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Spring Soup

Jul 24th, 2009 by

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Spring Soup
4 c. water

2 c. cubed new potatoes

3 c. fresh cauliflower, chopped in 1 inch pieces

2 tsp. garlic salt

chopped green onions or chives, to taste

Bring water, potatoes, and cauliflower to boil.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until veggies are tender (20-30 minutes).  Remove from heat and blend 3 cups at a time in a blender until pureed.  (I put the puree in a new pan.)  Repeat process until all is blended.  Add garlic salt and green onions, bring to a boil again, and serve with additional green onions or chives on top.

Yield: 7 cups

(This is definitely a great dairy-free dish that seems like it has dairy, and I’m glad I fished it out.  I wanted something creamy because of forbidden dairy cravings, and the new potatoes creamed it right up!  I actually tossed in a few old salad turnips that had been lurking in our vegetable drawer, and they were great.  I might add radishes if I had them, too, because they cook up like potatoes but would add a little bit of a peppery kick.  Tommy ate three full bowls full, but Derek only had one–I think he found it a bit bland.  If I wanted more kick, I could mess with the spices more, and I’ll probably experiment a bit next time we get a cauliflower in our farm share.)

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

Farm Share, Week 17

Jul 23rd, 2009 by

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We got fruit this week!  Apples and apricots mean I really won’t have to buy any produce.  I’ll be using the new potatoes with last week’s cauliflower in a spring soup tonight, served with fresh green beans.  We’ll use the broccoli in a stir-fry, and the cucumber will make a great snack for my cuke-loving guys.  We’ll see about the onion and fennel.  After an unsuccessful kale quiche last week, Derek and I agreed we need a break from last week’s green kale and this week’s red kale, so we chopped and froze it for when I’m feeling more inspired.  With no more travelling for a few weeks, I should be able to settle down and try some new dairy-free dishes.  I’ll try to post any successes here…

Posted in Homemaking | 1 Comment »

Swinging Through South Bend!

Jul 22nd, 2009 by

Since Derek had a guest lecture at SSI in Michigan last night, the kids and I swung into South Bend for a 26 hour visit.  It was SO wonderful to meet up with many of our dear friends there!

We had lunch at the Chocolate Cafe with Leslie and Aidan and Josh and Rachelle.  Tommy and Aidan played in the amazing new (since my time) play area, and Rachelle got to meet Elizabeth!

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The Nielsens got us a guest apartment at University Village so I could put the kids down for naps at a semi-normal time.  Then Tommy and Magdalene and Edmund played together before a yummy curry dinner!

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After I got Tommy in bed, Jessica came over to relive old Starbucks days (including some of our more infamous customers and their memorably weird drinks) and help me calm my fussy kiddos…

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In the morning, we had breakfast with Andrea (but I forgot to pull out the camera) then headed over to Lauren’s to hang out with her and Jonah.  Katie came, too, and we had tea (of course!) and took the kids for a walk.

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I forgot to pull the camera out during lunch with Jennifer, but I brought it to the Mirandas’ afterwards.  Tom and Carol were my favorite Starbucks customers, and they were excited to see how much Tommy had grown and meet Elizabeth.

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Two fun, full days!

Posted in Elizabeth, Friends, Tommy | 2 Comments »

Ohio Again (for Adrielle's Wedding)

Jul 20th, 2009 by

Two trips to Ohio in one month!  Now Tommy thinks we live there…somehow “Ohio” and “Chicago” sound the same to him…

It was great to see Adrielle’s hometown and witness her and Nat uniting before God in the covenant of marriage.  Unfortunately, Tommy was whispering during the whole ceremony, and I was too busy threatening him and bribing him with wedding cake to take any pictures.  Due to my poor planning, we ended up staying in a hotel in town while all of our friends were staying an hour away.  Note to self–next time Derek says, “Hey, have you called the girls lately?”, listen to him.  It was kindof a bummer that we didn’t get to see my Mauck girls as much as we’d wanted, but next time a Hillsdale person gets married, I’m going to coordinate better.  And hopefully I won’t be breastfeeding a baby who won’t take a bottle.  Anyway, we spent most of Saturday on our own, and we took the kids swimming in the hotel pool.  It was Elizabeth’s first time in the water, and she liked it.  Can’t you tell?

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Regina and Tommy lit it up on the dance floor…

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Mariel calmed Lizzie down when I couldn’t…doesn’t she look like a sophisticated married woman now?!

