monday watercolors...

using watercolors to draw what they are learning. Today was "sharks" .... at this age, though it may not "look" anything like the subject...it's still awesome to see what they come up with.

Oh yeah, I joined in the fun a little too....I am wishing for spring...can't you tell?

:)

Also, I am 12 weeks today! Yippeeeee!

hopefully it is goodbye to morning sickness soon for me... second trimester, you're 

looking pretty rad right now :)

plus one...

Sooooo....

I guess it's finally time to let the cat out of the bag...

this family of four is well on our way to being a family of five!

Look out Brady Bunch lol.

We are super excited...and all the guys in my house want this little one to

be a girl...ya know, spice things up a little!

bread chronicles v.1

I am on a mission.

Neatly put, in a nutshell, this means a whole plethora of things...primarily that

I have found a new "kick" or hobbie (for lack of a better word) that I am

obsessed passionate about. The Mr. would more likely categorize this

as possessed but any-who.

What is this mission you ask?

Bread.

that's right, good-old, country unifying, butter-lovin,

homemade

bread.

I have to find the perfect homemade loaf.

why?

Don't ask me that...

because, other than, I cannot pronounce

half of the "ingredients" (much less tell you what they actually are)

that are in a store bought loaf of bread....I can't really tell ya.

Although, that is a pretty good reason if you ask me.

I love baking.

I love teaching my kiddos to bake.

....and they love eating it

....

well most of the time.

I need 

(wow, aren't I dramatic)

to find the perfect homemade bread recipe

the kind that goes well with everything...

dress it up, dress it down...

ya know, the little black dress of breads.

So.... I tried my first (of the year) made from scratch bread 

( I've made other semi-scratch, or frozen already this year but not completely from scratch)

today. 

I was meh, sort of pleased, I guess.... it is the kind of bread you like to eat with

a thick spread of salty, fresh butter. This bread is not sweet at all...not in the slightest...so I wouldn't say

I have "found the one" yet...but it was a decent start. Also, since I didn't have any yeast at all on hand (silly me) it worked out well....since it is a no-yeast , no knead bread. Really simple and also great if you have a yeast allergy.

Here is the recipe ( which I found here )

Ingredients

3 cups flour ( I used whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 teaspoons of baking powder

I tablespoon olive oil ( I used grapeseed oil)

2 cups water

Directions

Before you start mixing, pre-heat your oven to 400F or 200C. 

You can make different variations by changing the type of flour, 

add sugar for a sweeter bread or different types of oil. 

The really adventurous might try adding some favorite herbs for a more exotic flavor.

* I did add a pinch of salt, in retrospect I would have added more.

Try it if you like...and let me know what you think....especially those of you who have less of 

a sweet tooth and lean toward the salty side....

Happy Baking!

Oh ps! If you have an amazing bread recipe....blow my comments up!!! I want to try it out so

share, share, share!!!!

... all in good time

13 days into the new year...2013...and I am just sitting down to express my blessings to you all and your

families... Happy New Year!!! I am so thankful to see you all still around during my absence...

I believe your patience is astounding... 

Life has been happening here...

and that I cannot be regretful of.

The only thing I wish is that I had documented it a 

little bit better, perhaps.

While away, we took walks, dressed up in silly

Christmas pajamas, wrote letters to Santa, had dance

parties, nursed sick littles back to health from the sniffles, baked tons

of cookies....and so much more.

No, no regrets here.

So many changes already yes? I feel like change is happening

all around at a rocket's pace...

sometimes I wish...even will it to slow down...

but good change nonetheless.

You all are such sweet friends, and I am hoping that you all

are excited about this new year, and are doing well.

The picture above kind of sums up how we feel about this year...

we plan to have lots of fun together... I hope that shows

through here as well. Lots of learning, lots of loving, 

and much more sharing.

I hope to see you all throughout the year!

Also, I would love to update my blogroll so if we have not "officially" introduced, please

send me your blog links and/or links to some you think I may enjoy! I would love to say hi!

xoxo

it's nice...

... being these two studs' mom.

Last Saturday  the husband planned the entire day for us...

We rode a ferry to an old fort, played, created & explored at

the children's museum and got to eat at an old favorite pizza shop

that we used to love when we lived in NC (we were so excited to find one here!)...

and we got to walk around and explore...finishing the day off with a little park fun...

and a local band performance ( I can never pass that up)... which we absolutely 

jammed out to. 

I would go adventuring any day with these guys...

 ♥

what have you been up to lately?

...the sparrow

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them

falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs on your 

head are numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Matthew 10:29-31

Fathom that will you?

...that in your smallest, darkest moment...

when you feel so obsolete and unimportant

...the most alone....

that there is God...

and He knows everything about you and I

and is there alongside us

when we most need it.

He is even present for the smallest of these

...even a sparrow...

...and when I have nothing to say...

and when my mind draws a blank

or even when it flows with thought...

this one concept...this passage

can floor me to humility.

* I have been silent for a while... staying busy, refocusing, living... I have loved this season

but missed also, my little space for thoughts and writing...I think the fall weather has brought back

my love for this space and I hope to rekindle it again.... Cool weather always reminds me 

to write, to read, to create...to hibernate and re-energize from a long and lively summer.

There is a season for it all, indeed.

...with silver bells...

I love growing things.

Before we moved from NC, I spent

my entire summer working on our garden

...it was huge and we fed the neighborhood, family

and friends with our crop.

That hasn't been so long ago really

but today it felt like a lifetime away

...a dream.

I am grateful that our new home

has a large enough yard to grow...

and I am already making preparations 

for a garden next year...

much smaller, more urban-esque...

more suited to our surroundings

but my excitement is almost edible.

My favorite thing about this home 

(besides the yard that is)

is our back patio...

it's a mini-oasis

and I have turned it into

my "substitute" garden

for the time being

...I even tried my hand at herbs

since it fits well in smaller

areas and I have the greatest joy

going out there to pluck basil or parsley

for dinner.

Since I haven't really documented on here

all of my little plants

(... If you follow me on ig you have

probably seen them...)

I thought I would snap a few of

them to share with you all.

Have you ever planted a garden? What did you grow?

I would love to hear (and even see) all about it if you'd like

to share!

Happy Wednesday dear friends.