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

2011

Isn't it fitting that 2011 goes out in true 2011 fashion - with our laptop having the same charging issue again. Guess its time to take it back to the shop... I hate not having a working computer. Hoping 2012 is a much better year for our electronics

Happy New Year

Mess of the Day

Steel Cut Oats are really yummy but also make a great gooey messy 'paint'... she was having fun eating it off her fingers and then smacking the table

she was trying to share the gooey goodness on her fingers -- thanks but no thanks, lol

Making it Official

Making this blog official and sending it out to family, friends, and yikes - the facebook world!

For those that read our old blog - welcome back to our daily adventures, sorry I fell off the blogging wagon! So much has changed since I've really been at blogging (like adding a baby or two to the adventures, lol)

I'm sure it will take a few more blog post to really get back in the swing of blogging and the whole process of  'talking' through a computer. But here it goes --

Cupcake Friday'

Last week I made cupcakes for Jon to take to his work for Christmas - forty boxes with a half dozen cupcakes. I made Root beer float, coconut fluff, vanilla bean, cookies 'n cream, Mocha, and chocolate ginger - all were vegan. I'll post pictures and recipes for those later, because honestly they were really good and pretty simple to make so everyone should try them

Since this weekend is New Years I decided to make Margarita cupcakes for him to take today (saw one on pinterest and the concept was great but I wasn't fond of the recipe or the site where it came from...so I came up with my own using my go to base recipe)

I typically make all my cakes and cupcakes vegan because its a very moist delicious base recipe (plus you can save money by not adding eggs, and you can help your health... if you make a cupcake a little healthier than before it gives you an excuse to eat a little extra, right?) I still had vegan shortening left from making all the cupcakes for Jon's work - its soy based and still has way to much fat for my liking but it is pretty much flavorless allowing to make good frosting. I don't really care for the flavor of the vegan butter or margarine for frosting (great for baking but the flavor is too strong and overpowering in the frosting). You can always swap out the shortening for coconut oil, or regular butter or shortening (side note --- look for non-hydrogenated shortenings - those are the best)

a white cupcake with lime juice and zest, and tequila frosting (the vegan oat milk makes the cupcakes look dark)

Kates Margarita Cupcakes

(or a shot of Patron cupcakes)

makes 24 regular size cupcakes

2 cups oat milk (or any vegan milk you like)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lime juice
zest of 1 lime

1.) preheat oven to 350°; prepare cupcake pans with liners or grease the pans
2.) whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar together; set aside for a few minutes
3.) sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together
4.) beat together milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, lime juice, and zest until well combined
5.) mix the flour mixture into the milk mixture and beat until no large lumps remain (smaller lumps are fine, and be cautious to not over mix --- I make mine by hand as it comes together very quickly)
6.) fill cupcake liners 2/3 to 3/4 full and bake 18 to 22 minutes; let cupcakes rest in the pan for 5 minutes then remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

organic and vegan baking

if you over fill the cupcakes they end of looking like muffins... the height of cupcakes should come from the frosting not the batter

Patron Frosting (or any kind of tequila) 

(if you prefer to not have any alcohol simply use water instead of the patron)

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar (most bags are two pounds, and depending on weather you might need a little less)
1/4 cup patron
3 tbsp lime juice
zest of 1 lime
granulated sugar for decorating
green and yellow  gel food coloring (whole foods sells natural dyes, or you could even add a tsp or so spinach juice, but you would need to add a little extra powdered sugar to balance the extra liquid)

1.) cream margarine, half of the sugar, patron, and lime juice together; beat for a few minutes with either the paddle or whisk attachment
2.) add the lime zest and slowly add more sugar, half a cup at time, until you reach your desired consistency, then add the food coloring - 2 drops of yellow for every 1 green (some like their frosting a little thicker, some like them a little thinner to spread. This frosting  has a strong flavor so I prefer it to be thinner and fluffy so it doesn't seem to rich or dense. I added all but about a cup and a half of the full 2 pounds of powdered sugar and it was perfect).
3.) Using a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, or a pastry bag pipe the frosting in a circle motion. Once frosted roll the edge of frosting in some sugar - kinda like how alcoholic drinks have sugar or salt on the rim of the glass.

