Caleb the bed hopper!

This makes my heart skip a beat seriously!

A few nights ago I tucked Caleb in and told him daddy would come in and give him a kiss when he got home. I sent Gabriel in and he came back out and said he wasnt in his bed and asked where he was. I went into the room to find Caleb snuggled up in bed with Sammy.

My heart did two things. 1st it melted, then it went a little crazy as to all the things that were wrong with this picture and what could happen having a 40+lb toddler sleeping with a 15lb 10wk old. AAHHHH....

But then tonight again the same thing. I love how much they already adore one another and already know that as soon as Sammy is able they will probably be sleeping in the same bed. Caleb loves sleeping with other people. I am not one to enjoy having a 40lb boy sleeping right against me, especially one who sweats but Gabriel and Sammy do not seem to mind. (Many nights this means I get a bed all to myself :))

Bread Tuesday!

So since beginning maternity leave, having a decrease in income and having goals set for saving, Gabriel and I have decided we are going to try to lower expenses and change eating habits. I made a commitment to him to pack a lunch for him when he is working, and have things ready available to eat quickly in the morning.

I love cooking so I decided to make a few minor and one or two major changes to my preparation.

A big one I decided was going to be to try to bake bread from scratch. I have wanted a bread maker for a while but did not know how hard it would be make it by hand from scratch. I know a machine would be simple but I just wanted to know. SO yesterday my friend Liz came over and we baked bread. SERIOUSLY one of the simplest things I have done when it comes to baking. We just made a simple white bread because neither of had ever baked bread. I did not want to complicate the process by trying a squirrely bread so white bread it was.

I would honestly recommend that if you have ever been curious about making bread to try it. It feels so rewarding when you get this beautiful shaped loaf out of the oven. Gabriel was seriously amazed. At first he did not believe that I had made it by hand. I told him he had better be grateful because Caleb and I made it for him with love.

Here is the recipe for anyone who wants to give it a try!

Dry ingredients

Dough rising for the first time

Dough risen ready to be shaped into loaves

Rising in pans

Risen and ready for oven

In they go

freshly cooling

Picture of how to make loaves

Delicious White Bread

5-6 C all-purpose flour

3TBSP sugar

2tsp Salt

2 pkg active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)

2 cups water

1/4 C oil or shortening

1 tbsp butter melted

In large bowl combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast; blend well. In a small saucepan heat oil and water until very warm(120-130 F.) Add warm liquid to flour mixture. Blend on low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in an additional 2 1/2-3 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

On floured surface, knead in 1/2 -1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size 45-60 minutes.

Grease two bread pans. Punch dough down several times to remove air bubbles. Divide dough into 2 parts; shape dough into loaves, place in greased pan. Cover and let rise until dough fills pans and tops of loaves are 1 inch above pan edges, 30-35 minutes.

Heat oven to 375F. Uncover dough, bake 40-50 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans, cool completely on wire racks. Brush with butter.

Yield 2 loaves

Our God By Chris Tomlin!

"Our God is greater, Our God is stronger

God you are higher than any other

Our God is healer AWESOME in Power, Our God Our God!

If our God for us then who could ever stop us and if our God is with us then what can stand against!"

I think this song was written just to remind me that I have someone so much stronger than anything or anyone I could ever face. I have been completely discouraged over somethings that have presented themselves in our life at the moment, but when I hear this song I am reminded that I am not alone. He is with me, I will be okay, we will be okay!

Many times I push forward leaving my Saviour behind but all it takes is a quiet(or loud when it comes to volume that I listen to this song) to remind me I can not do it alone, and with Him I am unstoppable!

Completed Cinnamon loaf! Totally sooo yummy...

This cake was one of the easiest cakes I have ever made.. It was not too sweet or to spicey. I went crazy with the streusel which next time I will not make so much, but it is a yummy cake. Caleb loved it and even suggested that next time I put apples in it.. which would be an amazing addition :)

I enjoyed a slice or two last night but since I went for my first post pregnancy RUN I held off today. When I am active I love that I am way more careful and I really truly ask myself if it is truly worth it.

Late this morning and early this afternoon we had to run an errand in south Surrey and decided we would go WhiteRock when we were done for a walk and to soak up some Vitamin D... It was gorgeous. The walk was a quick one because it was freezing and windy. Looked like spring but def. felt like Winter. Caleb loved it and wanted to take his boots off and go in the water but we convinced him otherwise and promised to return in the summer when it was warm enough to swim and play at the beach. It makes my heart melt when he talks about memories of past fun times :)

Caleb looking into the Ocean on this wonderful sunny winter afternoon!

