Sharing Plants for inside your house.

Sharing Plants... Literally Sharing plants :)  

My grandmother (Jo-Jo) gave my mom a clipping of her Philodendron who planted it and then gave each of her daughters a clipping so we each have a plant growing in our house from my mom via my Grandmother.  

If you know anything about Philodendron you know its almost impossible to kill.  It can go for weeks without being watered... this is not recommended...but if you happen to neglect the poor thing you can just give it a drink and it will perk right up.

Also from my mom, and equally easily clipped, rooted in water, and planted, is a Coleus.

My mom just snipped a few pieces, I stuck them in water for a few days and then planted them in potting soil.  Easy Easy Easy!!!!

If your pot doesn't have any way to drain I would put a few rocks at the bottom.  This helps the water to drain from the soil.... Don't ask me why... its really just something I do because thats what my mom does :) 

Other Plants that grow and duplicate like this are the Wandering Jew on the Left and a Jade Plant.  The Jade Plant is a bit more tedious.  If anyone reading this is curious email me and I will let you know the procedure of this particular plant.  It came from a dear family friend and I have 4 small ones growing now.  

This is another philodendron.

And one more Coleus.

So next time you are at a friends house and see one of these lovely little house plants ask them if you could clip a bit off and start your own.  My plants are not only making our house air more clean and fresh but they are also full of history.   I love the idea of sharing them with different generations in our family. 

And of course we must add a pictures of these little dudes.  They may never care about a Philodendron but maybe their wives will want one :)

 Speaking of green things :) Hmmm Peas.... 

Have a terrific week. 

  

Half a year...and continue to be Blessed.

I can't believe it has already been 6 months and quickly going to be 7.  Here is a quick recap of our sweet journey so far. 

 March 4, 2013

A week or two after they were born.

1 Month Old

2 Months Old

I put these hats on the boys so I could remember it snowed in May on our way to Kansas City for daddy's 30th Birthday trip. 

3 Months Old

4 months old...4th of July

Happy Birthday to our Cousin Rozlyn who is a 4th Baby too.  

5 Months old...I love this pic.

SiSi

Eli

6 Months Old

Silas and Elijah are both eating baby food.  Your mama is doing her best at making homemade baby food but she can't resist those wonderful squeezy baby food packs and you are eating good ole gerber meat...(not sure i'm up for pureeing turkey or chicken...) You are loving food but you still love nursing.  We are nursing and STILL doing it at the SAME time.  Silas has 2 teeth which he likes to remind me of sometimes...(YIKES, and OUCH)  I'm sure you will like to know this little fact when you are 16 :).

You are both little show offs when you go to the nursery at church or when you are babysat so daddy and mommy can go on a date or sit through church and actually pay attention.  Everyone loves to hold you and so far you are both sweet sweet sweet for other people. 

Lately you have NOT liked being in the car for an extended period of time but that's pretty normal. 

You are both sitting up now when I put you on your bottom.  You love your baby einstein bouncy seat, which we call your "office." Its how you "go to work."

Your absolute favorite place to be is outside.  If you get upset and keep crying we just walk outside and that solves the problem.  Your Mommy and Daddy love you so much! 

Our prayer for you,

1 Samuel 12:24  Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart.  For consider what a great thing He has done for you.

Happy Almost Friday!!!  

Weekend @ the VB Farm

Labor Day Weekend we got to go to our friends farm to do farm stuff (said in my southern accent) 

Picked Veggies from the Garden...LOTS of Veggies.... 

Sat outside 

Walked in the fields

Ate good food with friends around a really large Farm House Table

Saw new baby cows

9 kids, 7 adults

We probably picked 100 tomatoes.  I love fresh tomatoes from the garden.  While I am excited for the cooler weather the one thing I miss the most about summer is the wonderful produce.

The garden had Flowers, watermelon, pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips, strawberries...sheesh and lots of other things.

Anthony went on a tour of the farm.  We love the Vonder Bruegges and the Hogans.  

Annie and tomatoes straight from the garden... 

