Gabby has her kittens

We have 3 gray tabbies and 1 charcoal tabby. Mommy did splendidly. Although I suspect the names will change daily (perhaps minute by minute), for now they are called: Jimmy, Buddy, Sissy, and Cosmo.
We watched the last one, Cosmo, being born. It was a beautiful thing. Gabby moaned faintly and his siblings mewed the little guy into being.
The children all watched. It was most distracting to complete our Spelling, but worked out well that our day turned into an impromptu biology lesson. There is no covering up all the nasty bits, like Gabby eating the afterbirth and chewing off the umbilicals. But also, what a beautiful exhibition of Gods design and creation.
I consider this a school day well spent.

Oh, and...who wants a kitten?!?!?!

The Best Oven French Toast

And I aint lyin...

This dish is SO worth the extra time in the morning, and far better than plain ole toast and eggs.
It has this caremlized crunchy crust over the top, reminiscent of monkey bread. Swoon.

Oven French Toast with Buttery Nut Topping

1 loaf french bread, thickly sliced (about 15 slices)
6-8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Topping
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup half and half
1 cup sweetened and roasted pecan or walnut pieces

Let the bread slices dry on the counter overnight, or for at least 6 hours. In the morning, about 1 hour before you want to serve the dish, beat the eggs and then add all the ingredients through the cinnamon. Mix well. Grease a large baking dish (I used a large roasting pan or you can use two rectangular pans) and place the bread on the bottom, slightly overlapping. Pour egg mixture over top and let sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes, being sure that all pieces are covered with the mixture. Flip bread about 15 minutes through to make sure all sides are soaking up the egg mixture. Preheat your oven to 350.
Meanwhile, make the topping by mixing the butter, brown sugar, half and half and nut pieces in a small bowl. Right before baking, drizzle the topping over the top of all the bread slices and use a spatula to spread it out gently so you have bits of nuts over each slice.

The drizzle oozes happily over the bread.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until all your edges are a beautiful golden brown.

Its a masterpiece for the taste buds.

Serve with warmed syrup and a puff of powdered sugar. Some fresh bananas and strawberries and maybe some spicy breakfast sausage wouldn't mind being alongside, either.

Oops...sorry. You have a bit of drool...

Oh, *that* ham? YES, please, and thank you!

I purchased this book a few weeks back and have been absolutely devouring it. Although I would not consider our family of 6 a “large” family, the ideas and methods mentioned within can be utilized no matter the size of your household.
I knew nothing of the author, aside from reading the reviews of her book in a few homeschool catalogs I receive. I also did not know that she had a blog! Score!!! She has included lots of recipes, and she follows almost the exact guidelines that I have for my own menu planning. She cooks a lot out of her slow cooker. I think I love her.
In reading this recipe post, The Ham that Jumped into my Shopping Cart, I was instantly motivated to remove the large 9.4 pound ham that had been idling away in my big freezer. And I put this recipe out for you guys (all three of you) just in time for Easter ham season. But, I have to warn you, this ham did not make me think of bouncing bunnies and prismatic eggs. Nope. It reminded me of Christmas. Good thing I LIKE Christmas. And, yes, as the author states, “Your stomach will growl all day”. This is factual.
I am copying her recipe exactly, with the exception of one typo (which she later corrects in her comments), the orange zest that I substituted for the orange powder she has listed, and my own personal addition of honey because I just L-O-V-E a good honey ham. Feel free to omit the honey if you aren’t feeling as sweet and sassy as myself. I also stuffed the little spent orange carcasses in with the ham for good measure, which you can do, or not do. What-evs.

The Crock-Pot Ham from Kim Brenneman

1 (7.5) pound bone-in ham
6 cups apple cider
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 small or 2 regular sized oranges, zested and juiced
1/3 cup honey

1. Place the ham in the slow cooker.
2. Pour in the apple cider.
3. Add the spices and stir into the apple cider a bit.
4. Put the lid on and turn the slow cooker to low.
5. Cook for 8-10 hours.

