Chalkboard Planter

I love this simple little planter. Why? Because I can write on it. I think it's fun and cute!
I bought it for 40% off at Joann Fabrics a few weeks ago.

Giving Baby Kisses...

Here's Elisabeth giving baby Matthew kisses!!!

Pure Slobber

The picture says it all... pure slobber! Yes, he's teething all right!

Looking Like a Boy

Wow, these are the first pictures our son is looking more like a boy than a baby. Yes, I know he's just a little baby but his maleness is coming out. Just look at his expressions! I think he's gorgeous. I always share with my husband, "Boy, we have really good looking kids"! It makes you want to kiss them and slobber all over them all the more (though with Matthew's teething right now I think he's slobbering a bit more than me).

Spring

I love Spring. Here are some pictures around our home.

Some of our eggs we eat and sell.

A fresh basil plant my husband bought me the other day. Now I get to go buy a pretty pot.

One of our many daffodils in our yard. They're so pretty and cheery!

Toffee Butter Crunch

I made this homemade toffee butter crunch for my friend Tracy the other day. She's expecting it in the mail. - Don't Look Tracy! I had to make a double portion and this is what was left before I decided to take a picture of it for our blog. I usually make this for Christmas each year and put on about 5 pounds. It is simply scrumptious!!!


Toffee Butter Crunch

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces


Line a 13x19x2-inch pan with foil. Sprinkle the nuts in pan. Melt butter in saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup, add 3 tablespoons of water. Cook and stir over medium high heat to simmer. Clip candy thermometer to pan and cook to 290 (I sometimes cook to 270 for softer candy). Cook for 15 minutes. Watch carefully after 280 as it could scorch the butter. Now pour mixture into prepared pan. Let stand 5 minutes and sprinkle with chocolate chips - add more if you wish. Let stand 2 minutes and spread. Break into pieces when cool.

My Last Year in my Thirties

Today is my birthday. It is my last year of being in my thirties (39) and I am so glad! The first part early part of my thirties was horrible, horrible, horrible. But the last part of my thirties has been so wonderful that it has made up for it all! I met my husband at the age of 33, we married at 35, had our first child at 36, our second child at 37, our third child at 38 and it looks like I'll have our fourth child now at 39. I've never been married to a man who loved me so much. I am so thankful that the Lord has put him in my life. I look forward to all my days ahead now.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

Homemade Pancakes

I have made these pancakes a few times and just love them!!! I found the recipe off of Mrbreakfast.com website. I never thought I'd replace the Snoqualmie Fall's Lodge pancake mix that I've used for years (pricey), but I'm happy I did. These are much better and much cheaper. Here's the recipe:

2 eggs
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup oil
1 cup milk
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla (opt)

Beat egg whites until stiff - set aside

Beat egg yolks, add sugar and salt, beat in.

Add baking powder, beat until just mixed in well.

Add flour, milk and oil. Beat until smooth (not too much or otherwise the baking powder won't react correctly) add vanilla.

Add egg whites to batter and FOLD gently. Let batter sit for 15 minutes.

Have a great breakfast!

Tilling Our Land to Plant Corn

Okay, I have to cheat here and post this on the family blog while my husband has an appointment in Seattle today. I just can't possibly wait for him to return and post on our farm blog so here goes... : )

We bought a tiller the other day and my husband has been tilling one of our fields so that we can plant corn in about a month. I've always seen us growing corn here and it makes me excited to think that we are about to do it. Here are some pictures. I can't wait to share some of us planting seed and the corn stalks growing up.

View towards our barn

View from the barn area

My husband

I never thought I'd be married to a farmer. I never thought he'd BE a farmer when I met him. We love it though and know it to be in our nature. We just didn't know it until we moved here. I believe it's in everybody's nature but we've all gotten so far away from this type of living that we cannot even comprehend the thought of growing our own food and raising animals for food consumption or work.

Matthew at 4 Months

I love Matthew's little expressions. He has his cute, little mouth open like this regularly. I'm glad I got a good picture. He's such an easy baby... hardly ever fusses. He likes to just sit with mommy and look around or be walked by daddy. He just fits in so perfect with our family.

Teething! Poor baby.

Happy Baby!

This picture is a little blurry but doesn't he look like the Gerber baby?

Pretty Country Mixing Bowl

I love my pretty, country looking mixing bowl. It is even prettier looking at it in my kitchen as the inside is a beautiful off white color. I'll have to fill it with eggs and take a picture someday.

