Baking from my cupboards...

I lean on Allrecipes.com when I need to make something with what I have on hand. This week was no exception. 

Coco powder substituted for chocolate chips + a little oil instead of all butter = cookies that received high reviews 

It's a keeper!

• 1 cup butter, softened  1/2 c. butter + 1/2 canola oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips  Coco Powder - didn't measure just taste tested.
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10-14 minutes in the preheated oven

The Room

As a child, I recall that rooms in our farmhouse had a name. One room was regularly referred to as the "blue room" simply because it was painted blue.

A few months ago my husband began to refer to a room in our home as ...The Room from ....Well, I can't really write what he said in good conscious. Needless to say my husband's description was true.

The first time I heard him mumble the room's new description...I wanted to argue with him, but knew it was true. Miraculously, I made the split second decision to let the new name sink into my lil wife heart. I knew why he dubbed it with that title. When something was placed in that room....it was LOST forever! No joke.

:: a small sampling of the room :: 

Later that day, I stood in the door way staring at the random assortment of stuff, junk, and more stuff. Clearing this room was multi-layered. I took a deep breath, rolled my eyes and shut the door.

Time passed.

Something had to change and will power wasn't going to solve this problem long term.

Hello?! I knew somewhere in that room was a book I had ordered on SIMPLICITY. You can't get much better than that folks, a book about simplicity gets lost in The Room from...

http://tshoxenreider.com/organized-simplicity

Well, it's been a few months. The room is still problematic.  On the bright side, you don't have to play hopscotch when you enter because of the random stuff sitting on the floor and stacked on either side.


A few weeks ago, I had cleared enough layers of this room to rescue the book about simplicity. We're slowing working on destroying bad habits and forming new habits. It's not the fix-all book. It's not about will power. It's not about cleaning systems.

It's about intentional living. It views the first art of homemaking as discovering or knowing your "family purpose statement." What has God called your home to be? A place to cultivate deep relationships? A place for rest? A place to learn? A place to celebrate and nourish creativity? A place to learn character through work? a place to laugh?

Amazingly helpful!

Though still in process, the Weddle Family Purpose statement includes the word "rest". That probably explains why these quotes stood out to me.

"Creating a more peaceful living space doesn't happen overnight, nor does this tranquility remain forever unchanged once you've arrived at uncluttered nirvana. A peaceful home requires a change of attitude, a habit of regular maintenance and a lifelong commitment to place higher priority on relationship and events than on things."   Pg. 105

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful 

or believe to be beautiful." pg. 103

"Make your home a place 

where you can slow down." Pg. 103

"When you take the time to declutter 

and purge your home of the unnecessary, 

you buy time for the future to enjoy your home 

and share it with others." pg 102

Ok, so here's the picture you've all been waiting for. Now, now! Don't act disappointed. I looked. I didn't have any pre-room pictures.

Here is "the room" as it looked at 2:30 today...

Thank God, hope is not about our perfection

18 months

To my lil man, Clark Allyn

Here is what you've been up to...

- You love to go "ows-sisszs" and play
- The Doctor today just told us you have pink eye. The joys of childhood!
- You cling to two naps a day. 10-12 and 4:30-6:00.

- You love to go to Tim and Lydia's pool and JUMP in. No fear of water there.
- New vocabulary words include Bap bool (purple), tack ur (tractor), DADDA! at the top of your lungs, EEEEk, EEEK (tweet, tweet)
- You really concentrate when you shake your head and say yes or no.

- Potty training is right around the corner!
- You have become proficient at signing all done, please, thank you.
- You get pretty excited when the word - Lane, Tim, Claira, Chris, Grandma, Brandon or Mason is mentioned in a questioning tone.
- Your Dr. is pleased that you are back on the charts at 25 lbs & 32 inches in height.
- You get excited to see Grma and Grnpa....even the B side that you don't see very often. Of course, cows, tractors, cousin and good food win you over pretty quickly.
- You adore your daddy....which in itself is a pretty good Father's day gift!

Mommy's Old Blue Suitcase

I hear the truck DADDY'S TRUCK! - Clark

Mommy just said I could use her old suitcase in my room! - Clark

"THIS" is why I like the old blue suitcase SO much...to see daddy's "TUK"
 

Benefits of purging your house

Yesterday, while purging the house I ran across some basic white picture frames, two 75 cent shelves and the letter C that I'd purchased months ago ....Classic Emily problem. Inspired. Uninspired.  Inspired. Uninspired....you get the point. My inspiration comes and goes with the degree of courage I feel on any random day.

