Budding Photographer

This is a bit of a blast from the past, seeing as how Lydia is an old 7-monther, these days, but I do love this picture of the cousins!

Sunny Day

 Yesterday was sunny, warm, and beautiful.

The boys and I discovered the statue that Caleb is using for a chair when we were uncovering the pretty bulbs that were coming up among the old leaves and overgrown ivy.

 I was just snuggling with Caleb for his rest time, and he said, 

"Mom, 'love' is the English word for when you like some person.

I like you.  I like the way you look like."

And I like you, Caleb!

Outside Afternoon

You've Got a Friend in Me

To infinity...and beyond!

Starting Seeds

 The boys and I just couldn't wait!

We saw these cute little packets of seeds for 20 cents yesterday and picked out our favorites.

The seeds are currently taking warm baths and being stirred around by cute little fingers.

Freezer Crockpot Meal Exchange

Last Saturday morning at 9, I headed to the store to buy ingredients for The Great Freezer Meal Exchange.

The completed meals were due at a friend's house at 11 a.m.

No use leaving these things until the last minute.

 Josiah and I whipped up eight batches of chicken noodle soup in no time flat.

He was in such a hurry that he had to toss each bouillon cube wrapper on the floor, apparently.

All 32 of them.

Here he is just getting started.

I came home from the exchange with freezer bags of Taco Soup, Italian Sausage Soup, Ham & Lentil Stew, Ranch Chicken with Bacon & Cheese, and Creamy Chicken Sausage Rice Pilaf. 

It has been so much fun to eat these puppies!

Here is my recipe for Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, modified to freeze first without a lot of liquid.

1 lb. bone-in chicken breast 

4 chicken bouillon cubes

2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. basil

1 bay leaf

6 ounces egg noodles

Place all ingredients except bouillon cubes and egg noodles in freezer bag.  Dissolve bouillon cubes in 1 cup boiling water.  Let cool, then add to bag.  Freeze.  Keep your noodles out of the freezer.

When you are ready to eat, thaw, if you are on the ball like that, then put in crockpot along with 8 cups of water.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot.  (Unless you are having Heather over to dinner.   Then say that the person who gets the bay leaf in their soup wins.  Make sure she doesn't eat the leaf.)  Take meat from bones, dice, and return to broth.  (Be super careful about getting all the bones.  Husbands have been known to get a little dramatic when they choke on a bone.)  Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high).

And there you have it.  Enjoy!