Where did our summer go?

Do you remember as a kid summer vacation was so fun. We were so carefree and living each day playing with neighborhood friends while our imaginations were up somewhere in the clouds. It was fun to be off, and it was very fulfilling. Then as we got into the higher grades we started to realize wow- we only have THREE months off of school?--wow, how did that feel like an eternity as a kid? Now as an adult to 6 kids I feel like I'm racing time and its gone with the blink of an eye. It was just winter! There is no way its already Sept! No stinking way! HOW!? Last year we went to the beach a lot, or to the pool. We went to the parks every week with my close friends, where I could have that fellowship. We went to church every Sunday. We went to the library. We went to the Farmers Market once or twice a week. We went strawberry picking. We preserved everything possible. Strawberries I made into Jam, as well as canned lots of applesauce, tomatoes, and peaches. We used to eat raw foods all summer; and oh-corn on the cob! mmmm!!!
I was making my own lotions, soaps, and savs. This year, we have done nothing! We have had corn on the cob only twice! We are home all the time. The kids are making their own memories playing with their neighbor friends every day. Part of me says well I can interfere with their play and just take them somewhere. But then I feel guilty because even though we are not doing what I remember to be fun. THEY are having fun with their neighborhood friends, and their imaginations are up somewhere in the clouds. They have a pool and a trampoline here to play in. They have their neighbors tree house to play in. They have their bikes to ride. Most importantly, their perception of time hasn't had the plunge of reality kill it yet. So I guess even though my summers is gone and not spent as ideally as I would have liked to. I know my kids don't see it that way. Along with the older kids, I do still have two kids under two. I have to believe that this too is a season of life that too shall pass.
That doesn't mean I'm ready for leaves to change and snow to come here devilishly early though. 

ELF ON THE SHELF

Everyone ready for a new month of Elf on the Shelf? My kids loved this so much last year. We are getting ready for Eddies arrival. I thought I'd share some of the ideas that we did last year.

He ate all the cookies out of the cookie jar.

He had no reindeer so he used my daughters whale. (she got a big hoot out of this one)

After eating so many sweets at the NP he wanted to brush his teeth.

Hes a lil graffiti guy.

He was captured by our boys army men when he tried to return.

He wanted us to make pancakes with sprinkles for breakfast

Just playing a game of candyland.

He got bored and decided to decorate our tree some more.

Snow angels!

Decorated our light fixture and was found upside down.

Mustaches for all...

Whoops I ate all of your candy.

Wanted to be apart of snap crackle and pop!

Found a reindeer!

Oh and bob cat was festive too!

Exit night back to the north pole with a letter I wrote.

Crockpot freezer meals and more

My most recent goal for myself was to start doing freezer meals. I have done 30 so far, and I have 13-15 left more to do. I have the ingredients but ran out of freezer space so I'm on a freeze. teehee Any how, I didn't know that others would be so interested in this as well.

I mostly followed this link. 40 meals in 4 hrs. I didn't make them all though, as we have so many roasts already frozen, I figured they'd be a quick crock pot meal already in itself. Also she has another page called 20 meals in 2 hrs. After I made these at home. I went to my friend Shannon's house, where 5 of us did some more freezer meals. We each brought home 6 meals, and it wasn't work at all it was all fun! 
Here are the 5 recipes: (6 as the potpie is for two recipes):
5 more recipes

Chicken Potpies

4 C cubed cooked chicken

4 C frozen cubed hash brown potatoes

1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed veggies

1 can (10 ¾  oz) condensed cream of onion soup, undiluted

1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 C milk

1 C sour cream

2 TBSP all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 package refrigerated pie pastry

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Divide between two 9-inch deep-dish pie plates. Roll out pastry to fit top of each pie. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in middle.

Cover and freeze up to 3 months

To back: Remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover edges loosely with foil; place on baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350; remove foil and bake 50-55 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Each pie yields 6 serving (directions make 2 pies)

Chicken and Rice

1 c. long grain rice

3 c. water

2 t. bouillon granules

1 cancr of chicken soup

1 16 oz bag broccoli

2-3 chicken breasts, frozen

¼ t garlic powder

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in freezer bag, label and freeze.

On cooking day, cook on high 3-4 hours.  Once cooked, chop up chicken breasts.  If too runny, remove lid from slow cooker for 15 minutes while cooking on high

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken  ( I think this one is also in recipes above so I may have two)

Serving Size: 8 serving

    2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

    1 t dried oregano

    1/2 t Lawry's Seasoning Salt

    1/4 t ground pepper

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    1 t dried parsley

    3 T lemon juice

    1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Place all ingredients in freezer bag

 Cook 6-8 hours on low depending on your slow cooker.Serve over rice or buttered egg noodles.

