Kitchen Necessities

Do you have those things you don't go through one single day without using? I was thinking today about our staples... the stuff I put in everything. Lemon is a biggie. I add it to all of my soups, except my chicken noodle. Squeeze it into batter for a little zest. Add it to greens. I love that tangy, mouth-watering flavor.

Hmmm... garlic. I have always loved it, but my dear girl Sooz from Chinny and Poom got me especially hooked. Now it's in everything. If I can bake it, boil it, slow cook it- you better believe it's in there.

Homemade stock! Every week we buy a rotisserie chicken from our local natural food store. The kids snack on it all week and when we're down to the bare bones I throw them in the crockpot along with celery, carrots, onion and about 1/8 c. apple cider vinegar to help leach the minerals out of the bones. Fill with water and let it go for about 24 hours and you have the most delicious, nutritious stock around! Then I use it to make soups, cook rice, add to sauces, etc.

My most favorite olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Direct from radiantlifecatalog.com... so flavorful and not too bitter. Good for you!
Other things I use a lot of~ coconut oil, pastured butter, sea salt, plain full-fat yogurt and white vinegar... I think vinegar is the most amazing thing around.  Like a Jack of all trades- it does everything.  We clean with it, deodorize laundry, you name it!
What are your must haves?

Happy Birthday Biggest

My~ oh so very serious~ seven year old is suddenly an eight!! I think some may say this picture looks sad, but my handsome guy has a very serious side that I adore. And while he can be very silly and will laugh out loud at tv shows the rest of us don't quite get... it's this straight and thoughtful face that seems to draw me in. D's birthday was actually February 1, BUT I haven't blogged in about 14,000 years now. So, once again it is catch up time and so much catching up to do!

First, the eight reasons I love my oldest:

1. Well, as I already stated the serious, logical side. Kind of that engineer mind, which is so opposite me and probably why I so admire it so much.

2. I love watching D explain things to his little brother and sister.... he's very patient (usually) and very thorough.

3. He is very detail oriented...

4. Which makes him an amazing artist!

5. He is a good friend to everyone. I have never heard him say an unkind word about anyone in his class.

6. He is especially loving to his very best buddies, they hug, have nicknames for each other, it's very cute to watch them together.

7. He's a great eater and has been since he started solids! Very adventurous in the kitchen... nothin' makes a mama more proud!

8. And last, but certainly not least- he is a rule follower- to the T. I really hope this one lasts. Sometimes I even want him to lighten up a little with it (as I tend to be a bender), BUT secretly I hope it continues. Makes my job super easier.

I love you to pieces Big D!! You have taught me so much!! Happy Birthday!!

Ok, now a side note... have you ever been to richwoman.com??? Well, I'm kinda getting into it. And let me tell you, it's been quite an education for my notsogoodwithfinancialchoices head. Things are changing around here. My mom, my sister and I are on our way to learning the financial ropes. I am quite excited about the whole idea that I could really understand this stuff and learn how to make some really wise choices for our family. We have really been to hell and back financially. We have come through A LOT, learned so much. I think it's time to start seeing what our money can really do!! Ladies, check out this site. It is very empowering, especially for stay at home moms like me that may feel a little uneasy about not bringing home any bacon. I feel like this may be my way of contributing, by growing the hubby's bacon, turning that salty strip into a Sunday ham!

I'll keep you posted.

Hiking Season

Every year about this time I start to really wonder why I live where I do. There are about six months out of the year we are pretty much frozen in. The ONLY thing that makes this ok, in my book, is that we can completely escape in just 45 quick minutes. My house is tiny people. Without this escape, my kids are crazy. And crazy babies= crazy mama. What's that old saying? "When Mama ain't happy... ain't nobody happy"? Couldn't be anything more true out there.

So, we ventured off with family and friends to explore and run free and found the coolest little canyon. There were steep cliff faces and walls, shady pools of ice and sunny pools of water. And enough red mud to make any kid happy for hours.

