TLC and more

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:48:00 +0000

We had a storm last week - and the temperatures dropped drastically...so we are left with a garden full of green tomatoes. Now, I love fried, green tomatoes but I can't cook that every night and doubt seriously it's that good for you. I ran across a recipe for green tomato relish on Farmgirl Fare and while I wasn't thoroughly convinced at the onset that it would be yummy...it definitely would save our hard work with the tomato plants. It turned out absolutely scrumptious! Eric was sad that I bottled it all and didn't save any out for him to eat last night with tortilla chips. So, if you have any green tomatoes lying around - you can whip up a batch and try it for yourself, you won't regret it!

Farmgirl Susan's No Sugar Green Tomato Relish
Makes about 3 pints
Recipe may be doubled; increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes

2 lb. green tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 lb. white or yellow onions, chopped
3/4 lb. sweet red peppers, cored and chopped
1/2 lb. tart cooking apples, such as 'Granny Smith', cored and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup 5% acidic organic raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
4 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Combine the tomatoes, onions, peppers, apples, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a large, nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour.

Stir in the jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin and simmer for 5 more minutes. Carefully purée the mixture using a stick blender (I can't say enough good things about my KitchenAid Hand Blender—it's one of the best things I ever bought for the kitchen) or in a traditional countertop blender (in batches if necessary) until still somewhat chunky.

If canning, return the puréed relish to a boil, then ladle the hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Store in a cool, dark place.
10 calories, 0g fat, 60mg sodium, 0g fiber, per Tablespoon

Produce Parade

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:03:00 +0000

Two years ago, I posted some of the more 'unusual' produce that sprang from our garden. You may remember this - aptly named "The carrot with a tail" (D'Art's idea):

Or the "octopus carrot" seen here:

So this year I'd like you to meet "Rick" and "Tony"
- they're rather 'snooty' as you can see:

This is their distant cousin "Jimmy" - he has quite the proboscis...

And can have quite the mean streak when pushed too far!

Bet you never see these in the supermarket aisle....'pear-shaped' cucumber
and its curvy sidekick!

Our one and only green pepper - looking down on our tomato harvest.

BUT - this was our first year growing melons!
We got crenshaw and cantaloupes that turned out really tasty!

The pumpkin vine, underneath the front window, took off and is producing 3, nice "Baby Bear" pumpkins. Perfect for pie-making.

And one lone little straggler who isn't going to make it to jack-o-lantern status or even a pie. Maybe he'll decorate the table or at the very least a neighbor's yard. Look out cul-de-sac!

Labor Day

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:29:00 +0000

The summer rushed right past me - woosh! Did anyone else feel the breeze!? We were busy with day trips, camps, a myriad of appointments for foster parenting, swim lessons, swimming, hanging with friends and just hanging out in general. School started and we were all glad to be back to our routines

Over Labor Day, we were lucky enough to have family come to visit. We spent our time doing nothing elaborate - but boy, was it rejuvenating! Our favorite event was an afternoon spent up in the mountains. It was just a group of us, some picnic supplies, long picnic benches, some card games, a wonderful breeze and lots of laughter. There is nothing finer to me!

Happy Labor Day 2009!

Home-made Hawaii

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:53:00 +0000

We were supposed to go to Hawaii last February. That was before we started doing foster care and had 5 kids to watch around sand and water (and the expenses to go along with it!). It would have been fun....the kids have often reminded us that they missed out!

Every once in a while a good idea pops in my head and I actually follow through with it - today was one of those days. I was pulling flowers off my pansy plants and there was quite a pile. I thought, "Wow, those could be strung together to make leis". "Nah, that would take too much time...the flowers are wilty...the girls will think it's dumb" was my self-talking response. Nevertheless, I sat down and decided to go with it! Here's the materials:

And here are the very happy recepients (well, the 2 out of 3 girls I can show you right now):

I pulled out the slip 'n slide, mini blow-up pool and the sprinkler for the trampoline. I filled up the little plastic sink with water and told them to have at it...we were having a Hawaiian STAYcation! We will grill for dinner and I'm playing Hawaiian music on Pandora.com. Now I'm off to make smoothies for the tourists!

This guy doesn't seem to be as convinced...maybe he needs some flowers in his hair!

