Leah's Pumpkin Pie

Leah made the most delicious pumpkin pie last week, and I could eat it!  Let me repeat myself.  My almost 8 year old daughter was yet again baking, (a magic she inherited from her aunt, not me) and made a pumpkin pie that I can eat.

A little background:  I've never had pumpkin pie before.  I don't know what it is supposed to taste like, but this was finger licking, pan licking good!  I married a man who happens to really like pumpkin pie.  On our first Thanksgiving as a married couple I made a pumpkin pie.  I found a recipe that was gluten, dairy, and egg free.  It had tofu in it.  We literally gagged on it and could not scrape it into the garbage fast enough.  If I recall correctly,  even the dog would not touch it.  I vowed that no matter how much I loved my husband, I would not attempt to make another pumpkin pie for him.  I faithfully kept that vow for 13 years.  I plan to break it on Thursday, and see if can replicate Leah's delectable desert.

Here is her recipe.

In case you are not well versed in phonetic spelling:
3 c. pumpkin
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tb. maple syrup
1 pinch pumpkin pie spice
Bake for 45 min. at 425 degrees.

She used this for her crust:
8 oz. rice flour
1/2 c. oil
1/8 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
Add water last.  Roll between wax paper.

Happy baking and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Umbrellas

Our children fight in the most bizarre ways.  There is very little "She's looking at me!" or "He's breathing the same air as I am!  Make him stop!"  We all get along fairly well these days.  It's nice.  This morning there was a spat, over the weather and temperature in countries half way round the world.  seriously.

David loves to play Axis and Allies.  He just turned 9.  He's played the game for two years.  He knows geography like no body's business.  Sarah loves roll playing games and to create her own scenarios for them.  She's almost 11 1/2.  She knows well, more then I do about so many different things.  They invented a game yesterday on the eight hour car drive back from Pennsylvania.  It uses the Axis and Allies board, but there are different developing nations that roll to see if it's a good year for herbs, meat, grain, their ports, etc.  I think it is FreeCiv with a role playing twist?  I'm not sure.  They played it for hours in the van.  They played it for hours this morning.  But here is how it ended:

Geography dude claimed that since the cities he was developing in Spain and Ukraine ("For the last time Sarah! It's not Israel!  It's Ukraine!!") were on the same latitude lines he could build similar cities there and use similar material.
Detail oriented, authentic, perfectionist chick could not allow this.  They were in different parts of the world.  There must be different temperatures and climates.

They both were right, but they were not happy to hear that from me, and it did not give them a solution.  I decided the weather might be able to solve this for us.  (We do not argue with the weather in this family.  That rule was set 9 years ago.)  In Spain right now it's in the 60s and there's sun for the next three days.  In the Ukraine in the area where David's settling, it's in the mid-50s with downpours for the next three days.  David is right.  There are similar temperatures.  Sarah is right.  The weather is drastically different, and he may want to consider different materials to accommodate that.  Solution?  Pack extra umbrellas.

Leah, fairies, death, and dreams

This is exactly the discussion I had with my six year old (WHEN did she become six??  I know when she turned six, but that doesn't mean a child becomes this age.  Anyhow,) at six am.  We were working on helping her back to sleep, and I wasn't sleeping, so I figured it was best to blog about it.

Leah asked for her bed to be made.  She's been sleeping in a small play hut that we got them for Christmas since, they got it in the beginning of January.  Don't ask me why.  She's been sleeping there and has mostly put herself to sleep at a reasonable hour.  I am not asking any questions.  I thought this was pretty special to want to be back in her own bed, so I asked what sheets she wanted, "polka dots, fairies, or flowers?"  The response: "Well, polka dots are in nature.  On leopards you know?"  "Does this mean polka dots?"  "Yes."

As Jesse made the bed I lay back down in our bed with her.  I mentioned cheerily that the fairy sheets also had polka dots on them, (only because I had almost mixed them up, looking for a set.)  "Mom.  When you look and look for something for a long time and you do not see it.  It is not real."

A short side track:  Fairies to our girls are like Santa to most.  I love for it to gradually fade or always remain.  Some time between November and December, Leah decided that fairies did not exist because she had never seen one.  I was crushed.  Crushed mostly because she had an entire world built around fairies.  She spent entire hikes telling her grandfathers stories about the fairies, for hours, for years.  (I am so grateful they recorded some of those in their hike journals.)  Leah and fairies were never to be separated, and she was an expert on them.  She'd tell you that too!  Having all this suddenly change came as a shock, and I missed that "little girl" belief and wonderment that disappeared in an instant.  She is enamored with gnomes now.  I'm not sure how long it will last, since she is trying to catch one, but she tells me stories about why they do not want her to see them, so there is still hope.

