For Caleb....the One Great Turkey! (pics below)

We have a pretty rockin' friend from Pennsylvania who PROMISED to read my blog if I give him an honorable mention somewhere in my next post. So, although this post is going to be all about my girls......it's also about Brendan Caleb Way who we love and who is maybe going to come visit us sooooon! You rock, Caleb. Truly you do. If ever I have another boy, I just might name him Caleb - that's how much we love you!

On to my chickens......

Have you seen my girls lately? Have I mentioned how much I love them? Do you even remember what they used to look like? I didn't think so! So, let's do a few "that-was-then-and-this-is-now" kind of pics. Fun! Fun!

This was Turk when she was just a wee babe:

And this is her now! She's the Mama of the bunch. Not sure if she's going to make it to the Thanksgiving table......She looks scary, but she's a gentle giant. The kids lug her everywhere!



My baby ducklings:

My big girls now who enjoy the kiddie pool more than the boys do!


And my wee little chickies - Spotty, Blackie, Chloe, Clementine, Lucy, & Chipmunk:

And here they are now:
Well, at least a few made it in this picture. The ones in the front are the Americaunas. I have three of these, two barred rocks (my favorite, and the prettiest, I think), and a black sex-link, (I think). She was supposed to be a barred rock. I got tricked. But, we love her. She's Kaden's fave. The smallest and the naughtiest of the bunch!

And this is pretty much what they do ALL day....they hang out in their own little club.....wandering over our whole yard.


I LOVE them.
AND.....you're welcome, Caleb. :0)

A Promise

Okay. So continuing on a wee bit from my last post....

I hereby, do solemnly swear to be honest and forthright in my struggles, my weaknesses, and my insecurities in this whole journey of motherhood and parenting.....oh heck....let's just say in LIFE. I promise to try my hardest not to sugarcoat things and make them appear perfect when they are far less than that. I promise to try and encourage and uplift other Moms and women. And I promise to not portray myself as a "Supermom" online where it's really easy to show the world just one little speck of our lives when there are SO many other sides that people never see.

I mean, seriously, when you think about this whole "blogging" concept.....no one truly KNOWS anyone if this is all we ever get of each other. Good grief - I can post the most beautiful pictures and entries and my life could be in total shambles.....but no one would EVER know.

So, here's the deal. Let's all be honest with each other as we walk this journey. Let's share the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Without invading other's privacy's, of course. Poor Kevy - the dear man has married someone who doesn't have a whole lot of reservations with ANYONE!) So....within reason, right? When it could serve to encourage others....let's be real. Let's be vulnerable.

Because, when just one of us dares to make the first move and let down our walls to let others TRULY see our hurts, our needs, and our insecurities.....you can literally hear other's walls coming down. It's good stuff.

So, I'll go first. Here are just a smattering of things that I am CURRENTLY obsessing/struggling/thinking about. Depending on the day, it's one of those three options.

1. Homeschooling Kaden. I'm a bit paralyzed by the whole idea, but I feel like this is something that the Lord would maybe like for us to try. It suits our ministry lifestyle and our desire for simplicity. We shall see where it leads us.....and if Kaden will actually learn to read this year. It could be sketchy. But, I'll be honest...I promise. As the days progress, I'll keep you posted!

2. Comparing. I'm always comparing myself to others - their bodies, their homes, their mothering, the obedience in their children. Not a good standard. The Lord alone needs to be this....and He is sloooowly teaching me - slowly humbling me. Slowly showing me areas of pride that need to be dealt with. Painful but good.

3. My quiet, alone time with Jesus. Emphasis on "quiet" and "alone". I need to get up earlier or be a better steward of naptimes. It is not at the depth or consistency that it needs to be. If I was married to Jesus (which He is supposed to be our true Bridegroom, right?) than our marriage would be struggling. A marriage needs more than "survival prayers" and a Proverb a day kind of deal. Our relationship needs more quality dates. More intimacy. When THIS is good - all other things fall into place. What needs to be priority becomes priority and all other things fall by the wayside.

So there you have it. Just a smattering. And more will come. I promise.

True Confessions of a Wannabe Super Mom

NOTE: THIS POST HAS SINCE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT......I would never want to hurt anyone by what I write here; AND I'm sure that hearts were in the right place when conversations were had.....


I've had a couple of interesting conversations with some women in my stage of life this past week. They are more acquaintances, really. I don't know them well, by any means; but being a fellow mom with any young woman gives you an instant sense of comraderie whether you've known them for a day or ten years.

