Dr. Appt.

I checked in with Dr. Tinga today and I've gained 8 pounds in 4 weeks... I've been using self control while I eat, so I am thinking that I shouldn't have any guilt right?
We listened to the heartbeat as well. Hovering right around 141 bpm.

Just in case we haven't told you all. Lord willing, we are going to be surprised and not find out the sex of the baby. We're also keeping our names secret... Even from family, so please don't tempt me with Joseph Schmidt Chocolates because I still won't tell!

Kids at the Tree Farm

Libby, just as cute as a button. She likes this tree, but will she get her way?

And sweet Louisa, she looks like a real farm girl, ehh?

And we topped off the day with a hay ride, well sort of, it was a tractor pulling a long bed trailer. One of the farm dogs had a strange fettish with the engine in the tractor and kept trying to "sick it."

Yogurt's Finale

It's a bit fuzzy as the hour was early when I took it. It looked very clear to me at the moment.

My yogurt stayed in the cooler probably 6 hours last night and when I took it out was still a bit soft. It always finishes thickening in the refrigerator during the night.

Stir in ideas we use:

homemade preserves

honey

agave nectar

homemade granola

fresh fruit of course

You can also make yogurt smoothies. It's been entirely too cold to consume a cold drink for breakfast, so that will wait until summer. Just add fruit from the freezer and a bit of sweetener and you should be set.

Fun Pictures from Last Week

DIY Yogurt Baby!

List of Ingrediets:

1 Gallon Milk (The more fat, the creamier the Yogurt)

1 Cup Plain Yogurt with live cultures

5 Large Mason Jars

1 Pot

1 Thermometer

1 Cooler

1 whisk

Kitchen Sink

Step 2: Pour milk in Pan and heat to 180 degrees.

Keep a whisk close by, because you don't want your milk to burn in the pot.

When milk is nearly to temp. fill up your kitchen sink with cold water.

Once milk is hot submerge pot in water to rapidly cool the milk. It needs to cool down to 130 degrees (give or take a couple of degrees.)

Step 3:

Put your 1 cup of yogurt in a bowl and add some of the cooled milk to it. Whisk it good.


Step 4:
Pour your yogurt into the big pot and thoroughly combine with the whisk. The yogurt cultures need to be scattered throughout the pot, other wise you'll have yogurt with some thick parts and other very runny parts. (Experience Talking)



Step 5:


This is fun, fill up those clean, glass mason jars with your yogurt/milk mixture. Seal them and put in your cooler.







Step 6:

Fill up your cooler, right to the neck of the jar with hot water. The key here is to have water that is between the temperatures of 122-130 degrees. Hot tap water is typically fine and on the cold days turn on the teapot and add some of that as well. Seal your cooler and leave it alone for 3-5 hours.







I'll post a picture tonight or tomorrow of the yogurt done.

Sweet Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was oh so sweet. With plenty of grace abounding, we broke bread, sipped wine, feasted on beef, pies, and the like. We were well aware of God's Mercy to us and delighted in the company of one another.

The children had various readings for us, from lovely, well thought up poems, to books and internet articles on the founding President's and Thanksgivings initial intent. We capped it off with Jake reading to us from William Bradford's Account of the first Thanksgiving.

Jake served the family by washing the dishes after dinner. I took a picture, because to me a well cleaned up kitchen is as lovely as a well put together meal!

On Stewardship

The dear family from church whom I mentioned in an earlier post did in fact say goodbye to their son. He passed away from them and into the arms of our Redeemer last Tuesday evening. His father held him as he passed and the family and nurses sang hymns and praises to God during the time. Jake and I are so sad for their loss. Yet, we continue to marvel as the Holy Spirit is upholding this dear husband and wife in a most supernatural way.
We are reminded again of our temporary rolls as stewards over our own children. Each day is another merciful reminder of our sweet time with them. May we not be consumed with the things of this world, but rather the souls of those around us and entrusted to us.

Soli Deo Gloria
Glory to God alone