P.S. We are moving from foster care towards adoption for the 2 kids in our care...we hope to have it completed by the end of summer. Updates to follow and lots of pictures when we're through! :D

Whoosh! There it is!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:52:00 +0000

How does time go by so fast!?!?! Well, for me, it goes a little something like this... (a pictorial review of where the time went)

First, this girl had her 10th birthday:

Then you throw in a little of this:

And every day after school (when it wasn't SNOWING!) there was lots of this:

AND THIS:

On St. Patrick's Day we couldn't find Shamrock Shakes so we ended up making our own and started a new family tradition like this:

Another little girl (my baby) had a princess blow-out birthday party like this:

And this past weekend my good hubster made sure the kids got to do this:

And then yesterday there were attempts to take nice Easter photos that ended up looking more like this:

That's where I've been for the past 2 months - how about you?

TGIPIFF!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Thank Goodness it's Pay It Forward Friday!!!

A good friend (yes, you know who you are!) had a "Pay it Forward" challenge on her blog. I gladly raised my hand to receive a lovely gift from her and in return agreed to do the same right here! So...the first five folks to leave comments will get something handmade from me. I can't promise what it will be - maybe something sewn, scrapbooked, papered, baked, typed, printed, etc but it will definitely be from the heart! I CAN promise that it will be free of crayon marks and fingerprints from 5 little urchins that live within the four walls of our home!

The rules:

1. leave your comment with a link to your email if I don't already have it

2. you must agree to pay it forward by doing the same on your blog, or if you don't have a blog on Facebook or email

3. wait patiently for your handmade item

4. pay your own item forward!

Isn't the domino effect grand!? Happy paying!

January Update

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:57:00 +0000

It's the 23rd already! Isn't it still the first week of the New Year or something like that!? What happened here??? I had some really good intentions to start this new year with a blogging bang and be really faithful and devoted to writing weekly at least and here we are at almost the end of January and hmmm....I'm already behind!

In a nutshell here's what I've done so far this month:

2009 came in with a tiny bang - rung in at 10:00 pm (EST) for the little kids and for me I fell asleep on the couch at around 11:35pm while watching TV. Oh, the good old days when I could stay up well past midnight!

I turned 42 and interestingly enough it doesn't feel that much different than 41, yet!

School went back in session and there isn't enough woo hoo's or Woot Woot's! in the world to cover that one!!! Christmas break was 'too too much' of everything!

My foster daughter went from 3-years old to 4-years old, although if you ask her how old she is she will hold up one finger and say "One". Hmmm....sometimes it's four, sometimes five and occasionally four. She has the bestest, curliest hair you've ever seen. Here's a photo - I love to wrap my fingers around it and twist it for relaxation purposes.

I started a "Women on Weights" program at our local community center - lifting weights twice a week (plus cardio 4-5 times a week). Yep, just me and the fire men in the weight room...it's a tough gig but I've got to get my 'me' time in!

We've hit a major bump in the 'foster care' road this past week - more on that later, but it was bound to happen. I've discovered that there is support for any situation and I value my family, husband and friends even more during the lows!

Big D started cub scouts - I don't like it but I love him and I do enjoy seeing him get excited about the activities and badges. I'm not going to be a den mother though...so whoever makes those types of calls and requests, let it be known!

American Idol is back on and Lost has returned - can I hear a Woot Woot!

I have made a commitment to do more blogging - don't get all excited and hopeful about seeing something every week but I figure even once a month will be better than last year! I also am planning on 'slurping' last year's posts into a hard-bound book and calling it my journal. Whew! can get that monkey off my back and not have to worry that I'm a complete failure in the scrapbooking, family history, personal history, letter writing and journaling campaign! Seems 2009 is looking up!

Birthday Boy

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:56:00 +0000

This little baby boy has a birthday today - he's turning 8.

This little baby boy is still as cute as ever except he's grown quite a bit taller and will be passing up his mom before long.

This little baby boy doesn't have his curls anymore because he likes keeping it short - a #2 shield with the clippers.

This little baby boy still does toilets and hardly grumbles when asked to help clean the bathroom.

This little baby boy loves Lego Star Wars on Wii and it was his favorite toy yesterday from Santa.

