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Lilypie Maternity tickers

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

New Song...

Canning peaches! Canning Peaches! Washin', Peelin', & slicin' up. Canning Peaches, Canning Peaches! Poorin' & fillin' those jars UP! Oh, it's work ya know to get it done. But while yer workin' you can have some fun. Cannin' Peaches! Cannin' Peaches! Cannnnnninnng PEEEEEEEEACHESSSS! Dum Dum.


What do ya think?

Friday, July 16, 2010

Pooping and Crowing

Our youngest (20 months), decided to use the potty this evening, right after soiling her diaper a tiny bit. Mommy offered and she jumped at the chance. There she was, holding onto the edge, biting her tongue. Then whatdoyaknow? Plop. Then she Laughed! The look of concentration returns, and plop - she did it again. This time she puffs out her chest and does this laughing crowing thing with sheer delight at her ability to poop on call.

The continued for sometime, the plopping, laughing, and crowing with much laughter, clapping, and words of encouragement from Mommy. I WISH I had the camera - but I was afraid to lose the "moment" running to get it. She was so cute! Yes, she was cute sitting on the toilet that she looked like she could drown in. Naked - Laughing and kicking her little legs, puffing her chest out like a rooster.

The best part is that this happened right after I was very ill, with the porcelain throne (no, she did not see... or she would have been spitting into it). I was feeling pretty badly and asked if she wanted a turn on the potty, just for an excuse to not move for a while. It turned into not only a moment for me to recoop, but also a moment of enjoyment, growth, and bonding. It was a moment where this tiny girl reminded me of why I was happy to be pregnant. I owe a lot of gratitude to each of our children for such times when they teach me, remind me, and help me to be myself. My true self. I love them all so.

Fruit - Yum!

Blueberries fresh from Jamesport. Freezing as I type this. Peaches waiting to be worked over in the morning, fresh from Georgia to Jamesport to me!

The peaches were the same price as last year too... Well, at least I got them. The Hothouse wanted $16.50 for a box. One of the country stores wanted $15.00 a box. Where I got them, they were $13.50. In the same boxes as in the other stores too.

If I work them over realy quick I may go back and get more - depends on how long it takes me to do the canning, and jam making out of the leftovers. I feel a big pull to get serious about food storage right now. Of course, my stomach's got to cooperate with this plan. I'll just pray in between vomitting?

If I don't work them over as quickly as hoped, we should get more peaches in a month or so as well. I risk a higher price, but then it might go down, so we'll see.

The blueberries? Well, 10 pounds of berries for about $24 is a bit steep... if you compared them to peaches. But they are NOT peaches. So if you compare that price to the ones even in WalMart it's a great deal. They will make great muffins, pancakes, snacks, and maybe a pie this winter. So worth it? Yes, I think so. So good for us preggies too.

A little nervous about the apple crop this year- which is funny because a few yrs ago, it never would have occured to me. Anyway, a friend's orchard was attacked by some kind of apple pox. Not only are we praying for her and her family to get something out of all of their efforts this year... but we're also praying that we'll find apples for our own family as well to store for winter.

Fall is a busy time. School starts again, and food storage just takes off like crazy for me. We butcher, can, freeze, and otherwise store up tons! I dunno how I'm gonna keep up with it all... but I'm sure I will.

Happy peach season to everyone! Nothing says childhood sweet memories like a georgia peach. I grew up in the deep south for the most part- I mean every word of that. Peaches so juicy that they dripped over my fingers, down my mouth and onto my shirt causing my mother endlesss frustration (which I'll admit I delighted in as a kid- what can I say- I was evil). Yum.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Wish List...

As the mother of soon to be 7 children, I have thought many many times of a couple of things that would make my life just a tad easier, free of a little more time, you get the idea. I am certainly not complaining about my situation... I'm just saying that as a homemaker of a Gluten Free household I spend an amazing amoutn of time in the kitchen. And I'll tell you a secret: I don't like to cook. Never have. I enjoy baking, but even that has limits. These are just not my passions.

That said there are a few items one day I would like to have:

1- a pasta maker! Have you seen the price of GF pasta on the self?!

2- a donut maker! We make several dozen at a time, so we can freeze lots. I Had a dream about a donut maker and fell in love!

3- A working Bosch! I have one, but right after the warentee expired it busted! Yes, I cried. My kitchen aid dies 3 months beforehand. Which is why I cried.

4- A hand held mixer... a good sturdy one. I don't even buy them anymore, they all break within days.

5- An unbreakable set of mixing bowls! We have a son, who drops a lot of things, and usually I don't mind. But I'm down to 1, count it, ONE mixing bowl! Can you imagine Christmas?

6- A few glass baking pans- I check out every garage sale I find, but others know their worth as well as I do.

7- I'm not sure yet, but I'm sure there is something!

