That Time We Tried Out Food Dehydration

Our garden is overflowing with cilantro that is about to go to seed. I remembered that my friend Angie Chase gave me her food dehydrator when her family relocated, last year, and this week we decided to try it out! And since we are experimenting anyway, we added trays of bananas with caramel sugar, ranch carrots, apples, and pear fruit leather. We did everything on the same temperature, which I am sure is a no-no, but we aren’t afraid of failure over here, so here we go!




And the results: 

Dehydrating success! Everything is delicious except for the bananas. They never really dried out and basically just looked and felt like slugs. 🤢I was super grossed out just looking at them and deemed them inedible and then turned back around to find the twins up on the counter excitedly polishing off every last one right out of the tray and asking for more!🤣 So gross! 

We will definitely use the dehydrator again, especially for herbs! 

After Bedtime Shenanigans

Sloane and Esme have discovered they can avoid falling asleep if they just play instead. This is mostly annoying to a parent who is sooooo done at this point in the day, but I also see great value in this opportunity  they are using to bond and enjoy having fun with each other. Even if it means they are not sleeping, avd at some point one of us will have to go back up stairs and re-tuck them into bed.  It’s worth it.

Tonight I had to document this cute scene that has also become a common one.  Hours after children are sent to bed, we hear chatter and discover midnight Dog Man readers.  

And then upstairs, we hear thumps and more chatter and discover a music video in the making! I promised the teenagers I would not post any photographic evidence, but wow. Just wow. Instead here is a pic of the culprits on a date we took the other night (where I was given a special viewing of these music video masterpieces.) They also made a rap, so there’s that.

And finally, as I trekked back upstairs from sending the boys (back) to bed, I said “I love you!” One last time, and from the other bedroom, Adrian called out “love you, too, Mom!” in response. 

So apparently, regardless of bedtime, we are 7 for 7 who were not actually asleep at 11:30pm.  It’s like it’s officially summer break, or something. 😉

Meg Reads: Brave Learner

This book blew my mind. 

Author Julie Bogart teaches my exact philosophy of what home learning can look like. It’s not “unschooling, virtual schooling, purchased curriculum, or any specific education ideology.” It’s following the Spirit, or as Julie describes: “magic”.  Children are all different. Why not tailor education to bless and challenge those differences and guide our children along a path (or many paths) to help them discover abd become who they are, rather than funnel every shape and size through the same pre-packaged tunnel?  

I still have a lot of questions about home schooling and haven’t jumped in to the water yet. 

This book helped me answer my first question though. 

1) Yes. I can do it. I am 100% capable of providing my children with opportunities to gain a wonderful education.  Mothers can outsource as much as they want, and that is wonderful! But they don’t have to. A loving parent with access to a library, the internet, and a community, can provide everything a child needs to thrive from infancy to adulthood. Mothers are a hand crafted, personalized gift. 

2) Learning from home is not a guaranteed recipe for weird humans who do not know how to function as adults.  (I already knew this, but still had concerns) 

A-we already are a little weird and unconventional. 

B-plenty of weirdos came through the public school system, and I’ve known many who struggled to function during their young adult years and could say for most of them that their struggles are not a direct result of how they were educated. Whether they learned quadratic equations and the scientific method on their sofa or in a formal classroom is not a pivotal deciding factor for their future. 

3) an education that isn’t supporting or strengthening our family culture in a positive way is not a good education. I have the power to change that, and I have many options. 

4) Mothers are Brave Learners. 

Loft Makeover

Well my loft makeover turned out to be a bit of a flop. I waited 6 weeks for the sofa to arrive, and it finally came—with a giant hole in it! 😭😭 sad! Even the wooden frame inside is completely busted up. 

The pretty wallpaper kept bubbling up and then it started to sag  (notice the gap at the ceiling in the first pic), and then it just started falling right off the walk the other day. I’m so disappointed! I started a claim with the furniture company, and the wallpaper company is requiring that I return the product before they will offer a refund. So I’m not sure if I have to peel it off and mail them a sticky mess or what, but I’ll deal with that next week. I found some really cute light fixtures (there’s only a ceiling fan light up there so it’s always awfully dark) but they’ve been on back order for weeks. Lots of hiccups, but it will be super cute when it’s all done, so stay tuned for the finished “fixed” product! 

Happy 11th Birthday Corbin!!

