Cinnamon Filled Streusel Muffins

Last night I entered my recipe for Cinnamon Filled Streusel Muffins in the Hood New England Dairy Cookoff contest. Top prize is $10,000!

In 2006 I was looking through a popular baking catalog and saw they were selling a prepackaged kit to make Streusel muffins. To make these muffins you also needed to buy their signature cinnamon filling. I thought it sounded delicious and it inspired me to come up with my own recipe. My very picky husband said, "Um, these are good!" and that is saying a lot!

I decided to make a batch this morning and they were indeed so good! Here is the recipe:

Cinnamon Filled Streusel Muffins

by Valerie

Batter:

(Dry)

2 Cups King Arthur Flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tblsp baking powder

(Wet)

1 Cup Whole Milk

1/4 Cup Safflower Oil (or Canola/Veg oil)

2 Eggs (I use farm fresh eggs)

Filling:

1/4 cup Superfine Sugar

1/4 Cup Melted butter

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Streusel:

1 Tblsp flour

3 tblsp Sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 Tblsp butter

Preheat Oven to 500 degrees F, grease Silcon Muffins tins with Pam Spray or Crisco.

Batter: Mix together dry ingredients and blend well. In a 2 cup or larger measuring cup add oil, milk and eggs. Beat well. Add wet ingredients to dry Blend for 20 seconds and no more.

Filling: Melt butter (about 40 seconds in microwave), add sugar and cinnamon. Combine.

Streusel: In a bowl combine all ingredients. With a fork stir and press into butter until mixture is

crumbly. Or use a pastry knife.

Spray pans with Pam or Crisco (if you haven't already)

Use a small food scoop (icecream scoop)- scoop batter into 10 cups of the tins (1 large heaping scoop per). Add a dollop of filling, then add another scoop of batter on top. Sprinkle tops with Streusel.

As soon as muffins are in oven drop temp to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Makes about 10 muffins in silicon muffin pans.

Suggestions:

Could add walnuts or apple sauce and/or drizzle icing on top (but sweet enough without)!

Cheddar Apple Frittata

Trying to think of an idea for breakfast yesterday I spied the apples we brought home from apple picking. I looked through the fridge and saw a carton of our farm fresh eggs, a block of cheddar and bacon. I immediately knew what I wanted to make...one of my favorite recipes Cheddar Apple Frittata. I have been making this one skillet dish for several years now, and each time the boys and I are always pleased with the results. It also always looks so nice in a cast-iron pan! Please excuse my  burnt bacon.

Sometimes I substitute deli ham for the bacon and Mexican cheese for the Cheddar. Either way it makes a great fall breakfast or dinner!

Bleed by Hot Chelle Rae

I heard this on the radio tonight and I thought it was so beautiful...

Homemade Mixes & Banana Bread

We are going camping for a few weeks, and I decided to make some homemade mixes to bring with. In plastic bags I mixed up all my dry ingredients, and then labeled the bags with the name of the recipe and what I need to add on baking day. I can't wait to enjoy the fruits of my labor!

Biscuits
(Credit: The Best of Marjorie Standish: Chowders, Soups and Stews)

The Mix:
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

On Baking Day add:
2 rounded tblsp shortening
1 cup buttermilk or milk

Chocolate Chip Scones
(Credit: 400 Calorie Meals)

The Mix:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chocolate chips

On Baking Day add:
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup plain yogurt ( I Like to use Greek yogurt)
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Corn Muffins
(Credit: Quaker Corn Meal)

The Mix:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

On Baking Day add:
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
**I also like to add some cream-style corn to mine!

Old-Fashioned Flannel Cakes
(PA Dutch recipe)

The Mix:
2 cups flour
2 tblsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

On Baking Day add:
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tblsp oil

Pancakes
(King Arthur Flour)

The Mix:
4 cups flour
2-4 tblsp sugar
1 tblsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

On Baking Day add:
4 eggs
1 qt buttermilk, yogurt or sour milk
1/2 cup melted butter or oil

I usually divide this recipe up into four. It makes a lot!!

I also made up some banana bread tonight!! Yummy! Here is my favorite banana bread recipe:

Banana Bread
(Courtesy of Mom'n'Pop's Apple Pie 1950s Cookbook)

Makes 1 Loaf or 4 mini loaves

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
4 bananas finely crushed
1tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Cream together butter and sugar. Mash bananas. Add lemon juice to bananas. Beat eggs. Add eggs and bananas to teh creamed butter and sugar. Combine well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Pour into greased** loaf pan(s). Bake at 350F for 60 minutes. Keeps well refrigerated.

