It Is What You Make It - Family Birthday Party

This weekend we celebrated Lasse, Christopher, and Marah's birthdays all in the same dinner.  Our table was filled with our loved ones, our tastiest recipes, and our best tableware.  Lasse is Michelle's husband and Christopher is Marah's husband.  

Since we have great success with our roast, slow cooked in beef broth and red wine, as well as our smashed potatoes, we served that to our guests.  We added a simple salad of romaine lettuce, cheddar croutons, and English cheddar shavings with homemade ranch dressing.  

Michael is Michelle's oldest son and Marah's brother-in-law; he brought his girlfriend, Chelsea, and her sweet little daughter, Audrey.  Elleanor is a four year old girl in our preschool who declared that she was coming to this party and she did, dressed in a precious party dress and cardigan, bringing a gift to Marah!  

The children had sparkling grape juice, while the adults had Mogen David Concord Wine and water.  For dessert there were two cakes!  One was the "Better Than Anything" original and one, for Marah especially, was the "Better Than Anything Pumpkin Cake".  This was served with non-alcoholic Champagne, with the cork popped to the delight of the children!

We had homemade cards signed by everyone and each person received presents!  It was a lot of fun!

Some folks like to go out to dinner and others like to have a famous local pizza for each family member's birthday.  We like to prepare and serve our best meal, sitting around the table, catching up, planning the future, sharing with each other.  Our family is the most precious treasure and we like to give our best to each member. We hope you celebrate your loved ones in a special way....because, after all, life is short and it is what you make it!

Somebody must have sampled the middle of the pumpkin cake!  Easily hidden with extra buttermilk cream cheese whipped cream frosting!

Last Fling of Summer Time

We are ridiculous.  But, oh my word, we have so much fun!!!  Had a small crew in the preschool today so we headed off to Carriage Hill Farm, part of the Five Rivers Metro Parks and had a blast!

Somehow the children did find it interesting and fun but we definitely found ourselves highly entertaining!

She did it!!!

Whoaaa!

Eeeeeeeeekkkk!!!!

Oh, girlfriend's got this!!

"Is it possible to move on please?"

On!!!

Ehhh....not on.

Does anybody know that lady?

Whoot!! Whoot!!!

I am too cool for these fools.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Oh....my.....word.  We have begun a number of projects over the summer that are moving forward.  Our latest is forming a team challenge for weight loss through DietBet!  

Today is our first day, sigh.  It's only the first afternoon and we're already dreaming of gelato.  Sigh.  And Marah's mashed potatoes with butter, whipping cream, sour cream, and cream cheese.  Anyway.

We created a weekly meal plan for everyone in our group and we are both exercising our buns off; we hope.  At the end of four weeks we hope to win some cash by losing at least 4% of our current weights.  Check us out! http://www.dietbetter.com/games/47668

Marah Day 1

Michelle Day 1

Lunch Day 1

Yesterday...."Girl, you huge!"

And as if this day wasn't stressful enough, Michelle's house is on the market with walk throughs coming and going.  The realtor suggested a virtual tour video....this meant every little thing had to be in its place or hidden.  But by the time the two videographers invaded the house this morning we were ready.  But a cup of hot creamy coffee would be great....and a cookie! 

Whew....Friday

Some weeks Friday just can't arrive too soon.  As the last little one was being picked up, I poured his pregnant momma a glass of cranberry grape juice while Marah and I had just a little splash of sweet red wine to end the very long week.

Ah, though, we had a terrific week.  We really did.  And we are both so grateful.  July 2014 was a good month.  

Our Etsy store opened, we had our first online order, our Facebook community page got 100+ likes within the first twelve hours, we shipped three orders, and we are receiving texts and messages from friends and family who are super supportive.  Grateful, teary-eyed, and ....grateful....and excited!!!

We have a lot that we are juggling but we can do it.  We both know we can and we have faith in each other.  

Whatever the task, put on a happy face!

               

So what is it that you've been dreaming of doing?  Put your dreams down on some paper, discuss with your best friend over sweet red wine, and make some plans!  One step at a time, friend, take it one step at a time!

                                

Homemade Fun in the Sun

It is not child labor to turn the hose on, fill a five gallon bucket with soapy water, and hand rags and sponges to small children.  It is a blast!  

They took turns "rinsing the car" and chasing each other with the hose, squeals and shrieks filling the air.  The neighbors must have gone inside and closed all of their windows!  Good.

