Can you solve the mystery of why today is super special?

He is very excited about his Busytown Mysteries party coming up soon!

Baseball Season Has Begun!

March hails the beginning of spring baseball.   Here are a few crappy pictures from the opening night ceremony.  When it is really dark and you can’t get close enough to use a flash, pictures just don’t work out too well.  But at least we have the event recorded so 20 years from now Dallin can look back and say, “ I remember that!”.

I don’t know if you can tell from this picture, but Nathan is one out there with the badge holder around his neck.  He is one of the assistant coaches this season.

They have played two games.  The won the first one and lost the second by only 1 run.  I think they have a chance of having a fairly decent season this time around!

Fiesta!

For the past few weeks Dallin’s class has been doing a social studies unit on Mexico.  So how better to end the unit that with a fiesta!  Layton and I were super happy to get to go join him!

There are several parents in the class that are of Mexican decent so they brought in some food for the class and shared some of their customs.  They even did a demonstration on how to make a pinata.

They brought in all kinds of food.  Tacos, chips, salsa, Mexican candy, and even little individual cups of flan.  Dallin LOVED the flan!

They also shared a little about their Easter customs since it is coming up soon.  One thing that they do is all throughout the year, every time they use an egg while cooking, they break it on the very end, empty it out, wash it and save it.  Then at Easter time they color the egg shells, fill them with confetti and then cover the end with a little piece of tissue.  It is then the custom to have egg fights with them.  The best part is trying to break one on someone’s head and shower them in confetti.  It is apparently considered good luck!

They are called cascarones.  They sound super fun to me.  We might just have to add them to our Easter traditions as well.

Our little reading fiend…

Mandy was blessed with a super fantastic teacher this year and she has got Mandy reading EVERYTHING!  It sometimes completely takes me by surprise to here her sounding out long words, even when we’re reading the scriptures.  I guess I don’t think she should be old enough to be doing that :)

This past week she and another little boy in kindergarten were recognized during the morning school news as having read the most words in kindergarten for that 9 weeks.  Using their accelerated reader computer program, she had read over 11,000 words!  I think that’s pretty good for a 6 year old.

On the day they made the announcement, her teacher sent a note home telling us about it and told her that she could have TWO desserts that day.  So two desserts she got.  She picked a slushie from Sonic and a great big bowl of ice cream at home.  We all joined in and ate two desserts in her honor as well :)

Great Grains {THRIVE}

As many of you know I have been trying to improve my health this year.  Part of that is of course eating healthy.  So I have been trying out different grains to add in to our diet.  Mainly because all the different grains have different vitamins and minerals in them so it is a good idea to eat a variety.  Some of them I have ground up and used as flour, while others I have cooked whole.

One that we really love is quinoa.  My aunt has raved about it for a while and I finally tried it.  You cook it just like you would rice and use it pretty much the same way as rice.   We like it with a mixture of fresh veggies cooked in a spicy tomato sauce put over the top of it.  It was crazy expensive though.  One little bag like this:

cost $7.95 at the local health food store!!!  But then I found that the company I am now selling food from also has it.  The price for a #10 can from Thrive is $19.

You can fit about 5 of those little bags into a #10 can.  So it would cost about $40 to buy the equivalent amount from the health food store as it would from Thrive.  I’d say that is a pretty darn good savings.

Another one I love is pearled barley.  I used it in a mushroom vegetable soup and it added such a nice texture and hardiness to the soup.  It was delicious.  A small box like this cost $2.50 at Publix.

With Thrive, for a #10 can it is just under $8.

It would take EIGHT of those boxes to equal a #10 can, costing about $20.  Again – a really great savings!

The same is true for all of the other specialty grains, like oat groat, amaranth, millet, and spelt.

So if you are looking to add some variety to your diet, and want to save some money doing it, I would love to help you get started with Thrive.  Casey, Mandy, and my cousin Elizabeth all have parties coming up in the next few weeks, so if you haven’t already, you might be getting an invitation to a party from them.