Rylie (Future babysitter, she was a huge help to this momma)

The Boys were loving the attention and the warm weather.  I love that they love being outside. 

Josh Hogan and Anthony

Eli 

This farm was equip with a clothes line....

and a dinner bell.

Scott and the little squirrel hunters.

Daddy and Eli Representing ole State Farm

Watching cartoons right along with the big kids. I loved this!!!

Our Twin Friends in our Camo of course.

Family Photo

 Erin and Kids...the lovely Hostess

Sooo thankful for friends that love the Lord and love people so well.  We had such a great time and are excited to go back when our boys can run around, jump in hay, sit in hammocks, ride the tractor... Everyone needs a friend who has a farm :)  

Favorite Dessert Recipe of the Summer

HAPPY SUNDAY!!!

Every year my mom gets a couple HUGE boxes of Blueberries from the Mennonites that live close to my home town.  We eat them until we start turning a light shade of lavender :). 

They were delicious this year and I am always looking for fabulous recipes to use them.  Last year we had some really good blueberry muffins but this year I made a Blueberry Pie.

Hands down the best I have EVER had. 

I got this recipe from my twin sister via my mom...I think... 

Adriane made it for Rozy's first birthday because that girl could eat a big ol box by herself!!  Here are a few pictures and the recipe is at the end.  

One Thought... 

I think I would have loved living back in the days where it was the norm for someone just to drop by and you just happened to have a slice of pie and coffee you could serve them.  I read a really sweet book this summer called the Exact Place by Margie L. Haack.  She describes many time where her family would have neighbors drop by and her mother would always have something to share.  The book has the recipes that she talks about.  It is FABULOUS!

Have you read any good books this summer?  Please share I am always looking for a great recommendation.

Now Back to Blueberry Pie

Creamy Blueberry Pie 

2-3 cups Blueberries

1 unbaked 9" pie crust 

(found by the eggs and canned cinnamon rolls, or in a tin pie dish in the freezer section.)

1 Cup of sugar

1/3 c. Flour

1/8 teaspoon salt...Pinch :) 

2 eggs beaten

1/2 Sour cream

Topping:

1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Flour

1/4 c.  cold butter or Marg.

Cut in butter until crumbly.... I used a small food processor... much quicker.  

Fill pie shell with blueberries and set aside. Mix together Sugar, flour, salt, add in eggs and sour cream. Spoon over Blueberries. Top with the crumbly mixture.  

Preheat oven 350 Degrees bake for 50-55 min. or until light Golden brown.

Babies are napping so I need to tighty-up for our company... we are having pie and coffee... :) 

Do you have a favorite Summer Recipe? 

Do share.  

    

Summer Fun, Friends, Mini Van.....WHAT??? yep MINI VAN

Summer in Missouri calls for baths outside.  Si and Eli love being outside.  They love when our neighbors come visit.  They are both happy sweet babies.   They are still nursing champs and have had several 8-9 hour nights of sleep BUT not as consistent as their mama would appreciate.  

Eli seems to be my little social man with a sweet tenderness...He gets sad when his brother is sad.  They are both laughing and drooling lots :) No teeth yet.  Silas still has the most hair but we are curious to see what happens in the next couple months.  

We had a girl friend weekend at the Lake.... So fun to see forever friends from college.  

Eli almost always ends up on his belly and Silas usually sleeps on his side or back.  

Our sweet forever friend Steph

My Boys love their Aunt Adriane 

Swimming with our Cousin Rozy

A pontoon boat is like a very large pack and play :) 

Our sweet friend Gavin...loves him some pacifiers 

Random sweet insta gram thrown in here.  

Bath time at Mimi's 

Our Friend Jenn is always spoiling our babies with cute Jordan apparel :) My little ballers :) 

and.... Drum roll...... We are officially mini van owners :) 

This blog post was started about a month ago... Just getting it out so we have much more summer photos to share and I plan to share a few delicious recipes we have added to our lives this summer.  I love finding new favorites that become easy normals in our house.  

Have a fabulous week!!