tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72222580936174178782024-03-13T13:33:24.017-05:00Merseth MorselsIt's about food. It's about family. What more could you want?meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-64251626049945669232016-05-15T21:33:00.000-05:002016-05-15T21:33:52.560-05:00Long time, no writeWell I've found myself alone and unsure what to do tonight, so I've decided to break my blogging hiatus with a random post. Blogging is like riding a bike, right? Once you learn, you don't forget? <div>
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Life has changed drastically since my last post about Elsie's birth 21 months ago. </div>
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We moved to northern Minnesota from central Missouri. </div>
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We sold two houses. </div>
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We've been fighting Lyme Disease with my husband and drastically changing his diet.</div>
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We've homeschooled. </div>
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To make a list like this seems to oversimplify what's happened. Huge life changes. Things that I can't even adequately put into words. </div>
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But we're still here. Alive. Growing. Changing. Learning.</div>
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Life is hard, but God is still good. </div>
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Sorry this is vague, but where does one begin with so much to say? I'll try and share more over the summer, if I'm able. </div>
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But now for a recipe. I've chosen an old recipe from my old <i>Presidential Cookbook</i> from 1895 to share with you for your viewing pleasure. I haven't made it, but I'd like to sometime. My baking and cooking pursuits have changed as I've figured out how to feed my husband, so I don't do some of the things I used to do. Here it is, as printed in the cookbook.</div>
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<b>Jelly Fritters</b></div>
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Make a batter of three eggs, a pint of milk, and a pint bowl of wheat flour or more, beat it light; put a tablespoonful of lard or beef fat in a frying or omelet pan, add a salt spoonful of salt, making it boiling hot, put in the batter by the large spoonful not too close; when one side is a delicate brown, turn the other; when done, take them on to a dish with a d'oyley over it; put a dessertspoonful of firm jelly or jam on each, and serve. A very nice dessert.</div>
meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-46766364594575343362014-09-06T11:43:00.000-05:002014-09-06T14:18:24.548-05:00Elsie’s birth story<div class="MsoNormal">
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Born 2:42 p.m., Thursday, August 14, 2014</div>
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10 lbs., 1 oz., 20 ¾ in. long</div>
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Elsie Eleanor, Named after two of her great-great-grandmothers</div>
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I had been having some short somewhat strong contractions
off and on for a few days prior. Contractions started getting 15-20 min. apart
Thurs. morning around 9 a.m., but very intense, like I needed to stop and moan
through them. We called our neighbor Shirley to take care of the boys. (They
kept asking me, “What’s wrong Mom?”) I called Susan, the midwife, to let her
know what was happening, but I didn’t want to sound the alarm too soon. I
thought maybe I was imagining things because in between contractions I felt
fine. So I got things ready around the house (ya know, cooked some rice and
folded laundry…), and finally packed a bag, “in case of transport”. (The
checklist from Susan said to do that.) Turns out, I needed it! </div>
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I called the midwife about 11:45 a.m. and said contractions
were 5-10 min. apart, so things might be getting more serious. Susan said that
she had another mom in labor at her clinic so I needed to come there! The birth
was not going to be a home birth, as previously planned. So, we got bags and
food around, loaded up the van, and left by 12:30 p.m. The contractions slowed
down a little in the van. We arrived by 1:15 p.m. and I was ushered into a
bedroom. Susan checked me and I was almost dilated to 9 cm. I was so relieved
to be almost done!</div>
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So I got down to the business of having a baby. Susan helped
me get through contractions with warm packs on my back and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>rubbing my back and hips. By 2:15 p.m.
I was fully dilated with bulging bag of water. It took me a few times to find a
position I wanted to push in. First I was on a little birthing stool on the
floor, then I was kneeling on the bed over a birthing ball. I tried pushing
here and she broke my waters. Finally I was on my side and back and Susan’s
helper and Susan and my husband helped to push on my feet because I really wanted
to be standing. There’s just something that makes me feel stronger when I am
standing. It took me a little while to tap into my “pushing muscles” but the
baby slowly crowned and in about 15-20 minutes from the first push, out she
came. (Jeff said Susan poured oil around the opening in the pushing process.) I
had my eyes closed the whole time as I was trying to mentally focus on the task
at hand. I remember Susan saying, “Megan, you need to relax and slow down.” I
tried to relax my leg as best I could, as I could feel it was very tense and
not opening up to let the baby come. But I’m not sure I didn’t very well… but
it was shortly after she said that, that I said, “I can’t stop it, it’s
coming.” And then the baby came out!</div>
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The cord was short, the baby could only be on my tummy. So
they looked after my bleeding, gave me a shot of pitocin to help stop the
bleeding. They seemed a bit concerned at the time. My glasses were off, so I
asked if it was a boy—I thought the cord was the boy part, but Jeff said it was
a girl! Susan said, “This is a big baby!”</div>
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Cord was clamped so I could hold baby on my chest. She was
covered in lots of vernix. She came out crying and ready to eat, so I nursed
her right away. Then she sucked her thumb for a while.</div>
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(After I had my baby, Susan went to help the other mother
having her baby at the other side of the clinic. She had a boy and named him
Jeffrey! So before we left we met Elsie’s “birthday twin”. It was a Mennonite
couple having their first baby.)</div>
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After I’d had a chance to rest a while, and Susan’s helper
Maggie had pushed on my uterus for a while (Ouch!), Susan weighed and measured Elsie.
I was pretty surprised at the weight! She was a chubby baby with big cheeks,
double chin and chubby legs! Her chest measured slightly bigger than her head,
which isn’t the norm. Despite her size, I did not tear, nor did I have any skid marks! I was so pleased that bathroom visits did not hurt!</div>
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Another interesting tidbit… we changed names after we got to the clinic. There was a baby name book on the shelf in my room. We weren't going to use alliteration as we had with the other kids' names (Judah John, Andrew Allan, Enoch Edwin) but then decided to after all. We had the boy name picked out and I'm pretty sure we thought it was going to be a boy. After we found out it was a girl, we decided to change our original plan in favor of alliteration. </div>
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We rested a while, then left at about 7pm to go home. We had
forgotten a carseat in the rush to leave, but thankfully Susan had one we could
borrow. Jeff picked up boys from Shirley’s after dropping me at home. </div>
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Boys were excited to see their new sister. Andrew said, “But
it was supposed to be a boy!” But the boys are very sweet with Elsie and like
to give her kisses on her head.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brothers meet their sister</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baptism Day, August 24</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Elsie with Susan at 2 week appointment</td></tr>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-3126650484849999672014-07-05T13:57:00.003-05:002014-07-05T13:57:58.172-05:00Sourdough Donuts<div class="MsoNormal">
This recipe was written at the end of May. And somehow it's already July. What in the world?! A lot of traveling in between then and now. I'll spare you the details, mainly because it was mostly a blur in my pregnant memory, and I didn't take many pictures.</div>
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The reason for this recipe came about when we butchered our pig and made lard in early May. I will spare you the details... for now.</div>
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Since I had a lot of beautiful lard, my husband suggested
making donuts. Doughnuts. However you spell it. At any rate, I have never made
donuts before. And of course, I chose to make sourdough donuts. Because, as
I’ve mentioned before, I am a bit obsessed with sourdough. I finally chose a
recipe out of one of my old faves, The Presidential Cookbook, published in
1895. Now, this cookbook is very interesting, because it assumes that you know
a lot more than today’s day-and-age cook knows. (In fact, I think in the future
I’d like to share a few recipes, because they’re just a hoot!) But onto the
recipe!</div>
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Here is the exact wording from the cookbook, followed by my
interpretation!</div>
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<b>Raised Doughnuts</b></div>
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<b>from <i>The Presidential Cookbook</i></b></div>
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Old-fashioned “raised doughnuts,” are seldom seen,
now-a-days, but are easily made. Make a sponge as for bread, using a pint of
warm water or milk, and a large half cupful of yeast; when the sponge is very
light, add half a cupful of butter or sweet lard, a coffee-cupful of sugar, a
teaspoonful of salt and one small teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little
water, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg; stir in now two
well-beaten eggs, add sifted flour until it is the consistency of
biscuit-dough, knead it well, cover and let rise; then roll the dough out into
a sheet half an inch thick, cut out with a very small biscuit-butter, or in strips
half an inch wide and three inches long, place them on greased tins, cover them
well, and let them rise before frying them. Drop them in very hot lard. Raised
cakes required longer time than cakes made with baking-powder. Sift powdered
sugar over them as fast as they are fried, while warm. Our grandmothers put
allspice into these cakes; that, however, is a matter of taste.</div>
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<b>Sourdough Donuts</b> (my version)</div>
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Makes about 3 dozen.</div>
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2 c. warm water (or milk, sour milk, whatever you have)</div>
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½ c. sourdough starter (mine wasn’t proofed, so don’t worry
if you pull it cold out of fridge)</div>
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4 c. freshly ground flour (I used half red wheat berries,
and half soft white wheat berries)</div>
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Mix together in the evening and let sit overnight. </div>
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In the morning, add…</div>
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½ c. melted lard (not too hot. I used lard because I had
some readily available)</div>
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¾ c. sugar (I used raw sugar because that’s what I use
instead of white)</div>
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1 t. salt</div>
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¾ t. soda, dissolved in a little water</div>
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1 T. cinnamon</div>
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dash of nutmeg</div>
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2 beaten eggs</div>
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Add flour (I didn’t sift, but maybe that would be better. I
just didn’t have the patience for sifting) until the consistency is right. I
ended up adding 2 c. ground whole wheat flour, and 1 ½ c. unbleached white
flour in order to get the right consistency. You should be able to knead it and
not have it be sticky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I maybe
kneaded it for a few minutes. Then covered it to sit. Now, I wasn’t sure how
long to let it rise, but it rose for 4-5 hours because that's how my day worked out.</div>
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After lunch I formed the donuts by rolling out the dough
(use more white flour) to about ½ inch thick and used a small canning jar ring
to cut circles. Then I used my finger to poke a hole in the middle. Then I
floured some pans and laid my donuts to rest. Again, being unsure how long to
let them rise, they maybe rose for an hour or so. They didn’t look like they
had risen much, so I was resigned to flat donuts.</div>
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I got my oil heated up. I used my candy thermometer and kept
the temp between 350 and 375 degrees. Boy, did the donuts puff up!! I was so
surprised! I did about 4-5 minutes per side, till they were a golden brown.
They seem to darken in color after you get them out of the oil.</div>
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I left them plain, and just sprinkled powdered sugar over
them as we ate them. Otherwise they would’ve just soaked up the powdered sugar.
It took us about a week to eat them up. And they were pretty tasty. I will say
they are a little dense, but I think most donuts just ARE dense, although it’s
been years since I’ve had a store-bought donut. </div>
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And I have to tell you… the days I had those donuts, I had
an amazing amount of energy! I worked through the afternoon without a nap and
was still going until bedtime! For this mama who is always tired, that’s saying
something. I am pretty sure it’s the lard. It sticks with you and satiates. And
makes you forget to have a snack. Pregnant mamas need to snack. So I should
just have a half a donut, maybe… ;-)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before raise time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhOSApO4QWIPdBFxDfYNv04HOTCaPsgUFtE12MQu9z95XBlF5ipvCfFdfJdo1yRhK7CU0Os_9POd0huR6FMgjLIGy0zZHNvHppIc5Pc3rOnb_t7p7dFEnRTslX_XiUf2Xk7uEqrEArSU/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhOSApO4QWIPdBFxDfYNv04HOTCaPsgUFtE12MQu9z95XBlF5ipvCfFdfJdo1yRhK7CU0Os_9POd0huR6FMgjLIGy0zZHNvHppIc5Pc3rOnb_t7p7dFEnRTslX_XiUf2Xk7uEqrEArSU/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After raise time... not much difference</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My helpers. They got to form their own donut.</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plumping up in the hot lard. I love my ceramic cast iron pot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished product. Not picture perfect, but really... who cares?!</td></tr>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-41829439179458953142014-04-30T22:49:00.001-05:002014-04-30T22:49:18.020-05:00Good News and Bad News
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Oh, hello! So it's been five months since I've posted anything. Yes, we're still alive over here. There's just been some things in the works that have been slowing us down a bit. Would you rather hear the Good News or the Bad News first? I
usually like to hear the Bad News first. It’s always much more pleasant to end
on a positive note, right?</div>
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I would like to preface this by saying I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should share this information with the general public. But I finally realized that prayers should be asked for, and welcomed! That is what the body of Christ is for, to help bear each other’s burdens, and to pray on each other’s behalf.</div>
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About the Bad News, I'd like to give a few
explanations. My husband has been dealing with some health issues for close to
a year, such as exhaustion, lack of mental clarity, and strong pain in his
lower legs. To make a long story short, after exploring different
possibilities, we were guided to looking into Lyme Disease, so Jeff took the
Western Blot blood test, which is the best test out there to tell you if you
have the disease—or at least the indicators for the disease. So we have been
waiting for the results for the last month. </div>
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According to the CDC, he would not have Lyme Disease.
However, according to the lab, his body is producing antibodies to fight off
Lyme Disease bacteria, which is a pretty good indicator that he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> have it. While this news is not
great news, we are glad to hopefully have an answer to what’s been plaguing Jeff. However, Lyme Disease is not something that you can just… get rid of. But you
can try to minimize its effects. I am still in the baby stages of learning
about this disease. I can tell you that we are working with a homeopathic
physician on a treatment plan. Please pray that Jeff can find some relief from his pain, and for wisdom for our physicians to help treat it.</div>
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Now, the Good News. </div>
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After two miscarriages in the past year, we are happy to be expecting
a baby most likely sometime in August. I am not going to tell any specifics…
like how many weeks along I am, or my exact due date. People tend to get hung
up on those things, and frankly… it stresses me out. Stress = Not Good. So
please just pray for a healthy baby to come when the time is right, aaaand that
I can get through the summer wearing compression hose for my terrible varicose-veined legs. Nothing says Hot Mama like compression stockings. ;-) </div>
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But this is the main reason why I've been so unimaginative, unmotivated and uninspired in the kitchen the past several months... I've been tired (still am), nauseous (finally over that, but it took a while), and tired (oh wait... did I say that already?). I have been sticking to the basics, foods with minimum thought (think meat and veggies prepared in the blandest of ways). I have loads of tomato products that I put up last summer and they do not appeal to me in the least, unfortunately. Well, they'll keep. ;-)</div>
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I hope to share with you soon what we've been up to around here... mainly the straw bale garden that my husband has managed to get going. Only two apples trees (of the 28 fruit trees we planted last fall) didn't seem to have survived the winter. We still have Wilbur (aka Bacon), although soon, very soon, he will have a new home in the freezer. And we still have our chickens, although we have lost three hens to sickness over the last several months. The hardest thing is trying to keep them out of the garden, those rascals. There are a few that keep getting in there.</div>
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Oh, and we still have our three boys. Never a dull moment. They're conflicted about the weather. They love snow. But they love to wear shorts. What's a boy gonna do?! Play in the mud, of course!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_OFnAwOduvkY7umbLZZ4nOlPN5H_TQrewxD8gdATT1dbqa9N2_mPKqpycVqXdZ_yCwSGPEL2IMoqHKmhduElGtob3y3oLEwgak6DeOqYH0PX9Qd5uZkokzHFUix2swiJBbiBKeCblgw/s1600/971044_10152341532973637_1475516756_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_OFnAwOduvkY7umbLZZ4nOlPN5H_TQrewxD8gdATT1dbqa9N2_mPKqpycVqXdZ_yCwSGPEL2IMoqHKmhduElGtob3y3oLEwgak6DeOqYH0PX9Qd5uZkokzHFUix2swiJBbiBKeCblgw/s1600/971044_10152341532973637_1475516756_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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And Spring is here. I do so enjoy spring in Missouri. </div>