Cupcakes ready to go to Jon's work

that's it -- super easy, good, adult only cupcakes

(Jon doesn't drink, he hasn't had a drop in his life, so this cupcake wasn't for him -- sub out the patron with some water and they are still fabulous - either way its a great cupcake)

Thursday Lunch Date

Every week Jon and I try to have a family lunch date. Its around a thirty minute drive each way to his work, but it is something that we started when he worked an hour and a half away three years ago, so the thirty minutes is no biggie (not to mention having lunch with Daddy is totally worth the time spent in the car). Some weeks we get too busy with school and outings, or he is too busy at work (or if one of his two coworkers is out of office then he doesn't get a lunch). Jon works 65plus hours a week so any extra time we can see him is treasured. We either pack lunches and snacks or we go to one of three places - our favorite Thai, Pakistani, or vegetarian restaurant. I should add that we don't all go inside - Jon goes in and gets the food and then we eat in the car, or go find somewhere to eat and enjoy (parks are not fun in the winter, lol, brrrr)

Today was our lunch date. Jon ended up getting swamped with work right as we were getting there, so the kids and I hung out in the car waiting for him for about an hour -- the little kids were all asleep, Shortie and Bubba were playing and singing, and I got to work planning some special stuff for Shortie's birthday. Shortly before Jon was able to make it out, it started to snow. Not enough to stick to the ground, but enough to be peaceful and beautiful. The kids (all awake by now) and I were in awe watching the flakes fall, and it was so nice to have that moment. Life gets so busy and if we had been on the go we would have missed that little snow fall.

Ezekiel sound asleep waiting for Daddy

After getting home I was trying to get some laundry done --- having little ones seems to make this a much more difficult task as they love to "help" fold clothes. It usually ends with a child in the laundry basket and clothes being tried on or tossed off... It always ends in laughter and typically without any success to the laundry being folded. Today was no different:

Conrad trying to make Grae's outfit into a hat

She's on the run with the towel 

throw clothes out - make room for two babies

so proud to be playing with clothes

Noodles Everywhere

This morning while making breakfast for the kids,  Graesynn came booking it over when she realized the fridge was open. All of our kids when little look at the fridge like this magical treasure chest. Its full of all sorts of goodies and its the place that food comes from, and being Schroeder's - food is pretty magical and important. As I was grabbing for the orange juice stuck in the back she managed to grab a bag of noodles that Jon had cooked last night. I scooted her back and let her keep her treasure figuring that it was a zip-locked bag and she was too little to open it (I mean, seriously, sometimes I have a hard time opening those things... but I should know by now that when something is childproof - it simply means that a child will find a way to open it regardless of how hard it might be for us able adults to). Sure enough a few minutes later I hear her squeal with delight and I turn around to find noodles everywhere!

slippery noodles

being a cheerleader with noodles - so fun!

"Hurry! Eat as many as you can before Mom takes them away" ---I'm sure that's what she is thinking!

Cupcake Anyone?

Who wouldn't like to wake up from a nap and find a cupcake waiting for you? Conrad snuck one of the cupcakes up to Graesynn's crib and left it for her. She was very happy to wake up and discover a yummy chocolaty coconut cupcake all for her... such a good big brother to want to share with his little sister... but thats not the kind of sharing I had in mind

she loved the vegan chocolate frosting

she didn't love me taking it away from her

Happy boy - he thought it was so good he had to share!

Yummy! {trader joe's bags -- make for an easy clean up!

Christmas

This was our first Christmas in ten years just being our  little (okay not so little) family. It was my parents first Christmas in over thirty years with it being just the two of them! Thank God for technology and the ability to skype!

