Baseball, Baking and Bathing

I never thought of making homemade pudding.

Until last night, when I wanted to make a banana

pudding pie but did not want to make another

trip to the store to buy the pudding to make it.

So went to my favorite recipe site, Allrecipes.com.

I was surprised to find a very simple recipe that

I would easily be able to make into a sugar-free

dessert. It was so easy to make (and tasty too!)

that I had to make some more with Andan today.

And I am going to share the recipe with you!

Vanilla Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

In small bowl combine and mix corn starch, sugar and salt. Pour in to small pot. Add milk and whisk ingredients together.While whisking, turn stove onto medium heat and continue to whisk without boiling. When it thickens to pudding like consistency, remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla and stir. Pour into container or single serving bowls. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then chill (or eat it while it's still warm! Yummm). To make this a sugar-free (diabetic) treat substitute the sugar for xylitol and unsweetened almond milk for milk. Either way super yummy. I'm sure you could make chocolate pudding by eliminating the vanilla and adding cocoa powder!

I had a lot of fun, having fun with this LO.

Isha is really into trains right now. Especially

Thomas the Train. In La Mesa is this old steam engine

that has been turned into a museum. The kids got to

climb on it, around it and under it.

Andan is playing his first year of Baseball.

He is off to a great start and has already made

a double play at third base. He caught a fly ball

and tagged the runner out at third. Mommy was

so proud (and loud).

Squeaky Clean

Did you guys hear the story two months

ago how Isha locked me out of the house

when I was washing the car. He was inside

the house and could not manage to turn the

lock in the opposite direction to unlock it.

I was unable to get into the house. Well,
ended up calling the fire department so

they could reunite mother and son.

Admittedly, I have been leery of having

a repeat and have been careful to keep

keys and son in my hands when I walk out

the front door. So when it was time to wash the

car again, I was less reluctant to allow Isha to join me.
I thought he would play on the grass while I

kept a watchful eye on him.

REALLY, I only turned away for 3 seconds!

Well, I decided to go with it. He was happy,

I could watch him, wash him and the car

all at the same time.

How Long Has It Been

Well...it's been a while. Four birthdays have passed. Isha turned 2, Jared 17, Andan 6 and Justin 16. So here are some stories and photos to share (just to get you caught up).

Isha's new trike.

Momma and Isha on his 2nd Birthday.

Andan received this awesome Peacemaker Medal in his school's Peacemaker Assembly. What an awesome thing it was to see my child receive this reward! My heart was glad!



And so was he!

What a beautiful boy and an awesome photo. His dad captured this moment.

This is a Layout I created recently, of our Anniversary. We revisited Julian which is where we Honeymooned. We had an awesome day together hiking Azelia Glen Loop Trail. The trail has severely been altered by fallen trees due to recent fires and rains. We had quite an obstacle course and even thought we were off course and possibly lost at several points during the hike. I quickly metaphorically related the hike to our 3 year marriage, and as the story goes we stayed our course through many challenges and obstacles and completed the journey.

We sure did have a lot of rain for San Diego during the last couple of months. Have you ever had to contain young children indoors for days on end? If you have then you know that as soon as the sun is shinning through, you release them. So what if the backyard is a swamp? Put some old clothes on them and set them free. Don't worry they wash up well! The kids, that is. Not the clothes.





I had the honor of attending a retreat last weekend with a fun group of ladies from Sweetwater Community Church. I find God has a way with timing. He knows what you need and when you need it. I had been having some "heart" issues in the weeks prior. Heart issues are those

things that we are struggling with or dealing with at the core of our being. Those issues that you know your not handling right. It could be anger, selfishness,, bitterness , unforgiveness or any of these human traits that we seem to carry around like baggage. God had been trying to get my attention and I had been resisting Him. He would continually bring it to my attention and I continued to resist his gentle, persistent, "Julie, how about this issue." "No God, not that." In truth He just wanted me to lay it at his feet and let Him carry it. And here I find myself on this retreat. No demands of busy days and tiny voices requiring my attention and time. And in the quiet, His nudging just got stronger and stronger.