This little baby boy can play the piano like nobody's business - who knew that those little chubby hands would turn long and slender, just right for playing piano.

This little baby boy still has huge dimples in his cheek and chin and now that he's a bigger boy he's completely unaware what that will do to girls some day.

This little baby boy has the most amazingly blue eyes that still can do his mom in when she's trying to say 'No' to him - it never works!

This little baby boy turned out to be a great big brother and is still a good little brother - who doesn't mind being 'girl trapped'.

This little baby boy can play soccer and basketball and is a really fast runner.

This little baby boy has grown up to be a wonderful son and loves his family and Heavenly Father.

This little baby boy is having a birthday... Happy Birthday Son!

This little boy has a birthday...

This one pictured here!

Father in Heaven bless him,

Throughout the coming year.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear baby boy

Happy Birthday to you!

Love you Always,

Mom

Compromise

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:58:00 +0000

We are finally done wrapping all of our Christmas gifts - woo hoo! Growing up, Santa never wrapped our Christmas gifts. We would wake on Christmas morning and walk out into the darkened room lit up by the Christmas Tree. Underneath the tree, each of our presents would be grouped in a pile next to our stockings. They always looked magical in the glow of the twinkle lights and we would race to find our stocking so we knew which pile was ours. (It was pretty obvious the year I got my favorite 'Puddin' doll and my brother got a GI Joe.) It wasn't until my younger brothers were much older that Santa started wrapping gifts and putting them under the tree. With 7 children, I think it might have saved Santa a little bit of time, at the Covey household, just leaving them unwrapped.

The Big Easy, on the other hand, grew up with Santa wrapping all his Christmas presents. He said the fun for him was not knowing what was inside until the wrapping paper was completely off. They took turns watching each other open gifts and the fun was guessing what each odd-shaped box would hold.

When we started having children of our own we had to decide what we would ask Santa to do - wrap or leave them unwrapped??? I have to admit that unwrapping a gift does add quite an element of surprise and suspense. We started with our oldest and had Santa wrap the majority and leave the biggest toy out - or the one that might have to be put together or odd-shaped. That tradition has continued. We compromised - now Santa wraps them all and if there is something that is too unusual to wrap or needs to be put together in order to be played with on Christmas Day, he leaves that out. Like our youngest's play kitchen last year and the trampoline in it's huge box. I think it's a good arrangement.

With six children this year I think Santa has his hands full for the gifts at our house. Even though I think each child will get a modest amount of gifts - when you add that up its a lot of wrapping! I've talked to several friends and family members and its funny how there really is a 50/50 split on how everyone grew up with Santa wrapping or not. I bet there's been a lot of compromise happening through the years where gift wrap is concerned. Happy wrapping! (or not!)

The eyes have it!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:39:00 +0000

It's Birthday time around our household! Not only is it Christmas next week and our anniversary tomorrow but....it was this guy's birthday last Saturday, the 13th of December:

And it's this guy's birthday today (our littlest guy that we're being foster parents to):

And next week, the day after Christmas, is this guy's birthday - he's turning 8 and will get baptized on January 3rd!

I'm thinking that besides the fact that we're completely broke, partied out and overrun with gifts by the end of December - I'm pretty much surrounded by some cute guys! And what about all these eyes!???? In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a sucker for eyes and it's hard for me to say "no" when they flash their baby blues, browns and greens at me!

I like free stuff!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:47:00 +0000

I'm all about freebies - and you (or I!!) could win a Cricut machine or an iPod Touch! Bloggled is trying to save our blogs by backing them up (what a concept) and making them into books (another great concept!). Today only, you can register for free, link to them on your own blog, add a RSS subscription or add them as a friend on Twitter or Facebook for chances to win. There's supposed to be a drawing ever 2 hours. I don't know about you but I wouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth! :D

Clean Up on Aisle 5!!!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:38:00 +0000

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. My sister and her family drove up from Arizona for 4 days. I am so grateful they did. The last week or so my glass wasn't 'half empty' it was pretty much bone dry and needed to be filled up. I've been trying to do some self-care and Eric has been doing a great job of pulling his half of the yoke but I still needed a pick-me-up.