Corbin is eleven years old!  Corbin loves to play, he is clever, kind, helpful, competitive, grateful, well read, tender hearted, and has the best laugh ever!   

He had a last minute request for a chocolate lego cake. Thanks  to some mini m&ms and a friendly associate at the NHM bakery, I was able to deliver and he was still delighted by my mediocrity. Thank you Corbin for being so easy to please! 


How does an 11 year old celebrate a quarantined birthday?  We gave him unrestricted time to play the Nintendo Switch.  It was the last non pouring rain day on the 10 day forecast, So he spent most of the day outside, with our promise that he can cash in on a few hours of gaming when it’s raining.  You’ve got it, kid. See? Easy to please.  

 I hired the Kona Ice truck to come park on the island and give out Kona shaved ice to Primrose Lane.  Corbin was SO excited to see the truck roll up, playing calypso style hits and a happy birthday sign for Corbin on it!   

Our neighbors all walk laps up and down the lane in the afternoon, so it was so fun for Corbin to enjoy a “walk by” style celebration as all the friends and neighbors, young and old, walked by and got a Kona and wished him a happy birthday! It was also our neighbor, Jenna, and our (new) neighbor, Morgan’s birthday! And the last day of (new) assigned school work. We sang and celebrated and kicked off summertime had just had the best time! This street is a magical place.  

We love having grandma and grandpa live on our street! It’s a kid’s dream! I was a mother for 12 years with parents who lived thousands of miles away, and only dreamed about how awesome it would be to have grandparents close by to be there for celebrations just like this! My parents were are always so great about  remembering birthdays before and FaceTimed, and sent cards/gifts/etc, but having them live here and be able to be here for cake and hugs is really just as amazing as I knew it would be! 

Sloane’s red smile is a good sample of everyone on the lane. 🤣 lots of blue, purple, red, and green teeth yesterday! 


My friend Simone H, and Corbin’s Sunday School teacher Amy W brought Corbin gifts, too!  He was so excited and felt the love all day long from friends and neighbors.   He was totally spoiled with legos, favorite treats (he prefers chocolate for cake, but will go for fruity and gummy every time when it comes to candy), a multi shot nerf gun, and puzzles! What a great day. He is the King of Tween! 

Corbin’s favorite gift from the family was a Spooner Board. It’s basically a bent cutting board with foot grips. The kids are learning to spin and walk and rock and do tricks on it. Lots of fun!  He also received an alarm clock, two Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians books, and a star wars t shirts from us.  

Oh Corbin we love you so much! Happy Birthday, son! 

Moving On Up

The chicken coop has been a good little quarantine project, but I’m really ready for it to be finished. I’ve loved having my dad come down and work on it with me and all the opportunities for the big kids to contribute. 

The floor is a little out of control. I know it. But I don’t care. It makes me happy and was super affordable.

Cowbell, Steve, Waffles, Carol. 

It has been raining for a week so coop progress has been nearly impossible. But they HAD to get out of the garage. Too big, and way too stinky for the brooder. 

But the coop floor is a muddy mess because the restoration company is ghosting us and hasn’t finished the landscaping. They are supposedly getting new chocolate rock for the whole side yard, but until they do, it’s just dirt there right now. And dirt plus rain = mud. Mud + chickens = a mess. 

So Quincy laid some recycled pavers That were under my parents deck down to provide a dry space. It is a temporary fix, but it is enough for them to move in. 

Hopefully we will get some dry weather so I can putty, paint, build a pipe feed station, and get shingles on the roof!  

The are afraid to leave the coop to the run still, so we had to chase them down the ladder this morning so they could be let out to free range. Their favorite spots are under the raspberry bushes and taking dust baths in the gravel inside the greenhouse. The more time they spend out in the yard eating bugs and weeds, the better. 

To be continued

Two days and nearly 12 grueling hours of court and nowhere close to judge’s decision time. 

To be continued in 2 weeks. Man it’s a good thing I’m an endurance runner, isn’t it? Like I already know what it feels like to be completely spent from going and going and going, but even though it’s getting hot, there still miles and miles to go. Refuel, focus on the  “why” and remember this is what every effort leading up to this has been for. 

Time to pull it together, tighten up the form and technique, breathe, then pick up the pace and finish the dang race.  

