My yogurt starter is still culturing on the counter, but I was just emailed this coupon code if anyone is in need of a culture to get started (and had failures trying to do it the “old school” way with store bought yogurt like I did). Use coupon code YOGURT through January 30 to get 20% off all yogurt starters at Cultures for Health! They have lots of different kinds ~ from thick yogurt, to thin and drinkable consistency, and many of them are serial-cultured, which means you won’t ever have to buy a starter again ~ you can use a little from your previous batch to start your next. They even have a vegan yogurt starter to use with non-dairy milks.
Yogurt Starter Coupon Code from Cultures for Health!
January 18, 2012Rollerskating Fun
January 11, 2012We’ve been meaning to try out roller skating for AGES, but it’s never worked out. Today we decided to give it a try and headed out for a preschool skate with some friends.
It was VERY tough at first to figure out balance, and there was a lot of apprehension.
As well as a lot of falling.
But after some tips from the teacher and her helper
we were able to use the “t” to help our balance and were skating almost unassisted by the time we were ready to leave!
Crafty and homeschooling updates coming soon! I have an update on my 52 projects in 52 weeks for 2011 
Successes, Failures and Resolutions
January 9, 2012I haven’t posted on my blog for a few weeks because I’ve been mulling over my direction. Where am I going? I’ve kind of let the blog become a place to record updates on the children, post my menus, and share a bit about our gardening, homeschooling and my crafts. I’ve been told that by documenting what’s important to me, that I’m judging those who don’t make, or are not in the same place to make, the choices we do as a family. I will confess that I mostly document our successes. However, I definitely have my fair share of failures. Whiny children. Sleep fighting. Burnt, or inedible food. Temper tantrums that last all day (from the children and/or their mother).
Sound familiar? I’m sure it does. We all have those moments. Or days. (Or months.) I’m not perfect. There, I said it. As if you ever doubted that I wasn’t. Sure, I’m passionate about a lot of things, especially parenting-related.
Breastfeeding, including breastfeeding past infancy
Cloth diapering
Gentle discipline
Attachment parenting
Whole foods and cooking and baking
Homeschooling
Canning and gardening
Buying local
But I’m not perfect. I lose my cool sometimes. I yell sometimes, even though I try not to. We eat fast food occasionally. We eat junk sometimes. The majority of the time, it’s homemade junk, but still junky. But the choices we’ve made as a family are choices we’ve made for OUR family. They’re what work for US.
On the flip side, I’m definitely not passionate about cleaning. I do it, begrudgingly, and not well, I might add. The floors almost always have dog fur tufts in the corners and dust loves to gather on the end tables. Art projects frequently leave glue spatters or even paint dripped onto our tables that I seldom take the time to scrape away. So, if you’re not passionate about cooking, I completely understand. Don’t do it. Or at least just eke by like I do with cleaning.
I’d love it if you, reader, were passionate about the same topics I am. It’s lonely over here sometimes. But if you’re not, that’s ok, too. That goes for anyone reading this. You do the things you’re passionate about. That’s an order, not an observation please. Whatever that may be. I’m not judging. However, I’m not going to change or stop documenting my passions or beliefs on the blog. That’s another passion that’s been with me as long as I can remember~ writing. What I do is not a reflection on what you do.
My new year’s resolutions: Don’t judge. Be passionate. Stay firm in my own family’s beliefs no matter what’s popular or trendy, in real life or “happy unicorn blog world.”
Christmas 2011
December 26, 2011We went to a new tree farm this year, Mutch’s in Lapeer, which was a bit of a drive, but it was nice, as they take you out on a wagon ride to the tree fields and then load the tree for you when you ride back.
We also stopped by the dairy farm after getting our tree to pick up some fresh egg nog and ice cream cones (yes, ice cream cones in December! The egg nog ice cream was delicious).
I managed to finish all the crafts I needed to complete before Christmas and am so glad I did. By far, the favorite present, was the hobby horse I made for Eleanore. She also really enjoyed the bicycle helmet Daddy got for her, the magnifying glasses I got for her, as well as the tutu I made, so much so that they made the perfect ensemble to wear all day.
The pajamas I made were opened Christmas Eve, as has been my family’s tradition as long as I can remember. I also made a pair for Eleanore’s baby, but didn’t manage to snap a picture of them. The tops were all hand dyed and the pants are sewn from cotton flannel.
Another VERY favorite toy was the balloon punch balls I picked up on a whim at the dollar store for Eleanore’s stocking. Adelaide even joined in on the fun (very supervised, of course).
It was nice to just kick back and do pretty much nothing but soak up family time on Christmas Day. Jason cooked dinner, a standing rib roast with potatoes and asparagus, and we watched Polar Express and lounged around when the girls weren’t running/crawling around the house playing with their new toys (or wrestling, their new favorite activity!).
Adelaide’s First Birthday in Pictures
December 26, 2011My little girl turned one on December 16th. I had a long crazy labor with her, and I can’t believe it was over a year ago that we had our long hospital stay. She is such a joy and is so much fun to be around.
Adelaide Jane at 1 year:
loves to play peek a boo
signs milk, more (by clapping, just like her big sister did) and eat
cruises like crazy
doesn’t like when her sister is upset
loves salmon, peas and anything she can steal off Eleanore’s plate
dances and sings when music is playing or when someone else is singing