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Thanks for reading, and I hope to get back to blogging at least a little bit in the coming months. ;-)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND1vUaNU_3OFgA9ruxHOZcnBznjcx8fzHPYzHyp6lvCyPV7xhhSievJ5pciJEHXz1HtJ64f484Vn7B1vSxho_J7tq04SU-WmeddvA1l7rZABRD-jPjbnvRs-6_kNdydFYLLnWogLQilQ/s1600/100_1465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND1vUaNU_3OFgA9ruxHOZcnBznjcx8fzHPYzHyp6lvCyPV7xhhSievJ5pciJEHXz1HtJ64f484Vn7B1vSxho_J7tq04SU-WmeddvA1l7rZABRD-jPjbnvRs-6_kNdydFYLLnWogLQilQ/s1600/100_1465.JPG" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">"Hey, do I smell?"<br />Sorry, I just had to add this one because it made me laugh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv1x_Huw8bE50kNYgl4LDENQh1TbgfdadXPNDGYQlGPXKjEMcFOwu291nBhlHnXMZ9W0kfUDoxPr5dR-GFgQjStr8YMd8Sft3yvtLEVv9fTlzUfZ8RBkzMAl6tI71HjMt6Wgv0YXAIq0/s1600/100_1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv1x_Huw8bE50kNYgl4LDENQh1TbgfdadXPNDGYQlGPXKjEMcFOwu291nBhlHnXMZ9W0kfUDoxPr5dR-GFgQjStr8YMd8Sft3yvtLEVv9fTlzUfZ8RBkzMAl6tI71HjMt6Wgv0YXAIq0/s1600/100_1468.JPG" height="270" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">There's a little glare, but it was the best one of all the boys.<br />Happy Easter!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-85693216965219741392013-11-17T20:33:00.000-06:002013-11-17T20:33:16.057-06:00Summer and Fall Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been busy since the last time I wrote here, which was at the end of April. And now it's November. </div>
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To sum up....We bought a house, remodeled, moved in, went on a trip, came back, continued to unpack and fix house, bought some extra land adjacent to our property, had some sickness, preserved food from the summer, started homeschooling, planted a fruit orchard, tried to keep up with our chickens and all their secret nests for laying eggs (not easy!), had five birthdays, went up north for deer hunting, got some deer, Judah broke his arm, brought home a baby pig (we named him Wilbur, after the pig in "Charlotte's Web"), chickens are on strike (not laying eggs at all). Uff da!</div>
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I have left out a few items, but really, I think that's quite enough. Here's a photo journey (although somewhat scatter-brained) for anyone still trying to keep tabs on us.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXKW3cTdXrhE1_Q-v0inFo1F9YRawZVgEQN1jW9LNspMz018ciytRoypCKP_rQe6UgL_IMeZfHptDZ-wWrZz3zYCOcKIZ4_p8zgdWgS3qcOXFuvevJe1Z2jKg8PmKuHP2MxxAkTQkxss/s1600/100_0963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXKW3cTdXrhE1_Q-v0inFo1F9YRawZVgEQN1jW9LNspMz018ciytRoypCKP_rQe6UgL_IMeZfHptDZ-wWrZz3zYCOcKIZ4_p8zgdWgS3qcOXFuvevJe1Z2jKg8PmKuHP2MxxAkTQkxss/s320/100_0963.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff and Judah at our make-shift table during remodeling. Before we moved into the new house, I took numerous meals over there to serve Jeff, and to eat as a family. Then I'd clean up and do what I could while the boys played around Jeff working. The kitchen used to be red as you can see here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4scSCf5mFDqz2MzlVaZbKwPlH19WDO6FjWbhy5zEnxOrBkscSceGTInP_QwIfW9tTWmcPfwgJ6WI3kx5AjBxLkdU7J1Rr_VX9tnkXXyct4PwXEPPZeF44WF2GXj63v7HrguT-tLBT-U/s1600/100_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4scSCf5mFDqz2MzlVaZbKwPlH19WDO6FjWbhy5zEnxOrBkscSceGTInP_QwIfW9tTWmcPfwgJ6WI3kx5AjBxLkdU7J1Rr_VX9tnkXXyct4PwXEPPZeF44WF2GXj63v7HrguT-tLBT-U/s320/100_0965.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch "helping" me paint... and by helping, I mean, he'd stay away from the paint. Mostly. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEAEVWUQk6AzbL3ZbpNirdYE3lx1gM3XjW5t8yit4RS0mOTlCcziTk4ZVSCEdArVfO3QKNDrmWvKQA3BKZVDEPPDfHOtxkDbFjBx63TVXC1nyu8ZFXXg021zGv9xrci5GDco74lYBb3M/s1600/100_0968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEAEVWUQk6AzbL3ZbpNirdYE3lx1gM3XjW5t8yit4RS0mOTlCcziTk4ZVSCEdArVfO3QKNDrmWvKQA3BKZVDEPPDfHOtxkDbFjBx63TVXC1nyu8ZFXXg021zGv9xrci5GDco74lYBb3M/s320/100_0968.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The painted kitchen. It's pretty big, and I like it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jE4hiptGdvI56IKuHET23tUuhvVExfc2xW5dYC5ggZEs_TZLEwXzmqueaWKpfAXHoCazf_TrMO0T_Oi6uU4tCRO6CLrzTf7M8-v1U_GeU25UZmoCg-mkiP2ca7PxLqJfURLgobzbaxM/s1600/100_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jE4hiptGdvI56IKuHET23tUuhvVExfc2xW5dYC5ggZEs_TZLEwXzmqueaWKpfAXHoCazf_TrMO0T_Oi6uU4tCRO6CLrzTf7M8-v1U_GeU25UZmoCg-mkiP2ca7PxLqJfURLgobzbaxM/s320/100_0998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortly after moving into the house in June, we left to go north for synod convention in MN, while stopping at my folks' for a photo opportunity with everyone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TXj5QSlz4TthnpCfK6ehEt6CndoXbxu8hOsq80Ux5eOGVmRC_s3ZTJNPEeM6u4JQJ2S_Bp6pgTmI4vNt0Bc-C3Omp8zz01yqKIj1C02vU9qivCKnuTkmi1lqW2xy81noGDCF68tlJhA/s1600/100_1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TXj5QSlz4TthnpCfK6ehEt6CndoXbxu8hOsq80Ux5eOGVmRC_s3ZTJNPEeM6u4JQJ2S_Bp6pgTmI4vNt0Bc-C3Omp8zz01yqKIj1C02vU9qivCKnuTkmi1lqW2xy81noGDCF68tlJhA/s320/100_1008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After synod week, we headed north for a big celebration of Jeff's Grandma's 90th birthday. And of course, all the kids had to have a ride with the Ranger!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScr8NS_2v4jNeJyDhf8HdDb73l4su9VXUxaD9sDr6U_Tts6OhztEO58HhcpSY0ot5i2NfLJFW43eE89F-eoKyoA1EQ4uedxSXr1xb4bXWFcpzkLsBV-bP1RzInM4Mfnhlekxr6iCh3AI/s1600/June_Family_Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScr8NS_2v4jNeJyDhf8HdDb73l4su9VXUxaD9sDr6U_Tts6OhztEO58HhcpSY0ot5i2NfLJFW43eE89F-eoKyoA1EQ4uedxSXr1xb4bXWFcpzkLsBV-bP1RzInM4Mfnhlekxr6iCh3AI/s320/June_Family_Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice photo of our little family.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRkzg2cq6xAG0p8iscT47HTohW1O5Zel5u_TftSXFCRfjntHsQU-rILSkgszP0r38_JvE3KHZV8a01UpNMpsge6p5M4oNn8PuyPhjujLqgVMHQn60vL3XCvxbonucJsvE2OagWtdcdyQ/s1600/Fam_June.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRkzg2cq6xAG0p8iscT47HTohW1O5Zel5u_TftSXFCRfjntHsQU-rILSkgszP0r38_JvE3KHZV8a01UpNMpsge6p5M4oNn8PuyPhjujLqgVMHQn60vL3XCvxbonucJsvE2OagWtdcdyQ/s320/Fam_June.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another photo opp... My husband's immediate family and children at the celebration.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3DZEAPGeI421DQKpaeO8nZMecHX4jE6H_D46hgkIyUxvD9AFCb9DTccHZdg1YWyWhChsLFoiB8v6DVvKZkd7W4UmH3S8PhTNo8uUkfpFsNq_wm7-oBmMUc-Q1oJ3TAoaIDi2eEZCv40/s1600/100_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3DZEAPGeI421DQKpaeO8nZMecHX4jE6H_D46hgkIyUxvD9AFCb9DTccHZdg1YWyWhChsLFoiB8v6DVvKZkd7W4UmH3S8PhTNo8uUkfpFsNq_wm7-oBmMUc-Q1oJ3TAoaIDi2eEZCv40/s320/100_1018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we returned from Minnesota, we got a new bunk bed for Judah's growing legs. Andrew and Enoch helped Daddy put it up. We also needed some extra places to have cousins sleep. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsyNYmUl15ZlNFtkUmTYtciNvFFco91KFMKQ5Tj3M_wafZBmog23B-0jZIm8qx8-j1EmtOrISxWDrNk6I2pFWGiQBdC12YKCBeRT-NfQb5NRcdJSLXJz7INwhOAqoFBiIylSB8QOhTfY/s1600/100_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsyNYmUl15ZlNFtkUmTYtciNvFFco91KFMKQ5Tj3M_wafZBmog23B-0jZIm8qx8-j1EmtOrISxWDrNk6I2pFWGiQBdC12YKCBeRT-NfQb5NRcdJSLXJz7INwhOAqoFBiIylSB8QOhTfY/s320/100_1022.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We came back to Missouri without Judah (he went to Ohio for a few weeks with Jeff's folks), and so we put the other two boys to work. ;-) Notice the old deck in the background. We'll come back to the deck later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlle58ud4FASiS9GrXrJQwlTjBMJpgjX7KH5Fz_wIOUi8JAiSSI3j6-oD696G1-fiaiId7vLLjZPLMFESl1ZnOUT-1yJMZUPsfuw0bFsmwIlzccI3W8G_3Nw9Lb53iUyIY3mpmQ9zYy6Y/s1600/100_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlle58ud4FASiS9GrXrJQwlTjBMJpgjX7KH5Fz_wIOUi8JAiSSI3j6-oD696G1-fiaiId7vLLjZPLMFESl1ZnOUT-1yJMZUPsfuw0bFsmwIlzccI3W8G_3Nw9Lb53iUyIY3mpmQ9zYy6Y/s320/100_1030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a campfire on the 4th of July in the front yard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSSAcdf7F28OQy1co8jMzIaQHfIznQqM0PKpzx65gvcaRNAI0uQoIsDSoaJAKDBPrYbWLDxEyUA5l4sd8uBWLF7uHFKM84w49wCXZN8qzavoeGcsjui2Q1QCOchGhXZn3rkhaDrCQSbg/s1600/100_1021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSSAcdf7F28OQy1co8jMzIaQHfIznQqM0PKpzx65gvcaRNAI0uQoIsDSoaJAKDBPrYbWLDxEyUA5l4sd8uBWLF7uHFKM84w49wCXZN8qzavoeGcsjui2Q1QCOchGhXZn3rkhaDrCQSbg/s320/100_1021.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For our 11th anniversary on July 5, we took the two boys for a 6-wheeler ride on the property we had just purchased. I was dressed for riding through heavily forested grounds. Wouldn't want to get ticks in my hair. ;-) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uPEC7Twm-0YHXHdM9eTSZ8scjzNDNXmZHb3kUEkMzLf-FioxYAesHMyEPtwX69bwDeicUWNWgY8DBDlUkgkAi5NJHtp6ffxLT9JU4Yi_mL1uBrp7MPNp96sEYbrfYyHDO9R1SNI5icc/s1600/100_1034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uPEC7Twm-0YHXHdM9eTSZ8scjzNDNXmZHb3kUEkMzLf-FioxYAesHMyEPtwX69bwDeicUWNWgY8DBDlUkgkAi5NJHtp6ffxLT9JU4Yi_mL1uBrp7MPNp96sEYbrfYyHDO9R1SNI5icc/s320/100_1034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew's saying, "Chocolate cake!" He's pretty excited. Behind him you see some of the semi-finished remodeling with our stuff in the house. See the wood flooring.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-33WRaopekvsFTcKZiSv1JpWB3X8BevAMRGVTyzEyJbe49Ub0OY4yOTU_8sHS4dK3lpWJt6VfhzoyAiiejTJSyRXAAkyepTZeoKCeHAov7MtZ0DPXyXSYEniwaYB7mbIeAnKB3hBFfKI/s1600/100_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-33WRaopekvsFTcKZiSv1JpWB3X8BevAMRGVTyzEyJbe49Ub0OY4yOTU_8sHS4dK3lpWJt6VfhzoyAiiejTJSyRXAAkyepTZeoKCeHAov7MtZ0DPXyXSYEniwaYB7mbIeAnKB3hBFfKI/s320/100_1038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More pyromania. The burn pile, with the means to control it: the watering hose! The boys were spraying each other with it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl27_ewKC1vImsEfYiXsn35jIUftyfHLLJtltMz4mwxYSaXxPFp4Hc6X8-cOk9eUegmA32kHsXEuZFKsxWOo9XCb2zEdiFTLvk2Ivsdfm12fPjnHlK45fi8hKntcDJYGuA64y7rJHC0o/s1600/100_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl27_ewKC1vImsEfYiXsn35jIUftyfHLLJtltMz4mwxYSaXxPFp4Hc6X8-cOk9eUegmA32kHsXEuZFKsxWOo9XCb2zEdiFTLvk2Ivsdfm12fPjnHlK45fi8hKntcDJYGuA64y7rJHC0o/s320/100_1042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew likes to comb my hair.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OD-X813WX1V59kjyw0354S3YyCj4nrIvehR1hEj15zdOQeEvwjxRuwrjEPuSPusa2okzUYuh8BJjjGPYSYMBbBx1jRqX3Jwi_dUopuJXKdBv1KaCND6dHlI-dWHBg70wanONyRmeuqc/s1600/100_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OD-X813WX1V59kjyw0354S3YyCj4nrIvehR1hEj15zdOQeEvwjxRuwrjEPuSPusa2okzUYuh8BJjjGPYSYMBbBx1jRqX3Jwi_dUopuJXKdBv1KaCND6dHlI-dWHBg70wanONyRmeuqc/s1600/100_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OD-X813WX1V59kjyw0354S3YyCj4nrIvehR1hEj15zdOQeEvwjxRuwrjEPuSPusa2okzUYuh8BJjjGPYSYMBbBx1jRqX3Jwi_dUopuJXKdBv1KaCND6dHlI-dWHBg70wanONyRmeuqc/s320/100_1046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah came home just in time for my birthday, and a whole bunch of cousins came too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3U8ivIb_hIqcGU9Zn-YGOaunVlHyGDHbOOOAGK1YQFeZQO6NBq0qydudIF2VisDXnCfb_9Kwjgq0VBlmEVCfOwaaJyi-y-NEHfUq-mAYNx3wdvQ8QafWtktWDmCwBeFf2DTU0HZrJ2c/s1600/100_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3U8ivIb_hIqcGU9Zn-YGOaunVlHyGDHbOOOAGK1YQFeZQO6NBq0qydudIF2VisDXnCfb_9Kwjgq0VBlmEVCfOwaaJyi-y-NEHfUq-mAYNx3wdvQ8QafWtktWDmCwBeFf2DTU0HZrJ2c/s320/100_1048.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">My birthday on July 16. We had cheesecake of course! And got to celebrate with a lot of family who came to drop off and retrieve children!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8M_rZTBo2HNjcmMdN-cO1l945faLPmbAw2P2jGkyyuuB2cJ3-bCY5R-AunhpW30PcJvIgpKzbQJrVlNyK46b2S7OW3zjKyBq93mrL7YOvqjBQJI00XoAty9imnniv2QSdYEZj2oprfM/s1600/100_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8M_rZTBo2HNjcmMdN-cO1l945faLPmbAw2P2jGkyyuuB2cJ3-bCY5R-AunhpW30PcJvIgpKzbQJrVlNyK46b2S7OW3zjKyBq93mrL7YOvqjBQJI00XoAty9imnniv2QSdYEZj2oprfM/s320/100_1052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet sleeping boy. Enoch, about 21 months.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRvUPAFinfg0J4sSpF9SnDb0EvhqFXkZxmgoi6lP_TS_Lpain4tAshU5g9_VDbLK_Fw5JtEawI_iiuotXL8Cfdj6Wx1IhNvs4Ei4rD282tYYzqk7mXLwfCGj7WsONm8JSJR-fL5R4Ruo/s1600/100_1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRvUPAFinfg0J4sSpF9SnDb0EvhqFXkZxmgoi6lP_TS_Lpain4tAshU5g9_VDbLK_Fw5JtEawI_iiuotXL8Cfdj6Wx1IhNvs4Ei4rD282tYYzqk7mXLwfCGj7WsONm8JSJR-fL5R4Ruo/s320/100_1054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on tuck-pointing of bricks.... fixing cracks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKwuwKnExvovCkz-e30qXbLkM2EWv5uP3wbA3K2yq_AQs8zQLn7Pr_zTIQB5x74nVPDyFLnAf7_pBpznNO4krHGqAJzKk_FMkUUltUEG0liOHvYhyphenhyphenGsOyiZcyW9AOFUfRaYg7gHsPzD8/s1600/100_1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKwuwKnExvovCkz-e30qXbLkM2EWv5uP3wbA3K2yq_AQs8zQLn7Pr_zTIQB5x74nVPDyFLnAf7_pBpznNO4krHGqAJzKk_FMkUUltUEG0liOHvYhyphenhyphenGsOyiZcyW9AOFUfRaYg7gHsPzD8/s320/100_1056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff's dad helping, on one of the hottest few days of the entire summer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfGi0JY13ymp37wi2V2DvqSf-hAHKvIHTZCyECw9Nkufxsi2QV6gwxpyw0TFJELXM3jcFGqS6_4rtcID3SERfF9bttfH9BliNbFFTsVfN5zpHV7EIhjl26fMzCk1tii7vITqyYtpJNbQ/s1600/100_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfGi0JY13ymp37wi2V2DvqSf-hAHKvIHTZCyECw9Nkufxsi2QV6gwxpyw0TFJELXM3jcFGqS6_4rtcID3SERfF9bttfH9BliNbFFTsVfN5zpHV7EIhjl26fMzCk1tii7vITqyYtpJNbQ/s320/100_1058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are back to the deck. Enoch loves tools.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q08zeQXNTKISg8aNQ63jvcBy695pgHoG4Hff6SMdniUWpMWOFtEhM5h3XDnPjSuqSsCX2-vh9YkUJO2OyWEt2HI43ZrQyqkNbNXGQ1ixrKyP890Ne3owuVCoO37PFJSykON3filJQjI/s1600/100_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q08zeQXNTKISg8aNQ63jvcBy695pgHoG4Hff6SMdniUWpMWOFtEhM5h3XDnPjSuqSsCX2-vh9YkUJO2OyWEt2HI43ZrQyqkNbNXGQ1ixrKyP890Ne3owuVCoO37PFJSykON3filJQjI/s320/100_1059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tore off the old boards on the deck and put on new. And made it more kid-safe. Although that hammer doesn't look very safe.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfA1Ky24B63qg6jzCPg6FyttweF21H10L4hOlcV_QYSf2AfZSae0eHbuC6RihHE_R4dWmX22EE4WXjHxUxiHQF-assr4JpRjX_8VSWgVcQPdnj3jxazweDuuVmSzuwnOz2Beiyx0b2Jk/s1600/100_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfA1Ky24B63qg6jzCPg6FyttweF21H10L4hOlcV_QYSf2AfZSae0eHbuC6RihHE_R4dWmX22EE4WXjHxUxiHQF-assr4JpRjX_8VSWgVcQPdnj3jxazweDuuVmSzuwnOz2Beiyx0b2Jk/s320/100_1061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff made it much safer. Like put a good railing on it. And a gate in front of the steps.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMjoSTj56Axq1OBBX5eKAEHA8XI3pExw0u6R22XBH88RgqQ4VbpMmOJJsTyDELYTwStuWQzbPpzFbRRV5z_7a43g9MyhH3jgHiBXrDsYudTxLVkUxRaD9fpMlyucPn1wI5VzlDgUvYS4/s1600/DSCF5684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMjoSTj56Axq1OBBX5eKAEHA8XI3pExw0u6R22XBH88RgqQ4VbpMmOJJsTyDELYTwStuWQzbPpzFbRRV5z_7a43g9MyhH3jgHiBXrDsYudTxLVkUxRaD9fpMlyucPn1wI5VzlDgUvYS4/s320/DSCF5684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah wanted to do a timed-release picture. You can see into the messy office in the background. Now there's a piano in that office!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYzzCn0pW7B3RRjjNRoPKrnlHfWCeZNMxAZYLmMtsJ1ttiNQokDH6_VsYxcv2SmP6_uiuFzhR7y_Xdes5VpkaDp_4p1DbfJmA1LAlLUgShAussSQprGI7l-CQIpVP9Y7LRRRL7OnIvHM/s1600/100_1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYzzCn0pW7B3RRjjNRoPKrnlHfWCeZNMxAZYLmMtsJ1ttiNQokDH6_VsYxcv2SmP6_uiuFzhR7y_Xdes5VpkaDp_4p1DbfJmA1LAlLUgShAussSQprGI7l-CQIpVP9Y7LRRRL7OnIvHM/s320/100_1069.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff had a peach pie for his birthday in August, made with <a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2013/07/04/honey-lemon-rhubarb-pie-with-sourdough-crust/">sourdough crust</a> and peaches we got to pick from our church members' peach trees. It was tasty! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs3ydhzrKFKKCUvuJOdvZ3ITgpkGCKv8uZhp5zNgtK7x9B_V_V6ZA72EZBe6zl5vt0o-QzfAzr2UNBJeCzmhJMkdtivcetEY9kxEpgU5HDLcO6L9yOGCDorevTFsVxbawJT4OMPz9Uws/s1600/100_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs3ydhzrKFKKCUvuJOdvZ3ITgpkGCKv8uZhp5zNgtK7x9B_V_V6ZA72EZBe6zl5vt0o-QzfAzr2UNBJeCzmhJMkdtivcetEY9kxEpgU5HDLcO6L9yOGCDorevTFsVxbawJT4OMPz9Uws/s320/100_1083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also in August we took a trip to visit my folks in Iowa. Boys are swinging on the tire swing!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRrlURdQjwi57KhaDBzyPW_xCVzz67famZ8RMpQd1Sjxm9w16tH0meuiVdDuSIFfjAn-auW4tYHRppWhZTi5GdAFqPMH3s7z-cM4iCShNfe_CkbeYtioBh6LFnZJxkSw2O0X6NF03OTg/s1600/100_1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRrlURdQjwi57KhaDBzyPW_xCVzz67famZ8RMpQd1Sjxm9w16tH0meuiVdDuSIFfjAn-auW4tYHRppWhZTi5GdAFqPMH3s7z-cM4iCShNfe_CkbeYtioBh6LFnZJxkSw2O0X6NF03OTg/s320/100_1120.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they got a ride on the combine with Grandpa Allan!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP6T0sMhGIMssRaIKjrfU0ZKhbHPIljLy8BlugW1NybItahSJbS0Qvt8VCsDSsTESDPJnOKsMNfmvrvuR0Bq3MvsC8DWyWQ6s-v9WnajpguWpZ3Q0eTFrsQBcD6WoUGsmKtLRCiCfa_o/s1600/100_1125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP6T0sMhGIMssRaIKjrfU0ZKhbHPIljLy8BlugW1NybItahSJbS0Qvt8VCsDSsTESDPJnOKsMNfmvrvuR0Bq3MvsC8DWyWQ6s-v9WnajpguWpZ3Q0eTFrsQBcD6WoUGsmKtLRCiCfa_o/s320/100_1125.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Boys love Grandma Linda to read to them.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomZRZLwYoBhbXfyw9ysaxDrLYlxGk_JHwRh61SUfuIYf56tEJGmLul407liUXUzQTyNgM9-r_YuNuvbDq-b4txTAwptNjexgsU7gYQHtm_ZhRn1teV_ep2wlteTY_NMB_MfU_T403AAw/s1600/100_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomZRZLwYoBhbXfyw9ysaxDrLYlxGk_JHwRh61SUfuIYf56tEJGmLul407liUXUzQTyNgM9-r_YuNuvbDq-b4txTAwptNjexgsU7gYQHtm_ZhRn1teV_ep2wlteTY_NMB_MfU_T403AAw/s320/100_1164.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">September--This is just a shot of the backyard, and you can see the finished deck.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hLSYqKEEsL1mf7Vq0XnTvYEFznXlShOausmCVfhOn2WoBD3-LUDTAtkQVr4YwV7uNIAr7UZFGI0H587dKo_ehjhfJJUehrUWUBPCSP48Nl_oveZxay93OiYGXPiWbVAGsYvOUttWpRo/s1600/100_1174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hLSYqKEEsL1mf7Vq0XnTvYEFznXlShOausmCVfhOn2WoBD3-LUDTAtkQVr4YwV7uNIAr7UZFGI0H587dKo_ehjhfJJUehrUWUBPCSP48Nl_oveZxay93OiYGXPiWbVAGsYvOUttWpRo/s320/100_1174.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">This is a view of part of our garden and the south side of the house.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF_1FZkif1qhpcWEFr_F4BxJqqNgs9MC09f2xmLvLLEWV35uD0IfaLRenOQVhHldualByX_Q4G8YzA-fzZXFQ3NOD4HR899LiN2IKHbsQ_mMosXg32hsFD3NpiRuwY_Ck742-n3LL_r8/s1600/100_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF_1FZkif1qhpcWEFr_F4BxJqqNgs9MC09f2xmLvLLEWV35uD0IfaLRenOQVhHldualByX_Q4G8YzA-fzZXFQ3NOD4HR899LiN2IKHbsQ_mMosXg32hsFD3NpiRuwY_Ck742-n3LL_r8/s320/100_1158.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">September--Helping plant fruit trees. 28 of them, to be exact. Plus two more grape vines (there were already three here), three blueberry bushes, and some ever-bearing raspberry bushes (those came from my dad).</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM4jHXpy2zWCa2gTRlZWoKJomnZPt5OMxZWiya1c92M0nqiNGEA1j8kwA-2M0EwjSLSs6MXc66m20FBCCplgQoV6qt8zppj8Gb8xYY0N8Wk9zAJncA8XZ1eayOjaCGf_2EQsJF8dy-2U/s1600/100_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM4jHXpy2zWCa2gTRlZWoKJomnZPt5OMxZWiya1c92M0nqiNGEA1j8kwA-2M0EwjSLSs6MXc66m20FBCCplgQoV6qt8zppj8Gb8xYY0N8Wk9zAJncA8XZ1eayOjaCGf_2EQsJF8dy-2U/s320/100_1178.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">This is a shot of one of our roosters. I think they look so stunning.<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis-gij8b8GmXlQ3l7phlU7cZ7fQyoA6DThBseM0quZ2WtRX9I9PxbOwocrmsbSqRDOJeC3J4tW0i3nGcWix_Wglhns_71fxXWCyKRc_7jVvS4T19qnoIWajWQEF6l7k2zi3_XvhBQkKM/s1600/100_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis-gij8b8GmXlQ3l7phlU7cZ7fQyoA6DThBseM0quZ2WtRX9I9PxbOwocrmsbSqRDOJeC3J4tW0i3nGcWix_Wglhns_71fxXWCyKRc_7jVvS4T19qnoIWajWQEF6l7k2zi3_XvhBQkKM/s320/100_1142.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">September--Playtime with Daddy.<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6CTDyh8wRrVD5c4oFIdnrpplDNiQntCAa1kV6EQf7VHVjcMw-DFqBVkiPlDt5z_V00neoijBDZOvHrtoIkkhRj9dyTOdqKL3GjNexmjdN5_Taux983vfb7-grkD11QPOOP-eVJHiedE/s1600/100_1195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6CTDyh8wRrVD5c4oFIdnrpplDNiQntCAa1kV6EQf7VHVjcMw-DFqBVkiPlDt5z_V00neoijBDZOvHrtoIkkhRj9dyTOdqKL3GjNexmjdN5_Taux983vfb7-grkD11QPOOP-eVJHiedE/s320/100_1195.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah turned 6 on Sept. 21, and we celebrated with Grandma Linda and Grandpa Allan when they came down to our house to visit. Judah requested a banana cake, which I made for his <a href="http://mersethmorsels.blogspot.com/2011/09/judah-turns-4-and-cake-recipe.html">4th birthday</a>.