(see the disintegrated remains of those oranges? now *that's* good flavor)

(ham for DAYS!)

I took a couple of cups of the cooking liquid leftover and reduced it in a saucepan for half an hour. Then I cooked up some egg noodles, scooped up some of the meat, and drizzled the sauce reduction over all to make a quick pasta dish. Served with sliced cucumbers that were sprinkled with sugar, red wine vinegar, and a hint of dried thyme.


*cooks notes:
My ham was a hefty 9.4 monstrosity and didn’t entirely fit into my slow cooker. So, I had to lop off a side and wedge him in there. It worked, but left a bit of him uncovered, so I basted the tippy-top a few times during the cooking period. I also had to ladle out a bit of the liquid half-way through cooking as it was threatening to spill over.
Also, if you prefer your ham “sliced and sturdy”, lessen the cooking time. I cooked mine exactly 8 hours and the meat fell off the bone and pretty much shredded on contact…this was FINE with me, but you may not want yours to shred as such.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Dijon Glaze

A top favorite in our house! I make my own stuffing and have included a very simple no-precook recipe for stuffing, but feel free to use your favorite stuffing recipe or the boxed variety. I use a leftover assortment of bread that is on the cusp of molding in my pantry. This go around it was 2 pieces of cornbread, 3 small yeast rolls, and four wheat dollar rolls.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Dijon Glaze

4 cups bread cubes, about 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsp dried onion
1 tsp dried garlic
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp celery salt or regular salt
1 cup broth (or more)
1 tbs butter, melted

For the Dijon Glaze
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

To make the stuffing, leave out the bread cubes on a dry surface (avoid placing them on a towel, as they will hold onto moisture) for a day and a night to let them dry out. If you are pressed for time, you can toast the cubes in the oven until just crunchy but not browned and skip the overnight/all day step.
Preheat oven to 400. Place cubes in a mixing bowl and add the dried onion through the butter. Mix well. Your stuffing should be very moist and almost soggy, add more broth if you need it.
Take each chicken breast and make a pocket opening along one side but not all the way through (imagine a pita pocket). Stuff each breast to overfilling with the mixture and place in a large greased baking dish. Give each breast a light pinch of salt and pepper. Dump any leftover stuffing in between the breasts.


Once you have all the breasts stuffed, make the dijon glaze by mixing the dijon, honey, and thyme in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over each breast, but don't rub it in.
Cover and bake 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the meat.
We ate ours with steamed broccoli with a homemade cheese sauce and some applesauce with cinnamon.

*feel oven lazy? this recipe works WONDERFULLY in the crock-pot. make just as directed above, except assemble the breasts mid morning and let cook on low heat in the crock-pot until dinner time.

*You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork chops!

It's Called "Junk"

And, yes. It's delicious.

I didn't name it. I definitely didn't make it up. But, it is a staple at our table none the less.
What is "Junk"? Well, it is one of the most versatile dishes; and simple, and satisfying, and my children....they adore it. So there! Kudos to fellow homeschooling pal, Crystal for cluing me in.

The principle is this: you build on a theme; cubed potatoes on bottom, a meat on top, dump in all the other elements that fit your theme, cheese it, bake it, eat it.
Usually the best "Junks" have been a mish-mosh of leftovers. Like the one time our "Junk" was cubed yukon potatoes, chorizo and leftover taco meat, olives, raita, queso fresco, and half of a stuffed poblano pepper from our local Mexican eatery. It was heaven. And I mean H-E-A-V-E-N.

The most common and base recipe is as follows:

Junk (and no, you are not allowed to change the name)

2- 3 medium potatoes, peeled (or not, if you like that), and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 pounds ground meat, cooked and seasoned with salt and pepper (or anything leftover hanging out in your fridge)
1 can tomato sauce or 1 1/2 cups ketchup (that's right, KETCHUP! no shame...)
1 tomato, chopped or 1 can tomatoes, drained and chopped, if needed
sprinkle of seasoning (like taco or Italian)
1 cup shredded cheddar

Grease a 9x9 inch dish. Place potatoes on bottom (a sprinkle of salt on top wouldn't hurt), and layer first the meat, then the sauce, tomatoes, seasoning, and cover with cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender when you poke around hungrily with a fork.

