English Muffin Bread

One of the things I love to do is bake. I love the taste of homemade bread still warm from the oven. However, with two little ones in the house, it is hard to find the time to make bread. It never fails that when I am in the middle of kneading with my hands covered in sticky dough, that's when the kids need something. For that reason, I like to make English Muffin Bread. It is a yeast bread that requires rising, but it does not require any kneading. Sometimes I like to make the recipe a little healthier by making it with wheat flour. I recommend using using whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat flour. The WW pastry flour lets the bread stay soft. You can find WW pastry flour at the grocery store or a local health food store. You can even mix your flour. For the batch I made yesterday, I used half WW pastry flour and half white flour.


English Muffin Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

6 Cups flour, divided
2 pkgs. Or 2 Tbsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 Cups milk
½ Cup water
Cornmeal (to coat pans)

Mix 3 Cups flour, yeast, salt, sugar and baking soda in large bowl. Mix water and milk in small saucepan and heat until very warm (about 120⁰F). Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and beat well. Stir in the rest of the flour until you have a stiff batter. Grease two loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Spoon bread batter into pans. Sprinkle top with cornmeal. *Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake at 400⁰F for 25 minutes. Remove bread from pans and cool.

*Tip: Before starting, preheat oven at 200⁰F. When it is time to let the bread rise, turn oven off and place covered pans in warm oven with the light on. When it is time to bake, just uncover and turn oven on to correct temperature.


This bread makes a great snack and works well with meals. It is good toasted with tuna salad (or chicken salad) on top. It is also a good side to serve with soup or chili. And best of all, it is an easy bread to make. Why not have some fresh homemade bread tonight?

Symphony of Children

Today I heard the Symphony of Children. Laughing and crying co-mingled with the banging of drums. I heard yelling and singing. I heard the soft breath of a sleeping babe. I heard the simple joy in reading a book. I tell you, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart have nothing on children. They have the grandest symphony of all.

Another One Bites the Dust

This is just not my daughter's week. Today she woke up to discover that her white Polkadot fish was not swimming. We had to say goodbye to another Polkadot. Two fish in two days is not a very good trend. She still has her black Polkadot left. I hope he can survive longer than the others. Of course, you get what you pay for. It's not like we spent a fortune on some exotic fish. We bought some cheap little goldfish at the local discount store. But it doesn't matter how much money her fish costs. Daughter likes them just the same and she is sad that they died. I feel sorry for her every time she tells me she misses Polkadot.

Bad Day

Tragedy has struck our household. Polkadot has died. Daughter came running out to the kitchen saying "Polkadot is stuck! He's not swimming!". My fears were confirmed when I went to the fish bowl and found Polkadot lifelessly floating at the top. Explaining death to a young child was not on my list of things I want to do. However, even though Daughter was a little sad, she said goodbye and flushed her first fish down the toilet. Most of the afternoon was spent consoling her because she missed Polkadot. Then she asked if she could get another fish, or maybe even two fish... Like most parents, I said yes. So now we welcomed home Polkadot and Polkadot. That is not a misprint. She really did name her two new fish after her first one. At least it is easy for me to track of names.



Things calmed down after she got her new fish home and had a nap. When Hubby came home, he took the kids outside to play for a while. Tragedy strikes again. In Daughter's garden is a little toad house. She stuck her hand in it to see if there were any frogs... no frogs, but something was there. She stuck her hand right into a wasp nest. Fortunately she was only stung twice and Hubby was able to get the kids inside quickly. I was working on some reports when I heard them come in and Daughter was crying. She was so upset that she had gotten stung. At first she was upset because it hurt. Then she was upset because "the bees were mean". She thought all bees were nice, like Barry in Bee Movie. Then she was upset because she thought she had done something wrong and she told the wasp she was sorry, but they stung her anyway. It took awhile to convince her that she wasn't at fault. No one knew there wasps under the toad house. At least we now know that she isn't allergic to wasps.



To help her feel better and end the day on a good note, Hubby and I took the kids to the county fair. They love to see the animals. Daughter had such a good time petting goats and sheep and horses. I'm glad her bad day got to end with a smile.

