Tammy's Recipes

I love blogging, but the really good part is taking things into "real life".

A hundred recipes on a website don't really do any good if my family is eating PBJ for dinner. A motivating post about homemaking is useless if I spend all my time and energy staring at a computer screen thinking about doing things instead of actually doing them.

And while I love sharing bits of our life here in my blog, it's even more exciting to sit down and actually spend time with folks... in "real life". :)

About 6 months ago, I was blessed to meet a local blog reader. Living in a somewhat rural area in NW Ohio, in a (relatively) small town, I think we were both shocked to discover that we lived in the same town! :) We've made good use of living in close proximity, with lots of visits and meals between our families. :)

It's fun to have a local friend who's passionate about many of the same things as I am. :) I'm passing along my love for receiving blanket diapers and homemade cloth wipes, and she's introducing my boys to goats and chickens. Oh, and I swapped some of my excess asparagus for some farm-fresh eggs. I know, I know... I got the good end of that deal! :)

This morning, she and I headed out to some garage sales in a nearby town. Have my regular readers caught on to my budding garage sale addiction this year? It's Joshua's fault for encouraging it, along with the fact that my children keep outgrowing their clothes... ;)

When we got home, it was lunch time. I had some crock pot pizza ready, and warmed up leftover creamed asparagus over pasta, along with some veggies.

Yes, I serve leftovers to guests. Sometimes. Let's just say that the focus was on garage sales, not food. ;) Or, starve your guests and when you finally feed them, they'll rave about anything. Something like that. ;)

Here's what Ruth thought about it all. By the time lunch was over, she was exhausted. :) She's sucking her thumb in this picture -- something she's really fond of doing. She must take after her mommy (I sucked my thumb until 3rd grade).

Our children were given a toy camera, and The Camera has now replaced The Saw as Yehoshua's carry-around-everywhere favorite toy. He "takes pictures" of everything, including... food. Hmmm... wonder where he got that idea? ;)

This was Yehoshua's plate of nachos (without the chips) -- just beans, taco meat, cheese sauce, and some sour cream. Asparagus was served on the side. :)

Joshua took us garage-saleing at a nearby town this morning. There were dozens of sales and we walked for about 2 hours before collapsing in the car with several bags of goodies and two very tired children (the boys walked and I wore Ruth in my mei tai).

We got several toys for the boys with some gift money that had been set aside for garage sales. I got this complete vintage Sesame Street camper/rv set for $1.50. I honestly bought it because I love all the pieces and it's a perfect "boy toy"... and no batteries or annoying sounds. Now I found it on eBay and it looks like the set's worth more than $25!! What to do, what to do...

First, I love the toy set. I wanted the boys to have fun with it, but they'd just break it after a while (it's plastic, after all). I don't like keeping things that aren't being used and enjoyed, but I don't know if I want to let them play with a collector's item. I don't really want to re-sell it, though... I like it too much!

What would you do??

Joshua just informed me that the box the camper was in is the original box. Oops! Guess I'll take it back out of the trash!!

When I was outside hanging laundry this morning, Yehoshua found an old pecan in the dirt. I have no idea where it came from, but he set right to work on cracking it open. He used a toy hammer on the porch's cement floor, and had the nut open in no time! I told him not to eat the nut, because I didn't know how old it was. He put it on the sidewalk for some ants to eat.

I then told him I would get him a fresh pecan to eat. I got out a pecan (in the shell) and told him he could crack it and eat it. He tried and tried to crack that new pecan, but apparently it wasn't so old and brittle like the last one was. ;)

Yehoshua begged me to open it for him, but I told him he needed to find a way to do it himself. About 15 minutes later, I walked into the living room and he said "I'm cracking it!" as I heard a crunching noise.

Using some supplies from this tool set (which was a surprise gift to the boys from Joshua's parents earlier this year!), Yehoshua had made the above contraption and was using a screw driver to tighten the screw and crack the pecan! :)

We've had so much lovely weather these days. The boys love playing outside, and I love doing laundry when it isn't rainy! I even let it hang out all night sometimes, when there's no rain predicted... is that bad?? :)

My sister Bonnie came over today and helped me with some Spring cleaning. I had been feeling a little overwhelmed because even though the daily stuff gets done pretty well, I just hadn't been able to make enough time for anything extra -- like vacuuming out the car, rescuing toys from the floor vents, or cleaning fingerprints off windows. With two of us working hard, we were able to get quite a bit done in one day! :)

I'm still recovering from two very full days of preparation and two very wonderful days of rest and celebration! :) Thursday and Friday were packed with cooking and cleaning (and all the rest of the normal stuff we do each day) in preparation for Passover.

