Happiness. Lately. March 2015 (vol 10)

first off - Welcome new Facebook followers :)  Please believe me when I say that very soon I will start blogging real content again, so don't go away!  I really will be back with posts other than random tidbits.  Pinky swear.   But seriously.  Welcome!  

You know how I don't blog much lately, right?  My plan was to take a break during March so that I could jump back in on April 1st with a bang, but on April 1st I spent the early part of the morning at the pediatrician with three kids, and then the later part of the morning and the early part of the afternoon at the ER with a dehydrated, ear-infected, miserable baby boy.  That afternoon I took a nap.  And that evening I thought it was best not to blog because it was Russ' and my 10th anniversary, so instead of blogging, I did romantic things with Russ, like eat Red Robbin takeout on the living room floor and chat about how crazy and wonderful life is.  

That crazy, wonderful life?  Yeah - we were living it hard core last night with Russ cleaning up one vomit-y bed around midnight and me getting a vomit-y baby out of his crib around 5am.  We have had some version of illness in the house for over two weeks now.  I'm soooo over it.  But, apparently the germ hasn't gotten the message.  I'm really praying that it's all over by Easter Sunday.  A girl can hope and pray, right?

So here, I am.  But it's not with the "It's April and I'm back!" bang that I had planned.  It's just a brief little photo doc on the past few weeks so that when I look back through my archives I can remember more than just the illness of March 2015.   

(As you shall see, even though it was the middle of Lent, we ended up having a lot of special desserts this month...)

We had our last fires of the season (even if it gets cold enough in April - which it probably will! - we're out of fire wood for the season.)  And we burned our scented pine cones from Christmas.  It was pretty!

I turned 36 and made this decadent cake...

I also got a new phone for my birthday which has increased the quality of my mobile phone photos by a factor of 127.  So, if you're not already following me on Instagram that's good, because you were spared all the grainy photos.  Now's the time to follow me so you can witness my transformation into a world class iPhone photographer (or something like that...)  Won't you join me at https://instagram.com/ordinarylovely/ ?

Most of the snow melted.

Russ bought us a shamrock plant and I made some cookies and we celebrated St. Patrick's Day :)

Russ also bought a sprig of lilies, but then he was out of town for St. Joseph's Day, so we prayed for him, but he sadly didn't get to pray and feast with us.  My mom joined us though!  (She had to bring me the heavy cream for the cream puffs, because the cream in my fridge was solidified... obviously, it had been in there longer than I realized...)  These were the best cream puffs I've ever made.  I was sorry Russ had to miss it :(

St. Joseph's (cookie) tools :)

 Then we celebrated Clare's birthday, even though some were a little under the weather and some were a lot under the weather.

Everyone was way too sick on the first day of spring for our traditional "Welcome Spring" cake, so we had it a week or so later after Russ was home and while my sister in law was here visiting from Australia!  

We've been playing a lot of games lately, which usually translate into lots of family fun...

And in other notable March news, since Russ was gone and lots of kids were sick at the time of a crucial library due date - I now owe the public library even more than I did back when I wrote this post.  I'm a blocked user.  I'm now a repeat offender.  You officially follow a blog run by a good-for-nothing shirker of library responsibilities.  

There was a lot of other lovely and smile-worthy things that happened during March, but this is all I can come up with for now.  

I hope you have a blessed Triduum and a very happy and holy Easter!    

Happiness. Lately. February 2015 (vol 9)

Happiness.  Lately.  February.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to...  (wherein I reveal that much of February revolved around equal parts snow and James.)

Happiness is...

this face.  I just want to squeeze him and eat him up!!!

the things I find around the house that make me smile and say, "let me get my camera!"

lavender hot chocolate.  Ohhhhhh, this was such. a. treat.   It was rich, decadent, aromatic, and delicious... everything a gourmet hot cocoa ought to be.  And I made it myself!  

clean up time with a handmade dish cloth ;)

big brothers, little brothers...

days that are above ten degrees and Dad's snow blowed a path and Mom lets us get our bikes out??  I guess.

Ruthie was a little teary eyed because she kept falling :(

colored pencils.  And pictures of colored pencils.  I love colored pencils.

when all the neighborhood is out in the mornings.  Snow storms build camaraderie. 

a pretty cookie-making picture...

and happiness definitely is when the kids actually let me get a nice picture of them!!

Lately...


James is weaned.

and James is walking.  Yep.

