Slow Start

This school year is starting off very....well...hasn't even started yet.  Our oldest daughter had a son, Emmanuel,  born at 28 weeks 6 days at the end of July.  He was 3 lbs.  He is now 4 lbs. 1/2 oz.  He was doing very well but had a set back and is now back in an incubator.
She is struggling somewhat with the fact that she can't hold him and that he won't be coming home for awhile. We are all waiting patiently for him to come home.  They will be living with us; little man will be homeschooling right along with his Uncle, and 2 aunts. LOL
This grandmom can't wait to sing to him, rock him, and just plain love on him.

About this past summer; it was interesting. Tom went on a missions trip, Youth Camp, was/is working with his Dad, went to the shore.  Katie and Ana worked with horses, went to horse camp, enjoyed riding in a 4H show and were on the swim / dive team.  This was not a good swimming year.  Katie ended up with stitches while leisure swimming.  She smacked her head on a diving block and this was the result:

8 stitches across the forehead.  A few days before this, she jumped on a mini trampoline and hurt her knee.  During a dive competition she was to do a back dive and she slipped and fell.  One good thing for her is that she competed in her first diving championships and she came in 18th out of around 32 kids.  Not bad for a first timer.  

Ana has been doing well.  She has enjoyed the swimming and diving.  She actually started doing back dives.  Last year, she couldn't even get off the board she was so scared.  She swam well and enjoyed her summer. 

carnival time

 Ed and I will be married 31 years in a few weeks.

I will try and update more this week.

MARGARETE

One Minute Bread and Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding

 This afternoon Katie could  not sit still.  I decided that instead of paper/book work, we would make some dessert and make "bread".  

First we made a Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding.  I used:

2 cups cold canned coconut milk (and added a small amount of unsweetened almond milk to make it a full 2 cups)

1/3 cup Chia seeds

1/3 cup Cocoa Powder

1/4 cup Agave

sprinkled in the cinnamon to our liking.

We placed all ingredients into a mason jar, shook, and put in the refrigerator for just a few hours.  The canned coconut milk was cold so it thickened quickly.  Next time, we will add less cocoa powder for Ana.  The chocolate was quite strong.  Katie and I like that. 

(click pictures for a better view)

 

Second, we made One Minute Bread.  This can be found at www.glutenfreepoodlehome.com

This bread is easy to make and very versatile.  The girls enjoyed make them.  Each ramekin serves 1.  Ana made 2 breads with Enjoy Life Mini Choc. Chips and 2 breads with raisins.  Katie made 2 plain breads and 2 with the chocolate chips. 

For dinner Ana cooked a ham so I had a plain "bread" with a piece of ham and egg on it.  delicious.  I could have added cheese, etc.  but I am not feeling well today.

.... take a look at this recipe, you will be delighted. 

 

Molasses Candy

At the spur of the moment we decided to make more candy; this time molasses candy.

We used (recipe from internet):

1 1/2  cups molasses

1 1/2 cups brown sugar  

We placed everything in a pot and stirred, and stirred.  When it started to boil, we set the timer for 10 minutes and checked the consistency by dropping some of the mixture in cold water.  

We then poured this onto snow that was in cake pans.

This was fun but a little "sticky."

You also have to be careful because it is extremely hot.

The candy is very tasty.  

I do suggest that when it is hardened to put it into a container lined with waxed paper and layer this.  

 

Snow Slushies and Snow Coconut Ice Cream

Today the girls enjoyed snow slushies at breakfast and snow ice cream for dessert.

I had found a recipe for slushies but it used 2 ingredients I never heard of.  It was more for sickness.

We used:

1/2 cup   Cherry Juice Concentrate

1/4 cup coconut water 

1/2 Tbsp. Agave Syrup

1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

We mixed everything together and poured over the snow. 

DELICIOUS!

The recipe I found for the ice cream is:

4 cups of snow

1/4 cup coconut milk (I used canned)

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

*flaked coconut (we added this to the top of our ice cream)

We mixed the milk, honey and vanilla in a separate pan and then poured it into the snow and stirred.  

The girls loved it.  It was quite yummy.