Started the day with VERY warm weather and ended it with thunderstorm warnings! Thank goodness I headed out this afternoon and picked the raspberries and collected apples. I figure with the wind and rain tomorrow there should be enough apples for TWO batches of applesauce and a further increased need to reorganize our freezer – Ken is determined to NOT plug in the apartment sized deep freeze no matter how energy efficient it says he is (he wishes to avoid added energy costs).

Talking about applesauce – I have a new recipe to share: Applesauce Brownies. The batter was SO thick but the end result yummy, you don’t really taste the applesauce but they are so nice and moist.

Applesauce Brownies

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce unsweetened

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup flour, all purpose

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup nuts (I left these out)

preheat oven to 375 F

Combine oil, applesauce and cocoa. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and stir into the mixture.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured (or wax paper lined and sprayed) 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle on  nuts.

Bake about 20 to 30 minutes or until top is set but edges are not dried out. Toothpick will come out clean. Cut into 16 or more squares.

Applesauce Brownies

That was my foray for the day into baking… for lunch I had a very special treat – BC peaches! We managed to make it into H&W before they sold out on Sunday. I adore BC peaches… and today two hit the perfect ripeness for a sugar free treat. Unlike the brownies! Total yum!

School was actually not too bad today… we continued our adventures in the alphabet with the letter F. We checked out fish and flamingos and glue flowers to our letter. For craft time the boys made more glittery pinecones and put together another set of angels.

At the end of the day they all decided to hang out at the table and do their own study time. Emanuel worked on counting with the abacus and the twins played with flashcards and practised sewing. Lots of spelling and counting and sharing. Though Trinity was quite offended since she couldn’t reach all the fun stuff!

I am happy to report that Ken’s naps are becoming less frequent and shorter. He is going in tomorrow for another appointment with the dr in attendance this time. Hopefully they will be happy with his progress. I am just glad that he is getting back to normal. It is only a matter of time before his body is used to the meds and then we can really move on to getting him more motivated and checked in.

I got my first real pay out on the surveys I do… 10.00 should end up in my paypal account sometime next month! That will pay for my monthly BigFish game credit. I finally reached a year with them as well so I should be getting a stuffed BigFish in the mail next month! I think I will give it to Emanuel for Christmas as one of the things in his stocking. He LOVES stuffed toys!

Walmart has a great deal coming up on September the 9th. For 9.99 you get 99 photos (ordered online). Definitely worth budgeting in the money to finish off one of my photo albums (which are so far behind – I am working on 2005 right now). Now that everything is basically digital I can take my time and when I leave it for a year (or more) it is easier to go back and pick out the best of the best. I do love paging through an album. So be sure to check out the deal! Of course the moment I get this email add I can’t find my book listing all the photos I need so I spent 30 min this evening going through the labelled pages and sorting it out.

Ted and Sean came over to keep Ken company tonight and partake of some Magic (I have just not been feeling 100% today). Trinity had to get in some play time too… stating her interest in specific cards and attempting to abscond with Daddy’s counters. Each one of the kids has “played” Magic with Daddy at some time or another.

In the wake of my cousin Amber giving birth a common conversation has resurfaced in our own home – the discussion about Baby #5. When Trinity was creeping up on her first birthday Ken and I came to a concrete agreement that we WANTED a #5. The deluge of bad fortune in the past 3 months has not turned us off of this idea, nor really put any sort of postponing to it. After all our plan was to shoot for when Trinity hits 2 1/2 before we even start trying for said baby. When we got married the number of children was something we discussed and 5 was the number, still IS the number we want. I figure having this final addition to our home at the point where potentially only Trinity would be in diapers (maybe even potty trained?) would be advantageous. Now I know there WILL be people in our life that are total aghast at this proclamation but the best part about that is that it is NOT their life! Yes, at this point we DO owe more people money than we would like but you know what? They will get it back… in time… I have saved enough clothes for either gender and things like carseats and highchairs and cribs… I know there are those who say we are crazy to have the 4 we do… I would like to think we are just blessed. Not only are we ABLE to have children relatively easily but we are enjoying our large family. Definitely NOT everyone’s cup of tea. So before anyone has some sort of a fit I will reiterate – I am NOT pregnant, I will NOT be pregnant for AT LEAST another year… but we are hoping that a year or so from now we may be blessed with just one more baby to love!

It is a bit difficult some days to keep an optimistic face but what with us figuring out what is basically troubling Ken and getting medical assistance and the kids embracing fully our letter a day program I am actually starting to feel it returning. Trinity is a continual ray of sunshine in my life right now and I am finding that focusing on her joy and the boys’ successes is bringing me much closer to MY personal norm – optimistic, perhaps somewhat ditzy Lisa. Smiles are coming more easily as are creative moments and patience is returning as well. We have been brought low but we are working our way back up and I am proud of us. Now to just make a conscious effort to retain the life lessons I have learned and the abilities I have fostered.

Sunshine In Person! (Wanted her picture taken after the boys did with their letter F pages)