Now it is the final day of our retreat and as part of our Sunday morning service, we went off to have some time of solitude. As I sat I felt this incredible love and I finally surrendered. It felt as if I was being held in my Father's arms. And though he was correcting me he was embracing me with the love that only my Creator could give. I started to share my heart issues with Him. I started to confess and pour out my hurts and failures. He just continued to hold me in his embrace, loving me, excepting me.

As a child, I don't recall a time in my life sitting in my parents lap being disciplined yet strongly feeling their love at the same time. I'm pretty sure I would have struggled against their embrace

even if they tried. And here I am 37 years old and my Father in Heaven is allowing me to feel and experience this unconditional love like I never have before.

THIS is the same love and grace that I want my children to experience. I don't just want to be correcting them. I want them to experience and know how deeply I love them. Even in their shortcomings and their failures. I am so thankful that God finally got hold of me last weekend and I was able to rest in His arms and feel his love. It is something I am sure I will remember

forever.

I can't believe that this photo was capture. This IS the moment!

Pina Colada Cake

First layer with whipped cream and drained crushed pineapple.

I also brushed some cream of coconut(also added to cake) on the top of both layers.

Little helper!

This cake is full of love!
Second layer also brushed with cream of coconut.




Final product with homemade cream cheese frosting and coconutflakes.


This was the only candle I could find. I know 50 years from now someone
will find the photo and think it is of Isha's 3rd birthday.

Yum!

This cake was originally called Cream of Coconut Cake. But after some of my own additions, I gave it a new name. I made this cake for Roque's birthday. I wanted to make something I hadn't made before that he would enjoy. Something different with a little island feel to it. Not a regular, "satisfies the kids" cake. Something more sophisticated. I really wanted to impress and dazzle him with my culinary skills.

My hubby was very impressed and can't wait for his birthday next year to have it again. Although it was a very yummy cake.

Two Peas in a Pod

Do they look sick?

Ummm...No Comment!

As Isha is getting older, these two seem to do everything together. I encourage this relationship, although there are some things that I would rather they keep to themselves. Like illnesses!

Pumpkins and the Pumpkin Patch

Barrel of fun

Hog Heaven

Oops! Forgot to correct red eye!



Gorgeous Boy

Another one!

Wanna kiss?

This would have been a good photo if it wasn't blurry.

I love fall. I love the smell of spices on a cool fall day. To celebrate the season, I have been trying out some fall recipes.
Pumpkin Cookies were a big hit at my house. These cookies were more like a seasonal Little Debbie cake complete with caramel frosting on top. Great with a tall glass of cold milk. Not a big fan of Chili, I had to try Pumpkin Turkey Chili. This recipe did not call for any beans. I had to give it a try. With pumpkin and turkey being the main ingredients and the right amount of peppers and spices, this was a personal favorite for a cool fall evening. Of coarse the season would not be complete without a batch of Pumpkin Bread. This bread is so yummy, it is good that the recipe makes 3 loaves. Eat some now and freeze some for later or share with friends and family.

Do you have any fall favorites you would like to share?

Of coarse fall would not be complete with out a trip to the pumpkin patch. We went on a dusty hayride, fed the animals and explored the pumpkins. Isha proclaimed, "it's fun!" And that about says it all!

Achievements and Milestones

Isn't that the cutest baby tooth you've ever seen?

Andan lost his first tooth this morning. He sure was excited! He is anticipating a visit from the tooth fairy. He seems a little young to be loosing his teeth already. But he had another tooth pushing through behind it. I took him to the dentist last week. The dentist did say that his jaw is still very small and there is not enough room for his permanent teeth. I guess there is nothing to do about it for now but wait for his jaw to mature. Though none of this is of concern to Andan who is just excited to have a gap to show off.

Achievements

Andan and his best bud (from preschool!!). Can you believe they

are in the same Kindergarten class (out of 4 classes!). They both got

an award.

Andan and his kindergarten teacher.

Last Friday was a very special day and a proud moment for us. Andan received an award for being a great helper and always being very polite. I am so proud of him! He really has a gentle spirit and a good heart. I hope that this is a characteristic that he will always have and the world will not taint him.

A Rarity

The block

The huddle

The wrong game?


The catch (great catch! Great shot!)

The line

The fall? The catch???