And because this is my blog and he is the cutest ever and I can do whatever I want, here are even more pictures of Sweet Baby James.  Sorry. 

Dominic made his First Confession!  It truly was an answer to prayer that he was able to receive the Sacrament when he did.  We were hesitant to have him receive the Sacrament amidst all the other kids in the parish religious ed class.  We were given permission to come on the first Saturday of Lent at our parish's regular Confession time - Dominic made his first Confession with our pastor, and then Russ, Aaron and I were able to go also to kick off Lent (so to speak...)  It was just what we had prayed for. 

You can see how laden down with sin Dominic was on the way into church ; Or was that just the cold and snow?  Well, either way, he came out squeaky clean!  And then we had ice cream sundaes that night to celebrate!

We celebrated Ruth's fifth birthday!  She said she wanted a cake that was "the part of the meadow where the grass stops and the wild flowers start and it all blends into the sky. " Not like she has a flair for the dramatic or anything...

I have very limited cake decorating skills, but I think I did ok :)

Aaron built a Lego model of a cargo ship from Ancient Egypt for a special event at the study center the boys attend.  Then he had to carry it through a snow storm to the car to get it there...   February.  ugh.

We took a week off of school lessons for Winter Break.  Instead of regular old math, spelling, reading, we did chalk pastels with Nana from HodgePodge, cozy reading, playing, and art (which has been a popular thing around here lately since Ruth got some sketch pads and art supplies for her Birthday.)  We also read about the American Revolution because to me, that's fun!  It felt so awesome to take a break, but it's been hard getting back into the old routine :(

And I've still been crocheting.  It's been a nice change of pace though, as I've finished up several smaller projects and have gotten back to work on blankets for the boys I started last Spring.  I work on one for a little bit then switch to the other.  Working on a long term project gets boring for me if I don't break it up a little.  I'm not sure what happened with my measurements though...  I thought they were the same width, but it looks like Dominic's blanket (the blue/green and cream) is much wider.  Maybe that will become the length?  Not sure yet...

Also, in other over-the-top awesome crocheting news.......  I taught my sister how to crochet!!!!!!!!!!   And she loves it!  It's like all my dreams are coming true - I have someone who's similarly addicted, texts me throughout the days with her progress and latest projects, and gets it when I bemoan the fact that regular daily responsibilities really interfere with the time I'd rather be crocheting.  Housework is so inconvenient when there's yarn fun to be had!   Anyway, I've got a new Instagram hashtag if you want to stay on top of what Sarah and I are making and want to keep us posted on what you're hooking - hang out with us #dontmindmeimcrocheting :)

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Join me in looking back on February and sharing the little tings that were your happiness and some of the things that have been happening lately.

Link up your Happiness. Lately. posts for February here!  (open for a week!)

An InLinkz Link-up

Happiness. Lately. January 2015 (vol 8)

Happiness.  Lately.  January.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to...

Happiness is...  

My super readers!!!!!!!!   Aaron and Dominic both accomplished the reading goals I had set for them for the first semester (which ended for us in early January.)  So I finally told them I had enrolled them in Book-It, the reading challenge from Pizza Hut where you meet reading goals to earn personal-size pizzas.  Needless to say, they were crazy excited!  And so was I because they're doing so well, and working so hard, and I got to take them our for pizza (I am their reading teacher, after all :) )

Related... Aaron got his first library card!!

Our new dining room table!  Russ and I had casually talked about looking for a new one, but hadn't taken it any further.  A few weeks before Christmas we were out and decided to zip through a department store after dinner (Indian food!) to look for two specific things... neither of which was a dining room table.  Anyhoo...   we spotted this, we spotted the sign that said "All Furniture 50% off," we spent 45 minutes sitting at it, rearranging the chairs, measuring it, and weighing the pros and cons on a new and different table.  And then we bought it.  It was delivered mid-January and so far, it's true love!   

the delivery guys were so great to the kids!

first lunch at the new table :)

first lesson planning at the new table ;)

The day the Yankee Candle scratch n' sniff catalog comes in the mail!

I'm on Instagram...but don't really know what I'm doing yet and still trying to find my way around.  I think to follow me you go to... http://instagram.com/ordinarylovely/.  I think :)

Pretty snow and pretty pictures.

