I made cream cheese, ya'll!

This little adventure started when I needed some whey to preserve the mayo I wanted to make. This is a very easy way to make whey (teehee). Way, whey...get it? I grabbed a new carton of my favorite yogurt, lined a strainer with some cheese cloth (I could have also used a tea towel) and put the strainer in a bowl. Then I just left it on the counter. Before bed, I poured off any collected whey and then stuck the bowl/strainer combo in the fridge.

The next morning, I poured off any of the whey that dripped out over night. Then (because my pitcher was holding OJ) I tied the little cheese baggie and hooked it over a wooden spoon and put it in my blender. It went right back into the fridge until the next morning. I did pour out the whey that dripped out before I went to bed.

In the morning I poured off the rest of the whey and noticed the cheese baggie had stopped dripping! The cheese is ready!! I just put it into a tupperware, put the whey in a mason jar, and I was all done!

The process did take about three days, but the effort was minimal. And the cream cheese is tasty!

Granola Bars

Here is a pictorial demonstration of how I make my granola bars. Enjoy!

Mix together 2 1/4 cups oats, 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut, and 1 cup nuts (I used pecans) and toast in a 400 degree for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 brown sugar (I use Sucanat - unrefined cane sugar), 2/3 cup honey, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp salt over a medium flame.

After a while it will look like this. The longer you cook it, the harder your granola bars will be. I like my granola bars a bit chewy (but not falling apart) so I cook mine until my candy thermometer just goes over 2o0. However, these days I am not even using my thermometer. I take it off the stove after it starts really foaming for a minute or two.

Mix the oat mixture and the honey mixture in a bowl until combined. This is where you will add any other additions you might want. I have used things like raisins, dried figs, and mini chocolate chips. I try to make the additions I use not go over 1 cup total.

Dump the mixture into a buttered 9x13 glass dish.

The mixture will be hot, so take care. Press the mixture down using wax paper. Let the bars cool. Be sure to remove the wax paper first!

When the bars are barely warm, turn them out onto a cutting board and cut them up!

Now you can wrap them individually for lunches and snacks! I made a batch the other day and I got 18 granola bars - very economical!

The kids and hubby like these a lot! I would like to try a soaked version soon but I am waiting for cooler weather since I would have to use my oven for quite some time! I will post an update as soon as I do that.

Finger Food

So, The Peach is old enough to start trying out a few finger foods. I read about salmon roe being a great first food, so I thought I would give it a try. On our first try, she really enjoyed just playing with the roe. They very conveniently stick to her fingers, but instead of putting them in her mouth, she liked to pop them on the tray. She prefers me to stick them in her mouth. She seems to enjoy the briny flavor because she keeps opening her mouth for more! We tried soft cut up apples today and she liked those, too. She still doesn't put the food in her mouth, she would much rather feel it and play with it. Soon enough.

New things!

As of yesterday, The Peach is crawling. She is pretty excited about it, too!

In other news, Prince Charming went to the farmer's market this morning and was super excited that he found more lamb chops to bring home. It turns out he didn't buy lamb. He bought goat. Stay tuned for the taste test!

What's new?

Not much.

I realized that it has been a while since my last post. And, that post wasn't even about current events! I have a moment in between my mom taxi duties, so I thought I would write something. Anything.

The Peach will be 8 months old tomorrow. A month ago she didn't have teeth. Today she has 2 tiny ones on the bottom. They started to emerge about 2 weeks ago. I wish I had a picture, but every time I try to look in there she sticks her tongue out. She continues to be the happy go lucky baby that loves her mama.

B signed up for Chess Club after school once a week. He LOVES it. I even got a phone call from the coach telling me that he is such a pleasure to have in class. He is a great listener and keeps his table on task. I felt like I would explode, I was so proud. Last year, the phone calls I got were, "We need you to come pick up B, for reason XYZ." I am so glad that we moved him to a different school. He is in the right classroom and he is thriving.

This morning when I was driving E to preschool, he started singing a song about preschool and how much he likes it. I am so happy that I don't have to leave a kicking and screaming kid at school this year. Those crocodile tears get me every time. Now, he just blows me a kiss and runs out to play. My little E is growing up. Way too fast. I think he knows it, too. He is always telling me that he doesn't want to die and he wants to be with me forever. Man, I could cuddle that kid all day long.