Simply put, yesterday when I saw the supplies sitting there and looked at Clark's blank wall - I felt inspired again.

My inspiration continued with a few pieces of paper + couple nail holes + 97 cents of orange paint from Hobby Lobby + a half a yard of fabric...

The end result...

"ACT JUSTLY"   " LOVE MERCY"    "WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD"

Clark is now fascinated with the wall

...urhh ....should I say a small rectangle on the wall.


Oh, and one other thing

In my whole house purge I also found my sidewalk chalk. So, before my inspiration courage left, I put a frame around the art in Clark's room...

I'm digging this house purging stuff. I like feeling courageous and also like making a lil money.

So far, I've made $107 selling random things on Craigslist.

Add dumping an entire trunk load off at the salvation army means ...

...the end is in sight!

Little drawer you add stress to my life....

Last week, I HAD it with my utensil drawer. I pulled everything out and vowed to get rid of at least a 1/3rd of the contents.

It's less stress to pull open and find what you need....

I'm pleased.

What got the boot?

...Mainly it was my dull knife set. I now own 3 knives. Loving it.

The potato peeler I've never liked and any spatula that wasn't pampered chef, went into the donate box as well.

Because, the small things of life do matter.

The new addition...

Our freestanding double oven. We haven't decided on a name yet for this sweet machine. TBA.

Oh the possibilities....

How fun is this! To think about all the meals i can attempt to cook at the same time?!? 

Text Messages from Mr. Mom

Last week Allyn worked from home with Clark while I taught in the schools for the Pregnancy Testing Center.


At 6:45 Monday morning, I had to walk out the door to teach.

Clark had been up sick 4 hrs that night. Ugh.

Allyn played Mr. Mom all day Monday. Hardcore.


      7:30 text msg "C just puked all over both of us"

      9:45 text msg "just lying on his back in the living room"

      9:56 text msg "...nasty diaper, again"

      10:55 text msg "...and now he's pooped in the bathtub"

      11:15 text msg "threw up on the living room carpet."

      11:17 text msg "PUKE, POOP, PUKE, POOP"

      11:19 text msg "C has to be cleaned out! wont drink anything.

       11:30 text msg "What's the buldozer say clark? "mama"
                                What's the lion say? "maamma" :(


Even after being Mr. Mom to a puking 1 year old for several days in a row, 
Allyn hasn't changed his mind.

He'd choose being puked on - multiple times vs standing in front of 9th graders teaching Sex Ed.

I got the best of both worlds, being puked on at night and teaching classes by day.

As strange as it may sound - it was actually a GREAT week for both of us!

You know the weeks, when you look back and only have two words....

"Thanks God"

Welcome Home...

One of the best things about living in Manhattan is knowing military families who serve our country. After a entire year of being deployed, Clark's lil' friend Claira gets to ...

"Welcome home daddy"

Ketchup? Seriously...

....For the super stubborn rust stain in my bathroom sink?

My friend, Amanda, was right on ...something about the acid in tomatoes...

when you let it sit will...

...work some magic in 15 to 20 minutes. Crazy! 

View from my kitchen...

While there is still plenty left to do for every room of the house - including the kitchen/dinning room, having this wall gone feels freeing to me. 

Loving the view ...

Welcome ...

Pictures coming Soon...of the new wood floor in the entry and the new door.

Let the construction begin...

While we feel very blessed by this home, we were ready for more space in the dining area.  

Notice on the tiled bar how the one side was warping?  

Who again thought carpet in the dinning room was a good idea?

Decisions, decisions, decisions....$7.99, $5.99 or $3.99 

Because of my farm background, I love wide planked floors.

I really liked the hand scrapped look and feel.

After bringing quite a few samples home, I debated between these three.

I choose the cheapest. I actually liked it the best.

I am anxious to see how the texture feels, cleans and shows dirt and damage....

We'll find out soon...

Thanks to Chris and Brandon for their help.

Clark's new playpen

LOVE it!

One year ago

Clark met a sweet little sleeping beauty named, Claira Lee Mathews.






Claira's tiny preemie outfit is packed away, but we wanted to get a picture before I officially retired Clark's 3 month pin striped blue dress shirt. What good friends one year later! So SWEET!

ok...maybe not.

