Last Day for Quilt Giveaway Entries!

Thank you, thank you to EVERYONE who has given to Amazima and have entered to win a quilt! Today is the LAST chance!

Here is a link to learn a little about Amazima and the founder Katie Davis! Please open your hearts and help. Help those that need help, that need a voice, that need so much.
Tomorrow night, I will announce a winner!



Here are some of the Amazima children!!!!!!

Worm Farm

 You have 5 days left to enter to win a quilt!!!!!!!!!!!! Check it out!




So we finally got the worms in for our worm farm. A long time ago we had several of these farms set up for our kitchen scraps. This year we are going to start composting again with worms.

The kids love to pick them up. Who COULD resist?

Zeb could hardly keep his excitement under control. He is soooooo happy that he has a family who has 2000 worms!

Now we just tuck them in some damp newspaper and start feeding them scraps. They will have me some nice compost in no time, and fishing season is just around the corner too! Happy days on Barefoot Farm!!!

Adoption, DFCS and My Headache

Here it is!

These are the papers FINALLY filled out and ALL requirements for DFCS to continue with our adoption request. I was so excited to get it all in! It was a PAIN to get it ALL done as many of the forms were the same form only in a different layout. I filled out the SAME information many, many times. We also got our health screenings, drug tests, TB skin tests, rabies updates (for the dogs, of course) and the list goes on and on. DONE! Finished!
Then, of course, my social worker looked at me and said, "I have another form for you to fill out on all of your children."
What??????? I looked at the form and it asks EXACTLY what I filled out on another form. I pointed this out and she agreed but insisted that it is required. So, I guess they need me to AGAIN list down on paper my kids' names and dates of birth and eye and hair color (which is crazy) and their ss numbers, etc.
Then she dropped another bomb. She stated that since we have water near our property (a creek about 50 yards away) we would have to take a water safety course. ****Here is where my head starts to ache****
I was frustrated. I told her that I was sick of these requirements. I pointed out that it was a waste of money and time and reminded her that my husband, who works in the ER as a provider, was required to take First Aid and that it was silly. ***sigh*** What next? What will they require next?
I am honestly ready to throw in the towel. Devin is not discouraged, though. He said we would just do what they want. 
There is no place in this DFCS office to look at situations case by case. They have a box to check off and it must get checked off. This is our government at work.
After my pity party on the drive home, Devin took me for an icecream and told me to chin up or man up or stop whining....something like that. I was pretty busy shoveling ice cream and hot fudge and such in my mouth.
I HAVE decided something though, I should have expected this. I should have seen this coming. It is so very sad to say, but I see why so many people decide not to adopt. I see why it is discouraging for so many. I have felt that way and I feel that way now BUT......I know in my heart there is a child who needs someone to press on. Who needs a mom and dad to just suck it up and take a silly water course. Who desperately needs a family to fill out a billion forms again and again so that they can be loved forever. There is a child waiting for me and I know that this crap silly class process will make it all worth it. My child is worth all of this.
So this is my adoption so far. I will stay cheerful and grateful. I will be the lady down at DFCS who is very willing to go the extra mile to find her child. I will be finding a water safety course to take and I will NOT complain because I KNOW my child is worth it.

I want to also THANK everyone who has contributed to my Quilt raffle and donated money for Amazima. Thank you, thank you!!!!!! I have recieved more than what the chip in states as some friends have written me checks! It's not too late to chip in and get a chance to win my quilt. I can't wait to send the money off to Katie! Click HERE to find out more!

Tomorrow I will tell ya'll about what we did today. We had a busy, busy day in the garden and putting together a worm farm. That makes about 2000 more critters in my house. I am sure DFCS would love that!!!! :-)

A Few Macro Pictures

These were taken today. Macro photography is tough.....gonna take a ton of practice!

Little bug on Zeb's hand.

Honey Bee on Cherry Blossom

Feral honey bee (?) on cherry blossom.

It Could Be Vanity

***Please check out the quilt giveaway! Help Ugandan orphans and Amazima Ministries!***

Today my un-exercised , baby making body attempted to run a mile. I have not run in about 15 years, since BEFORE kids.
I am happy to say that I did not require any CPR and that I actually ran a tad over 1/2 mile before having to walk. crawl.
So there you go, I am getting in better cardio so that I can keep up with my wild young boys. I am hoping that my belly will also flatten more and that my back side will return. It has been MIA since my fourth pregnancy. So, cardio. It's not all vanity:-)

Today was nice enough to clean chicken coops. It was very windy too, but I managed to take my newest toy outside for a little practice.

I have a new macro lens now. It's a lot tougher than I thought but I will be practicing and reading advice from pros and hope to someday get the perfect honey bee picture.

 

I would have taken some honey bee shots today but I did mention the wind, right? Well, it makes the ladies quite cranky when it's windy out so it is usually best to give them space on such days.  I had to settle for a dragonfly and tree frog instead.



Last, I want to let you all in on a cool, cool site.
Go HERE and you can see a live camera feed over a hummingbird nest. they are raising 2 babies right now. Yes, the nest is in a rose bush!

Go  HERE and watch a mating Bald Eagle pair! They are hatching eggs and one has already hatched.

This should allow your home schoolers to look up some facts on these birds and also learn a bit about research cameras such as these.

Now time to take some vitamin I, aka ibuprofen, and a hot bath!

I'm a Pastry Chef

WOW! I am amazed at the donations pouring in! Check it out and donate today! You will be entered to win a quilt!