This is my 9.5 week old little stinker. We had a crazy day yesterday and it totally threw him off. He slept from 4pm-6pm(I woke him up) then had a bath a good long nurse and then slept til 12. He then woke and thought it was party time. Gabriel and I had a good time making him smile and hearing him coo at us. I love these peaceful moments with Sammy and his dad when an energetic almost 3 year old is not causing distractions.

What a day... WHAT A LIFE

Long week!

Before I even write I must show you what I am waiting for ...

Delish I know...

Who wouldn't want to gobble up ever drop of Cinnamon loaf, with Streusal on top and marbled through out...

Will have to let you know how it tastes.

It has been a long last couple of week for us around here. On a random Saturday Caleb woke up with a fever and no other symptoms. He had a fever all weekend then it went away. I thought it could be fighting something and sure enough he woke a couple days later with a runny nose and a cough. I started with a sore throat and a runny nose a few days after. This past Tuesday night Caleb woke with hurting ears and did not sleep the rest of the night. Even with some tylenol and cuddles he was restless and grouchy. I took him to the Dr. and what I thought was just a fever a few weeks back was the start of a crazy ear infection. My Dr. was really surprised that he had not been complaining of hurting ears with how infected both ears were. I had bronchitus and little Samuel is fine. Praise God.. who wants a sick baby. Not this momma.

I feel bad for not taking him in sooner or even thinking it could be his ears, but now a couple of days into our antibiotic we are a much happier household.

Sammy snoozing! What a wonderful boy

I will upload a picture of the loaf tomorrow BUT let me tell you it is delish! Perfect amount of cinnamon, sugar and all that goodness... I'll include the recipe.. TRY IT

Sweet Cinnamon Sweet Bread

From : Pillsbury The Complete Book Of Baking

BREAD

2C. Flour

1C. Sugar

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 1/2tsp. cinnamon (I added 2 1/2)

1/2tsp. salt

1C. Buttermilk

1/3C. oil

2tsp. Vanilla

2 eggs

*STREUSEL

2TBSP Sugar

1tsp Cinnamon

2Tsp Margarine or butter

*I doubled this because I wanted to put a topping on it as well

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour loaf pan. In a large bowl. combine all bread ingredients; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.

In a small bowl, combine all streusel ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter, swirl to marble batter and streusel.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. cool for 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely then store however you choose.

Yield:1 loaf

LOVE IT!

A totally new development in our house is that Caleb has started to sleep in. Since he was a wee baby his alarm clock went off at 7am but yesterday and hopefully this morning it was 8:30 almost 9 o'clock before I saw his chipper little face. That means that if the baby is still asleep then I get to sleep as well. YAY for me!

Last night I told G that if I had a good night with Sammy then I would get up with him when he got up for work. We did have a good night. Sammy only woke up at 2:20 and was back in bed before 3. After G left I was able to have my quiet time(which I am hoping to do before the boys wake on a daily basis) and start laundry and have breakfast all before 8am.

Tuesday is going to be a good day.

"HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE"

John 3:30

Yumminess!

In the past week I have tried three sucessful recipes which were and are fantastic!

When I was pregnant with Samuel and friend of my brought by a meal for us once he was born which I call chicken chili! I loved it and decided to recreate my own rendition. I made it and loved it - like wanna make it on a weekly basis. Switching up the meat in your chili is wow! Plus we love chicken but then who doesn't.

I also made a chicken soup from here. I added a few extra ingredients and swtiched up the chicken bouillon cubes for chicken stock. Instead if celery (I stopped at a sketchy veggie market after I picked G up from work and they didn't have celery) I added zuchini. Along with the chicken soup I made buscuits. It was seriously sooooo good.

I could go for a bowl right now :)

These biscuits were the easiest! If you want the recipe let

me know but I did find it in the Joy of Cooking

Then Saturday morning I woke up and made these.

Crepes with Lemon Curd and fluff on top

Caleb got crepes sprinkled with love instead.

So to say it nicely we had a high calorie week full of food. Caleb loves helping me cook and usually steals ingredients to create his own meal ideas. The night I was making soup he stole the carrots. Maybe I will have someone to cook for me before I know it!

I know I haven't posted all week. It has been a long week but I have a lot to write about. I am hoping for a quiet moment tomorrow to post pics, and write! :)

Until then