"I don't know..."  I hadn't ever really talked with her about her decided disbelief.  "What about God?  I believe in..."  I was cut off.  She said with the *knowing* tone, "There is a time you see God."  "When do you see God?"  "When you die."

This, took me by surprise.  I think every parent is when they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that their child suddenly knows about death and understands some small part of it and is thinking about it enough that it comes up in casual conversation.  Casual conversation!  But that's just how Leah is.  She just knows and brings things up casually.

After six seconds of silence, I continued talking about something else.  I can't even remember.  But then I came back, "Who told you that?"  "Mom, I learned it at church."  I'm thinking: good, you're learning something at church (no CCD or Sunday school, just church.)  not so good: I want you to see God in more times and places than just death.  Mental note to remember to work on that.

Then we talked more about fairies.  She talked about how some of our stuffed animals and toys could be real (cats and dogs) and some could not (Care-Bears and Legos) and how it was still fun to play with them all.  (This was another piece I sorely missed, the complete shift in play.  All the fairy dolls, the fairy house we built for her when she was three, the fairy wings, all neglected.)  So maybe if fairies were not real, she could still play with them?

"Maybe fairies could still live in your imagination?" 

"You know mom, people do dream their imagination."

And with that she crawled out of my bed, said, "I love you." and made her way to fairy dream land.

darndest things

I'm not sure about all the other kids out there, but mine say the oddest, most spectacular things when they are 5, or about to turn 5. Well, no. Sarah started early and hasn't stopped, but that's Sarah for you. Leah is almost 5. Recently I've heard:

"Drat!"

"I got it! When I grow up, I can be your girlfriend! Sound good?" me: "oh, yes! It does!"

"Mommy, you need to change your underwear. If you do not put on new underwear, then you need to change it. You really should change your underwear." (What?? I think she's heard this recently, directed to her.)

"Excuse me! I'm not going bananas over here, but I did ask for some cocoa!" (Leah calls warmed soy milk cocoa.)

"Let's turn our house into a museum!"

"This says 'word', right?"

"Oh! 12 take away 7 is 5, and 12 take away 5 is 7!"

"Catch this, Mom!" (Meaning, look at me while I practice a dance step or some other physical feat.)

"If I have enough money when I grow up, I'm going to be a mommy just like you."

worth it!

Ta-dahh! Today Sarah and I made THIS:

Jesse took some pictures for me.

From 1:45pm-9:45pm we worked. She dictated. I typed. She chose colors and fonts. I formatted. I cut. She glued. She planned. I glued. (There's 2.5 glue sticks of glue on that thing, and over 100 dots of craft glue.) We love it. The presentation board is complete!

Want to know what she had to say while we were working on it? "You're wonderful Mom! I mean, you're working with me on my poster, and that's not easy. You are a wonderful teacher. You are so patient! No wonder people want you to teach young children."

Talk about a still heart moment! And that was just what I needed to hear, after working with her for hours on end with mastitis. I'm so proud of all she's done and love her so.

Sweet Science

Does sugar make kids hyper? This is Sarah's question for her GUESS science fair project. Big one. Last year she wanted to invent a telaportation device or a horizontal elevator. Needless to say, we did not participate. This year, sweet success! We agreed on a project. We have a notebook with notes. We made charts together. Graphs and poster boards loom in our future. This has not been a smooth sail, but we're keeping at it.

The conversations we've had, the things she's thought of are simply amazing. She wanted various ages. She listed the variables she could think of. She listed what she wanted to use to identify "hyper". She also explained to me in detail why she did not want to use children who were actively nursing in the study. They may like their breast milk more than the candy. The breast milk may interfere with their behavior. (Makes an LLL leader proud!)

Today was the first of two experimental playdates. 6 kids, ages 3-9. 2 bowls of candy, one full of sugar, the other sugar free. 2 hours of observation. Sarah was so excited! So excited in fact, she was the most hyper kid in the house! Volume, Activeness, Agreeableness all were duly noted. She hasn't drawn any conclusions yet, so I cannot say much more. However, I did make some observations of my own. My favorite was that before the sugar/sugar free was introduced there was a tussle. The children involved held discussions with their mothers, but were not ready to interact with each other. Soon after the candy, they apologized, heard each other out, dialogued, etc. "I'm sorry. I did it to get your attention. I just wanted to play with you." "But that doesn't make me want to play with you! It makes me want to play with you less!" "Oh, OK." That was between 9 and 6 year old boys, and was enough for them to go on playing for another two hours.