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsy2AQDjAfWZEFu-qFsWGrUqw6FcAaKs-rZqJa4YE6J-qjF1UX5TPBdZo8hdC9BadKo1SD6UquNxlsH-rfvMFbRNPAqTfv-bm-O6OOvZ5oI-iARdd2Sn6axbn3X4k73OGDoYVllVAheo/s1600/100_1218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsy2AQDjAfWZEFu-qFsWGrUqw6FcAaKs-rZqJa4YE6J-qjF1UX5TPBdZo8hdC9BadKo1SD6UquNxlsH-rfvMFbRNPAqTfv-bm-O6OOvZ5oI-iARdd2Sn6axbn3X4k73OGDoYVllVAheo/s320/100_1218.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we went to Mankato beginning of October for General Pastors Conference for Jeff, we stayed with cousins. And the kids got to play on a playground.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7N8KAJhpA4IEa-VuQRtlMMPDu0DxGEKNteRHAjfsCWql7Luvlqs_p2wUkPuBjAfuI-7p9Pb0aBaQjaI-qRaSSo3foU34Y3wgbx5WvPX81jbXaMqdvX1BaihThcu43jgocyUR4WuTv_8/s1600/100_1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7N8KAJhpA4IEa-VuQRtlMMPDu0DxGEKNteRHAjfsCWql7Luvlqs_p2wUkPuBjAfuI-7p9Pb0aBaQjaI-qRaSSo3foU34Y3wgbx5WvPX81jbXaMqdvX1BaihThcu43jgocyUR4WuTv_8/s320/100_1212.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch and cousin Nathan in the sandbox in Mankato.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwho9reIbKYKp5FFrrF4IcE8-ln2WgJeJTXhITuOGTuDhk45E2M39ryMR-Kb5WEct2QmUkOFQqop2vbqCSUNXPZfh8suA-x1GcCaQ5yNn7sK0Jb13vbsH8dkrOpPgqBB6lMFON9sP-PzE/s1600/100_1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwho9reIbKYKp5FFrrF4IcE8-ln2WgJeJTXhITuOGTuDhk45E2M39ryMR-Kb5WEct2QmUkOFQqop2vbqCSUNXPZfh8suA-x1GcCaQ5yNn7sK0Jb13vbsH8dkrOpPgqBB6lMFON9sP-PzE/s320/100_1241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew got stung by a bee, and it made his eye swell shut. Thankfully it just took a couple days for the swelling to go down, and then he was fine. (Oct. 16)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2BjGekpg8j3qq8EeqIYlWDKV4xFOuECAtAeiI77osYzSLInRZGFRy43eUG-CU-KNXuvdIOPCLhKQ0vKKp8C2vFJHS97EJA3aBaR_ug8Whyphenhyphenyclpjzlc2TC1Vjsh5ox6nzDdRoS9DC7JI/s1600/100_1230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2BjGekpg8j3qq8EeqIYlWDKV4xFOuECAtAeiI77osYzSLInRZGFRy43eUG-CU-KNXuvdIOPCLhKQ0vKKp8C2vFJHS97EJA3aBaR_ug8Whyphenhyphenyclpjzlc2TC1Vjsh5ox6nzDdRoS9DC7JI/s320/100_1230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After General Pastors Conference, Great Grandma came down with us and stayed for 10 days in first part of October, till Jeff's mom came and picked her up to take her to Ohio.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHceVBYkOa1N51HdZvy_YH9s03IV_wmqI2HHjhb27-meHobQWWPu__hH1IcCTNo2Pd9z9E5Sdmw5WHGNpesnnAw5yaoVB6Y3af7kZpKcQFCYV2A0jPz4OmZvhXr6pQ49Hep3GVLXKXDK0/s1600/100_1246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHceVBYkOa1N51HdZvy_YH9s03IV_wmqI2HHjhb27-meHobQWWPu__hH1IcCTNo2Pd9z9E5Sdmw5WHGNpesnnAw5yaoVB6Y3af7kZpKcQFCYV2A0jPz4OmZvhXr6pQ49Hep3GVLXKXDK0/s320/100_1246.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Then we take a big jump to Oct. 22, Andrew's 4th birthday. His cake was supposed to be a sourdough chocolate bundt cake. However, the cake stuck in the pan and came all apart. So it became chocolate cake trifle, with layers of vanilla pudding.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFy4L7AGb43Ace3sHw1eX3eS3C-JuMRKXL5TfvW61NPHHh867-kT3DDwRF5tUQE1SUuXovBZ-xQy_LJHLPrK0DXCFU_VPxv084iogOLTbQCbox9yLnUDam2Sx3XlfqNAhhVO5gYSesgb0/s1600/100_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFy4L7AGb43Ace3sHw1eX3eS3C-JuMRKXL5TfvW61NPHHh867-kT3DDwRF5tUQE1SUuXovBZ-xQy_LJHLPrK0DXCFU_VPxv084iogOLTbQCbox9yLnUDam2Sx3XlfqNAhhVO5gYSesgb0/s320/100_1258.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Mommy with her big 4 year old, in front of the piano!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygLN5PDzSpKI8I-S68Fm5iKR1h3DsphxHW4htjHohbSRAW3YVGLZvkz6WwEWYZY_ymo7zT2EEf7hEV9Hd_-voKR5xifJfiqQnywdbmRddZiRaPuudrnY4Zhx7vrf6s41ryeONnC1KQHE/s1600/100_1262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygLN5PDzSpKI8I-S68Fm5iKR1h3DsphxHW4htjHohbSRAW3YVGLZvkz6WwEWYZY_ymo7zT2EEf7hEV9Hd_-voKR5xifJfiqQnywdbmRddZiRaPuudrnY4Zhx7vrf6s41ryeONnC1KQHE/s320/100_1262.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch is two on Oct. 24! Muffin tower for breakfast.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5Ep0ycbNMJRrHzj-v-7T33EkdERx9AJWhgtCaBHMPF8bvtRPCE_xcOKDXvji3dk87qxbp6TzQvQI1R4nQRMJ4w_1pVL80nrjMLq9vryh7cxR9BxzIFjEKCj8WbMetQTk7EvoqN_rfWE/s1600/100_1273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5Ep0ycbNMJRrHzj-v-7T33EkdERx9AJWhgtCaBHMPF8bvtRPCE_xcOKDXvji3dk87qxbp6TzQvQI1R4nQRMJ4w_1pVL80nrjMLq9vryh7cxR9BxzIFjEKCj8WbMetQTk7EvoqN_rfWE/s320/100_1273.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">November--We went to northern MN for deer hunting. Here are some deer hanging.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituJviSeYvpMmxPtB3tmNeVSdbi25mn79gns21HupOQIgDGheWf47aGtf-i8BpOMhWrb42pvvDoc2hdqmgHo2NyvhjCKsNrdcZxxs94to3zj65KMR2TZYb5eOhhak4WP9-0l-HFUmTtGg/s1600/100_1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituJviSeYvpMmxPtB3tmNeVSdbi25mn79gns21HupOQIgDGheWf47aGtf-i8BpOMhWrb42pvvDoc2hdqmgHo2NyvhjCKsNrdcZxxs94to3zj65KMR2TZYb5eOhhak4WP9-0l-HFUmTtGg/s320/100_1272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousin Nathan photo bombed this picture I was trying to take of Johnny and Judah in the background. I was a little far away, however...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i5F_hej4bnNC_QxHHP8HyK9L_8zy85qlQ8sBAePFAXRaKNPvmKsYfO3YogvOrTYxpl0gs2cy69UCcdA7iBY1mmWESSrRTdsvqKzVrJHBHLuXPlChgVXE9CCgs1GcJ-vVMsEVGIeawkc/s1600/100_1276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i5F_hej4bnNC_QxHHP8HyK9L_8zy85qlQ8sBAePFAXRaKNPvmKsYfO3YogvOrTYxpl0gs2cy69UCcdA7iBY1mmWESSrRTdsvqKzVrJHBHLuXPlChgVXE9CCgs1GcJ-vVMsEVGIeawkc/s320/100_1276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousins playing in the snow. Judah has an oversized snow coat on over his broken arm.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI45JpyBiQc9bkJQOZ7tQ3Syz-o8r5d65d7tBH_07Bae0xCial7Q5Sr3vpIMe2-0XQyLbYKL2w4rUxD9plDiZheQBZcyNHbU7l_pF3aIHepcsHyTMD3Mb1pWSJWva3ZaiirGxgFFRNcU/s1600/100_1279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI45JpyBiQc9bkJQOZ7tQ3Syz-o8r5d65d7tBH_07Bae0xCial7Q5Sr3vpIMe2-0XQyLbYKL2w4rUxD9plDiZheQBZcyNHbU7l_pF3aIHepcsHyTMD3Mb1pWSJWva3ZaiirGxgFFRNcU/s320/100_1279.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew, Noah and Enoch on the stairs.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBm8Ohe-sZzRMxXN0lq39LSTRaCZf-CiKqq0VJUTtPcnXfwiYADIlSfsB6Y2MsLyYdmc-f8255NI2R4sY3Cxmd_AvoHcwZ9EHSDDd7qAEa8o3K1NIuopqazq12dYL4EaeMhGdNxQKzo4/s1600/downsized951116131401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBm8Ohe-sZzRMxXN0lq39LSTRaCZf-CiKqq0VJUTtPcnXfwiYADIlSfsB6Y2MsLyYdmc-f8255NI2R4sY3Cxmd_AvoHcwZ9EHSDDd7qAEa8o3K1NIuopqazq12dYL4EaeMhGdNxQKzo4/s320/downsized951116131401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilbur. My dad had him from someone who had donated it for a "kiss the pig" fundraiser, and then didn't want it back. So the pig was offered to us and we took him home. I think piglets are super cute. :-)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IRTVRDYeXrUNNZ7x5GboTpWVTkMsVTZAzyB2ubK4d16OwDnCBXcB4W9yp8VpUiKCmmTC6EvV26pxYDRO4UiZDDFfkfzg1heS5g32RXqosv5HwIonc8qnPrSBeopMu6fR15bs-ksdTsw/s1600/100_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IRTVRDYeXrUNNZ7x5GboTpWVTkMsVTZAzyB2ubK4d16OwDnCBXcB4W9yp8VpUiKCmmTC6EvV26pxYDRO4UiZDDFfkfzg1heS5g32RXqosv5HwIonc8qnPrSBeopMu6fR15bs-ksdTsw/s320/100_1283.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">November--Back home. Andrew found a stick that reminded him of a gun.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-znz1IJs6t-N06M3pmrME_IlT7RUFzincnwjUl0XA-dsmEWX0jV1gG8jhTcAwwxxNDfdvArCRmv08EYCtoEYU5JhuAOrgoF0XDqinQ-Rv-DKzDf2uDhaNZoWnEEN6HThzuqNeBKLrMKM/s1600/100_1284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-znz1IJs6t-N06M3pmrME_IlT7RUFzincnwjUl0XA-dsmEWX0jV1gG8jhTcAwwxxNDfdvArCRmv08EYCtoEYU5JhuAOrgoF0XDqinQ-Rv-DKzDf2uDhaNZoWnEEN6HThzuqNeBKLrMKM/s320/100_1284.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah modeling his cast. When we returned home from MN, all the leaves had fallen, so we went outside to play!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U11fdbfaF19Nnut6c_5yi7WgwazpkGwS6vnTbN10p-Ib1UIpWwvrSQxQFNuKpyhB8gm36fYHacTSutouPe-Agqibjer9hhVkfB8okbUZX6wmFk75FetHVPfNQqsINJSwRCyeznDWz7Q/s1600/100_1295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U11fdbfaF19Nnut6c_5yi7WgwazpkGwS6vnTbN10p-Ib1UIpWwvrSQxQFNuKpyhB8gm36fYHacTSutouPe-Agqibjer9hhVkfB8okbUZX6wmFk75FetHVPfNQqsINJSwRCyeznDWz7Q/s320/100_1295.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boys modeling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirF_QT8GynUdlAMddSA3pSYz6wwvOeR_fzR2XvyuX1zQH790BZHa6E8OFL6zg3-M5p4PQWviv2HGlhovGrkypegshBeWEOw5-xpry9l-UtZuZXotcSl_i6uz1dxKs2Ra8kZh5f_IDXcLo/s1600/100_1297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirF_QT8GynUdlAMddSA3pSYz6wwvOeR_fzR2XvyuX1zQH790BZHa6E8OFL6zg3-M5p4PQWviv2HGlhovGrkypegshBeWEOw5-xpry9l-UtZuZXotcSl_i6uz1dxKs2Ra8kZh5f_IDXcLo/s200/100_1297.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah, 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6IFvbmzIdd23h6mD4JWN2CVnSYqoJOkaj-lVxrgwlMSplyVkt2YIdEBoutpJf26HEHq_4ASPw2-StueYofzUvIShQB_j54o8Le5dqqrIIFhYsQdEaWf18-C036Y8ku-TJZ_Ssm38i44/s1600/100_1299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6IFvbmzIdd23h6mD4JWN2CVnSYqoJOkaj-lVxrgwlMSplyVkt2YIdEBoutpJf26HEHq_4ASPw2-StueYofzUvIShQB_j54o8Le5dqqrIIFhYsQdEaWf18-C036Y8ku-TJZ_Ssm38i44/s200/100_1299.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew, 4</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXA2c-wYQf5lMA3Fwd0KKXBp_VWs7IFocGzC4tl44pHNrcx3WcsXZ550wsSTJxcsrUV0hOqeOVAGl07bdzpcveLrCLoI6F5dD3qk796_hq7cW2_FBjupLg6QYIw-PumWzpKwVy1JnJAk/s1600/100_1302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXA2c-wYQf5lMA3Fwd0KKXBp_VWs7IFocGzC4tl44pHNrcx3WcsXZ550wsSTJxcsrUV0hOqeOVAGl07bdzpcveLrCLoI6F5dD3qk796_hq7cW2_FBjupLg6QYIw-PumWzpKwVy1JnJAk/s200/100_1302.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch, 2</td></tr>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-19638291460463328202013-04-29T15:49:00.000-05:002013-04-29T15:49:32.895-05:00Mid-March Vacay!This blog post is over a month overdue. I wanted to share about a vacation we took with my parents to Lake of the Ozarks, MO, about a half hour south of us.<br />
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We checked my parents into the resort on Saturday night March 16, went out to eat, then our little family of 5 came home to prepare for church the next day. Everyone was out celebrating St. Patty's day that night.<br />
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We went back on Sunday afternoon and got settled in. There was a kitchenette there, so we brought most of our own food and were able to eat in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPihiexWSlbQHmh0UllAa6r7CejOe48jqyo96GkFkGdFePHA4bn3STpXW2IUf6ti2crwMDkCpPt6Jn5l4psjysQICDPO-YKthgHJX16DVJubb5nNZ5UYZFrFMgVCLfuPf-NlRUCzyQ5bQ/s1600/100_0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPihiexWSlbQHmh0UllAa6r7CejOe48jqyo96GkFkGdFePHA4bn3STpXW2IUf6ti2crwMDkCpPt6Jn5l4psjysQICDPO-YKthgHJX16DVJubb5nNZ5UYZFrFMgVCLfuPf-NlRUCzyQ5bQ/s320/100_0798.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired teddy bear.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRgzGwwXUtcZLMsMVNsYjWL45ebL8Pn28q9pZKfyTvb3ao60_YYLlTnaw9IComsw5pg3tlGT2LCA32m5ah4NL2oRBAZ7-DkjAOEFqe3qmPPSHNGqc-OBJbChXS9AONyJuFdfF_wB4Yg8/s1600/100_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRgzGwwXUtcZLMsMVNsYjWL45ebL8Pn28q9pZKfyTvb3ao60_YYLlTnaw9IComsw5pg3tlGT2LCA32m5ah4NL2oRBAZ7-DkjAOEFqe3qmPPSHNGqc-OBJbChXS9AONyJuFdfF_wB4Yg8/s320/100_0800.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah and Grandma Linda playing a game she invented with the cribbage board. They also liked to play the board game Sorry!</td></tr>
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Monday, we went to the Bridal Cave and to Ha Ha Tonka State Park.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdU7MtOLct3ji9Jx1VJxTBUUmIyLuaxETigho0W_k7ir2f5nAJpUNC6q2rG3f2oqKOhHudXNT-UXuBQeT17wjAUwnHphUwGlAw-n0Ubv39jrAv_nAEvMtOBi7YJCfTfMtU2C9-NWDQGM/s1600/100_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdU7MtOLct3ji9Jx1VJxTBUUmIyLuaxETigho0W_k7ir2f5nAJpUNC6q2rG3f2oqKOhHudXNT-UXuBQeT17wjAUwnHphUwGlAw-n0Ubv39jrAv_nAEvMtOBi7YJCfTfMtU2C9-NWDQGM/s320/100_0804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We visited the Bridal Cave. It left a huge impression on Judah, and somewhat of an impression on Andrew. Whenever they see a billboard advertising the cave, they ALWAYS let me know with great enthusiasm!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugrvC1Pih8gB2r1l9_S_M-G2p-iXzXBQRbyufhsOieqm_yflUnxR2yHBgHr5cCdSk7LdOdVOZcRM4UddXxPDpEzAFN91jhqkS4NJWdQXBuw9mHA8uJWDevNN_pfATt9jOhsUWAj4IF7Y/s1600/100_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugrvC1Pih8gB2r1l9_S_M-G2p-iXzXBQRbyufhsOieqm_yflUnxR2yHBgHr5cCdSk7LdOdVOZcRM4UddXxPDpEzAFN91jhqkS4NJWdQXBuw9mHA8uJWDevNN_pfATt9jOhsUWAj4IF7Y/s320/100_0810.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa Allan inside the cave.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SghVzeh7HlQ5WmCKzMDOhy-XH-GfiSECaLRVwHcwiBTZu3U4F9Vb0mrjls1ifIqK3QC7nL3J94tm1d9MfkgEmUgpX3b90C_Nf5JGmhj3o6vLmRMnjSbqoTCIGS3_GUl2u2FPiGj968/s1600/100_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SghVzeh7HlQ5WmCKzMDOhy-XH-GfiSECaLRVwHcwiBTZu3U4F9Vb0mrjls1ifIqK3QC7nL3J94tm1d9MfkgEmUgpX3b90C_Nf5JGmhj3o6vLmRMnjSbqoTCIGS3_GUl2u2FPiGj968/s320/100_0811.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I thought this wall was just super cool.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOGqdUtYWTfK-U1nT7FHV9MYHJRNXmN6Met-KW5Qtsj0WdRMylO4zCCRUtnG95DNH03hfpnkVeEJSNflxrItGNaxfONyFZl0Iu6V05A4ZZAtPFtNqQO4-2pUYrr7vvVNlOhe6mJHicPg/s1600/100_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOGqdUtYWTfK-U1nT7FHV9MYHJRNXmN6Met-KW5Qtsj0WdRMylO4zCCRUtnG95DNH03hfpnkVeEJSNflxrItGNaxfONyFZl0Iu6V05A4ZZAtPFtNqQO4-2pUYrr7vvVNlOhe6mJHicPg/s320/100_0817.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went out to eat at the Dairy Queen next. The many faces of Judah.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTa29TOddx3gl7I9Sp92dOsco-uTco_t3DAE7CKnF6TATJDRCPk4714hAoyWP8K78l9DlUx6D3TWH1EI2EPj_ceFJnd7cVcqBhPt4cc537Hfs8BfoW3Dysp3bqiirBeupwXkh0W_TslQ/s1600/100_0822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTa29TOddx3gl7I9Sp92dOsco-uTco_t3DAE7CKnF6TATJDRCPk4714hAoyWP8K78l9DlUx6D3TWH1EI2EPj_ceFJnd7cVcqBhPt4cc537Hfs8BfoW3Dysp3bqiirBeupwXkh0W_TslQ/s320/100_0822.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hepped up on a DQ blizzard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvYFMnatK37m3FKd75r9Fa_wmySPHNNkKFn3S1rV6Eb4NWGpAuMQKNyWnGF7BMD3Hc9bX-AosURTQcvDsmn-KtifhIimVsOcDESmQon3QLTEokzJOuX7im72aPsIEnsrweaN0uD3Qhqw/s1600/100_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvYFMnatK37m3FKd75r9Fa_wmySPHNNkKFn3S1rV6Eb4NWGpAuMQKNyWnGF7BMD3Hc9bX-AosURTQcvDsmn-KtifhIimVsOcDESmQon3QLTEokzJOuX7im72aPsIEnsrweaN0uD3Qhqw/s320/100_0824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No cavities yet...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX_lkZn-dRXWesVbayPuzwk7JYXwnK7Rz-FwYOx4QJIJSSnMoJZKM9rwounKeMAUlhuv_I12AdiEbhLZR_DswBz3D4j-ohEkAK4F4eqS9izWAeVDKYcBbIqx-a_lUSAtpRUfvy95lam0/s1600/100_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX_lkZn-dRXWesVbayPuzwk7JYXwnK7Rz-FwYOx4QJIJSSnMoJZKM9rwounKeMAUlhuv_I12AdiEbhLZR_DswBz3D4j-ohEkAK4F4eqS9izWAeVDKYcBbIqx-a_lUSAtpRUfvy95lam0/s320/100_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The many faces of Andrew.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhLU8YiAkmevKRn4OwsWEmrKRUe6gzWLEkpiO1IXd5WM17PIOyiRpCvMdPaYcwRuiVVJgb4Mkqj0P7nGabYx8xzW0mlyL72U6NGECqSUYcEZ6CwHbtPdczRyscrayqF5-l4913qwrjAg/s1600/100_0821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhLU8YiAkmevKRn4OwsWEmrKRUe6gzWLEkpiO1IXd5WM17PIOyiRpCvMdPaYcwRuiVVJgb4Mkqj0P7nGabYx8xzW0mlyL72U6NGECqSUYcEZ6CwHbtPdczRyscrayqF5-l4913qwrjAg/s320/100_0821.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also hepped up on a DQ blizzard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0EQHqn_Ong9bLua9OugF5i-XB6V1GDiJe-8NWNF3hzIKKupUFaWCneIs4R66_IIurIYgosIIN18Gk3TuO7PigbbFoi4_ghuVNHVWtFPPRGT1CseknHReXrGRLNfz9yG7rWjylXCOLfk/s1600/100_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0EQHqn_Ong9bLua9OugF5i-XB6V1GDiJe-8NWNF3hzIKKupUFaWCneIs4R66_IIurIYgosIIN18Gk3TuO7PigbbFoi4_ghuVNHVWtFPPRGT1CseknHReXrGRLNfz9yG7rWjylXCOLfk/s320/100_0823.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was before his tooth turned brown from hitting it really hard...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U-zCBjfTwt30vpy5wv7SG6VXAoG2QwmhIGLe9WWCB-4CTIGz39D00JKKSFbt9tlhIiZZ_A_igaDZzu1K1yMyGpEv-9KDTOlXawEvIFbzTok2B7zZX-PmY8bRZHZlbn7vu2jAJqLm81g/s1600/100_0825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U-zCBjfTwt30vpy5wv7SG6VXAoG2QwmhIGLe9WWCB-4CTIGz39D00JKKSFbt9tlhIiZZ_A_igaDZzu1K1yMyGpEv-9KDTOlXawEvIFbzTok2B7zZX-PmY8bRZHZlbn7vu2jAJqLm81g/s320/100_0825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My better half.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1mEAKp48X_2VJ0rmGYGNrN0lX2R242jhrO7KxggJEfXll0XmpI2A7JdhEAIAoNqL3S7QWbxhPSUNEMTYKmnCB28mv2j9JGzFZ5R7sEPbKOTq1ReaUe5J64RYnnwmhHJN1IRMjlOQ9f0/s1600/100_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1mEAKp48X_2VJ0rmGYGNrN0lX2R242jhrO7KxggJEfXll0XmpI2A7JdhEAIAoNqL3S7QWbxhPSUNEMTYKmnCB28mv2j9JGzFZ5R7sEPbKOTq1ReaUe5J64RYnnwmhHJN1IRMjlOQ9f0/s320/100_0826.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The extremely cool Ha Ha Tonka State Park, where the ruins of a turn-of-the-20th-century castle lay! We are walking up the path to it. The castle burned down in the '40s.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6a0VBbpW1xX-UDNzlNIX5cAhKUt3BbTxFtXldCb-3dL6zfnf_aaQCwb_giwikGE7fTIivJqFxDBGPyU8QMbttTL0B-OwoAgdDXGFWoi4WZe-c_WM6sjWeGcRIO30Sz_9gw7w0X414F8/s1600/100_0829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6a0VBbpW1xX-UDNzlNIX5cAhKUt3BbTxFtXldCb-3dL6zfnf_aaQCwb_giwikGE7fTIivJqFxDBGPyU8QMbttTL0B-OwoAgdDXGFWoi4WZe-c_WM6sjWeGcRIO30Sz_9gw7w0X414F8/s320/100_0829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa Allan and Enoch with the ruins behind. It was chilly but sunny, so the nicest day of our vacation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoFmhuNr1R8vbV55g-YN_WcVhGueV9J4iK6zwUCgVtuJ0HFCWvCqkXVCXc2SWDDRLBIfwFuNPsLuB0qSmqDmE7y0LcLCFHsnDvE8vjgazi9aWQk5mODON_Vbjgs7uOoJnVIca125XhTk/s1600/100_0832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoFmhuNr1R8vbV55g-YN_WcVhGueV9J4iK6zwUCgVtuJ0HFCWvCqkXVCXc2SWDDRLBIfwFuNPsLuB0qSmqDmE7y0LcLCFHsnDvE8vjgazi9aWQk5mODON_Vbjgs7uOoJnVIca125XhTk/s320/100_0832.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family shot. The sun was so warm, the boys wanted to take off their coats, but the breeze was cool... so we were constantly putting on and taking off jackets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIGyJOGSIFTGG9D0kMtWf0eygbJshet5E7tE9jGKX531Fexo8mMxE5ZzarrErhYspFO1Fd4Rx9eYoGnWZd_Bv6QyKQVWaurmTC3BYM_-T_fgde1TNZhfGiKS_C4-vqd4K6QT3ARsZiWQ/s1600/100_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIGyJOGSIFTGG9D0kMtWf0eygbJshet5E7tE9jGKX531Fexo8mMxE5ZzarrErhYspFO1Fd4Rx9eYoGnWZd_Bv6QyKQVWaurmTC3BYM_-T_fgde1TNZhfGiKS_C4-vqd4K6QT3ARsZiWQ/s320/100_0833.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch stomping around... look at that view!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5qu_yxaTM3pVVIuoehIIALDGcn0ic79K8xQmb8Ri2wazTEBW9armTOoPzdyiCexBXYgj8LeUlxXXoG4kLlN2W_-6X3Nn-u-mripw87FkUBaVFWHAx_niufK211ouux2ld8XS7uZ0i_M/s1600/100_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5qu_yxaTM3pVVIuoehIIALDGcn0ic79K8xQmb8Ri2wazTEBW9armTOoPzdyiCexBXYgj8LeUlxXXoG4kLlN2W_-6X3Nn-u-mripw87FkUBaVFWHAx_niufK211ouux2ld8XS7uZ0i_M/s320/100_0836.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa Allan and Grandma Linda</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8VAi6AeaSE1apxOer8qNCCPUI37Iv-2AHT0OBygpmzMatlRrkLZEFGtzIt4kLbPb9P6LJ1UqwE_ob-RwC_xbUlLVBRfOPOsKJ_IZMkUJIigGEdGZjm0LIx6Omf9j_imEG2aK-X5Lgik/s1600/100_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8VAi6AeaSE1apxOer8qNCCPUI37Iv-2AHT0OBygpmzMatlRrkLZEFGtzIt4kLbPb9P6LJ1UqwE_ob-RwC_xbUlLVBRfOPOsKJ_IZMkUJIigGEdGZjm0LIx6Omf9j_imEG2aK-X5Lgik/s320/100_0839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew refusing to turn around.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LMhp3jMHIP3guzsaLgxeS5cbAjgTu5Yl24VCLcG6eeCag-vgEERUoD6hUmbVa1aE-a6SmKLvvcPbBv4_LHAyaaqO35m1vTtaVMWMb6LGBeoMR10sEyPSsDXE-lzu1AZod3JKLwzsjq8/s1600/100_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LMhp3jMHIP3guzsaLgxeS5cbAjgTu5Yl24VCLcG6eeCag-vgEERUoD6hUmbVa1aE-a6SmKLvvcPbBv4_LHAyaaqO35m1vTtaVMWMb6LGBeoMR10sEyPSsDXE-lzu1AZod3JKLwzsjq8/s320/100_0841.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (with everyone's hats stuck in my coat pockets) with the ruins in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCFM0CZhB2Ljykdxz0Er7N2PfmLFLd6SCM0SKprBCt8cR1LT-qwTyRdS_22fxvzrRh5hNyMOx3y-U1ze7ox1vlMAgeojDyDWEjczbuBetPhhh6MiuliiABP6GPGZvWumOblM6lS_aEG8/s1600/100_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCFM0CZhB2Ljykdxz0Er7N2PfmLFLd6SCM0SKprBCt8cR1LT-qwTyRdS_22fxvzrRh5hNyMOx3y-U1ze7ox1vlMAgeojDyDWEjczbuBetPhhh6MiuliiABP6GPGZvWumOblM6lS_aEG8/s320/100_0842.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water tower. The water was up top and a family actually lived underneath it to take care of it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsGEL7yN6FpLk8upDQ1PweVuLHdPBgikQJCcUaqZ1Qk4v4OB5FGsOa_y9Sn_YjbzCgdv8lJJ5jjRUUfXTNJpjeZYPMf40STpzxO5ruRr4ZHmP4_oXV4L-DaioEGovlVbYkyz5VNnWLUg/s1600/100_0843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsGEL7yN6FpLk8upDQ1PweVuLHdPBgikQJCcUaqZ1Qk4v4OB5FGsOa_y9Sn_YjbzCgdv8lJJ5jjRUUfXTNJpjeZYPMf40STpzxO5ruRr4ZHmP4_oXV4L-DaioEGovlVbYkyz5VNnWLUg/s320/100_0843.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We couldn't go in. :-(</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtl6PSLwmOGpVd9HzsyGt82bUWi_eZcgpB05Hr-NDrsLGgztqs8oIsFSrdYXBUM73F_kk9_VuTbkBRjH2jpqlmLfAGYOugo5w4Oif9cATNDL20mh01ZxMvYvshhL4Ew2ih4bxY08fDAI/s1600/100_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtl6PSLwmOGpVd9HzsyGt82bUWi_eZcgpB05Hr-NDrsLGgztqs8oIsFSrdYXBUM73F_kk9_VuTbkBRjH2jpqlmLfAGYOugo5w4Oif9cATNDL20mh01ZxMvYvshhL4Ew2ih4bxY08fDAI/s320/100_0847.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys enjoying the trails.</td></tr>