We're not sure that our two cars actually look any better than when they were pulled into the backyard (by Ivan!), but the kids are all snoozing away after playing so hard.

Starting at the top....

Don't forget the windows!

We start them young - 15 months old

"Just rewards?!  Are you serious?!"

Life is, after all, what you make it!  

Our Homemade Lives Homemade Detergent

We have been making our own homemade laundry detergent for three and a half years. Michelle received a five gallon bucket filled with all the supplies for her birthday!  It actually turned out to be a gift of saving thousands of dollars over the years.

About once a month we grab the cheese grater and grate a bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap.  

This morning before all the children arrived at 7:00, Marah and Ivan helped with the final phase.

Grate the Fels-Naptha (this step took place yesterday)

Is he adorable at 6:30 in the morning?!

This is the consistency after sitting overnight

"Go ahead, make my day, punk."

Alright, 6:30 in the morning, we can figure this out.

Got it.

Stirrrrrrrr....

Whirrrrrr....

Ta-Da!!!!

Ingredients:

1 Bar Fels-Naptha soap, grated

1 Cup Arm & Hammer WASHING soda (NOT baking soda)

1/2 Cup Borax

4 Cups hot water

5 Gallon bucket

• Grate the bar of Fels-Naptha, and combine with water in saucepan
• Stir on low-medium heat until soap is fully dissolved (boiling ruins the soap)
• Fill your bucket with hot water until it's about half full and add in all ingredients
• Stir ingredients until well dissolved, and then top off with water.
• Let congeal overnight, and then stir, whir, and whiz with the drill bit until well dissolved

We distribute what is needed to our family until the last drop is used and start again.  It has saved us literally thousands of dollars.  This recipe is to be doubled with water, making ten gallons of laundry detergent.  

Marah uses one cap full (from a regular laundry detergent jug) per load of laundry. Michelle uses three caps full because....well, less is more or more is actually more, right?!

Step by Step....One Step at a Time!

We own and operate a preschool/daycare.  This year's theme is going to be focused on the solar system, the continents, oceans, a few countries, and down to the cities that each child dwells.

Marah on Jupiter

Michelle paints Neptune

We tapped into our creative, yet cheap, side and came up with the brilliant idea of painting these paper party lanterns in various sizes as the planets!  Very exciting!  Our plan is to create the solar system in the basement stairwell. Ha ha ha ha ha ha....we'll see how well this turns out and if anyone breaks a leg!

Marah is young; she'll do fine on the ladder....Michelle will stand at a reasonably safe distance and shout directions, "Little more to the left, Marah Jo-An!"

Whistlers Day

The men in our family hunt.  They start off very young being taught gun safety and head off to the wilderness to learn to track and kill animals.  That's right; that's what meat is: animals!  

This weekend was very exciting for our family as Ivan went to Whistlers Day, which is the event of the year for kids in the Quail Forever organization. 

                                         

Ivan did very well in listening and learning how to fire a .22 rifle.  He missed the instructional demonstration on how to skin a raccoon, but maybe next year when he is four years old.

It was rite of passage for our boy!

"You'll Be Late For The Sabbath!"

Every Saturday we host our family Sabbath dinner and Bible study.  (No, we’re not Jewish.  No, we’re not Seventh Day Adventists.)  

This is what we will be making for our dinner tomorrow:

·        

•  Roast by Michelle

Rolled rump roast (purchased from our favorite butcher shop, Landes; no antibiotics or growth hormones in these cows)

       ½ glass of sweet red wine

       1 tsp Real salt

       Lots of freshly ground pepper

       1 heaping Tbs of powdered beef broth

       Couple of bay leaves

http://www.landesfreshmeats.com/

First I brown the roast in a cast iron skillet with the perfect blend of melted butter and olive oil (just “some”).  Using grilling tongs I turn the roast over to get both sides and the ends just a little crispy; apply the salt and pepper to both front and back of the roast.  Prep the cook pot with the wine and beef broth and add the roast, oil, butter, and all to the cook pot.  Hand crush the bay leaves, toss them on top, and then secure the lid tightly.  I like this roast to slow cook in the oven for most of the day.  After hours of smelling the delicious aroma, everyone is hungry like lions.  Turn the oven to 250 ° and let that roast cook for several hours until it is fork tender and falling apart.  Meanwhile, use some coarse salt to clean the cast iron skillet and sample the wine!