The kids thought it was pretty awesome we had finally found a hike where they could go ice skating and rock climbing all in one.

My Mom reminded everyone that my infamous line as a teenager was "I HATE NATURE!!!!" (my way of rebelling). I reminded her that I also claimed to hate hiking boots, flannel and recycling. Don't worry, I've come full circle. I do recycle people and the nature stuff- I kind of love it. Hiking boots and flannel are still very iffy.

When I Say Run

You say RUN!

The wave caught up with her.

How to keep a baby out of ice cold water? I tell you my secret: you scare the living daylights out of them.

Shock and aw people!

And so she was drenched completely from head to toe. I am still finding sand in her ears.

I tried my best to point out the positive "Avi! YAY!! You're a surfer girl now".

Grandpa came to the rescue with a nice soft fleece, which was just the perfect thing against cold baby skin.

She even adjusted the style to make it her own.

A West Coast Holiday

We have said over the years that there has to be a better way to do Christmas. In the past the kids would get so much stuff that was used and forgotten as fast as a fruitcake. This year we decided that while we couldn't really prevent good ol' Mr. C from depositing a few goods, WE could skip out on the retail rat race and escape to the beach as a gift to us all!

Our treasured little spot La Jolla was beckoning. Sunny, peaceful, quaint shops and organic restaurants. Heaven.

A chance for the kiddies to put down the (remote/wii/Nintendo DSi/iPod/iPad) and just live the old fashioned way :)

Mama and Daddy soaked it up. See the little strip jetting out behind us? That's where we got married. Right on that bluff. Being there always takes us back to those simpler times.

Hope your Holidays were magical!! More pictures to come!

My Little Man...

is FIVE today! Happy Birthday to one of the sweetest souls in all the world. One day this guy is going to make an excellent husband. He loves to snuggle, gives millions of kisses, cries at movies, loves babies- sorry ladies, he is only five and he's already decided that Mommy will be his "Princess Bride" or Avi if I can't make it.  He's also a total toughie and can take his big bro down or any other villians on the horizon if need be.

Here are the top 5 reasons I love Sory:

1. He's an artist and intensely creative. He's got that artist vibe, you know those people that are just drawn to beauty? Whether that be in music, birds (does the Audubon Society need a new Pres.?) or a sunset or the way someone carries their backpack- he gets it.

2. He's got style and shirts with pockets are definitely out this season.

3. He's quick to hug and make up. It truly hurts his heart to have discourse.

4. He's doing awesome in school and has made some great buddies this year.

5. And the fifth reason... and maybe my favorite, he can always sense when I'm having a bad day or feeling a little off, probably more than anyone else in the fam and will never hesitate to just run up out of the blue and just put his face up to mine almost nose to nose, those giant oceany eyes staring into my soul, arms around my neck and tell me he loves me. Uber melty :)

Thankful Thursday

Well, it's almost Thursday, right? Thanksgiving was so relaxing this year at my Mom's... just a few family and friends. My Lil' Bro even made an appearance and it was so good to see him- even though seeing him sometimes makes me worry about him more, not less. He has one of the kindest, most sensitive hearts I have ever had the pleasure of loving.

I am most grateful for three healthy kids who have everything in life a kid could ever want. What a blessing to be able to give your children an incredible life! I think of mothers around the world and the absolute horrendous circumstances they endure. I can't fathom watching my child starve right in front of me and know there was nothing I could do to help them. It's really unconscionable to think of.

What is so amazing to me is the human spirit. To see those who have truly suffered full of gratitude~ that is beautiful. We are so resilient. We can come from the worst and become the best if only given a chance.

If we all reached out to just one person, who we know is suffering this holiday season we could really make a difference.

"To the world you are just one person, but to one person... you are the world"

Late Last Night...

