Butter

We started getting milk from our neighbor to when we make yogurt. Last night we dipped the cream off the top and Wil suggested I make butter. My response was, ya right! I had no intentions on starting that. However today I remembered that we did make butter back in our farming day and decided to give it a whirl. Now, I need to do something with the buttermilk. Maybe I could make healthy muffins. It seems there is no end to what one can make. I don't like to bake but I must say I have been enjoying making the granola and bars. I made another batch of bars today. When I get to AZ, I will find out if Melissa, Maury and Isaiah like them as well.


Brennan was quite impressed with the butter and wanted some on a bagel. His response was, yum! He was taking a bite in-between his Mario Kart Racing.

Update on Isaiah's Project

This is the updated picture of Isaiah's school project. With a Dad as an artist, he had great help in decorating his shield. I wish we had pictures of Maury working on it.

Isaiah-Grandpops

Melissa sent me this picture tonight and I so loved it, and wanted to share it with all of you. This is Grandpop helping Isaiah build a shield for a school project. It does my heart good that he has such a wonderful great grandfather that is always ready to lend a helping hand.

Spring

It is Spring and of all things, I waited to start a big puzzle until about a week ago! It has been a great stress reliever for me. As usual, I'm enjoying my grandchildren and it's nice that they can go outside at times.

Sawyer can have fun with just about anything and can also trash the house very quickly.

Sawyer had a big hug for his brother, Brennan when he came home from preschool.

Signs of Spring!!

These pictures were taken with Wil's phone on his Sunday afternoon walk with Brennan

He got his mother to take a spin around the driveway.

About Granola.....

My sister Anna, said she made the granola recipe and she had to bake it longer, in order for it to brown. The difference is... It takes longer is you use a roaster, less time if you put it on a non-stick cookie sheet. Has anyone tried it? What do you use, Sue?

Granola Recipe

I am posting the Granola Recipe since many of you have asked for it. It was given to me by my sister-in-law, Sue. (Thanks again, Sue)

Granola

5 cups oatmeal
1 cup veg. oil
1 cup brown sugar (I used a scant 2/3 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cashews or almonds, chopped ( I added 1 cup raw cashews & almonds)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup wheat bran
2 tsp. salt ( I used 1 tsp.-Sue thought the 2 tsp was too salty.

Mix together the oatmeal and oil. Add rest of ingredients. Bake at 300 degrees , for one hour or until lightly brown; stirring every 10 min. Store in air tight container.

Mine was almost too brown at 50 minutes. I will not bake it quite as long the next time. I also added dried craisins after it was baked. I plan to add dried blue berries the next time.


Matt and Wil decided we should make our own Yogurt. I told Wil that was his project. He used Sue's recipe for the 1st batch and our neighbor Velma's for the 2nd batch. I have a feeling he will come up with his own before he is totally satisfied.

Proof that I met most of my goals for the day

I tried the Martha Stewart granola recipe today. I prefer the Sue's recipe.


My granola bars taste almost too good. I want to cut back on the sugar and see if they are still as good.


Here is my at least 3 times a week job. My mother in-law sitting on her walker, while I comb her hair.

It's been a long time since I have accomplished so much in one day in my own house. The laundry room looks much better and there are two trash bags in the car for Goodwill.

In response to your question, Sarah.... Most of the clothes are items that we haven't worn in the last year. Some that I wish I could wear and others that I don't want to wear. I did keep some that I hope to get back into soon. You heard me right. I HOPE TO.

2 days off

Often on Wednesday, Brennan comes home with me to play the wii after Monica comes homes at noon. This week she had a meeting, so we only had a little time between preschool and Sawyer's nap time to play wii and make Granola.

Sawyer is starting to say, "cheese" just like Brennan, whenever he see's you are about to take a picture of him.
He had climbed into this basket, so after the last picture I took him out and gave him his cup of milk. He was a bit annoyed that I took him out and climbed right back in.

This was Brennan and my project as soon as he came home from school. I finally made my 1st granola using Sue's recipe with a few minor changes.

This is Thursday and since it's an extra day off, I have a ton of things on my "to do" list.

First on my list was to exercise. I get to check that off since I walked 5 miles on the Treadmill while I watched the Biggest Looser episode that I had recorded. We will not talk about how long it took me to walk those miles.

Clean up my horrendous laundry room.

Take lots of clothes to Goodwill.

Sweep the house.

Make more Granola, possibly granola bars.

Clean up my kitchen.

Oh, yes. And get Mom's hair combed and their house swept for their Beachy sibling night.

Fun at the basketball game

Wil and I had so much fun watching my nephews and their team play basketball. We felt like we had a workout just yelling for them. I enjoyed yelling and screaming with my family and many other people. I sat beside Lila who admitted to being one of my blog stalkers and she was fun! Ask almost anyone and they will tell you that inspite of Anna's screaming in the 1st game, she still had a voice. She was challenged and she took on the challenge.

It was a real good day for both Wil and myself. It was a good change in our daily routine.

Jesse with his PROUD Mom after the 1st win.

The family that was able to be there for Jesse and Judson

JR and Fern rejoicing with their sons after they won the State Championship

A family photo after they calmed down a little.
Judson, sister-Vanessa, my brother-JR, Jesse, Fern

I wanted to add this video because most of my shots of the game didn't turn out. I wanted you to see them all. We go to church with several of the boys and some are patients at Middlebury Chiropractic. They should probably all be patients after that work out! We were proud of all of them.

Great News

For those of you who don't read our son Matt's blog........ they just got the news yesterday that their court date is the end of April. It was a real surprise. If all goes well, they could be traveling to Ethiopia, mid May!! Wil and I just bought tickets to go to AZ from May 2-8 to celebrate Isaiah's birthday. We will have Brennan and Sawyer while they are gone, so that was cutting it close.