We had a lovely Passover! We read several chapters from Exodus and ate the traditional foods (unleavened bread, bitter herbs, grape juice/wine, mortar). I actually managed to make all of the foods I had planned for our menu and the children really loved the matza ball soup, since I generally only make that at Passover. ;)

Yehoshua's unleavened chocolate birthday cake actually turned out well, as did the frosting (which I had to make without powdered sugar since I was out!). I'll try to get the recipe typed up soon... like I said, I'm still picking up things around here, catching up on laundry... :)

It's Spring!!! Finally!!! :) It seemed as though it would never stop snowing here in NW Ohio... and then it seemed as though it would never stop raining!

Finally, some good wash days. The wooden clothes rack in my living room has been stashed away for next winter, leaving some lovely empty space beside the couch. :)

I have been gleefully hanging my laundry outside. Yehoshua and Eliyahu are all-too-eager to "help", and just don't want to come inside. Ever. I even fold all my laundry out there while I take it down as they play. It's still not long enough. :)

Thankfully, both boys are old enough (2 and almost-4!) to behave nicely out there while I work. In the past, there was always one child who refused to listen about staying in our yard/nearby, so this time of "maturity" is such a blessing! Next year, Ruth will be 1 and I'll probably be chasing after her. ;)

This picture of my diapers flapping in the breeze makes me so thankful. Oh, I'm thankful for my diapers, as they were all sent to me from my Heavenly Father in various ways and through various friends... But mostly I'm thankful because that line full of diapers means I have a little one to cuddle and kiss.

I love her.

How is it that babies just get more and more fun and sweet?! :) I can never understand that part. :) Ruth is just a little doll...

Yehoshua loves taking care of "Roof". (He can't quite get the ending -th yet!) :) He is always wanting to be near her (even when she's asleep!) and talks so sweetly to her. :)

Eliyahu is turning into my do-it-yourself little guy. He doesn't ask, he does. I think I already mentioned that he basically potty trained himself. He doesn't ask to go potty... he just goes. Since he's a 2-year-old little boy, this is not always a good thing! But I'm not complaining. ;)

He can dress himself, and he loves changing his clothes several times a day. I gave up fighting this one... the clothes just go back in his drawer (unfolded) until they are actually dirty; then we wash them.

Eliyahu will try anything, and he's so independent. He was always a little more ambitious than Yehoshua, when it came to doing things for himself. But I think that since Ruth was born, Eliyahu has had more opportunities to be independent, and he takes full advantage of them! ;)

Aline asked about seeing a wedding photo that actually showed our faces. ;) Here we are at our reception. :) I can't remember who took this picture, but it's one of my favorites! :)

I thought that I'd also write a little bit about our wedding, for anyone interested. I've been meaning to write about our wedding ever since I read this post by my cousin Willa. So whether you're looking for frugal wedding ideas, or you just like reading about weddings, here you go! ;) (Read more...)

I truly think the years have gotten sweeter... and go by faster. :) Six years ago today, I was 20 and Joshua was 24, and we were just beginning our life together. I've grown and changed so much! But I wouldn't change any of it... well, besides all the times I've been selfish... or ruined dinner. ;)

We celebrated our anniversary yesterday due to the availability of our babysitter (my mom). Joshua and I had a nice outing with just baby Ruth along! You will all probably laugh about this, but we went to two second-hand stores, and then went out to lunch at Taco Bell. I love Taco Bell food... and if I'm going to eat out, it might as well be something I can't re-create at home (their chalupas!). Then we came back to our quiet house and took naps before picking up our noisy boys. ;)

Today was catch-up day. I gave both boys haircuts and baths, and did lots of odds and ends. And laundry. Joshua surprised Yehoshua with two of the things we purchased on our outing: Connect Four and Monopoly Jr. Yehoshua enjoyed learning (or starting to learn!) how to play Connect Four, and he absolutely LOVED getting to play the Monopoly game. He had so much fun, and he's learning about counting and adding while he plays! Definitely a good $2 investment. ;)

My to-do list for today was long, but tomorrow's is longer. I'm jotting down ideas for blog posts, but haven't the time (or brain function!) to compose anything worth reading right now. :)

Ruth is so sweet. I know, all moms think their babies are adorable. ;) Ruth is 6 weeks old today! She's still getting over the baby acne, and is starting to give us little smiles!

I've packed away most of her 0-3 month sleepers already, as they were getting too snug. Cloth diapers seem to slightly accelerate the growing-out-of-clothes issue, but Ruth is definitely growing... fast! :) See more pictures...

Yesterday, Joshua took the boys outside to build their first snow man. They loved it! We used old canning jar lids for the eyes, because we couldn't find any stones. We didn't have a hat, but Joshua gave the snow man some eyebrows! Joshua used red food coloring to make the mouth visible... and then they got the idea to add some teeth! ;)

They built the snow man right outside the boys' bedroom window, so they can look out at it all day. It has entertained them quite a bit!

