wildsunshine

That time I was Seven Months Pregnant and We Bought a Farm

March 21, 2018 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

I think we might look back on 2017 as “the crazy year in my mid-30s that we said to hell with doing it by the book.”

Go big or go home, right? Sure we had a FOURTH baby on the way (umm… still not entirely used to that one!) but last summer we took the plunge for something we’ve been saving towards for years. Years my friends! WE BOUGHT A FARM. And we didn’t buy just a little bit of countryside (although it is undoubtedly small compared to a true farm!), but 13.5 ACRES.

At the moment I can’t manage my .5 acres of suburbia. The weeds overtake the veggies every summer in the only garden that gets full sun. It’s about 7×17 feet. How on earth do I plan to take care of 4 kids and farm/homestead/manage 13.5 acres? I haven’t the slightest idea. My mom once bought me a drink coaster that said “jump and the net will appear” and told me that was me in a nutshell. Funny, right? Because it’s true. And here I am waiting for my net … the one that can save my sanity from four kids age six and under … the one that can magically reveal a method for managing this dream farm.

When we bought the land last summer it was unimproved. It has a 1.5 acre pond and .5 acres of woods down by the road, but the rest is pasture. And I mean ZERO trees or big shrubs except for the big Cedar tree that marks the corner of the property, and that Cedar tree is pretty stoic out there between our fields and our neighbor’s tobacco. In November we planted three Maple trees on top of the hill, and last weekend we loaded up the kids and planted about 20 raspberry canes and the six blackberries that made it through winter. We’ve been out to the farm several times since Bodhi arrived for picnics and camping and because running through an open field is so amazing! Someday we will probably build a home there, but for now we are going to try and plan the property’s future and tend it when we can. That said…

I have big dreams!

We’ve tossed so many ideas around for years and years, based on “what if” we ever buy some land. There’s wine grapes and a small winery since we’ve been making wine here at home for about six years. I’ve always wanted some farm animals, but then again I love to travel and want my kids to see the world and don’t want to be tied down to the demands of livestock. We do eat 5 dozen eggs a week, so chickens are probably a definite. Maybe some sheep? Because hot dang, that is a large amount of pasture to keep mowed without large livestock. Lately I’ve been falling for the idea of pick your own berries. There are two PYO blueberry farms a mile up the road. Blackberries? Raspberries? A permaculture orchard? Or maybe lavender. For cutting/selling and for photography, because who can resist taking photos of their kids in a field of lavender.

Do you want to take a tour? Of course you do! Here are some photos from right here in the beginning. Follow along as we decide what on earth to do next!

PS: Below is a Mimosa tree in one of two fenced pastures. We were SO excited they had something to climb on!

A two month old Bodhi. The only thing between us and the distant road.

Mediterranean Manchego Olive Salad

March 16, 2018 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

My love affair with Manchego cheese began at a friend’s Kentucky Derby party several years ago. It’s nutty, semi-dry, and delicious! Even better, they have it at Costco so I can buy a huge chunk for about $12. My kids also love it, which is a plus because while we don’t drink milk we do try to consume our fair share of fermented dairy (homemade yogurt and cheese, especially Gouda -also available in massive chunks at Costco).

As with many things in my life, I began writing this post during my blissful summertime afternoons when all kids were upstairs napping… before #4 arrived and sent me back into the newborn phase when naps are utterly unpredictable and I squeeze in “me” time at all ridiculous hours. So here we are in March, when cucumbers are certainly not abundant in my backyard. But when I wrote this we were overflowing with them. And tomatoes. Lots of goodness that needed to be used up and they were perfect for this snack. I do still make this in the winter with store bought produce.

This is a recipe that I have long loved from Lemons for Lulu and I added a few more ingredients to create more of a salad than an appetizer.

Ingredients

2 cloves Garlic, about 1 tbsp minced (we buy the gigantic container of minced garlic from Costco. We use it a lot, and this saves time)

1 tsp Rosemary, fresh

1 – 8 oz jar Kalamata black olives (again, Costco is a great source if your family eats tons of these). I halve them since we have toddlers.

