too many moments for just one

Every Friday I enjoy posting a moment of our week.  It is great for many reasons but most of all, it keeps me looking for a moment throughout the day. With three little ones and a husband who is away, finding a 'moment' amidst the chaos is often a blessing. 

This week I just have too many to pick just one. I had it all ready and then I got another moment yesterday that beats them all.

With the bitterly cold weather, we've huddled inside dreaming of spring and superheros, trying to walk but laughing too hard to actually do much, and eating popcorn and cake for dinner.

Yarn Along Wednesday

Participating in a weekly Yarn Along...

This week I am still working on my Urbana that was a Christmas gift from my week little bairns. They have enjoyed asking me (repeatedly) if that is my present I am doing which makes me want to knit it all the more.  I finished my yellow sweater I had posted last week and once it is dry it will have a photo shoot and be ready to snuggle into.

I'm not currently reading any novels yet but hope to soon as a sweet friend suggested a great sounding one but I am listening to my endless parade of audiobooks.  Audiobooks truely are a knitters best friend. I just finished the last one of a four book series, Scandal In Spring.  A great romantic, supermarket check out type of novel.  Easy listening.  My boys are having me read endless amounts of superhero books and dinosaur books. My oldest is having a dinosaur birthday party so his desire to have me read all things dino has increased ten fold.  I swear I have never used my phonic capabilities for sounding out words as much as I have in the last 2 years of my life lol.  

I made it and they ate it

Since I don't get a 'good job here is an ipad for your work', for my job, I have to celebrate my small accomplishments with empty dishes.  To make something that all three of my kids will and can (since I have a new eater) eat is worth celebrating to me!

Our family loves soups.  I love to make them.  I love to use my big red pot.  I love the smell.  I love the dish to wash.

Today I made a black bean soup.  It was delicious. My almost 5 year old ate two bowls.  It wasn't even pureed and was nice and chunky.  Since I always try and make something some one else says their kids will eat, I thought I should share this simple soup.

Ingredients:

1 jalapeno pepper -seeded/ribbed
1 med. onion
2 gloves garlic
2 tbsp butter
3 c. chicken stock
24 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can black beans
1 14 oz. can corn
1 pkg. low fat turkey kielbasa sausage
2 tbsp. dried italian flake mix
1 c. cream
salt/pepper to taste
homemade croutons

Chop jalapeno peppers being careful to remove the hot ribs/seeds.  Chop onion and garlic.  Saute all three in 2 tbsp. butter and 1 cup of chicken stock until onions are translucent.  Add 2 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning, tomatoes, beans, and corn. Add remaining cups of chicken stock.  Once well mixed and boiling, add chopped sausage, reduce to simmer and cook for 30-1 hr. on low, uncovered.

Once in bowl, add cream, salt, and pepper to taste.  Add homemade croutons.  Enjoy!

Homemade croutons are a new addition to my menu for the boys.  I always make two loaves of wheat bread a week and we don't always get to them.  Using these through out the week has proven to be great for croutons and I don't have left over bread on Sundays when I bake again.  Plus, Logan likes them as snacks!

To make them, slice appropriate sized bites and place in a plastic bag with 4 tbsp. of olive oil, garlic, salt or any other flavors you like.  Spread out on a cookie sheet and cook for 10 min. at 400.  Shake once or twice while cooking.

how are they getting so big

It occured to me that I need to blog more about my babies.  I'm sure the few 'readers' I have would rather me show them and talk about our family life than rattle on about the wonders of wool and needles.

My family life is fun.  Really fun.  My babies are lots of fun (almost) all of the time.  It has really struck me just lately how big my babies have gotten.  I do refer to all of them as my babies.  They actually like it - for now - so I am going with it.

Reagan is getting bigger by the day.  He looks different now.  Although he is still very cushy and easy to snuggle and is recently going through a stage of finding himself in our bed several times a night, he is growing up.  He loves school so much and I find him practicing often in his room at his "office".  He wants to read really bad and I can't wait until he can find a book to sink himself in with.  I imagine I'll find him nestled into corners lost in some printed adventure.

 My Mason has started to like going school and is starting to really try in all areas of daily life.  Even at home he is getting better with tantrums and battles.  He has taught us that you really have to pick your battles with him.  Not much will work and when we pick it, boy, you better see it all the way through!  For example, if he wants to be a certain super hero for the day, he needs to be it and we must figure out how it will happen.  A diva is a diva even if he is a boy.  At school he is showing how much he has grown with taking his time.  Before, his coloring would be all over the place and he would not care or try to follow what he is asked to do.  This week he came home with this masterpiece.  It promptly went on the frig followed by a round of applause from his older brother (which really makes all the difference to him). 

The baby of the babies is getting so big too.  Just this week he has started to 'cruise' from one of the couch to the next.  Since his favorite thing to do is knock stuff down, he is starting to get around pretty easily.  Today he discovered something new...he can push something and walk!  He is so funny when he does it and laughs so hard!

this moment...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.  via Soulemama

holiday knitting

This year, I knitted a lot for the holidays. I also took advantage of all my family and knitted a lot during our holiday travels.  Rather than linking and discussing every yarn and pattern used, you can find information on my ravelry projects page. Most were Christmas gifts but I've been on a kick to knit for me so I can reduce my overwhelming yarn stash!

umm...I think I might have an obsession!

Yarn Along Wednesday

I've quite neglected my blog lately.  I do have things to blog about, I really do but it just seems to be the last thing on my list lately.  I plan on posting a large post about my holiday knitting...hopefully today but here is my Yarn Along for the week!

Currently I'm working on a few projects.  I used to only do one at a time as something unfinished (knitting wise) would drive me nuts-sewing, scrap booking, cleaning...not so much.  I've gone as far as I can on a sweater I'm working on (for me!) using fun bulky wool yarn.  I have a lofty goal of working through my yarn stash.  While it isn't as extensive as some people, it is a lot and that isn't counting my undyed from my "old" business that needs to be dyed and knitted one of these days.  My first stash busting project of the year is a Seamless Raglan Sweater. I love Elizabeth Zimmermann.  I love her patterns and how she was.  I can read her books over and over and never tire of them.  She was just a fiber genius.