This is a typical lunch or dinner in a pinch for our family. Other themes that we have made that work well are: BBQ Chicken Junk (cubed potatoes, shredded chicken, bbq sauce, sour cream, chives, and cheddar...it's like a loaded potato!), Greek Junk (mashed potatoes, ground meat with a pinch of cinnamon and oregano, tomato sauce, olives, onions, artichoke hearts, and feta), Pizza Junk (cubed potatoes, pepperoni and pork sausage, pizza sauce, mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan).

Yet to try but plan on next week: Hawaiian Fajita Junk (chicken, bell peppers, onions, pineapples...oh....my)

Really...if you can think of a theme, you can pull this off. And it is so homely and divine in the same mouthful.

There is no shame in simple. And surely no shame in utilizing what your fridge seems to accumulate in a week.

So, eat well (and less stressed)!

A confession

That's right.

I confess my failing, to the whole blogger kingdom. My New Year's Resolution to eat raw food twice a week...never actually happened.

I lasted all of one week.

So, there you have it. Such is This...is not perfect. I am far far from it. I make a goal and fail sometimes (miserably as seen here).

I could gripe about how it was sooooo hard and that I didn't have the time. But, really, I lost my motivation. I over committed myself. Maybe a better goal, like once a month raw lunchtime or some such thing. Who knows.

Oh, and I ran...once, with my friend Bethany. Once.
I did get up early ever day, though, and did really well...until the dreaded Spring time change. Now we do good if we start school by 10am.

OK. Le Sigh.


Yummy recipes next week (with pictures OF COURSE!) to make it up to you.

xoxoxoxo

Hamburger Steaks with Spicy Sweet Tomato Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, and Cheddar

I made hamburger steaks for my family last week for the very first time. You'd think I had invented the tastiest food ever made. They LOVED it and have asked for it again this week. I fancied them up a bit this time around, though.



Hamburger Steaks with Spicy Sweet Tomato Sauce, Cheddar, Caramelized Onions, and Mushrooms

1 tbs butter
1 red onion, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 small chipotle chili pepper
1/2 cup prepared bbq sauce
1 small peach, sliced, skin and pit removed
pinch salt
4 lbs ground meat (i used a combo of ground turkey and ground beef)
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

Start the onions and mushrooms by melting the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and bring the heat down to medium. Let onions cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and cook an additional 10 minutes. Your onions should be a beautiful golden brown.
















While the onions cook, start the sauce by pureeing the tomatoes, chili pepper, bbq sauce, salt, and peach in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour into a small sauce pan and bring to an even simmer. Let simmer until dinner is almost ready, then remove from heat to let cool just before serving.

For the hamburger steaks, mix the ground meat, Worcestershire sauce, and desired amount of salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 8 oval shaped patties and cook on a griddle or skillet, medium high heat, 8 minutes on each side or until no pink juices remain (i do like my beef a little rarer, but since i used ground turkey, i did not want any visible pink). Before removing each patty from heat, spread a bit of the tomato sauce and top with a slice of cheddar and let melt.

To serve, plate each patty and scoop a generous helping of your caramelized onions and mushrooms on top of the melted cheddar. A simple salad and seasonal fruit are great compliments.

It's called "Reverse"

i created a tumblr.

daily dodd

*warning. it will be nothing like "Such is This". it will be like my facebook. which i do not have anymore.

what you can expect: something every day. sometimes twice (or thrice) a day. sometimes old pics, but mostly new pics, quips, and quotes from daily family life.

so quit pestering me already about missing me on facebook. you know who you are....

