Pavlova, donuts and Homeschool

 I couldn’t remember the name of this blog, but i knew the pavlova recipe was here. I googled how to find this blog, who knew it was connected to my Google account?! Now eleven years later, I am finally adding a post. 

Samuel is on treat for family night, and he wanted to make pavlova, which led me down the path of getting reacquainted with the blog. 

Today we had a great homeschool day. It started with scripture study, we were in 2 Nephi chapter 4. It’s Lehi’s last testimony. Nathan read 2 verses, Michael read 17 verses, Samuel read about the same. David read with help, one verse. Alice and Annabelle repeated a verse each. We set goals for homeschool. The one I’m excited about is running goals. I want to encourage the boys to be physically fit, so we are going to run the mile each day, and try to improve their time. We started today, and after four laps around the track, Samuel was so exhausted he started crying. He seemed almost mad. I really understood his feeling. I hope he learns to enjoy it, or at least enjoy the endorphins. We talked about growing and getting stronger through trials. All the boys finished the mile. We recorded their times and will keep track of their progress. Michael was fastest, then David, then Samuel, then Nathan. The girls just ran around and enjoyed being a part of it. After that we went to highland Glen to read aloud from candy shop wars. We then went to the store to get pavlova ingredients, and journals for Nathan and David, as that is going to be part of Homeschool this year, journaling. We then went and got donuts, which has become our tradition, at the beginning of a new school year. After that we went to the library, each person chose a book to read during reading practice. Samuel chose some ethnic cookbooks, which is something he wants to do this year. We came back to the house, and everyone did their reading and journals. I took a nap on the chair in the living room, if you can call it that when I’m being interrupted every 5 minutes or so.

My family has grown since the last post, so have my frayed and weary nerves. So have the messes in my house. My sanity has decreased. I love my children dearly. My love for the Lord is still great. My love for James is constant. I am grateful for this life I have been given.

Updates

I guess I'm only slightly better at blogging as I am at writing in my journal, which is hardly ever. I would like to be better at this at least, so I can have some record of my life and my family. I'll keep trying. The problem is that I always feel like I have to write everything that's happened since the last time I wrote and that's completely overwhelming so I just avoid the whole thing. So I'll give myself permission to write a short update and then try to be more faithful at posting regularly.

November 2011
We found out we are expecting our second baby. It's a boy and we are so excited.  Samuel turned one, and he enjoyed his first real dose of sugar in the form of a chocolate cupcake. He has been asking for more ever since :) We also had a wonderful time spending Thanksgiving with my parents, most of my siblings, and my best friend Carrie.
December 2011
We enjoyed a lovely visit from James' mom, and Samuel met Santa for the first time on the Heber Valley historic train. James finished his first semester at UVU and got straight A's, due to very hard work.  We also took a trip to California to be with James' family for Christmas, and had a wonderful time.
January 2012
We celebrated our second wedding anniversary, and my morning sickness finally started to subside.
February 2012
I got really sick for about two weeks and had to go to the hospital where they gave me some medications and an IV and we got to have an ultrasound where we found out we were having a boy, which was the best part of the whole experience obviously :) I started getting better after that and I'm sure it was due to that pick-me-up.
We also found out that we were moving at the very end of the month, and only had about ten days to do so.
March 2012
Lots of packing, cleaning, moving and unpacking, and unpacking and cleaning. And I turned 30 and was very showered with love from family.  James' dad and step-mom came for a visit conference weekend and we were able to attend the Saturday sessions in the conference center, a first for Brian and Margaret.
April 2012
My parents came for a visit Easter Weekend, which was so nice. Samuel went on his first Easter Egg hunt, and also received his very own Easter basket (which is still sitting on our entertainment center as I'm reluctant to let him eat the candy inside) and my brother-in-law left for Afghanistan, which leaves James as the man of the house. Also James just finished his second semester and first full year at UVU. After much thought James' has settled on Digital Media as his major and is very excited to move forward in that degree. He is so artistic and talented, I'm excited to see what he will do.

Pavlova!

My mom served our family this dessert this year, and it has become my new favorite. It's a light dessert and perfect for summer. It's a meringue base with cream and fruit piled on top. When done right, the middle should be a little marshmallowy and so delicious. I made this yesterday for Sunday dessert. Everyone loved it! Here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and place rack in center of oven. 

4 large (120 grams) egg whites
1 cup (200 grams) superfine (castor) sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)

Topping:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) granulated white sugar (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh fruit - kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, peaches, pineapple, or other fruit of your choice.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Beat in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold in. Spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the outside is dry and is a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days.

Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. Serve immediately as the whipped cream does not hold for more than a few hours.

Serves 6 to 8.

Visit with Kattie

My friend Kattie came for a visit last week. It was so nice to take a break from chores and spend time with her and her children. Her daughters are only a little younger than Samuel so I'm sure they are going to be great friends :)

It was my first time meeting Millie and Anna and they were so cute!



 Will was so much fun to visit with. He loved playing with the balls in the backyard, and was more than happy to pose for pictures.

Thank you for coming Kattie, I loved your visit!

Samuel is Growing!

On Monday I took Samuel to the Doctor for his four month well baby check, he was 17.5 lb, 27 in. tall, and 17.5 in. head circumference. Such a big boy!

Then the next day we took him on his first trip to the Home Depot and he loved it as much as his daddy, he is so much fun to have in our family.

Moving

James and I  and Samuel will be moving soon. Congress has mandated a reduction in military workforce. As James is in between career fields he was automatically put into the roll back. This means that his last day is May 31, but they are basically giving us a month to look for a job and housing so we are moving the end of April and making our way out west where James is planning on finishing school in Utah. We are excited for what lies ahead, but sad to be leaving family and friends in the East.

This is the first full day of James visit to me in Utah, two days before we decide to get married. At this point I thought that event was a long way off.

We went up to Rexburg for a visit and Bora threw us a Halloween party. It was such a blast. Then at about ten or eleven o'clock James asked me to go on a walk.

We walked up to the Ricks building where James officially proposes to me, one of the sweetest moments of my life. This was taken shortly after that, and the Rexburg Temple is in the background.

We went back and told Bora the great news and she took this picture. James seems pleased with himself :)

This is one of our engagement pictures. It did not make the final cut, but I really like the candid moment of laughter captured in it.

This was a pose that the photographer wanted but I we both felt so silly and cliche that we couldn't take it seriously. The effect is perfect.

This is another one that we had to laugh at, and you are welcome to as well :)

This is the one that we chose for the invitation.