My Dilemma

Okay, I have a dilemma. My youngest, Eric has turned into a terror. Not really. He's very cute, but very demanding and VERY LOUD!!! He wants to be held and then put down, held and put down. Our church does not have a nursery. So I with much guilt stayed home from church this morning. I don't get anything out of the service so when I go with him, I keep wondering, "Why do I even bother." I want to be a part of a church community but it is so hard with a very cantankerous 17 month old. I know everyone says, "Oh we don't mind, he's so cute." I can't stand the constant screaming for something and then throwing it down.

All you who read this, please give me your opinion. My mom says that her mom and my dad's mom, who, by the way, had 13 children, stayed home A LOT with toddlers. I'm comforted by that.

I am thankful for the internet which allowed me to listen to Sojourn Community Church in Louisville.  It was the great church that we attended before we joined the Army.  Can't believe it's almost been 5 years.  Even though we are now Anglican, I still miss the fellowship and friends of our churches (yes we attended 2 at the same time) in Louisville.

So that being said, please let me know what you think.  I sincerely love to hear from people, so please please please (on my knees, begging) put a comment in my comment box.

In His Name!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

This is yummy stuff.  I had leftover pumpkin (because we could only find the 29 oz cans at the Commissary here) and about a cup of leftover cranberries from when I made the Salsa.  I made it even more yummy by not putting in an entire cup of oil and used 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce.  This made it not so bad for you and it's still so moist.  I have no idea of calorie content of it, but I helped everyone by that substitution.

Here's the recipe.  It's from Libby's - the Pumpkin people.  It makes 2 loaves.  One for you, one for your husband's work or the homeschool group meeting.  Those are just examples.  You don't have to take my advice.


Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups granulated sugar
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S Pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used a bit more than a cup, it still worked)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

2. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and orange juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

3. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Like I said, it's yummy!

Here's a pic of Eric enjoying his duckies.

Untangling Teabags, doing German and wondering...

I was just untangling a bunch of teabags and doing some Rosetta Stone German and realized something.  I, all of a sudden, have a ton of friends who are photographers.  Why?  Is it because Photography as a career is more accessible and easier to do?  Though in talking with my photographer friends, I think it is more work now than ever because of the time involved in editing.  (I wish I could do my wedding pics over, but I don't think I could fit into my dress anymore.  Things have moved.)

Well that's my thought for the day.  I don't know who reads this thing, I know some do, but my world is still quite small.  But in any case, in honour of all my photog friends, I'm posting all their websites to the side.  If any of you need a photographer and are near them, tell them I sent you!  Dave at Pixelated image, doesn't do portrait photography, he's too busy taking GORGEOUS pictures of people in exotic places.

Have a great day!

Ella is 4

My baby girl is 4 today.  She came out squalling and in the past year, started squalling again.  She begs to do school, though I can't do it with her.  She wants to cook and do EVERYTHING the big kids are doing. She wants two boys and five girls (as of today).  Lily, Rose, Violet, Daisy, Sarah, Luke and Jack.  She definitely knows what she wants all the time.

Dearest Ella, I'm so glad you are getting so big.  You are a delight and a joy with your funny comments about life.  May the Lord continue to bless you and may you have a soft heart for Him and grow up to love him and honor him and others.

Just a few Pictures I like

I received a 50mm lens for my camera for Christmas/Birthday this year.  I still can't get it right most of the time, but there are a few pictures that I like from this Christmas.

My parents leave tomorrow and so we've had big tears here at the house from all the females.  The good news is that Grandma will be coming back in 40 days to stay for 16 days.  We all can't wait.

On to the slide show.

Poertzlky (Oliebollen)

New Years "Cookies" (they're not cookies, they're like donuts) are what the Mennonites call them when they speak English. Poertzlky (Partselchya) when they speak Low-German. I'm pretty sure that the Mennonites started making them in Holland back in the 1500s because in Holland they have Oliebollen (fitting name) which are the same thing.

We made them this morning. Or I should say, my Mom made them and I took a few pictures and spent an hour with some very hot oil. My kitchen now stinks of a donut factory, some may like that. I don't.

So here is the recipe we used. When we started looking for a recipe we found so many. Some used divided eggs, some used baking powder, some didn't. It was rather confusing. The best thing is that a lot of recipes, including my Grandma's, said, "enough flour to make a soft dough." I hate that phrase. That drives me bonkers. I want exactness or at least near exactness. My peppernuts about drove me crazy because of that. That's a post for another day.

Okay back to the subject. We found one that we liked because it used butter, not lard, or oil. Thanks Aunty Marg.

2 1/2 tablespoons quick-rise/bread machine yeast in 1 c. warm water

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups milk (scalded or heated in the microwave until steaming, but not boiled!)

1/2 cup melted butter mix into the hot milk

2 teaspoons salt

6 well-beaten eggs

2 cups raisins

9 cups flour This is what we used exactly, but again, it is to make a soft dough, which is not as stiff as bread dough, but not like cake batter. Kind of like biscuit dough. You made need more or less flour. (Don't you love when recipes say this!)

The dough looked like this before we let it rise.

Mix the yeast sugar and warm water in a measuring cup and let stand for 10 minutes or so to make a sponge. Then mix milk, butter, salt and eggs in a large bowl and add yeast sponge. Add flour until soft dough and let rise till doubled. This is what my aunt says, "with the quick yeast I punch it down after the first half hour, then every 20 min. or so."

It looked like this after we let it rise 3 times.

Now comes the good part. Drop by large tablespoons full into sizzling oil (Canola) on medium heat. Turn them in the oil until a reddish brown.

When they get to that stage put out of the oil and drain in pan covered in paper towel.

Look at all that evil!

After a few minutes, place a couple in a paper bag with either icing sugar or granulated sugar and shake for a few seconds, take them out and enjoy!

More Mennonite Food Coming...

Wait for it......... And a picture of cutie, just to pass the time.