** I grease my pans with Wilton Cake Release.

Strawberry Shortcake!!

Yesterday on a whim, I picked up a few pints of strawberries from a local farm stand. It was the perfect opportunity to make Strawberry Shortcakes!

For the shortcake I made All-American Baking Powder Biscuits (A King Arthur Flour recipe):

3 cups of flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tblsp baking powder

1-4 tblsp sugar

4-6 tblsp butter or shortening (I used Butter flavored Crisco)

1 cup milk or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 F

Mix together the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender cut the butter or shortening into the flour mixture.

Add the milk, all at once, mixing quickly and gently for about 20 seconds until you have a soft dough.

Drop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times. Roll out or pat out the dough to about 3/4" thickness and cut the biscuits with a round cookie cutter.

Place on tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Prep Work:

While the biscuits cooked I cut up the strawberries and mixed them in a bowl with a little sugar.

When the biscuits where done I let them cool a few minutes. Then cut them open and spread a little butter on them. I put two halves in each bowl, spread strawberries on top, and sprayed whipped cream over the entire top.

Let's just say that they were so good!! We all devoured our Strawberry Shortcakes in no time at all!

Patriotic Cheesecake

I love cheesecake and this Patriotic Cheesecake sounds so good! Can't wait to make it.

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake
(Credit: Farmer's Almanac)

1–1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/2 pint sour cream
About 1 pint small, ripe strawberries or raspberries
About 1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Generously butter a round 8- to 9-inch springform or rectangular pan.
In the large bowl of your electric mixer, or in a food processor, cream the softened cream cheese; gradually add the sugar and eggs, then the vanilla, flour, and heavy cream, and beat or blend just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set it on the middle rack in the oven.
Set a large roasting pan containing about an inch of hot water underneath the pan, on a lower rack.Note: Both the low baking temperature and the steam from the pan of water will help prevent cracking. If a crack should form, it is no disaster; simply hide it with the sour cream.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the center of the cheesecake jiggles slightly when you shake the pan gently.

Turn off the oven but leave the cake in it, letting the cake cool gradually (about 20 minutes), before refrigerating.

When you're ready to serve it, spread the sour cream over the top and arrange the berries, either in rings or, for the Fourth of July, make stars and stripes.

Printable Recipe

Raspberries!!

Aiden has really enjoyed picking raspberries in the play yard over the last few days. Daddy even setup a ladder for him to reach the high berries! Here he is picking, eating and delighting in his harvest!

Chicks and Food

When we got home last night I heard some peeping coming from under our front stoop. I tiptoed over and saw two little black chicks. Mama hen saw me and was not too pleased. She jumped at me twice and I shrieked! I really understood the term, "Mother hen!" Then I did the same with my brood, I protected them from the hen and quickly got us inside. Despite almost getting pecked to death I am so excited that our hens are hatching out their own chicks!

When I looked in the fridge I discovered a bowl of strawberries. Hubby had helped a coworker move a washer and he gave him a bunch of strawberries. They were so good! Aiden ate most of them! That kid loves his fruit!





Today must have been the day for attracting locally grown food. At Maine 4-H Days we spent some time helping out in the kitchen and the lady in charge gave us several bags of spinach, pea tendrils and turnips! I made Ehric and I bacon wrapped scallops and wraps made with apple slices, cheddar cheese and some pea tendrils. It was all really good! Aiden stuck to his favorite PB &J!



Today at Maine 4-H days we got to try a sample of Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp made with local maple syrup and oats. It was really good! When I got home I decided to try to make my own rhubarb crisp using maple syrup (I usually use sugar). I threw some frozen rhubarb into a glass pyrex, then added some maple syrup and a little bit of flour (figured the frozen rhubarb would get watery) to the mix. In a seperate bowl I mixed old-fashioned rolled oats, maple syrup and butter. I used a pastry blender to combine. Then I poured the oat mix on the top. I baked at 375 F for maybe 30 minutes or so. Next time I will probably look up a recipe and use fresh rhubarb because some of my pieces were not mushed up enough and were a little tart. It was pretty good though, but different!

Honey, Raspberries & Baby Birds

Hubby recently befriended a fellow beekeeper that lives up the road. All week they have been chasing swarms together, and as a thank you he gave us 5 jars of honey and 2 packages of honeycomb from his bees. We tried the honeycomb after lunch and had fun sucking the honey out. It was so floral tasting and sweet. Can't wait to try the honey out soon!