Also, Katie has updated her blog and you can the read the latest HERE!


Now,I am not a fancy, shmancy cook or baker, BUT I do love to eat so I  have a few great recipes up my sleeves. in my arsenal.
Today I will start with that Bread in 5 Minutes a Day book. I really do love the book, and I am the mom who grinds wheat and bakes that healthy stuff a few times a week. There is something about the ease of the book that makes me want to sing. Don't worry, I won't sing. I really do not sing all that well but I can do the Moon Walk. Ask my kids. They LOVE when I do the Moon Walk for them.:-)

Remember a while back I posted on the Artisan Bread? If not, you can read about the yummy stuff HERE. I am using the same book as the basis for my fancy, schmancy bread today.

This bread is what I picture a French pastry to be, especially if you were in France. Perhaps I should say that it is more like the yummy pasrties I see at Sam's Club and Costcos, but I truly believe that we need high goals to reach for so I am going to keep it fancy and French.
***Disclaimer: I know nothing about French food or culture or even language, except what I have learned while watching "Beauty and the Beast" with my children.***

Let's start with dough, and the dough I am using is the Brioche dough in this book.

Brioche is French and it has tons of butter and eggs in it. What's not to like???

In your bread dough container mix these things:
1 1/2 C warm water
1 1/2 TB yeast
1 1/2 TB kosher salt
8 eggs
1/2 C honey
1 1/2 C butter (use REAL butter!)
7 1/2 C all -purpose flour

OK, remember that you need to mix the dough in and incorporate it but DO NOT knead it. This dough is very sticky  and wet. It might also have some clumps in it, but don't worry about it.
Leave it on your counter about an hour and then stick it in the fridge. I HIGHLY suggest you leave it in the fridge overnight. Sticky dough is easier to work with when it is cold.

Now, pretend it's the next day and you are craving a fancy French pastry. Since you are a cultured person who knows how to bake such fancy and wonderful treats you go get your dough out of the fridge.

Now go and get some parchment paper. Actually this Braided Pastry Bread will make 2 loaves so get 2 pieces of parchment paper and sprinkle some flour on it.

Sprinkle some flour over the top of your dough and grab a grapefruit sized portion  and wrap it into a ball around itself. Place it on a piece of floured parchment paper. Repeat these steps for the second loaf.

Now, roll the dough out into a rectangle that measures about 12 inches by 6 inches. It needs to be about 1/4 inch thick. Don't obsess too much over it. Roll out both dough balls. If you need to lightly sprinkle some flour on the dough, go ahead.

BEAUTIFUL!
Now, time to make the filling.

There are 2 items to make.
Raspberry Jam Filling:
Combine 1/2 C raspberry jam with 2 TB flour. Mix well.


Cream Cheese Filling:
Combine
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 TB butter, softened
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 TB flour
1 egg
Mix these well, until creamy.

Now, take the cream cheese filling and spread half on each rolled dough. Keep it in the middle and about 1/2 inch from the top and bottom edge.

Take the Raspberry filling and put half on each section of cream cheese filling. Again stay in the center.

Now fold the top and the bottom over the filling.

Here comes the fancy braided part. Make slices in the dough all the way down the sides so that you have strips to fold over the filling.

Starting at the top, fold one slice over, then the next slice...alternating between sides. This will give it a braided look.

This is seriously easy but the results are fabulous and it will look like someting even Belle would be proud of!

Let's make it extra special by creating a shiny, sugary crust.
Combine an egg with 1 Tb water and brush it all over the top of the dough then sprinkle some sugar on top.

Okay, this might be a little TOO much sugar, but this is what happens when you let your 11 year old sprinkle sugar. By the way, kids are also this generous with glitter while doing craft projects as well as sprinkles on cupcakes and cookies.

Bake these loaves for about 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Let the crusts get a nice golden brown.

Allow it to cool. It is really good warm as well as cooled off.

French Pastry. You are now an official pastry chef, at I think so. Don't feel like you must only use raspberry jam, either. This would be good with almost any jam or even lemon curd. I once made it with apple pie filling and omitted the cream cheese filling. It was very good.

5 minutes is all it takes to whip up this yummy and rich Brioche dough. Try it!

Still Working On It

YAY! More money donations are coming in and that makes me VERY happy! Click here to find out about the quilt giveaway that will be helping many orphans in Uganda!


Okay, so I am still working on filling out the papers for DFCS. Ilack getting all of the rabies shot records for the dogs and getting PPD and drug tests for myself and Journee. (Anyone over the age of 15 must get these). Then there is the health letter...a doctor signs and states that you and the kiddos are healthy. that's all I lack to turn in and I have been working on it.

This time of year is super duper busy with gardens, flowerbeds and honey bees. I even felt ambitious enough to pull the sewing machine out work on a few quilts, but I have yet to find the time.

I can tell how busy I have been by the way my van and pantry and freezers look. Translation: they are a mess!
While the two oldest stay at my mom's this week and visit cousins, I am here with the 5 youngest. Today we managed to clean the garage (take the blower to it!) and wash my van. That is a huge accomplishment.
I have also baked bread tonight and made some pancake syrup and some yogurt. These are a few items that have been neglected throughout these very busy days and days when I am not home.
This is the world's most boring post, but here it is anyway. Sometimes life is predictable and boring and often times that is a blessing in itself.
Happy Tuesday, ya'll!