With those kind of results, I may just serve sugar at all future playdates!

A great big THANK YOU! to the mamas who brought their little ones over today.

Sarah couldn't do this without them, or you.

Growing Girls

Anna started to scoot herself backwards today. She does not like it in the least. She sees something she wants, goes for it, but only ends up further away. The poor thing just puts her head down and cries in frustration.

Yesterday Leah read the entire first book, the A book, in the Sing Spell Read and Write series. I used a process to teach Sarah and David how to read. Leah taught herself when she was three. Now she yells at me, "I want to read!"

Sarah peeked in the older Presidential class at co-op today. She was invited in and loved it. The teacher sought me out to let me know that she's always welcome, in a class geared towards the 13 and up crowd. (Now I want to take the class!)

My girls are growing up! (David too. I promise to post about him later this week.)

Dress-up Day

I think this is what we should call Halloween 'round here. That is what it is all about for us - dressing up. Not that my children mind walking door to door and having candy fill their buckets and bags, but they love to dress up. Without further adieu, I present:

the cutest pumpkin ever!

a pink cowgirl with a pink horse

the knight who was a cowboy earlier in the day

a beautiful butterfly

stopping for sugar on the way home

crossing the bridge

We ate dinner after collecting buckets of loot that were so heavy they couldn't carry them home. I pushed it back in the stroller. Everyone agreed to get some good food in their tummies before diving into the pools of sweetness. We don't set any limits. A few times a year they can have all the sugar they want. Also, there is no chocolate in this house. We're all allergic to it. The kids sell their chocolate to us, and Jesse hands it out to his college students. The going rate is 5 cents a piece. They each made around $3.00 this year, but I gave them $5 since that's what I had. Everyone ran to put their bills in their banks, so I guess it's being saved this year.

Speaking of savings, I spent not one penny on costumes this year. Anna wore a sweat-suit I bought Leah four years ago. Leah wore the pink cowgirl hat I bought for her dance recital last year - $3 thrift store. I know the horse was a Goodwill find as well, but that was more than six years ago. David was going to be this knight last year. The sword in sheath (that is barely visible) was his treat from Busch Gardens two summers ago. Helmet - 75 cents. Breastplate - 99 cents. Sarah was going to wear butterfly wings I found at a garage sale for $1. Those were not working in the morning, so ones that we received as a Leah birthday gift last year made a fine substitute. Jesse wore a kimono his mother gave us years ago and a hat he got while in China. I wore his cowboy hat and my suede, lace-up, skinny boots. What a fun Dress-up Day!

Three in One, Plus Some

Anna is teething. When Sarah got a tooth, she did not sleep well. When David got a tooth, he got a slight fever. When Leah got a tooth, her nose was runny. When Anna gets a tooth: she doesn't sleep well, she gets a fever, her nose runs, she's cranky and she poops a lot. Heavens! Oh, she also begs for soy ice cream. (Have you ever noticed a dog panting, sitting beside the table? Well, this is what Anna does when you get out the ice cream or pour yourself a glass of water. She also waves her arms up and down. So, imagine a dog panting excitedly, bouncing on their hind legs, waving their little front paws, perhaps grunting a bit in their effort to communicate, and that's Anna.)

We've been at this for a month now. The morning of September 13th marked the beginning of the end of my sanity. Well, the whole teething on a plane ride back from my grandma's funeral was when I lost the sane part. Two more teeth appeared on October 1st. Number four arrived on the 11th, and she's showing no signs of stopping folks. I sure am glad they look so darn cute!

overheard

We are on vacation. The days are filled with visiting, fixing, exploring. Our second trip is usually in August, to PA, but we bumped it up this year. More on that later. Here are snippets of what I've heard today:

Anna: "aaahhhaa" She's cooing and smiling at everyone and letting the great grandma and grandmas hold and oogle over her and even put her to sleep.
Leah: "I'm going to make a pizza and store it for winter. Isn't that a good idea?" prancing about Grandma's kitchen with a freezer storage container

David: nothing Sorry folks. He was on the roof, fixing that, all day yesterday. Today was spent in the great grandparents' cottage fixing the floor and under the mower, well, fixing the mower. And starting the mower and driving the mower. That is a dream come true. The boy's second word was "gractr", meaning he wanted a ride. Now he can drive. Needless to say, I haven't seen or heard much from him these days.

