Just a Daisy in the Meadow

This evening I’m packing up the children right after naps and heading in to town to meet Japheth and then we are taking the children to MEET CURIOUS GEORGE! Imagine the excitement around here . . .

Last evening we had chili for supper. I went to get the cornbread out of the oven. I opened it up and it wasn’t there! . . . just an empty oven!!! So another half an hour and then fresh warm cornbread! (It was kinda hectic around here for a bit at supper time and the batter got forgotten in the mess of the kitchen) . . . I guess I am getting older . . . Friday I turn 30 . . .

Yesterday there was too much bickering, and unkindness amongst our children in their play . . . so today we have prescribed all work, no play. Sometimes I despair of them ever learning . . .

With five little ones, one can almost go crazy, teaching, training and disciplining them cause it’s a non-stop job!!! At times I just want to dig a hole and crawl in it . . . I want to hide . . . I know it’s good for us living in the middle of “Staufferville” (having Grandma and Grandpa and two Aunties all around as we live between their house and Grandpa’s shop and share the same garden and some yard) but at times I just wish they couldn’t SEE everything that goes on here.

We are grateful with the help they’ve given as we can’t be everywhere at once . . .

Sometimes I’d just like to ask God, why. Why does the burden of the discipline fall on us mothers . . . Dad’s are at work most the day . . . and then are tired when they come home and have lots to do . . .

Sometimes I just wonder . . . maybe we shouldn’t have had so many children this close . . . It defiantly would be easier, would it not? If I only had two or three that would be about half the questions and spankings and lectures and scoldings . . .

“Here my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer

From the end of the earth I will cry to You.

When ny heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever.

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings . . .” Psalm 61

Does anyone else ever face this? . . .

This morning I made some muffins . . . were they ever good! . . . But they call for yogurt or sour cream.

This past week we’d ended up with an extra gallon of milk. On Saturday’s Japheth closes his store (which is 30 minutes from home) at 12:00 and runs another 20 minutes away to pick up milk for us and some of our friends and family. Can you believe that we have to travel that far away to get to a dairy farm??? He usually brings about 30 gallons in five gallon buckets. We go through six gallons a week ourselves! . . and that’s without making yogurt or ice cream. The children just love yogurt!!! They’ve been begging for me to make some more, but I just didn’t get around to it till this week and having an extra gallon made me get it done. A blessing, not?

So if ya want to try them out here tis.

Vanilla Yogurt (It really is very easy! . . . and your children will LOVE it! We make it by the gallon.)

1 gallon milk

1 cup instant milk

2 packages of unflavored gelatin

2 cup of plain yogurt

2 tsp of vanilla

sugar to your taste

Put the milk, instant milk and gelatin in a big kettle. Heat to 180 degrees. Put water in your tea kettle and bring to a boil awhile. Cool the milk to 110 degrees. Add plain yogurt and vanilla and sugar. Put in a plastic ice cream pail and set in the microwave with the kettle of boiling water. Let set overnight. (This is not microwaved!!! It just is a good insulated place to keep it warm.) Serve with strawberries or whatever you desire, but save some for your starter (plain yogurt) next time.

Raspberry Muffins

2 cup flour

1\2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1\4 cup melted butter

1 cup yogurt (or you can use sour cream)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I’m sure they would be good without raspberries too!)

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Separately, mix together eggs, butter, yogurt and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Fold in raspberries last. Fill muffin cups 3\4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

And Papa’s off to his world of machines, customers, embroidery designs and so forth . . .

God bless you, Honey!  You are a wonderful father and good provider!

One of those “father and son” talks . . .

I’m three months along now. I thought maybe I’m not quite as tired as before but I’m having a lot of “crash days” after I told that to Japheth. Crash days consist of not being able to wait till the children are down for naps for me to rest. Usually I take advantage of when baby naps in the morning and the rest “run wild”. Today I came down to sugar all over the kitchen floor besides the usual. The big boys were outside and Loraine (bless her heart) was unloading the dishwasher for me with Wayne helping, however this little helper got into the sugar. Sometimes (after the rest that is, when I’m more rested and not before or during), I wonder if the mess was worth the rest?

I am not particularly fond of these days. If you know me, I like to see progress, and not getting much accomplished besides growing baby seems like NOT ENOUGH. But nevertheless I tell myself this is part of package, and IT IS WORTH IT! I just have to think ahead to the little munchkin that will present himself\herself one day.

There is a prospect of us having a nanny for several weeks!!!!!!!! Can this be true????? . . . I ask myself!!! I just stand in awe of God . . . and feel my cup running over with joy and gratefulness to this answer of prayer that I didn’t specifically pray for. Is this some of the “help” I’ve been praying for . . . It certainly has come from the Lord. We did not go out searching for this. God just brought this to us!

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

From whence cometh my help?

My help cometh from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.” - Psalm 121:1