andrew's birthday

Wow! 2 posts in one day :)  Kids are sleeping so decided to do one more before this mommy goes to bed.   Andrew's birthday was this past Friday. Our second  boy just turned 5! It didnt' seem possible to be celebrating his 5th birthday. And he was so proud of losing his first tooth this weekend too...guess he is a big boy now!   For his birthday he wanted to go to the beach; so we as a family, plus grammy(she was able to be here for his birthday), spent the day at the beach. I took lots of pictures but will have to put those pictures up later after I edit them :)   Here are just the ones with the cake. I love these pictures with Thaddaues watching his big brother blow out the candles and all. He loves his big brothers. In fact he doesn't like to sit in his high chair anymore...he likes to sit on the bench with his brothers.... :( guess he is growing up too fast too....

Well, this is the latest family picture....I know I have been so far behind on this blogging thing. Maybe now that summer is finally here I can find some time in between changing diapers, fixing meals, playing with kids, and cleaning messes, to catch up on the last 3 months....but don't hold your breath :)

Josiah Brooks

 Josiah Brooks was born on March 2. These are pictures taken when he was two weeks old. Today he is three weeks so need to take more pictures I know. Just has been a little busy around here to say the least....but hopefully will get some more pictures before too long.....

 my first child to have dimples....I love them!

yawning.....

This past Saturday we had a family day. It was a beautiful sunny day so we decided to go someplace outdoors. Some good friends of ours told us about a park not too far from here that was historic and beautiful. It was called Popes Creek. This is George Washington's birthplace. And our friends were right, the place is beautiful! We didn't walk on the nature trails this time(tho we will be going back to do that) but we walked around the main trail that went where his house once stood and then saw the barns and livestock. We had wanted to take the tour but no one was there to give it that day so we watched a 15 min slide presentation instead (so this was a family day/field trip).  I had brought a picnic so we ate beside the water and just enjoyed being together as a family while enjoying the beauty of God's creation!

 this was the place where his house once stood(it was burned to the ground when he was little)

 this is Popes Creek that backs into the Potomic River(this was beautiful)

 Brett and I are enjoying the beauty of the water and all the geese that were there and my kids are enjyoing the beauty of pebbles :)

 someone enjoying his cookie :)

 He does not like to be carried by his sister, Cailyn, I thought it was funny :)

After school this morning Nathanael wanted to bake something with me. He chose his favorite, No Bake Cookies. This is one cookie I don't mind making since they are quick and easy, the only bad part....they don't last long in this house....So good thing this is one cookie Brett can pass up because by the time he gets home they are usually all gone. We will just have to bake him some other cookie.....

chocolate granola bars

Two of my favorite foods, all wrapped up in one yummy little bar.

Chocolate Granola Bars

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup local honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup oats (not quick oats)
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Mini work best, but it doesn’t really matter.)

What to do:
1. Melt the butter, peanut butter and honey in a pot over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. Turn off the burner when melted.
2. Pour in the cup of oats and the wheat germ. Stir til combined.
3. Wait til it cools and stir in the coconut and chocolate chips. Or, if you’re impatient with things like this, like I am, go ahead and dump it all right in. The result will be a more uniform chocolate taste.
4. Pour into foil-lined 8 X 8 pan and stick in the fridge.
5. Once cooled, flip out (the bars….not you) onto cutting board and cut to the size you like.

I found this recipe a couple of weeks ago and today we tried it out. I didn't have the old fashioned oats so just used quick oats and they turned out good tho using the old fashioned would probably have texture more like a granola bar. The ones we made had the texture of  no bake cookies....our favorite cookies! and making these are more healthy then the cookies since you use honey and not sugar so we will definitely be making these more...the only thing difference I would do is double the recipe since feeding 5 kids and 1 mommy that loves these,  only last for one snack time.  