3 tbsp Olive oil

2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

6 oz Manchego cheese (I also buy this at Costco) cut into cubes

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes1 can Great Northern Beans (optional)

Toss all ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes so the flavors blend together. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Recipe

August 15, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

In our family we have a tradition of making my husband homemade chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream on father’s day. The way to that man’s heart is through any combination of peanut butter and chocolate, something I’m fairly certain my kids have inherited. Usually we stick with regular chocolate when we make ice cream since it’s something we only do a handful of times per year. But a few years ago (when Harris Teeter discontinued making John’s favorite kind of chocolate PB ice cream, ha!) we opted to do it up, and it was AMAZING. We whipped up some plain chocolate ice cream, swirled in some peanut butter, and added peanut butter cups. It was TO DIE FOR.

When I was little we had an ice cream maker. You had to dump gobs of ice cubes around the edges along with about a cup of salt to keep the inner compartment cold enough to freeze the ice cream. It worked just fine, but this is SO MUCH BETTER. This Cuisinart ice cream maker could not be easier to use. You simply freeze the container the ice cream goes in, and once you’re ready to churn you pop in a plastic blade and a cover and turn it on. Easy peasy, and best of all no ice and salt needed! It makes about 4.5 cups of ice cream (5 cups when finished with the peanut buttery additions), but keep in mind the size because you may need to adjust it accordingly.

FUN FACT: Did you know there is a difference between Cocoa and Cacao powder, with Cacao being the less processed option? I’ve included a link below to purchase some good Cacao from Amazon, but we also use Trader Joe’s Cocoa powder (with no added ingredients) and it’s also delicious.

*I’ve included links to ingredients I use and love. When you purchase something via one of these affiliate links, I receive a small commission but the price is the same for you*

Ingredients

1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup natural peanut butter (we use creamy)
15 reeses miniature peanut butter cups

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients except the peanut butter and PB cups in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (NOTE: I like my chocolate ice cream on the darker side and not too sweet. If you prefer yours sweeter, up the brown sugar to 1/3 cup).

2. Place mixture into an ice cream maker and churn away until finished.

3. Once ice cream is done, place in a tupperware/gladware container and add about 1/3 cup peanut butter. I use all natural, but feel free to adjust the type and amount to your preference. Some days just necessitate more peanut butter than others 😉 Swirl the peanut butter with a knife (don’t mix it in all the way).

4. Chop about 15 Reeses miniatures into quarters. Gently stir these in and get that bad boy in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set.

Top 5 Baby Names for Fourth Baby

July 31, 2017 by wildsunshine 2 Comments

If you missed the news, we are about to embrace a full house over here in late September with the addition of baby #4 – a boy! Like most moms, I have a love/hate relationship with selecting a name for my kids. One one hand, there is something so fun about researching name meanings and history and saying it aloud along with a middle and last name and imagining what this baby will look like. What he’ll love. Whether his hair will be curly or straight. But dang, choosing something the kid will grow into and will identify him for the rest of his life is a lot of pressure! Top five baby names for a fourth child

Growing up there were two Allison Fords in my class (one was always known as “Allison Ford with two L’s). I don’t want my kids to be the equivalent, so we always opt for a more unique first name to go with Clark. Right now we have two girls (Pippa and Larkin) and one boy (Sawyer). We struggled mightily with both girls’ names (you can read about our top choices for baby #3 HERE), but had Sawyer picked out from the beginning. All of our kids have middle names from family, so we will do the same with this little guy. Right now we only have two options for middles that we like, but without further ado here our top 5 baby boy names:

First Name Baby Name Options

Griffin: One of my favorite sites for baby names is Appellatian Mountain. She highlights Griffin as “red,” “prince,” and of course mythical beast. I also love that it has the nickname Finn (one of my favorites).

Bodhi: This unique name translates from Sanskrit as awakening. It’s the name of the tree under which the Budda supposedly found enlightenment. I love that it ends with an “i” as it goes really well with our last name (I don’t want anything with a hard ending). On the downside, this name ranks in the 300s in popularity in the US and at 30-something on Nameberry, which I’m not super keen about. Bodhi (also spelled Bode and Bodie) is known as a surfer name and has been used for babies of the famous in the past few years, which is probably responsible for it’s boost in popularity.

Kingston: This gem means “King’s Town” and what I love is that it evokes a laid back sense of place. Ever heard that song Jamaican Farewell? That’s what I hear of, and it makes me think of tropical breezes. Yet this is also a strong name AND it has the alliteration (Kingston Clark)! Don’t love that it was number 130-something on the popularity list in 2016.