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Tuesday, we went swimming in the morning (the water was SOOO COLD! Yes it was an indoor pool!). Then to a winery and to a historical site that explained the making of the Bagnell Dam... so interesting! I must've stopped taking pictures because I don't have anymore! Good job, Mom. Jeff had to return home that evening to get ready for church the next evening (it was Lenten season), but before he left we realized that across the inlet from our resort, we could see the police poking around. There had been a death on one of the boats! And the police had been poking around for evidence. Weird...<div>
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Wednesday, we took the boys swimming, although none of the adults wanted to go because of yesterday's near-pneumonia experience... but the boys didn't care. We played and got things packed up to head back home for the evening church service. After church, Mom and Dad headed back to stay one more night at the resort. (Another funny thing, the lady at the front desk, Mom discovered, was related to someone from my hometown of Colo, Iowa and would be going there in May for a graduation party! Small world!) On Thursday, they wanted to visited Tan- Tar- A Resort where they honeymooned 33 years ago.</div>
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I enjoyed the vacation, and look forward to going back to the old castle again... but when the weather is a bit nicer. :-)</div>
meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-84998413791913090132013-04-29T15:15:00.001-05:002013-04-29T15:16:01.443-05:00A Gain and a LossAs I sit in the midst of a messy house, I feel the need to write. Not clean the house or do laundry. Not do the dishes, even though ALL those things and more must be done. But... I need to get some things off my chest.<br />
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I've been mostly silent about many things in my life lately, mainly because I've been wanting to see how they would turn out. Oh, I've been wanting to share, but ... let's just say that, in light of all the oversharing that can sometimes happen with Facebook and blogs, I think it's okay to be a bit mysterious most of the time. Life is more exciting that way, isn't it? Besides, I'm sure your lives are all plenty interesting without waiting with bated breath for my next blog post or facebook status! :-)<br />
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Anyway, for the Gain.<br />
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We bought a house. Again. Yes, I know what you're thinking. "Are you crazy? Don't you already have other houses...?!" Yes and yes. Just so you're all up to snuff, we do still own our Mankato house. We will be selling it in a year or two, depending upon our renters. The Wannaska house is under a contract for deed (with someone reputable, after having a not-so-reputable family stay there) so we are receiving monthly payments for that. We are currently renting a small old farmhouse that is really too small for us. We moved here with the intention of buying some place bigger within a year or so of moving here. So. Here we are, 16 months after moving down here. Time to move again, right?!<br />
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It was a foreclosure home, and needed some fixing up. We closed April 11, and started demolition mode immediately. There are a few things that need to be done, I won't go into details now, because I could go on and on. But I will say that I'm excited about the remodeling going on! The only pinch is that we want to get the upstairs done enough to be able to move in the week before Father's Day as our current landlords will be leaving for Alaska then, so we wanted to get everything taken care of by then. So every spare minute is spent working on the house.<br />
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Oh, and I forgot to mention, it's only about 3 miles or so from the church. :-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeAjMBq3nBPwKdW2h8EjX-3dfFgrmYCeJxSL95Z-zYEGZb3XQQl9vaq7EV50lp54Gnx9lmAwE1GW93wtKlmX_OqRElw79c36ZJo71DT_TpedtsqxOV1LCdFM_Rv-1Dtka91y3ATVr_Hg/s1600/100_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeAjMBq3nBPwKdW2h8EjX-3dfFgrmYCeJxSL95Z-zYEGZb3XQQl9vaq7EV50lp54Gnx9lmAwE1GW93wtKlmX_OqRElw79c36ZJo71DT_TpedtsqxOV1LCdFM_Rv-1Dtka91y3ATVr_Hg/s320/100_0767.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't look very warm and inviting because of the snow, but this picture was taken back in February. The back side of the house.</td></tr>
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And for the Loss. I think we were due the end of November/beginning of December.</div>
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I'll just repost my facebook status:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Though He giveth, or He taketh,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">God His children ne'er forsaketh,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">His the loving purpose solely</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">To preserve them pure and holy. ELH 174, vs. 4</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">In God's infinite wisdom, he has allowed me to carry a new life for a while, but then to also lose the baby. His ways are not our ways, but we trust that it is all for our good. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord.</span></div>
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I will end with some cute boys. I can't believe it was 80+ degrees today after having so much chilliness and rain! The well-digger came today (yes we needed to dig our own well...) and so Enoch was a little distracted in the first picture. But when I changed angles in the 2nd picture, then Andrew had had enough. You can't win 'em all, eh?</div>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-17716202411546073732013-04-04T09:11:00.000-05:002013-04-04T09:11:14.371-05:00How I make GranolaThis will be a quick post without pictures, but I wanted to share how I make oatmeal. I know there are already a ton of recipes out there for granola, and it's possible this one exists out there already. I modified it from another recipe that I have written down on a random scrap of paper, and I can't remember where I originally got that one! <div>
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<b>My Granola Recipe</b></div>
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4 c. freshly rolled oats (or you could just use pre-rolled)</div>
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2 c. combination of water & kombucha, yogurt, kefir, lemon juice, or vinegar (maybe I should be more picky about how much of each, but I'm not... I shoot for at least 2 T. of the souring liquid, but usually more)</div>
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1-2 T. of whole wheat flour (I usually don't measure, I just put in a "splash"... aren't I so exacting?!)</div>
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Mix these together 12-24 hours before you want to make it. The mixture should be somewhat dry... as in, no additional liquid sitting around at the end of that soak period. </div>
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Then, mix together with the above....</div>
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1/2 c. molasses</div>
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1/2 c. real maple syrup</div>
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1/2 c. melted coconut oil</div>
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3 scoops of stevia powder (If you don't have this, you could add a smidge more sweetener)</div>
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1 t. salt</div>
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1 1/2 t. cinnamon (or more if you desire)</div>
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2/3 c. ground flax seed (I have started leaving this out... if flax does not give you gastro-intestinal distress, then you could go ahead and add it in.)</div>
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Grease two 11x17 pans and pour mixture evenly between two pans. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until it looks "set" on top and no longer glossy. At this point, I pull the pans out and break up the mixture into clumps, then return the pans to the oven and continue stirring and un-clumping periodically. To be honest, I have no idea how long I do this for... maybe 30-40 more minutes? I go by intuition and feel. And then I turn off oven and leave the pans in there for several hours or overnight to get hard and crunchy. </div>
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When the pans have cooled I put the mixture in a bag and add some raisins... maybe 1-2 cups? Again, I go by feel. ALSO, I add shredded coconut, about 1 c. If coconut isn't your thing, you can leave it out.</div>
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And that's how I make granola!</div>
meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-24285683204397189852013-02-28T22:06:00.001-06:002013-02-28T22:06:25.439-06:00My Favorite Easy CheesecakeI've got desserts on the mind. :-) And this is a good and easy one.<br />
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I found this recipe a couple months ago, and it's a keeper. I found a recipe that is basically the same <a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,166,152180-247204,00.html">here</a>, but now, two months later, I can't find the exact recipe that I found before.</div>
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It's a crustless cheesecake, but I've also made a crust for it too... you know me, I have a hard time sticking to a recipe. I invented my own crust with some old tough crackers I made a long time ago. I used a big handful of dried figs* that I poured hot water over. After 30 minutes or so, I put them in the food processor to chop them up, then I mixed in the smashed crackers, and processed till it balled up. Then I spread it into a springform pan.</div>
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*These figs were old, we moved them probably 3x, from Albert Lea, to 2 places in Wannaska and down to MO! But there was nothing really wrong with them, so I was bound and determined to use them!<br />
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<b>Crustless Cheesecake</b></div>
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2 8 oz. pkgs of cream cheese (not fat free or red. fat)</div>
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2/3 c. sugar</div>
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3 eggs</div>
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1/2 tsp. vanilla</div>
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Topping:</div>
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1 c. sour cream</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla</div>
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3 T. sugar</div>
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Beat first 4 ingredients till smooth and pour into a 9" greased pie pan. Bake for 22-25 min. in a 350 degree oven.<br />
When done, turn off oven. Remove cheesecake and cool for 5 min. Spread the mixed topping ingredients on warm cheesecake and return to oven for 5 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.<br />
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We enjoy this with strawberry sauce.<br />
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-802182802532891712013-02-28T09:20:00.000-06:002013-02-28T09:20:56.680-06:00My Favorite Vanilla PuddingSo it's the last day of February, and I thought I should make good on my promise earlier this month to post something that's been going on in my kitchen. This recipe isn't too complicated, and doesn't even require the soaking that is so common in many of my recipes, though it does use a smidge of whole wheat flour. I like it because it uses a lot of milk, and when I have milk that's starting to sour, I use that milk in this recipe.<br />
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This Vanilla Pudding recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks "Healthy Choices" put out by Keepers at Home. Sometimes I'll add an extra egg or two if there are extra to be had. If I have arrowroot powder, I will sub that for the cornstarch. It's another kind of thickener. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Vanilla Pudding</b><br />
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2 qt. milk<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 c. honey<br />
1/2 c. cornstarch<br />
1/2 c. whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
2 tsp. vanilla<br />
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Warm all but 2 cups milk in kettle. Put 2 cups milk and remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend and poru slowly into warmed milk, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and cool. Whole wheat flour will leave a speckled appearance, but it's delicious anyway.meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-75481668361961646392013-02-02T14:38:00.002-06:002013-02-02T14:38:56.250-06:00Time marches on: December and JanuaryAnd just like that... it's over two months since my last post! Good thing I'm not a professional blogger. ;-)<br />
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So there's been Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, New Year's, Epiphany, and now Pre-Lent. There has been 68 degree weather, as well as single digits. Snow, ice, rain and mud. We've visited Iowa for Christmas, had visits from "Iowa Grandparents", "Ohio Grandparents" and friends from Florida. We had to visit Iowa again most recently for a funeral for my maternal grandmother.<br />
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So I'm taking this last day of January 2013 to reflect and share some photos and randomness from the past two months with you, dear reader. (I noticed I'm not good at taking lots of photos...) Hopefully I can post some recipes and other household tidbits the month of Feb.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07_BgPElA1qxLDPA9D2jD8KbdCiixiOIw4iNyLeYhq93ESV6XyNmLn8pKvxvnC8DZ9DXozHb6wowdoNhx8qYrLONQjG1P1YTrZYNkwgklUvGxnAdgzlwdrviLbM1KGag7HZz9BexmJGw/s1600/100_0536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07_BgPElA1qxLDPA9D2jD8KbdCiixiOIw4iNyLeYhq93ESV6XyNmLn8pKvxvnC8DZ9DXozHb6wowdoNhx8qYrLONQjG1P1YTrZYNkwgklUvGxnAdgzlwdrviLbM1KGag7HZz9BexmJGw/s320/100_0536.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">11-29-12, Enoch cheesin' it up for the camera.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2QTNl9MrlD0KqZqAQuPsYrJDSY_N_rN3HATTcKeW3_94CdcAJuwSBbmFcL9yE_GfanRecqSHB2KmbQgOEdKNiTSACasE8KTLKW7rLm7bG5fUYV0VnUYTewsXGg6MF1RJXSTPbitpb3c/s1600/100_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2QTNl9MrlD0KqZqAQuPsYrJDSY_N_rN3HATTcKeW3_94CdcAJuwSBbmFcL9yE_GfanRecqSHB2KmbQgOEdKNiTSACasE8KTLKW7rLm7bG5fUYV0VnUYTewsXGg6MF1RJXSTPbitpb3c/s320/100_0539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12-1-12, Judah and Andrew racing their "cars".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnaIWSY93PLghplMz0CnX_UNWJG7Wler_oPTxOqif_908StJ7K-9L8MhfzdIC2b20pOXMsaS7sq9DX2vSQWZzHwzvL3uqq05zukyDD9n4tldJuxceQBC6IN7DU-LUGwFhyphenhyphen2K0kCx5PUk/s1600/100_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnaIWSY93PLghplMz0CnX_UNWJG7Wler_oPTxOqif_908StJ7K-9L8MhfzdIC2b20pOXMsaS7sq9DX2vSQWZzHwzvL3uqq05zukyDD9n4tldJuxceQBC6IN7DU-LUGwFhyphenhyphen2K0kCx5PUk/s320/100_0555.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enoch loves to get into the butter, not so much to eat it, but to play in it. I think he's gotten into the butter on at least six different occasions! 12-12-12</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLQQ9Jtc4cqJLOCL4VYAI2UaIAt37JMdhV5r4ymrQqz0bjCpSu-8-ZyWOBCt-2-aA6zk0lvzmjLt-jQAhS_csCbDH_YDSMfqGQBe5bLOc_vDuAhFMorx7za73GWNpCQLGe997eQQl9Ac/s1600/100_0550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLQQ9Jtc4cqJLOCL4VYAI2UaIAt37JMdhV5r4ymrQqz0bjCpSu-8-ZyWOBCt-2-aA6zk0lvzmjLt-jQAhS_csCbDH_YDSMfqGQBe5bLOc_vDuAhFMorx7za73GWNpCQLGe997eQQl9Ac/s320/100_0550.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a "How to Butcher a Sheep" class at our Home School held by the Daddy. ;-) 12-10-12</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wkSi0M9JeX73znp834XYCvDqtmlnccQU-GKXyoibibqRluyaEPlJY9ut-1ybVgZSNVD9eE94Rq07EEOEQIwWOjpqksJYuaYcOBCLMhvBo0cIphYkDJazU_KLw-aEbLkblrbbKzaR46Y/s1600/100_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wkSi0M9JeX73znp834XYCvDqtmlnccQU-GKXyoibibqRluyaEPlJY9ut-1ybVgZSNVD9eE94Rq07EEOEQIwWOjpqksJYuaYcOBCLMhvBo0cIphYkDJazU_KLw-aEbLkblrbbKzaR46Y/s320/100_0557.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Grandpa Allan with two boys... sunlight made my pictures funky. 12-15-12</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPaTybRxLe87W6plQXq38TY4-XygX0LMAd0ZILCb1Uexg4HUjX418k4GbE47fAiSZi_9oc5uNOmYxKBB9p-clm3DVdAnSOcnfnSwD-90RvwpJg2lX-sjoSTCN4CyyzAGL-s-Vwp5Tplg/s1600/100_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPaTybRxLe87W6plQXq38TY4-XygX0LMAd0ZILCb1Uexg4HUjX418k4GbE47fAiSZi_9oc5uNOmYxKBB9p-clm3DVdAnSOcnfnSwD-90RvwpJg2lX-sjoSTCN4CyyzAGL-s-Vwp5Tplg/s320/100_0562.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">12-23-12, Sunday of the Sunday School Program... only Enoch is still wearing his outfit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJxoQ5h91eZ9H5Vy3mBSV1oMY8xUijOo2_4BnAmTbtRqwTV59pvv7pBKTpnqwleb-na1MgdZzKd95u2r3jrsxGPOI_ffw7qSRqWHXHvCxv7L6H_lXBi0dYmAhWZYf_IARlTSrv7uDdbE/s1600/100_0569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJxoQ5h91eZ9H5Vy3mBSV1oMY8xUijOo2_4BnAmTbtRqwTV59pvv7pBKTpnqwleb-na1MgdZzKd95u2r3jrsxGPOI_ffw7qSRqWHXHvCxv7L6H_lXBi0dYmAhWZYf_IARlTSrv7uDdbE/s320/100_0569.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12-24-12, Enoch is 14 months old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KUdfoM6FnC9douDyUZZz-9NthBoMEIupiI51JejRW7tRroAbReOMOJcxjxD1Rhw0jhdp7WcifMo9eM5jvyWjyWgev7PK1ZH-QXTTyzEqQzD2Yn1XY2FN0FARszYT9-H8EdrhdhkNtI8/s1600/100_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KUdfoM6FnC9douDyUZZz-9NthBoMEIupiI51JejRW7tRroAbReOMOJcxjxD1Rhw0jhdp7WcifMo9eM5jvyWjyWgev7PK1ZH-QXTTyzEqQzD2Yn1XY2FN0FARszYT9-H8EdrhdhkNtI8/s320/100_0566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judah-5, Andrew-3 (digging for gold-heehee), and Enoch-1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLupSoR6cKqDsh5KmHUq7D6xkjozNZRfoEAaaBaSFl6c0shtDa72LVY2x8Q-My92upc9G6Od9k66D1Ik6dZh6cgHv3DhveMVuLvnBEqHvxe94RVwBvtMk5LvXC2GVxKadH43HwhVJ_U/s1600/100_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLupSoR6cKqDsh5KmHUq7D6xkjozNZRfoEAaaBaSFl6c0shtDa72LVY2x8Q-My92upc9G6Od9k66D1Ik6dZh6cgHv3DhveMVuLvnBEqHvxe94RVwBvtMk5LvXC2GVxKadH43HwhVJ_U/s320/100_0567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three boys in front of Christmas Tree. Hey, take-down was a breeze!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMYuPvC11I55j9d9p4-psMdwAc2zAtAom5b7j_qS5pyBj8J3kUVSKv1riFfMRLe33rvoFejUz-06tLwJji-8XX4YnHvFl4Zpmq63B6h4deQAZ6J-VK6TNOs081sAXvA_pB-j58ikBzBw/s1600/100_0578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMYuPvC11I55j9d9p4-psMdwAc2zAtAom5b7j_qS5pyBj8J3kUVSKv1riFfMRLe33rvoFejUz-06tLwJji-8XX4YnHvFl4Zpmq63B6h4deQAZ6J-VK6TNOs081sAXvA_pB-j58ikBzBw/s320/100_0578.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RNBmr1gJZc8Vkn3Z1DjKehtmtBlqxPwPEv3D_WzqktH8qCThWIjOy7r8o8aoiyFfcW6tJfxvmrM_6R2SRgDkBdwYmyxO3s7_je67zGBW3WSES3e0AMPQzfELu2omtz2B9I9l3FOsOPg/s1600/100_0576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RNBmr1gJZc8Vkn3Z1DjKehtmtBlqxPwPEv3D_WzqktH8qCThWIjOy7r8o8aoiyFfcW6tJfxvmrM_6R2SRgDkBdwYmyxO3s7_je67zGBW3WSES3e0AMPQzfELu2omtz2B9I9l3FOsOPg/s320/100_0576.