Luke is 8 Months Old!

This month has been a big one for sweet Luke Ellis!  It seemed like every day he was changing in some little way or discovering something new.  It's amazing to watch something just click in a baby's little mind and know that they will never be the same again.  Luke had several of those moments this month!

Let's start with eating...

At the beginning of the month, we were gradually introducing foods with more texture.
Luke loved scrambled eggs and did really well with chunks of soft foods.  But he still showed no interest in feeding himself. 


Then one day during dinner, I guess he got tired of waiting for another bite and decided to take matters into his own hands.  Or rather his own mouth...

This is not a great photo, but it shows Luke's first attempt at feeding himself via faceplant.  Needless to say, it didn't really work, but it was pretty hilarious! :)

Not long after that, Luke started reaching for his sippy cup and quickly became very skilled with it.  He loves to drink both water and breastmilk and can drink very quickly.  His little hands have a surprisingly strong grip too!  Sometimes we have to pry the cup out of them to coax him into eating his actual food.

Over the last couple of weeks, Luke has finally started feeding himself!  We've done pieces of toast with various toppings, steamed broccoli, carrots, and chicken.  Tonight he even chowed down on a pear! It's amazing to see how he improves day to day!

Luke also experienced his first Halloween this month!  We didn't take him out trick-or-treating (I didn't think he was quite ready for candy this year!), but we did dress up as a family for our church's annual Trunk-or-Treat.  Luke was a lion, I was a leopard, and Jake was a safari guide.  Luke was not a huge fan of his lion's mane, but he put up with it long enough to get some pictures.  And he loved walking around looking at all of the decorated trunks.

Luke is now sitting up on his own and rolling from his back to his belly.  He's not crawling yet, but he definitely wants to be on the move.  Sometimes, though, I think he's going to skip crawling and go straight to walking!  His little legs are super strong!  He can stand up for several minutes at a time just holding on to the couch. 





This month, Luke also got to spend a lot of time with extended family.  We spent one Saturday visiting with my grandparents who live in town.  Luke had a great time!

My grandparents on the other side of the family who live in Ohio also visited.  Luke loved playing on the floor with them and listening to Nana sing.

We also met Jake's brother and his wife for brunch one weekend.  Luke had fun hanging out with his Uncle Jordy and Aunt Jilly!

One of the sweetest things Luke has started doing is reaching out for me.  Nothing warms my heart more than seeing that adorable little smile feeling those chubby little arms wrap around my neck.  It is one of the best feelings in the world!

Month eight has obviously been a busy one for Luke!  He is such a sweet little guy, and he is getting more and more fun every day.  It will be fun to see what the next month brings. :)

~Rachel

Banana Bread Oatmeal

There's nothing better on a cold morning than a nice warm bowl of oatmeal!  I've experimented with all kinds of additions to my oatmeal, and this is one of my favorites.  I call it "Banana Bread Oatmeal." 

Now I'm not gonna lie and say it tastes just like banana bread because it doesn't.  It's oatmeal!  But it is quite delicious and healthy.  And, just like banana bread, it's a great way to use up ripe bananas. 

You can adapt this recipe to make as much as you want.  Jake's not a big oatmeal fan, so I usually just make enough for one, but you can easily double, triple, or even quadruple it to feed the whole fam!

Here's what you need:





 

• Oats: I like to use old fashioned oats.  I think they have a better texture and flavor, but you could also use instant.
• Banana: The riper the better!  Like I said, a great way to use up those brown bananas.  Use one banana per serving of oatmeal that you're making.
• Milk: I like to use almond milk for oatmeal...makes it nice and creamy.  But I've also used regular and soy milk, and they work well too.
• Flaxseed: This isn't essential, but it's so good for you!  Flaxseed is high in omega-3's and fiber, and you can't even taste it in the oatmeal.  I definitely recommend adding it!
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg
• Sweetener of choice:  I used maple syrup today, but brown sugar and honey are also delicious!

Pour your milk into a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.  Be careful to watch so it doesn't boil over.  I speak from experience.

While the milk is heating, assemble your other ingredients in a bowl.  (I just use the same bowl I'm going to eat it out of.  Less to wash!)

Start with your oats...

Then add your banana.  I chopped it up into small pieces, but if it's really ripe you can mash it up.

Add your flaxseed, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  I don't really measure the spices, but I use quite a bit of cinnamon and just a dash of nutmeg.  A little goes a long way with nutmeg.

 

When your milk starts to boil, stir in oatmeal ingredients and turn the burner down to low.

 

 



Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches desired consistency.  For old-fashioned oats, I cook about 5-6 minutes. 

If you want it thicker, you can always cook a little longer.  Or if it gets too thick, you can add a little extra milk.  Once it has reached your desired consistency, pour it into a bowl and sweeten to taste.

Easy, yummy, and healthy!  What more could you ask for? :)

Banana Bread Oatmeal

2/3 cup milk of choice (almond, soy, and regular all work well)
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1 ripe banana, chopped or mashed
1 Tbs flaxseed
Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste
Sweetener of choice (I recommend maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey)

Bring milk to over medium-high heat.  While milk is heating, combine all other ingredients except sweetener in a bowl.  When milk is boiling, stir in oatmeal ingredients and reduce heat to low.  Cook 5-6 minutes or until oatmeal reaches desired consistency.  Pour into bowl and sweeten to taste. 

~Rachel

Nana's Butterscotch Pie

I think every family has a signature dessert.  For my mom's side of the family, that dessert is my Nana's Butterscotch Pie.  Over the years, Nana has probably baked hundreds of these delicious pies for holidays, birthdays, and family gatherings.  And let me tell you, they are the stuff of legends.

