Strawberry Yumminess!

With springtime comes the delicious harvest of strawberries!!!  I'm not sure there is anything else that screams spring around here quite as much!  This season, we were blessed to go strawberry picking twice.  The first time the entire family went, and the second time we went with out my hubby, but with another momma and her three darlings.

Between the two trips, we picked 14 baskets of strawberries - which equivocates to about 56 pounds of strawberries!

What in the world have we done with 56 pounds of strawberries you may be wondering.... well preserved them of course!  We have quarts of frozen strawberries, bags of dehydrated strawberry "chips," half pints of delicious strawberry vanilla sauce, pints of strawberry lemonade concentrate, and pints of strawberry jam!  Of course, we also ate gobs and gobs of strawberries, between a delightful strawberry cake, a strawberry trifle, strawberry shortcake, strawberry yogurt parfaits, smoothies, and fruit salad!  I think we are going to miss eating them when they go out of season over the next week or two, but thankfully, we have preserved some of that fresh yummy flavor!

For Better and for Worse? To Keep or To Toss?

"Yay!" was the first thought that came to mind as I remembered tomorrow is trash day.  Our can is once again getting full!  I was starting to break down another small box that we had received mail in the other day, when my youngest daughter came running out.  "No mom!  I NEED that box!  I need it for my baby."  Having no clue why she would need it, or what she would use it for, but seeing her sincere desire for the box, I handed it over.  I enjoy watching all of my children's creativity, and must admit that when they reuse something I was just going to trash, rather than wanting me to buy something for their crafts, I enjoy it even more ;)

This simple everyday event really got me thinking... how often do we just trash something that we could easily reuse?  Our children have a pair of jeans with a grass stain or hole in the knee - do we toss it or turn it into a pair of shorts?  Or perhaps our daughter's skirt is getting slightly too short - do we toss it or simply add a ruffle?  Our shirts are wearing thin - do we toss it or cut it into rags to dust with or long strips to weave with?  The roll of toilet paper is empty - toss it or let the kids create with it?  The milk jug is empty - toss it or help the kids make a bird feeder?  How often do we toss things we could simply reuse?  If your car breaks down, do you fix it or buy a new one?  What about appliances?

But it goes deeper than than too.  How often do we as a society look at our relationships as broken, and toss them?  You have a spat with a friend... do you swallow your pride, apologize and try to mend that relationship, or do you throw it away?  Your child is "pushing your buttons," do you work with the differences through the difficult time, or do you say harsh words and throw your hands up in the air?  What about your spouse?  Do you fight and grow further apart, rather than working together to mend that relationship?

We live in a time where if something is broken, we throw it away rather than fix it.  Divorce rates are high, and even more scary is the number of cohabitation so that if it doesn't work out, there is less work involved to get out of that relationship.  EVERY relationship has its ups and downs, good times and bad.  Every single marriage has points where it could be deemed as "broken."  Yet, the decision is ours... do we put in the work to fix it or do we toss it and find a new one!?!?  I had a friend once joke that her vows stated "for better or for worse" so she got to choose... And sadly she only chose for better and when things got really bad, she chose to divorce her husband.

I know there are certain circumstances that many say are valid reasons for "tossing" a marriage.... I'm not really referring to infidelity or abuse, as I think those are circumstances that are best left to professional counselors to discuss, though I do believe even those relationships God can heal.  I'm referring to the general population that hits the hard times and "doesn't feel like" working it out.  I pray that we instill into our children the "old fashioned" mentality of fixing it when it is broke, rather than throwing it out!

Mother's Day - Happy or Not-so Happy?

"Happy Mother's Day" is called out constantly.  Cards are bought, flowers purchased, phone calls made.  Those of us blessed with children, whether they are young or old, relish in the well wishes and the day that brings about a sense of gratefulness for all that we do as mommas.  As a momma of five, and expecting another blessing in only a few months, you would think I too would be in this state of bliss - feeling appreciated and overjoyed to being given the opportunity to raise these little blessings.  And yet, my heart breaks!  Today, more than any other Mother's Day in the past, my heart breaks!