I can't say that we did anything amazing or spectacular during our time together as a family. But the point...was that we had family around us. Someone to share and lighten the load. My children had cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents to love and dote on them. My biological children who have recently been feeling neglected and alone were reminded that they have special people who know their entire history and think they are pretty awesome. My foster kids were introduced to yet another group of people who are healthy, normal and also think they are awesome. I had my sister - who I adore beyond words - just a stone's throw away. We saw Twilight together, laughed about caterpillar eyebrows, had our walking therapy sessions, made chocolate gravy and quesadillas together and hugged and loved each other (hopefully enough to last us 'til the next time). I got teary eyed watching my oldest daughter stay up late with her favorite girl cousin talking, eating snacks. making crafts and watching movies. She couldn't get enough girl/cousin time.

My cup was filled to overflowing. It filled every inch of my heart and spirit and spilled out onto those around me. Love's like that, you know - it touches everyone in the vicinity. If you want to help with the clean up - be willing to bring a tissue or two - but only if you have a cup to wring them into!

Twilight - The Movie

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Okay, I'll admit it - I saw the movie at midnight the day it opened. I was actually in my seat about 11:00 pm on the 20th - in anticipation of the 'grand opening'. Me and several hundred of my closest, weirdest, middle-agiest mostly female friends. The theatre was packed with fans of the books and what I assume to be caterpillar eyebrows. I have a bias towards Robert Pattinson - the guy cast as Edward - his eyebrows are too bushy to be Edward. I'll admit that right up front, I thought he was all wrong for the part and I'm sticking to it! My not-so-professional opinion of the movie:

Goods:
Cinematography - location, awesome! The shot of them climbing in the trees was magnificent
Bella - cast well and Kristin Stewart is a fine actress for this role
The role of the father - he was younger than I pictured and I liked it.
Jacob - not bad, could have done more in the picture
Edward - eyebrows still distracting but there were times he 'grew on me' especially the biology class scene when the scent of Bella first hits him.
Forks - quaint and perfect

Bads:
Length of the film - it drug on and on and on
The Cullen family - not enough of them
Victoria - should not be talking
I don't want to hear the word 'spider monkey' used as a term of endearment ever again!!!
The 'venom sucking' scene in the dance studio was laughable and I don't think it was meant to be...laughed out loud when Bella's eyes crossed!

Uglies:
Eyebrows on Edward - did I mention that already?????
Alice - her baseball throwing stance - hello???what's with the pointed toe???
Bella's prom dress...could they not have found something more suitable and beautiful!?
The kissing scene in the bedroom - where was all the romance leading up to it!?
All the women in the theatre screaming at the top of their lungs for every little thing - come on ladies, get a life!!!! (Oh wait, I was there too but not screaming, mind you!)

I could go on - but will spare you. I loved the books and while dissapointed with #4 and the movie - still think they are refreshingly new in their concept. Will I see it again? Probably? Will I buy it? Yes. Will I meet Robert Pattinson in a dark alley with a waxing pot and linen strips? Most definately!!

Falling for Soup

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:49:00 +0000

I love soup...there I've said it! Fall is the perfect time for me to dust off some old 'tried-and-true' recipes and also launch into some uncharted territory with soup cooking! All growing up my favorite was potato soup that my mom made with home-made french bread. It's still a great one but here's my favorite (and a real kid-pleaser) for the moment!

Cheeseburger Soup

1 lb ground beef

3/4 Cup chopped onions

3/4 Cup shredded carrots (I buy them pre-shredded)

1 tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes

4 TBSP Butter

3 Cups Chicken broth

4 Cups diced, peeled potatoes *

*(if in a hurry - I buy the frozen breakfast potatoes with green pepper)

1/4 Cup All-purpose flour

2 Cups Shredded Velveeta Cheese (or cubed)

1 1/2 Cups Milk

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/4 Cup Sour cream

In a large saucepan brown the beef; drain and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes) Add broth, potatoes and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a separate skillet melt the remaining butter. Add flour to butter; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add the flour mixture to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Serve.