After lunch the boys went to play outside and discovered raspberries in their play yard. They were so excited and spent most of the afternoon picking berries. Hubby weeded out some butterfly bush from the raspberry patch and discovered a bird's nest that had two baby birds inside. He showed it to the boys. They were so excited to tell me about it, and Ehric said it had two little red colored birds in the nest. I will have to go inspect it tomorrow. Not a bad Thursday!

Country Living Is the Life For Me....

Down the Road a Piece--I drive by this house often and over the years it has changed hands many times. I finally decided to look it up online....pretty nice!

I fell in love!--If I could move in right now I would be a happy little lady! For now I am going to use the photos as something to aspire too. I really want to go visit this house and just breathe it all in, and say, "I'm home!"

Crock-Pot Pulled Pork

In this house BBQ is king! When we took a roadtrip this Winter we hit up quite a few bbq joints. The other day I made a Crock-Pot Pulled pork and hubby approved. That says a lot coming from him! I got the original recipe from A Southern Daydreamer, but I made a few changes...

I used our last pork shoulder (from the pigs we raised) it was probably 2 lbs at least

I added 2 cans of Coke (instead of diet soda)--I probably could have used a little less

1/2 a large onion

1 cup of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce

I cooked in the Crock-Pot on High for about 8 hours. I actually didn't pull it all apart until we were ready to eat.

Hubby loved the taste so much he didn't add any bbq sauce or anything! We ate the pork on bulky rolls. It was so good!

Homemade Goodness

Despite the humidity, I felt like baking tonight. I seem to have a knack for timing oven cooking (which throws extra heat into the house) for the very hot, humid days...wonder why that is? Anyways, I decided to make artisan bread and the chocolate chip muffins the boys have been asking me to make for the last week or so. In between recipes I decided to make some lemonade (you know to cool down from the heat!). The warmth in my kitchen was actually a good thing, both my bread and muffins rose a lot higher than normal. Also, the lemonade seemed to make my family much more appreciative than usual. I got lots of compliments, especially when everyone was stuffing their faces with the chocolate chip muffins!













I thought I would share my resources for the recipes:

Artisan Bread-I use the basic boule recipe that was in the Five-Minutes a Day for Fresh Baked Bread article that was in Mother Earth News last year or so. I just mix up my ingredients in a large bowl, lightly cover it and let it sit for about 2 hours. I flip out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, fold in my edges to the middle, pop the dough onto a pizza stone and let it rise for about 20-40 minutes (have the over preheating while it is rising). Then I cook it for about 30 minutes. You can tell if the bread is done when you flip it over and gently tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. You could also use only half the dough and refrigerate the rest for another day. We often use the dough for pizza...so good!

Chocolate Chip Muffins- Ehric discovered this amazing recipe and other really good muffin recipes while playing Holly Hobbie "Hey Girls" Muffin Maker game on NickJr.com. To get the recipe you need to complete the game. Have your kids play the game or try it out yourself!

Lemonade- I used Real Lemon's recipe from the bottle and it was really good!
for a 2 quart container: 6 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup Real Lemon (or other bottled lemon juice), and 1 cup sugar.

Enjoy!

A Walk In the Yard

Father's Day Memories

Getting on a Budget

I absolutely love being a stay-at-home mom, and really want to continue in this amazing role for as long as possible. But lately I have been slowly becoming aware that for me to continue to stay home and help guide my children while they live and learn about their world, that I need to get my family on a budget and fast! How we have been spending is really threatening my desires to be a stay-at-home mom and if we don't make changes now I will not be able to continue staying home with my boys for much longer.

What brought about this realization? The other day I was looking at our calendar to see what we have been doing all month. I noticed that the boys and I have been indulging a little too much and too often at resteraunts. Everytime I turn around I am having to refill my car, because we have been driving here there and everywhere. I have signed us up for a lot of workshops and other events that are relatively low cost but when added together start to add up. We have been shopping like money is growing on trees. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person and able to reason but apparently I have not been paying enough attention to how much we are spending and how often. I have been letting myself and my family down by not paying attention.

So last night and most of today I have been getting serious about budgeting! I feel both spent and enlightened. I feel like I have a better grasp now on where we are at and where we need to go. I have some plans and ideas about how to make my goals a reality. But of course it will also mean that my family will have to be on board with this game plan or it will not work. They have to want me to be able to continue to stay home too!

