Indulge

I've been stealing some of James's tasty full-fat yogurt, and I'm loving it! In the past few years, I've really latched on to full fat dairy in yogurts, cheeses, and creams for coffee and desserts. Not just because it tastes good, but there was something in me saying that all of the processed, chemically altered food we Americans consume in mass quantities cannot be good for our bodies. I mean, some of the ingredient lists on snack foods takes up half of the side of the box and most of what is on there can hardly be categorized as real food. After finding this little gem of a blog post about full-fat dairy, I will definitely be consuming the fat (in moderated quantities) and trying to hunt down some non-homogenized milk...mmmmm.

And on another note, James is eating dairy without any digestive rebellion whatsoever. So, our nearly three year streak of someone being dairy free in our family has come to an end. We are all lovin' the pizza and ice cream now!

Soon to come, my thoughts on E-mealz...

File Under: When I Am Weary of the Wee Ones

When the days get long and tiresome, when the food explosion from lunch necessitates an industrial strength hose-down of the entire dining room, remember this...

When you tell your child a story, when you play a game with your little son, you tell a story, you play a game with the Christ Child...A woman too weary for articulate prayer will find that for her the best of all prayer is the unspoken act of faith in Christ in her children. When she knows that she is setting the table and baking the cake for the Christ Child, her soul will be at rest.
Caryll Houselander

Future Farmers of America

We're back from Indiana, and yeah, there's whole lot of corn! But we actually spent most of our time in the canyons of Turkey Run State Park. When this trip was still in the planning stages, I was really skeptical about spending a few days in rural Indiana on vaca. But, it really is a beautiful place! Some of the hikes definitely rival some of the sights in the Adirondacks. And, we were able to share our love of the outdoors with the kids, thanks to baby backpacks.

Now, to catch up on some sleep...

Cramming into the Car

We're leaving for a short vacation today, and so far, we're on target for a smooth departure. We're staying in a little cabin in a state park with lots of outdoorsiness and a pool. The weather should fabulous and the family time is needed.

However, I'm alway amazed at the amount of STUFF crammed into the car, even for a 3 day jaunt. The double all-terrain stroller, the booster chairs, the pack n plays, the floatie toys, the books, the food, the diapers, the plethora of clothes for hiking, for the pool, for after the pool, for cooler evenings, and on and on and on... Sometimes I think that the volume will decrease as kids get older and need less "equipment". But, while there will eventually be less eating/sleeping/strolling equimpment, that will probably be replaced by bikes, more food for hungry older kids, and non-necessities that kids sneak into their bags.

When it's 11:30pm and I'm shoving onesies into every nook and cranny of an already-stuffed bag, I wonder if it's all worth it. But that time just playing together in the sunshine, in God's beautiful creation, really does refresh, heart and soul.

Sweet, sweet, vaca...

Easing In

Oh, blog.

I've neglected you.

Life has been busy and I've signed in with great intentions, but laziness, fussing, projects, travel, or any combination of the aforementioned have kept me from writing.

That first post from a long hiatus is usually the toughest, so here goes. Pictures. It may the the easy way out, but who doesn't love to see cute little people?

Happy (Belated) Independence Day!