I was up and for some reason could not make myself sleep, no matter how I begged and pleaded.  From 3-4am, I sat staring mindlessly at my computer screen... hoping I'd remember some interesting blog I hadn't checked yet (nope, checked them all) or maybe someone would say something really amazing on Facebook (I definitely need to take a step back... ugh!).
Then suddenly, I was guided, maybe by God, maybe the universe, maybe angels... who knows, but I had been contemplating many things in my head when I was guided to "The Strangest Secret" by Earl Nightingale.  I somehow came across it on youtube.  This is from like the 50's or 60's, but boy is it ever some age old wisdom that I needed some serious reminding of.  How much do I really give of myself?  Am I giving my all everyday or  just going along with mediocre because mediocre seems to be the norm?  Many of us tend to follow the crowd without really thinking about it... "well, if they're doing it that way it must be ok, right?"  Mr. Nightingale said we usually give about 5% of our capacity.  What if we gave it our all?  I can't imagine how our lives would change.
It kind of reminded me of the song "I Hope You Dance".  How many times have I hung back, bowed out, given up when I should've just said what the heck and just dove in head first?!  LOTS!!!  I'm lazy by nature you know.  I could really live a life of doing a whole lot of nothing, but in the end would I really be ok with that?  I saw this  the other day-  something along the lines of "when standing face to face with our maker I want to be able to look at him and say... I used everything you gave me"... ahhhhh, I LOVE that!  That pretty much sums it right up.
We are put on this earth to be amazing, to DO amazing works.  We have gifts inside of us that we aren't even aware of yet, but I bet if we start taking life by the horns these things will become much more apparent.  Do you ever make yourself, your accomplishments seem less just to fit in or to not seem like you're all that and a bag-a-chips?  I don't mean that we should come across as self-righteous at all... that's just annoying.  But, maybe just a little less critical of ourselves and others and more grateful, kind, generous, loving, etc.?  TRUST ME-  I am working on this big time.  It's a constant battle between who I want to be and know I should be and that ol' ego;)
If you haven't already, check out "The Strangest Secret" on youtube.  I can't do it justice writing about it on the blog and I think different people will get different messages out of it.
Alright ladies!  Now let's go and live the life of our dreams!!!!

I will leave you with one last very favorite from my very favorite quotable lady:

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." ~Eleanor Roosevelt 

Halloween

 From the Pre-K Halloween Bash...

 To dressing up with the Fam. and watching my "Twin Ninjas" have a blast-

 From snuggling a sweet little puppy...

 to watching a sweet Papa snuggle your little puppy-

From hanging with great friends (I love these girls♥) to enjoying my amazing family...
This was a Happy Halloween!!
Hope yours was the happiest ever!
By the way, our little "Nun" pictured here is having a baby in less than 12 hours!  She looks beautiful, huh?  Can't wait to meet their precious new baby girl.

Sneak Peek

Our awesome neighbor/budding photographer snapped some family shots this evening and sent this one, so we could have a peek.  I think it turned out pretty good!  Honestly, just seeing my family all looking in the same direction means it's a winner in my book.

Memory Monday

Really, this "memory" was only from about 6 weeks  ago, but I haven't blogged in so long, I'm now playing catch up.  On this day in the mountains we saw the very first glimpses of Fall... golden leaves here and there.  It was warm and sunny, but still you could feel just a hint of cool in the wind.  Why is it that kids are always happiest in nature?  I tend to think they are bored at home.  They're confined, there's not much exploring they're able to do.  In the woods- it's limitless!  One of my favorite things to do with my kids is just to observe them and watch how those little minds work, learn and create.  It's really just amazing to me!

...And these taken just a few days ago near the same spot.  SNOW.  Yes, we have had our first snow.  It was absolutely breathtaking.  I always feel slightly disappointed when I see the pictures and they don't even come close to showing how spectacular things really were.  It was so snowy and dark, it felt like we should have been on a sleigh ride through the mountains.  The boys kept screaming "it's CHRISTMAS!!!"