Sometimes we are cruising along in life and don't realize that we got off on the wrong track at some point because we were not paying enough attention. We need to work on creating the reality we desire, but if we don't pay attention we will have a reality that we do not desire. If I want to be a stay-at-home mom than I can do that, but I need to sometime's reevaluate and need a good reminder of exactly the kind of life I am trying to create with my family.

I know that my family is not trying to keep up with the Jones'. We are frugal and happy living a simple country life. We are not trying to do what everyone else is doing and we don't really care what everyone else is doing. We prefer to make our own informed descisions free of someone else's control. We want to be free to pursue our passions and to learn about what is important to us. We want to raise our children to be independent free thinkers and to be happy.

This realization as it relates to my awakening means that I can be a stay-at-home mom because that is where I want and need to be right now. I have what it takes to get my family's finances back on track so that we can all continue to live this amazing life! We want our children to have the freedom to live and learn in a happy and stress-free home. I feel that my presence in their little corner of the world is the way for us all to live a good life. So if a budget is needed than bring it on!

Local Foods

Today I read this post from Liz at A Natural Nester about her entry into eating local foods. I too have been thinking a lot lately about searching out and buying more local foods. We already get our milk from a farm down the street and raise our own chickens for eggs. But we could do more. I also have been trying to eat a lot better as of late, and am really tired of all the preservatives and fake stuff in food...makes you wonder if we are all going to glow in the dark someday. I really questioned my buying habits too watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. He makes a lot of good points about American food.

I am wondering what you have found local or are doing to eat locally grown food?

ABC of Bees

Last Thursday Ehric and I went to a workshop sponsored by 4-H called, ABC's of Bees. We learned about top-bar beekeeping. Instead of traditional hive boxes the bees are kept in a more triangular long shaped box. It was pretty interesting, but according to my hubby also a controversial style of keeping bees. Either way it was interesting and we got to eat honey candy, which was yummy!

Our Saturday

Hubby had to work early this morning, so when he got back home he took a long nap. The boys played with their dinosaurs and I bit the bullet and started to work on our taxes. So far I am pleased by the estimated return, we could really use the money right now. During my frustation a friend called and asked about getting together. She really brought me out of my computer/tax daze. Once we made plans I looked around the house and was mortified by what I saw....a disaster zone! I quickly showered, enlisted the help of the kids and hubby to get this place ship shape since we only had an hour to do so. We did pretty good...it usually takes company for us to do so. We are usually in CHAOS mode (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), someday when the kids are long gone the house will be spotless (yeah right)!

The boys were excited to see my friend's daughter. They treat her like she is a little doll to be spoiled. When she comes over I quickly remember how much toddler's like to climb. It also makes me realize what a transition our living room has gone through since Ehric was a baby. There have been times when the living room had a padded floor, a swing set and climbing structure for the kids. The room has gradually lost a lost of its baby proofing as the boys have matured. Not to say they don't still climb though.

Its nice to have people over our house. We don't have guests very often since we live out in the boondocks. If we had guests over more often I think the house would stay a lot cleaner. Maybe.
We all enjoyed some bbq and chatted for a while. I think we all needed a change of pace on this Winter Saturday. It is hard when we are cooped up all winter.

We spent most of the afternoon and evening catching up on our shows that we tape. The boys were sent to play with their train set when there was adult content much to their dismay. But at one point Aiden fell asleep next to me and took a good long nap, until I felt my leg was wet. Into the bath he went as I changed. Luckily the couch was dry.

I was really tired last night so I went to bed around 10pm. This is early considering for about a month now I have been going to bed around midnight/1am, because I usally can't fall asleep. On the flip side, Daddy and Ehric stayed up a watched a Harry Potter movie. We thought that was funny because hubby usally goes to bed by 7pm because of his early shift.

For the most part our Saturday was pretty low key.

Legos, Library & More!

This morning was our Lego Group's Valentine's Party, so you would have thought that the boy's would be chomping at the bit to get there. But, no! It seems lately that they do not want to leave the house. Atleast I say that because they are never interested in getting dressed or hurrying as much as me to get out of the house. Why would they when they have a houseful of toys? But eventually they got moving and we got there before anyone else. Go figure!