Lenten Lunch on a Monday

I gave up leavened bread for Lent. Yes...you heard me right. I, the sandwich lover, gave up all breads containing yeast, baking soda and powder. I also gave up coffee, but that is not pertinent in regards to this post (but you can emote sympathizing tongue clicks my way).

I did allow myself to browse the endless aisles of wheat goodies in search for convenience items made without leavening and was able to procure a few boxes of simple crackers. I splurged on some specialty cheeses and stocked up on meats (which I do not eat much of, but felt inclined to eat more of so my belly would feel full. that's not scientific, just what my brain came up with).

Today's lunch was quite satisfying. I purchased some Dubliner cheese (in honor of the forthcoming Irish holiday), boiled some chicken, and assembled a meager luncheon masterpiece.

I have included a chicken salad recipe that I used today, but my chicken salads vary from day to day and season to season. Feel free to experiment with other additions. A few of my other favorites are pecans and cranberries, curry and grapes, dill and lemon zest, or bacon and shredded carrot. You could also replace the tomatoes with sprouts or cucumber slices. If I were going completely wheat free, the Dubliner is such a sturdy cheese that it could stand in for the cracker and hold up under the salad and tomato.

Simple Chicken Salad on Crackers with Tomatoes and Dubliner Cheese

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, boiled and shredded (or 1 12oz can of good quality, organic chicken breast)
2 small stalks celery, minced
1 green onion, dark tops and root removed, thinly sliced
1 cup real mayonnaise (or more to taste, you can also use a light real mayo)
1 small sweet apple (such as gala or lady pink), chopped (keep the skin on)
salt and pepper to taste
3 or 4 thin slices of Dubliner Cheese (or another aged, sweet, hard cheese) Crackers (I used Carr's Table Water Crackers with Cracked Pepper)
2-3 slices of tomato, cut into fourths

Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a medium bowl to make the chicken salad. On each cracker place about a tablespoon of the chicken salad, then top with half of a cheese slice, and cap it with a tomato. Munch.
Served here with honeydew wedges.

Now it is almost 4 and I am fighting a hunger twinge. Perhaps I should divulge in my new favorite snack, Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt with Caramel. Yes, you can die happy eating this way.

In the way of the leftover rice noodles (and more pics of sushi to make you jealous)

After our evening of Asian sinfulness, I had leftover rice noodles and assorted Vietnamese Spring
Roll fillings, along with that delicious Peanut Sauce. What to do, what to do? But, of course! Rice Noodle Salad.


Next Day Cold Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

1 small package rice noodles, cooked and cooled (about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
about 1 cup thinly sliced veggies (cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, red pepper, green onion, etc)
a few sprigs of cilantro and/or mint, torn to smaller bits, plus a few more for garnish
1 cup Peanut Sauce (recipe follows), room temperature (start with the least amount, but add more if you like it a bit saucy)

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until sauce coats everything. Let sit room temp for 20 minutes to let the flavors become friends. Enjoy.

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce (for the dipping of Fresh Spring Rolls or for this salad)

1 tbs peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili paste or sriracha sauce (optional)
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 c broth or water
2-3 tbs peanut butter
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Heat oil and add garlic, chili paste, and tomato paste. Cook until garlic is golden brown. Add the broth, peanut butter, sugar, and hoisin sauce. Whisk untill the mixture is smooth. Let it come to a nice rolling bubble, then reduce heat and let simmer 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool before serving with Vietnamese Spring Rolls or for the Cold Rice Noodle Salad.

And one more sushi pic, because jealousy if very becoming of you.

In which sushi was eaten. And Chi comes to visit.

The church ladies came over and we giggled (yes, church ladies giggle...and occasionally snort) over sushi mats and bowls of warm rice wrapper water.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls, assorted Sushi Rolls, and Inari Sushi. I also made a peanut sauce for dipping. You would like some? Too bad, so sad. I ate it all. Cough, ahem..I mean, uh...WE ate it all.