Ranch Chicken

6 chicken breasts cut in half

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 packet ranch dressing seasoning

5 large potatoes diced

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal getting as much air out as possible.  Place in freezer and forget it!  On cooking day, place contents of bag in your crock pot.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink and potatoes are tender.  Enjoy!  I like to serve this with a side salad and breadsticks.

Italian Chicken

6 chicken breasts cut in half

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 packet Italian dressing seasoning

1 can green beans drained

1 1/2 cups mini carrots

Wide noodles cooked to package instructions

Directions:

Place all ingredients except noodles in a gallon freezer bag. Seal getting as much air out as possible. Place in freezer and forget it!  On cooking day, place contents of bag in your crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink and carrots are tender.  Serve over cooked wide noodles.  Enjoy!  

For the Chili, I tweaked Cozy Country Living's recipe. I added everything on the list but instead I did one large can of crushed tomatos, one large can of stewed tomatoes, and one large can of tomato sauce. 1 small can of kidney beans, one small can of pinto beans, and one small can of black beans all drained and rinsed, and then one can of chili beans (whole can undrained). I didnt add the corn either. 

Allow it to cool if you precook anything (which you shouldn't have to) I divided the two pots into 2 bags each so 6 total bags. freeze flat. 

My lasagna: I just put small amt of meat tomato sauce on the bottom, (I already have a tomato sauce with the garlic's and herbs.- use what you like) Layer 4 noodles, spread with ricotta, spread more meat sauce over it, small amt of mozzarella cheese, and layer another layer the same way. Whats nice about lasagna is that you can eye ball it and not screw it up. Froze in a foil pan. (some will freeze in foil pan then take it out remove from pan and place into freezer baggy.) I just put foil over the lasagna itself, and then covered again with more foil around the pan. I wanted to make 3 lasagna and 3 Shepherds Pies (recipes) but my freezer is full!! I am attending a Wild Tree party next month too where I will make and bring home 10 more. Good grief whats a mama to do?

As for how they all taste I have absolutely no clue... I bagged them in freezer bags, and sealed the air out by hand. Froze them flat so they're easier to stack on each other. 

to find out or not to find out

With our last child I went into the anatomy scan to see how baby was doing. I said to the US tech that I did not want to know what we were having. ONLY if they were 100% sure they could tell what it was I wanted them to write it down on a sheet of paper for IF and WHEN we wanted to know. Well the US tech could not tell- okay bummer, but OKAY thats fine better yet we could easily be team green now! Well when the Dr. comes in I repeated what I said to the US tech. He is looking and he says "Yep, thats what it is, write it down." I'm excited now! Yay they can tell! The tech skeptically looks at the Dr, and the screen and seems slow to write it out" Fast forward: my husband and I one night are sitting on the couch with envelope in hand discussing do we find out or not? We decide to open it- EEK here it goes. He sees it and smiles and hands it to me! Its what I felt it would be- Congrats its a GIRL! WOW YAY! time to find pink time to find purple-- oh all these diapers I get to find! Fast forward again: I had a homebirth- I remember it to this day- baby is delivered in my living room, Im facing the wall and husband is saying with this positive tone... uh oh uh oh! I turn around to face them.... in SHOCK... "THATS....NOT....A GIRL! I'm shocked,..I'm stunned,... I loved him yes but I grieved the loss of this child I made these emotional connections with.. that I made life plans for. It sounds so weird I know but it took days for me to get used to this. I would have rather not known at all then to know it this way.
It was Gods hand on me saying "Silly girl, see! didn't you know that your not meant to find out, this is in my hands not your doctors."

So my big question is: I don't do very well with this baby patience thing. I realize that if I risk finding out this could happen again. BUT goodness I really want to know. I have the choice to find out in a couple weeks. Its the race for the boys (3) and the girls (2) what will it be?  Do we wait to find out? What are the pros to waiting? How do you do it? This baby will be born in the winter which is my first so the clothing wont be as prepared etc. Vote!

Blessing Number 6 coming in January 2014

Number 6 yes! Its wonderful isn't it? God has shown his grace once again.
Well we were a little bit more nontraditional this time around and didn't tell anyone until about 4 months along. Lots of people just have too many opinions these days about large families. This always seems so comical to me because its not like we are poor, its not like we neglect our children. We choose to raise them in a christian home. Yet everyone has an OPINION and feel the need to tell you what that is. God says "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”so yes unfortunately we will always have people this way to bring us down. But its not their body, its not their life. Its my husbands and my choice to follow what God wants for us. Its our blessing. We will look to him when any family or friends tells us any different. 

All babies are created with unique
purpose.