Sarah: "Well, if this was a fantasy book, this would be the answer. But, it isn't. So this is the answer." studying for her end of 3rd grade test. Sarah too has been off and about. The only time I hear from her is when we are driving to see another friend and studying in the van.

I love vacations...

Super Sarah

Miss Sarah has a blog! Go check it out!

http://www.supersarahr.blogspot.com/

baby giggles

Here's my first video clip, and it is worth it!

Anna's ticklish already, so this is not her first laugh. This is her first time laughing at something - her siblings bouncing on the beds. Oh! do I love baby giggles.

I can...

hold my head up and blow bubbles.

I love...

Baby Toes

photo credit to Sarah

First Bath

Confession: Cleanliness of the body is not the highest priority here. Or rather it's not an obsession here as it has become in our current culture. Children are soaped up once a week. Dirty summer feet are rinsed at night. And our baby was not bathed until she was 3 weeks old.


Everyone is healthy. =)

I Spy

something yellow

It's Spring!

(and Anna, of course)

credit for the first three photographs goes to Sarah

Anna on March 10

What everyone has to say...

Copy this note, ask your kid(s) the questions and write them down exactly how they respond.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
s: We'll work on it.
d: It's time to do math.
l: okay
a: hello, Anna

2. What makes mom happy?
s: when I take care of my brother and sister
d: when I say please
l: helping her
a: when I latch properly

3. What makes mom sad?
s: when I hurt my brother and sister
d: when I hurt someone
l: not helping her
a: when I forget to latch properly

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
s: by tickling me!
d: She tickles you.
l: by telling silly jokes
a: I don't laugh yet

5. What was your mom like as a child?
s: She had alot of allergies.
d: I can't remember.
l: being a good child
a: ohh

6. How old is your mom?
s: 29
d: I don't know.
l: I do not know how old you are.
a: 10 months

7. How tall is your mom?
s: no idea, all I know is that she's taller than me
d: I don't know.
l: really tall
a: tall

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
s: She likes to sit down and listen to me read to her.
d: nurse baby sister
l: play and take care of the baby
a: sleep

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
s: I have no idea.
d: She takes care of baby sister.
l: (after much thought, whispered) I do not know
a: but she's always around

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
s: her teaching
d: babysitting
l: dancing
a: babies

11. What is your mom really good at?
s: taking care of children
d: nursing baby sister
l: taking care of the baby
a: I defer to my siblings.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
s: not much
d: I can't think of anything.
l: playing with Moe
a: no response

13. What does your mom do for her job?
s: teaches!
d: She teaches at co-op.
l: take care of the baby
a: nurse

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
s: healthy food
d: red lentils
l: carrot soup
a: jello

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
s: She can handle four children.
d: I don't really know.
l: helping her take care of the baby
a: we nurse

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
s: She'd be a homeschool mom.
d: Enchanted, the one who goes back to the fairy land at the end and brings her cell phone and she throws it on the ground, but she used to be in the real world
l: a princess, since princesses are really tall
a: that cow goddess

17. What do you and your mom do together?
s: do school
d: We do math.
l: take care of the baby
a: nurse, sleep

18. How are you and your mom the same?
s: We both have brown hair and we are both girls.
d: I know how to cook sausages, and my mom knows how to cook sausages.
l: because we are both people
a: we ARE the same

19. How are you and your mom different?
s: I have more energy.
d: My mom can cook red lentil soup and I can't.
l: because we don't do the same things
a: but we ARE the same

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
s: I just know it.
d: She says, "I love you."
l: because she says that
a: we nurse

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
s: to her mommy friends' houses
d: to yoga
l: to the playground, because then her children can play
a: to bed

Introducing...

Anna Claire

Mama's Darling

Daddy's Delight

Doted on by all!!

Welcome!

Friday's Favorite Valentine

There are hearts and cards and creations everywhere here.

Earlier in the week, Leah asked to play with our Little People. (They're in the bedroom closet.) Soon David and Sarah joined her. However, Leah wanted to play by herself. I explained to Sarah and David how Leah always had playmates i.e. siblings, and right now she really wanted some time to herself. This "rejection" prompted a Valentine.