Free Range on Fairview

I recently had a banana that was going beyond it's prime. Shane threatened to throw it away one morning if I didn't make the promised banana bread with it soon. Finally the baby stopped needing to be held for a few minutes so I ran into the kitchen and grabbed all the ingredients and set them up on the counter. I decided to let the boys help me even though it made me frustrated and took way longer. Baking soda ended up on the floor, some measurements had to be redone, but in the end the boys had so much fun. Dylan practiced some fractions with measuring spoons. Lincoln got to dump some things in. And I learned that some help is still help. The bread still turned out fine (although not as good as the loaf my friend Deanne brought over for us the other day!) and look at those happy little faces licking off beaters when everything was done. I will still probably wait a little longer before trying to bake again because Warner didn't stay asleep for long, but life is a learning...

 Who knew that when I was a kid, forced to share a room with my arch enemy, that one day I would grow up and have an automatic best friend? I finally realize how important siblings are in your life as I watch my boys play together. Yes I make them share and play together and take care of each other. They will always be around no matter how sad or angry you make them. Heck I sat on my sister when she was inside a sleeping bag and my friends and I used to tease her *Jackie, she is so tacky...* but I think she's forgiven me. She came for an overnight trip last week to meet Warner and to help me out around the house when Shane first went back to work and I couldn't be happier to have her in my life. I can text or call or facebook her any time to tell her a funny story or ask her for advice. We're even attempting to take all of our combine 5 kids (three under two!) on an 800+ miles on way road trip in a few weeks. I didn't appreciate all the family time when I was younger b...

Wowzers. Having four kids really is a change. Maybe I will get used to it soon, but for now it is very umm... jam packed with excitement (falling out of cribs, sleeping through school bus pick up, crying during dinner etc), changes (of diapers mainly) and growth. Shane went back to work late last week so that sort of threw a wrench in the some what stable routine we started after the baby was born, but I know that now I just have to build a new normal routine. Danielle has 8 days of school left. Dylan has 15. Again our days are going to change so I am trying to get some things in order before pandemonium becomes the new norm. Warner is starting to be awake more often and Lincoln likes him well enough... I'm just struggling to find the balance of nursing, playing, cleaning, discipline and sleep. It has only been three weeks so I'm not worried I won't get it figured out, I'm just trying to stay afloat in the meantime. Thank God my kids are so stinking adorable because I...

It's been a week and a half but things have finally settled down enough to sit and write for a bit (hopefully). Early Wednesday morning I woke up and thought I was having a bad stomach cramp. About 10 minutes later when I had another one I realized that these weren't the cause of eating something bad, but contractions! About 3am I started timing them and for the next few hours I tried to rest, browsed the internet for a new diaper bag that would accommodate two kids still in diapers (I have two that I like but neither one fits the enormous amount of stuff I feel like I need to lug around with me for 4 kids total), watched some reality tv reruns and then finally my alarm went off at 6:35. After I got Dylan off to the bus like usual I showered and told Shane he probably wouldn't be going in to work. At 8 we started making arrangements with my mother-in-law to watch Lincoln and started getting all the stuff moved to the van. Then I NEEDED to sweep the kitchen before we left....

Shane has a way of getting his hands on the weirdest things for free (including house plants, chocolate, lean cuisine meals, chorizo, yogurt etc) and he recently came home with a windfall of chicken. Forty pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I'm estimating it's worth at least $80 around here considering I think about $1.99 lb is a decent price. All we had to do was separate it. It seemed to come in about 10 pound bags all frozen together in one giant chicken pop. After defrosting it, we BBQd about 2-3 lbs for dinner yesterday and stuck whatever we didn't eat in the fridge because Shane is going on a diet kick and says he will eat chicken all the time. (I think those extra 6 pounds might have something to do with all the baking I've been doing lately, sadly no more) This is my most favorite type of meat to work with... or eat but I don't always have it around so I am more than excited. Here's what we did: I threw about 7 pounds into the crock pot with...

And the grand prize goes to... Courtney! I know you are out of state so we will have to negotiate the hula hoop part of the giveaway, but please message me your mailing address and I will get the book out to you asap. Congratulations!

So I've been baking more since my freezer is still pretty full of freezer meals and we have completely fallen in love with this chocolate chip zucchini muffin recipe. The are so yummy, somewhat healthier than the no-bakes that I've also been making and they stay good until the last one is gobbled up (which isn't that long around here.) I've probably made four dozen since I found the recipe online and frozen about a dozen to have on hand after this baby comes. Will he ever come? Hopefully soon but until then I have these great muffins. If you make them, you will thank me.

I was recently given the opportunity by MOPS International to read and review next year’s theme book called Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood by Tracey Bianchi. In her book, Bianchi examines the relationships between today’s mom and finding her rhythm with her children, spouse, her schedule and commitments, her extended family, friends, community and the world. Like trying to sling 100 hula hoops at once alone, mothers in today’s society try to do it all and look good while doing it. Bianchi discusses mommy competition and while we are all on the same team being just a mom can be isolating, “We are never physically alone and yet our souls starve for connection.” Once we recognize how great we are and how important others are to us then we can flourish as a spouse, mother and person in society. Remembering to “take regular moments to rise up into your gifts and passions. To live fully into the rhythm of your life, you need to celebrate all...

I was reading a book the other day and one of the quotes that jumped out at me was something along the lines of "Be the Steve Jobs of mothering." I was to leave a legacy and have people talking about how great I am... ok that came out a little wrong but it is good for the mind and soul to realize how great you actually are, even in the midst of feeling like you need to flop on the couch and scream (I'm not saying that necessarily happened yesterday around 6:30pm). So let me brag about my adorable children for just one (more) moment. Even though there is a five year gap between them, my boys... that are actually out in this world as we speak... for the most part love each other and can be best buddies. Such characters! I think if Linc wasn't eating a pretzel we might have had a better smile.  The smile and the scowl, that about sums them up. Just your typical Tuesday morning before school. And Danielle, holy cow have you seen this girl? She's only g...