Thankful for 5!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:54:00 +0000

This past weekend I participated in the Telos Turkey Tri 5k in Orem. It was my fifth 5K - and I can hardly believe it! My good friend, Clint, did the actual sprint triathlon: run 5K, bike 10 miles and swim 350 meters. I was so proud of him!!! I had toyed with the idea of entering that part but knew I wouldn't be ready - good thing I know my limits (well, at least where chocolate is not involved!). I finished the race and while I don't know my time, it doesn't really matter. I was surrounded by hard-core racers and triathlon athletes. I know that I stick out like a sore thumb - not having the body of a 41-year old who's been running/biking/swimming her whole life. Rather, the body of a 41-year old who's just started running and is grateful just to finish without collapsing.

I am extremely grateful for a Heavenly Father who made our bodies so forgiving. Who knew that you could actually change your body shape and make-up this far into life? Every time I run a little further and am less winded than the time before, I give thanks. When I walk/run up the hills I am grateful that I have legs to carry me, lungs that work right and a will that's been strengthened by a powerful belief. I know that my Heavenly Father wants me to be healthy, strong and happy - He's helping me through each race I've entered. It's something I wish that I'd done sooner in life, but it's better now than never!

I have to stop myself from comparing to the wrong crowd - instead I think about all the folks who don't even enter races, whatever the reason. I think about all the times I sat on the sidelines admiring people who could run and yet didn't feel motivated to join them. Wow! I'm one of those people now and despite coming in the end of the 5K, I couldn't be happier. I'm holding out the banner for all you sitting on the sidelines - if I can do it, you can too!

Halloween

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:12:00 +0000

It was a perfect day! The temps were in the 70's during the day so there was just a slight chill in the evening. There were plenty of fall leaves to crunch while walking around and I had 6 kids to oooh and aaaah over their cute and costumed selves.

I truly love fall - many people get invigorated by spring but for me it's fall. Growing up in Arizona we didn't really have 4 seasons - just 2, hot and not-so-hot! I always dreamed of beautiful trees changing colors, leaves piled up in the yard - perfect for leaping and driving down the street and watching leaves swirl around and behind the car.

I got my first taste of a true and lovely Fall when I lived back east. There are so many trees and the chill in the air plus autumn leaves were a magical mixture to me. While I love Arizona - I was thrilled when we moved to Utah that my lovely autumn dreams were coming true again.

I couldn't help snapping some photos yesterday - but they just don't do it justice! You'd have to have crunch-o-vision, smell-o-vision and feel-o-vision to appreciate these fully. Just take my word for it - it's perfect!

Out of Eggs????

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:41:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but there's been many times I set out to bake something only to discover that I was out of eggs. (And too lazy or not enough time to go buy some more) Here's some substitutes and tips that were given me by a friend. I'm planning to print it off and stick it in my favorite cook book!

Preparedness Tip - Inexpensive Eggs for Food Storage: Eggs are essential basic cooking ingredients, but have a short shelf life and powdered eggs are expensive. Wendy DeWitt, who created food storage recipes for the Mesa LDS cannery, said unflavored gelatin mixed with water makes inexpensive eggs, and cornbread I made with unflavored gelatin that was over 10 years old was delicious! 1 lb of gelatin will make 192 eggs (16 doz). It's much cheaper if you buy in bulk; I get mine from bulkfoods.com.

To Make One Egg: Stir 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin with 3 Tbsp cold water until dissolved, then add 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp very hot water and stir. Decrease liquid called for in your recipe by about one-fourth cup to compensate for the added water from the egg.

Other Egg Replacement Options:
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. potato starch
1 egg = 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg = 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash
1 egg = 1/4 cup puréed prunes
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil + 2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg = 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed simmered in 3 Tbsp. water
1 egg white = 1 Tbsp. plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water, whipped, chilled, and whipped again

Egg Replacement Tips• If a recipe calls for three or more eggs, it is important to choose a replacer that will perform the same function (i.e., binding or leavening). • Trying to replicate airy baked goods that call for a lot of eggs, such as angel food cake, can be very difficult. Instead, look for a recipe with a similar taste but fewer eggs, which will be easier to replicate.• When adding tofu to a recipe as an egg replacer, be sure to purée it first to avoid chunks in the finished product. • Be sure to use plain tofu, not seasoned or baked, as a replacer. • Powdered egg replacers cannot be used to create egg recipes such as scrambles or omelets. Tofu is the perfect substitute for eggs in these applications. • If you want a lighter texture and you're using fruit purées as an egg substitute, add an extra 1/2 tsp. baking powder. Fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe. • If you're looking for an egg replacer that binds, try adding 2 to 3 Tbsp. of any of the following for each egg: tomato paste, potato starch, arrowroot powder, whole wheat flour, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, instant potato flakes, or 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 Tbsp. flour.

