My Babies

The Saturday after Ashtyn Claire was born we packed up a lunch of white chili with fixin's and blueberry cobbler and ice cream and headed down to visit the new baby.  Chase and Elisha had gone on a trip with their other grandparents, aunts and uncles, so we didn't get to see them, which was probably a good thing because Caedmon had thrown up again on Friday night and then again when we got home from our visit.  Sigh!  We kept him away from the baby, though!  Lauren was still in the "don't take a picture of me" phase, so no pictures of the mommy or daddy that I can post.  We did get a few pictures of them but she made me promise not to post on FB or my blog.  So I will be nice and not do it!

Aunt Devin and Ashtyn Claire

Uncle Aaron with Ashtyn Claire

Caedmon had fun playing with James'  old highway patrol hat.

Aunt Kaelan was excited to hold her first niece.

Uncle Jackson and Ashtyn Claire

Uncle Jordan and Ashtyn Claire

And a week later Devin went back to help Lauren out while James worked the MSU ballgame.  She had not been alone with all three children yet and the new baby doesn't like to sleep at night.  She is one tired mommy!  You can already see how the baby is changing.  

Chase and Eli were back home and glad to have Aunt Devin play with them.

Isn't Chase a handsome little boy?

Aunt Devin and "marshmallow boy" Elisha

He is VERY fluffy!

I am so very thankful that ALL of my children love babies.  How can anyone not?

Psalm 128:  3-6   Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.  The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.  Yes, may you see your children's children.  Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 127:  3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;  They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Family Blessings

Things around here have been a little more hectic and chaotic than normal....just a little bit.  In the midst of our every day housework, schoolwork, work on The Homeschool Channel,  receiving and giving of music lessons, shopping and cooking, we have had some sweet times of blessings.  Not saying that all the everyday business is not a blessing because mostly it is....mostly.  I thought I would share a few pictures from the last couple of weeks of what we have been up to.....

This little man had a birthday this month.  Now he is TWO!!  Time sure flies by!

The big boys set up three of their train sets from their early years for the little boys to play with all day.  You could hardly walk in the den and school room, but Caedmon is really into trains these days.  Anything with wheels is a "choo-choo."

The day after Caedmon's birthday we went to the Memphis Zoo where we intently watched the lions, giraffes, gorillas, and elephants.

Devin-22 and Kaelan-11 show some sisterly love.  It's a good thing they are close surrounded with all these brothers around here.

Jeff and Caedmon

Jeff and Jackson

And, the next day our grandsons. Chase and Elisha. came to spend the night with us for the first time.  Papa Jeff and the little boys Chase, Elisha and Caedmon snuggle up after a good night's rest.

Then, four days later our first granddaughter was born.  Ashtyn Claire is her name and she is a beautiful little girl.  OK, like a couple of her uncles and her two brothers, she is a big baby who weighed in at

 9 lb. 2 oz at birth.  I was so glad when we finally got to see and hold her!  Caedmon caught a stomach virus the day before she was born, so I didn't get to see her until she was 3 days old.

Photos are taking FOREVER to load this evening so I'll stop Granny's Brag Book here and add another page with more baby phonos this next week. 

Caedmon's Tropical Banana Cookies

Caedmon, in addition to being my seventh baby and super-cute, has some extreme food allergies and it is a challenge to find foods that he can and will eat.  I recently came across this recipe and made some changes to make it all mine!

3 mashed bananas (if they are especially ripe you can easily mash them with a fork)
2 cups oats
1 cup chopped dates (I am thinking you could substitute raisins, dried cranberries or dried pineapple as well)
1/3 cup Tropical Traditions Gold Label Standard Virgin Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix ingredients well and drop by spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  These cookies don't spread, so you need to flatten them a little. I keep them in the freezer and pull a couple out each afternoon for a quick snack for my gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free toddler.


Next week I'll be making my granola recipe, but exchanging the olive oil for the coconut oil.  I am eager to try more recipes using Tropical Traditions products found here . Watch this video to see how Tropical Traditions Gold Label Standard Virgin Coconut Oil got started.



Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.

Breakfasts

The 4 Moms are talking breakfasts today and I thought I would put in my 2 cents worth as well.  Join them over at Raising Olives, Life in a Shoe, Smockity Frocks and The Common Room.

Breakfasts are fairly easy around here these days as I don't cook them!  Yes, I have trained my children to handle breakfast cooking around here! Really, it is very nice  and one day you too, can have children who will cook breakfast for you IF you take the time to work with them in the kitchen and let them have the freedom to experiment and make messes.  Just make sure you teach them to clean up as well.  I'm still working on a few of them and constantly repeat the mantra that I heard as a teen working at McDonald's, "CLEAN AS YOU GO! "  It really does make a difference!

Several years ago we adopted a menu plan for our breakfasts and we have since diverged from it, but the same plan covers the basics.