Like I said, I'm not complaining. I have 4 little girls who love to help, and when I have the time, I also have a 6 yr old boy who loves to as well (he just spills and drops things a lot... and NO, of course I don't TELL him this!!!). So I may have 3 little girls stirring the same batch of muffins in three little cereal bowls one morning, and that's okay. It's kind of cute, actually. But on days when I am in a hurry, it's not so cute. I cannot begin to cook and freeze meals for a month until I at least find some more cookware, and mixing bowls. But I usually am not in too big of a hurry.

Well, I gotta run and pull those baked donuts out of the oven, and throw in the last pan. But before I do, I KNOW that all you moms out there have a list like mine. A list of things you'd just LOVE to have fill you kitchen counters. We dlight in great dishes, we thrill at a great mixer, we tingle with anticipation of a good bread maker, or pasta machine. Why you ask? We have these very natural feelings because our job would take less time, be a little more fun, and less demanding if we had these items... or at least we THINK so ;)

Thanks for reading!

Monday, July 12, 2010

My tummy hates me, but loves MSG !

I am NOT a fan of artificial flavors, dyes, sweeteners, etc... But right now what I can get passed my nose, and even tougher, to stay in my stomach is an ever changing mystery.

One day it may seem like the only thin my tummy will accept as friend is grapes, the next cantaloupe. Then I have amazingly odd days where the only thing I can get to satisfy my middle is Funyuns. Who out there even knows what they are?? I mean I ate them as a teen, but haven't touched them for years!! But for two days, that's what it took. Another day was fresh homemade onion soup. Today? Cheetos! I don't think they've ever been on my list of favs!! But here they are on my plate, because they are the one thing today my nose can tolerate without making my stomach heave.

How annoying. Most days it's things like fresh bread, fruits, last night was carrots! But some days it's weird things like this!! I'm trying to sneak in some chicken bites with the Cheetos... not sure it's gonna work though. My nose knows the difference. Darn it!

So on those occasional weird days I'm gonna suffer through the "nee", or craving, whatever you prefer, for what I consider mildly toxic foods carrying MSG, artificial whatsits, and in a nutshell - pretend foods. I can only hope that my body will eventually get over this stage of the pregnancy as quickly as possible!!

Thanks for reading. I'm getting off of my soap box now! Cheers!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Garden adventures

After gathering the eggs... We (our eldest girl and I) found 2 enormous caterpillers chomping away at our maters this morning!!! AHHGGAAHHH! GGRRRRRR! So what did we do? We got an comtainer with a magnifying lid, and pulled them off of our plants, of course! You can't just let these things go! And you certainly cannot KILL them! At least not with such an audience.

So into the "cage" they go, with the ruined mater and a few leaves. They seem happy in their prison, as they are currently chomping away again. Each one is as long as my middle finger, wider, and definitely squishier! The yucky things!

We now have a new science project. To see if we can keep them alive. To see what they do in their current state. And to see what on earth they turn in to.

That said, We also found 3 ripe maters, and 4 green ones we pulled off of the vine so they don't split. It looks like the corn is NOT coming up. The sweet potatoes seem to be doing well, though the only real way to tell is to fdig them up, so we'll see come harvest. Our one strawberry plant is over run with weeds, but still hanging on. My peach tree died. My lilac is barely hanging on... something keeps munching on it!

All the children were eager to see the new pets. Even the baby... who when given the container decidedly sniffed it like it was a bouquet of flowers. Then said, Yick. But she sniffed some more anyway. Maybe they are a little like lemons. Worthy of at least a second try?

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

My own Renewal...

Today I watched something that refilled my cup. Sometimes I feel so exhausted, especially in early pregnancy, that I wander through the day wondering how on earth I usually keep up... without losing my sanity. A friend posted this on FB, and I am so glad I took the time to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbYLKVgwztY

Motherhood: A Partnership with God, is the title. What a wonderful way to be reminded of my own worth as a mother, through the mouth piece of the Lord. What a wonderful thing to be told by Heavenly Father that I am doing "fantastically well".

Today is what I have labeled a baking and laundry. I was worried I wouldn't have the energy to see it through... now? I know I will. I know I do. And if the laundry doesn't wuite get all done, it'll be there in the morning... that is not the point of my life. As long as I am taking care of my husband and children to best of my ability that is all He asks... and I feel so comforted by that thought.

Have a blessed day... and remember, sometimes we get to bless ourselves through righteous actions. I feel like watching this just did it for me.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Teaching Year Round-

Last night was movie night for me and the little guys (6 yrs and under). We saw the original Fantasia. Lots of conversation during the show. Lots of questions about the possibilities of certain things actually happening. Lots of scientific questions about rainbows, alligators and hippos, horses, etc. I only got silence to listen to the music during particularly spectacular cartooning.

So what was the topic over breakfast? Lava. Volcanos. Dinosaurs. Alligators and Crocodiles. Very educational. Then they argued of the species of dinosaurs seen during that piece.

Neat converstion to listen to, as that was my part. Fun.