Welcome back spring!

Good morning people of the world! Spring seriously went MIA for a few days around here, but the sun is shining and the chill in the air is giving way to a warm-ish feel...I'll take it!

I snapped these pictures late last week, probably on the last sunny day we had until today. I just love these pops of yellow!

 ...and blues and purples...

I would've been wise to wait until afternoon because the midday sun is not the nature photographer's amigo, but I was so excited to 1) have sun shining!; 2) be outside in the warmth; and 3) see flowers blooming, I just had to snap away!

I got to spend some time with my sweet little niece, Naomi, last week, too. She and Isabelle adore each other!

Ethan finished a school masterpiece, so we had to get a picture of it before we...recycled it. I know, I know! But it wasn't one of his favorites, and as hard as it is to let some things go, you've just go to.

I look at this handsome, growing-up boy and all I see sometimes is this beautiful little boy...

And I really miss him.

One more because I'm feeling nostalgic.

Okay, now I'd better get going because I've got a full day ahead of me! A little sewing, household stuff, early release day from school, and a playdate for Isabelle. Yay!

Isabelle's Yummy GORILLA Granola Recipe

Isabelle Kate made some delicious granola (or "gorilla" according to her!) at preschool earlier this year, so we thought we'd share the recipe. It's so easy and tasty, and it smells sooooo good when it's baking!

 Everything comes out better with adorable helpers!

Here's what you need:

**this is a great recipe to cater to your own personal tastes...this is our modified version**

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats (not the quick cook kind), plus the inevitable oats that spill over the measuring cup into the bowl
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• pinch or so of salt (we use sea salt)
• 1 generous tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup canola oil
•  2 tsp vanilla extract (LESS if using pure or raw vanilla)

The sky's the limit as to what else you can add to your granola! We love coconut, walnuts, raisins, and banana chips in ours. Plus, for an extra boost of protein and good stuff, I add a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed and/or wheatgerm. 

 I used to wear this teddy bear apron with my Mom when I was little  :)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Combine oats, brown sugar, salt & cinnamon in large bowl and mix (or spin...you will get this if you read this post) well. Next, add any nuts, seeds, flaxseed, etc, but don't add any dried fruits until after the granola has cooked.
• Combine honey, oil, and vanilla in small liquid measuring cup, stirring well. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir gently to combine. We use a tall fork to combine ingredients.
• Lightly grease a 13 x 9 shallow baking pan (cookie sheet) with oil. Pour granola onto pan and spread evenly.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring at 10-minute intervals so the granola doesn't burn.
• Cool; add dried fruits if desired. Store in an airtight container. This should be eaten within 2 weeks, which is extremely laughable since it rarely sees the next light of day in this crazy-hungry household!
• Enjoy your yummy homemade granola!

After I wrote this post, Isabelle was telling Daddy all about making yummy "Gorilla." Daddy smiled and asked about it, and the next thing I know, Little Baker is going on and on about her "Granilla." HaHaHa 

So from this day forward, it shall forever be called "Granilla" in my house.      :)

Easter 2012 Thoughts & Festivities

I've said it before.

I'll say it again.

I think I live in a zoo.

I'm sure you can imagine the volume involved, too, ha!

We dyed some eggs with my parents Saturday afternoon, and then...well...this. There was a lot of laughter, and that's always nice. After church yesterday, we ate lunch with Mimi and Grampy, and my brother and his family. It was very low-key but nice. Then we headed over to Bill's parents to celebrate with them. We are lucky to have our families so close! Grandma and Grandpa did a fun Easter egg hunt with the kiddos, but it was freezing cold and I was a wimp so I watched from inside. They had a blast, but I don't have any pictures to share.    :(

Admiring the loot. We don't really do the Easter bunny, though we have baskets with some candy and something really exciting like pajamas or...underwear!  =)

I managed to get this one picture of my brood after church. My plans for posing on the front steps were thwarted by the gusts of wind and spitting snow, so...we may have to recapture a picture later on when it warms up. (That's happened before, ha!)

Someone's always goofing and someone's always scowling and I was rushing, so it's blurry.

Sigh.

I worked hard on Isabelle's dress (actually, two dresses) all last week and we both love how it turned out. So feminine and kind of old-fashioned. I just adore it. I'll have to share more pictures of the dress in another post!