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas in Iowa on Christmas Day 2012, Above picture is with relatives from Indiana and my paternal grandparents</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU2kmZBPo_mrre5gyTS5Hq21JSl7BVxuSEjewoftIhYTYfPpn5vVQU-gOT7KYM3FE60rIpB4BDWX_q370Cy370CFNGeuhX8jDFllUsg5rajUOV2ajNHWv30SFk97vspK_F-Zlb9KdNCE/s1600/DSC_0056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU2kmZBPo_mrre5gyTS5Hq21JSl7BVxuSEjewoftIhYTYfPpn5vVQU-gOT7KYM3FE60rIpB4BDWX_q370Cy370CFNGeuhX8jDFllUsg5rajUOV2ajNHWv30SFk97vspK_F-Zlb9KdNCE/s320/DSC_0056.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Here I am, in my usual place... in front of the stove. Here I have a funny expression on my face while making eggs for breakfast. Behind me, you see my kitchen... and that's pretty much all the counter space I have. The little orange and blue sticky notes that hang on the inside of my cabinet doors are some often-used recipes that are mostly memorized anyway.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4GYVbLILrvB3n2X4FT7bMTgDe3vA7AevCz6b8NTCLhkcB1gr8dHYlwR3VryY4MoTtrcpJV0CnwtDDb685gf9Z0uqJ5-rXxr247aqd9FrtH_CTFYbHX_-4gZDZBycuubh-W8a7qFp408/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4GYVbLILrvB3n2X4FT7bMTgDe3vA7AevCz6b8NTCLhkcB1gr8dHYlwR3VryY4MoTtrcpJV0CnwtDDb685gf9Z0uqJ5-rXxr247aqd9FrtH_CTFYbHX_-4gZDZBycuubh-W8a7qFp408/s320/DSC_0092.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't get any pictures of Grandma on my camera...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjAcgiHVdtH4gEeVRsJAItIj6zQvEKNWTpq502K2qsCdTxk_tVfZc7PH45CrexPgC5emzjR48-rUcP0yldaYcmdfAdvjP8BhuGS9_czr4AKnSlo6MGYFRJWdy32ClVey4gmEvrFO0e3w/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjAcgiHVdtH4gEeVRsJAItIj6zQvEKNWTpq502K2qsCdTxk_tVfZc7PH45CrexPgC5emzjR48-rUcP0yldaYcmdfAdvjP8BhuGS9_czr4AKnSlo6MGYFRJWdy32ClVey4gmEvrFO0e3w/s320/DSC_0089.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma and Grandpa brought legos! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopyLjx6ODYSVVQFVrdskcLwa6tHcg6_3sjTH-srKqWZXGvf1grV1NOPH6CAPmoY6n7YyJKQFD4pbTKiYLp5E04GxgH_RxSOewmgobdVbOJ0vTbQ791GnVw2O2ALKfHemSWM12QJ-s164/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopyLjx6ODYSVVQFVrdskcLwa6tHcg6_3sjTH-srKqWZXGvf1grV1NOPH6CAPmoY6n7YyJKQFD4pbTKiYLp5E04GxgH_RxSOewmgobdVbOJ0vTbQ791GnVw2O2ALKfHemSWM12QJ-s164/s320/DSC_0082.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">An activity was building a gingerbread house from Home Depot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPBEnUZz_MrGPm8vIfmqOypslEIzECT5p1Iv7IzwXnZLfAobEVpL2vEgPtrE44z-QXtNxxTHiAIz3mUy0MVAPVFhC1KsuFVhKJj8hH4DcuUm0WQiXB6qtKuIeizuFh5CyUBqaTmVXKuc/s1600/DSC_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPBEnUZz_MrGPm8vIfmqOypslEIzECT5p1Iv7IzwXnZLfAobEVpL2vEgPtrE44z-QXtNxxTHiAIz3mUy0MVAPVFhC1KsuFVhKJj8hH4DcuUm0WQiXB6qtKuIeizuFh5CyUBqaTmVXKuc/s320/DSC_0143.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Family pic before Ohio grandparents left, Jan 11<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt9ZDrVHOdl61PubQIdoTvDaRAJ3yS0JWcL1d62GJqu_nl9viKzkZIzAAtzHvfUB1RvpwG4X18pxPOBpI7fm_1Y-2Twxcs-UhUJ_zGxeiyFS0bMeFV12yEjUznl4yDqPkoLWYRr5Nosg/s1600/100_0628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt9ZDrVHOdl61PubQIdoTvDaRAJ3yS0JWcL1d62GJqu_nl9viKzkZIzAAtzHvfUB1RvpwG4X18pxPOBpI7fm_1Y-2Twxcs-UhUJ_zGxeiyFS0bMeFV12yEjUznl4yDqPkoLWYRr5Nosg/s320/100_0628.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Moldstads came to visit. 1-21-13</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTTrHVdD0Mn0L-duwYRt-o0yNw7Y90STcmqVA_ilfVIYsOsX43qj9apZ37sRbK_oRqudd_xmpqS138_c3D4BpWfleCSGKgRjGFtSkHGMP0zHwTvHYjqDwgAu74LKph2HsIWqQKKzsmao/s1600/100_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTTrHVdD0Mn0L-duwYRt-o0yNw7Y90STcmqVA_ilfVIYsOsX43qj9apZ37sRbK_oRqudd_xmpqS138_c3D4BpWfleCSGKgRjGFtSkHGMP0zHwTvHYjqDwgAu74LKph2HsIWqQKKzsmao/s320/100_0662.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the boys still really like legos.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2da_Hyl5yKe6J0Yit4K2iAcT4vCkrjHfem_swwqm9O0UWfPfPpR3n3OjCpzn2r8SSW7FTOCey8purB-bfEdCceBhgrJC7VdAJ6xrUhVzfQW6LQgf8o4DaO-6tcLk3-7QyuPOj8K2LdI/s1600/100_0666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2da_Hyl5yKe6J0Yit4K2iAcT4vCkrjHfem_swwqm9O0UWfPfPpR3n3OjCpzn2r8SSW7FTOCey8purB-bfEdCceBhgrJC7VdAJ6xrUhVzfQW6LQgf8o4DaO-6tcLk3-7QyuPOj8K2LdI/s320/100_0666.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three boys in pajamas. 1-25-13 (Enoch is 15 months!)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg00TcnDSpJja4e13xdypCXLnQJhZvfwcI2GK1WjA2_owzcJjBCyRHvndjk8JzbjLX238SsE_JqvgorG3EWuc-sUCvZO5G9ksxp-DTTsqiZqVVEHPgkK97tT88AOIDm_TisuuDgRS4Pxw/s1600/100_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg00TcnDSpJja4e13xdypCXLnQJhZvfwcI2GK1WjA2_owzcJjBCyRHvndjk8JzbjLX238SsE_JqvgorG3EWuc-sUCvZO5G9ksxp-DTTsqiZqVVEHPgkK97tT88AOIDm_TisuuDgRS4Pxw/s320/100_0667.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just had to show more photos from this little photo session. Andrew didn't want to cooperate. Judah likes to have weird faces in pictures... I have several other photos with this same expression on his face.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2v3nNJWcoPPkaWcmxG0IQyQeE1_NksOz00XY5M8sDlrXQ4sqfo2Y6pxaP1BqUn81uu1zDAvYyxzPYuuZuYp7vvyTKFJESyhfaR5whIcJPMMGG5NPodvdjt8Gv3_g_HNqQfE_cOIWjYY/s1600/100_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2v3nNJWcoPPkaWcmxG0IQyQeE1_NksOz00XY5M8sDlrXQ4sqfo2Y6pxaP1BqUn81uu1zDAvYyxzPYuuZuYp7vvyTKFJESyhfaR5whIcJPMMGG5NPodvdjt8Gv3_g_HNqQfE_cOIWjYY/s320/100_0678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rub a dub dub, three boys in a tub! 1-26-13</td></tr>
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Funeral was on 1-28-13, but I didn't take any photos... hoping to get some from others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmWK4HgbH8yTmf5euGbSjy7I6fiE8V4caU6Z8IgqpNcEKqmw3wMNlAL6XlhJU4qAWkak2wJOBEGIJohK2iAG70ZlHGwnKRdEhLl-E05LNYPcahxWXuL_bonf-F-D0dZcSVhIZCNXwvAQ/s1600/100_0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmWK4HgbH8yTmf5euGbSjy7I6fiE8V4caU6Z8IgqpNcEKqmw3wMNlAL6XlhJU4qAWkak2wJOBEGIJohK2iAG70ZlHGwnKRdEhLl-E05LNYPcahxWXuL_bonf-F-D0dZcSVhIZCNXwvAQ/s320/100_0684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Went to Mankato after funeral and visited the cousins there.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWmu2dtVR08UI9WYppqkxm3bLy8q-_JICtCYByg6W0IMcTRmohRXgPa_2bY1_dAVvsHMkkO8L38wwg5UPqIAd9lEMknjYsrIbSGkj_FuPZNgOUl8JlDpuzIJBqdRvfWeC9Q__h8wFfeU/s1600/100_0690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWmu2dtVR08UI9WYppqkxm3bLy8q-_JICtCYByg6W0IMcTRmohRXgPa_2bY1_dAVvsHMkkO8L38wwg5UPqIAd9lEMknjYsrIbSGkj_FuPZNgOUl8JlDpuzIJBqdRvfWeC9Q__h8wFfeU/s320/100_0690.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way home we stopped at a Bass Pro Store. We got to see the fish fed, play some shooting games, and found this cool little 4-wheeler. Maybe one of the grandparents wants to get it for them? ;-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_fZNFPXeZz08nmfSsXfNHRiX3EegHWTjHLvSFlxtZY7qZsZmcxeNrXMwAKVckoD_BUbzggJtcWj9zWTJJ9ThvB62mnWYq6cHHLUidkHk6k5q9Z5mFenn1eRcsq9-266J7SVx0bFR5zs/s1600/100_0693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_fZNFPXeZz08nmfSsXfNHRiX3EegHWTjHLvSFlxtZY7qZsZmcxeNrXMwAKVckoD_BUbzggJtcWj9zWTJJ9ThvB62mnWYq6cHHLUidkHk6k5q9Z5mFenn1eRcsq9-266J7SVx0bFR5zs/s320/100_0693.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh and play a car driving game too. Andrew had to be the red car, because if you've ever seen the Disney movie "Cars", of course... Lightning McQueen is red.</td></tr>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-63166033715690123842012-11-23T14:27:00.000-06:002012-11-23T14:27:07.121-06:00Our Spaceship Heater, Do-it-yourself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My husband just installed our new Spaceship.... uh... I mean, heater. I've been teasing him that it looks Spaceship-esque, with all the silver tubing and the tall pipe. But I have to give a big kudos to my husband. He did all the engineering and research to get this all figured out. If it was up to me, we'd just be wearing 10 layers of clothing every day and running laps around the house to stay warm.</div>
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When we came back from deer hunting (that should be a blog post, but probably won't ever materialize...) in early November, we brought back with us his grandma's old wood-burning furnace that wasn't being used anymore. Jeff made a little house for it (see the brown metal paneling), and added the tubes and smoke stack up. The silver tube on the right guides the heat into the house, and the tube on the left vents air out. </div>
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Jeff installed a thermostat inside the house that hooks up to the furnace outside, but we're still trying to get it regulated. The first day with it on, we were all wearing shorts around the house. ;-)</div>
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But the idea is to help us cut costs. Wood that we gather ourselves doesn't cost anything, but buying gas to heat a house that is not insulated costs a lot. And since we're not going to be able to insulate in any way, this was the best option, especially since we're not sure exactly how long we're going to be in this dwelling place. But we sure like it here, living in the country, less than five miles from the church!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTurH7bfPYV_VjA_BwprXW6ds5BbxA8TwZHItJn2r7F_hyLArVqhHPuclzsTd_SXu18YMQfkj0-lHzyUIOpcBb3rZaZhSDthF41MJwIADFP2sLjnmyIyCP_l07n5zT0sS5a36medvUws/s1600/100_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTurH7bfPYV_VjA_BwprXW6ds5BbxA8TwZHItJn2r7F_hyLArVqhHPuclzsTd_SXu18YMQfkj0-lHzyUIOpcBb3rZaZhSDthF41MJwIADFP2sLjnmyIyCP_l07n5zT0sS5a36medvUws/s320/100_0533.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the side that the door to the furnace is on. Yes, we'll have to come outside to put wood in the stove. But hey, anything to save a buck or several hundred. ;-)</td></tr>
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<br />meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-72818912633432718762012-11-23T14:11:00.000-06:002012-11-23T14:11:49.447-06:00Green Tomato IngenuityOnce again, I seem to be behind on writing this post. I just wanted to share my experience with green tomato ingenuity.<div>
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Down here in Missour-uh, as the locals say, we usually don't get a frost until later in October, but we got one at our garden spot in early October. Even before the frost, I was picking off the green tomatoes, because they weren't really turning red on the vine, they were just going bad, so I decided to skip that step and just bring in the tomatoes!</div>
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So I estimate I had about 5 gallons worth of green tomatoes. (I didn't bring them in all at once, and I used some up before they were all in, so I'm not entirely sure, but about that much.) And since I don't like to let anything go to waste, I thought I'd try out some new recipes! Here are some links to what I tried, along with some notes.</div>
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<b>Green Tomato Recipes</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1749,154186-240192,00.html">Green Tomato Salsa</a> -- This turned out pretty well, and I followed the recipe to can it.</div>
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<a href="http://cookingwithmichele.com/2009/06/green-tomato-bread/">Green Tomato Bread</a> -- As with everything I do, I adapted it to give the flour a "soak time" by combining the yogurt and flours (I used all freshly ground whole wheat, instead of any APF) and letting it sit overnight. And I used all sugar, no Splenda. It turned out like any other quick bread, and you could probably use your favorite zucchini bread recipe, and just sub in green tomato puree. I think it's important, though, to make sure the excess liquid gets drained off of the tomato puree.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1623,159188-255199,00.html">Green Tomato Jam</a> -- I really like how this turned out. I ended up adding several teaspoons of cinnamon, as I saw other recipes that included cooking with cinnamon sticks, but since I didn't have any I just added cinnamon. </div>
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<a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1735,154187-241192,00.html">Green Tomato Sauce</a> -- I think this is what I used for the sauce... it's been a while ago, and I didn't bookmark or print off the recipe. I ended up using it for pizza sauce, and it worked really well, I just didn't stir in any sour cream. Make sure you freeze what you don't use, because it's easy to forget about in the back of the fridge... just sayin'.</div>
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Green Tomato Pie -- This recipe came out of my Presidential Cookbook from 1895. Here were the instructions: </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;">"Take medium-sized tomatoes, pare, and cut out the stem end. Having your pie-pan lined with paste made as biscuit dough, slice the tomatoes very thin, filling the pan somewhat heaping, then grate over it a nutmeg, put in half a cup of butter, and a medium cup of sugar, if the pan is rather deep. Sprinkle a small handful of flour over all, pouring in half a cup of vinegar before adding the top crust. Bake half an hour, in a moderately hot oven, serving hot. Is good; try it."</span></div>
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Well, I did try it... and ended up scraping out the filling to give to our chickens and eating the crust. I think it would've been alright, had it not been for the vinegar. </div>
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Fried Green Tomatoes -- This is something I never tried. Maybe next year. Not sure how well the boys would like it.</div>
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Pickles or Mincemeat -- Thought about these options, but since we're not big on either, I decided not to. There's only so much time!</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-51031173602026042832012-11-23T13:12:00.006-06:002012-11-23T13:12:53.163-06:00Enoch: 10-12 months and beyond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We've reached and surpassed the ONE YEAR mark for my little Enoch. (We call him the Noch-inator.) I always look forward to hitting that 12 month milestone, because it means so much... new and more foods can be eaten, walking, more independence, weaning... Well, at least getting closer to being weaned. ;-)</div>
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What can I say... we just love this guy. I didn't do much for his 1st birthday, no cake, not even a meat cake. I made custard, which he didn't really eat. Of which I didn't take a picture. Oops. We had other things going on that day.4<br />
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He does love meat, though. As I write this in mid-November, he's working on getting all his molars. Top two have broken through, bottom two are imminent. He still crawls some, but is a pretty good walker. He plays pretty well on his own, loves dancing and bobbing his head to music. He jabbers, can make many animal sounds and knows his "mama", "dada", brothers, "bam-pa" (grampa), "Buh-buh"(Buddy the dog). I know he says other things but that's all I can think of right now.<br />
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And he's gotten a haircut. All those curls gone. But hair grows back, so we'll see if the curl stays.<br />
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Take a walk down memory lane in pictures.<br />
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10th month, or there-abouts....<br />
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July 28</div>
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Aug. 8</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cKpTiL6r6OwM97dBmVD63OAsJD7RLEkFbih3MpELKhBhp3mjd65iXgiD3cnu3UZDhXPxL6otN38onny71aI-M_yC1bGYwW3H4blb7ef5zeOv0KHOAsP52iuE5rTNg4GoTXwE5Dds1Rc/s1600/100_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cKpTiL6r6OwM97dBmVD63OAsJD7RLEkFbih3MpELKhBhp3mjd65iXgiD3cnu3UZDhXPxL6otN38onny71aI-M_yC1bGYwW3H4blb7ef5zeOv0KHOAsP52iuE5rTNg4GoTXwE5Dds1Rc/s320/100_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Aug. 9</div>
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Aug. 13</div>
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Aug. 24 -- 10 months!</div>
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11th month, or there-abouts...<br />
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Aug. 28</div>
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Sept. 4 -- Stuck in stroller while I watch my brother shoot bow.</div>
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Sept. 13 -- Look what I can do!</div>
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Sept. 20 -- playing outside</div>
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Sept. 22 -- almost 11 months</div>
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12th month, or there-abouts....<br />
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Sept. 26 -- On top of bunkbeds</div>
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Oct. 9</div>
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Oct. 10 -- Look what else I can do!</div>
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Oct. 13</div>
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Oct. 24, THE birthday! </div>
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Birthday breakfast, scrambled eggs. What is this pokey thing?</div>
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He's doing his "concentration lips" as he tries to put egg on the fork.</div>
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And beyond...<br />
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Nov. 4 -- Hunting time with Grampa! He got pretty good at "cheesing" at the camera.</div>
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Nov. 9 -- Tired teddy bear</div>
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Nov. 10 -- You can really see his curls in this mini photo shoot. And yes, it really WAS warm enough for short sleeves in November!</div>
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The haircut.... Nov. 14<br />
BEFORE!<br />
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AFTER!</div>
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See the hair on the table in the background.</div>
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-51991447056431360862012-11-18T14:57:00.002-06:002012-11-18T14:58:09.567-06:00Andrew is THREE!... and a cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Andrew's birthday is Oct. 22. Ever since Judah's birthday in Sept., Andrew's birthday was a main topic of conversation. "When are we going to have Andrew's birthday?" And by "birthday" it was understood to mean "birthday cake". ;-)</div>
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When asked what kind of a birthday cake he wanted, he requested an ice cream cake! I was a little surprised, because I'm not sure where he thought of that, but hey, I was happy to oblige. There are many different recipes out there, but I received inspiration from a recipe (which I can't find anymore, so I can't give proper credit) that had a chocolate brownie crust, and then mixed peanut butter and peanuts and chocolate chunks in with the ice cream to put on top of the crust.</div>
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Since I've been staying away from chocolate for Enoch's sake, I endeavored to create a nearly chocolate-less ice cream cake. I know, life is empty without chocolate, so you'll notice the little "sprinkles" on top... that's shaved chocolate bar, and only just a little bit, for flavor.<br />
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And who would've guessed that his birthday in late October would be so warm!? We had a birthday lunch since the Dad was going to be gone that evening, and I pulled out the cake a little early to thaw, but I ended up sticking it back in the freezer a couple times so it wouldn't melt!<br />
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<b>Ice Cream Cake, with Sourdough Bar Crust (A Non-Recipe Recipe)</b></div>
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<li>CRUST: The crust is adapted from this <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/52-weeks-of-cheechako-sourdough-week-9-sourdough-blondies">Sourdough Blondies recipe</a>. (I can't duplicate the recipe here because of copyright issues, so you'll have to visit that site to get the recipe if you're interested.) Instead of making it immediately, I modified the recipe to include an overnight "soak time" with the starter, flour, and melted butter. And then I mixed it up the next morning, adding the rest of the ingredients (sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt, but not nuts) and baked it in my smallest springform pan, I think it was 8" diameter. If I was doing it over again, I might've done it in the 10" springform, as I felt the bars were too thick, and therefore, too chewy, especially when you're serving this essentially right out of the freezer. (However, as you read on, you'll discover I didn't have much ice cream on hand, so I chose the smaller size pan...)</li>