Growing

I think someone is feeding my kids Miracle-Gro. They are growing like weeds, as the saying goes. I woke up one morning and suddenly realized that my baby girl is no longer a baby or a toddler, but a little girl. She has changed so much. It's not just her physical appearance, but her mannerisms as well. She actually carries on a conversation now. The other day, we did some back-to-school shopping for preschool. Daughter bought her first backpack. It seems so odd to me that she will be going to preschool. Wasn't it just yesterday that she came home from the hospital? It seems that way to me. My little baby boy is growing up as well. He is starting to assert more independence. He is on the verge of walking and he is starting to learn a few more words. Aside from just learning to say words, he is using them. He says ba-ba when he wants a bottle and Mama and Dada when he wants me or Hubby. One of my favorite things that he says is uh-oh. At least he knows that dropping (or throwing) food, etc. on the floor is a no-no. However, it doesn't stop him from doing it.

Where does all the time go? And why do children have to grow so fast? I asked Daughter if she would stop growing and stay my little girl forever. She told me no. She asked me if I was sad that she is getting bigger. I told her it was bittersweet. I will miss her being little, but I enjoy watching her grow. Being a stay at home mom has allowed me to watch my kids grow daily. They are little sponges, soaking up everything around them. I love to see what they take in each day. For example, Son has learned to wave and play peek-a-boo. Daughter has learned to sing songs that she hears only once or twice. Sometimes, I wish I could be in their heads to see the world the way they do. What would it be like to view everything with such newness? Can adults ever learn to look at the world again with such wonder and amazement like we did as children?

The Shack

If you haven’t already read the book The Shack, I highly recommend that you do. I stayed up late last night because I just had to finish reading it. It is one of the best books that I have read. The Shack is an emotional roller coaster, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me cry, laugh, and ask questions of myself. I have always liked Hinds Feet on High Places as a spiritually uplifting book. The Shack is now ranked above that in my mind. I love the way the Holy Trinity is represented and the way God is so personable. It is easy to relate to God in such a manner. The book goes beyond the question of who is God, but looks more at what is God. God is love. God created out of love. This book as opened me to a new level of relationship with God. One in which I can continue to grow more freely without being burden by obligations or expectations. The Shack also addresses the confusion associated with the idea of the Three in One. I have a deeper understanding of who God is and how God works. I also have a deeper understanding of who I was created to be. I am envious of the character Mack and his face-to-face encounter with God. If only we could all have such a tangible experience. But I do believe that God is always with us and we can always talk to Him. I also believe that God talks back, but we have to listen. So, if you question who is God or if there is a God; if you question why evil exists and why bad things happen to good people; if you are stuck in a spiritual rut; or if you simply want a good read… then I recommend The Shack.

Wonderful Weekend

What a wonderful weekend it has been. The weather has been absolutely beautiful. It was the perfect weather for getting outdoors, and I did a lot of that this weekend. Hubby and I went fishing Friday night while the kids stayed with grandparents. There was no one else at the lake, so we had it all to ourselves. It was so quiet and peaceful. And to top things off, the fish were biting. We caught enough fish to stock the freezer with dinner. Hubby even caught a nice catfish. For those who care, it was 32 inches long and weighed about 13 lbs. Since the kids spent the night elsewhere, I actually got to sleep in Saturday morning. In fact, I pretty much slept through the whole morning. It was so nice.

We had such a good time fishing that we went back the next night with the kids. Daughter used her little Disney Princess pole and did better than I did (but she had help). Hubby would cast and hook the fish while Daughter reeled them in. She really enjoyed herself and loved seeing each fish she brought in. She loves fish. This weekend, she got her first pet fish. It’s a little calico goldfish that she calls Polkadot. In addition to fishing, I got to do some hiking this weekend. It felt great to walk with Hubby. I love the great outdoors and it has been hard to find the time to really get out. I used to do a lot of hiking and I realize now how much I have missed it. I am going to try to find the time to hike at least once a week. I know that I will have to take the kids with me most of the time, and that means short, easy walks. The important thing is just to get out of the house. My children love nature and being outdoors just as much as I do. I want to give them as many wonderful experiences with nature as possible. It is a beautiful gift given to us by God. I think we all need to take the time to enjoy it more.

