yogurt!

I've been wanting to try making homemade yogurt for a while. I finally got up the gumption a couple of weeks ago and it was a major

FAIL.

I was disappointed, but decided I'd try again using a different method. I scoured the internet looking for a recipe I felt I could do and was s.p.e.l.l.e.d. out for this novice yogurt maker.

I finally found it and
www.kitchenstewardship.com
I printed it off, and Mike looked at me like I was crazy. It was 3 pages long, but I was SURE I could follow it and be okay.

I heated my milk to 185 in mason jars on the stove
*note I don't have a thermometer but she gave ways to do it without one*
I then let it cool to around 100 degrees on my counter. (it took about 90 minutes)
I added 2TB of natural yogurt to each mason jar and gently stirred.

meanwhile, I had my pot of water still boiling on the stove.
I yanked out our cooler, put towels in it
Put the lid on my pot and nestled it down in my cooler.

Once the yogurt was stirred in, I put the lids on, and nestled those inside the cooler as well. The recipe noted that the longer the yogurt sits the more tart it will become. Makes sense since your souring the milk. She suggested anywhere from 4-24 hours. I set my timer for 6 hours and went about cleaning up, chasing Levi etc.

After the timer went off, I took my trusty mason jars, and then put them in freezer for an hour.

And voila!
There was a layer of whey on top, I opted to scoop it off, and seriously, my crunchy, granola, yogurt making friends. this stuff is THICK. Thick and Yummy!
At 6 hours, I found it had a slightly sweet flavor, which I would prefer to the really tart yogurt.

Check out the recipe!
Let me know if you try it!

happy thanksgiving

from our family...



to yours.

Day 24

today, on this thanksgiving eve... i am thankful for the focus our family has had on thanksgiving this year. it has been refreshing for us, given us new perspective, pushed us to give beyond ourselves, more than all of that, we are thankful that we can live our lives knowing that the creator of this world holds us in the palm of His hand....

Day 23

today i'm thankful for doctors. we took levi in today after 2+ weeks of battling a nasty cough\cold. my little man has bronchitis and the beginning stages of pneumonia... they gave him antibiotics, some drops for his nasty icky eyes, and a breathing treatment in the office. the dr. didn't feel that he responded partiucularly well to the breathing treatment with the risks that are associated with the medicine, so no breathing treatments at home.

i'm so thankful we took him in NOW before it got worse, and before the long holiday weekend...

Day 22

Today I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity to listen to such great music last night from Spring Arbor University's Choirs, as well as Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church. Such a great way to start off this week of Thanksgiving. Reminding ourselves, that what we truly should be thankful for is what the Lord has done for us! What a blessing!

On a side note, Sometimes, I find it weird, standing in a circle of old music professors, and current people I work for, and think... when did I become part of this group? Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that I'm doing what I wanted to do, and am truly a part of the music circle o' Jackson. What a blessing to be doing what I love every single day!

crisco and desitin

yup!

After fighting a MAJOR diaper rash with Levi for 3 weeks, I finally turned to the powers of facebook and issued a cry for help....

and it came.


I was given a TON of ideas on things to use etc. One friend, who also happens to be a nurse practioner, suggested crisco. I kind of scoffed at his idea, really?
But..
He is a NP...
After talking with him, and emailing him a couple pics of the said area, he confirmed that it was indeed not a yeast diaper rash, but a regular old nasty one.

He told me to find the highest zinc oxide butt cream I had, which happened to be Desitin Maximum Strength at 40%, smather it on his butt, and then cover it with crisco. (you know, that blue tub that you use to make pie crusts and what not?)Anyway, we did, and it REALLY works. Somehow the crisco keeps the other cream on.
You know how when normally changing a diaper, the cream is gone from when you applied it earlier? Well, this time.. IT WAS STILL THERE. 2 nights of the crisco trick and I think we are well on our way to healthy skin again!

I'm tucking this gem away for future use, and thought any of you mama's out there could use the tip as well!

Day 21

Today I am thankful for family.
Yesterday Mike's whole family was here, and we arranged as a Christmas present for Mike's parents to have a family picture done. We trudged out to a local Park late afternoon, met up with the photographer, who actually is the one who photographed our weddings, and we tromped around taking pics. We had a great time. John had his work cut out for him, there were 4 kids 2 and under. Levi was the crazy one. He wasn't in a bad mood, but he just doesn't hold still for anything. John said, all the pictures will look really nice, except that Levi will be waving his arms all around. :) That's okay. That's our kiddo, He's crazy, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Afterwards, everyone came back to our house for dinner and birthday celebrations.