The New 'Brady' Bunch

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:16:00 +0000

We are the von Pingel bunch! 3 kids + 3 kids = 6 kids. 3 boys + 3 girls = 6 kids. Only difference? no Alice to help me out!!!

The first few days have been full of ups and downs. The kids got here Thursday night and it was eerie how quickly the little ones fell into calling us "mommy' and 'daddy'. Even though it makes us feel good, it is a red flag that they are not more confused and distressed - at least about living with a new family.

All of the school-aged kids were out of school for 3 days so we have been nice and cozy 24/7. There has been quite a bit of rivalry between the 2, 8-year old boys and the 2, 3-year old girls. Apparently I should have predicted the need for two of every princess, Dora and My Little Pony item I've ever bought! Big D is adjusting to not being the only boy any more plus sharing a room and his toys for the first time. Our baby girl is also having a hard time adjusting to not being the baby and having to share her parent's attention. We are all adjusting to a little guy in diapers and needing lots of care while eating and getting places. I spend most of my time playing referee. A close second is cooking and cleaning up. (My groceries have never disappeared this fast!)

The newest additions have attachment issues and most likely been exposed to things in their little lives that no child should ever have to be exposed to. They cry easily and the oldest is very stubborn and the pickiest eater! The younger two have a hard time responding to and being cared for by Daddy sometimes...somewhere they have been hurt by a male adult. I know the oldest has a 'shell' for protection and it has served him well thus far. We are praying that love, consistency, togetherness, therapy and good boundaries will help them all do a little healing while in our care.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to get a thing done for myself for awhile. I have also resigned myself to the fact that I'm happy and content to be mothering 6 children and receiving even more kisses, hugs, "Mommy!" calls and laughter than I thought possible. Just call me Carol Brady!

Anticipation

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:16:00 +0000

Remember the old way ketchup used to come out of bottles?? Slowly and took its own sweet time. Sometimes you'd have to pound on the bottom of the bottle, shake it, stick a knife in it - turn it over to see if it was near the edge and pound yet again. But oooohhh...it was worth the wait!

Life is like that for me lately - ever since hubs and I decided to become foster parents. We've been waiting, pounding, prodding, hoping, looking and pounding again in anticipation of children being placed in our home. Just when we were about to give up (and go for mustard) we got 'the call'.

The wait is going to be over on Thursday - 3 kids are coming to join the clan. Now that they're on their way I'm nervous, scared, excited, hopeful, fearful and happy. We will be doubling our children and they will by far outnumber us! It will be an adventure in parenting and loving - and while this is only the beginning, I'm sure that when I look back on this time it will have happened all too suddenly and will have been definately worth the wait.

Just like ketchup always is!

Happy Morning!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:37:00 +0000

I'm off today to a cottage warming party! (It's virtual and anyone is invited!) Click the button to the right to see some delightful quilted cottages, get some tasty recipes and warm your toes by the fire!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:45:00 +0000

I love pencils! The smell, the look, the unsharpened ones, the sharpened ones, plain No. 2's, colored ones, red ones for marking papers, decorated and designed ones...they're all good! I saw this article and learned a lot - hope you do too!

20 Things You Didn't Know About ... Pencils
By Dean Christopher Discover Magazine

1. There is no risk of lead poisoning if you stab yourself (or someone else) with a pencil because it contains no lead -- just a mixture of clay and graphite. Still, pencil wounds carry a risk of infection for the stabees, lawsuits for stabbers.

2. Also, bad juju for anyone linked to Watergate: In his autobiography, G. Gordon Liddy describes finding John Dean (whom he despised for “disloyalty”) alone in a room. Spotting sharpened pencils on a desk, Liddy fleetingly considered driving one into Dean’s throat.

3. Graphite, a crystallized form of carbon, was discovered near Keswick, England, in the mid-16th century. An 18th-century German chemist, A. G. Werner, named it, sensibly enough, from the Greek "graphein," meaning “to write.”