So, it's cold and snowy here. I've been baking, but haven't taken any pictures for a few days. I'm hoping that after some sleep tonight, I'll feel more energetic tomorrow! :D

Our little Ruth turned one month old today... it's amazing how much faster the month after birth passes, compared to the month before birth. ;) I took these pictures of her little feet while she was resting on a beautiful quilt that was given to her.

Ruth continues to grow, and her little cheeks and legs and arms are so chubby! :) We're all doing well. We had colds a couple weeks ago, which lasted a number of days, so we're thankful to be well again, and ready to invite people over. :) Hospitality is something that Joshua and I both enjoy very much! :)

The weather here in Ohio has been cold, so I've been reluctant to go out (well, that plus the fact that taking three little children anywhere sounds like a real chore!) but we're planning Ruth's first outing -- a concert featuring the Westhuizen Duo. I am looking forward to it, ever since Yehoshua and I went to one of their recitals this past November. Since the concert starts at 8:15pm, Eliyahu will be home sleeping while Yehoshua, Ruth, and I venture out. I know it will be a real treat -- you can listen to some of their music here -- and I'm always excited about exposing Yehoshua to live performances, which hardly compare with a recording. :)

In other family news, Eliyahu (2) is talking more and more, which is such a fun thing to watch unfold. :) He will sit and look at books by himself, he loves playing hide-and-seek, and he wants to do everything Yehoshua does.

Yehoshua (3) is having regular "school work" now, as we are working on the Alpha Phonics course. They have some handy practice sheets in the back, which we've used to learn all of the letters and their sounds. We're just starting to put letter sounds together to make words. I'm also having Yehoshua start practicing some writing.

I'm also doing regular piano lessons with Yehoshua. Each day, we sit down for 10 minutes or so, and I work with him. We're using the Suzuki method. I had worked with him at the piano some in the past, but not regularly enough. He loves having his lessons, and now Eliyahu asks for lessons, too. I've given Eliyahu a couple of lessons, which made me realize just how much progress Yehoshua has made! :) Yehoshua watched me teach Eliyahu, adding, "Eliyahu, you have to curve your fingers!" ;)

And me? I have more blogging ideas/recipes/photos than I seem to have time to actually blog about them. ;) I know you'll forgive me for going to bed early sometimes instead of blogging. :) An updated blog but a grumpy mommy just isn't right. :)

Oh, I have also been meaning to say thank you to everyone who has been leaving recipe reviews and sweet comments here at my blog! I read and appreciate all the feedback, and am so honored and blessed by your kind words! I wish I could respond to everyone's comments but I honestly don't have enough computer time for that. I do try to get to your questions (if I forget one, just ask again!) and slowly peck away at my email inbox in spare moments. :) Thanks for your understanding and patience! You are all so sweet. :)

There's something about having a new baby that inspires me to do a little re-focusing. I get to slow down for a few weeks (thanks to the help of many family members and friends... along with all the preparations I made beforehand!) and I get to do some extra thinking. I had some areas of my life that definitely needed to be simplified... a few things that have gone out the window all together... and some things that I just needed a nudge to be more efficient about!

Breastfeeding is, and has always been, such a great blessing to me... because I get to sit (or lay) down every couple of hours (or more often!) and just hold my baby and relax. Okay, so sometimes I'm also reading stories to my boys, or jumping up to get Eliyahu out of trouble, but still... breastfeeding makes me relax.

I am just loving being a mommy. Having a new baby reminded me again of how quickly each day passes... and what a blessing it is to enjoy each moment to the fullest. I love holding Ruth... the boys and I all fight over who gets to hold her all day. ;) And Yehoshua just melts my heart when he says to me, "Mom, Ruth is so beautiful."

So... we're feeling pretty blessed around here. And it's not so much that things in our life have changed, but that our Heavenly Father is changing us... showing us His blessings and causing us to see how good He is.

Yehoshua and Eliyahu helped me mix up some homemade macaroni and cheese last week. We baked a 9 x 13 dish of it and used it for one dinner meal (served with cooked veggies and homemade bread) and several lunches/snacks. Macaroni and cheese is very simple to make, but since it's not one of our favorites, and not a very healthy meal, I only make it a few times a year. :)

We also made two more loaves of homemade wheat bread. I love homemade bread. Eliyahu stirred some of the wet ingredients (honey, warm water, etc.) in the bread machine pan before I added everything else. I told the boys which buttons to press, and they started the bread machine on the dough cycle for me. Then they spent 10-15 minutes hovering over the machine, watching the dough form! Ruth slept in her car seat while we worked.