Apollo: Again I like that this ends in a vowel that is different from my other children’s names. Probably best known (recently) for Apolo Ohno, the Olympic speed skater, this name Apollo hails from mythology, God of the Sun in Latin and God of Medicine in Greek myths. There is also an Apollo of Arthurian legend, adding to the adventurous history. Bonus for this name: it hasn’t yet risen up the charts the way Bodhi and Kingston have, falling at around #500.

Canyon: I also love the alliteration with this – he would be Canyon Clark. It’s outdoorsy, and feels like and adventure (sort of like his big brother Sawyer). It’s not very popular, another bonus! Nameberry has it down around #2300 in popularity, so there likely won’t be another in his class.

Middle Baby Name Options

We are down to two! Both middle names honor family members in some respect, as this is what we did with all of our current children.

Arthur: After my maternal grandfather’s middle name. This name appears to be coming back into vogue, and I love that it has that King Arthur legend quality about it. Arthur means bear and is Celtic in origin according to Nameberry.

Monroe: After my dad (his middle name). Did you know this name actually translates roughly to “red marsh?” Neither did I. If this last baby of ours were a girl, I would definitely be vying to use Monroe as her middle name. Yet I think that it fits equally well on a boy or girl, especially in our case as it’s a family name.

Ten short weeks to go! Any name combo suggestions?

DIY Kitchen Makeover

June 19, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

Frugal Kitchen renovation: 1970s floral to cottage cute

Wallpaper and turquoise counters to neutral and beautiful

Working full time, starting a family, and renovating a complete fixer upper is not for the faint of heart, so when you just can’t justify a major overhaul for your budget or time or sanity, have no fear! Here’s how we kept our sanity and did a DIY kitchen makeover to bring our small kitchen out of the 1970s without breaking the bank.

When we purchased our home in 2008, we had no children. We bought a cute little cape cod on a half acre because it had ample space for our 85 lb boxer to run, and room to clear out and garden and make our own little piece of paradise. BUT… it was definitely a fixer upper. This cute little cape cod has now been painted top to bottom, plus remodels to 2 bathrooms and the kitchen

The kitchen remodel was actually the last thing we did to really get this baby out of the ’80s. When we bought the house we had all kinds of visions for the kitchen. We were going to tear out the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and make one big farmhouse kitchen. We were going to get rid of those upper cabinets that separate the kitchen from the eat-in part (so 1980s!!). But after 7 years of living with this gorgeous (ha!) wallpaper, the kitchen decided it was time for an overhaul whether or not we were ready.

Do you see that wallpaper? Those turquoise counters and backsplash? Those bisque colored appliances? Y’all. 1978 was all kinds of cozy.

It all began on our anniversary circa 2011, when the only new appliance – the stove – burst into flames during our first ever attempt to cook an expensive pan full of fresh scallops. Doggone it! (yeah, definitely not my actual words…). So we replaced the stove/oven. Then the week before Thanksgiving 2014 the refrigerator stopped working AND the dishwasher went. So we took advantage of Black Friday sales and finished off our appliance set. It became clear that with 2 kids, no walls were being torn down in the room where I spend most of my waking hours. We said to heck with it! Lets just make it a space we enjoy!

Kitchen Renovation: the breakfast nook

Wallpaper Removal

The entire kitchen was covered in burgundy and green florals. We dutifully used a scoring roller to puncture the paper and DIF spray to loosen the glue before peeling all that paper off. Be sure to wash thoroughly with warm water! Cost: $10 (we had some leftover DIF)

Cabinets

We opted to keep the cabinets and purchase new, unfinished doors and paint everything ourselves. I love simple and bright. The doors were Shaker style, ordered from Barker Door (www.barkerdoor.com) and had to be measured to within 1/16 inch of the correct size. Y’all. Painting cabinets is no small task! I spent the entire summer of 2015 painting during nap time in my backyard. The paint is an alkyd-acrylic from Benjamin Moore, which is basically easy to wipe clean like an oil paint but still acrylic. Color is Simply White.