 

I feel truly blessed to live in such a paradise.  Of course, this is one of the most gorgeous times of year.  Ask me again in March (when the rest of the world is enjoying spring and I'm digging my way out of a huge blizzard) and I may tell you this is a complete hell hole!

Flow

Go see it!

Today I had to take an honest look at my relationship with water. 

I thought I was quite conscious about my usage.  I mean, where I live people think about it quite a bit.  It's a progressive sort of town and also an extremely dry town with very little water reserve.  One day it will surely come to a head.  Most of us (I hope) turn off the water when we brush our teeth, try to shower quickly or go every other day, maybe you even let it mellow when it's yellow.  Most of us think that we're doing pretty good.  At least I did, until I watched "Flow" today.  I felt inspired to do much more.  When you see people who have absolutely nothing being taken advantage of by people who have EVERYTHING, you can't help but see the injustice and feel a responsibility to do something.  

The poorest of the poor in our world are having their most precious resource stolen from them.  Large corporations such as Nestle, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Suez and World Bank to name a few, are coming into these impoverished parts of the world and into towns right here in America and taking over the water supply and making you pay for it.  Now you and I can pay for water (not that we should), but many people cannot.  They don't even have $1 a day.  So, they are going without or drinking filthy, contaminated water and dying of disease.  In many of these countries 1 in 10 children die before the age of five because the have no access clean water.

I learned a few facts today about water:

1.  On average, bottled water costs 900 times the amount of tap water.

2.  This year, Americans will spend $40 billion on bottled water.

3.  Tap water regulation has more stringent governmental standards than that of bottled water.

4.  25% of all bottled water is re-packaged tap water.

5.  The amount of oil required to put one bottle of water in your hand would fill 1/4 of that same bottle.

6.  90% of used water bottles are NOT recycled (I thought this one was really astonishing).

7.  Right now, millions of pounds of trash are floating in the Pacific Ocean to form an island twice the size of Texas.  90% of that trash is plastic.

8.  Atrazine, a pesticide used in corn and other grain production,  is washing into our rivers, lakes and streams.  It is causing feminization of frogs, fish and other aquatic animals.  It is also linked to breast and prostate cancer.  Atrazine is banned in Europe, but is the 2nd most common pesticide in the US.  (I thought it was interesting that Atrazine is made in Switzerland, yet they won't touch the stuff).

9.  Found in municipal water systems are pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, antidepressants, pain killers, synthetic hormones, pesticides, herbicides, chemical runoff, household cleaners and cosmetics.

10.  Americans use an average of 3x more water than the rest of the world.

I am pledging right now to take one small step in refusing to buy or consume plastic bottled water ever again as long as I can help it (meaning I'm not stranded in the hot desert and all there is is an Aquafina or certain death).  

We don't need it.  It isn't better for you.  

If you are on city water and worried about chlorine, let your water sit out for 24 hours and the chlorine with evaporate.  

If you would like to know how you can help click  Here.

They Do Mean It

So, I've learned since my last post that when older mothers say "enjoy this time"  they DO mean it!  It means enjoy the innocence of these years.  I guess as they get older things can get a little scary.  And who am I kidding, I used to be quite frightening myself.  My Mom has told me... "you think you have sleepless nights now?  Just wait until you have teenagers."  Great.  And she pointed out while they are lots of work when they are little, there is great comfort in knowing just where they are at all times and just who with.
 I can only pray my teenagers are more sweet and angelic like their Daddy, not full of teen angst, drama and complete madness like their other parent ;)
 I have learned recently that your brain isn't even fully developed until you are twenty five.  Which is why teenagers and young adults do such stupid things.  They are like toddlers with adult bodies and desires and more freedoms.  Such a dangerous mix.  Why nature has done this, I have no idea.
And so, I leave you with this:
Seven really is the best age.  I really would like to have my children permanently frozen at seven and thawed at thirty.

