Co-Sleeping...now you know why I am tired

Yep, you guessed it. I am one of those people. One of those people whose children have never slept in a crib, with the except of a nap or two between all 3 of them. In the beginning it was for safety and convenience. Knowing that they are safe and nearby was reassuring. For convenience because I nursed all my boys and it was nice to not even really have to wake up for too long to nurse at night, let alone not having to get up, turn on a light, and the like. So I am a very tired person, in general, because I have never slept without a little one nearby. I do absolutely love it... I love looking over and watching them sleep, I love hearing them take their little breaths, I love having them right there with us. What I don't love however, is the lack of sleep, I have turned into a super light sleeper. I wake at almost any movement and noise.

Just two nights ago as I laid on the very corner-edge of a king sized bed, I was thinking how ridiculous it was that I was occupying only 5% of the entire bed...meanwhile Samuel was smack dab in the middle with arms and legs stretched out to their fullest potential.

One compromise we did make with the other 2 - we will lay with them until they fall asleep. OK OK so I know we aren't necessarily doing things by the book, but hey - they are only young once. I guess I have just succumb to the fact that I will always be tired at least until my kids have grown. Then I can stay up all night worrying about where they are and what they are doing. :O)

He is Risen!

Thank you Jesus. Reflecting on what this day is truly all about.

Taken from Dayspring.com - Heart to Heart with Holley

Easter Prayer
LORD, Thank You for the gift of HOPE You gave us on Easter morning. Because of You we know That no problem is too difficult And even death does not have power over us.

Thank You for the gift of JOY You gave us when You were resurrected. Because of you we know That no matter how challenging life may be, In the end we will rejoice again.

Thank you for the gift of LOVE You gave us when You laid down Your life. Because of You we know That there is no sin too great to separate us and we are incredibly valuable to You.

Thank You for the gift of LIFE, You gave us when You left the tomb. Because of Easter we know this world is just the beginning and we will spend forever in heaven with You. We celebrate You, JESUS, With hearts full of praise and gratitude For who You are and all You've done for us! Amen.

-Holley Gerth
@Dayspring 2010, http://holley.dayspring.com

It's Friday but Sunday's Coming!

I Love You Five Hundred!

Something my two oldest boys have been saying lately makes me bust a huge smile every time! They think that attaching a huge number to things they say really demonstrates how strongly they feel. So when it comes time to saying goodnight, they have been saying:

Preston the 6yr old: "I love you sixty billion, five hundred, eight-five" (any large random string of numbers) OR "I love you higher than any number God can count"

Oliver simply says: "I love you five hundred"

I love it, love it! Makes me feel happy and loved.

I remember when I was young when I tried to show my Mom how much I loved her I would open my arms up as wide as they would stretch and tell her that's how much I love her. Still do... but don't express it so much anymore. Next time I see her, I will prepare my arms to open up wide, wonder if she remembers.

Lookie Here for a Really Cool Blog

Recently I heard about a local photographer who started a blog 2 years ago. His intent was to meet 1 stranger a day, get their story and take a photograph of them. I love this idea, I actually wanted to do something similar a few years ago but it ended as quickly as it started. Must have been a time that I had a tiny one hanging on to me. ANYWHO>... I totally think that EVERYONE has a story. I love to meet people and get their "story". I am always intrigued, many times surprised. I love it!

Go take a look around, get to know a stranger! http://www.iheartstrangers.com/

Aunt Sophie's Spanish Outdoor Oven Bread

Every couple of years I end up pulling out the old family recipe cookbook. It was put together for a family reunion in 1984. I learned how to drive a stick shift there, that summer, I was 12 - the good ole days right? It was a small town after all.

Every time I pull out the book I usually have a purpose, on a mission looking for an old familiar. Until today. It has turned into quite the snowstorm outside so I decided I want to bake today, fill the house with the smell of bread. I initially went to allrecipes.com, then the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, but then I came across the cookbook. Simply titled The Benavidez Family Cookbook. I flipped to the bread section, past the tortillas, the sopapillas and bunuelos that are so familiar to me to a recipe with a curious title.

I read through the recipe titled Spanish Outdoor Oven Bread... hmmm. I decided to read through, I saw that I had all the ingredients I would need, still not completely convinced though. I skimmed down the page to see that my Grandma's Aunt Josie submitted it, I made her sisters tortillas recently. So what got me? The last line of her recipe read "You have never eaten a better bread in your life". OK - Fully convinced, I went to work.





Ok, so I put the bread in the oven and left for the store. I told my husband to watch them and to pull them out when the oven beeped. Let me just tell you that when I came back all 3 boys and Daddy has mouths and fistfuls of bread... they were eating it plain, no butter even. I was like "it's that good"? I seriously love bread but it always needs butter. However I tore of a chunk and WOW - it really didn't need butter or anything, it was delicious! Nice hard crust too, not to crumbly. It really was the best bread I have eaten, and yes I did end up putting butter - almost heaven! So good, HIGHLY RECOMMEND - Go make it right now - go!

The Recipe - notes on bottom indicate amounts halfed
(Click to Enlarge)

Retake, Lemon Swirl Cookies

After making Lemon Swirl cookies, they didn't quite turn out swirly. Going thru the fridge the next day I remembered that I wrapped up some of the dough to bake later. I pulled it out, sliced it with a sharp knife and baked. I have to say these ones turned out way more swirly than the original batch. Not sure why... to me, it was worthy of a revisit. Thanks for looking!