If not, you are welcome to host your own party (or even go to theirs and then host your own party!) or you don’t even have to wait for a party to place an order.  You can go to my website and do your order from there.  If you sign up for the Q (which is where you make a list of items you want, set a monthly budget, and then get monthly shipments from your list that equal that budget) from my website you will automatically get the party pricing.  It’s always a party on the Q!  Or if you only want to do a single order, you can make a list of what you want and then e-mail (ksjarvis77@gmail.com) it to me and I will make sure you get the party pricing, which is slightly less than what is listed on the website.

Just click on the picture below to go over to my website!

If you are in the Tallahassee area, my best friend Kylia is also selling this, so you can hit up her website to do a party through her if you are interested!

The Farmer’s Market

A number of people have told me about the farmer’s market, but I  just this month FINALLY made it out there.  And boy have I been missing out!

I bought all of the above for only $28.  It would easily have cost double that at the grocery store.  And I have had a blast using it all up.  Those strawberries were perfectly ripe, so I had to get them stored immediately.  We ate a whole bunch of them in crepes, I cut off the tops and froze about half of them to use in smoothies, and then the rest of them I pureed in the blender and turned in to fruit roll ups.  YUM!

It was quite the little trip to there, so if anyone around here wants to carpool with me and split the gas, I’d love to go again soon!  They are open everyday, so one day after dropping the kids off at school I’d love to head over there! 

Stand Still

This past weekend I spent Friday and Saturday down in Orlando with my bestest friend Kylia and my crazy but lovable Aunt Becky.  It was seriously good times being with them.  The reason we were down there was to attend Time Out For Women, an absolutely wonderful conference devoted solely to uplifting and inspiring women.

Friday evening, we got to hear from Hillary Weeks, who might just be one of my favorite musicians EVER.  She sang lots of songs from her new album, including one called Stand Still.  I am pretty sure it had every mom in the room crying, myself included.  Here are the words to give you an idea of what we were feeling at the moment:

I’ve been taking pictures for a long, long time

Some are on paper – but most are in my mind

Snapshots and memories of the days when you were young

I plan to keep them

Long after you’ve grown and gone

I remember watching as you took your first step

Seems the clock’s been running faster ever since

Every day a little taller, it says so on the wall

The days are passing and they’re not going to stop

And if I could

I would

Ask time to stand still

So I could hold you a little longer

I’d make the minutes stop

So we would always have today

I won’t let the sun go down

Until you know how I feel

I love you so much

I wish time could stand still

Finger prints all over the sliding glass door

And I can barely see underneath the toys on the floor

I have wished away the sleepless nights,

The noise and the messes made

But my heart reminds me

I’m gonna miss these days

I’m going to be honest – I’ve never really understood people that cry when their kids start school.  I was happy to have some time away from my kids and was ready for them to grow up some.  I’ve never really understood the people that wished their kids would stay infants forever.  I was so ready to get rid of sleepless nights and not change diapers anymore.  And I could go on – but I think you get the idea.  I just didn’t get the whole “enjoy every moment” charge given to me.  I’m sorry – I don’t enjoy throw-up, temper tantrums, 3 a.m. wakings, potty training, and all the other yucky things. 

But now I think my kids are at an age where  I have stopped wishing that that would get a little older.  I think I’m finally starting to understand why so many others have wished for time to stand still or slow down.  Dallin is not yet old enough to think that his parents aren’t cool anymore.  He still is ok with me giving him a hug at school.  His sense of humor is daily blossoming –  it really is getting sophisticated and quite hilarious.  Mandy is literally hungering for knowledge and is eating up school like she eats up ice cream.  She is so loving and tender. She wants, and I am glad to let her, to be my best friend.   Layton has become quite the personality. He is ever entertaining.  I love that he is still young enough that every morning he runs straight to our bed to cuddle with me. 

Not that they are without problems – Dallin is rather lazy with his school work and we are having a hard time inspiring him.  Mandy is SO tender that she cries about almost everything.  And Layton still has meltdowns multiple times a day – although I think they are starting to lessen in frequency.  But even with all that, I feel like I am finally starting to truly enjoy them.  And finally starting to get the hang of enjoying every moment – or what I actually do – enjoying every enjoyable moment :) 

Is that solely due to their age?  I don’t think so.  Although I do think it plays a big part.  Another part of it is my personal growth.  I think almost 9 years of motherhood has mellowed me some, I think my tolerance level has increased,  I think I may actually have learned to be a little more patient.