Good times!

Day 20

Today I am thankful for...

saturday mornings. :)

it's days like today...

where i've...

... swept the floor approximately 25 times
... given approximately just as many time outs, including one where we disobeyed me quite intentionally and walked himself directly to the timeout mat after said occurence...
... changed so many gross diapers i can't count
... cleaned the bedroom, while levi destroys the living room

these are the days, where i have to remind myself that it's about teaching little things like
... "please and thank you"
... that we also say thank you to Jesus before we eat our food
... that smacking animals is NOT okay. ;)
... that helping mama pick up toys is an EXCELLENT choice..


that that's what this season of life is about... teaching my kiddo that we are honoring God in EVERYTHING we do... even things like cleaning out the fridge which is where I'm headed next...

Day 19

Waking up to 28 degrees outside simply reminds me to be thankful for a warm safe home to wake up in, when so many go without....

Day 18

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

The words from that song have been streaming through my head for the past 12 hours.

"When the darkness closes in, Lord... still I say will say... Blessed be Your name!"

Last night, we heard the news that our dear friends had lost their precious sweet baby boy. Christa was 27 weeks pregnant. They have 2 older boys, who were both born earlier than that, fought hard and survived. They were so elated that they had made it past the earlier point, thinking that maybe this time, she would have a more normal pregnancy. This time, the Lord chose a different path, and little Wesley Daniel was born and died Nov. 16, a small fleeting time on this earth, but forever changing the hearts of his parents.

It's in these moments that I'm so thankful for knowing that our Savior loves us, that He does have a plan, even if we often don't understand. I know that He is pouring His love down on Matt and Christa, and although we don't understand a small life being taken from this world, we can truly Bless His name.

Would you lift them up in prayer as well?

Day 17

Today I am thankful for our good friends Emily and Adam. We've known Adam and Em since we were all music majors in college. They got married and moved away, but after a few years they ended up back in our home town, and we couldn't be happier. They are fantastic people, and Mike and I are incredibly blessed to call them friends. Adam and Mike can talk music and books for hours, and Em and I can talk just about anythign, but now days it's more wrangling kiddos together, but it's still fun... :) we love you guys!

Day 16

Today I am thankful for our Thursday night bible study group friends, the McClains, Bowmans, and Montagues. They are truly fantastic people, ones that I have grown to love immensely since we first decided to meet on that fateful thursday night 5 years ago. It doesn't even seem possible. Thanks friends, for being who you are, and making Thursday nights more enjoyable.

go-to quick-fix dessert

Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars.

These are seriously so easy, I can throw them together with no time flat, and they always turn out great. Easy to put together for surprise company or that potluck you're heading out the door to attend. I cannot take credit, the recipe comes from my trusty red and white checked better homes and garden cookbook....

1 C flour
1 C quick oats
2\3 brown sugar
1\4 tsp baking powder.

mix well

add 1\2 C butter, mix with pastry blender....

reserve 1\2 C of mix, press the rest into a 9x9 pan...

meanwhile.. come up with a fruit sauce of some kind...
i've cooked down strawberries and made a compote...
threw in some jelly...
applesauce with some raisins or cranberries mixed in..

anything you can think of, really!

put it on top of the pressed mix, sprinkle the remainder of the flour mixture on top..

bake at 350 for 30 minutes...

ENJOY!

Day 15

Today I am thankful for our dear friends Russ and Murt Skinkle. I have known Russ and Murt for as long as I can remember. Murt is also a pianist, and was a tireless encourager to me as I worked towards making it my job. Also, after we got married, they opened up their home (and land) to us. Russ and Murt are big gardeners, and they are the ones who got us started into the crazy gardening world that we now are a part of. They encouraged us, gave us the space we needed to grow things. They are truly great friends of ours, and we count it a blessing to know them. They are such good stewards of what the Lord has given them, and in turn have given it back to other people. We love you both very much!

Day 14

today I am thankful that so many moons again when I said to my mom...

"I want to take piano lessons"

her and my dad found a way to make it happen

I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to grow and learn as a young musician,and even more so, allowed the opportunity to study music in college. what a blessing to be doing what I love... every.single.day.