Cheese and Broccoli Soup

Last night I had a craving for some hot soup and bread.  I wanted some potato soup but didn't have enough potatoes for that. So I went to my favorite site: Allrecipes.com   I typed in the food I did have for soup and I found this one: Cheese and Broccoli Chicken Soup. I love Panera Bread's cheese and broccoli soup so I knew with added chicken this must be good. And it was! ( I rarely find a recipe on Allrecipe that I don't like).  I made exactly the amount it calls for which is  10 servings only because I wanted to freeze some for another meal. And I changed a little from the original recipe(I took some advice from the reviews and then I lessened the cheese only because I didn't have 3 cups like it called for but I think I liked it better. tasted more like chicken and noodle soup rather then a heavy cheese soup). Here is the recipe I used and like I said it as awesome...in fact Brett had some for lunch again today and he said it was better then last night...he said it was a keeper so I was happy!
  
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 cups water
8 cups of chicken broth
half bag of frozen broccoli
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cups of cheddar cheese

One of the kids' favorite chores is to wash the kitchen floor. The chore is supposed to be Andrew's but many times he has lots of help. And that is one chore I'm glad they enjoy doing since I can't get down on my knees as easy as I used too....big prego belly in the way :)   Well today Cailyn wanted to wash the floor so I gave her the sponge( I use magic eraser so the black marks come up easier for the kids). Cailyn is good at going to the sink and rinsing the sponge out when she needs to. So as she is doing that I was getting the other kids ready for a craft. When I came back to check on her the floor was sparkling clean and the sponge she placed on the counter. So I went back to help the kids with the craft they were doing. Later on I came back to the kitchen to get some water and I noticed my floor really wet and Thaddaeus was helping me wash the floor now.  Wel,l at that moment I didn't think twice about it. Then while walking down the hallway back towards the kids room I noticed the bathroom door open. Then it clicked.....My son who is "helping" me wash the kitchen floors was getting his water from the bathroom, and it wasn't from the sink.....can you guess where he was getting it from?  Yea, the only source of water that he can reach at his age.....THE TOILET!  GROSS!  But I couldn't scold him since he was "helping" me or so he thought he was...I just had to laugh!   Now this floor is getting a third wash for the day...the floor will be the cleanest it has ever been :)   

newest little doggett

Yesteday we had another ultrasound. I haven't had an ultrasound this late with the others so it was so neat to see what our little boy looked liked at 31 weeks. Its amazing the technology we have nowadays and how clear the image is. Brett and I have seen just over the last 8 yrs how the ultrasounds get better and better. I love going for ultrasounds although this time I have to say, seeing the baby this clear and this late in the pregancy, it will be hard to wait another 8 weeks till I hold him!But  Praise the Lord the baby is doing well and everything looks good. He is measuring though at 32 weeks...going to be a big baby unless he comes early(already over 4 lbs)! And the most exciting information is that he has hair(for me to have a baby with hair is rare :) ) So I won't complain anymore of the sleepless nights due to heartburn :)
So this is one of the pictures of the newest "little Doggett"

Christmas play

This post is a little late but I wanted to post it anyway so the grandparents could see their grandkids in their Christmas play. The kids did this play a few weeks ago in church. It was called "A Peanut Butter Christmas".  Madison and Andrew was part of the choir and Nathanael was one of the sheriffs.

 Jen Vilallobos and Christy Ocker did a wonderful job with the kids. The props were awesome and the kids did so well! And their outfits were so cute! (each year these ladies hand sew the kids outfits)