Today's challenge was to build a mailbox for the Valentine's exchange. Ehric didn't seem to care too much that he needed to build one himself. He felt his time would be best served helping other's with theirs. What a great kid he is wanting to help others! Aiden on the other hand was being very clingy to me. But he and I eventually made a pretty cool mailbox out of Duplo blocks. He was so possessive of his mailbox that he stood guard watching over it so that no one would take it apart.

As time was winding down I started to feel anxious because Ehric had not built one for himself yet. I looked over and saw that he was getting started. I tried to offer him some assistence but he didn't want any help, so in between keeping Aiden company, I just started building with Legos. It was kind of cathertic. I think the kids enjoy building for that reason too. Eventually time ran out and the kids needed to set up a spot for their mailboxes. So bad Momma forced Ehric to stop building. I felt bad but he forgave me when he saw how much Valentine's loot he got. It felt like Halloween all over again.

After the boys were sugared up we went to the Children's room at the library. What a mistake!! The boys ran circles around the room at the dismay of the librarian. But I did get them to sit still long enough to read some books and make Daddy a Valentine Card. Finally I got fed up with their behavior that I pleaded with them to leave. I felt such relief when I got them in the car.

The day was so beautiful so when Daddy got home he decided to take them for a long hike in the woods. While they were gone I decided that I wanted to go to the movies and see Dear John. So I called my Mom up and we went to see the movie together. Hubby assumed it was because I needed a break from the boys, but I was over the morning festivities by that point...I just really wanted to see Dear John!

The boys had fun on their walk with Daddy. They explored the woods and spotted deer tracks and scat. Once they got out of the woods they visited with friends of ours. I am so glad that hubby took them outside because they have been cooped up a lot lately. Daddy needed the time outside too.

I was thrilled when I got home and was told that the boys were in their pjs, brushed their teeth and were playing upstairs. Aiden came down stairs to see me and gave me the biggest hug...it is rare that I am away from them to warrant such returning home hugs. Ehric on the other hand wasn't phased that I was home. :(

Hubby read the boys some books:
'Abe Lincoln Loved Animals' by Ellen Jackson (since it is Lincoln's bday today)
Dinosaur Tracks by K Zoehfeld (The boys are big into dinosaurs right now)
and Shape Capers by C Falwell

Then they all went to bed and I spent the evening catching up on shows online. All in all it was a pretty good day!

Our Day at Home

I had planned on taking us to the Toy Library this morning but Ehric slept in until 9:30am and Aiden kept crying over every little thing. So plans changed. I spent most of the day sorting papers and then filing papers into my new filing cabinets upstairs. I also worked on laundry and cleaning up the house. So the boys had a pretty lazy day and watched a lot more TV than they should have. Atleast it was educational TV.

Usually the boys go outside when Daddy gets home but Daddy was tired today. The boys didn't mind, because they had fun making Valentine's cards for our party with our Lego group tomorrow. They also spent quite a bit of time blowing up balloons and drawing on them. Ehric said he was blowing them up for the party tomorrow.

Aiden's eye area and cheek are so yellow. I think his suture area looks good, no infection.

Tomorrow I really want to get the boys outside...we have been cooped up too much lately!

Some other things the boys did today:

Living Skills:
Vacuumed rug (they initiated this activity)
Got out cereal when hungry for a snack

Hands-On Activities:
Made Valentine's Cards and drew pictures for Momma
Blew up balloons with a balloon pump and then drew on the balloons with dry-erase markers.
Played with various toys.
Aiden- built a speed boat w/Handy Manny kit
Ehric-added to train track setup and built a brick wall with Duplo blocks

Books Read-Aloud:
Farmer Smart's Fat Cat by James Sage
How Kind! by Mary Murphy
DK Fire Engine Book
Good Night Gorilla-Peggy Rathmann

Ehric Read-Aloud:
Catch Me, Catch Me: A Thomas the Tank Engine Story
When the TV Broke by Harriet Ziefert

Listening:
Momma made up a story about Red the firetruck from CARS and a story about a Bat in Diego's house.

Watched:
Various PBS Kid's Shows
Lost (w/parents)

Computer:
PBS Kid's Island games
Jumpstart.com

Things I've Learned about My Boys

Today I started thinking about all the little things I've learned about my boys. I started making a list and thought it would be fun to share.

1- They love to carry small things (toys, decorations, items from nature, etc) around in anything with a handle (Baskets, including Easter baskets, old purses, lunch boxes, book bags, etc).

Aiden got a new Lightening McQueen lunch box the other day and it has seen a lot of use since we brought it home. He has been carrying around all his special toys, such as his prized Dirt Track Lightening McQueen, a spider man doll, and anything else that fits.

