happens we both kinda roll our eyes and smirk and give each other a "here it comes" kinda look. Then it happens, "Mom, Dad, I'm hungry" oh man, even typing it I can hear Bubba's little voice saying it. Yes indeed, every morning within minutes of waking up we are greeted with that phrase, more like demand and question all in one, from Bubs. That boy has an endless pit for a stomach and after sleeping all night he seems to be starving. 

I don't think I can ever make breakfast fast enough in this house. On top of it all as soon as I have finished the dishes from breakfast I hear, "Mom, I'm hungry. Is it snack time?" Yup, another thing we can count on - someone is always hungry regardless of what time it is or how much they might have just eaten.

Nose scrunch while eating breakfast - so talented

cream cheese face - lol

he always gets so messy with bagels

Snuggle Time

Was it yesterday or Thursday -- I can't remember, today has been such a long busy day that the rest of the week all seem to blur together. I believe it was Thursday morning when for whatever reason one of the kiddos woke up super early and ended up waking up everyone else. Jon left for work, and we were all downstairs, half awake, and cold. So I figured it would be a great time for morning snuggles and a little movie. I simply adore my half awake snuggle time with the kiddos. (however I would prefer it to be when they have been up past their bed time and I get snuggles in their bed, versus being woken up before the sun was even thinking about showing its face) We all snuggled up with blankets and watched Ratatouille for the hundred time. Mornings like this totally make waking up early worth it.

Grae was not happy to be awake so early

silly Zekie

sister cuddle time - Grae was finally starting to wake up

Dear Computer

Why do you do this to me? I have so much I need to do and you decide to stop working. Again. We've had you fixed three times now, and yet some how the same part of yours keeps breaking. You are too young for this. I mean you could at least have a part break that would qualify you as a lemon. You frustrate me.

Grr.

Mess of the Day

Okay - let me start by saying that in the description of this blog it mentions something about the craziness of life raising five, or the struggles of life raising five. I want this blog to be an honest look at what our life is like, and that includes those moments you wish didn't happen, wouldn't happen, or simply moments you wish would never leave the house (what happens in the Schroeder home stays in the Schroeder home...ha, yeah with five kids there are no secrets - they blab to anyone who will listen)

Well, here you have one of those moments.

While playing train tracks in the toy room I noticed Conrad's pants were falling down and taking his diaper with it. He is in the beginning stages of potty training (he usually strips naked  right after going to the bathroom and has gone and sat on the toilet a few times with success, however I was not ready over the holidays to start potty training my just turned two two year old)...where was I? Oh, so he is starting to potty train and because he usually takes things off as soon as he goes to the bathroom I thought his diaper was empty and told him to pull his pants and diaper up, that I could see his booty crack (hate calling it butt cracks, they have cute booties and referring to it as butt just makes it sound not so baby and cute). While trying to pull the back part of his diaper up his hands got a little more than a diaper full --- eww! I had my phone out trying to get a picture of Bubba with his awesome track that he built and looked over to see Conrad making his yucky face. I kinda squealed "oh, oh, no. Don't touch. Don't move. Oh gross" to which set off mad laughter in Shortie and Bubba -- didn't help the little man hold still. Since the phone was in my hand set on camera, I snapped a picture of the icky mess. Really doesn't look that bad, a little poo, no big deal - except a little poo all over everything is a big deal - Thankful I was sitting there and this was all I had to clean up.

nope, thats not chocolate, or mud... its exactly what you hope its not.

and yes, I can hear some of you laughing through the computer with one of those evil little laughs... we're totally use to entertaining others with our struggles, dont worry about enjoying our misery ;) 

j/k enjoy our craziness - we would totally be enjoying it from the sidelines if it happened to you

Snow Drought and Bed Time

Have any of you heard of a snow drought? Well I certainly hadn't, having been raised in beautiful coastal southern Cali I barely even knew what snow was. Then we moved out here. The last few years we have had a pretty crazy amount of snow or winter weather. 

When we first moved here we were told the winters were very mild... well that year it was a big fat lie. We had crazy weather, and have every winter since - record breaking snow amounts, record breaking blizzards, and record breaking ice storm (horrible horrible night that was -- Jons normal 30-45 minute drove home took over 8 hours and our power was out at home... brings back bad memories for me, however the kids still talk about it with great joy because we piled up into Conrad's room and watched a movie on the laptop and had a mommy and kid sleepover. Okay, when I think of it through their eyes it doesn't seem so bad) Anyways - this year we are having a snow drought. Even though we had our first snow before Halloween (another record breaker) we have yet to have any real snow this year and the news is talking about how the East is in this big snow drought - all new and interesting to me. However after last winter we went out and bought a really good snow shovel and sleds for this winter and we have yet to use them, why does it always happen that way? Ironic right? Oh and not to mention it was 11 degrees today with windchill. If its that cold we could at least be rewarded with beauty of the snow, brr!