And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to purpose

Romans 8:28

Muh favorite chicken

 The best chicken I have ever had!! 

1.25# Chicken. 

1/4c mayo 

1/4c shredded parmesan cheese 

4 tsp seasoned bread crumbs 

1-2 tsp cavendars greek seasoning. 

Mix cheese and mayo spread evenly on Chicken. 

Combine seasoning and crumbs. Sprinkle on each chicken. 

Bake at 425 for 20 min. Last two minutes I put it on broil.

MY FAV LACTATION COOKIES

As a beginning mama of a newborn I started out with plenty of milk to nurse. I pumped all the time because my sleepy baby wouldn't relieve my fullness. I froze it in preparation for when he was 12 weeks and it was time for mama to go back to work a couple days a week. But when it was time to go back to work I noticed that my supply had decreased. I know that it may have been because of a few reasons. Maybe thats how my body was responding to the pump. Maybe its because it was an indication of what he was taking, but yet maybe not. I started to research all sorts of things I could do. I ate oatmeal everyday. I took Fenugreek, and Blessed Thistle. I then ran into lactation cookies. I thought I would try it, why not right? A cookie to help my milk increase? Cool, win win! I found a recipe on Peaceful Parenting- Here it is below. My little one is now 7 months old and still holding strong.

I did personalize it to my liking to reap the health benefits to the max:
I added: 
1 tsp of ground Salba
1 tsp of Chia seeds. 
1 T of Coconut oil.
1/2 tsp of organic agave nectar
Instead of 1/2 c of butter I used 1/2 cup applesauce

Lactation Cookies: Increasing Milk Supply

By Danelle Frisbie © 2010

Major Milk Makin' Cookies

I am frequently asked to pass along lactation cookie recipes. My own momma has been baking these up since she was a nursing mother and RN, striving to help other new moms with their babies, 35 years ago -- so I've consumed my fair share over the decades. While there are many variations out there, they are all essentially the same and boast three main ingredients commonly believed (in North America) to impact milk supply: oatmeal, brewer's yeast, and flax.

Some home bakers will throw in fenugreek as well, and because this is known to increase milk supply (in both humans and cows!), but hard on the stomach, it isn't a bad idea to add it to foods you'll already be eating (you can open a couple capsules of fenugreek and toss them to the cookie batter). Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal herbs used for increasing milk supply, but to do so you will need to consume 1500mg of fenugreek, three times each day. (1) This is more than the recommended amount on the bottle, but the dosing printed on fenugreek labels is not intended to be for boosting milk supply. One study found that when enough fenugreek was consumed, milk supply doubled. (2) Note that while mother's milk teas (with fenugreek) may be a great supplement, and mood-enhancing to sip, you'd have to drink a lot of it to really see an impact. Capsules are a better way to go if you are planning to add fenugreek to your regimen.

So why are these three ingredients the core foundation in lactation cookies?

Oats (or oatmeal) are key in boosting milk supply because of the iron they contain that nursing moms are frequently in need of. Oats are also filling, dense with healthy calories - and nursing moms need calories! Oats are extremely nutritious and easy to work into the diet in a number of ways: cereals, granola, breads, casseroles, meatloaf, cookies - you can add oats to just about anything.Oats are also a great source of fiber. What does fiber have to do with milk supply? My 97 year old grandmother recently discussed the diets of her father's award winning, fatty-milk producing cows back in the 1920s. And guess what they did to increase milk supply? That's right -- boosted the fiber the cows had access to. Farmers have long known this trick, so I suppose milkin' moms can pick up on it too.

Brewer's yeast is an ingredient that has also long been touted to increase milk supply (although contested by some). Brewer's yeast is one of the best natural sources of B vitamins, which are essential to overall health of a nursing mom (and any woman). Even if milk supply were not impacted by brewer's yeast, the boost of energy (and increased sugar metabolism) that comes from brewer's yeast consumption is worth including it in lactation cookies (or other things you bake). Once again, looking back on decades past, women have long passed on the knowledge that sipping a deep, hearty beer (sister to brewer's yeast) has a positive effect on milk supply.

The oil from flax seed is considered by many to be a galactagogue (substance that improves lactation). It is also a great form of fiber. And, while it is again debated among those who believe in flax's galactagogue properties or not, one thing is certain: flax is power packed with omega-3 (essential fatty acids) that are absolutely crucial to a nursing mom's diet (as well as baby's diet, and all human health in general). Human milk is super charged with heavy amounts of omega-3 because the brain (rapidly growing in our babies) is dependent on these fatty acids. It is important that a mother not be deficient in omega-3 (something that many are) and risk her baby not getting enough for optimal health, development, and wellbeing. [Note: artificial forms of omega-3 in manufactured formulas do not respond in a baby's body in the same way that natural omega-3 from mother's milk does. Do not buy into the hype that formulas 'fortified with DHA' are good for your baby. Rather, these artificial baby formulas with DHA have been linked with diarrhea, dehydration, seizures.] That said, omega-3 from fish and flax for mom are wonderful! They not only improve milk quality (and possibly quantity) but also boost brain function, memory, joint lubrication, and help to regulate hormones and decrease postpartum depression. It is unlikely that you could get too much omega-3 today, so when it comes to flax (and low-mercury fish if you like) - eat up!