Mason jar love.  A friend recently Pinned something like 45 Things to Do with mason jars.  I love using my jars, and have quite a few.  So I quickly did two projects to make me a little more smiley in the kitchen!  

a Parmesan shaker and salt dispenser :)

Here are my other favorite pantry-pretty jars (they've been getting a lot of use this chilly January :)  

This cute little sewing project my mom found that I made in 1985, when I was 6!  Isn't it the cutest?!  I'm claiming it as proof that I've been crafty since the beginning and you can't take it out of me :)

Siblings!  

Lately:

The three oldest have started swim lessons up again.  While they're lesson-ing, I take Clare and James in the kiddie pool.  Clare describes our days at the pool as "this being fun!:  I describe it as "I must have been drunk or temporarily insane when I thought this would be a good idea and signed them up."  It is so stressful for me getting them all ready and out the door - there are swim suits and towels and swim diapers and regular diapers and diabetes supplies and snacks and changes of underwear and socks flying everywhere.  And I yell.  But so far, the two days we've done it have happened without anyone getting hurt or too badly scared by my yelling.  It's a big deal trusting the boys enough to take care of themselves and all their stuff alone in the men's locker room - and it's crazy trying managing the girls and James on my own in the women's locker room.  But I'll stop complaining now because exercise is good, learning to swim is awesome, and mostly, once I get over myself and just do what needs to be done, I end up saying - once everyone is home and in bed for swim-lesson-induced coma rest-time - this being fun!

The Sunday Homemade Dessert Project... one of the "things" we're trying this year is to avoid after-dinner snacks and desserts through the week and I will make a homemade dessert for Sundays.  While we haven't yet cut out other snacks entirely, we've had a lot less and I have made several delicious desserts.  I need some new ideas though - easy, tasty baking is my preference - so if you have any dessert ideas, let's chat in the comments :)  So far, I haven't made anything new.  We've had...

Pumpkin Sour Cream Bunt Cake, with cream cheese glaze  (it appears that this recipe has been removed from allrecipes.com, so I'll include it below.  It's good!

Oatmeal cookies w/ M & M's (recipe from a friend) - so good for dunking into milk :)

apple spice cake - I've written about this cake before.  It's one of my family's favorites - both of the girls have already requested it for their birthday cake.  (It was James' cake too!)

brownies and ice cream (not homemade)

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (yes homemade!)

New to my kitchen...When I was making said carrot cake, I had posted a facebook plea for help - what is an easy way to grate carrots without the risk of loosing the skin off your knuckles or an entire fingertip??? The majority of the answers were "Cuisinart food processor."  So guess what?!  I inherited a never-been-used one from my sister!  Well, we're co-owners now, and with advanced notice she'll get weekend visitation privileges.  So, I have my first ever large and powerful and awesome food processor!!!!  Tell me all the wonderful ways I can use it because I'm afraid I'll use it for shredding carrots and let it sit, unused, not fulfilling it's destiny, if I don't get some tips and suggestions from you!!  Can't wait to hear them :)  

I'm reading... 

Still plugging along with The Dean's Watch, by Elizabeth Goudge for the Stella Maris book club.  I hope I'll finish it on time for the discussion, but it may take an all-day reading retreat to accomplish that...  

Waiting for Jack 1939 and The Cutout to come in through the library.  Both are mystery/political thrillers by Francine Matthews, whose books under the name Stephanie Barron I like very much, so I thought I'd give these a try.

Also reading Noel Streatfeild's, Ballet Shoes (The Shoe Books) to see if it would be a good read aloud for the girls.  I've never read any other them, but every time I hear about them I think of the book store scene in You've Got Mail when Kathleen Kelly is setting in Fox Books crying but it still able to direct shoppers to good children's lit :)  

Soon starting Little House in the Big Woods with the girls as well.  The boys have listened to the audio book several times, and I think Ruth has picked up some of it, but it will be fun to start the series again just the girls while the boys are at tutoring.  

Sooooooo... when exactly do I have time for all this reading.  I really don't.  I say I'm reading books if they happen to be next to my bed or the couch, but picking them up is a completely different story ;)

It's easier to watch Netflix, because then I can crochet at the same time :)  I've been watching Death Comes to Pemberly.  Russ and I just finished all seven season of Burn Notice (which I recommend with a few caveats...) and a friend recently recommended Leverage, so maybe that's next???   Also, watched the movie "Chef" recently - it was good and it's on Netflix now :)

I've been creating...  I finished up some of the yet-to-be-completed Christmas gifts that were looming over me.  Nothing says I love you and wish you a Merry Christmas like a gift that's a month late... ugh.  Also started some crochet projects for myself - the pretty and practical kitchen dishcloths and some cold-weather survival goodies - two  hats - one that I wear around the house to stay warm... (when it's below 10 degrees outside it just saps the heat from our house :( )

a button cowl/neck warmer (which I'll write about soon because it's my pattern and I think it's great!) and this gorgeous cowl....  