To prep unfinished cabinet fronts, first go over everything with a fine grain sandpaper and wipe off any dust. Then take some of your paint and mix it about 50/50 with water in a plastic cup. Paint a thin coat of this over your cabinets and let dry (I let mine dry overnight). This draws up the grains of the wood, which you then want to sand down with a fine grit sandpaper and again wipe clean. Now you’re ready to paint! I did two thin coats on each cabinet piece (front and back). When painting cabinets, thin coats are best! If you have access to a sprayer (they are available for rent) this will make painting a lot easier. Because I was painting about 2 doors a day during a 45 minutes nap time, this wasn’t in the cards for us.

We purchased contractor packs of Oil Rubbed Bronze knobs and pulls and attached them ourselves using this handy little tool: a hardware installation kit. It’s a tiny little ruler with holes so that you align it with the edge of your drawer front or cabinet and make a dot in the correct holes so that everything matches.

On the back of the peninsula I dressed it up with these easy molding squares from Lowes. Just nail them on and use paintable caulk around the edges to cover any gaps, then paint.

Cabinets: $758 Paint: $90

Lighting

Because ours is an eat-in kitchen, we also had the breakfast nook to renovate. In our home we’ve gone with oil rubbed bronze fixtures and hardware, and I wanted something soft yet industrial to go with our hand-me-down farmhouse table. I love this light fixture! It casts little light sparkles around the room at night. Grab one here at Overstock.

Cost (including over sink pendant and other ceiling light): $300

Wall Paint

This involved wallpaper removal followed by two coats of paint (Olympic Faint flicker in satin). Cost: $50 (2 gallons)

Converting a Soffit into Gorgeous Trim

These lovely 1970s cabinets came with a lovely 1970s soffit, wallpaper included. I hated it. But since we were trying to do this with minimal demo/mess and had no idea if anything of importance like a duct/electrical/vent was hidden behind there, we chose instead to trim out the soffit to look like a mighty piece of trim above the cabinets.

We actually painted over the wallpaper on the soffits with several coats of Kilz (there is another, supposedly better, but way stinky option to use for this if you are serious about sealing in the paper. We chose not to suffocate on fumes and so far it’s held up for over 5 years!). Then we cut a basic crown molding and nailed it against the soffit/ceiling corner followed by a 1/2″ piece of rounded wood trim that we cut and nailed into place halfway up the soffit.

The last step was to wood putty the nail holes, seams, and any gaps in the trim followed by light sanding. The soffit is painted the same color as the cabinets-

Cost for trim: $150

Counters

Kitchen countertop install

New counters and sink

We wanted something classy and durable (because I spend about 10 hours a day in this kitchen, lol) that was also neutral and would last through changing styles. There is a great stone shop 45 minutes from us (Apex Marble and Granite for anyone in central NC, definitely worth checking out!). I lucked out and found a Groupon that was good for any of about four of the most inexpensive granite options. We chose Venetian Gold, and the cost of the groupon included a sink, install, old counter removal for $1600. Can’t beat that!

PS: We chose a deep single bowl sink and it was the best decision! I hated never being able to fit a big pot into one side of a small double sink. Now we can do everything in that sink – even bathe our kids!

Cost: $1600

Backsplash

The backsplash was the last thing we did in the DIY kitchen Makeover. We actually waited until I was about 38 weeks pregnant, and spend an entire weekend (well, maybe about 8 hours total) cutting and setting tile. It’s a glass tile from Lowes that comes in 12×12 sheets. We have a tile saw (you could rent one) and after a whole lotta measuring and cutting around outlets, laid that baby up with mastic and grouted it the following weekend. There is no motivation like a baby on the way and the knowledge that your productivity will grind to a halt for no less than the next six months!

Cost of tile, mortar, and grout: $250

Peninsula Trim

Frugal peninsula: DIY molding squares

The backside of the peninsula was a plain white slab of wood. Lowes hardware sells these amazingly easy to use moulding squares for less than $20 each. We measured the back of the peninsula, purchased three sizes that would center well, nailed them into place with finishing nails (making sure to level and center each one). Then the seams were sealed with paintable caulk to cover any gaps and nail holes and painted. For less than $100 we have custom looking trim that dresses up the space!

Cost: $60

Total DIY Kitchen Makeover Cost = $3,268

We’ve been holding out on flooring for our home while the kids destroy the old laminate. Hopefully soon we’ll get some updated hardwoods in here! Thanks for reading!