4. The word pencil derives from the Latin “penicillus,” meaning -- not so sensibly -- “little tail.”

5. Pencil marks are made when tiny graphite flecks, often just thousandths of an inch wide, stick to the fibers that make up paper.

6. Got time to kill? The average pencil holds enough graphite to draw a line about 35 miles long or to write roughly 45,000 words. History does not record anyone testing this statistic.

7. The Greek poet Philip of Thessaloníki wrote of leaden writing instruments in the first century B.C., but the modern pencil, as described by Swiss naturalist Konrad Gesner, dates only to 1565.

8. French pencil boosters include Nicolas-Jacques Conté, who patented a clay-and-graphite manufacturing process in 1795; Bernard Lassimone, who patented the first pencil sharpener in 1828; and Therry des Estwaux, who invented an improved mechanical sharpener in 1847.

9. French researchers also hit on the idea of using caoutchouc, a vegetable gum now known as rubber, to erase pencil marks. Until then, writers removed mistakes with bread crumbs.

10. Most pencils sold in America today have eraser tips, while those sold in Europe usually have none. Are Europeans more confident scribblers?

11. Henry David Thoreau -- American, but a confident scribbler all the same -- used pencils to write "Walden." And he probably got them free. His father owned a pencil-making business near Boston, where Henry allegedly designed his own pencils before becoming a semi-recluse.

12. In 1861, Eberhard Faber built the first American mass-production pencil factory in New York City.

13. Pencils were among the basic equipment issued to Union soldiers during the Civil War.

14. The mechanical pencil was patented in 1822. The company founded by its British developers prospered until 1941, when the factory was bombed, presumably by pencil-hating Nazis.

15. "Je suis un crayon rouge." After the 1917 Soviet revolution, American entrepreneur Armand Hammer was awarded a monopoly for pencil manufacturing in the USSR.

16. More than half of all pencils come from China. In 2004, factories there turned out 10 billion pencils, enough to circle the earth more than 40 times.

17. Pencils can write in zero gravity and so were used on early American and Russian space missions -- even though NASA engineers worried about the flammability of wood pencils in a pure-oxygen atmosphere, not to mention the menace of floating bits of graphite.

18. Those concerns inspired Paul Fisher to develop the pressurized Fisher Space Pen in 1965. After the Apollo 1 fire, NASA banned pencils in favor of his pen on manned spaceflights.

19. The world’s largest pencil is a Castell 9000, on display at the manufacturer’s plant near Kuala Lumpur. Made of Malaysian wood and polymer, it stands 65 feet high.

20. At the other extreme, engineers at the University of California at Santa Barbara have used an atomic force microscope as a kind of pencil to draw lines 50 nanometers (two millionths of an inch) wide. Just because they could.

Who Knew!?

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:42:00 +0000

It's the little things that count...makes a day/week/month/year/life easier! Try this and see! Happy Weekend!

What is it about them???

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:53:00 +0000

Doughnuts or donuts - I love them! I prefer Krispy Kreme over Dunkin Donuts. I like filled donuts but not with custard, only creme frosting. I like cake/old-fashioned type donuts the best, especially blueberry or spice. There are two places in town that make amazing doughnuts: the Lehi Bakery and a locally-owned grocery store, Kohlers. I can't walk into the store with Sophia without her asking for a donut (and boy am I glad she does - it gives me an excuse to have one too!)

Today they had fall-colored icing with sprinkles. Sophia said the plain part looked like a pumpkin. They were soft and melt-in-your-mouth. I have to admit that I've never made donuts. I guess it's too quick and easy to buy them in the store (oh yeah, and they're not good for me! did I mention that!?) But, I found a recipe that I think I'll need to try - maybe for a cool autumn day when I have some extra time. Just hope they turn out as good as they sound and maybe I'll give Krispy Kreme and Kohler's a run for their donut money! (let me know if there are any adventurous donut makers out there)

Apple Cider Doughnuts

For the doughnuts:
1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat work fine)
Vegetable oil for frying

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider

For the doughnuts: In a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed (with the paddle attachment, if using a standing mixer) beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn the dough onto 1 of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels.

For the glaze: While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners' sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

To fry and assemble: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels after the doughnuts are fried. Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze and serve immediately.