<li>ICE CREAM: I took what ice cream I had left in my freezer, which was about 3/4 of a small tub of Breyer's vanilla ice cream. (Is it the quart and a half size?) If I would've had a full tub, all the better. I softened that and added to it 1/2 c. of peanut butter. Then I spread that over the cooled crust and stuck it in the freezer.</li>
<li>TO SERVE: I took some soy-free chocolate and grated a little over the top. This is pretty rich, so don't go crazy on piece size.</li>
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Andrew is quite a little boy. He and Judah are good playmates... when all is going well. Andrew likes to wrestle more than Judah does, so oftentimes, Andrew will initiate a wrestling match. His favorite shirt is the one he is wearing in the photo (Bass Pro Shop shirt). He is a ball of energy, and likes to pit his strength and obstinacy against me. He likes to "do things himself". His smile brightens up a room. Andrew really likes to watch me work in the kitchen, usually hoping to score a taste of whatever I'm cooking.<br />
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Here's the birthday boy!</div>
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Judah had to get in on the picture too.</div>
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Tired birthday boy.</div>
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<br />meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-77870063170882547462012-10-15T21:28:00.002-05:002012-10-15T21:30:21.635-05:00A Super Speedy Photo Shoot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At our <a href="http://peacejeffcity.blogspot.com/">church</a>, we are working on making a pictorial directory, so a talented member is taking pictures for it. And I asked her to take a few of Enoch, and the boys. Here are the pictures, taken on Sept. 9. Enoch is 10 1/2 months old, Judah is almost 5 and Andrew is nearly 3. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-67897984062210335282012-09-26T13:27:00.000-05:002012-10-06T21:31:07.460-05:00Judah is FIVE!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The birthday cake, or as Judah likes to call it, "The Birthday"</i></div>
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<i>... </i><i>because really, what's the point of a birthday without the cake?!</i></div>
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On September 21, Judah turned five. FIVE! Here's the birthday boy with his cake. I asked him what kind of a cake he wanted, and he asked for a chocolate Star Wars cake. (His cousin Johnny had a Star Wars themed birthday party and cake, so naturally, so did Judah.) I told him, I could do chocolate and I could do Star.<br />
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Here's me and my three boys..</div>
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I made a <a href="http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/2010/09/naturally-sweetened-sourdough-chocolate/">chocolate sourdough cake</a>, a recipe from one of my favorite blogs, <a href="http://spain-in-iowa.com/">A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa</a>. I made it into two layers, the bottom being a 9 inch circle pan, and the top being a star pan that I got from Grandma and Grandpa Armbrecht!<br />
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I didn't follow the blog's recipe for frosting, because I wanted to use up some cream cheese I had put in the freezer a few months ago. The cream cheese frosting recipe I had posted on my <a href="http://mersethmorsels.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-31st-birthday-cake-and-two-frosting.html">birthday cake post</a> was my intention.<br />
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Bad idea. If you make cream cheese from straining whey out of yogurt, and then freeze it, don't bother using it to make frosting at a later date. Because if you try to use it for frosting, the frosting will be all grainy, and runny, and yucky textured.<br />
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Sooo.... since I was bound and determined to use this cream cheese for frosting, I pulled out all the tricks I had up my sleeve. I tried adding some powdered sugar. I didn't want to add the entire bag, so I decided to try cooking it with cornstarch to thicken it. It helped some, but I really had to boil it to thicken it enough to make it a frosting consistency. And it still retained a wee bit of the grainy consistency.<br />
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It ended up being "saucy" in consistency, which I poured over the bottom layer before putting on the star, then poured it on top of the star layer.<br />
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It worked well enough, and now it's gone, but I only allowed myself one piece. Well, maybe one and a half. Because I was reminded that Enoch is STILL sensitive to the caffeine in the cocoa, and as I'm still nursing him.... caffeine is a no-no.<br />
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After the birthday meal and cake (I think we had potatoes, carrots, and a pork roast), Judah and his Daddy got to go out for a birthday deer posting. They got all dressed up in their invisible best, and got to see a lot of wild life on their outing. Andrew was quite upset that he didn't get to go along, though he got to go with Daddy by himself the next night.<br />
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I know this is out of order... but we also celebrated the boys' birthdays over Labor Day weekend, beginning of September with my parents. I couldn't find the candles then, so we lit these two candles and had shortcake with raspberry sauce. That's when Judah got his grand-daddy of birthday gifts... a bow!<br />
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meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-23887810895788841982012-08-27T15:04:00.022-05:002012-08-27T16:06:08.753-05:00Here, There and Everywhere: July and August<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4cjgZEKApKvcAzqAWr6uzgLg0mK1tLcTmy-cGNs9mTYdvD4NO30Id4QsEHbU1tGFB2MIDD9CMqBIuFSVEW5KKOL_XOSm3xwkFhanTMAyKXOyQRM1ya3C5dwxTXepNP33h8brEdSX2DY/s1600/100_0286.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKqcLqW9p0BEgCVTuHsBppI0IZ4hfhFG-W7DJAvP-oSfwDD5rKLEuuA3B1N3WuBHqtObMGf_rG8NpihcI95uibnAub9BkBntLXDWW_cnazG3e5Xgf5ghC79i_rfiBe0USrAyvJ-rGTGk/s1600/100_0180.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Since I'm not the timeliest blogger that ever graced the blogosphere, this post will sum up our July and August.<div><br /></div><div>In the beginning of July, we picked up Judah in Moline, Illinois. Grandma and Grandpa Merseth drove the grandkids over from Ohio where they had been staying for nearly two weeks, and the parents of said grandkids, all converged at Residence Inn. It's amazing how much those kids seem to grow in the two weeks they're gone from your sight. </div><div><br /></div><div>About the hotel, I have to say, it was the best hotel I'd ever stayed at. Mainly because it provided entire meals, and even I could eat there with food allergies. We arrived on a Monday night, ate supper there (brats, hot dogs, broccoli, alcoholic beverages!), swam in the pool, woke up to a full hot spread for breakfast, then we left for the John Deere Museum. To say that the boys were excited is a bit of an understatement. Then we picnicked at a park before heading to our respective cities.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nine grandchildren in attendance</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKqcLqW9p0BEgCVTuHsBppI0IZ4hfhFG-W7DJAvP-oSfwDD5rKLEuuA3B1N3WuBHqtObMGf_rG8NpihcI95uibnAub9BkBntLXDWW_cnazG3e5Xgf5ghC79i_rfiBe0USrAyvJ-rGTGk/s320/100_0180.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781448431290752242" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBT-Iiift1NkBmGSHQt5ImZah-XhubDmD2Eup0EnjjXLNJAjRjSKzwY4aRFG93tU_LUW7BsG1PRyvWO3XdcGn556h0c-zYlfVYYtc6Hbr4v-1ns626hDjIdsxmxkRPBheRfoEW037BiQ/s1600/100_0182.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBT-Iiift1NkBmGSHQt5ImZah-XhubDmD2Eup0EnjjXLNJAjRjSKzwY4aRFG93tU_LUW7BsG1PRyvWO3XdcGn556h0c-zYlfVYYtc6Hbr4v-1ns626hDjIdsxmxkRPBheRfoEW037BiQ/s320/100_0182.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781450630351754002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Hey, we're in the Buckin' Gator! (I think.) There were several moments of fear on my part, because Andrew literally was running from machine to machine he was soooo excited. I had such a hard time keeping tabs on him.</span></div></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2-zb9fCkN93y7ya9FVZbSgLPGDKQctkUUB3HL08tWEHVdCcqpT7XCYEnh-KIOcO8T1tx7fLEfccsacmAn1MYCWpy9OjEBTh2jkEL_wZgD6-Y6kZsfQ8vLIZBiDmdjOzrCmanbVXRzpo/s1600/100_0190.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2-zb9fCkN93y7ya9FVZbSgLPGDKQctkUUB3HL08tWEHVdCcqpT7XCYEnh-KIOcO8T1tx7fLEfccsacmAn1MYCWpy9OjEBTh2jkEL_wZgD6-Y6kZsfQ8vLIZBiDmdjOzrCmanbVXRzpo/s320/100_0190.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781450636799356914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Tuckered out baby. He got a bit of a nap, at least.</span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z5qY2T48j0o0Lo58NtVszXqjGImhnzhqOkJ1tvoel4BtxFwiu_HqOjDzyTIPnWa9cc6wrNP5Zqb0U-mVGs0MpJV2z0g7gATIxN3CiDb0rlOP2GqyH6uJ4aRZdQmVr4PtdnZlnSvk9OU/s1600/100_0184.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z5qY2T48j0o0Lo58NtVszXqjGImhnzhqOkJ1tvoel4BtxFwiu_HqOjDzyTIPnWa9cc6wrNP5Zqb0U-mVGs0MpJV2z0g7gATIxN3CiDb0rlOP2GqyH6uJ4aRZdQmVr4PtdnZlnSvk9OU/s320/100_0184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781450659410883634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They had these fun picture-taking opportunities, as well as a play area for the kids to play with small scale tractors, animals, etc.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsm1Hx2fZCCnbxSm9gQusha_w5KLtXZMxHhSGIIShIpBFoTAQ5PrA-92tDd6XlDml5HL8x656X0CfK8kpxtq0jOZMoZzSsnBr1pJVuAunst89t2t_1qmm4LS-S67UsExvHazBbZwmzUM/s1600/100_0195.JPG" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsm1Hx2fZCCnbxSm9gQusha_w5KLtXZMxHhSGIIShIpBFoTAQ5PrA-92tDd6XlDml5HL8x656X0CfK8kpxtq0jOZMoZzSsnBr1pJVuAunst89t2t_1qmm4LS-S67UsExvHazBbZwmzUM/s320/100_0195.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781450651780786530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBT-Iiift1NkBmGSHQt5ImZah-XhubDmD2Eup0EnjjXLNJAjRjSKzwY4aRFG93tU_LUW7BsG1PRyvWO3XdcGn556h0c-zYlfVYYtc6Hbr4v-1ns626hDjIdsxmxkRPBheRfoEW037BiQ/s1600/100_0182.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>After my <a href="http://mersethmorsels.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-31st-birthday-cake-and-two-frosting.html">birthday in mid-July</a>, and <a href="http://mersethmorsels.blogspot.com/2012/08/enoch-7-9-months.html">Enoch turning 9 months old</a> on the 24th, I went to Iowa, by myself with three children. I was headed to a family reunion on the last Sat. of July, but my husband needed to stay home and preach on Sunday. That's the thing about pastors... they're always busy on the weekends. ;-)</div><div><br /></div><div>I arrived on Thursday night (July 26), Friday night was spent in a hotel (with a pool of course), Saturday was the reunion and went home afterwards, Sunday was church and playing on the farm with Ranger rides, and then home Monday morning. The 6 hour trip there and back went pretty well, all things considered. I was thankful it wasn't as hot as it had been here all summer... 100+s.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here we are at the hotel... The TV was on, and so my kids had the zombie face on.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnszdbKxIiRr4C0RzyA_ZUjbYAHPruNSvFF_VSBXK9u1A9EKq2ir7Y8JSxiMzQjEX2Q9mSu3TOO9w9UPwpV4BTYn0M1VbWrkTQ5XEOuuWUJEzZ30itDGLr2ucmghm0z6MHf87rr9NHPA/s320/100_0243.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781452946536000258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Grandpa Allan had the best job of the afternoon. ;-)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WDe1menjc4L3Eim_8Mhv7JTxpsirXUMcDDnfQwJMAbMDM3OC-aQ9R5zvInMgIoxNWRL1SiJbreSjduk3m6oJnGUuDD0sepSuJPB4GLsu0HNkXKR7giFw7rgb38y0-aR4i2PI3BsqF2o/s1600/100_0254.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WDe1menjc4L3Eim_8Mhv7JTxpsirXUMcDDnfQwJMAbMDM3OC-aQ9R5zvInMgIoxNWRL1SiJbreSjduk3m6oJnGUuDD0sepSuJPB4GLsu0HNkXKR7giFw7rgb38y0-aR4i2PI3BsqF2o/s320/100_0254.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781453019028665954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The boys enjoyed waving their flags... okay, it wasn't exactly waving...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZGF-AkxGDcv11eTPIHEbeermE13AS36aEqG32C01wIn044iNAKodkzKgliMpzstwQWGShjh5LkayzlQf2sc-epYkU9184RG1_y_cUO6uvf4hrTqZeEd1U5-UYzFSIbqzDVuS7QHh7lM/s1600/100_0252.JPG" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZGF-AkxGDcv11eTPIHEbeermE13AS36aEqG32C01wIn044iNAKodkzKgliMpzstwQWGShjh5LkayzlQf2sc-epYkU9184RG1_y_cUO6uvf4hrTqZeEd1U5-UYzFSIbqzDVuS7QHh7lM/s320/100_0252.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781453011368349890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My brothers and I with my maternal grandmother, Virginia Becker.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsk_5tWGn3T5WcAhyviHvSkIcONsEhsgridlGZSgR7RI5rC3ShUM7yd6Ya0tQ0muYU0SOFEBqW1eowd4IpssA8TYUW3TwwxBc8C9WBrj_ZMD1LFSTcteMATSpeGAe-xDd3EaUKXMsqao/s1600/100_0248.JPG" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsk_5tWGn3T5WcAhyviHvSkIcONsEhsgridlGZSgR7RI5rC3ShUM7yd6Ya0tQ0muYU0SOFEBqW1eowd4IpssA8TYUW3TwwxBc8C9WBrj_ZMD1LFSTcteMATSpeGAe-xDd3EaUKXMsqao/s320/100_0248.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781452981820330962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My parents, brothers, kids, me, Grandma Ginny. Also celebrated her 87th birthday.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPX7IF-YW5ud5hiJlfokrdqjZoxxTItrPFEcMSwVbfzSQIQfUbKvxcZwyqEs-WE0Mfg1dLgs7SGpfZWCbrZ6h8fVL39YjBY_6ffM9fspWbbFd9CRfDlcGZnc8IVn6kA213w225I5GD_U/s1600/100_0246.JPG" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPX7IF-YW5ud5hiJlfokrdqjZoxxTItrPFEcMSwVbfzSQIQfUbKvxcZwyqEs-WE0Mfg1dLgs7SGpfZWCbrZ6h8fVL39YjBY_6ffM9fspWbbFd9CRfDlcGZnc8IVn6kA213w225I5GD_U/s320/100_0246.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781452967603363442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">All the little kids there at the reunion. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGghGcdboht4VoTF3bqpL6gw8DoYz8xqNiArMXGaI2YS7-hPhLHWbWHqOGGH26FkS0kmRfrfWLG1-HE_EKfpdaVSd0aQhvTVVW9Z70ZL4yGzzcG7JLB7DqdJk3eeWwYDRfF7qlZXynUY8/s320/100_0256.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781455406005245058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>My husband's birthday was August 6, and I made a birthday breakfast Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake. It was the same recipe I made last year for our birthdays, and I think the year before too. I still haven't put the recipe on here. Maybe soon... My main thing in the kitchen these days has been trying to produce as little heat as possible, so not a whole lot of creativity seems to be going on.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jeff is 31 years old</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT3UHYLAaQ9V5JV328Jjbxjwee69O4lv3w76293dbjGpSggmtTIFkfAnglwle5tKiMFc6me3tOtht3pjflz-GKZy2wZ3jk_e_F5D6C7YBdGbcNHhJYbiVZ8RujVJH5ErN2Meog1SLoPQ/s320/100_0263.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781455415247238130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sunday night, Jeff's parents arrived, and we all left after the Monday birthday breakfast and lunch to head to Branson. We finally got to our room and crashed for the evening. We brought all the food we needed and had a great kitchen in our room to fix our meals.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tuesday we went to the fish hatchery... I never took any pictures there for whatever reason. Also had a picnic afterwards. Came back to our resort and crashed. It was so hot while we were there!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Family picture in front of a fountain at our resort</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiQ_v0vDWbaZTU2mnXSwbgfjsSwJkApSU15BtdY1A2w69dg49v9kCTb3Sm64TX2DtR3Ogf97hF0yy01I-dhTpPX90r-xUEbjXVlkUPcEtOv8FC2IGEM37hEhJAsltCrwOu4IR58ekI_g/s320/100_0265.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781455437211193842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">My little fishes</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS304Mvp6nLgXtcGfF31fzNJpvFxQdrxqmklha81mO1ynOlaw4okGlOJyxQ_dz2vEOTPJkGgM4z1feljFUbC3YKPN7JQHsiGXuvmEEI7amBHN0xpVTmck_nrAIdIT1qUOAj4VN9gj3lik/s320/100_0266.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781455444498503538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Wednesday, we went to Branson Landing. It was a whole bunch of shops strung together along the river. We mainly went to go to a place called Lego Brickation, and it was free. Basically it was a place to play with legos. They had free pirate hats. I am not sure who had more fun... the big boys or the little boys. ;-)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXZ4MC4HqgHRLMvtE_Tr2cIX2w2JYNAdv0SP8KbX4LHdoxOxdCvTvIg2KY2IAmoBoUhwS_ZVXYPge_iRxwPdqNcCpQGaHx23DBE-7jqZgwE71Ayv9Y5f9s4XO167YROrUcq3v4-UTX5k/s320/100_0277.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781457934116038738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHy0CnFMz1zitUN4J5mOKTO3y6T_DlbLPGQ21ed-f7E6tpptx1zpWF_66WlZlifCTbE5xsCBydQm2fQyI_xOI3b309pKk8QEhglMnY7PXlEROlFAsjzeNs_YIERSBprbqDMWL8enD0hg/s1600/100_0275.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHy0CnFMz1zitUN4J5mOKTO3y6T_DlbLPGQ21ed-f7E6tpptx1zpWF_66WlZlifCTbE5xsCBydQm2fQyI_xOI3b309pKk8QEhglMnY7PXlEROlFAsjzeNs_YIERSBprbqDMWL8enD0hg/s320/100_0275.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781455461691240706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>It rained that day, and we ran through the rain to a very expensive ice cream shop... and I couldn't even eat it. But my dear husband is always thinking of me, and he bought me a smoothie from some other little shop along the way.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the bear in front of the Bass Pro Shop at Branson Landing. Andrew's giving his bear growl.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriLqy3_4_XtUWndwpza4qpMkdH9qbQxGpw2vL3NYki4ETBRGEfWfzOgwq0AF8AEZqyE5qSBiSI-M5jDvUsAOweQDG2il0gQfkbjPNIIxalDaZa77DC__dl9eRM2jFz-ZdBSKbgqW2L_k/s320/100_0282.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781457948465477186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">On Thursday, we went to the College of the Ozarks, probably my most favorite place we visited. All the students work on the campus to pay their way through college, a really neat concept. We went there to see the flour mill... they mill all their own flour for the students' consumption! And they have a herd of cattle and the milk is used on campus for the students, and they make their own ice cream with it! (And I can even eat it!) There's a restaurant and hotel on campus, serviced by the students. The students even built the chapel, which is beautiful! It looks like an old Catholic cathedral. I wish we could've stayed longer but we needed to head home, and we had some tired kids.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS304Mvp6nLgXtcGfF31fzNJpvFxQdrxqmklha81mO1ynOlaw4okGlOJyxQ_dz2vEOTPJkGgM4z1feljFUbC3YKPN7JQHsiGXuvmEEI7amBHN0xpVTmck_nrAIdIT1qUOAj4VN9gj3lik/s1600/100_0266.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span><div style="text-align: center;">In front of a plaque on the campus.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiQ_v0vDWbaZTU2mnXSwbgfjsSwJkApSU15BtdY1A2w69dg49v9kCTb3Sm64TX2DtR3Ogf97hF0yy01I-dhTpPX90r-xUEbjXVlkUPcEtOv8FC2IGEM37hEhJAsltCrwOu4IR58ekI_g/s1600/100_0265.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4cjgZEKApKvcAzqAWr6uzgLg0mK1tLcTmy-cGNs9mTYdvD4NO30Id4QsEHbU1tGFB2MIDD9CMqBIuFSVEW5KKOL_XOSm3xwkFhanTMAyKXOyQRM1ya3C5dwxTXepNP33h8brEdSX2DY/s1600/100_0286.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4cjgZEKApKvcAzqAWr6uzgLg0mK1tLcTmy-cGNs9mTYdvD4NO30Id4QsEHbU1tGFB2MIDD9CMqBIuFSVEW5KKOL_XOSm3xwkFhanTMAyKXOyQRM1ya3C5dwxTXepNP33h8brEdSX2DY/s320/100_0286.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781457986546659858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>The water wheel at the mill! Not in use when we went though.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MdSGd7auDtYqEueF2mfk56NBd4ueWSQVHoKHOLZu73nXu31jNwhAw-GkEjBUrIZSe4tI_46mN7WF6Hj8Duy8tEBVPp54Iy3hQxQKE-HVDPBW_C7IXJUVUuR27qgL1du4w3Yut6-Gu2I/s1600/100_0295.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MdSGd7auDtYqEueF2mfk56NBd4ueWSQVHoKHOLZu73nXu31jNwhAw-GkEjBUrIZSe4tI_46mN7WF6Hj8Duy8tEBVPp54Iy3hQxQKE-HVDPBW_C7IXJUVUuR27qgL1du4w3Yut6-Gu2I/s320/100_0295.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781457974495640306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>You can't really see it, but it's a glass elevator. The boys with Grandma and Grandpa.