Privacy and Bravery

Well if you’re here then you’ve been invited, or my “security” is not as secure as I think it is. 

For that reason, I will play it safe like I did when the blog was public and not share any photos or details about the twins.  

For records purposes, I will say that we were in court for a grueling 5 hours and 45 minutes on Wednesday, and we go back for part 2 on Friday.  

I have every reason to be, and every reason not to be filled with hope for the future.  I guess faith is just knowing some things are not entirely up to me.  My faith is strong enough to accept the truth that I don’t need to understand the Lord’s way to know it is best every time and in every way. 

 I am filled with a courage that only a parent who has been through this can truly comprehend. This experience has broken me to my knees me and shown an awareness of my potential, my capacity, as well as my nothingness.  I am both humbled and empowered.  I am fighting a good fight and I am keeping the faith. 

My love is tenacious. 

I am prepared for this.

Sloane’s art creation

Sloane got creative with this goldfish box and a bunch of random trash/art supplies at lady’s house. My mom was decluttering, and every bit of trash was Sloane’s treasure. She played with this box (and kept adding to it, like a Winchester Mystery House, for several days.

Mother’s Day 2020

I mothered hard on Mother’s Day. 

It’s ok. 

I honor this role and I know it is sacred, divine, and holy.  

If I didn’t believe it is sacred, divine, and holy, than it wouldn’t be worth being so tired. 😂

But I do, and it is worth it. 

There is no such thing as Foster Mother’s Day. I share the honor of this title of mother to two of my children with another woman. Bless her for living through the broken tragedies of this life that led her children into my arms.  

So even with a future of uncertainty, Mother’s Day is forever changed for me.  It’s not about the hospital labor and delivery (although I do have reverence for that honorable experience as well). But the “labor and delivery” I give every day of  my life in offering myself as a laborer to raise God’s children and deliver them back to Him via motherly guidance.  I’m thankful for the charge I have to raise and nurture this beautiful young brood. I know I have a lot to learn.   

But as weary as I am, it is in the moments when I am holding a struggling child, praying for them, and speaking familiar affirmations of love and security into their ears while they return my offering with triggered violence or lower brain resistant vitriol, that I KNOW I am on the errand of angels.  Their heartaches are my heartaches and I will join their battles and sit with them in their displaced confusion and beckon them back to awareness of safety.  This work is hard. And it is holy. When I’m feeling alone, I remember there are prayers called out to heaven by another mother, who maybe does not fully understand their needs, but trusts that a God in Heaven does and hears her mother cries.  

And that is why I answered the call to Foster.

Because I am a Mother, and my love helps answer the prayers of “first mommy” and complete the circle of the Saviors’ work and glory.  

Sacred, Holy, Divine, WORK. And Glory. 

On Mother’s Day, at her request, I learned and taught Quincy how to make aebekskivers...a Danish stuffed donut ball thing. Delicious. Recipe below from Carly. 

I asked Corbin for a foot rub. It lasted about 1 minute but it was great. 

I loved my homemade cards. Every year I put our supplies to deep clean the van and make me cards. This year, the van did not need to be cleaned, and Aaron took over forced card writing. Winning! 








“May Mother’s Day be with you.” And Yoda. Thank you Soren! 


Reese made me origami tulips and Q painted my portrait. The twins and Sloane showered me with 100 drawings. My favorite is one that E drew of her in a pink dress next to me with a baby figure blob in my abdomen. I got her description on video: 

“Mommy! That me, that’s you, and that’s (points to pregnant area)...well that’s someone else!” 

I love it so much. She totally gets it. A mother doesn’t have to give birth to be a mother. It’s an honor and a joy to love and nurture my family. 

Aaron and Quincy and my dad made a tri tip dinner. Quincy and Aaron followed my step by step (by step by step by step) instructions that I called out while they insisted I “relax” on the sofa (this was when Corbin’s foot rub cane in handy). They made mashed sweet potatoes and bread and I’m super impressed with the results! They both thanked me for homemade meals the other 364 days a year so they don’t have to survive on quesadillas and grilled cheese a la Aaron.  New appreciation for mom was definitely found in this experiment. 😂

Aaron FaceTimed with Lynda and Quincy played part of a cello piece for her, and all the teen girl granddaughters group face timed her later that night! I’m not kidding I wanted to sneak into the call, it sounded so fun! Happy Mother’s Day Lynda! I love you! 

