Kids

Well I thought I would update you all on my kids and the adventures we have been having.

First I will start with Ben. Recently I am constantly wanting to ask him how old he is. He has taken to coloring on the walls. And recently I came upstairs to find that he had drawn whiskers on Katelyn's cheeks (with pen) and put postage stamps in her hair. Poor girl. I don't know if this is trying to get attention because of the new baby or if he is just bored. Also Ben has become scared of monsters. Every night he goes to bed with his blankets over his head. When we go to check on him and pull the blankets down he is covered in sweat. I tell him that monsters are not real and he says, "I know but they still scare me." He has also taken to climbing in bed with us at night. I feel bad he is scared but he is such a hard kid to sleep with. He wants to snuggle up right next to you so you can barely move. A lot of times I go sneak into his bed and leave John to deal with him.

Jacob recently has been my terror child so when I decided it was time to get rid of the binkie I was really worried. But surprisingly it has not been that bad. One night we couldn't find it so I figured when we did I would just throw it away and be done. Well he only asks for it occasionally when he gets really sad. I tell him a few times that it is gone and then he lets it go. It is nice to have at least one thing be easy. As far as tantrums go he is getting much better at them. He is getting louder and can maintain the tantrum for much longer. He has even gotten to where he will come up to me and scream at me as loud as he can. Some days I wonder if he will ever grow out of it. Another thing we are dealing with is that he is very attached to Mom. He will get hurt and run right past John screaming "Mommy!" He will often wake up in the middle of the night wanting me. Well if I am feeding the baby John will go in but that just makes him more mad. So he will come into the baby's room and cry at my feet until I am done.

Katelyn I have decided has a split personality. One day she is happy and will go to anyone that wants to hold her. She will smile at them and laugh and everyone thinks she is so cute. Then she will have days where she will cry if anyone but Mom and Dad look at her. On Sunday she cried several times when my Mom and two of my sisters tried to say hi to her. That is, face crumbles and then full out crying. I am amazed at how sensitive she is. Also she is giving me all sorts of trouble with nursing but I won't go into that on my blog.

I love my kids but they sure do keep me guessing.

What a great older brother.

When I saw this I couldn't resist taking a picture. How sweet is that?

They grow up so fast

This week has been a hard week since John and the kids have all been sick. This morning after my third night of very little sleep I was having one of my wishing the kids were older and not so dependent moments. Later the boys and I were watching video clips and we came across this one. It was just a nice reminder of how fast they grow up. Part of me wants to go back and hug that little one year with the curly hair. I miss him and I know I will miss this snotty 2 year old just the same. At least in a few years when the memories of the difficult times have faded away.

World's Best Mohawk!

Let me just start by saying this hair style is all natural. I have not added anything to her hair to make it stand up like this.


I mean really this should be in the Guinness World Record Book for tallest natural mohawk. The hair is almost 3 inches long.


What Mother wouldn't be proud?!

Markers

Yesterday Ben and Jake were coloring in the kitchen. They were happy so I went in to put the baby down for a nap. When I came out I found Ben with a wade of wet tissue trying to clean up the floor where Jake had colored with marker. I soon noticed that there were 7 large spots on the floor where Jake had colored with red marker. Not a huge deal, I got some Windex out and Ben and I had it clean in no time. Once I was done I thought to myself. I am glad he did not color on the furniture or carpet.

Well today the kids wanted to color again. So we pulled everything out. Jake was happy with his crayons and Ben had a marker so I ran downstairs to check my email. Less than 5 minutes later Jake came down upset that he had marker on his hand. So I took the marker away from him and head upstairs to help him wash his hands. And this is what I found.


And this..


And this..


I obviously did not learn my lesson from yesterday.

The Joy of Wheat

So last night I went to a wheat class for enrichment. My friend Lacey taught the class and did a fantastic job. So after the class I came home to tell John all about it. I had a slice of bread that Lacey had made. When John tasted it he instantly fell in love with the bread. He ask me if I was going to start making homemade bread every week like Lacey. I told him if he bought me a $400 mixer I would. He just smiled and said sure, save up for it.

Anyways I was so inspired by the class I decided to get up this morning and grind some wheat. I have an old wheat grinder that my mother-in-law gave me. When I pulled it out John said, that thing is so loud is sounds like a jet engine. Of course I, the doubting wife, thought yeah right it can't be that loud. So I pull it out and start it up and it was loud, I mean so loud it made my head hurt. The boys were at the kitchen table and immediately stopped coloring to watch and the baby started to cry. So I took Katelyn to another room while it finished grinding the wheat. Once it was done I turned it off. The noise didn't stop immediately, it had to power down. It sound the exact same as an airplane powering down. So John was right it sounded like a jet engine.

Well I ended up with some beautiful grounded wheat. I was so excited. So I took some of the wheat flour and made banana bread. It turned out really well and the kids loved it. Next on my list is popping wheat. I will let you know how it turns out.

Soup, Mom's best medicine

So all last week me and the kids were sick. Well more me then the kids. At least they didn't act very sick. I mean we had the same cold so they should have wanted to lay on the couch all day but instead they were bouncing off the walls and begging me to play. But I digress, anyways while I was sick I kept thinking if I made this Cheesy Chicken Chowder I would feel better. But at last I could not get myself off of the couch long enough to make it.

Well this week I am better and last night I satisfied my craving and made the soup. And I will tell you I do feel better after eating it.



So now all I need is some of my friends yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and I will be completely healed.

Cheesy Chicken Chowder
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cup milk
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cup diced cooked chicken

In 4 qt saucepan bring broth to boil. Reduce heat; add carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes add potatoes and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (I usually do 10 on carrots and 15 on potatoes because I like them soft.) Meanwhile melt butter in a medium saucepan; add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk; cook over low heat until slightly thicken. Stir in cheese and cook until melted; add to broth along with chicken. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through.