Cry of the Insomniac

Sleep, Oh Precious Sleep
Why does thou evade me, elude me?
You come so near that I can feel you slip through my fingers.
The cry of the insomniac is so loud in my head.
Oh, Sweet Slumber
The crying, the crying…

Oh wait, that’s the baby crying… again. And I am up… again. It is a rare night when my son sleeps without waking at least once. Those are the nights when I wake up almost panicked because I haven’t heard him. I have to sneak into his room and check to make sure he is okay. I know babies wake during the night to eat, but he is past that. He is old enough that he should sleep through the night. His problem is that he is a people person and he likes to snuggle. When he rolls over during the night and realizes that he is alone in the crib, he gets upset. I usually have to rock him back to sleep only to go through the whole process again an hour later. I was spoiled with my first child. She slept through the night by 8 weeks old. She is still a good sleeper once you get her to sleep. She likes to stay up late and sleep in late. So between going to bed late after settling Daughter down, and waking up during the night because of Son, I don’t think I’m getting the recommended hours of sleep. I read a quote somewhere that said “You can always live on less when you have more to live for.” Do you think that applies to sleep as well? That quote has become my motto as a SAHM. My children give me so much to live for that I can do without the extra income and the extra sleep. Those things will come in time, like maybe when my kids are both in school all day. Unfortunately, that is still a ways off. Daughter gave up naps and Son only takes very short naps, so Mommy doesn’t get a naptime either. However, tonight the kids are spending the night with grandparents. Sleep, Oh Precious Sleep…

Accomplishments

Have you ever noticed that tasks we take for granted are big accomplishments for kids? I have seen my children’s faces beaming with pride today over simple tasks. Of course, as Mommy, I ma very proud of them too. My son has learned to stand on his own and he seems so pleased with himself every time he lets go of the furniture. He is walking with ease as he holds my hands. I know it won’t be long before he takes those first steps on his own. And it will only be harder for me to chase him down and wrestle with him to change his diaper. That kid hates to be changed. The second you set him down, he rolls over and fights getting dressed. My daughter, on the other hand, is learning to dress herself. Unfortunately, she can also undress herself. At least she doesn’t undress in public. I think she just likes to show off her big girl panties. She is so proud that she can put on her own clothes. “Look Mommy,” she said today, “I’m a good pantier.” Pantier: one who puts on panties. I love how kids just make up their own words. I also love the way they mispronounce some words, or confuse similar sounding words. It can give a whole new meaning to the conversation. Just the other day, Hubby and Daughter were outside watching cloud shapes and talking. One cloud looked like a dinosaur and Hubby said he was going home to his wife. Daughter looked a little confused and He asked her if she knew what a wife was. “Yes,” she said, “wives are dangerous.” (Any husbands reading this are probably agreeing with her right now.) We’ve been teaching Daughter about things around the house that could hurt her such as scissors and knives. In her mind, wife meant knife. But it would have been a completely different conversation if she had said knives, and not nearly as funny.

God did not make me an octopus...

Nor am I a good juggler. I can handle one ball, and sometimes two. Life has an infinite number of balls.

Right now I feel like my life is chaotic. I’ve enjoyed some time camping with my family, only to come home and go to the emergency room because Daughter smashed her finger in the recliner. Fortunately, it wasn’t broken. A friend passed away just before my family left for our camping trip. So in between swimming and campfires, I was searching for a cell phone signal to call and get updates on his family. (I know it seems contradictory to take a cell phone camping. Did I mention we use the modern campground with electric and running water?) I attended his funeral this past week. Our friend left behind 4 children, and my heart breaks for them. In an attempt to bring a small smile to them, I made special sugar cookies decorated like ocean animals and mermaids. I enjoy making these kinds of cookies, but it is time consuming. At the same time, I am making cake decorations for my niece and nephew. My niece has been telling her mother for the past year that I am making her a Tinkerbell cake for her birthday. I just couldn’t disappoint her. By the way, these cake decorations have to travel to another state. I also have to wrap and send their gifts too. Oh, and a family from a former church just had a baby, so that was another gift I had to get wrapped and ready to go. I’m also trying to find some work to earn a little income. I would love to find something that lets me work from home. On top of that is the usual day-to-day routine. Needless to say, I’m tired. But I’m not complaining. Okay, so I am complaining a little. I inherited a trait from mother for taking on too much. She is the woman who volunteers for everything and never says “no” when asked. She was always involved in PTA and church groups and any other activities that her kids were in. Even though all her children are grown and on their own, she is still very involved in church groups and with her grandkids. If I’m going to turn into my mother someday, at least I have a good one to become. She is a much better multi-tasker than I am. Or at least she made it seem easy. She was the mom who worked, volunteered, and still had a home cooked dinner on the table almost every night. I cook on a slow day and make enough for leftovers. Otherwise, we eat a lot of things that can be microwaved. I need to work on that. I need to work on a lot of things. I was reading Proverbs 31 the other day. It contains the description of a Woman of Noble Character. It is a lot to live up to. However, I am going to make it my personal goal to at least try. I better start with baby steps. I will shuffle my way along to not complaining about being busy. After all, a busy life is a full life… so they say.