2-Kids love to climb. The higher, the better! Fear is not in their definition.

Yesterday with our 4-H group we took a cold winter walk at a nearby park. At the park we stopped at the playground which has a really cool log cabin structure for kids to climb. Aiden, who is my daredevil, was walking across the beams without a care in the world. I on the other hand was bracing myself because only a few days before we had to take him to the ER to get 9 stitches on a 2cm gash in his cheek. Despite my worries he was having a good time.

3-Kids have no concept of time or deadlines. They do not care if we have to be somewhere at a certain time. Time is irrelevant to them.

The other day I had to pick up my niece from school at 11:30am. I told the boys several times that we needed to leave the house by a certain time so that we would be there before she got out of school. Said time came around and they had no urgency to leave like I did. As I watched the clock creeping forward my stress level started to creep up, but they were cool as a cucumber and did not know what the rush was all about. Even when I tried to evoke empathy about how cousin would feel if there was noone to pick her up they still didn't budge. Why worry about this thing Time when they could play with their toys?

4-Kids love finger food or anything they can eat with their hands. Put the food on a stick and it's even better.

On a website a few years ago I found an entry about Muffin Tin Monday... On Monday you serve up finger food in a muffin tin. Occassionally I will serve lunch this way and it is always a hit with the boys. Just the other day Ehric was asking when the next Muffin Tin Monday would be. I have found that when I serve food in bite size pieces that they can pick up that the boys eat a lot more.

5-Kids are messy! The mess doesn't bother them. So get used to it!

I love this quote "Cleaning the house while your kid's are still growing, is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." So true!!

6-Kids love to help if you let them.

My boys love to load the washing machine. In fact sometimes they fight over who gets to load the washer, because loaded the dryer apparently is not as much fun. To make it fair to both parties I have had one load the washer and then when they were done take all the clothes out and have the other boy load the washer again. You want to fair right?

Besides loading the washer they love to help cook. Lately Ehric has been getting more helpful by using sharp knives to cut fruits and veggies. Just wish he would wait for Momma to help him.

7-Just when they frustrate you they do something to make you proud.

Today I spent most of the day conquering clutter upstairs. Occassionally the boys would come up and spin circles around me and get into everything. At one point I told them to go downstairs. Later, I heard the vacuum cleaner going downstairs. I peaked down and saw the boys vacuuming the carpet. When I later came downstairs Ehric said, "Do you like how we cleaned the carpet?" Amazing how fast my frustration melted.

8-Kids never go to sleep when you want them too!

Until recently we had always had a family bed, and the boys would go to bed when we went to bed or vice versa. I loved having the boys follow their own natural rhythms but I would get agitated when it was 10pm and they were still up and I couldn't get done the things that I wanted to do. I love my boys dearly but I am the type of person that really draws energy from alone time and having them around me 24-7 was really depleting my energy and making me grouchy.

So recently the boys have graduated into sleeping together in their own room and going to bed earlier. I miss the snuggles, but I really relish the time I get to just do my own thing. However, now that I am trying to carve out that "me time" I start to get antsy when it is 7pm or 7:30pm or 8pm and they are still not in their bed or the lights are not out. I am up in the air about setting a set time for them to go to bed because I know they really enjoy our bedtime routine and life happens. Besides someday they won't be begging me for one more book or to tell them one more story. I guess I just need to go with the flow.

9-They love us unconditionally!

There are days that go as easy as pie and then there are days when things hit the fan. On those days I scream like a banchy when I step in a spilled drink that no one bothered to clean up, or freak out that we are running out of time to get someplace and no one cares. But despite my behavior my little men still want me to read them a book, draw me a picture or tell me they love me. I love that they love me unconditionally and love me for who I am.

10-They are not afraid to be themselves. They are whole persons and are utterly amazing!

Throughout the day my boys go through so many ranges of emotion. They laugh, cry, leap for joy and do it all over again. They express their likes and dislikes and do not stiffle their emotions. They lay it all on the line whether we like it or not. If Aiden is hungry and wants a PB& J he doesn't care if we have a to-do list a mile long. His hunger doesn't have a pause button. If Ehric has something to say or if he is curious about something he is going to ask. If only we were all so intune to ourselves the way children are...what a different world would we live in.

Wow! They truly have taught me a lot. Motherhood is quite the learning experience and I am only 5 1/2 years in!