And finally, Happy Mother’s Day to this lucky ladybug (Extra lucky cuz she has me for a daughter. 🤣🤣🤣) I love you, Mom! Thank you for being my friend, for loving me and all my children without a drop of hesitation, and for teaching me to mother with courage, faith, creativity, and laughter. 

Quarantine Drama Class Quincy Style

Quincy memorized her monologue for Drama class and spent several hours rehearsing and creating a set to film her assignment. It is all about lazy quarantine life: snacks, stretchy pants, not getting up, and more snacks.  I have to say this version of quarantine sounds like a DREAM..no, a fantasy! Definitely not our reality, but a very funny monologue, nonetheless. Quincy rehearsed the part with eating chips in her bed several times. With props. 😂😂  She submitted the video and her teacher said, this is 2 weeks early! You have plenty of time to polish it up and submit another video. 

Um no. 

I feel like Jerry Seinfeld. “This is the Meal!”  She didn’t spend hours and hours to spend MORE hours and hours. This is the assignment. Turning it in early does not make it any less complete. You weren’t here. You don’t know how much time went into it. Ew. 

Plus, let’s talk about how this is for an elective class. I’m all for supporting the arts, but the assignment load for those classes are out of control. 

I think I might take advice from Quarantine Q and tell her to just turn in the exact same video in 7 days. To quote her monologue “Just remember, 2 ministers of minimal effort getting yourself set up now, will ensure that you don’t have to give any effort at all doing anything later! Ooh look! A chip! Best place for storing snacks is in your stomach. Peace out, I’m gonna go change from my daytime jammies into my night time jammies. Check it: If anything that you are wearing has a zipper, you are doing this whole thing all wrong.” [pops chip into mouth] 

Annnnnd Scene. 

Good enough, Q. And as far as quarantine standards go, it’s much better than good enough.  This is the meal! 

FRY-Day Fry Crawl

It’s FRY-day! Cabin fever finally hit us, Friday, so we went for a drive thru Fry Crawl. I made little score sheets for the kids to rank their fries in several categories: temp, price, sauce selection, etc. 

The big winner? Raising Canes! CFA was 2nd, abd Arby’s curly fries took 3rd.  

The little guy had a difficult time with the concept of sharing food, and needed reminders that we would be getting more at the next stop, that this was just a fun snack and lunch was at home after, but as long as we kept him busy with constant fry supply, he did ok and eventually caught on to the game.  This was a super fun family activity, and something all 7 kids could enjoy together! 

Yard “pets”

Springtime is offering us all sorts of entertainment in the form of backyard wildlife. Skinks, butterflies, caterpillars, and now a turtle Quincy found and named Jeff Snacky, and Soren’s toad named Muffin. We’re becoming a regular zoo around here! 















The warm weather gave me a chance to make a lot of progress on the chicken coop.  My dad came over to give me a set of hands while I cut the plywood, and his consent is so fun. It’s nice to work on this little project together. I cut those cute round windows in my neighbor Terry’s wood shop and I love the way it’s coming together! I need to buy hinges for the doors and rig up a feeding system. 

I really just need to finish everything and get these chicks out of my garage and out to our backyard zoo where they belong! Every (nice) day, the big kids each take their hen and put her in the dog pen in back yard on the lawn for a few hours so they can have a chance to stretch their wings out and get some fresh air.  If they’re playing out back, they’ll let them free range (but with a careful eye on them so they aren’t carried off by a hawk!) 

I ache for a little more land (or maybe just “less governed by a crooked poa” land) and a lot more  unplanned hours to play in it with the kids....and their new “pets”. 

All I know is this coop will probably get put on a trailer and go with us if we  ever move because I’m putting way too much into it. Unnecessary? Completely. Super fun? Absolutely.

 I also love the time hanging out with my dad. Today he taught me how to drop in a cutout with a circular saw....which I’ve always known was possible, but it’s kind of scary. But then I did it and cut out cute little doors for the nesting box with my new skill. 

These hens are getting so spoiled, I’m reeeeally tempted to go get 2-3 more chicks. The coop has plenty of room for them, and I really want a Swedish flower hen, a silky, and a barred rock, or another  americauna. Better just stick to four.  The kids are doing a really great job taking care of them!  So far I have only cleaned out the brooder once and the kids have done the rest of the work. ✌🏼