I think Ruth's car seat has found a permanent location... on our kitchen table! Even when she's "just sleeping", I love having her close by us while we're making a meal or cleaning up. :)

Eliyahu loves to help stir things when I cook. Yehoshua isn't too thrilled about having "lost" yet another job to Eliyahu, since Eliyahu "stole" his dishes and laundry duties. But, I've been having Yehoshua help measure ingredients for me instead of stirring.

And yes... Eliyahu is wearing his pajamas in these pictures. Some days it's just more fun to wear pajamas all day, right? ;)

Ruth Patience is almost ten days old now. We are enjoying her so much! Yehoshua and Eliyahu love her lots, and haven't displayed even the tiniest bit of jealousy... even though our life has (obviously!) changed a lot with a newborn in the house. :)

Ruth is just soooo sweet and I am treasuring every moment we have with her! She is a sweet little thing, and not fussy -- though with constant attention, nursing, and holding, I'm not surprised. :) Things have gone very well since her birth... she's nursing lots, and is sleeping more at night. The first couple of nights, she was awake most of the night, but took lots of naps during the day, so I'm glad we got that switched around! ;)

(Co-sleeping, short labors, and doing "lots"...)

I got this email today from a friend:

Hi, Tammy,

I just pulled up your website. I didn't want to see kitchen tips!!! I wanted to see more pictures of Ruth!!!

This past week has positively flown! I have been so busy just being a wife and mom... and dare I say... I've been enjoying a bit of a blogging break? ;) I am loving this special time as we get used to being a family of five... and I haven't taken time to snap many pictures, much less blog about them. ;)

But, I do plan to post a family-update-sort-of-post with more pictures of Ruth for the folks who come here looking for more than just kitchen tips. ;) Check back tomorrow. :D

And, thank you to all of you who did share your kitchen tips this week! You all make this blog an interesting place, even when I'm not around. Thanks. :D

Last evening, Joshua and Yehoshua were washing dishes together. Eliyahu was already in bed, so Yehoshua gladly took over his job as "helper". :)

I heard Joshua telling Yehoshua as they worked, "Thanks for your help, Bud. I couldn't do it without you. The company's nice, too." :) Yehoshua said, "Yeah." :)

When they were finished, Yehoshua came to me and said, "It's more fun to do dishes with Daddy. He lets me use the sprayer!" ;)

I wrote Ruth's birth story today, and thought I'd share it here for those interested! It's not too graphic, but it is about birth, so... :) I love reading others' birth stories -- birth is such an amazing miracle! :)

We're doing well. I am trying to rest amid the craziness that comes from having 2- and 3-yr-old boys plus a newborn. ;) We've had plenty of help from my mom and sisters, which has been a huge blessing. And dinner this evening was provided by some friends of ours... another great blessing. :)

Ruth is a sweetheart and I'm loving having a little nursling again, since Eliyahu weaned a number of months ago. :) Her hair is so long -- at least an inch long all over her head! Pretty neat that our little girl already has hair that's substantially longer than her brothers'. ;)

So, I'll stop rambling and get on to the birth story. :) (Read more...)

Here is our new arrival!! :)

Ruth Patience was born at 5:55am on Wednesday, January 23. She's 19.5 inches long and weighs 8 lbs. 5 oz. :) We have had this girl's name picked out since before Yehoshua was born! :)

I've been resting all day, and haven't had a chance to take more pictures or write up the birth story yet, but will be working on that soon. :)

The story in short? I woke up about 4am and couldn't get back to sleep... by 4:40am I decided I should call our midwife, since she lives a good hour away. Joshua was working all last night, so I called him there and he started on his way home (about a 30-minute drive). Joshua got home about 5:20am, and I told him to go ahead and hop in the shower. :) By the time he was cleaned up, I was in transition and managed to ask him to call my mom, who lives 15 minutes away.

About 5:45am I told Joshua that the baby was coming really soon and before we knew it, we had a beautiful little girl! Ruth was born in our living room and it was a perfect, peaceful, and wonderful delivery! We weren't planning on it just being us three (and two sleeping boys!) but Yahweh did, and He gave us peace and strength throughout!

I make it all sound so easy, don't I? ;) Anyway, I am off to bed for now. Thank you ALL for your kind words of congratulations, and for rejoicing with us! :) God is so good. :D

Thank you all so much for praying!! We were blessed with a lovely and healthy baby girl this morning after a whirlwind labor! (I know this is short on details, but I'm still waiting to get hold of my grandparents on the phone.) I'll be back later today with all the details and a few pictures. :)

Yahweh has blessed us so abundantly! He gave the strength I needed, and blessed us with a peaceful and quiet home birth. Joshua caught the baby while Yehoshua and Eliyahu were still sleeping! Our midwife and my mom both arrived shortly afterwards.

Praise Yahweh, for His goodness to us!! :)