Changed the name of the blog today.  Since getting a digital camera, then an iphone, I don't think I have printed out pictures in a couple years.  This is probably the only we will look at the pictures taken from our neighborhood walks, and not-so-occasional park outings.  It is hot, hot, hot outside, and our new itty bitty is 7 wks old and is miserable with reflux.  We have yet to make it on a mommy/8 kiddo outing.

With the temperature to hit triple digits this coming week, this is SO not the season for daffodils, but there was an article in the DMN Briefing yesterday.  Now is the time to start ordering those uncommon daffodils.  Mail-order sources include: brentandbeckysbulbs.com, cherrycreekdaffodils.com, and daffodilsandmore.com

Look what the birds planted in our backyard.  This was the ONLY thing planted in the backyard.  I gave up on the idea of planting anything this year.  The boys will destroy it, and I figured with a newborn it would go to waste quickly.  Was I ever right about that.  So thank you to the birds.  It has been a treat to see the sunflowers growing high over the fence.

We found these funny looking red and white balls in our neighbor's yard on our walk.  They are the size/feel of a small rubber bouncy ball.  I suspected that it had something to with wasps.  Sure enough, it is an acorn plum gall.  Those devious wasps.

The next day we went for a scavenger hunt for pink, white, and purple crepe myrtle blossoms.  The crepe myrtles are beautiful here this year.  Purple is not pictured here.  

Acorn Plum Gall and Crepe Myrtle flowers

What's cooking?

Coconut. I drink it, eat it: breakfast, lunch & dinner. I read the book, Eat Fat, Lose Fat, that follows the Weston Price diet foundations, with the addition of some mad coconut love. Tired? coconut oil. Depressed? coconut oil. Anxious? Heart attack waiting to happen? Diabetes? Crohns? (insert every ailment you can think of - minus coconut allergies) and you got it, eat more coconut oil. Won't let soy in the house anymore. Jacob is to the point where he cries "No coconut milk!" at breakfast time. That's alright - I sneak it in the baked goods & dinner.

Today I finished making a pot of thai butternut squash soup (my renaming). One thing I can't figure out: the color of her soup. I've made 3 batches now, once a week. I use whole coconut milk, fresh garlic & cilantro and my soup looks very orange. Maybe try more cilantro? Anyway, love the babyfood soup (kids renaming). The girls are waiting for Sarah to come of age to try it.

Next recipe: coconut tonic from the book above. In medium saucepan warm 1 can whole coconut milk, most of empty can filled w/water, 2 T maple syrup & 1 tsp of vanilla. Stir/warm until smooth. Later that day or whenever add copious amounts of frozen pineapple to 1 cup of the coconut tonic. Afternoon pina colada delight! ..except for this afternoon, when Sarah was the screaming mimis, and I got all frazzled and knocked my afternoon delight over. grumble.

And we now have about 8-9 daffodils in the front yard. happy squeal.

Wellll another year come & gone..

Quick update.. but first a tangent. We just finished a slow walk around the neighborhood. There's nothing cardio when you have toddlers/preschoolers along. SPRING IS IN THE AIR. Love it, love this time of year. Always thought fall was my favorite, but all the colors and new life that spring promises? Can't be beat. We have our first ever daffodils blooming up front - 2 so far. I'm so proud of them. Actually my mother-in-law, Priscilla, should take the credit. She saw all these bulbs sitting out in our garage last November, had pity on them, and planted them. I am merely reaping the rewards. Isn't it amazing? How bulbs and seeds turn into such beautiful creations?

Last year at this time we were blessed with a little bit of heaven. Our 7th baby came into existence. There was no bleeding during the 1st trimester, as in my prior 3 pregnancies. And on November 18th that creation took her first breath of air. Sarah Lillian is now 3 mos old. And she rules over us with her iron baby first. Instead of shrinking violet, or dainty daisy, we call her livid Lilly. I watch babywearing videos. The baby is getting placed on the mother's back, and is making little uh-uh I-don't-know-about-this sounds. My precious angel SHRIEKS in my ear like there is no tomorrow! I actually went back to watch all the videos on youtube that I had bookmarked - I must be putting her on my back wrong or something. Nope. Nothing dainty about her. But you should see her SMILE. We read the poem Krinken, by Eugene Field, on Friday. Our world would truly be winter without our Sarah Lillian (screaming mimis and all).

We're still homeschooling. Rachael is in 2nd grade, and Abby in kindergarden. And no, Abby is not reading yet. Raymond Moore, save me!

We purchased a Mac Mini at Christmas time. Too cheap to buy a word processor for it though. I was thinking, "I don't want to write a journal, so where can I keep track of our doings?" So resurrect the blog.