"Enjoy This Time"

I keep seeing and hearing this lately.  And "they grow so fast" and I'm thinking yes they do and it's a good thing.  It's for their own safety!  Do you think people really mean that or are they just trying to make me feel better?  Actually, I wouldn't mind if they stopped growing when they were about two or three or maybe seven.  Seven seems to be a phenomenally great age.
I love my baby girl to pieces, but won't I enjoy the time more when she isn't whining and screaming and demanding things all day?  I feel like the boys are SO easy at this point and I really love spending time with them.  The Hubbins and I were talking today and we just can't wait for Little Miss Feisty Pants to join the rest of The Fam on our adventures.
Now, I know some of you have mellow mellow babes.  I've seen them.  I've baby sat them.  They eat, they sleep, they look around, make cute faces, cute noises.  I've seen babies play and then pass out when they are tired right where they are at!!!  NEVER in all my day have I had such a baby of my own.  Maybe if I did, I would relish in all that is babyhood more, but I have sensitive, screaming, demanding little babes (although after having Miss A, her brothers seem like a cakewalk and while they were high maintenance babies, they were awesome toddlers and Miss A moving into toddlerhood is scaring me a little).
So, while I do enjoy her cute little words, and snuggles and imagining the world through her eyes... I must say, I am REALLY going to enjoy my time in a couple years when I can make a meal without someone pulling my pants down trying to climb up me demanding "muk, muk, muk, muk, muk, MUUUUKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!" (milk) yes, from me... still.  And I'm going to love reading to all of my darlings at the same time without someone sitting on top of the book and hitting and kicking her brothers out of the way.  And I will absolutely love walking into World Market with my precious girl and walking out with some beautiful new place mats and a lovely new candle not a 16 ounce bottle of capers.
Yes, she's still obsessed.
 I had a new sitter tonight who had never heard of capers.  I had to make sure she knew exactly where to find them and if anything were to happen, throw a tablespoon of capers immediately into a plastic bowl and all would be good in the world.
Good night all.  I'm off to enjoy total silence for the next (we shall see how many hours).

Bye Bye Frump

OK, I love my little mountainy life and all, but enough with the frump!  I'm so tired of jeans and t's and pretending I'm fine with it.  I'm a WOMAN for heaven's sake, not some rolled-outta-bed college  gal.  

Now what to do?  (this is going to be a work in progress since I don't own any womanly clothing and don't have the $$ to buy it)  

For starters, I'm going to shower and fix my hair today in a real do.  I'm not a hair person, so this small goal should suffice for the time being.
C'mon ladies, do it with me.  We could start a revolution!

“I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”

~Coco Chanel

Let's Play Babies

Life with little boys can be summed up in one lone picture.

He was so proud of his work.

And then said...

"Mommy, watch me whack her!"

A Fallish Afternoon

I've often thought that the middle kid really gets the short end of the stick. The oldest gets a TON of attention just being the first born and the most wonderful thing in the universe for awhile and the baby will have her time when her brothers fly the nest. But, what about that Little Middle? Never an ounce of peace for this one. Except today. Home with a cold... Big Brother at school... Little Sis. napping. It's his turn!

And the poor guy is so used to not getting my full attention, he almost doesn't quite know what to make of it. Not only is he sandwiched, but he's my most quiet and easy going out of the bunch. You know how the squeaky wheel gets the grease... well, I've got two pretty loud squeakers and this one seems to be content without much fuss.

He spent a good chunk of his day dipping his sidewalk chalk in water and creating masterpieces. Then he moved on to coloring his hands and painting his finger nails, but it kept him occupied for a long time.

I wish I could type the smell of the day. After a huge rain in the early morning, the air was so sweet and cool and it felt Fallish and cozy. I noticed the first few leaves beginning to change. I am so ready for the real thing! Sweaters, tights, boots... bring it!! I love summertime in the mountains, but there's nothing like Fall. I need: to make more time for afternoons like these, to leave the mess alone, to put down the phone and sit outside and inhale life and watch my precious boy play in the beautiful sunshine.