Sixty Dollar Dishes (per piece) for 10 Cents

I was at the Goodwill the other day. I saw these gorgeous dishes and thought I'd add them to our set as I know dishes will get broke over the next 10+ years. I thought they were really pretty and simple. I love the color and simplicity of them. When I got home I looked at the marking on the back and looked these up. On Replacements LTD alone, one platter of this set costs $100. They are out of the dinner dishes (I'm sure they'd be interested in mine), but we are guessing they are at least $40 a piece as the bowls are $20 a piece. On E-bay the dinner dishes are listed at over $60 a piece. So, I may decide to keep these (I bought all seven) after all. I really like them and have had an interest for a time in pretty, country dishes.

I need to catch up on some pictures I took a month ago. The girls were really, really sick this month so between taking care of them and doctor's visits I haven't had much time.

Here's little Matthew. I love the black and white.
Looks like it could've been taken in the 40's except for the background.

Elisabeth and Hannah playing

The oldest and youngest

I still can't believe I have a son. He's just as fragile and delicate as my girls.

Here's our happy Hani!!! Hannah looks at any picture on the wall, it could be our picture of fruit in the kitchen and she says, "Hani" for Hannah.

Elisabeth curled up on my fleece sweater. I think this was just at the start of her not feeling good.

Our Farm

We now have a blog for our farm and a business too! The Geraci Family Homestead is now a little farm/agriculture business as of last week. We should be receiving our business license this week. We are going to be getting our little establishment insured so we had a woman come out from a local insurance company to look at the grounds, barn and home here. She asked us if we'd be interested in an incubator. Well sure! We had no idea it is an old Mongomery Wards one from about the 1960's in perfect condition that will hatch about 300 eggs. Made of red hardwood with several trays, a fan and temperature gauge. We just hatched about 30 chicks last week in our regular incubator and sold out. This will sure help with the feed with our hungry chickens.

Back to the blog. Just click on "Our Farm" near the top of this blog to see what is happening with our farm life. Matthew will be maintaining that blog. He just sold his bluebird aerator and now we will be purchasing a rototiller to plant corn and make a little garden for me. I can't wait. This is going to be a fun Summer and then we have another baby to look forward to again (smile).

Thought We Lost Our Baby...

I thought I was going to find out this morning that our baby was no longer with us. Let me back up...

Last week I went in to be checked for a uterine infection as I've had cramps since having Matthew. I knew I was pregnant, but the doctor couldn't tell upon examination. He shared that it could be too early. He ordered blood work that day and then another draw the next week to see if the hcg levels were rising (this is what causes the nausea until the placenta kicks in at 12 weeks or so). Today I spoke to the nurse and she share that they like to see the numbers higher than they are and could I come in for an ultrasound? I was in town as me and Elisabeth had just gone shopping so I showed up at 11:00 for my ultrasound. As I waited in the waiting room I had tears in my eyes, especially because this morning I got angry and said, "I just wish I wasn't pregnant right now." The situation sure did change my mind and heart so in a way I'm glad it did happen.

I went in to the ultrasound and saw what looked like the baby. She said, "You're definately pregnant"! I asked if the baby was alive. She found the heartbeat a moment later and recorded it at 180 bpm. I was so happy and still am. It looks like I'm due November 5th. Matthew was due around the 1st last November so it looks like they'll be a year apart! Now I just hope it's another boy!!! What a beautiful day.

One more thing... I found the reason for my cramps during the ultrasound. They are from an ovarian cyst that will go away once the placenta takes over. Sometimes the ovary will leave a cyst after releasing the egg. It is pretty common and will go away in about a month when the placenta takes over. The doctor shared with me that it's a good thing... the cyst actually nourishes the pregnancy early on. Interesting! So, today I'm 8 weeks, 6 days pregnant with our 4th child. We have always believed the Lord would bless us with 5 children, now we are believing it could be more and hope so. There's nothing more we desire than to have a large family. Our reading a couple of years ago on a chapter on birth control in a book by pastor John R. Rice "THE HOME Courthship, Marriage and Children", opened our eyes to the beauty of having a large family. I remember I couldn't sleep that night after reading the chapter. I spoke to my husband the next morning and he had just read it too and saw the beauty in having lots of children as well. It's part of God's plan. It's life and it's beautiful! I thank God I'm finally with a man who really, really loves me regardless of how much weight I may put on in these upcoming years or the tears of weariness and frustration that I cry. The sorrows of pains of injustice that are behind me. Job lost it all but God blessed his latter days and he had double. God's promises are true. But it isn't a free gift, there is always great cost and great sufferings in a Christian's life. But moreso joy. May the Lord strengthen us for what's ahead and continue to bless us that we may continue to bless others. Amen.