Volatile Nature

If scientists can develop technology to predict and measure hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, why can't someone predict the mood swings of a toddler? One minute Daughter is smiling and content, the next she is screaming at me for no apparent reason. I swear sometimes she must be manic-depressive. But everyone else tells me this is normal for her age. I hope she outgrows it soon. Watching a toddler is like tracking a storm from beginning to end at high speed. You can tell a storm is brewing, and you can even tell if it's going to be a big one. What you can't do is stop it. All you can do is take shelter and hope it's enough. Seeking shelter in my mind is something I need to work on. Hard to do when sanity is fleeting most days.


Daughter is currently going through a phase of being contrary. She asks for one thing, and if you give it to her, she cries and says she doesn't want it. This applies to food, toys, activities, etc. Even if I did everything she asked of me, I would still be wrong.

I can't blame all my lost sanity on my daughter. My son can be just as bad. His moods are more predictable, but he his noisier. He squeals when he is happy and he screams when he is not. There isn't much peace and quiet in this house. Peace, yes. Quiet, not so much. Whoever coined the phrase "I can't hear myself think", must have lived in a house like mine.

Frugal Mom

Tonight was a typical night at home. Fix dinner, feed the baby, make laundry detergent. Yep, that's right. I make my own laundry detergent. It was one of the first steps I took to being more frugal. Frugality is the only thing that keeps me a SAHM. My husband's paycheck is enough, but not without some penny-pinching. Anyway, making laundry detergent is kind of fun. It's simple, cheap, and something that even the kids can do, or at least help, depending on age. Here's the recipe:

Homemade Laundry Detergent
(makes about 3 gallons)

1 Bar of Soap*
4 Cups Water
1 Cup Baking Soda**
1/2 Cup Borax**
3 Gallons Water

Grate bar of soap. Place 4 Cups water and grated soap in saucepan. Heat over low-medium until soap is dissolved. Be careful not to get the water too hot or it will boil over.
In large container (5-gallon bucket or small trashcan with lid), mix the hot soapy water, baking soda, borax, and 3 gallons water. Stir until well mixed and let cool. You can use the detergent immediately. Use approximately 1 Cup detergent for a full load of laundry. A measuring cup makes a good scoop.

*I prefer to use Ivory Soap because it works well for sensitive skin, but any bar soap will work.
**Large boxes of baking soda and borax can be found in the laundry aisle at the store. It is more economical to buy the large box of baking soda. One box of borax has lasted me more than a year.

Let me introduce myself...

My name is D. Well, that's not my full name, but it is how you will come to know me. I am married and I am a stay at home mom (SAHM). I have a degree in Environmental Science and spent five years working in the field before declaring it quits. I just longed to be home with my children. I was fortunate enough to work for a company that allowed me to scale back to part-time after my daughter was born. However, my heart was always at home. It was even worse when I became pregnant again. I wanted nothing more than to be a SAHM and raise my kids. After a lot of discussions with my husband and a lot of number crunching, I quit my job about halfway through my pregnancy with our son. It has caused a lifestyle change to say the least. We have had to scale back on groceries, outings, vacations, etc. Some months are really hard to stay on budget (especially around birthdays and holidays). The extra income is missed, but I don't regret my decision at all. Being a mom means so much to me. Like all mothers, I have the responsibilities of several jobs... chef, maid, chauffeur, accountant, nurse, referee, multitasker extraordinaire. I am by no means the best multitasker. There are plenty of moms out there that have it together more than I do. This is my journey to keeping my sanity while facing the joys and challenges of my mommy life. Join me if you will.