Over the ten plus years of blissful marriage to my dear sweet hubby, we had endured a number of hardships.  Four of such hardships were miscarriages.  Yes, I am a momma to five, soon to be six, little darlings, but that doesn't take away the pain and sorrow of not having those other little blessings in my home... to love on, to raise in God's Word, to teach, to pray with and for.  I believe they are in Heaven with their Creator - He knew the number of days they would be in this world before He knitted them in my womb.  He knew I would never hear their pitter-pattering feet, their laughs, their first words.  He also loves them more than I ever could.  They are resting in Him - yet I miss them, especially on Mother's Day.

Then I think of dear sweet friends who have lost their children after being able to hold them and love on them - to see and hear them take their first breath, to see their tiny feet, to hold their tiny hands.  My heart breaks for them, as I know they must be missing their sweet children as well.  Perhaps they are clinging more tightly to the children still living, while looking at pictures of those they lost.

I think of those mothers who do not know where their children are... because they were kidnapped, ran away, or are not communicating any longer with their family. My heart breaks for them!  The news right now is broadcasting the miraculous escape of three women who have been missing for around ten years.  What a joyous Mother's Day this must be for those women's mothers!  But what about the mothers who are still unsure of where their children are and their welfare?

My heart breaks the most for those mothers who have never carried a child full term, yet long for their empty arms to be filled!  While I know the heartache of miscarriages, I have numerous blessings to hug on.  Some mommas don't.  It is these mommas that are not even thought about on Mother's Day... the ones who miscarried and as of yet still do not have any children.  And yet, they are mommas as well!  They are the ones that need today - not the flowers, the cards, or the commercialism of Mother's Day, but the love, the encouragement and the prayers!  There are mommas out there that would LOVE the opportunity to have a young child beat on the door while they were going potty, to hear their children bicker, to wipe away tears, to feed every two to three hours during the middle of the night, to love.

So while yes, today is a Happy Mother's Day, it is also a day think about others rather than dwelling on oneself.  To be thankful for your children and your mother.  But also, a day to be prayerful regarding those who long for a child of their own, but for one reason or another, do not have any children.  It is a day to be mindful of others and to give a word of encouragement.

Geography - Ireland

After studying about France, we took our passports and signed into Ireland... What a BEAUTIFUL country! Part of my ancestors came from Ireland, so I've always had a soft-spot for this country.  Thankfully, with the help of Amanda Bennett's unit studies, Confessions of a Homeschooler's blog, and numerous other websites, we were able to three enjoyable weeks learning about this country!

Week 1:
- Stamped our passports
- Looked at general videos of Ireland
- Checked out the capital
- Learned about the Legend of Giant's Causeway
- Studied connemara ponies
- Looked at the Burren
- Studied the Irish Stoat
- Learned about the process of making crystal
- Made Irish Beef and Stout Stew

Week 2:
- Studied the Legend of the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle
- Made our own Blarney Stones
- Learned about Blarney Castle
- Studied about the Irish Setter
- Studied about Galway Sheep
- Learned about the River Shannon
- Made an Ireland Travel Brochure
- Wrote using Celtic Letters

Week 3:

- Studied the Irish Hare

- Looked at Irish money/currency

- Watched videos about Irish hurling

- Looked at the Book of Kells

- Studied some Irish words

- Researched St. Patrick and St Patrick's Day

- Studied the Shamrock

- Learned about the legends of Leprechauns

- Finished our lap books

- Made Irish Cottage Pie

Canning Green Peas

To help lower the cost of produce for our larger family, and to enjoy the vegetables when they are in season, our family is part of a local, yearly, CSA, or community supported agriculture.  This allows us to get locally grown, via organic practices, vegetables all year round.  Recently, our weekly bag has included lots of peas.  Thankfully, we had enough to eat some fresh, along with canning the rest.  Here are some directions to raw canning green peas.

1.  Shell the peas if they are not already shelled.
2.  Wash the peas well, and get your pressure canner, jars, flats and rings ready.

3. In hot jars, fill with raw peas, leaving 1 inch headspace.

4.  Place sterilized flat and ring on jar, tightening.

5.  Place in canner and pressure can per your canner's instructions, for 40 minutes with 10 pounds of pressure.
6.  Let your canner cool naturally, remove the jars, and viola!  You now have yummy canned peas!

