Do you use a grainmill?

I am shopping for grain mills. I think I have finally hit the point where I am going to buy one! Does anyone out there use a hand crank mill? I know it only grinds 1/2 cup per minute, but since we are on the way to "Little House on the Prairie-ing" it, maybe that's the way to go...? Otherwise, what is your favorite electric model? I have seen the different comparison charts but there is nothing like someones first hand experience to really rate an item.

Carri P-I have yet to purchase my hand meat grinder. One more deer roast or stew and I think it'll be the purchase following! Also on my list is to make your gallon yogurt. We have only done that in smaller increments and the way my 5 can go through yogurt, it's definitely time to increase. Thanks for the tip.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We are off to the girls 2nd to last basketball practice. They participated in Upwards this year. It is a neat program that incorporates a devotional into every practice and game. I made granola today. I am now off to clean up the huge mess from my dear two year old who decided it was a good idea to dump his bowl on his tray and the floor. Oh boy! Ok, now he is standing up in his highchair and banging his spoon on the back while singing a little song. Oh, its stuck. He is saying, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, it stuck now." Think maybe I should stop writing and take care of this little issue? Ok. I will. Good-bye.

Oh, but...now he is saying, "I GOT IT!! I GOT IT!! THE SPOON!"

Friday Fevers and Fun

Seriously, that's my title. I have two down with colds and slight fevers. Although the day involved a lot of tissues and hand sanitizer, we still had fun.

I "twisted" or "locked" Abigail's hair while we watched a bit of our school movie. This style should last a few weeks since we are not in and out of the pool anymore for the season (sigh). It is really cute on her.

I made this for dinner! It doesn't look as good in the picture, but it was fun. Any guesses?
It's a non-seafood seafood theme. The turkey-dog is an octopus. The noodles with cheese are sand. The almonds are shells. The grapes are sea nettles. The cucumber is seaweed. Although Daniel preferred to call it a snake! The black beans are "ink." The kids really enjoyed figuring out what each thing was supposed to be and then they enjoying gobbling it up! Tip: Cut 8 legs onto your hotdog while leaving about 1.5 inches together at top, then boil. The ends will curl, helping to create your octopus.

Face stuffers! Ashley doesn't really eat like that; she saw me coming with the camera.

Don't let those cute, clean faces fool you! These are my sickies.
Come on, look sick or noone will believe me! Papa and Gramommy will just think I was teasing them in order to get them to take Ashley to her 9:15 pm soccer game. Yes, you read that right, 9:15 pm. Huh?!
Thanks Dad and Mom aka Papa and Gramommy!!!

The non-sickies after dinner. They had a great time on the trampoline.
These are their funny faces!

Hope you enjoyed our day in pictures. All photos were taken on my cell phone, so no excuse now. I will just post kind of blurry phone photos. Have a happy Saturday!

Car Cakes

I love to bake with the kids. We use that time for Math, following Directions and FUN!
Yesterday we made little cakes in the William Sonoma Car Cake Pan and then decorated them with frosting. The kids had fun. I always divide the group, one big girl with one little boy. They measure and mix. Isaiah slept while we put the batter together, but was ready to help decorate when the time came. I put a car in front of each child...Isaiah dug right in and the rest decorated. Daniel wasn't quite ready for this picture. He almost looks like he was caught with the frosting, but he was actually really focusing on his "project" and looked up at the last second.

Loving the Map!

Hi Friends,
I am loving my CustrMap. It is so neat to see how spread out my blog visitors are. Thanks for coming to see me. I am amazed at the connection I have to the outside world through this little bit of my life. As I write this I am laughing. If you read my post from a few days ago you know about the ice cream truck. Well, he just drove by and hubby has the kids at the park two doors down. I am sure they are begging for ice cream while I am enjoying a bit of me time. Right before they left I had spent an hour with the four of them making shortbread cookies. Have you ever tried to do that with a 3 and 4 year old?! Even the 7 and 10 year olds had a bit of a problem with the dough constantly falling apart. The boys made a few cookies and then ate a lot of dough. At least shortbread is only flour, sugar and butter. Or in my world, "yum!"

Okay Mommy bloggers...if this is your only form of communication with the "outside world" head on over to In A Shoe to see what fun the West Coast Mommy Bloggers had during their get together. (KimC, if you read this, who is welcome to San Antonio? It looks like so much fun. AND, no I am not a naked hairy man in real life! I am a faithful reader of you blog-love it!)

I have smoked turkey pot pie in the oven, so off to finish dinner. Yes, from scratch and much better for us than ice cream! ;)