Sweet and Salty Favorite Paleo Granola

June 13, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

This morning Larkin ate a black crayon in the two minutes I sat down to be productive. She walked over and grinned with black teeth. We used to have a Boxer who did that all the time, but he would eat the colorful ones and wind up with rainbow poop. But days that start like this, they have me craving comfort food. And when I’m pregnant, all I want is something sweet, salty, and amazing. While I try my best to steer clear of sugar, I definitely struggle to find healthy snacks. My other issue is making sure I get enough calcium, and believe it or not, a girl can only eat so much cheese. I make yogurt for these food-loving munchkins of mine, but it’s plain and SO much better with some of our sweet and salty favorite paleo granola on top!

sweet and salty paleo granola

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups chopped nuts (I use a combo of cashews (note that these are legumes and are not always tolerated), pecans, walnuts, or almonds)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raisins (optional, they do have some refined sugar so I will sometimes omit these)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Combine coconut oil, honey, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until it starts to boil. Turn off heat.
Add salt, vanilla, and cinnamon to the oil mixture and stir to combine.
Place the 2 cups of nuts in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop, but not so much that they turn to flour.
Dump the nuts, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and craisins into the pot and mix everything until well coated.
Grease or parchment paper a large baking pan (I use one with sides because every time I stir things go flying)
Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once. Let cool for at least 30 minutes so the granola can set.

I store this in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days, but it never lasts that long.

DIY Waterproof Mineral Sunscreen

June 6, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

We are an adventure-loving family and spend a good deal of time in the great outdoors during the warmer months (which here in North Carolina is about 9 months of the year!). When my oldest turned two and we started spending some serious time in the sun, I began researching sunscreen. Almighty there is a LOT to learn about sunscreen if you want to be sure it’s safe! I’ve spent my life slathering on the Coppertone, but now that my sunscreen choice was affecting my babies and their health, we started splurging on the safe (and expensive) options. We tried many that were rated a 1 or 2 on the EWG website and it was taking a huge chunk of money out of our summer budget. Not cool! So I dove head first into testing different recipes and finally ended up with a DIY Waterproof Mineral Sunscreen that has been a huge success to keep my babies sunburn-free and save us some money in the process.

I make mine in small 4oz mason jars (available HERE) for several reasons. 1) I like to use glass to prevent leaching, since I’m melting ingredients directly in these containers. 2) They are small enough to tote around in a backpack or purse 3) The smaller size means that we use it up in a few weeks and it doesn’t have a chance to get lumpy. That was my biggest complaint with the first batches I made. They were in large jars and after about a month the coconut oil and/or shea butter would start to get lumpy so that I had to heat it up in my hand before applying.

When we apply this DIY Waterproof Mineral Sunscreen, we use it on bodies. It does leave a barely noticeable white hue on the face so we purchase a store brand for faces. Currently my favorite is Think Baby, which comes in at $4/oz, although Kitchen Stewardship recently recommended a bulk version of Tropical Sands on Amazon that is closer to $2/oz that we may try. If you want to know more on safe sunscreen, definitely check out their yearly review of sunblocks.

Left arm: sunscreen Right arm: nothing

USE: We use this in and out of the water. I do try and re-apply at least every 2 hours and have never had a burn! Then again we are usually spending time in the shade and/or taking a break by that point since my babies are little.

WHAT IS THE SPF? Several ingredients in this recipe have a natural SPF, but since it has not been tested by a regulatory organization, my best guess as to the SPF listed below is between 20-30. Generally agreed upon estimates for the SPF of individual ingredients are:

Coconut Oil- SPF 4-6
Zinc Oxide SPF 2-20 depending on how much used (this recipe uses a higher proportion than several others I’ve tried). Zinc Oxide makes up just over 25% of this recipe.
Shea Butter – SPF 4-6

SUNSCREEN INGREDIENTS

*I’ve included links to ingredients I use and love. When you purchase something via one of these affiliate links, I receive a small commission but the price is the same for you*

1/4 cup Coconut Oil (I purchase Costco’s oil, but here is an alternative. The important thing is that it is unrefined and cold-pressed)

1 Tbs Beeswax pellets (I choose white since this is going on skin)

1 Tbs Unrefined shea butter

1.5 Tbs Zinc Oxide powder (Make sure it is Non-nano Zinc Oxide powder, available here. Be sure NOT TO INHALE the powder when mixing)

