Suitcase Muscles and Christmas Milk

Words are so much fun and I especially love to hear our children’s expressions about different things! Joseph, our son, started speaking early. Because of this, we have been privy to some of the greatest things we have ever heard before. In fact, many of the things we have learned recently are very wise sayings that have come from the mouths of some of the most innocent beings we know; our children. Glen and I used to joke around about how we’d write a blog and title it “Josephisms.” Joseph’s words could fill volumes and we believe that there may be more importance placed on his words in the future.

Grandma Otte came to visit a few weeks ago, and boy, were we excited!  The children especially love that the grandmas love to visit with and devote time to them.  It makes the children feel so special!  A grandma's or a grandpa's love is very significant.  So, for Grandma Otte's visit, we all cleaned and Joseph and Esther helped make up her bed.  In a moment of serious reflection, Joseph told us he would like to go the airport with me and help Grandma carry her luggage. He then posed in true bodybuilder fashion and told us all about his “suitcase muscles.” And he’s right! He’s super-powerful!

After Grandma Otte’s visit, we went to store and we saw it in the dairy case; eggnog!  That one great reminder of Christmas being just right around the corner. Joseph took one look at the milk carton with the picture of “Santa Cow” on it and we just had to buy it.  As soon as we got home and went through the front door with our grocery bags, Joseph called out to Glen, “Daddy, daddy! We got some Christmas milk at the store today!” Christmas milk indeed! The taste reminds me of every good thing in life. And it tasted really nice with our dinner that night! Esther’s little eyes were as big as moons when she tasted the “dessert in a glass.”

I expect that we will hear more and more from Esther very soon. She has some of her own special sayings and currently says these things with her unique baby-speak accent.

I believe children have minds that work well; their thoughts are exceptionally refined and they illuminate light and brightness in the world. Some of the bravest and the strongest are here with us and it is our privilege to have them in our homes and schools. It is our responsibility to use all of our sincere efforts to nurture and guide them. The rewards to them and to the future of our world and its people will be exponential. These little ones have a great work to do!

Our great beings love to talk as they play!

Joseph with one of his favorite dump trucks.

Esther learning to ride her tricycle.

Easy Soup for a Hectic Monday

Mondays can often be a bit hectic and we all can benefit from time-saving methods. One place to save time is in the kitchen! Here is a delicious recipe that is easy to make and especially delicious in the colder months. It is mild and many kids love this-it's a great way to get them (and us) to eat veggies! This is adapted from the cookbook, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon...

Creamy Vegetable Soup

4 TBS butter
1-2 yellow onions
1 16-oz bag of baby carrots
1 lb zucchini
3-6 red potatoes
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 tsp sea salt

First, chop the onions and add those, carrots and butter to a big soup pot. Cook on medium-low to let the onions and carrots soften, for about 15 minutes. Next chop the potatoes up and add those and the broth to the pot. Turn up the heat and let this boil for about 10-15 minutes. Chop zucchini, add to the pot, and let it cook in the pot for about 10 minutes. Add the sea salt. Lastly, blend soup using a hand blender or by putting batches of soup through your blender. This will result in a nice, creamy texture.

You can serve this up with a bit of sour cream on top, and some bread or a meat course on the side. I hope you enjoy this soup and that it warms you right up! :)

Halloween Superstars vs The Candy Fairy

Halloween is always a favorite in our house and it’s not because of the candy. Huh? That’s right, our kids are not focused on eating candy during the Halloween season. That’s not the everyday, run-of-the-mill idea…and here’s where it gets even better. The kids focus on giving away their Halloween candy. They certainly try to get as much as they can and their eyes shine with great anticipation and light whenever someone opens the door, just as anyone else.

“Trick or treat!” they exclaim. (Actually, Esther says something like, “Tweowtweeee!” But she sure learned quickly to emulate her older brother-mentor and hold her bag open for the gift that is put inside).

The idea for our Halloween tradition started with an idea that a friend gave me. We begin with canvassing the neighborhood for treats. Then, the children get home and pick out a few candy pieces that are especially attached to so they can eat them. The rest of the loot goes to the ‘Candy Fairy’. She visits our house every year on Halloween night. She takes the candy that the kids have offered her, gives all the chocolate pieces to me and my husband to enjoy, and then leaves a gift for each of the kids.

This year, Joseph got up and led Esther into the house to find their gifts. And they walked, hand in hand until they reached their destination. Glen and I heard exclamations and kids came running into our bedroom, talking breathlessly. Glen did a good job of getting Esther’s new doll out of its package and Joseph went right to work on his newest Lego project.

We love to welcome the Candy Fairy into our home.

Putting Your Whole Heart into Service

Glen and I were Primary substitutes yesterday and were privy to the sharing time lesson that we would later discuss with our son Joseph. The scripture of the month is Galatians 5:13, and it says, “…by love serve one another.” We were taught to apply it in a very special way and Joseph gives a good example of this.

This morning, Glen got up with the kids and I found an empty dishwasher with a white heart sitting inside of it. Now, who did this, I can only suspect. (His name starts with a “J”). But, shhhh, don’t tell him that I know… The idea is this: the primary children were given little white hearts to take home, and they were encouraged to do an act of service in secret. After they complete their act of service, they were encouraged to leave a little white heart at the scene where the act of love takes place. The person who is served will find the little white heart and feel loved. That is what it’s all about.

I am sure we will cut out a few white hearts today and give them to our children as part of our Family Home Evening tonight. I encourage you to do the same and to feel the outpouring of love in your own homes.