The Bad News (Don't look if you don't want to!) Per doughnut: 201 calories, 3 gm protein, 33 gm carbohydrates, 6 gm fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 200 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber

Peaches, Peaches, PEACHES!!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:49:00 +0000

We've been inundated with peaches from our very own trees! One of the selling points of the home we're currently in was the storage, back yard and the fruit trees. We have two plum trees and two peach trees. Sadly, the previous owners planted them but never got to see them bear fruit and reap the rewards...happily we do!! The very first summer we were in the house we had peaches and this year was our 3rd summer enjoying the 'fruit' of someone else's labors.

We have put very little money into them other than some water and spray for bark beetles. Very little effort has produced an abundance! This past week I started to pick some and was fully intending to let them stay on the tree for another week or two. Mid-week we had a storm roll in with high winds - just as the winds picked up I noticed peaches were falling from the tree. RATS! I hurried outside with the kids, boxes and a ladder and pick all the peaches. I wish I could say that my helpers were extremely helpful but that would be misleading you! My oldest did hold the bag and carried many of them to a box. The younger two were easily drawn to the nearby trampoline. All in all we got 6 boxes full and a Trader Joe's bag. (This was after losing about 30-35 that fell off in the last week and slugs got them plus the 100 or so my hubby thinned out at the beginning of the season).

Luckily, this past Saturday had nothing scheduled other than an early morning volleyball game. Our peach 'taskmaster' kept us busy all day: blanching, peeling, cutting, mixing and bottling. Gratefully we had two friends and my parents come over to help. It was quite a job! We divided our spoils with all those who participated (think Little Red Hen!) Our half was 20 quart jars of peach halves, 11 pint jars of peach slices and 8 jars of jam. I love the way they look stacked up on the shelf!!!

Peach cobbler was on tonight's menu for dessert - so yummy! Here's our favorite recipe:

Fresh Peach Cobbler, the Absolutely Best Ever Recipe #61366

Fruit Mixture
6 tablespoons tapioca
6-7 cups fresh peaches, sliced (or equivalent canned peaches)
1 cup sugar (omit if using sweetened canned peaches)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cobbler Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cobbler Topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon, to taste
nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine tapioca, peaches, sugar (if used), cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Pour the fruit mixture into a buttered 9" X 13" baking dish. In a bowl mix thoroughly the ingredients for the Cobbler Dough. Spread over the fruit mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together DRY cobbler topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the cobbler dough layer. Then pour the boiling water evenly over the cobbler.
(Do Not Stir.) Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean and top has a golden crust.

I still have a little over a box calling my name, "Wash me...peel me...chop me...make me into jam!" Guess you know what I'll be doing tomorrow...but that's peachy keen with me!

Woo Hoo for Cake Mix Extender!

tlvonpingel@gmail.com (Teddi) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:42:00 +0000

I posted this simple recipe earlier in the year for extending a cake mix! Today I put it to good use as I made cupcakes for the school carnival.

I was supposed to make 2 dozen and knew that the cake mix would leave them puny and definately wouldn't give me any leftovers for the little gal that hangs out with me all day! She can't keep her 3-year old hands off the cupcakes when I leave the room for a minute (Imagine that!) So...the cake mix extender worked like a charm - I got 2 dozen regular-sized cupcakes and 2 dozen mini cupcakes out of one mix! Woo hoo!!!

I was debating how to decorate the cupcakes - they are for a cake walk at the carnival. I didn't want to bring just plain ones (the kind that sit there until the last kid has finally won!) and definately don't have time to do the fancy schmancy stuff (nor would I want to since they are going to be scarfed down in 30 seconds flat!). So, yesterday I was in the BYU bookstore and saw these:

Yes, I am taking the easy way out by plopping one of these little critters on top of each and every cupcake. Now, the only debate is whether they should be sitting on chocolate frosting or vanilla dyed red!? The cupcakes themselves are devil's food. I really don't think it'll matter in the end. I'm fairly confident that the tarantulas will be the 'draw' and not the flavor of the cake and frosting. In all honesty, I'll probably go with whatever is on sale when I get to the store later this morning...but then again...maybe a mini cupcake or two will find its way into my belly and I prefer chocolate! (Of course!)