Place jars and ingredients in shallow water bath to melt

OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp Vitamin E drops

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a shallow pan over low/medium heat. On the bottom place a small washcloth (this keeps the glass from clanking as the water simmers) and on top of this 2-4 small jelly jars. Fill the pan with water until it’s about 1/2″ below the rim of the jars.
In each jar place the coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax.*A note on stirring* I love that this sunscreen has protected us in the water. But when I’ve tried to make it with my mixer as other recipes suggest, it will not come off the beaters even after a good wash. I have bamboo chopsticks that I stir with so I just have to wipe them off before tossing in the dishwasher.
Stir occasionally as the ingredients melt together. Once everything is blended, carefully remove the jars (I use an oven mitt, you could use jar tongs). Set aside.
Add the Zinc Oxide
Carefully measure and mix in the Zinc Oxide and Vitamin E (if using) until everything is well blended and creamy. It’s important NOT TO INHALE the powder. I wear a dust mask. Once it’s mixed, you’re good to go!
Let the sunscreen sit at least 12 hours to set. IMPORTANT: I’ve found that if I just let it sit, it will get some small chunks from the oils cooling at different speeds. To prevent this, stir it once or twice in the first few hours as it cools.

Store in a cool spot (below 76 degrees as this is the melting point for coconut oil) for several months. One reason I love the small jars is that we can easily use one up in two weeks in the summer and we don’t have a ton left over the winter. I usually scoop old sunscreen out during the winter and re-make it in the spring because I’ve found that it gradually gets harder over time.

All mixed up, ready to set overnight

Mother’s Day 2017 and some BIG News

May 19, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

I think this may be the best Mother’s Day yet. I debated for some time whether to take John’s offer to whisk the kids away for a big part of the day so that I could actually accomplish things at the house. I honestly don’t know how work-at-home moms do it– all the cooking and cleaning and entertaining while finding time to sit down at a computer for more than five minutes in order to get something done. I keep encouraging myself to stick with it. Maybe someday I’ll be able to form coherent sentences in my mind and get them down on the computer before the baby cries or the big kids are starting World War three.

But then I started thinking about something I miss dearly. And that’s spending time with my big kids, who at 5 and 3 are not very big, yet they have sacrificed a lot of mommy time in the last year while I tended to the youngest (and by far crankiest in case you’re new to my cranky baby saga). I miss spending time with kids who can talk to me and enjoy some of the things I do. Who don’t need to be held 99% of the time and cry 99% of the time.

So I opted for a big date with the bigs. I’ve been wanting to see Beauty and the Beast for awhile, and although I didn’t really think they would handle the intensity well I took them anyway. Because darn it, it’s PG and I’m allowed to be selfish on Mother’s Day. And sure enough my emotional child spent most of the movie on my lap hiding her face, but loved the songs. My little super hero spent the last battle scene yelling at the screen that he was going to bring his sword and fight Gaston. Gotta love boys!

We then had a picnic up on Lake Michie in northern Durham county and rented a canoe to explore the lake. They were wiped out (and maybe I was, too), but it was a great reminder for this often overwhelmed mama that although I feel buried in the baby shit right now (I’m not a baby person), soon enough all of them will be old enough to enjoy a day like that and I will be a much happier person for it!

Which brings me to the BIG NEWS. I’m going to have to find a way to love the “baby shit” one more time because…

The Big News

Baby #4 announcement

I say it lovingly, and I am SO very excited (and possibly terrified that this one will be as hard as #3). PS: anyone have a trick to getting the goofball child of the family to just smile? I was laughing so hard I was crying while sorting through all my photos, because he is making a face in every. single. one. And how I love him!

Get the Look

Want to duplicate the chalkboard baby announcement? Snag some cute mini boards here on Amazon or at Michaels.

I looked up some of my favorite chalk artists and duplicated some of the writing styles as best I could. I was going to have the big kids hold the “Partners in Crime” sign, but of course Larkin wouldn’t hold her Sidekick sign. Shoot, all that kid wanted to do was cry and run away. Good thing she’s cute!

Stay tuned for the gender reveal BBQ photos, because this will be the last baby Clark and we’re going out with a bang!