 Madison was standing where it was hard to get a close picture but Andrew and Nathanael were standing in front so guess there are more pictures of them.....I was so proud of Andrew (well I was proud of them all)...but Andrew especially this year because last year he was too shy to stand up in front of anyone, but this year he has opened up and he is singing at the nursing homes and in church! My little boy is growing up too quickly  :(

homemade dish detergent soap

Last year I started making our own laundry soap and cleaning supplies. The one thing I wanted to try but never did was find a dishwasher soap. Well, I finally did. The other day I ran out and I had 2 loads of dishes to wash. Seeing that it was way too cold to take 6 little ones outside, I set out to find a recipe that worked. I had trouble at first trying to find one with ingredients I already had on hand. But I finally found one. Only 3 ingredients: water, borax, and baking soda. You do a cup of each. I poured them in a jar with a lid so I could shake it up before each use. They say you could use lemon shine or just plain lemonade mix and that would help with the grease if are washing a lot of pots and pans. I didn't have any lemonade on hand so just used the other 3 ingredients and I was not disappointed. Today is the third day of using it and I am not going back to store bought detergent. I do put white vinegar in the rinse cup and that really helps with the cloudiness that I get on my glasses.  I am so glad I found another homemade recipe for a  product that we use a lot.Another way to save money :)  I do have goals in the next month or two to make our own chicken broth and cream of chicken soup and refried beans since those are things I use a lot.

Christmas Day

This was our first year spending Christmas here with just us. With us going home for THanksgiving I knew I wouldn't be able to travel again for Christmas, due to my pregnancy. Our church had a candlelight Christmas service Saturday night and then on Sunday morning we had our Christmas service. I wish every year Christmas was on Sunday! What a way to start out our Christmas Day....in church celebrating our Savior's birth! Makes us focus on the real reason we do celebrate Christmas and not focus on all the festivities and other things that we do on Christmas. 
 After service we came home and I started making the meal while the kids played outside with daddy with their new rifles. Even though it was just us I went ahead and made a big Christmas meal...ham(HoneyBaked Ham...yum yum), Sweet potatoe casserole( our favorite), green beans (sure missed having some of mom's canned green beans), corn, mashed potatoes, and homemade butterhorn rolls(this was my granny's recipe that she used to do every Christmas) and of course homemade pumpkin pie!  I sure missed having a big gathering of relatives for dinnertime but I am so thankful for the family He has loaned to me and the joy it was to enjoy Christmas this year with just our family! 

 opening presents Christmas Eve after our service

 I believe daddy is outnumbered this time...tho Thaddeaus needs to learn how to point his gun :)

 the camo tent the boys got

 yea, Nathanael better run Madison has a gun.... :)

 sweet potatoe casserole

 granny's rolls looked so much better but I'm just glad my turned out...this was my first time making them....the only thing missing was her honey butter(will have to make it next time)

what we all wanted to do after that big dinner......

papa's visit

My daddy was able to come for a short visit right before Christmas. Even though it was short we sure did enjoy having him here, especially Cailyn, who is "Papa's girl".  She even tells us that papa is number 1 then comes daddy then comes mommy....mmmm...something is wrong with that....mommy should at least come before daddy :)  
  On Friday when we picked daddy up at the airport we went downtown to the Printing and Engraving. We had never been thru that so we all enjoyed taking the tour to see how our money is made. Even saw what a million dollars looked liked in $10 bills....that pile was huge!  After our tour we went to Fort Washington. Daddy had never been there so he enjoyed walking around the fort. We also took some family pictures there for our Christmas/New Year's card. 
 That night we allowed the children to open their presents from papa and their great grandpa. The boys got some spy watches (watches that they wear but are like walkie talkies), Madison got a crib and Cailyn got a baby doll. Thaddaeus got a ramp for his cars. As a family gift from my Papa, we bought a mini pingpong table. The kids love it and I like it because it is small and can fold up and fit behind couch when not in use :)  Thank you Papa and Daddy for our gifts! And daddy I am glad you were able to spend some time with us.

             trying to keep Thaddaeus to stand still in near impossible as you can see........

                                                       Papa and Andrew "Keith"

                      Grammy, the kids ride their skooters you bought them everywhere :)

                                                    kids reciting Luke 2:8-14 for Papa

            even Thaddaues enjoyed playing with the ping pong table....it was a track for his cars :)

      Papa getting the foot and shoulder massage from his grandkids.....go back 20 years and it would have been me and my siblings doing this.......