Not pictured: chocolate covered strawberries, oreo balls, and chess cake squares. And yes, thanks for asking, it was all delicious.

Not as delicious as this little guy, though.

Cousin Chi (short for Malachi) came to visit. I cannot get enough of those cherub cheeks and hazel eyes.

Thrifting on a Saturday

You might ask yourself how this mid 50s tin plate depicts myself and Sir Cohen in the midst of our favorite pastime. I wondered the same. But there we be. It now has a content home above my kitchen sink window.

And this plate, also. I tend to thrift in color schemes, though I don't realize it till I am home and placing things. I just LOVED the flower detail in this pie plate, especially the 'barely there' lacy brown buds in the background.



It met nicely with a simple reed placemat in the center of our dining table.

Also found among the dusty thrift shelves was a very loved copy of the South Pacific soundtrack on vinyl, Emile and Nellie wrapped in a passionate embrace on the cover. And, yes, the children giggled as I twirled little Harry around the room cooing about some enchanted evening...

Montessori Giveaway!

---------------------This event is over-----------------------------

I am a huge (HUGE!) supporter of the Montessori method. Being a "hands-on" type mom and teacher, this method really fits our home. What better way to teach kids math, grammar, science and the like than with manipulatives?!
There are plenty of websites that offer help and one in particular actually makes a full preschool (for ages 3-6) program for homeschoolers. It has been getting some great reviews.
And, guess what? They are offering a FREE program ($999 value) to one lucky homeschooler that leaves a comment on their page. If you post a link to your blog, you get to put an extra comment and receive an extra chance to win. (well, duh, I said to myself. why not do it?!)
So...go, go! What are you waiting for?!

Montessori for Everyone

A Day in the Life (on a Monday)

This is an unglamorous, but fairly typical version of what our school day looks like. Monday...

(times are approximate, notes scratched onto paper throughout the day and then typed up during free moments, and I have tried to correct the present and past tense mistakes as much as possible, but a few might have slipped through the cracks. be kind.)

[Child key: Ashton - daughter, oldest child, 9 years old, 4th grade; Keaton - oldest son, 7 years old, 2nd grade; Cohen - son, 3 years old, preschool; Harry - youngest son, 1 year and 4 months old, drooling and pooping.]

7:15- Wake up. A bit earlier than usual, but there are too many bodies making too much noise for one to sleep any later. I am awake, but hide under the covers until I must make an appearance.

7:45- I start the water for Harry's oatmeal, take some tylenol and ibroprofen (for my ever present headache), and settle back under the warm covers for just a few more minutes.

7:55- I let Harry's oatmeal cool in the freezer, have the boys put away their breakfast (Keaton makes his and Cohen's cereal) and they get dressed and ready for school {requirements are: dressed, teeth brushed, school books on the table, and animals fed}. I put a roast in the crock-pot : salt, pepper, 4 cloves of garlic --minced, and a jar of red currant jelly.

8:15- I open my daughter's door in hopes that all the noise will wake her up. I feed Harry. Keaton starts a load in the washing machine.

8:30- I break up an argument between my two older boys, which ends with the oldest sent to his bed until school starts. My daughter is now up and eating breakfast. I change Harry's diaper and sit down with a bowl of Grape Nuts and fish through emails and facebook notifications. The children finish getting ready, clean up any messes made, and make their way to the school room. My husband and I communicate through texts about a big housing decision (after months of time and stress about getting our house ready to sell, we decide it is NOT the time in our lives to be doing this and we back out of listing it--I was to turn in the paperwork to list it TODAY) and we coordinate a time and way to get our van, which decided to breakdown this weekend, into the shop. These are little things, but take a lot of time to discuss.

9:30- School starts*, later than usual--we try to start between 8:30 and 9:00--, but it's Monday, it happens, and I just have to deal. Harry roams around or sits in my lap while the three olders sit at the table. Ashton and Keaton recite their Memory Bible Verses (Psalm 56:3-4). I then start Cohen's preschool while the older two complete their Bible reading and answer questions in their workbooks.