Here are some pictures taken after I opened my awesome new camera --- I was able to take a few with the fried battery (it will charge enough to take nearly 10 pictures) earlier in the morning, I'll have to upload those because that's the camera I used when Shortie opened her new electric guitar.

Bubba wearing his new 3D glasses for his new Star-Wars book

I was playing with the different functions of the camera - this is the fishbowl one! Jon was tuning Shortie's new guitar

Our tree and fireplace --- I love having Christmas decor and really miss it when its put away

Graesynn dancing! 

we picked some of our favorite pictures from 2011 and made them into ornaments for the tree, some we simply laminated and others we put into the round ornaments

Zekie! the kids loved seeing all the silly pictures in the tree

we let the kids pick and decorate a tree for the library that can be seen from our front yard - they love the bright colors and I love the craziness of it!

we made star-wars snowflakes! 

Mary, Did You Know?

Last week I posted my favorite lyrics from my favorite Christmas song on facebook - Mary, Did You Know? it really moves me every time I hear it, so I wanted to take a moment to post it and reflect. (I wish a strong female vocalist would record this song)

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?


I had heard this song several times (many times) over the years, but it wasn't until being a Mom that it really set in for me. Actually it probably wasn't until last Christmas when baby 5 - Graesynn - was a newborn, and I had been reading Beth Moore's daily devotional about Jesus (reading it while pregnant really creates a deep sort of connection to Mary) and then I played this song over and over (Clay Aikens version is my favorite).

My two favorite lines are the ones in bold above. They always give me chills. I have so many questions for Mary, so much gratitude and amazement for her. All five of my pregnancies would be labeled as easy non risky. I had four hospital births and one home birth from the comfort of my bedroom... it makes me think of Mary, giving birth from the 'comfort' of a stable. Think about it - is there such a thing as a comfortable stable birth? We see all the beautiful nativity sets, or church programs featuring Mary and Baby Jesus - but do we really think about giving birth on the hard cold stable floors, and that it was a  young virgin birth to our Lord Jesus Christ?! I am left amazed by her and so thankful. As a Mom she leaves me speechless (that is until I find my thoughts enough to ask her all these questions in the song and more) 

During the Christmas season I often find myself mid-kiss with one of my little ones when I think about Mary and baby Jesus. Jesus is the reason for the season, let us not forget our Savior, His birth, His life, His death, and His resurrection. 

Here Goes Nothin'

Okay - so here goes a new blog...

I uploaded some of my old blog to this one. I am hopeful and determined to blog again. 

Where to start - I have horrible luck with electronics. Every time I think I'm going to get back to blogging something breaks... first I managed to have my camera fly out of my hand while the lenses was extended and it completely busted (right after taking Graesynnn's newborn pictures, such a bummer but thankful we got those). Then my parents were so generous to give us one of their old pro cameras - however the memory card didn't fit in the laptop and we didnt have one of those fancy cords to make it easy, so we were putting the card in the printer and transferring that way -- and sure enough the printer died. We then bought an awesome new brother printer that prints tabloid sizes (awesome for printing and copying things for the kids!) And wait for it - our laptop broke. Some how the charging point inside shifted over and broke. Finally got the computer back and I left for Texas for almost two months in prep for my sisters wedding! Some how between Texas and VA my camera charger went missing. Finally found a new charger and wait for it --- our battery was fried, and now we need a new battery... oi-- For Christmas I had asked for a new camera like the one I managed to fly into our tile, and my awesome husband bought me one (with an extended warranty, lol) We are ordering a new battery for the pro camera and we are going to try and get the old broken lenses camera fixed... as long as the laptop holds up I should have loads of pictures and blogging to post (did I mention in all of this I shattered my cell phone, which was my back up camera... oh and our tv lamp went out -- the lamp that projects the picture not a coffee table lamp --- 2011 was just a bad year for electronics in the  house!)

so here goes nothin' - back to blogging about our Life Raising Five