Grow where you're planted

          Who doesn't love a delicious chocolate chip cookie! Of course nothing goes better with fresh baked cookies than a nice cold glass of milk. Obviously i'm a fan of milk being the wife of a dairy farmer. Plus the health benefits of milk make me feel better about the fact that the cookies are not the most nutritious thing I could be eating. There are so many different recipes for chocolate chip cookies and I have tried many but this one is hands down the best I have tried. A few years ago a family friend made these and I wanted the recipe. She was kind enough to give it and I hardly ever make any other kind. Don't freak out when you read the ingredients it makes a lot of cookies and its more than worth the calories. They freeze really well so if you if you can't eat them all or just need to not have them always in sight like we do you can stick half in the freezer to pull out later. I have also made the dough and froze all or some of it. It works out great

                      As of yesterday the 2019 harvest season ended. I spent a good part of the last 24 hours trying to keep the smell of manure out of my house. I failed, no amount of candles could totally rid my house of the lovely combination of pig and cow poop. The last of the crops for this year were off the fields so that meant the fields would be covered in manure. Oh well its a very small price to pay for the joy of farm life. So thankful for another safe and successful harvest season. I find myself a little more on edge when I know someone is climbing, or up in the silo running on very little sleep and working around and running heavy equipment. There are a lot of little prayers said those days and nights. With harvest done that means most evenings my husband will be home with the kids and I, with the exception of hunting of course. The kids will how ever miss ridding along in the tractor, the girls each took turns last night. A big thanks to who ever decided tractors

BEST ROLLS EVER!!!!                                                    https://thestayathomechef.com/the-best-homemade-dinner-rolls-ever/             With the weather getting colder and the holidays fast approaching I have been doing a lot more baking. I am not the worlds best cook by a long shot, but I do ok when it comes to baking. There are a few things I bake that my husband and kids love and ask for often, this is one of their favorites. I found this recipe a few months ago and I have made it many times since. I have an aunt who makes the most amazing homemade bread, but I had always been afraid to try it. I always thought it would be to frustrating and time consuming. This recipe though is really simple and easy to make especially with a stand mixer and dough hook.  I do make it slightly different than the recipe says. I use 1 pack of instant yeast and closer to 6 cups of flower but the way the recipe says to make it is just as delicious. I promise you will not be disappoint

Last week I was helping my oldest memorize a verse  for our church's Wednesday night kids clubs. The verse was Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, let the little children come to me. I had heard this verse many times through my life but it took on a new and important meaning when I had kids. I love my kids so much and its hard for me to comprehend that someone loves them more than I do. Even on days that my patience may be tested or I want to pull my hair out these sweet little ones are such an amazing gift from God. I pray I never take for granted the opportunity I have been given to be a mom. 

https://kelseyreneephotography.com/ I woke up Sunday morning about 2 weeks ago after a restful nights sleep next to the man of my dreams. Kids were all still quietly laying in there beds and I thought wow this is exactly how I thought things would be after 7 amazing years of marriage. Just kidding here is how the morning really went. I wake up to my door slamming into the wall and my two year old yelling mom I want some milk where is my sippy cup! It was about 5 am not crazy early but I had been up about every hour with the baby, Blake's alarm started going off at 3 am and every few minutes after till about 3:30. So not exactly the greatest wake up call after a restful 2 hours of sleep. I rolled over and looked at our wedding photo hanging on the wall and thought oh geez I looked so young what is happening to me!!!! I got out of bed got her a sippy cup of milk and sent her back to bed, but no surprise she was thinking it was time to be up for the morning. Blake had already

Where does time go! I can hardly believe our oldest started school this year. She transitioned so well into kindergarten. Thank goodness our school district still does half day kindergarten or I do not think it would have been such a smooth transition. Over the spring and summer we did lots of writing practice. By that I mean lots of sidewalk chalk was used on the milking parlor floor in the barn. I would give her a letter or number to write or she would practice writing her name. She loved it. But like with anything after while that was getting less exciting to my almost five year old. Her teacher had tried having the kids write there letters with there finger in a pile of shaving cream on the table. I decided to try this at home. I put the shaving cream on a cookie sheet( made it way easier to clean up) spread it out with a spatula and had her practice writing her upper and lower case letters. She did so well and had fun!

These are two of my favorite pictures from the summer. My mother in law ususally is the one to take care of the sweet little calves but if she can't Blake will often let me know so I can do it. I miss milking but a 4-5 hour milking with a newborn just wouldn't really be fair to him, the cows or the person id be milking with. So after he was born I decided with a lot of encouragement from my husband it was time to put that aside for a little. Ill stick to helping with the calves when needed for now. The girls love it and the baby was more than happy to lay in the stroller and watch us or take a nap. Today as we were getting ready to head out to the barn I was wishing for summer again. Getting kids out the door when its 40 degrees takes longer than when its 80 degrees. I think I said get your coats on 4 times and it finally happened when I said no TV tonight if I have to ask again.There lucky I gave that many chances before threatening to take away sesame street usually 4