"Selfie con baby to show off my awesome I-love-it-so-much super soft and cozy cowl finished this morning (I mean, I love this thing so much I even put makeup on for the picture!)"

"Then baby tore off glasses, lunged out of my arms, and the selfie shoot was over.... Back to real life with kids who have no appreciation for cowls or makeup."

(Instagram drama at its finest...)

Cowl pattern from here.

In sad January news, we just finished all our freezer meals this past week.  It's back to meal planning and cooking for me.  My plan is to double whatever meals I make so that I'll have a few extras ready to go, but no more intense binge cooking and freezing this year.  Well, until next Fall that is :)  

(back in October)

(now.  sadness.
Though I guess we're still doing alright on freezer jam and apple sauce!)

James turned one!  The birthday boy had tortellini soup for dinner, that apple spice cake for dessert, and lots and lots of Birthday hugs!  Love this kid!  And seriously can't believe he's one.  (Wasn't I just on my mini hospital vacation/getaway a few months ago??)  

One snowy day, the kids got out the doorway puppet theater I had made a couple years ago.  They've been having lots of creative fun with it!!  (I've mentioned before how much we love the gift of Folkmanis puppets we received one Christmas!)

Earlier this month I wrote about what it's like when I go shopping for my hordes family.  Christine wondered if my kids were wearing summer clothes in January.  No, Christine, I've just been stockpiling photos in anticipation of a grocery post.  Here's a recent photo with more seasonally appropriate attire :)

A dear friend of mine (our families lived next door to each other for over twenty years) was home for Christmas and the month of January from Mozambique, where she is a full-time, busy and important employee of the Peace Corps.  It was so wonderful to spend time with her and to see my children get to know her a little better!  She and her husband keep up their own lovely blog - I encourage you to check it out for her insights on living in southern Africa and the super cute baby onesies she designs!  

And finally....  what's going on here at the blog??  Well, unless you are an illiterate hermit who lives under a rock (obviously, no, because then you couldn't read blogs and there'd be no power outlet for your computer anyway...) you will have picked up on the fact that I love soup.  The Soup Savvy Page is new and all soup recipes and soup-related things will be there from now on!!  Yay!

Also new are the pages where I'll try to gather posts about my crafty projects, the crafty projects my kids are working on, and posts with books lists/reviews/info.  

If you're not sick of my yet, you're welcome to start following me on Instagram!  hope to check out your Insta-pics too!  That would be fun!  Like I said, I'm still figuring it out... Maybe see you there!!  (lots of the photos here were Instagram repeats, but I promise it won't always be like that!  I don't want to be that blogger that says "here's a new post" and it's all the same things that have already been happening on facebook and insta and all the other places people are...)

And last of all, thanks again to the generous and supportive readers who nominated me for two of Bonnie's Sheenazing awards.  I really was honored - and so happily surprised especially to be nominated for the best lifestyle blog award!  (I'll to step things up around here to feel like I really deserve that!)  Thanks if you voted, and thanks for reading!  Don't forget to head over to check out the winners and runners up :)  It was another great list this year!  

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  Feel like joining me in reflecting on and sharing some of the moments that made you happy and the things you've been up to this last month?  Link up your January list of Happiness. Lately.  I'd love to have you join me!   

Don't have a blog?  Let's chat in the comments!

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Pumpkin Sour Cream Bundt Cake Recipe

Ingredients

(cake)

3 c. flour

1 T ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 c. pure pumpkin puree

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

(streusel)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 c. chopped pecans

2 T. butter, cold

(glaze)

4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

3 T. milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt pan.

Prepare streusel.

Combine first four cake ingredients, set aside.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.

Add pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla.  Mix well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Spoon half the batter into the pan.  

Use a spoon to create a "ditch" in the batter around the entire bundt pan.

Spread streusel in "ditch," careful not to let it touch the sides of the pan.

Spoon remaining batter into the pan.  

Bake for 60 minutes or until tootpick comes out clean.  Cool for 30 minutes before turning out.

Prepare glaze by mixing all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Add more milk if necessary.

Once cake is completely cooled, drizzle with glaze.

Enjoy!