munchkin fun and fermentation fun

Hello, there.  Popping in for my once-a-month posting.  And I only found a handful of pictures on my camera.  Here are the kids posing for their live Nativity tradition.  I wish we had Jada pose as a lamb.  But I know she would have only agreed to be a kitty and nothing else.

Christmas vacation was SO great--relaxing and somewhat slow, and pretty simple this year.  I was glad for it.  (Except the time the kids built a spider web out of yarn in the family room and proceeded to consume about 10 bananas in one setting, pretending to be monkeys.)  While the kids went back to school this little cupcake had a short-lived tummy bug, but otherwise was busy being a kitty, and chattering away with her 28-word sentences.  I once heard her playing "Ring-around-the-Dozy."  And just yesterday she smeared a lovely mural on our window with a piece of cheese. 

 These two are back to being consumed with toddler play--they are the best of friends and sometimes will disappear for an hour or more.  This picnic lunch turned into a grazing session for all sorts of lego animals, stuffed kitties--and kiddos.

 Otherwise we've tried to get back into a bit of a preschool routine, with Jude practicing his writing and reading.  I'm beginning to receive sweet little notes from him such as, "I LUV YOO." 

 

Other fun things:  my good reads lately on the subject of healthy eating:  This one is a favorite (a GREAT bday gift from my mom)--half book, half cookbook.  Possibly the best and most well-rounded book I've read on the subject to maintain a healthy weight in a healthy way.  Although this one I'm enjoying just as much (also part cookbook--and available at the public library)...describing a way to eat that actually heals your gut--which in process heals the rest of your body, and generally makes you feel better.  While we're not going "extreme" in any one diet direction, I have been slowly moving us toward a lower-gluten, lower-carb (for myself to help with blood sugar/energy), lower processed foods, switching to raw milk (DELICIOUS!), and trying to include more probiotic/fermented foods (that allow you absorb nutrients more effectively).  We haven't had terrible food allergy issues over the years, but I know a lot of our modern foods can be hard on a body, and I can tell when the little people in the house aren't feeling as good.  (Read: crabby.)  So along those lines, here are some ferments I've been experimenting with lately to help keep everyone's tummies happy:

L to R:  Whole wheat sourdough (from my sweet sis-in-law Sarah) used to make pancakes, english muffins, bread, crackers, etc., Moroccan-style lemons that will be ready in a few weeks, Kombucha (a fermented tea made from a culture from dear friend who is even more excited about fermented foods that I am)...and finally, some raw milk kefir acquired from my dairy friend.  I'll end the food geekery here...I've probably lost you all by now anyway..  (hello?  anyone?)   Have a great week--if you're reading this. ;)