Pretzel with a side of E. Coli

May 10, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

Pretzel mischief

I wouldn’t have minded much if either of my first two kids took a liking to the toilet. The only humans using it in our house at the time always remembered to flush and close the lid and close the door to keep the baby out. So when Larkin decided her latest obsession would be the bowl of toilet water and the roll of paper beside it, I don’t think I was fully prepared for battle. After all, I have TWO older kids who are still trying to remember all the things they are supposed to do after using the bathroom. She gets into the trash.

And unrolls toilet paper.

And plays in toilet water.

I can’t take credit for this blog title— that was provided by a good friend and had me rolling with laughter. Are there emojis for blog writing? Because I need a mixture of laughing until I cry and straight up crying. When it was eerily silent in the house the other day, I finally found the little rascal in the bathroom joyfully dipping a pretzel into the toilet. While there was POOP FLOATING IN IT. I’ve never run so fast with a baby to the sink, followed by a lecture on the importance of flushing and closing the bathroom door.

Mom of the year!

Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie

May 5, 2017 by wildsunshine Leave a Comment

Any/all of the links in this post are affiliate links of which I receive a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you.

It’s time to stuff your face with berries straight off the plant until the juice runs down your chin. The farm down the road that raises pastured beef also does pesticide-free strawberries. So we headed down the road last weekend with our small army of 5 pickers (more like 3 pickers, 1 three year old who starred at the cows, and 1 infant who stuffed her face. So guilty in this photo) and in about 20 minutes we had picked just under 20 lbs. That’s a boatload, and a really good excuse to whip up some Paleo Strawberry Pie!

What on earth do you do with that many strawberries? We try our best to eat Paleo, so we don’t eat jellies and jams. We ate so many fresh that our bellies hurt. I froze an entire basket. I made strawberry cobbler, which turned into melted goop when the topping dissolved into the filling (ahem, why I’m not sharing that creation here!). We were eating them for three meals a day. Then I remembered strawberry pie. I haven’t had such good luck with Paleo pies, the crust is always gross. Usually I make them crustless as a special treat. But because the cream cheese in here makes it SO good, it needed a crust underneath.

I found this recipe below on the Kelly and Cricket blog and it was good! I made a few modifications including the addition of a bit of coconut sugar, so I’ve included it here for you. The filling itself doesn’t get baked, so it’s a cold pie that’s perfect for these 80 degree NC days.

And a note on this pie’s “Paleo” status. Paleo means different things to different folks. Cheese is generally not considered paleo, nor are starchy flours like Tapioca. It works as a special treat for us, and I hope you enjoy!

Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie Recipe

CRUST

1 Pasture-raised egg
1 1/4 cup Almond flour
1/4 cup Tapioca flour (or Arrowroot)
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp Coconut flour (I order mine off Amazon for a bulk deal)
4 tbsp grass-fed butter, cold. I use salted.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the flours and the coconut sugar directly in a 9″ pie pan. Crack your egg and mash it in with a fork until everything is a little gooey. Cut your butter in small cubes. With two knives or a pastry cutter (I don’t use this tool often, but when I do THIS ONE has been a lifesaver! ). Cut in the butter until a dough forms. This is always sticky when I make it, so instead of properly rolling it I just press it around the pie pan with my fingers. Prick with a fork. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges start to brown.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER

8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, full fat
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey

Set your cream cheese out for a bit or soften in the microwave. With a fork, stir all three ingredients together until well combined. Spread over the cooled pie crust.

STRAWBERRY LAYER

Wash and slice 3.5 cups of strawberries. Place on top of cream cheese.

STRAWBERRY MINT TOPPING

1.5 cups strawberries
1 tbsp arrowroot flour (can’t find this at the store? Get it HERE)
1 tbsp maple syrup (because I’m heating this on the stove, I chose maple syrup. Feel free to use no sweetener or another of your choice)
1-2 tbsp water
3 leaves fresh mint, torn into small pieces (you can experiment with more, my mint plant is tiny so I didn’t want to take too much!)

Place all ingredients in small saucepan on low-medium heat. Once it begins to steam, stir constantly to mix all ingredients. As the strawberry juice and arrowroot start to jell, it may stick to the bottom. Add a bit more water. Stir every few minutes until you can mash the remaining berries, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes before pouring over the pie.

Refrigerate pie until ready to serve!

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Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie Recipe

CRUST

CREAM CHEESE LAYER

STRAWBERRY LAYER

STRAWBERRY MINT TOPPING

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