•   Smashed Potatoes by Marah

One Idaho potato per person, plus one for the “pot”

One pkg of cream cheese per 6 potatoes

One big “chunk” of butter – we buy THE BEST butter EVER!  It comes in a giant roll and is made by the Amish.  I just cut off a BIG chunk…can yah tell we love our butter?!

One cup of sour cream

A dash of whipping cream (Enough to thin the potatoes)

Lowry’s Seasoning salt to taste (I like salty potatoes!)

A dash of salt and pepper

I am one SERIOUS recipe follower.  Always have been, always will be.  But for whatever reason, I follow no recipe when making these potatoes.  I just grab the needed amount of potatoes (usually 6), wash and peel them, cut them in chunks, and toss them in a pot of boiling water.  Let them boil for about 25 mins, then drain.  I grab this awesome mashing tool by Pampered Chef (http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=15658&catId=96&parentCatId=96&outletSubCat= ) and give those potatoes a good smashing.  Next, I’ll add the butter, sour cream, and cream cheese and keep mashing until all of the ingredients are good and mixed together.  Then, I lick the masher…lick it clean!  Next, I’ll add enough whipping cream to get them to the desired consistency, and then add the Lowry’s, salt, and pepper.  This is my favorite part: grab a saucer and a spoon, and give them a proper test taste!  Accompany said test taste with some of the wine!! 

                           

•  Challah Bread by Rinaldo’s Bakery (http://www.rinaldosbakeshoppe.com/)  

                                            

•  Tossed Salad – tear clean romaine lettuce leaves, toss in some sliced cucumbers and  two handfuls of cherry tomatoes – serve with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing
•  Buttermilk ranch dressing:  1 carton of sour cream, 4 tsps dried buttermilk, 2 minced  garlic cloves, some dried cilantro, some dried dill, whisk together until blended
•  Sweet Red Wine by Manischewitz   

                                                                 

Shabbat Shalom!

We hope you find time to watch this wonderful clip from "Fiddler on the Roof":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

Mrs. Fix-It

You've gotta be kidding me!!!  No groceries in Michelle's house, husband gone for the rest of the week, and the car was stuck in the garage.  

We are talking Old Mother Hubbard!!

The garage door would not lift more than six inches.  No pulling, prodding, pushing the button 500 times moved it.   She called her husband.  Never give your husband a problem he cannot solve over the telephone when he is three hours away.  She called it a night and called in reinforcements in the morning:  Marah and Ivan with his plastic wrench and screwdriver to the rescue!  With the baby in the highchair so he wouldn't crawl away, three-year-old Ivan trying to direct two women, and both of us wearing maxi skirts in 95° weather, this is what transpired:

Yeah....it was totally stuck.

Marah:  ”Okay, let’s get down to business.”

Michelle:  ”I checked all the rollers and both tracks and nothing is stuck.”

Ivan:  ”Granny, do you need me to push the button?  Granny?”

Michelle:  ”I even prayed over this stinking door!”

Ivan:  ”Granny.  Granny.  Granny.  Do you need me to push the button?”

Marah:  “Let me try and lift it!” 

Ivan:  “Use your muscles, Mommy!”….

Michelle:  “Ivan, get away from that door in case it crashes!  Pray for Mommy!  She’s a tough girl, though!”

Marah:  “Huuuuhhhhhhhhhhh!”  (….that didn’t work.)  “Michelle, get me that ladder.  Let me check the control box on the garage ceiling.”

Ivan:  “Mommy, you should try my wrench.”

Marah:  “How do you open this ladder?”

Michelle:  “Uhm……I think you pull it apart like this and push that foot rest thing like that??”

Marah:  “Oh, yeah, thanks. “

Ivan:  “Mommy, is it time to push the button?”

Marah and Michelle in complete unison:  “NOOOOO!!!”

Michelle:  “Don’t touch it when she is hanging on the ladder under the door!”

Marah:  “Grab that broom and I will try to pry it open with the handle.” 

And this when Michelle held Ivan up to FINALLY push the button.

Marah:  “On three, one, two, three, huuuuuuhhhhhhhh…..it’s working!!!!!!”

This was a forty-five minute excursion, with sweat and tears (from laughter).  It took a third adult to lift Ivan to push the button while we both pried the door open with brooms and shovels.    But there were many cheers and high-fiving when we finally got it, even from the little guy in the highchair!

This is what we feared would happen every time we tried to lift it.

                  

Thankfully Marah works out every day!

          

  

I got it!  Pull the car out....... quick!

Did we mention we make a pretty great team?!