Sweet deal

I realize they are my kids... but aren't these adorable?????

The volunteer fire department comes around asking for donations and in return for a donation you get a free session with a photographer and a free 10x13 portrait. You don't expect much for a 'free' portrait, but how cute?! Of course I bought a 5x7 of each of the boys too :) They're growing so fast!

Potty Talk

... potty trained!?!?

Here is our synopsis thus far:

Day 1: started with the method of putting in underwear (big to-do of throwing away diapers), watching like a hawk, sprinting to the bathroom every time you saw him start/need to go, telling him to "tell mommy when you need to go potty" and "stay clean and dry. are you dry?" constantly. Eh, disaster? He wasn't caring when he had an accident (would just want to keep playing) and FLIPPED out when I would run him to the bathroom or tell him we needed to change underwear bc his were wet. I was being really calm and nonchalant about it but he was not calm at all. It was really, really bizarre to me because we had had success with the toilet before - he had used it and had a good attitude with it, etc. Where was this anxious, stressed attitude coming from??? Nap time came and went and after nap he woke up in the same mood. I was 2 seconds from calling it off and just trying again another day, but was trying to tell myself to just wait. At 4:15 (man, from 8:30 A-4:15P felt like THE LONGEST DAY EVER), I saw my little lady bug timer in the basement and had inspiration: use the timer to "tell" him to go try to go (no more trying to catch him in the act). Alas, from 4:15-8P we went potty about every 15 mins (ha! I figured we'd start short!) thanks to the lady bug's instructions and made it to bedtime without any more accidents... or tantrums.

Day 2: Lady Bug continued her presence - although I gradually extended the time from 20 minutes and up over the course of the day. He had a tiny accident mid-day and a pretty good one late afternoon as I was pushing the length between bathroom visits (whoops!). It was a very successful, low-stress day!

Day 3: Only one tiny accident and I phased the lady bug out completely by mid afternoon. I continued to tell him to go try every so often, but just by how long it felt like it had been.

Day 4: No accidents and he even told ME he needed to go once! (my biggest concern has been when he would be the one deciding to go to the potty....).

Day 5: No accidents again!

Day 6: No accidents!

I am still prompting him to go (when waking, before napping, during play, etc) but he is also occasionally telling me he needs to go. We've managed to run an errand once, go to dinner once, and go to our 3-hour block of church accident free.

I AM SO EXCITED! And SO PROUD of him!

He has been spoiled with (mostly dollar store) presents, lots of stickers, and M&Ms. I think he now expects everyone coming over to bring him some kind of a present. :-p One day this week I asked him if he wanted to call my Dad to tell him he had used the potty (reinforce, reinforce) and when he called he says, "Pop Pop, I peepee in the potty! You bring me present?" LOL He told him he'd give him some corn from the garden :)

Somebody pinch me. I really thought this was going to be dreadful, but it has gone so smooth overall! Sure hope this continues!

Way to go Mase!

Mondays

When I woke up this morning it looked like my house had exploded. I am happy to report that it is 9:52A and it is only looking 1/4 exploded now. Mondays can be so crazy sometimes. Hence why I plan to start potty training on a Tuesday. As in, tomorrow Tuesday. Wish us luck!

Motherhood

Just thinking about Motherhood today... I read this great blog post via a friend on Facebook.

I love my children. Even on crazy days (when I joke about selling them... ;). It is my honor to be their mother and take on this calling. And I am so, so grateful for my Mom.

"There is nothing more important in this world..." - Elder Holland

Kitchen Reveal: biting the bullet

This is it! Even though there are a bunch of things left to do (paint the window, decorate the dining wall, some pieces of trim installed...etc etc etc), it is time. Here is the before and current-after of our kitchen/dining area. I love it!

Before:

After:

cabinets washed, sanded, removed, painted (thank you for your help Brother & Sister Rowe!). new hardware. new light fixtures (thanks for the help Dad Spann!). new microwave (thanks for the help Joel!). some wood removed. scrubbed (thank you Linda & Lovie!). some new plumbing. new crown molding (thank you Uncle Don!). new pantry door, new finish. patched walls & ceiling, painted ceilings (thanks Dad!), painted walls. new awesome baker's rack (thanks Gram!), new wall-word (thanks Mom!). There is a lot of love in this kitchen! Thank you everyone!

Happy Fourth of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are proud to be Americans and to live in this great country! May God continue to bless America and may we live our lives that we honor those who have fought for our freedom!

We spent our day with family - the best way to spend it! My brother Joel & his fam came up for the weekend and we've had so much fun! Mason also spent the morning with Matt's family - including some time digging potatoes :) He was thrilled, "we pick tatoes!!"

I was a terrible picture taker - but here are a couple shots from the firework watching crew. We went to the Charlotte Ballpark to watch their first ever fireworks show - and WOW, they were fantastic! Almost 30 minutes and a really great display! And 2 minutes from our house! Can't beat that! :)

Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Hello, I am delicious

Breadmaking. I've made loaves before, but it has never been a regular occurrence - it has been more like a "scarf it and it's gone" type of situation. But, since we don't know yet if Lincoln has outgrown his milk/soy issues, I decided a little bit ago that it was time I start making some bread... and, well, not buy anymore store bought stuff. In Utah I could find loaves that were basic, homemade recipes. Usually local bakeries made them, but they were carried in Walmart, Target, the local grocery, etc. Apparently there is no such demand here in Tennessee! Have you ever looked at how many ingredients are in the store bought bread? CRAZY. Anyway, we are still buying buns but so far we've made it a month without buying a loaf at the store. We'll see how long I can keep it up!

While scouring the internet for bread recipes and tips, I ran upon the most FANTASTIC pans! They're 12" loaf pans, meaning you get a loaf that is fairly similar to the size you'd buy in store. So great! And as of tonight, I think I've found my favorite wheat recipe (white/wheat... I'm going for sandwich bread) - and by halving it I got two great looking 12" loaves. Triumph! The recipe is compliments of a friend of my friend Faith. Way to network, right? Thanks Faith! I am expert bread maker just yet,... but hopefully I'm on my way.

For those who want it - here is the recipe by the Karoly's via Faith:

WHEAT BREAD

Combine in mixing bowl:

5 cups Water

1 cup Honey

Combine in bowl and let rise:

1 cup Water

4 Tablespoons Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Add to mixing bowl with water:

6 cups Wheat Flour

2 Tablespoons Lecithin

2 heaping Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

2 Tablespoons Salt

Mix Together

Add:

Yeast mixture

2/3 cup Oil

9 - 10 cups White Flour

Let the machine run for 7-8 minutes after all the flour is mixed together.

Add:

2 heaping Tablespoons Dough Enhancer (it is kept in the fridge)

Run Machine another 3 minutes. Let stand while you grease 5 bread pans. Separate dough in to 5 sections, shape and put into greased pans. Cover and rise until almost double. Cook at 350° for 25 minutes. Set on cooling racks after taking out of the oven and Butter the tops of the bread.

*I didnt have any lecithin (soy product), so I omitted it. I halved the recipe and still ended up kneading my dough by hand bc my kitchen aid couldn't handle it (it was climbing up). I might end up looking for a bosch :) Another side note, dough enhancer also has some soy & milk in it but I figured it was a good time to start testing Lincoln on small doses... I still didn't butter the tops though. Still delicious!

**QUESTION: I have noticed that some recipes have two risings, some only have one. It seems that white bread more often has two and wheat often only notates one (but have seen wheat with two). I only let my bread rise once with this recipe and it came out great - when does bread need to be proofed once/twice? Anyone know?