And this morning, Bill is coughing and miserable, Jonah woke up early puking, so I've got two extra boys home. Not that I mind that. Caleb was so sweet and made Jonah a Get Better card, and Isabelle has set up a princess ball on the dining room table. If only you could hear the conversations going on in there! Hysterical!

I was disappointed in myself for not doing a few special activities I had wanted to do with my children to celebrate this special holy-day. My mind and heart have been a little heavy lately, and that makes it much harder to put a smile on my face and do fun things. That probably sounds really selfish. It probably really is selfish. I know I have been given so much! And I know that Jesus died on that cross so long ago for me and for you, and I believe with all my heart that he loves us more than we could ever begin to fathom. 

I think I'll imagine being among the women at the tomb, whose utter grief was transformed to unimaginable joy as Jesus approached them and greeted them. Isn't that what he desires for us as well? To meet us where we are- whether that's in the midst of crisis or great happiness- and walk alongside us? To "show up" for us? To transform our grief into unimaginable joy.

Organizing the mess under the sink without spending any money!

I've been staring down the same few places in our home that have been driving me crazy, trying my best to ignore them, wishing them clean and organized.

Well, the under-the-sink fairy didn't get the memo. Or take the hint. And the mess just got bigger and bigger and bigger!

So while some adorable people (& pets)... 

 ...were soaking up the sunshine, I got to work!

Enter Exhibit A:

Gross.

Exhibit B isn't looking so hot, either.

I actually had 2 goals in mind for tidying up these spaces- the obvious, tidying up; and...I wasn't going to spend one penny on new boxes, containers, bags, things that attach to the doors- nothing! - because I knew I had some things in the basement that weren't being used.

The main problem under the sink was lack of containment. Bottles, cleaners, detergents and such were all just thrown in there without any real home. Not to mention, the stuff in the back that I always forget is there, so I buy more. And more. Of the same thing.

Emptied out.

Okay, now that's really gross!

But this is better, right?

See that white garbage bag holder in the front?

It's an old (as in, dried up, yellow wipes inside) Clorox wipes container- fits perfectly!

Those empty bottles won't be empty for long...I'm not replacing any cleaning products after these run out so I'll be forced to make my own non-toxic, natural ones. This time I'm sticking with it!

As for the hall closet...

Ahhhh, so much better! The only things I got rid of in here were a green frog humidifier, some old hot rollers, and one expired anti-itch medicine, so I was pleased about that. I've been trying so hard to only buy what we need to avoid having to toss stuff out.

 Bill and I don't have an extra drawer for washcloths & hand towels, so we put ours in the closet. It works for us.

I keep dusting cloths with the "Swif-ter" (according to Caleb, ha) stuff, and as much as I'd love a sleek container to hold all those bags we re-use for trash can bags, nothing has ever worked up there except a big ol' bag o' bags. The kids take care of the trash, so why ruin a good thing?

Those extra tubs above will get brought down to the porch for foot-washing duty pretty soon, ha!

This is how I keep medicine and other necessities organized. I sort like items (band-aids, gauze, ointment, etc) and assign them to a small box. It's great because you can simply pull out the box you need, get your stuff, and put it right back. Everything's right there, nice and neat.

I have one other box for adult medicine, and one for children's. In the middle of the night when you're exhausted and facing an emergency, it helps to reach for the box of kid stuff and know everything in there is safe for them. That's also where I store the thermometer and covers. I've learned to stick with the basics, such as Tylenol, Advil or Motrin, Vick's Vapo-rub, Benadryl, cough drops, and that saline stuff that gets water out of your ears (I can't remember the name of it!). There's very little to throw away since I don't "stock up" anymore.

I didn't include a before shot of the kids' bathroom, but this is the after. I found another large container in the basement that is now holding the cotton balls, Q-tips, and soap. The green container holds extra hand soap and dog shampoo. No more stuff just "floating" around!

 I use the same container system with all our toothbrush stuff. It's easy to tell when we're getting low because it's all right there...though going to the dentist so many times each year for cleanings keeps us pretty well stocked!

Nice and tidy, just the way I like it.
Now I'm off to start dinner...I think my food cabinets are next on the list!  =)