10:00- I finish Cohen's preschool, but the others are still working on their Bible. I turn on a movie for Cohen while I make a cup of coffee and clean up the breakfast mess. I feed the littles (Harry and Cohen) some bananas and put Harry down for his nap.

10:15- I am back at the table for Math and Reading help. We are taking a break from Math lessons this week and focusing on rote memory (this actually makes the kids pretty happy and they fill out their fact sheets in a flurry). Cohen's movie is done and I feed him some graham crackers with peanut butter, then he sits on the floor with a huge truck book and a couple of books on bugs.

10:45- Keaton moves onto Cursive and Ashton finishes up her Math and moves onto her independent English work. I take this time to type up half of this blog post. I grade Math facts and have the kids correct their mistakes in-between typing and finding new books for Cohen.

11:20- I am back at the table for Spelling (I do both children's lessons at the same time) and then instruct Keaton in his Grammar. Cohen is ever present and ever distracting. I give him a pair of scissors, a strip of contruction paper, markers, and some stickers and have him make "something" at the dining room table.

12:30- Phone calls and appointment changes interrupt much of that last hour, Keaton is still diagramming sentences. Lunch time is way overdue. I make Cohen's lunch and Ashton picks up the house (without being asked--this is actually quite abnormal behavior--she deserves much praise here). Ashton then makes her own lunch. I make Harry's lunch and then get him up from his nap. He had been crying for a good 15 minutes in his crib. Bad mom award...right here *points to self*. Lunch consists of PB&J or grilled cheese, leftover soup, and grapes.

12:45- Keaton cleans off the school table and makes his own sandwich to go with his lunch. I clean up a spilled lunch plate mess and Cohen's craft session mess. I am, at this point, very grateful that I ate that bowl of Grape Nuts because it looks like my lunch will have to wait until after afternoon school.

1:10- I finish putting away all the lunch items and Ashton sweeps up under the kitchen table, picks up the school room floor, and starts dishes. I clean up Harry and I play with him a bit before he wanders off and gets into mischief (which today includes pulling down all my vintage aprons off a shelf and taking batteries out of the VCR remote). I type up some more on this blog, while I wait for Keaton to finish eating so I can wipe off the counter and move onto afternoon school.

1:20- Cohen starts cleaning up the boys room and we put on a Baby Einstein movie for Harry. I settle down on the school room couch to do our History reading with the older two {usually the littles are taking a nap at this point, but our whole schedule is off, so we make do with minor interruptions here and there}. This is my favorite part of the school day. History was my major in college and I still really love the subject. We read about the Visigoths, Stilicho, and the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The kids draw their favorite parts of the story, including Cohen, who didn't hear the story, but had finished cleaning so he wanted to join in on the fun. I change Harry's diaper and check the roast in the crock-pot, which is beginning to fill up the whole house with fragrant loveliness (the roast, not the diaper).

2:00- School is done. The kids do their afternoon chores. Keaton sorts the clothes from the dryer into their appropriate spot**, gets the wet clothes started in the dryer, and cleans up what Cohen didn't quite clean up correctly in their room. Ashton folds her portion of laundry, and finishes cleaning up her room. I start a load of diapers, put away my things in the school room, and serve the littles their afternoon snack (leftover treats from my last Bookclub meeting, which included Valentine cookies, sugar cookies, and brownies. SCORE for not having to make a snack).

2:30- I take a picture for the blog (shown above), give the olders their snack, clean up crumbs from table and counter, and sweep the floor. The littles go down for their nap. Ashton has her free time and disappears into her room while Keaton, who had his play and electronic privileges taken away this morning sits on the school room couch with a stack of books (and pouts).

3:00- Lunch time for me. My meal is the same as the kids, except my grilled cheese is on cinnamon bread (seriously the best combination of bread and cheese EV-AR!). I type up the remaining notes into the blog while I munch and upload the picture I took earlier onto the laptop. I catch up a bit on facebook and emails, too.