And so now  – I get it.  I really do wish time would slow down so that I could enjoy them more.

Another presenter at the conference shared a thought that really touched me.  She pointed out that while it is absolutely true that we will have our children with us for eternity, during that eternity they will be adults.  There is only an extraordinarily small window of time in which we will know them as children.  And since I can’t slow down time, I plan to find ways to get to know and enjoy my children even more in this tiny window of opportunity that I have.

The “Best” Family Ever

Layton has recently gotten into this kick of labeling things the “best ever” if he gets happy about something.  The other day he came to me and told me that we have the BEST FAMILY EVER.  So I asked him why each of us was the best and this is what he told me:

“Daddy is the best because he plays video games with me.”

“You (as in me Katheryn) are the best because you get me chocolate milk every morning.”

“Dallin is the best because he gave me bubble gum.”

“Mandy is the best because she likes cotton candy just like me.”

“Meme is the best because she has paints.”

“Mema is the best because she has cats.”

“Nana is the best because when I am good at the store she buys me cotton candy.”

“Grandpa is the best because he turns on the TV so I can watch it.”

And lastly, I asked him why he was the best:

“I am the best because I am the cutest.”

Oh how I love how his little mind works.

Leap Day!

We needed to do SOMETHING to celebrate our extra day this year, but honestly I couldn’t think of anything.  So I did what I do best – searched the internet and stole someone else’s idea.  And seriously, what is more fun than an edible craft!
Meet our little Leap Frog:

So super simple.  An apple, grapes, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.
Dallin cut the grapes.

Layton ate the grapes.

Mandy ate the chocolate chips.

But somehow still saved a few to use as eyes.

Layton’s grape arms and legs only lasted about 3 seconds.  He is a master frog leg eater!

They really had a great time with something so very simple.

Going a little Bread Crazy!

Like I mentioned yesterday, I am having so much fun with my Nutrimill.  I’ve been trying out all kinds of different baked goods and breads.  Here are just a few to give you an idea of what I’ve been playing around with:

Oat, Whole Wheat, and Flax Seed

The oat flour/whole wheat combination made for a more dense almost pound cake like texture.  It had a great flavor and really nice softness.

Whole Wheat

This is a standard whole wheat loaf (thanks Stacy for the recipe!).  It made for GREAT sandwiches.  See that thick slice of cheese in there?  That is what we dubbed “caveman cheese”.  It was a random cheese that we picked up at BJs that had been aged in a mountain cave.  It has such a nice flavor.  Combine the bread, a little ham, caveman cheese, and some crisp romaine and you’ve got yourself one fantastic sandwich!!!

Egg Bread

I think this one has been our absolute favorite so far.  It is so rich tasting and absolutely delicious!  In the words of Dallin:

“Mom, this tastes like real bread (i.e. store bought bread) – ONLY BETTER!”

Found the recipe for it here.  The original recipe called for all purpose flour, but substituting whole wheat flour worked great.  Also, what you see up there is only HALF of the recipe, so unless you are wanting A LOT of bread, I would half the recipe.  I also added a couple extra tablespoons of sugar because we like our bread a little sweet.

For my next bread projects I’m going to tackle French Bread and Sourdough Bread.  I’ve got the sourdough starter going on my counter now.  We’ll see how it goes!

P.S. To anyone that lives close by, if you have some wheat stored that you’d like to grind to try it out but don’t have a grinder yet, you are welcome to stop by to use mine.  It takes less than 5 minutes to grind a whole #10 can.  If you are wanting to do that, just let me know.  A little hint though – if you have been storing the wheat for a while, you’ll need to open it  up and pour it into a bowl and let it sit out for a few days to get rid of the “canned” smell/taste.  Some people suggest using two large bowls and every so often pouring the wheat from one bowl to another to get better aeration.  I opened a can that was 10 years old and it took about 4 days of sitting out and switching from one bowl to another before the smell went away.