When Roque asked me if I'd seen the photos on the camera, I didn't think too much of it. We are always taking photos. He said he got some photos of the kids playing. That's not unusual either. So imagine my surprise when I was down loading photos this morning and saw the pictures that he captured.

He got photos of ALL the kids playing. TOGETHER. Yes, five children together, playing (together) the same game at the same time.

But wait!! There's more... He got photos of it! Yes, there it is...proof! Proof that they play together. Proof that the older three children actually exist and reside in our home.

I don't know how he did it. If he hid behind the shadows barely breathing in fear of exposing the fact that he was in possession of the camera, I don't know. I wasn't there to witness it. But I can attest to the fact that he accomplished a great feat. There's proof... and I stand and applaud!

He's going for it!

Competitive

Is Isha ready to catch the ball or what?

Action!

A hug or a quarterback sac?

I Had To Do It AGAIN!

It began when Isha was 7 months old. Pure torture! I don't know if there are other mothers that can relate, but to cut my baby's hair just rips my heart apart. Yea, weird, I know! The child starts looking like a rag muffin, it should feel like the most natural thing to do. But for me it's not. It's a battle within. No, I don't know why.

Isha was blessed with a head full of hair when he was born. A fast growing head of hair, that is. When he was seven months he had long black ringlets. Truly beautiful. I know because everyone commented on my beautiful baby GIRL who "looks just like a living doll". Well mommy can field those comments much better than daddy. I finally had to concede and do the deed. So at seven months I was faced with cutting my precious baby's hair. SEVEN MONTHS!!!

You would think that the pain stops there at that pivotal first hair cut. Not for me. I had to cut it again before his first birthday. My (ex marine) husband is so gracious and does allow Isha's hair to grow (as you can tell from photos). But there comes a point when he says it's time for another haircut. And he's right. I did take him into the hair salon to get a "professional" cut once, shortly after his first birthday. I hated it. It was like his little personality had been cut away. So, for now I continue to take on the task of cutting his hair when it reaches that rag muffin stage.

I dread the day that clippers are taken to his beautiful head. So until then I wield my scissors and admonish my hubby, "Babe, back away from the baby!" and I go about my heart breaking task.

Adjustments

I haven't posted in a long time. To be honest, I haven't been a good follower either for the last several weeks. I don't know why, but adding one more thing to my plate has kinda sent me off my regular coarse. I'm sure with time I will jump back on...but for now I am allowing myself the time to adjust. So here is what I've been up to:

Working part time at Target has become better with time. I have found my niche in "soft lines" which (if you've been in a Target) is anything in a carpeted area, namely clothing.

Unfortunately, I have not figured out a way to keep up with going to the gym. Work has kinda taken my night time workout...out! No, I don't work every night (only 3-4 nights a week), but I find when I am not working, I don't have enough self-discipline to get to the gym. I just want to lounge around. The good news is that I have started to walk with a friend around a local school track. I think I can fit that in at least twice a week. I also tried walking to Andan's school to pick him up and walk home. It worked out well, was a nice hour round trip walk and Andan had no complaints (and kept the pace!) on the way home. I'm going to give that a try a least a couple times a week.

The kids are all settling into their school year, Roque is settling into his same position/different location job and Isha is settling into his many life changes. He is adjusting to momma going to work and his best friend, Andan gone for a portion of the day. He is enjoying our little outings to the zoo, library and other errands that I need run. Sometimes he lets me know when he wants to escape the house and "go bye-bye".

And like I mentioned, I am adjusting too. Days are more divided now that summer is over and kids need to be dropped off/picked up at school. I find that I don't have the energy to do the one thing I truly love, scrapping. I have decided to put a hold on it until I have an area that I can create for short spurts of time without having to be concerned about picking everything up and just to haul it all out again to finish a layout or project. I think that I may need to wait 2-4 months until Isha is ready to make that transition from crib to bed. I have been having fun using my digital point and shoot camera in manual mode (I sure do miss my SLR). The photos above are some of my favorites.

We are going through colds in our house right now. And with colds comes asthma, so we are trying to keep that under control. Isha is our biggest concern in this area, so he is under red alert surveillance. Speaking of Isha, he is now potty trained and in underwear all day! Yea!!!

So as you can see, it is all about adjusting to the changes and challenges that life throws at you...and that is what we are up to right now.