After one of these conversations, I left feeling very drained and like I had just been in the presence of a "super mom" who I would NEVER be able to live up to. And after the OTHER conversation, I left feeling energized and refreshed, KNOWING that I had just encouraged another fellow journey-er in this current crazy, insane stage of life.

Upon processing these two VERY different conversations, I have determined that I am SO done with the "Super Mom" persona. I'm SO over it - .......

Yet, in my heart of hearts.....I know I'm not.

Who doesn't want to come across to their friends and peers that they look like they have it all together? Who doesn't want to look like - at least on the outside - that they always have all of their ducks in a row, no hair ever out of place, and that they just love every single thing that life throws at them? I know that's what I want people to think of me! I know that I want others to think of ME as a "super mom." But, really ---- what does that do for everyone else?

My second conversation with a very new mom went a lot like this: Throughout the course of the evening she asked me with tears in her eyes: "Why is it that we moms can't just encourage each other? Why do we always have to act like everything is always perfect even when we know it's not? Why do we have to brag up ourselves and our children just to make ourselves feel better? Why can't we just be real with each other when we're struggling? When we're lonely? When we feel like we don't know what we're doing? When we maybe aren't even really enjoying this stage of life like we thought we would?"

So what does the "Super Mom" persona do for a young mom like this? Anything? I don't think so. And I know I'm guilty at times. I know I do it. I KNOW I do.

I am well aware that I have to limit MY interactions with super moms. Otherwise, I would find myself always comparing and coming up short, constantly discouraged, and feeling like a perpetual failure! Comparison DESTROYS contentment. But, that's what we girls are SO very good at. So, upon processing both of these conversations, I have been asking myself if there are women in my life who feel that they have to limit their time with ME? Do I make some of my friends feels this way?

Because if I do...it's a nasty thing...and I want to be done with it. It does no one any good. We need to be about coming ALONGSIDE each other - not ONE UPPING each other. Yucky stuff. It's no good.

More to come.......

A Little Slice...

.....of Heaven, that is.

THIS

is where we just spent the past 8 days for our family vacation! A little A-frame cabin on an island in Rangeley...you get there by boat....there is no electricity.....no computers....no frills....just us.....AND IT WAS AWESOME!

Kev and I spent half of our honeymoon here eleven years ago to the week! We spent our first week in Cancun, Mexico with all of the touristy stuff that comes with a place like that: parasailing, all inclusive meals, snorkeling, etc. It was wonderful. And then we came here for our second week. And I have to say, I enjoyed the second part of our honeymoon just as much as the first. Two such extreme contrasts, but I think one without the other might have been a little disappointing. Here, it was just so restful and relaxing. We spent our days swimming and boating, going into town for ice cream, exploring all over the lake, building fires, and playing games by lamplight; and then we would fall asleep to the sounds of the loons and the waves. It was so peaceful and lovely.

WELL - coming here with three boys, it was not NEARLY as relaxing and restful as it was eleven years ago! One morning Kev said: "I think a quiet, get-away, island retreat with three boys is an oxymoron!" So true! We are not quite in the stage of life yet where vacations are "restful" or "relaxing" per say. Our days were just as crazy and busy - and sometimes more - making sure no one fell off the wharf or tipped the canoe etc. etc. But, they were so fun! And any kind of "work" is always more fun when you're camping - cooking, dishes, cleaning - whatever - it's all just fun!

We spent our days swimming and playing in the water, exploring the neighboring islands, catching a kajillion crayfish and minnows, going to the bog and looking for moose, riding into town for a pizza and ice cream, feeding ducks, playing games, building fires, watching sunsets, and falling asleep to rain and waves.

There was a whole lot of this:

and this:
(canoeing with our "Red-neck outrigger" custom made by Kevy himself)

and this:

Oooooh, and this:

AAAAAhhhhhhh....it was glorious!

Jammin'!

Okay. I have THE EASIEST freezer jam recipe known to man. It is SO easy that my six year can practically do it all by himself. Do you want it? I thought you did. So, here goes:

Step 1. - Decide what kind of berry jam you want to make: strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, blueberry, currant - which we just tried today, or mixed berries of all sorts - and smash them to peices. You can even blend them if you'd like - it all depends on how chunky you like your jam. We like ours fairly chunky, so we just smash it by hand. You need to end up with 4 cups of the crushed deliciousness.