GF Cream Filled Strawberry Brownie Cake

Playing on Pinterest, my ds saw the cake by Pillsbury.  Immediately, he requested it for his birthday cake... but Pillsbury doesn't have any GF mixes, and Betty Crocker, which does, doesn't have a strawberry cake mix, or even a good yellow cake mix (we find it grainy and only like their chocolate mix).  And my kiddos need to be gluten free due to allergies!  Soooooo I went on a quest, using Pillsbury's recipe as my basis, to make a GF version of this cake :)

Ingredients:

Brownie layer:
2 Betty Crocker GF brownie mixes
4 eggs
1 stick (half cup) butter, melted

Cake layer:
2.5 C GF flour mix (I use one from Gluten-free Bible)
1 C sugar
2/3 C coconut oil, melted
4 eggs, beaten
3 oz box strawberry gelatin
16 oz container frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 T baking powder
1 t xanthum gum
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt (I prefer celtic sea salt)

Filling:
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter, softened
3 C powdered sugar
8 oz container cool whip, thawed

Frosting and Garnish:
16 oz container cool whip, thawed
2/3 C powdered sugar
3 C sliced, fresh strawberries

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.  Coat three 9 inch round cake pans with melted coconut oil.  Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper.  Oil paper with more coconut oil.

Step 2: In medium bowl, mix brownie ingredients well.  Spread about 1/3 batter into bottom of each pan.

Step 3: In large bowl, combine all ingredients for cake.  Spread 1/3 cake mix over the brownie mix in each of the three cake pans.

Step 4: Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until done in center.  Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then flip out onto cooling racks, removing parchment paper.  Cool until completely cool - about an hour.

Step 5: In medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Beat in the three cups of powdered sugar.  Fold in the cool whip.

Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, beat the thawed 16 oz cool whip with the powdered sugar, for the frosting.

Step 7: Assembling the cake!  Place one cake layer, brownie side down, on the cake platter.  Spread half the filling, from step 5, on top, keeping it within 1/4 inch of the edge.  Top the filling with 3/4 C of the strawberry slices (garnish).  Repeat with the second layer, the second half of the filling, and another 3/4 C of the strawberry slices.  Put the third cake layer on top.  Frost sides and top of the cake with frosting.  Use the remaining 1.5 C of strawberries to decorate the cake.

Step 8: Refrigerate cake for at least an hour, prior to serving.  Enjoy!!! Keep leftovers refrigerated until gone :)

Zoey

A few days before Christmas, we got the word that a litter of puppies we were looking at were ready to leave momma and be adopted out.  We had been working with two German Shepherd Rescues for awhile.  This litter's momma came to them in terrible shape.... terribly malnourished, underweight, and unhealthy!  She had a large litter of eleven puppies - two of which did not survive.  Off we drove to see if we would find our newest family member.

Many wondered why in the world we would want another puppy!  At that point we were in our first trimester of yet another pregnancy.  With five children, another on the way, and a large Dutch Shepherd, why in the world did we want a puppy?  Unfortunately, our dutch shepherd, Stephie, is getting up in years :(  She is 11 or twelve years old, and her arthritis is causing havoc to her body.  She was only coming downstairs twice a day - first thing in the morning to go outside, and again in the evening to eat and go back outside.  Due to her sedentary life and arthritis, she was putting on more weight, causing her life to be even more sedentary.  Our hope was the puppy would do two things: a) bring some life back to Stephie, and b) make it a little easier when Stephie passes.

So why a German Shepherd?  I grew up with my parents owning two white german shepherds.  I quickly learned that they are great protectors, as well as lovable dogs.  After some research, I also learned how trainable they are, dependable, and superb pets.  With the number of children we have, ranging in age, a dog that is gentle, dependable, and also protective is a must!

So here are some pictures of Zoey.... our puppy we adopted from a rescue an hour or two away.  She is a wonderful addition to our family - needs some training, but is bright enough to catch on quickly!

The day we got Zoey - Stephie was trying to figure out why there was a puppy in her yard :)