This is how it actually went...

Large crocodile tears ...






I don't want to hold a girl's hand.









Which of you said this was going to be fun?

The woman was finally fed up with the cranky old man...

....and everyone was much happier after nap time.

The END!

Calorie Update

With a drastic increase in calories, obesity still seems like an unlikely issue for my man.

The first day I counted Allyn's calories, he ate a little over 1,600. ouch! Day two came close to 2,200. Improving! Day three pushed us past 2,700. Then my computer went into the shop for a few days. We'll be back at it tmw!

Clark's seen a dramatic change in belly fat of late! The recent 1.5 pounds has not only added some belly fat but the start of an "almost" fat roll to his legs. He's loving solid food like chicken and beef.

The mommy of the house is excited to think about decreasing calories soon as she won't be nursing for much longer.

Cousins visit!

Clark (12 mo) Gracie (2 years) Wyatt (14 mo)

On Top of Spaghetti...

All covered with cheese.

I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed!



Moral of the story:

....so if you eat spaghetti all covered in cheese, hold on to your meatball and don't EVER sneeze!

The Grinch Makes a Fleece Blanket...

Allyn drew his sister Rebek's name for Christmas....

There were several things on her list. Only one that Allyn knew he could do...

The one specific gift request was a "pink and zebra print" fleece blanket. Clark just thought the whole process was pretty spectacular....and Rebek was pretty excited about the end product

.

Watching the Grinch and the 'lil Grinch work on Rebek's gift, was GOOD for my heart. My one year old child was clueless about what was going on. Yet, it excited me to think of Clark someday learning the simple beauty of giving and receiving. This year the Musgrave Family letter stood out to me on the topic of gifts. I loved what Yoli wrote about how they are desire to be intentional and train their children about gifts at Christmas... "It is our tradition to start opening gifts a few days before Christmas day. This for us symbolizes God's goodness. He gives us gifts everyday that we need to unfold them and appreciate them everyday." I love how Yoli goes on to describe daily gifts that we often forget. I love that they are being intentional about not making Christmas day a gift finale. I love how they are wanting to teach their children to appreciate what they are given. Their letter and example of parenting was also good for my heart.

Happy New Year!

A Buddy's Birthday

Clark's buddy, Gabe, turned 1 today...

Clark 4 mo. Gabe 3 mo.
wham.
HERE I AM! irresistible!

Happy Birthday Gabe!

A year ago we hardly knew the Novaks, yet had enough connections to be excited to hear the news of Gabe's arrival. A few months later we got to house them when they came to Lydia's bridal shower. We fell in love with their family.

This picture melted my heart the first time i saw it on the camera. Two dad's rocking their lil boys to sleep...


Gabe, we are so glad we got to meet you.

Today, we celebrate your BIRTH day! ....and cried a lot too.

- The Danbury Ct Weddles

www.firefightersfamily-dhjc.blogspot.com

Bitter-Sweet

With the recent sickness that's swept through our household, I've noticed the bathroom scale - it's bitter sweet.

For me the last few days have meant nothing more than a few more lbs shed pushing me farther below my pre-baby weight - SWEET!

For my husband, it's a very different story. Groan. It reminds me of how serious I need to be about pushing Dr. Florish's recommendation of Allyn eating a 3000 calorie diet. That's a freaking lot of calories!

I have my work cut out for me. That's the bitter part. It's also the tricky part. Cooking and eating in a way that one gains and the other doesn't. Hmmm. I was excited to discover that i google has a pretty sweet calorie counter - we'll give it a whirl.

Since I was feeling back to normal this morning, I worked on sanitizing the house and kitchen. During C-man's nap ....or should I say long "scream fest" before he fell asleep of exhaustion {poor guy - it's rough adjusting from being a sick baby to being a healthy baby who's treated normal again} ...I sat down with some recipe books and started meal planning. This is a LOVE IT! recipe I plan to use again soon.

Yummy Mandarin Crepes


Crepe recipe
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 c milk
1/3 c water
3 lg eggs
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Serves 4-5 people

Drizzle this over your crepes....

1-2 tbsp butter
1/8 c. confection sugar
2 tbsp flour (approx)
2 tbsp of orange juice concentrate
1 can of mandarin oranges

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add flour, sugar - stir. Add orange juice concentrate and drained juice from can. Stir over low heat till thickened. Add mandarin oranges.

Drizzle over crepes and YUM!