3:30- I proofread the blog, start the next cycle of diapers, and escape to take a shower (I was able to wash my face and brush my teeth before school, but remained in my jammies and stinky armpits until now).

4:00- Fresh, clean, and slightly pickled, I emerge from the shower. Cohen is now awake and
apparently very grumpy. He cuddles his pooh bear, takes his thumb, and starts his afternoon movie. I turn the crock-pot off, pull out the rest of the dinner ingredients, and settle into the couch next to Keaton (who is still pouting) for a few minutes while I wait for Daddy to come home and Harry to wake up.

5:00-7:00- These hours were a blur of packing kids into one van to drop off the other van at the mechanic's and getting dinner put together (aforementioned roast, butter and parsley mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, and wheat rolls), eaten, and cleaned up. All the family chips in to finish after dinner chores. The boys clear the table, Asthon washes dishes, I wipe down the counter and kitchen table and arrange leftovers in the fridge, Daddy sweeps the floor. Harry is given many kisses and put to bed. I finish the last wash cycle for the diapers and check emails one final time.

7:00-8:30- The children play quietly until about 7:30 when Keaton and Cohen go to bed, and Ashton plays a little on the Wii before she is down for the night at 8:30. She is allowed to read in bed until 9:00.

8:30-11:00- This is the time of day when all our continual cleaning up has payed off. Relaxing for the next few hours is heaven. The husband and I chill until bedtime watching a movie and playing (he plays, I watch and give support) on the Xbox. I put the load of diapers in the dryer and pack a few things for a trip to the dentist in the early morning (some school subjects will be done in transit or while in the waiting room). We are both asleep by 11:00.

Like I said, unglamorous, but there it is. I should make a point to blog on the days where we do our big co-op or when we have super cool projects to do...but, those can't cover up the "real". And THIS is pretty real...

*You can see what we use as far as curriculum here.
**You can visit my "paying" gig here to view our laundry routine.

Fortuna Salad, for the last oozings of January

Our whole household has been ill with some sort of virus every week since before Christmastime. This is wearing on a mom. And these dreary days of winter are going to linger for many many more months.
Today I decided I needed a pick-me-up. And a little imaginary luck might just do the trick!
This bean salad was inspired by a Nava Atlas post I saw this morning (sigh, I *heart* her). I adapted it to fit with what I had on hand. Let me just say, it was spectacular! Bright and filling. I have heard it said that black-eyed peas bring good luck. If they do, bonus! They are full of fiber and nutrients and mixed with the black beans they made for a happy mommy mouth. And the grapefruit was like welcome sunshine to the taste buds.
(this recipe is vegan, but feel free to add some feta or prosciutto if you are feeling a little more adventurous.)

Fortuna Salad
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives, chopped
half of a grapefruit, segments removed and halved
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Italian Garlic Croutons (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients, except for the croutons, until well combined. Let sit at room temp at least 10 minutes to let the flavors marry. Top each portion with croutons before serving. Enjoy!
This makes about 2 largish dinner sized bowls, or three lunch portions. I paired mine with whole wheat bread drizzled with raw honey.

Italian Garlic Croutons

two slices good quality bread*, cubed
olive oil spray
italian seasoning, a pinch
garlic powder, a pinch

Preheat oven to 350. Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet. Spray lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with italian seasoning and garlic powder. Toss to coat. Place in the oven until toasty on all sides (tossing after a few minutes), about 5 minutes.
When pressed for time, or if I don't want to heat up my whole oven, I put these in a toaster oven and put on the medium to dark toast setting.

*My family does not enjoy the heel portions of a sandwich loaf. I end up with a bag or two of just heels by weeks end and HATE to see them go to waste. I save them, or if I don't think they will get used up soon, will put them in the freezer. They are perfect for making croutons, or dried on the counter in cubes for stuffing, or, my favorite...breadcrumbs!