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When the new Mr and Mrs Stapleton came around to greet us, Tommy crawled under the table to give Adrielle a rose that he’d gotten out of the centerpiece.  Sweet boy, sortof.

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Then Tommy ate something funny at the hotel buffet Sunday morning and threw up in the car on the way to Margee’s parents’ house.  Yup.  Our first kid-vomiting-in-the-car-on-a-long-cartrip experience.  All over himself, the carseat, and the seat underneath.  His sister slept through the whole thing, thank the Lord!  Fortunately, it was only half an hour away from the Meckstroths, and Margee’s dad just happens to drive a bus and has those vacuum things that clean upholstery.  Margee helped Derek wash the lining of the carseat, and I gave Tommy a bath.  Then I sipped tea while Margee’s dad entertained Tommy with his model trainset.  Tommy was pretty much in heaven.

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Once the carseat components dried, we headed home in our praline-scented car.  Quite the weekend!

Posted in Elizabeth, Friends, Tommy | 1 Comment »

Tommy's New Room

Jul 18th, 2009 by

Actually, he’s in the same space, but we redecorated and switched out the bed with one that will bunk eventually.  Derek dreamed up the robots and spaceships theme, and we’ve been picking things up for it over the past three years!  Special thanks to Christina for helping me find some of the accessories!

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Posted in Homemaking, Tommy | 5 Comments »

Farm Share, Week 16

Jul 17th, 2009 by

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A great variety this week…swiss chard, cherries, cauliflower, purple basil, zucchini, cucumbers, and onion.  Since we’re going to be travelling this weekend, I’m going to try to throw a lot of this into a big pasta salad for the car.  Yum!

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Tommy's New Playhouse

Jul 16th, 2009 by

While Grandpa and Grandma Willett were here last weekend, Grandpa and Tommy built a great playhouse for the backyard!  Tommy LOVES it!

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resting after a hard day’s work…

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Posted in Family, Tommy | 2 Comments »

A visit from Aidan!

Jul 16th, 2009 by

Leslie and Aidan visited yesterday and today so that we could go to the zoo together.  The boys had a blast together (despite some issues with wanting to play with the same toys), and Leslie and I had plenty of good mommy talk… 

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We are so glad they came!  I know how hard it is to travel alone with a toddler while pregnant, but it was wonderful for us to have our South Bend friends here…and we’re excited to see them again next week when the kids and I head over there for a visit!

Posted in Friends, Tommy | 3 Comments »

Elizabeth's Dedication

Jul 14th, 2009 by

On Sunday, July 12, we dedicated Elizabeth to the Lord at Holy Trinity Church, Chicago.  Pastor Tom Barrett did the dedication ceremony.

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Sadly, the pictures didn’t really come out because we were inside without a flash, but here’s the best one.  Tom did a really special thing while he was explaining the significance of Elizabeth’s name–he walked her around the church so that the congregation could meet her!  She even smiled at people–very sweet!  Then we promised to raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and the congregation promised to support us in our endeavor.  Afterwards everyone sang Elizabeth’s hymn, “Come Thou Fount.”  My parents were there for the ceremony, but we didn’t get any pictures of us all together because Tommy was a basket case by the time church was over.  He hadn’t been to church in 8 weeks because we’d been taking turns going until Elizabeth was big enough, so I think the whole nursery thing wore him out.  Despite the lack of photographic evidence, it was a very special day for us!

Posted in Elizabeth | 3 Comments »

Two Month Stats

Jul 13th, 2009 by

elizabethtwomonths-003.jpgElizabeth had her two month check-up today.

The good news:

11 lbs 7 oz (75%)

22 1/4 in (50%)

She’s developing great!

The bad news: She tested positive for a milk protein allergy (tests two weeks ago were inconclusive, so I had been hopeful…).  No more dairy for me for the duration of breastfeeding, and the same fun that we had with Tommy when we started introducing solids to him.  Ugh.  The pediatrician saw my crestfallen look and did mention the possibility of special non-dairy/non-soy formula.  But I’m so hardcore about breastfeeding that I feel like if I’ve been blessed with enough milk to feed my baby, I should do it that way.  At least I’ve done this before, and Tommy has supposedly outgrown his milk/soy allergies, so we’ve had a few months of normal diet in the Muller family.  But golly, ten months without ice cream and pizza again?  I.Am.So.Depressed.

Posted in Elizabeth | 5 Comments »

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