Me? What have I been up to? You know, the regular day to day grind. I also started volunteering for the school's eScrip program, so I have that to add to the pile on my desk. What is this pile on my desk? I should go through it. I was recently asked to be a co-author on a new blog all about living and raising a family in Arizona. I was completely flattered that I was asked to contribute and I can't wait to start drafting content. Am I worried that I won't be able to keep up? I mean, you know how often I post here. I think that since I am accountable to someone else, it will get done. When I just have to answer to myself, I tend to procrastinate. Just ask the Photoshop program that is still in the box up on my shelf. You feel me? Photoshop and I need to go on a weekend staycation. Just the two of us and Scott Kelby's book. Amazing things could happen then. I might forget to feed myself, but hey, at least I would have amazing pictures to show for it. I wonder if Prince Charming would mind.

Speaking of the daily grind, it is time to get lunches ready for the wee ones and then zip off with the littlest one to pick up the not so little one. Sometime soon I will write about what I want to be when I grow up. But don't expect that anytime soon. Photoshop and I have a date. But not before I go out on a date with Prince Charming. Good thing that is tonight!

Her Baptism

So, you could say I am a bit behind on posting. G was baptized....in April. She had hair back then! The day was lovely. We had her baptized in the same chapel where the boys were baptized and Prince Charming and I were married. Her baptismal gown was the same one that the boys wore, and I wore, and my mother wore, and maybe even my grandmother wore. I will have to do a fact check on that one. Regardless, the gown is beautiful and so fragile. It was a beautiful service and G was pretty darn good considering she was ready for a nap.

She was thinking about whether or not to be cranky.

She got a blessing from Aunt JoJo.

The boys were so good during the baptism. B was fascinated with the candles and all of the different parts of the service. E was true to form and asked a lot of questions.

The Kings so graciously accepted the role of Godparents. G couldn't be luckier!

My grandmother (GG) loved seeing the baptismal gown on G.

After the service we went over to my parent's house for a party! We had a lovely lunch with family and friends. Of course, G passed out as soon as she had the opportunity.

I am realizing that this post is kind of lame. Had I wrote about it when it happened, I think I would have had a lot more information! Anyway, she got baptized, here are the pictures to prove it, and now I am off to make a list of all of the other things that I would like to write about. Someday.

7 months old!

Well, this peach is 7 months old! When did THAT happen? I was planning on commemorating her 6 month birthday with a lovely post, but that date came and went. So, I am a month behind. Who cares, at least I am getting this done! Just ask my sister if SHE has any pictures in her baby book. It's all I'm saying.

I just LOVE this baby stage! She sleeps through the night, takes good naps, and every time she sees me she just gives me the biggest, gummiest smiles. I love this girl. So do the boys. They think is hilarious when she "talks" and giggles. G is babbling up a storm. She loves using her voice, and likes to screech when she is in a good mood. When she wakes up in the morning, she just chats. No more crying. She loves being tickled and thinks it is hilarious when Maylie sniffs her face.

She continues to eat everything I give her. Her latest additions include carrots, plums, beets, and peas. I have some left over pot roast that I plan on pureeing for her. We will see how she likes that. The girl still doesn't have any teeth. Not even a bump on her gums. E was late to get teeth, so this doesn't surprise me at all.

As far as mobility, she moves. Fortunately (for me) she isn't quite crawling yet. She rolls wherever she wants to go, pivots, and scoots backwards. She is capable of getting to where she wants to be. Sometimes she backs herself into a corner or up against something. She is rocking on her knees, but for now she is content to be on her belly. I need to start to be better about the boys and their Legos. Now that she is moving about on the floor, the legos can't be there. B is getting better about it, but E still likes to just drop things wherever he is.

She is definitely a Mama's girl. If someone else is holding her, she will crane her neck to be sure she can see me. We don't have any separation issues yet. She doesn't mind being with other people. But if she is tired and ready to nurse and she happens to see me, she will throw a fit until she is in my arms. I love how her biggest problems are so easily solved with nursing and napping. Wouldn't it be nice if all it took were a nice nap to wash our worries away. Babies are great that way.

I can't believe that less than a year ago, she was a newborn blob. At least she had hair back then. I wonder when that will grow in. Perhaps along with her teeth!