A Snowy Day

As Forrest and I were getting ready to go to bed on Sunday night, we looked out the window and saw a few snowflakes falling down to the wet ground. The last thing I wrote in my journal that night was, "I wish I could keep the kids home from school tomorrow for a snow day."

Little did I know we'd wake up to this:

Jacob was the first one to notice the blanket of white, and wasted no time suiting up in his snow gear. Noah soon followed.

The biggest snowball I think I've ever seen.

The neighborhood was so beautiful. There's something magical about snow.

I forgot to mention that we got a little more than we bargained for; we also woke up to no electricity. It wasn't long before the kids were yearning for some much needed heat, so Forrest fired up the camping stove to use as a hand warmer.

It also doubled as a place to prepare my lunch (sauteed radishes and red mustard greens from the produce box.)

Forrest diligently shoveled the snow in the driveway for a safe walking path, and transferred it to the front yard for this monstrous snowman (ours was the biggest in the neighborhood.)



Forrest even crafted a wooden pipe for his mouth.




While it was a lot of fun, the novelty of a snow day soon wore off. By late afternoon, I realized that without heat or electricity our house was becoming destitute. The kids had gone through all of their warm clothes (they were soaking wet from playing out in the snow) and I had no way to dry them. I tried to give them a bath, but they ended up with only about 6 inches of lukewarm water. We had cereal and cold sandwiches for dinner, when what we longed for was a hot meal. Forrest had to go to work that night, so I was left alone with the kids in a cold, dark house. We went out and got some hot chocolate then drove around and looked at Christmas lights to pass the time. Finally, at about 8:30 we came home and lit as many candles as we could, then I had all the kids pile into bed with me. The thermostat on my car read 28 degrees, and there was no way I was going to put them in their own beds. I was so grateful when I awoke around 11:30 p.m. to the sound of the central heat running and the glow of the night light from my bathroom. The thermostat in our house read 52 degrees... brrrrrr! I will try never to take electricity for granted again.

The Belly Report

Well, through a somewhat hazy and toothpaste-splattered mirror, you can see that the belly is growing. Monday was the beginning of my 28th week, putting me officially into my third trimester. We also had a prenatal that day, at which all the kids were able to listen to her heartbeat. With the help of the midwives, Forrest and I were able to feel her positioning and even caress her tiny back and bum! She was squirming all over the place and kept kicking at all of the hands placed on her. Much to my dismay, my back and hip ache has begun already, making it difficult to walk. I have had this with every pregnancy, but it usually doesn't come until later in the third trimester. The pro to this was that it gave me the motivation to inflate my exercise ball (or birth ball) and bring it upstairs into my bedroom, where I am able to use it for stretches and core-toning exercises. That seems to help, if only temporarily. The third trimester is always my favorite, aches and pains and all. 11 1/2 weeks and counting.

A Walk Through Bethlehem

On Sunday night we headed down to the Sunrise Community Church for this Night in Bethlehem we had heard about. It was cold, and the rain kept threatening to dump on us, but the experience was well worth it. The whole night was centered around replicating the birth of Jesus. Everyone was dressed for the time period, and the atmosphere was incredibly authentic.

Before we entered Bethlehem, we had to sign the census for accountability purposes.


The kids got a chance to help these women grind grain for their bread. Back in the day, women would spend 3 hours each day baking enough bread to feed a family of 6 for 1 day. They didn't have Nutrimills and bread machines.




We found the 3 wisemen with their gold, frankincense and myrrh, and they gave each of the kids a gold nugget (spray-painted pebble) to bring to the baby Jesus. These guys' costumes were amazing.


They even had live farm animals walking around, which made Kaitlyn ecstatic. She could've spent the whole night with them and been happy as a goose.


These baby lambs were so precious.


We looked up and saw the angels appearing to the shepherds in the field, singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and directing the shepherds to Bethlehem. They were beautiful.


After much searching, we found the baby Jesus.


Of course the kids had to give him their gold nuggets.


This was a free event and is held annually at the Sunrise Community church for one weekend only. I think we'll be making it one of our new Christmas traditions, and I would highly recommend it.

Relief Society Christmas Dinner

Last Thursday was our annual Relief Society Christmas dinner and program, and it was absolutely beautiful. I arrived early to drop off some food, and the house was decorated and serene. I was glad that I was able to soak in the ambiance of it before the crowd arrived.

Elegant centerpieces adorned every table.

We sat at a table near the fireplace; so cozy. I love this picture of the savior.

The homeowners have a beautiful piano.

My friend Tiffany made these amazing homemade chocolate mouse cups. I can only imagine the work that went into them. They were delicious.

Tiffany made these truffles too. She definitely has a talent for candy making.

It's been a tradition that my friend Lisa comes to the dinner with me every year. I love her company, and we had a great time chatting it up. I kept grabbing her hand and putting it on my tummy so she could feel Rachel move.

The women singing a Christmas carol.

These two sang a beautiful duet right at the end.

On the way home, I passed by this elaborately decorated house and couldn't help but stop and take a picture. It was the perfect way to top off the night.

Winter Soups

We've been on a soup kick and have had soup, salad, and homemade bread or biscuits every night this week. Just thought I'd share two of the good recipes I've found:

Chicken Stew with Dumplings
This is the best chicken and dumplings recipe I have come across. It turns out rich and delicious every time, and it makes plenty of leftovers.

Zuppa Toscana
This was my favorite soup when I worked at the Olive Garden, and I was so happy to find the recipe online. I made a big pot of it tonight with some of the kale I received in my produce box, and it was delicious. Forrest especially liked the spiciness of it. However, if you are serving kids, I would suggest scaling back on the red pepper.

I love winter soups!

Sneak Peek

Here is a preview of my latest endeavor: homemade stockings.


This one still needs a hook, a name and the embellishments. I figure if I can complete one stocking per night, I'll be in good shape.

I chose to make them out of crushed velvet with a satin lining. I have five different colors of velvet: one for each of the kids. They are lined with sew-on interfacing to help them keep their shape. I am hoping they will become keepsakes for the kids, but we'll have to see how well they hold up (they don't make fabric like they used to.)

Produce Box

I am so excited. I just started receiving my produce box again!

For just $20 a week, you get a box full of fresh, organic, locally grown produce from a farm down in Sacramento, delivered to your area (my pick-up spot is Bubba's in Cameron Park.)

What I love about this service is that the farm owner includes a letter each week detailing what is in the box, along with recipe ideas and health benefits. This is very helpful as some of the produce is quite exotic and I wouldn't know what to do with it otherwise.

Here is an excerpt from this week's letter:
"The Ragged Jack Kale is an heirloom from the 1600's. Kale soup with
sausage / potatoes is a sure winter cure for everything."

The remainder of the contents include: Quince, pineapple sage tea, delicata squash, assorted peppers, fresh thyme, sweet potatoes, seasonal salad mix with edible flower petals, daikon radishes with greens attached, and red mustard.

I am not kidding when I say I can literally feel the nutritional boost from eating this produce. It's eating the way nature intended. The greens are so dark and rich, packed with nutrients. Grocery store produce doesn't hold a candle to it (even if you shop the organic section!)

Click here to find out more info. about Consumer Supported Agriculture and to start receiving your own box.

Happy eating!