Day 13

is thankful that we all slept in until 7:30.. that's pretty much miraculous if you know our kiddo! :)

Day 12

today i am thankful that mike works for an understanding family business that is 10 minutes from home. yesterday afternoon, i came home, walked to the back door and discovered my house key is missing. i frantically search everywhere i could think of, car, purse, diaper bag, ground etc.. after about a 10 minute search i called mike. it was not 3:25. i had students coming to the house at 4 for lessons. he drove home and let me in the house. i am especially thankful that it was beautiful outside and we could comfortably play while we waited.

Day 11

in honor of veterans day and the fact that he's my grandpa...

today i am thankful for my grandpa, Philip Wood, not only is he an incredible man, he also served our country with honor. love you grandpa!

Day 10

I'm thankful for my rockin' sister...

and not just because she leaves me random messages on my living rooms windows...

 

i love you sis!

Day 9

Today I am thankful for the warm sunny days we have been having. What a blessing in what is normally a very drab and dreary feeling month.

greenhouse re-do

notice anything different?

 

guylines from our tent.

here's hoping for veggies this winter. we've got a few sprouts, but not as many as we did when we planted the first time. it's supposed to be warm the next few days, and we're hoping that will encourage those little seeds to finally make an apperance....

Day 8

Today I am thankful..

for a warm house, a quiet morning, and a hot cup of coffee to start my day...

Day 7

I know most people will argue with me, but I'm thankful for this..







On friday, (Nov 5) the first hint of winter arrived.. It was small, it was beautiful, and I loved every moment of it. Each time that the seasons change, I am reminded of the Lord's faithfulness to us, that He is steady and true, admist the chaos, admist the busyness of life... He is there... always.

Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness as the seasons change... and for snow... :)

pie crust

I finally found a pie crust recipe I was willing to try, and oh my friends....
Thank you Pioneer Woman It has changed my life.

Pie Crust
3 C flour
1 1\2 C crisco.
mix with your lovely pastry cutter

add
1 beaten egg
5 TB cold water
1 TB white vinegar
1 tsp salt

mix together gently

separate into 2 dough balls, put in freezer bag.
roll out slightly and throw it in your freezer for a while.
(I let it sit for an hour)

Roll it out.
Make your pie... I made an apple pie... yum!

enjoy the worlds best pie crust!
seriously, friends. i've been converted, and that's saying something... :)

Day 6

Today I am thankful...

for being able to go out to dinner kid free last night.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Day 5

I am thankful...

for my own mom and dad.

Having a kiddo certainly effects how you view your own parents...

thanks for loving me, and for raising me to be the person I am today!

Day 4

Day 4...

...I am thankful for...

my kiddo.

he is a constant joy, a constant challenge,

and constantly driving me into the arms of our Savior.

i love you little man!

Day 3

I am thankful for mike..

...for being my rock.

...for loving me with all my faults

...for praying for our family

...for seeking the Lord diligently

...for loving levi

...for being goofy

...for enjoying the same things i do

...for knowing when i need him to talk and when i need him to just listen

...for understanding when i need a break

...for giving hugs

...for being a hard worker

and so many more things...

i love you baby!

little monkey

let me present my happy little monkey...

errr....

please note the tears in his eyes

this went on for quite some time....

i asked him where the sky was....

mama trying to call him down

why the mad face?

he wanted to go inside.

yup.

mike finally trick or treated him with some fruit snacks.

he was finally appeased.

little monkey man

enjoying his snack

levi getting his first taste of candy.

he received one small pack of m&m's as well as a sucker.

that will do for now.

my dad with levi

finally a happy kiddo!

day 2

I am thankful......

for a God who prepares my steps in advance,

who loves me more than I can understand or fathom...

thankfulness

I've been challenged by a friend on facebook to think more actively about being thankful. For the past 40 days, she has been posting each day on her status, something she is thankful for. I've been thinking about doing it for a while, so I've decided to start today with the intent of doing it through Thanksgiving.

It may be a small sentence of something I'm thankful for, or maybe a picture, but nonetheless, I think it's a fantastic idea, and I've decided to do it! I'm telling all of you, mostly so I can be held to it. I've got a couple of other ideas that I'm throwing around for thanksgiving this year.

It's a holiday we look over all too quickly.

So....

Day 1: I'm thankful for beautiful fall weather, and a mild evening last night to spend outside enjoying halloween