Tonight after the goggle fun we were all ready for bed and following our usual routine, I walked into Conrads room and was surprised that he didn't follow me in. He is typically great at getting ready and in bed - he goes and runs and pulls his blanket right up under his chin and waits for our nightly tuck in bed/cuddles time. Tonight he wasn't in his room. I heard a little Zekie giggle and knew something was up. Conrad followed his night time routine only he got in Zekie's bed instead. They were so happy, yet trying to go to sleep so they wouldn't get in trouble, but they couldn't stop giggling with pride that they were sneaky.

Whats a Mom to do? Grab a camera of course and document it. Maybe it will embarrass them one day, or maybe it will be a great photo to show them that even as little boys they were always best of friends (okay, maybe I hope it will do both).

Conrad laughing

Zekie laughing

trying to pretend to sleep

Goggles

My kiddos are really so silly. I love their imaginations and how the littlest thing can become a grand adventure. Tonight our little Ezekiel found Shortie's swim goggles and was running around while getting ready for bed wearing them. He reminds of the little boy from the cartoon "Meet the Robinsons"

seriously love this boy! 

he makes me laugh

so serious!

Mocha Dog

Its been nearly a year since we adopted Mocha. We love the little man and tonight he took some pretty silly pictures - he really does fit right in with our family. (side note - I'm not sure why I use the word little so often when I describe things in my house. It seems to be nothing is actually "little" in our house, we aren't a "little" family, there is never just a "little" mess, snack time is never just a "little" snacks, and the pile of dishes after any meal is certainly not "little".  Mocha fits that perfectly - he is certainly not little by any means)

LOL - all his silly faces... doesn't the top look like a cartoon?  

he thinks he is a lap dog...and his paws are always searching for hands to love on him and shake

1. 2. 12

Today we were getting back to our 'normal' routine. It always takes a few days to get really back into the swing of things, but today seemed to kinda fall into place rather smoothly. We were all up and dressed (okay, I admit I stayed in my sweatpants all day --- they were a Christmas gift and uber soft and comfortable so I'd rather just live in them...at least until my other "after-Christmas-because-I-loved-the-first-so-much" pair gets here on thursday, thanks Jon and Gilly Hicks) anyways - back to it - we were up and dressed, ate breakfast, and started our school work all by 9 am.

later in the morning we were surprised and blessed with some friends coming over and cleaning up our half fallen tree. The saw that we had wasn't strong enough to cut through the main branch and Jon is barely home when the sun is up so it wasn't getting done. So Thank You to Andrew and David!

The rest of the day was spent in usual fashion: school, food, play, loads more food, baths, and everything in between.

this was pretty fun - its remote control truck and we were using it as a walker for Grae. She loved it and  we were all  entertained.

Shortie built a doll house out of books in the boys room

Stylish Graesynn - Shortie found some of her old glasses and thought Grae needed them

...and then Conrad thought he needed them

Ezekiel's hat, aka a paper bowl, always need to be stylish at lunch --- eating pear and apple sticks (or  "healthy fries") and a Greek style sandwich

falling asleep while eating lunch

love how kids can do this 

adorable little man

Niacin Flush

I take niacin regularly - the same small dose everyday. Yet for some reason the other night two hours after taking it I got a niacin flush. It was right as we were getting ready to eat dinner and I felt it coming on before I turned lobster red. At first it really freaked the three older kids out, but then we explained it to them... then came the mad laughter. Shortie thought it was the funniest thing of the week and could not stop doing her evil Auntie RahRah laugh. We took pictures just because of how funny Shortie thought it was. So enjoy my lobster skin...it was all over my face, elbows, shoulders, and neck.

Shortie thought the red was hysterical... good thing its not dangerous so she can laugh away

still the beginning of the flush ... the red simply gets deeper in color which made the laughter increase

Planning menu

One of our plans for the new year is to try and have less waste. To accomplish this we are really trying to plan out our meals again and have fabulous recipes we can use last minute on any of food items about to go bad... or ways to save the food for later use. We have been getting better at it over the last year or two but this year we really want to have as little waste as possible.

We also love to try new recipes. We are definitely a family that is not afraid of trying something new every night. So we busted out cookbooks and wrote down what sounded best for the week. All the kids love to get in on it and help find pictures that look delicious. This time around Conrad was really focused on looking at the cookbooks.

lol - he is wearing his winter jacket and no pants

he was reading the recipe to me -- only wish I could understand what he thought it said

our happy silly little helper

Attack

I used a bunch of electrical tape and mad skills - but I have our computer working for now... at least until we can make it to the toshiba shop to get it fixed again. So here are a few catch up post from the last day or two

The other morning while hanging out in the living room Zekie started attacking Jon. He would go and stand on the fireplace bricks, and get in position like he was a track star, put on a mean face and charge at Jon. It was very adorable and so funny all in one. 

getting ready to attack

GO get him

Got him - love it