Sundays-cinnamon rolls--Devin (22) now makes these every few weeks and freezes them.

Mondays-homemade muffins and eggs

Tuesdays -toast and cereal--(toasted bread, bagels or English muffins along with granola or grits)

Wednesdays-waffles and bacon or sausage (currently discontinued as our Belgian waffle maker broke)

Thursdays-toast and cereal

Fridays -pancakes and bacon or sausage

Saturdays-homemade biscuits, bacon or sausage, eggs and grits

This is the general plan, but the kids are free to change if the mood swings them.  No mixes are used and we even make our own homemade syrup.  My Granny always made what she called Hot Syrup with just sugar and water, but ours is flavored with maple and vanilla.  Here's the recipe!

Hot Syrup


3 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of water

Bring the sugar water to a boil.  Add a teaspoon of vanilla and/or maple flavoring.  You can also add a tablespoon or two of molasses.  Let boil for just a few minutes.  Overcooking will result in stringy syrup!!  We keep leftover syrup in a pint jar in the fridge and just reheat for another day.

Goats Milk Stuff Winner

Sharla at largefamilytravel.blogspot.com has just won three bars of goats milk soap in her choice of scents from Goats Milk Stuff.  Congratulations, Sharla!  I have left a comment on your blog, so email me asap so I can put you in touch with PJ at Goats Milk Stuff.  Thanks to all who participated! Now, go buy  some great soap for your family or for some great Christmas gifts for friends and loved ones!

Today Caedmon is Two!

Don't forget to sign up for the Goat Milk Stuff giveaway at http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2010/10/goat-milk-stuff-review-and-giveaway.html.


Today is Caedmon's second birthday!  We are all so excited.  This morning the older children have put up three train sets for him to play with all day long.  He is loving him some "choo-choos" these days.  Tomorrow we will be taking a zoo trip in honor of his big day.  
Yesterday Devin took him out in the front yard for a photo shoot.  Here are some of the results.  And if you are interested in how Caedmon (like CADE-mon) got his name check out this post--http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-caedmon-got-his-name.html

Did You Miss It?

My Goats Milk Stuff giveaway, that is?  Maybe Fridays aren't the best days to post a giveaway  with people busy getting ready for the weekend adventures.  So, I am giving you another chance to sign up for some great goats' milk soap.  Just click here to go back to the original post for instructions.

Goat Milk Stuff Review and a Giveaway

Got milk?  How about goats' milk?    While I haven't yet brought myself to taste the goats' milk that my friend down the road has offered me fresh from her own goats, I have been using goats' milk soap for a couple of years now.  I recently discovered a large homeschooling family's home business which is making and selling goats' milk soap and other products.  The Jonas family began making their own goats' milk soap for their own family in order to help clear up a child's eczema problems.  It worked and others soon began asking for soap as well.  So much so that Papa Jonas quit his job and came home to make soap full time along with his wife and children.

Goat Milk Stuff has a large product selection with plain and scented soaps, laundry soaps, stick lotions, lip balms and much more.  I purchased the "Purity" soap for my little guys and myself and for the big guys "Musk Blend".  I actually told  one of my extreme eczema sufferers to use it on their hair as well and it got rid of the flakes!  This soap is creamy and oh-so-soft!  And it's pretty, too!

I also purchased the large laundry soap bar.  I grated it with a cheese grater and then mixed it with washing soda and borax.  This lasted for over 80 loads of laundry.  All natural ingredients, no harsh chemicals and no added scents.  Low sudsing as well for my front loading washing machine.

Another item I purchased was the Clean Cotton Lotion Stick.  It's like lip balm only for your skin!  It comes in a large tube that would fit great in your pocket or purse and is very easy to apply directly where you need it.  The Clean Cotton smelled fabulous, but was a little too scented for me.  The almost empty tube sits next to my computer, though, where I stop work and scrape out what remains to put on my dry, scaly dishpan hands.

How would you like to win three large bars of your own Goat Milk Stuff soap?  You can do just that by following these easy steps!

1.  Go to goatmilkstuff.com .  Look over the products and let me know what you would order in the comment section of my blog.

2.  Become a follower of my blog and let me know you did by leaving me a comment.  Or let me know that you are already a follower.

3.  Sign up for the Goat Milk Stuff newsletter on the goatmilkstuff.com website.  Leave me a comment letting me know you signed up!

4.  Become a Facebook fan of Goat Milk Stuff!  Click the link found in the lower left hand corner of their website at goatmilkstuff.com.  Leave me a comment letting me know you fanned them.

5.  Follow PJ Jonas' blog at goatmilksoapers.com.  Again, let me know by leaving a comment on my blog.

Wow!!  You get five chances to win three large bars of some fabulous goats' milk soap!  Hope to hear from lots of you.  This soap really is great and did I mention that it is very pretty as well!  So what's your favorite soap?


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