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwr1UneixcA5YYu50hCcUhAljF45eK6yVAaM-khWQTOWHLVHty9wc11XtFc0HXZYXnszoi4bohtEFnz2UJiGF8b1kWqJtUJXnQO8tq8I0kiPNHGaTLJ9rQRNOnhkU72-3Ifxa9bOpkoRQ/s1600/100_0284.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwr1UneixcA5YYu50hCcUhAljF45eK6yVAaM-khWQTOWHLVHty9wc11XtFc0HXZYXnszoi4bohtEFnz2UJiGF8b1kWqJtUJXnQO8tq8I0kiPNHGaTLJ9rQRNOnhkU72-3Ifxa9bOpkoRQ/s320/100_0284.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781457963210742802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And ever since, I've been trying to pick up the pieces of all the traveling. ;-) It was a fun summer, but now I'm ready for fall weather!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. Andrew is potty-trained during the day! Woohoo!</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriLqy3_4_XtUWndwpza4qpMkdH9qbQxGpw2vL3NYki4ETBRGEfWfzOgwq0AF8AEZqyE5qSBiSI-M5jDvUsAOweQDG2il0gQfkbjPNIIxalDaZa77DC__dl9eRM2jFz-ZdBSKbgqW2L_k/s1600/100_0282.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT3UHYLAaQ9V5JV328Jjbxjwee69O4lv3w76293dbjGpSggmtTIFkfAnglwle5tKiMFc6me3tOtht3pjflz-GKZy2wZ3jk_e_F5D6C7YBdGbcNHhJYbiVZ8RujVJH5ErN2Meog1SLoPQ/s1600/100_0263.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGghGcdboht4VoTF3bqpL6gw8DoYz8xqNiArMXGaI2YS7-hPhLHWbWHqOGGH26FkS0kmRfrfWLG1-HE_EKfpdaVSd0aQhvTVVW9Z70ZL4yGzzcG7JLB7DqdJk3eeWwYDRfF7qlZXynUY8/s1600/100_0256.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-64433112931701339022012-08-11T13:47:00.015-05:002012-08-14T21:52:15.689-05:00Enoch: 7-9 months<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hEJYgr9UuplFO2ygIyEn_0Z7fV2JPx717gQPykzACwhI7adnBA7ZigiHTrE4GjkPImRmRXOKHOQ8eMVLbi4RhvvNht-Sr9xptaoR1aOgPONNg0qGTu_UC4gUuDYI8VM_V_wO7zoGhRw/s1600/100_0059.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>As of July 24, Enoch turned 9 months old! Okay, so he's already 9 <i>1/2</i> months at the time of this post, but you can still have some photos.<div><br /></div><div>He sure is a busy boy who is sweet as can be. He loves to play! He's very good at walking along things, but hasn't ventured out solo walking yet. He babbles a lot, and can make some animal noises, like "woof", "meow", "baa", and "moo". I heard him say "Amen" once. Last Sunday in church it sounded like he was "singing" with us in the liturgy. The music would stop, but he would continue in a "sing-song" way. He can also click his tongue, that was something he learned last week on vacation. He does "soooo big" with raised arms. He loves to climb on things. If Big Brothers take off the couch cushions, he can climb on the couch. And fall off. I'm thankful I don't have to worry about more than one step in this house. He eats pureed fruits and veggies, but he's not big into chunks yet... puree is the way to go for now. In general, he's a happy baby that is growing well and learning more every day.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">April 30</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hEJYgr9UuplFO2ygIyEn_0Z7fV2JPx717gQPykzACwhI7adnBA7ZigiHTrE4GjkPImRmRXOKHOQ8eMVLbi4RhvvNht-Sr9xptaoR1aOgPONNg0qGTu_UC4gUuDYI8VM_V_wO7zoGhRw/s320/100_0059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775494792752484674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">May 19</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-AiRx8rGW-7S9JRrw7Ul_TuAETvt0RNhWN7NhFJKgDyOGARONr_JpFw7pptQqaTWuK9ojKfwDTLBFqNR2IQIZI8K3oANWhXCR4_F0wkvSh6_7iR0ga3clr476ZqaTHpLqf1iKXIT0R4/s320/100_0067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775494803542269538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">He loves this dog, and the dog loves him!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfFvfBJoAbXt5l-nOZSej0dQspA_UvAA4ibk-4mDWfDNcS5wQ5A3zVZUAi7Wg6J9Vu97H8t9hAKx6Qho6Qpq44ylH4nPyibg5JTR5H6VFI92jcTB8pRQBLJ3sPMq3umaOIP0T6PKt5f8/s320/100_0068.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775494810447805042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">May 25--7 months!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJ-skSXZb_-T0ISUbhqjTH1-T05950uKkS_FEm4I6KmaVYwxAmdGp3H7fTTdV1_cEh47MUr515wRSZJC9i29gX62__pEdnEaB6wIZtHeub6FsTrJbKVBd1gAhTQIrgCsBkltYXRM45Lo/s320/100_0075.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775494822352706002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">June 3</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj3RYk1pdavxtME30XZv0UCT5CydCno6EOcIV5MZ60w0I3okWGYOS93TZtoEq7l83rIZ4XZfCVp3oB9Vw5Wt91fLZBV-i4dnSM7g0qzbWlRq_SHlSKT8xn25AuEFaEJEXxJw6eRiFxNo/s320/100_0080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775494823004215666" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">June 8</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfLlsCqJZu4kIMB9NMXq95UJWr2mfDsfLSCcEq9mVqGcrKWm33GXNFAT9SBynjhPypjNWcs0sq661yXlwCkVp1omV8os_2SdKjvHKkPe7WjJFes8u-0vT5orM-ooQLqnOyeHJajfkF0M/s320/100_0087.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775495996106112002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">June 18</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rdeIn4YnitrkVIVSeHn3RpAXte9Rynua4yaVM_oskEEMSHasVC5Vjgy__j77ri4PPRwtxOuwfLCCgmy2qKgmKQGV9TFWr1azUR4FiN3Z8xmtyB56GTaWuSd3HHAkozRzOAuhij6_D6Q/s320/100_0141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775496000337838194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">June 23--8 months!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxMricSacPAqAiCR5kAw2qvfxwWoxS0eZBcpqT88wHY347UGVvedEtjDdmWTOY8B09cOnqpS1Nojw3InziuUIifbaR-NcbxOmhL0Jj_L5ggja55-fIFiBt2S1yO8WxffK18Fh29NQtGs/s320/100_0155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775496008691394626" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">July 6</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB4i5qycD1ZzClmFfe-e8gEbeA9olT7UVyMzoaAWvAsVM02UTXahyDswJopE48bK8toBrETgwBZnlQ9h4fwTwUkweKusqAQoyzFw7_qIclF0WDZU-8IMI8eOPfn_VXPCyiQzK4Ybs87k/s320/100_0169.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775496019805274898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">July 10</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zg5beGWeMVZI54sA8geFjscuDXlaHV9QGiSYob718t-bel6Y2L_Tdiy4RrOVaKhb-VurxK0WlFDn8Pk39Fzfp3W2A1V4wv5ZQQB8yBzo-W3JQC9ONn31mfDmUy316DJLrrtSj4Nbmr4/s320/100_0184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5775496025991739682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">July 24--9 months!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOcHnuQEg2aHHaT6tiIWxd0HdJ05cEDz3u6LhjQMFjDlRz6UlEG3hu6rKLB7lJ_vI4Ubmw0Fv1U0d-S-w-5X9GiZ_ybhvqUlYsYpHYUBbBTtFnyzR6SwQSuG92m0m_Ux8GgvVLRBuEbI/s1600/100_0215.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOcHnuQEg2aHHaT6tiIWxd0HdJ05cEDz3u6LhjQMFjDlRz6UlEG3hu6rKLB7lJ_vI4Ubmw0Fv1U0d-S-w-5X9GiZ_ybhvqUlYsYpHYUBbBTtFnyzR6SwQSuG92m0m_Ux8GgvVLRBuEbI/s320/100_0215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5776725386440036194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a>Judah isn't <i>really</i> choking Enoch. I just needed Judah to keep Enoch from throwing himself off the couch. ;-)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxANqxEZuMblpXA5P8l4he_RYIA0lyy0Z6jYxnQNy14J3nMLm848bS6Ckw7MX1w-nhRcqBWEjZIogdDHlQ7-q0wGWml1iRJRZEgPJXDVgAix3DYa7pNa5CjZjzaVXema52vkYg00SXCo/s1600/100_0212.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxANqxEZuMblpXA5P8l4he_RYIA0lyy0Z6jYxnQNy14J3nMLm848bS6Ckw7MX1w-nhRcqBWEjZIogdDHlQ7-q0wGWml1iRJRZEgPJXDVgAix3DYa7pNa5CjZjzaVXema52vkYg00SXCo/s320/100_0212.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5776725373224887570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZwei8MvtndkGa1PTEyovhPlJD5kTg8Lc8qVev2tGAjO_4IJm377wlKAnyIPmhBSXhgwCfnWseL13xAzXIbGzn7QcPeMsVX6meQkN2o15hlOwdQ8SQrFrvRVdJEl4aHsQ0kc8JzkA_pY/s1600/100_0210.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZwei8MvtndkGa1PTEyovhPlJD5kTg8Lc8qVev2tGAjO_4IJm377wlKAnyIPmhBSXhgwCfnWseL13xAzXIbGzn7QcPeMsVX6meQkN2o15hlOwdQ8SQrFrvRVdJEl4aHsQ0kc8JzkA_pY/s320/100_0210.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5776725359971104610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKR-5puN7MnK4IC_AGg8zfu65pbALx6HK1_MIJwYH_vJsPU-soSAPXaLdVgOIQcT_j0QpH-eF5IFTF9LqlvK1FrdEvVK5BTKtJaUwIsxRLxPy-TNmNGLyV1TPhyphenhyphen5FJoUDvUqtoi4bMnk/s320/100_0219.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5776725407162919842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-48267954298564083802012-07-17T21:36:00.006-05:002012-07-17T22:10:50.196-05:00My 31st birthday, a cake, and two frosting recipes<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>July 16, 2012 was my 31st birthday. Time marches on. So I might as well make my cake and eat it too!<div><br /></div><div>I wanted to do something sourdough because, well... I love my sourdough.</div><div><br /></div><div>I settled on this recipe from the GNOWFGLINS blog for <a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2010/06/23/sourdough-spice-cake/">Sourdough Spice Cake</a>. I <i>mostly</i> followed the instructions. Can't help myself... must. alter. directions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of 1 cup of Rapadura/Sucanat (a "healthier" granulated sugar), I used about 2/3 - 3/4 cup of honey. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love making layer cakes, so that's how I wanted to make this one. I have two 9-inch round cake pans, instead of the suggested 8-inch rounds for making a layered cake. It didn't make that much of a difference, thankfully.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't make the <a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2009/11/16/basic-vanilla-frosting/#">suggested frosting,</a> since I didn't have any coconut butter. Instead, I used a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Healthy Choices" put out by Keepers at Home. It was a nice frosting that presented well, but only for short term. It didn't have any real staying power.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Honey Frosting</b></div><div><ul><li>1/3 c. honey</li><li>2-4 egg whites</li><li>dash of cream of tartar</li><li>1 tsp. flavoring (vanilla, almond, anise or lemon)</li><li>salt to taste</li></ul><ol><li>Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.</li><li>Gradually add honey and flavoring.</li><li>Use to frost 9x13 cake or 2 layer cake.</li></ol><div>A frosting that I would use if I made this cake again, is a cream cheese frosting from the same cookbook. I didn't take the initiative and drain the whey off of some yogurt, so I didn't have any cream cheese on hand. You could also use cream cheese from the store.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cream Cheese Frosting</b></div><div><ul><li>8 oz. cream cheese</li><li>cinnamon</li><li>honey</li></ul><div><ol><li>Soften cream cheese.</li><li>Beat with potato masher until smooth.</li><li>Add enough honey to make creamy and add cinnamon to taste. Use food processor if you have one.</li><li>Spread on cooled cake.</li></ol><div>It was a tasty cake, one that I will probably make in the future. I'd maybe try making it in a bundt pan next time, just to make it a little fancier than in a 9x13.</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><i>H</i><i>ere I am with Andrew and Judah. Enoch was too tired to make it for the picture. </i></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xu-L3Yf37lEc83dSvbyQOcOuP9CeqwOngQ6zh025sOoRtQmkeVpFk6xysXvvXUTGYVGKDy1ycNzSSTDxhDvoqdy0lP52r_8EaRqFmQode9F9QR5H6xOyz2lUntxlQ-eLM-B0HPBoD-s/s320/100_0205.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766339131651956610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngxPuIA80Kzi-nRgSmdGC41yUikJgJCadvlXlH1N-uJZy0tO05LP2s-6My33H77GMxIXS1uKZIsJe2v3zhOJKEOyQ-GEP7RbJKpxN9QksALBr-Nkjb5trJFYq_QzyOLMgHnZuryq8G2E/s320/100_0196.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766339150306288082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcdMdP4Es22EUO2Fuf80mXSHca_UsiJt3xpqZnhRNUESYoMvGKxCx4Z6iLOx7aBHII-aBvGqWb3BV1gTZfKkRiM8GeXT5CJKozM9ax2No26zuKuF897AoZ-Oq85wVUDzOlLTBSNE3woA/s1600/100_0206.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcdMdP4Es22EUO2Fuf80mXSHca_UsiJt3xpqZnhRNUESYoMvGKxCx4Z6iLOx7aBHII-aBvGqWb3BV1gTZfKkRiM8GeXT5CJKozM9ax2No26zuKuF897AoZ-Oq85wVUDzOlLTBSNE3woA/s320/100_0206.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766339125627648258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Boys are excited at prospect of eating birthday cake.</i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H9wX_hh3TzaX270FOJUSWAgYS1tdBuKrLh6Wn1PRnzZmn88qlppAeAN0FeA8x_yNuxmBduw8wYQCdJe4TfRmqfdIO_haTU5-8ZlxjIZ_td9Apl1p1wkfzrCnm_SMnM9n7bwz5cPJLJs/s1600/100_0198.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H9wX_hh3TzaX270FOJUSWAgYS1tdBuKrLh6Wn1PRnzZmn88qlppAeAN0FeA8x_yNuxmBduw8wYQCdJe4TfRmqfdIO_haTU5-8ZlxjIZ_td9Apl1p1wkfzrCnm_SMnM9n7bwz5cPJLJs/s320/100_0198.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766339174874564002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mj0DAq0rHfruz3fjUhuk2SeO4LIQhk3Ps89-UM381u2z5rwrOATQUrkE30gksrTBc7UQV5MA0Lg_Clc4gvTSgGePVkW9PEZDab_IYUmWuh37bX9KNdK_Ih1uH4y8VZ6QCwLhT7kI3iA/s1600/100_0197.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mj0DAq0rHfruz3fjUhuk2SeO4LIQhk3Ps89-UM381u2z5rwrOATQUrkE30gksrTBc7UQV5MA0Lg_Clc4gvTSgGePVkW9PEZDab_IYUmWuh37bX9KNdK_Ih1uH4y8VZ6QCwLhT7kI3iA/s320/100_0197.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766339157036395058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-91166457614156051992012-07-07T21:35:00.005-05:002012-07-07T21:46:48.292-05:00Beets in the Slow Cooker<div><br /></div>We've been experiencing heat like I've never experienced before.... many consecutive days of 100+ degree temps. So, in an effort to keep our house cooler, I've been trying to contrive many ways to NOT cook in the kitchen. <div><br /></div><div>One item that we've been able to grow in spades in our garden is beets. Normally I would boil beets for 45-60 minutes, depending on how big the beets are. I wondered if I could try using my slow cooker to cook the beets, instead. I put the slow cooker out in my laundry room, which is in a building a few steps away from my house.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>All the recipes I discovered online for doing beets in a crock pot said to individually wrap each beet in aluminum foil. I decided to try not using the aluminum foil and just putting about 1-2 cups of water in the bottom instead.</div><div><br /></div><div>I scrubbed the beets, and jammed as many as would fit comfortably inside my slow cooker. I turned it on high, and about four hours later, there were cooked beets. The skins will slide right off when done. I usually put the beets in some cooler water to help get the skins off, and not scald my hands.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>A cooler way to prepare beets, if I do say so myself!</div><div><br /></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-38781990147169612212012-07-06T15:23:00.010-05:002012-07-06T16:01:38.603-05:00An Anniversary Dessert: Floating Island<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EMcLmdsOmaeOuFU7PSIJrrBJmVauoBOypLGE7H7OMLmevh6IiHgHAr8vo8kdumiWMIfWTQZixOxuLCyj9kN-FsqK1pIBw28ngrbDGT-RbhId-BscF1A2aYrMz7dyM3E3e3MVJxswcFI/s1600/376421_10151028708428637_135137215_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EMcLmdsOmaeOuFU7PSIJrrBJmVauoBOypLGE7H7OMLmevh6IiHgHAr8vo8kdumiWMIfWTQZixOxuLCyj9kN-FsqK1pIBw28ngrbDGT-RbhId-BscF1A2aYrMz7dyM3E3e3MVJxswcFI/s320/376421_10151028708428637_135137215_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762158055780678274" /></a><br />July 5, 2012 marked our 10 year anniversary. Wow. I didn't know what our first ten years together would hold. <div><br /></div><div>We've lived in eight different living quarters as of this writing. Never knew my husband would go to the seminary. Never dreamed I'd become a pastor's wife. Never knew I'd become so obsessed with health and nutrition and real food. Never thought I'd get as excited about gardening, and chickens, and homesteading as I do. Never knew I could love my children so much. But I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the past ten years than growing and changing with my best friend. It's been a great journey, and I look forward to the future.<div><br /></div><div>To commemorate this anniversary, I was inspired by the movie "Julie & Julia", which we watched earlier this week. In the movie, she talked about making a floating island, so I looked it up in my Julia Child cookbook called "Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking". And made it. With a few slight modifications, of course. You see, I just can't help myself. I am not sure if I'm capable of following recipes <i>exactly</i>. Especially when they contain any amount of white sugar. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here it is (with my adaptations in parentheses).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Floating Island</b></div><div>Serves 6-8</div><div><ul><li>Butter a 4-quart straight-sided baking dish and dust with confectioners' sugar. (Okay, I probably should've dusted with the conf. sugar, but didn't. Especially since the meringue didn't come out of the dish very well...) Set rack in lower-middle level of oven and preheat to 250 degrees Farenhait.</li><li>Beat 2/3 cup egg whites (which took me only 6 or 7 eggs to get there, she said 12) into soft peaks and continue beating to stiff, shining peaks while adding 1.5 cups sugar by big spoonfuls. (I added what was left of the honey in my jar... it was probably about 3/4 c. at most... it tasted sweet enough to me, so I didn't add any more.)</li><li>Turn this meringue into the baking dish. Bake 30-40 minutes, (took me more like 45) until the meringue has risen 3-4 inches and a skewer plunged down into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool--it will sink down. </li><li>To serve, pour 2 cups of <i>creme anglaise</i> (see recipe below) into a round serving dish. Unmold the meringue onto a baking sheet, cut into 6-8 big chunks, and arrange over the sauce. (Since we were going to be eating it right away and I am not a stickler for presentation, I pour the sauce into bowls, as in the picture, and place a piece of meringue upon the sauce.)</li><li>Boil 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup water to the caramel stage and when cooled slightly into a heavy syrup, weave decorative strands of caramel over the meringue, using the tines of a fork. (I didn't do this at all, but opted to sprinkle some nutmeg on top. It was already waaaay too sweet for me.)</li></ul></div><div><b>Creme Anglaise--Classic Custard Sauce</b></div><div>For about 2 cups.</div><div><ul><li>Whisk 6 egg yolks in a 2-quart stainless-steel saucepan, adding 1/2 cup sugar by spoonfuls. (I used one huge spoonful of honey that was probably not quite 1/2 cup. Pretty sure I could've gotten by with 1/4 cup or less.) Continue whisking for 2-3 minutes, until the yolks are thick and pale yellow and "form the ribbon". </li><li>By dribbles at first, stir in the 1.5 cups hot milk. Set over moderate heat, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon, reaching all over the bottom of the pan as the custard gradually heats and thickens--do not let it come near the boil If it seems to be getting too hot, lift pan up, then continue as the sauce thickens. You are almost there when surface bubbles begin to disappear and you may see a whiff of steam arise. When is it done? It coats the spoon in a light, creamy layer. </li><li>Beat in the optional 3 Tbls. butter (uh, duh, of course I added this), 1 Tbls. pure vanilla extract, and the optional 2 Tbls. dark rum, cognac, or other liqueur (I didn't have this, so didn't add). That's it!</li></ul><div>It's funny because in the movie, after both Julia and her husband Paul eat this dessert, as well as after Julie and her husband Eric eat it, it shows all four of them popping Tums before going to bed. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is a rather rich dessert, but I don't think it needs to be. I think honey is somewhat sweeter than white sugar, but I think you could probably get by with less sugar than called for in Julia's recipe, as I attempted to do here. </div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, a tasty treat for a celebratory meal. (By the way, we had hamburgers with homemade english muffins as buns, homemade potato salad, and stir fried zucchini and onions from our garden.)</div><div><br /></div></div></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-59608572792913729792012-07-03T16:55:00.006-05:002012-07-06T14:23:52.514-05:00How I finally liked to exercise<div>Exercising... it's never been something that I get excited about. I read about people doing marathons and never desire to join them. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like walking. But the thing about walking is... I never feel like I really accomplish anything, body-wise. I never notice any positive results, unless over an extended period of time, and even then the results are miniscule. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I want to get stronger, since I feel quite wimpy. But I don't necessarily want to lift weights and get a body-builder physique.