Before you jump on the lactation cookie making machine and fret about your milk supply, however, know that if you are exclusively breastfeeding (i.e. your baby is consuming nothing but your milk) around the clock (day and night), and your baby is gaining weight (no matter if s/he is in the 99th percentile for weight, or the 1st percentile compared to other babies) then you have a full milk supply suited perfectly for your little one. (3)

It is, of course, good to eat healthy, whole foods to ensure your baby is getting all s/he needs from your milk (and taking a prenatal vitamin while nursing is a good idea too), but studies have shown that even when mother's diet is not the best, her body will compensate (for the sake of her baby) by putting all nutrients into her milk. (4, 5) Therefore, your baby will not suffer as much as you will suffer from poor eating habits. Only in cases of severe malnourishment is milk quality impacted.

That being said, most nursing mothers need to consume a bare minimum of 1800 calories per day to maintain a full milk supply for their growing baby (some will need to eat more to not see a drop in milk), and consuming 2500-2700 calories per day is recommended by most. (6, 7) This is an energy need of 50-125% more than women had in their pre-pregnancy days. So no matter what you eat, do not forget to eat!

Below are two recipes: The first is a recipe for Major Milk Makin' galactagogue cookies ("lactation cookies") that share some similarities with the many generic cookie recipes commonly passed around and posted in a variety of recipe books. This one has just a touch more omega-3, protein, and iron than other "lactation cookies." It was created by Kathleen Major, PNP, RN, in conjunction with a local lactation specialist and LLL leader in the Cedar Valley (IA) hospitals in the early 1990s when Major was focusing her practice on pediatric health. She has granted permission for DrMomma.org to share her recipe. Please do not reproduce without crediting her and linking back to this page. The second recipe is my own, and while it is not as sweet (no sugar), it is all the more healthy and packed with beneficial ingredients. My cookies are slightly more like granola in cookie form -- you can be sure they are good for you, if this is your goal.

While no lactation cookie will miraculously boost your milk supply if there are other hormone related factors weighing on you, (for example, you are going to have to nurse and/or pump - increase demand - to increase supply, and be physically close to your baby - holding/wearing/rocking/sleeping, as much as possible), they certainly won't hurt -- may help a smidge -- and will ensure you are getting some good, wholesome (much needed!) calories packed with omega-3, nutrients, and goodness along the way.

If you enjoy baking and try out these recipes (or any other you find online or create yourself), please let me know your favorites. I'll admit I rarely stick straight to the recipe. I inherited my parents tendency to throw things into the batch (or leave things out if they aren't in my cupboard at the time). Some sesame seeds here, pumpkin seeds there...a bit of Fenugreek or a handful of sunflower seeds. I often substitute extra milled flax or applesauce for the butter, and toss in extra oats, or a scoop of almond butter if it looks like the batter can handle it. So if you are like me, and have additional special tips that make your homemade lactation cookie creations stand out among the milkin' moms - please, share!

A few notes on the recipes:

1) Flax seed is prepped many ways. The version most useful for baking is the milled flax seed that you will find in your local store. It typically comes in a bag or a box (depending on the brand you select). You may have to go to a health food, whole foods store, or large supermarket to find the brewer's yeast which typically comes in a can.

2) Whole oats should always be used - not 'quick' oats (the type that cook in a few minutes in the microwave). Be sure when you buy your oats ('oatmeal') that you are purchasing whole, natural oats.

3) I'd suggest purchasing eggs from a local farm or buying free range "happy chicken" eggs at your grocery store - especially with all the recalls on salmonella tainted eggs lately. And who wants to support the massive hen house operations? Not us. Be informed on where your food comes from, and teach your kids too.

Major Milk Makin' Cookies
Recipe by Kathleen Major
Detailed recipe with photos found here

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c. oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 c. almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. flax
3 T brewer's yeast
1/3 c. water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, brewer's yeast, flax and water until creamy.
Mix in eggs.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Mix in nuts and chocolate chips.
Add oats slowly, mixing along the way.

Place balls of dough onto greased baking sheets or baking stones.
Press down each ball lightly with a fork.
Bake 12 minutes.