Step 2. You need one packet of the "Ball" brand powdered - NO COOKING REQUIRED! - pectin. I prefer the low sugar kind. Stir that together with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. I also prefer the raw sugar, and it works just as well. (Someday, I'll use the pectin that doesn't call for ANY sugar; it just takes a few more steps plus a little bit of baking on the stove. I kind of like this lazy way......)

Step 3. Add the smashed berries to the sugar/pectin mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle into jam jars of choice, and let it sit for 30 minutes before devouring! Voila! Easy Sneezy.

Just a wee note: One batch only makes about 5 - 8oz. jars of jam. We practically go through one jar on our toast at breakfast. I recommend a kajillion batches, so stock up on your pectin and berries. This was how I nested last summer and fall when I was pregnant for Ransom! There were no casseroles or meals prepared for my family in my freezer - only about 800 jars of jam! And we JUST ate the last one a couple of weeks ago.....

Then, as we Bookers like to say: "Savor the flavor!"

The Balance Beam of Life

Happenings

~ The boys are outside - completely naked - playing on their slip n slide! And I must admit - it really does work MUCH better when they're in the buff as opposed to having their swimtrunks and rash shirts on. It's SO hot, and the house completely hides them - and they're having SO much fun - it's all good.

~ We just got back from a glorious long week-end up at my parent's house celebrating the 4th of July with them. We went for long canoe rides, which Ransom did not totally approve of; we swam in the lake; went for long 4-wheeler rides; saw the parade; and took the two big boys out for a night on the town to go on some fair rides and see the fireworks. They didn't get to bed until almost 11:00 that night, and they had an absolute blast! And they LOVED the fair rides! We would see brief looks of terror cross their faces sometimes, but they were always followed by hoots of hysterical - way overtired - laughter. So, it was just wonderful. And although, I am getting a wee bit tired of living out of my suitcase this summer, it was totally worth it.

~ My garden has gone gangbusters. I have about four bales of mulch hay on it, and whenever I'm home, I spend an hour or so a day in it, but other than that - it's on its own!

~ Once again, I have acquired some poison ivy. I was expecting this. Last week, I was pretty sure that I mowed over some of it and had it spit all over my legs. Awesome. I'm at peace with its perpetualness in my life, though. Not sure how else to deal with it.

~ Little Rancey Pants is on day 2 of baby boot camp. Poor little guy - it's really our fault - traipsing him all over God's green earth. He's started waking in the night at least once and often two and three times, and now he's come to expect a midnight snack every night. I appeased him while we were at our grad class because there were people all around us, but now we are home. He's doing much better. We're getting back on track....and that makes for a much happier Mama.

~ The girls are ginormous. I think that Mr. Turk believes he's their Mommy. She flutters around like a mother hen and is always corraling them from wandering too far away. It's pretty cute. They're going to be lost come November......

~ It's hot. We have no A.C. I think I'm molding. It's time to go and make some milkshakes, methinks. Signing off! Happy week, friends!

A Booker Breakfast

I've given this bread recipe to everyone and their dog, I think. It's so healthy and good, and it's what we have for ALMOST every single breakfast of our lives. With some natural peanut butter and homemade strawberry jam, it doesn't get much better - and it sticks with us better than anything else we ever have. And with my boys - I want something to STICK....at least until 9:00a.m. where we often have a second breakfast!

This bread recipe can be tweaked to your heart's content. As long as you keep roughly the same proportions of dry and wet ingredients - you can do a lot of interchanging of ingredients. I rarely make the same exact recipe. With the exception of the yeast, salt, and wheat gluten - mix it up! Change out the honey for molasses; or the seeds for wheat or oat bran - go wild! Any way you make it, it's fantabulous.

Here goes - my CURRENT fave way to make it:

3 tsp. yeast
2 heaping TBlsp. wheat gluten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup ground flax seed
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour for a fluffier bread)
1 TBlsp. poppy seeds
1 TBsp. sesame seeds
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
1 2/3 cup water

Here's where I cheat hardcore:

Dump all of the ingredients in roughishly that order into your bread maker, put it on the dough cycle, come back in 1 1/2 hours and flop it into a greased bread pan. Let it rise as high as you like, and bake at 350 degrees for 33 minutes exactly.

Voila! Delish.

Or - if you have no breadmaker, get a nice little arm workout and knead away till it's at the elasticity that you'd like - let it rise once in a greased bowl. Gently form it into your loaf pan and let it rise for the second time there before you bake.

Again. Delish. It just takes a lot longer........