</div><div><br /></div><div>Plus... I just plain wanted to stop feeling so dumpy with post-baby weight. (Yeah... maybe that's a bit superficial.)</div><div><br /></div><div>But the usual stuff I was doing like walking and pilates just wasn't seeming to cut the mustard. And I didn't want to cut calories as I'm still nursing my baby. (I'm not afraid to eat good-for-you fat, by the way, but that's for another post...)</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's why I got excited about this way of exercising. (No, this is not an infomercial, and no, I'm not getting paid to endorse!)</div><div><br /></div>Have you ever heard of <b><a href="http://www.t-tapp.com/">T-Tapp</a></b>? I love it! I happened to hear about it from a random blog I subscribe to, and the blogger is a T-Tapp trainer. I had never heard about it, so I ILL'd a book from the library called "Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes" by Teresa Tapp.<div><br /></div><div>Reading that got me really interested, so I ordered. Why would I do that when there's so many other videos and exercises out there?! I was really impressed with what this method promised, and reading all the testimonials in the book spoke to me as well. There is a 15 minute video called the Basic Workout Plus that I especially love because I can usually sneak in 15 minutes somewhere in my day, and it makes me feel awesome! It's not too hard, either. (I haven't even been doing it every day. After an initial brief "boot camp" period, it's actually recommended to NOT do it every day.) If you've never heard of it, at least check out the book from your library, and/or try out some of the videos on the "Try before you buy" tab on her website. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few bits of info: You don't need weights, and you only need about 3 sq. ft. of floor space. These exercises are for any age and fitness level, and designed to specifically target your lymphatic system to help move out toxins. She's worked with cancer patients, as well as models. (I'm just thinking of snippets from the book, so not really doing this justice. You really should just go check it out to get the full information. )</div><div><br /></div><div>The book describes the exercises, but I will say it is easier to watch a video... too hard for me to try and follow the book.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you are curious about inch loss, I've had some decent inch loss over the last month. I'm down 7.25 inches! This is measuring 14 spots on the body. And that was with a very inconsistent exercise regime, no food restriction, and lots of car time.</div><div>Bust: -.25</div><div>Pecs: -.5</div><div>Ribs: -2.5! (I had to double check this one. It's possible my initial measurement was off.... although I did remeasure my initial measurements, as well.)</div><div>Waist: -.5</div><div>Abs: -2! </div><div>Hips: -.5</div><div>Upper Thigh Right: -.25</div><div>Upper Thigh Left: 0</div><div>Lower Thigh Right: +.25</div><div>Lower Thigh Left: 0</div><div>Calves Right: -.5</div><div>Calves Left: -.25</div><div>Right arm: -.5</div><div>Left arm:+.25</div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to be as exacting as I could with the measurements, re-measuring several times to try and be as correct as possible. I haven't weighed myself in a long time... just not as concerned with what the scale tells me. Inch loss is where it's at.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I realize I haven't been doing this for very long, but this is an exercise program I can see myself continuing. There is a lady on one of the videos who is 72 that got rid of her humped back and significantly increased her bone density. I'm pretty sure that's something that just walking or running alone cannot do. No offense to the walkers/runners out there. But I just cannot ignore the results!</div><div><br /></div><div>I really wanted to share this information with everyone, so if you're looking for help in the exercise department, maybe this will help you.</div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-88820692440381693732012-06-30T11:28:00.017-05:002012-07-06T14:25:11.094-05:00Where did June go?!?!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6ZIYRMvpbOsTU5wNYu9PvKeCKLC7S9HhsaqKFwpHjFgHCc395EHSZU_3vJhBx5B0EV_FeWJ5clgWR-0r-5JO9VtRrARZyDShnD15xYyuflWgn0VyoyKEWCyiHq46QqJyjgLwzyXVvn4/s1600/100_0088.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>That's a good question. Let me fill y'all in.<div><br /></div><div>June started on a Friday, and I got some exercise videos I ordered. I'll be telling you about that in a different <a href="http://mersethmorsels.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-i-finally-liked-to-exercise.html">post</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>June 4-8 was <b>VBS</b> at our church! The kids learned about the colors of the church year and what they mean. I missed the first few days, because I was home with Andrew who was sick with some virus. We had a short service on Friday where the kids sang the song they learned. Judah sang great for that, but Andrew, not so much. On Sunday, they sang the same song, and Andrew ended up dragging Judah up to the front of the church and sang the whole song looking oh-so cute, but Judah just stood there looking extremely sad. Stage fright? Who knows...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>VBS projects in a line</i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6ZIYRMvpbOsTU5wNYu9PvKeCKLC7S9HhsaqKFwpHjFgHCc395EHSZU_3vJhBx5B0EV_FeWJ5clgWR-0r-5JO9VtRrARZyDShnD15xYyuflWgn0VyoyKEWCyiHq46QqJyjgLwzyXVvn4/s320/100_0088.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762101276696751298" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>We had a few days to get our house in order before our guests, the Gullixsons, came on the 12th from southern California on their way to synod convention in southern MN. We got to show them our "farm" and went to a state park where we hiked and picnicked. They left to head north on the 14th, while we quickly got things around to leave a day later to also head north. We stopped at my parents' in central Iowa on the 15th for overnight, then up to Mankato to stay with family for the annual <a href="http://www.evangelicallutheransynod.org/">ELS</a> convention. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Outside the Runge Nature Center with Abel (3), Judah (4) and Andrew (2)</i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfiqN9wcKE8hux6WUE0TnJub9Yn3zW2HWyQBkTnRlVBJddR32lQ5HMY7Wt6psZsPWYFUl2Al2WVNCP2E9nqQvoAcgcyj94IdoQTboU57fzSSiZjbJpZdMVt1WGNgUpUfZAUhSzxjbQMU/s320/100_0095.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762101286396570802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A hollow tree on our hike </i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQR4iDLl2V4hLs7TgHRRytqKdGhkQDzyVw9ofLG3ka5dNPyJf2cNIpCnNSEIo3UAJnbfY2so5cHdScj8E_XJmPdbXAKsOPP37E_YYwVoJidnBbQVYecoOslHs3BqFcXeguH912dU_3AJ0/s320/100_0096.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762101293353826498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>You're a little lopsided...</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkbZ7cnYRkqb5UyQjLywka4e3OLbhciOR0xhslI3WOhwjGxKiByB0iV9A26AMqJQAgX5j1N5hNynNym1Y9ZDy8-n6OI8RrEao1bXNZTuQO6HDLJFXv_HCFMROoqVtge-xK0tsDRfMB2U/s320/100_0104.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762101302038656098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>The Gullixsons and Merseths</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhMQQo_KCj2kg_dTaCDzoVv2bwptwUWcO92GQb0DhNphwO8gRdtu_3CC7ecmxFU0W8CEjHyvk8E0vizcJFdQnz3tAf3g4-q4moO3MRNbBCTwqwBtHRRAdnFHzQNZR7IAbpwEuo8ljQeQ/s320/100_0107.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762101310077340722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawTQuZUO2nZKh6cA0q-2BToYPT3T9zIuusDGALwJAqf11xwZS-cvvwytlVSu5tuWk-Lp7JBtKp0WPJ168Xvhxyyk9rikRJU3leI_GB5RMHWaMpO8u4oCFVVRkbFsw_xsi2o7_mexp4P8/s320/100_0115.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762106388679639346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>During that synod week time, in one 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, we slept 11 children and 8 adults. (For those of you who know me, that included me and Jeff and our 3 boys, Jeremy and Angie and their 4 kids, John and Steph and their 4 kids who live there, and my parents-in-law John and Lorena! James and Danielle and their two kids live elsewhere in Mankato, so they didn't need sleeping quarters.) This was the first time we've all been together for about two years, since Jer and Ang moved out to Oregon. So it was a great time of family togetherness! All of us even got to go up to "the farm" in northern MN and spend time with Great Grandma Merseth. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Fun in Mankato. Playing outside in the city is much different than playing outside in the country. Adult supervision required! Once I discovered that Andrew had wandered outside by himself... thankfully he was just playing behind the house.</i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1pmybZPjvS-rgMcQ6AAjUlPygLMXsb1iP2SGlYZOoFFnoWIaZwhctT9hNd52evPKLJQ7DhIZ1NK_X-T3pTWAJmcsX5F1B-jFho8ClhrgLHxNrqX9rb9nrSEq-ep9qs9JCZhNjsDV2eo/s1600/100_0145.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1pmybZPjvS-rgMcQ6AAjUlPygLMXsb1iP2SGlYZOoFFnoWIaZwhctT9hNd52evPKLJQ7DhIZ1NK_X-T3pTWAJmcsX5F1B-jFho8ClhrgLHxNrqX9rb9nrSEq-ep9qs9JCZhNjsDV2eo/s320/100_0145.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762106418915534962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZzUKQxPwauXdj4WO2_BF2E1ho9N6gcTT3TSfcGJEp7RUCBDUIdJMRcutw02FIU_pVvGCNbDoMV_YF4jaIyAaAIBo4PicHDBLeXzrl2i3p9w1ZctX8BD2DpGCHNMQK1-uhgDJ9gdkktQ/s1600/100_0144.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZzUKQxPwauXdj4WO2_BF2E1ho9N6gcTT3TSfcGJEp7RUCBDUIdJMRcutw02FIU_pVvGCNbDoMV_YF4jaIyAaAIBo4PicHDBLeXzrl2i3p9w1ZctX8BD2DpGCHNMQK1-uhgDJ9gdkktQ/s320/100_0144.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762106415411846946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cousins and waterguns. Enoch's in the wagon. A hot day!</i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvn4OglvJ7eg2RhyphenhyphenauCtYu8U5ABgT4kGoLMwuTLchaaEqLWH5LbeOqiFA5VYAXXMEFKo1KZoaTzrKw73tRPLCoN-VguJhq4wIzBPly7Yi8K3MSeh_LCxM0QDgI5ICqgzhrS0V9sNBgMQo/s1600/100_0143.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvn4OglvJ7eg2RhyphenhyphenauCtYu8U5ABgT4kGoLMwuTLchaaEqLWH5LbeOqiFA5VYAXXMEFKo1KZoaTzrKw73tRPLCoN-VguJhq4wIzBPly7Yi8K3MSeh_LCxM0QDgI5ICqgzhrS0V9sNBgMQo/s320/100_0143.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762106408599252114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Up north family photo</i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLthsoOM5s2lS4_Rz7IAyv3d0FP0ctToqarkqAEN6yLxPLxsS0f5ndpIaa-DGBsLOeKELLXaYQ7i7-iQGy2JWj8QrJQtX9mr65ZPs9KrZ6DLc02-peBEL2e2q3Ww9nYvctRvP6vXMYo4/s320/100_0151.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762106399338569954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>Grandma and Grandpa Merseth with their 13 grandchildren</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF5665GNXsX4WzGpgT526yDbm5Kqs_g6DA0wLQD2XPD4e1t-2sgKMrir33XuH397GMWm9IRwoXuEpj7LN_BvAWlGIveGcmaFVLFDwmhyphenhyphenIk5fuRuz9Esx43TpQWfQzvmYSiCIsF2FIfa0/s320/100_0154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762109602762653810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>Enoch riding high</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmCIalYHZHV3s9bMYjBe_nasmTIzCgUbdJ99qD8Pcy74iexsfZ3ihZDnqc1ERNfrVgLIJzwhoSmonD6bgOp5KqjYs64cpj94x2nyAAgZ6aVDO09V0D5IlOYegsP85kFNAkHVR26nBY4A/s320/100_0155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762109583365404370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A little Polaris Ranger fun.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Andrew: Hey guys, wait for me!</i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJ8LY0I96ugD0kgBS5oSO8v6wf048cBUbP9jYIIGprm4KkE1SOwpVaXR0_QNA3jeHY2mtP8ksWImAxdSW088cqyWGbbe3wbhn-vVmO_hxdKuhzLfxvUlxJxc11Mog5E1DIbOp-cPfHcE/s320/100_0147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762109593087263522" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Judah slept in a bunk bed one night... he fell off during the night. No more bunk bed without sides!</i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjsyp14wiogcVbulFjUjbbsEIc7cIrENpKPpSeDmdES-fBI5CL4GiOwiL0fci4LvXb17AXkHLHB2hs87Bmgb6rHZITnM0hGL5uCfigNdRMaPMggZrixMTDlzrgLyOxncSYyV2nGUExik/s1600/100_0161.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjsyp14wiogcVbulFjUjbbsEIc7cIrENpKPpSeDmdES-fBI5CL4GiOwiL0fci4LvXb17AXkHLHB2hs87Bmgb6rHZITnM0hGL5uCfigNdRMaPMggZrixMTDlzrgLyOxncSYyV2nGUExik/s320/100_0161.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762109612523665202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This was just too cute... Andrew put on his cousin Amber's shoes.</i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw4bvWw6YQsz_7icDgBQnl7BR6B5cqMVH9-yK3gQVR2QcovhpOs3rwnfqdWXGhyphenhyphen-E2foSi3Ea_NMBcQv49IRGZIu8F-33ZkuwQiiDk6MqINDizADwxDcRU1P-Y3q7wBVGjUwWuB55yf8/s320/100_0164.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762109615743959778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>On the 26th we started our trek back home, but without Judah. He got to go to Ohio with three of his cousins to visit Grandma and pa Merseth. We will be going to pick him up at a half-way point in a few days. On the evening of the 26th we made an overnight stop at my parents' again before continuing on to our house the next day. We arrived in the afternoon of the 27th to a dry, brown landscape and hot hot temps.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One of our pit stops... </i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Qik69Qr6nDLl_9GZb25H87y1WEJa18gr0iA1OmmctGvSGD5EiYbp1kUomzsmDEGZS-I2VkYheqQ2UnaiBfQWPUxVaMKf3pu2CECnae3EO-t_7CR_y3usml9ZUGo2xpQ2OQMlvN4h6PQ/s1600/100_0167.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Qik69Qr6nDLl_9GZb25H87y1WEJa18gr0iA1OmmctGvSGD5EiYbp1kUomzsmDEGZS-I2VkYheqQ2UnaiBfQWPUxVaMKf3pu2CECnae3EO-t_7CR_y3usml9ZUGo2xpQ2OQMlvN4h6PQ/s320/100_0167.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762110785996555106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m30x5n_Jt0_ftA9Wg3M-Ixf4GEeq9moEj2Pwj7ATqaxIDmpu5yUbyqqhG9GdlKJpzn7eKxv4hiBaSvOk-BXyLXsEfhYKvHpilsX_hVgPLsSQxQQvkK13yDB1QWK019d7ZcI8bEhh7GY/s1600/100_0166.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m30x5n_Jt0_ftA9Wg3M-Ixf4GEeq9moEj2Pwj7ATqaxIDmpu5yUbyqqhG9GdlKJpzn7eKxv4hiBaSvOk-BXyLXsEfhYKvHpilsX_hVgPLsSQxQQvkK13yDB1QWK019d7ZcI8bEhh7GY/s320/100_0166.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5762110779945269794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The next several days were spent watering the garden. We came back to an overgrown jungle... well, almost. It was really weedy. You'd think with no rain while we were gone, the weeds would've died out, but not so. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also were pretty exhausted after all our driving. Just a lot of car time... the boys did okay, but there were some times when they were crying to be let out. Andrew would beg to get out and walk. It's taken me a while to get things back in order (well, sort of in order...). But it feels so good to be home! And it really does feel like home! Home is where the mess is, right? ;-) </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7222258093617417878.post-39370120946877853282012-05-26T20:54:00.008-05:002012-05-26T21:32:37.114-05:00Thoughts on Sleep OR The Little Boy Who Refused to Nap<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvs4WoLihSSCyWzLFvzieLupifq_9YE27L7kug72Nsi3AO4ulS7ZvjEyKZxuE5TtBnISz0cCFXGwKgBqA2xJyMei8z1B3F8YYP-AMM7SI1gdEpG2puaNaXwLowYryjwYHd_b5jY4oEx4/s1600/0305021200.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvs4WoLihSSCyWzLFvzieLupifq_9YE27L7kug72Nsi3AO4ulS7ZvjEyKZxuE5TtBnISz0cCFXGwKgBqA2xJyMei8z1B3F8YYP-AMM7SI1gdEpG2puaNaXwLowYryjwYHd_b5jY4oEx4/s320/0305021200.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5747034540366183858" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Daddy was sleeping, so they thought they'd "sleep" too</i>.</div><div><br />There once was a boy named Andrew who thought that life was too interesting to be missed, so at about 2 1/2 years old, he decided to not nap as often. His mommy went crazy. The End.<div><br /></div><div>Okay, so that's a terrible story. </div><div><br /></div><div>But in all seriousness, I think I need my children to nap more than they really need it. Like if I want to take a nap. Or clean something. Or just have some peace and quiet all to myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>So for the past 2 months, give or take, I've been trying to adjust to life with fewer naps for my children. Judah (4 1/2 y.o.) has always been a good napper, and still kind of needs naps. But if Andrew doesn't take one, Judah doesn't think he needs to take one. He IS the bigger brother after all. And as the bigger brother, he can't possibly take a nap if Andrew stays awake. He's got the older brother image to keep up, ya know.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before I continue, I need to explain something. When Judah was a baby, I took sleep schedules VERY seriously. When it was time to sleep, there was practically nothing, save church attendance, that would interfere. And Judah seemed to do very well with that. He was a good napper, and a relatively good sleeper.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enter Andrew two years later. I had visions of the same type of schedule. Well, I tried, anyway. The same basic outline sort of applied. But Andrew just never seemed to need as much sleep as Judah, and he wouldn't sleep as long for naps. And he was a bit more fussy. But I still took a sleep schedule quite seriously, planning life around the sleep schedules.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward another two years, and we have Enoch. I still use a sleep schedule for him... but I'm not nearly as tied to it as with the other two. Enoch is more easy-going than the other two. I'm not sure if it's just because I'm more easy-going with my third baby, or if Enoch is more easy, but probably a combination of the two. If I want to go somewhere, I just drag my kids along and hope Enoch naps along the way!</div><div><br /></div><div>I said all that to say this: I've become somewhat more lax on sleeping the kids. I have a few more random thoughts to say on that later, but now, I want to continue on about Andrew.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went through several weeks where I was going head-to-head with Andrew in a battle to get him to nap. The battle would last 1-2 hours where sometimes he would end up napping, and sometimes not. I'm not quite sure how you force a child to sleep, especially one as headstrong as Andrew.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I've learned to just take the nap days that I can, and if it's not a nap day, get them playing hard so that the blessed bedtime comes early. We've had bedtime come during suppertime. We just roll with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure if this is a ploy to have more "mommy time", but it's gotten so that Andrew won't fall asleep (if he's going to fall asleep at all) unless I lay beside him on his tiny little bed. But today, after a failed attempt on my part for a naptime, all Daddy needed was one minute, and Andrew was out. Puh-lease. What is it about dads, anyway?!</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so Andrew will nap like every other day, or every third day. I'll take it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, for my random thoughts on sleep... I've been thinking about what mothers have been doing for centuries, when they lived in tents, small sod huts, riding across the prairie, living with many children in a few small rooms. How did they do the sleeping thing? I know how sensitive my children are to sounds. I am just imagining living in a sod house with sheets to separate rooms, me clanging in the kitchen, the big brothers playing loudly beside me, and the baby in a bed behind a thin sheet next to us. Did the babies just get used to it, and when they got tired enough they passed out? I want to know!</div><div><br /></div><div>The other thought I have is this: the house we currently live in is small, yet I know that six children were raised here. There is a small bedroom off the dining room, which is the boys' room. I think that was the parents' room. And then there is a bigger bedroom off the living room, which is our bedroom, which houses a queen bed, dressers, and a crib. But that room probably housed six children. I'm just sitting in amazement as I think of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The moral of the story: Sleep is important. So I'd better go sleep while I can... Good night... zzzzzzz...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>meganmersethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05107696782937894499noreply@blogger.com1