My mom and her siblings having been known to have pie feuds.  Whole pies are taken and hidden in unlikely places.  Pieces of pie are stollen and replaced with empty plates when the eater is not looking.  I'm pretty sure I've seen my uncle eat half a pie in one sitting.  At breakfast.  This pie is that good!

Last Thanksgiving, I was blessed to spend an entire week at my grandparents' house in Ohio.  While I was there, I was determined to learn how to make Nana's Butterscotch Pie.  She walked me through the process step by step, and we made four pies in one day!  I took detailed notes and had intentions of becoming a regular Butterscotch Pie baker when I returned home.

A few months later, however, sweet Luke was born.  For awhile I was doing well just to get dinner on the table, much less bake homemade pies!  But lately things have finally settled into more of a routine.  And Thanksgiving is right around the corner again!  This year, Jake's family is coming to visit, and I would love to introduce them to the deliciousness of Butterscoth Pie.  So I figured I had better do a practice round to make sure I remembered everything from last year.  (Okay, maybe I just wanted an excuse to eat pie.  But who can blame me?!)

Last weekend Luke and I went over to my parents' house, and they babysat while I made pie.  It was definitely a win-win for everyone! 

So here's what you need to make this amazing pie:

Flour, brown sugar, eggs, butter, milk, salt, and vanilla

Also, you need a prepared pie crust.  Now I must admit, when I make pies I usually go with store-bought pie crusts.  They are so much easier and taste pretty good.  Plus the few times that I have attempted a homemade crust, I have not been pleased with the results.  But the other day I was just thinking how I would really like to perfect the art of pie-crust making.  So I decided to give it another try.

I used the Pioneer Woman's "Perfect Pie Crust" tutorial, which you can find here.  I am a big fan of the Pioneer Woman.  Every recipe I've ever made of hers has turned out great.  Plus I love her step by step photos and instructions!  According to PW, the secret to a perfectly flaky pie crust is a little bit of vinegar (sounds weird, right?) and freezing the crust for about fifteen minutes before rolling it out.  I did not take photos of my crust-making process, but I was very happy with the outcome!  My crust did not look nearly as pretty as hers, but it was flaky and delicious.  PW knows her stuff!

So, regardless of whether you make or buy your crust, poke some holes in it with a fork.

Bake it at 400 for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  It should look something like this:

 

Like I said, my crust wasn't the prettiest.  I think I need a little more practice rolling it out...definitely one of those things that's not as easy as it looks!  But it was quite tasty, and that's what matters right?

 

Okay, now for the best part...the filling!

 

First, wisk together your flour, brown sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

 

 

Separate your egg whites and yolks.  If you're going to make meringue, save the whites (more on this later).  Beat the yolks a little.

 



Pour your milk into a medium saucepan.  According to Nana, you need to use at least 2% milk to get the right texture and flavor. 

 

 

My recipe card for Butterscotch Pie says to "scald" the milk.  I was always confused about what exactly that meant, but with Nana's help last year, I finally figured it out.  :)

 

Turn the burner on to medium heat and start stirring the milk with a wisk.  Continue stirring as the milk heats.  It will start to steam and then tiny bubbles with form along the edges of the pan.  Do not let it come to a boil, and be sure to stir continuously or it will burn.  Once your milk is steaming and you see those tiny bubbles, it is scalded!

 

 

Now take the dry ingredients that you combined earlier and slowly wisk them into the scalded milk.

 



 

Cook over medium heat while wisking constantly until the mixture is thickened.  I forgot to time this, but I'm thinking it was around 5-10 minutes.

 

 

Once it is thickened, take several spoonfulls of the milk mixture and stir it into your egg yolks. 

 

 

This is called "tempering" the eggs. If you add the eggs directly to the hot mixture, they will curdle and you'll end up with little pieces of scrambled egg in your pie filling.  Not exactly what we're going for...

 

Now stir your tempered eggs to the milk mixture.

 

 

Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly.  I used a heat-proof rubber spatula so I could scrape along the sides and bottom of the pan to keep it from sticking.

 

 

Allow to come to a boil and cook several minutes, until thick.  Then remove from the heat and stir in your butter and vanilla.

 

 

Stir until butter has melted and mixture is nice and smooth.

 

 

Pour into your prepared crust.

 

 

At this point, you can make meringue if you want.  Nana used to make meringue on all her pies, and it was beautiful.  But most of our family members didn't really care for it, and it was a lot of trouble.  So now we either eat it plain (trust me, it is completely wonderful on its own) or top it with a little bit of Cool Whip.  I'm personally not a big fan of meringue, so I didn't bother with it.

 

But I did have some leftover heavy cream in my fridge...

 

So I threw it in my Kitchen Aid with a little powdered sugar. 

 

There's really nothing like fresh whipped cream...

 

 

Refrigerate the pie for several hours, and it will be ready to eat. 

 

Now comes the real test: Did it set up? 

 

A few years ago, I attempted to make a Butterscotch Pie, and it did not set up.  It tasted good, but it was a runny, goopy mess.  Not cooking long enough or cooking too long can both mess up the texture.  Apparently it's a delicate balance. 

 

This time thanks to Nana's detailed instructions, it turned out perfectly!  It was thick and creamy and delicious.  And let me say, I think the fresh whipped cream put it completely over the top.  Nana would be proud!

 

 

Nana's Butterscotch Pie

2 cups milk (at least 2%)

1/3 cup flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 egg yolks

3 Tbs butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

1 9-inch pie crust

 

Poke holes in pie crust with a fork.  Bake at 400 about 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely.

 

Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.  Separate egg yolks and whites.  If making meringue, save whites.  Lightly beat yolks. 

 

Heat milk over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wisk, until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges of the pan.  Wisk in dry ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5-10 minutes). 

 

Stir several spoonfuls of milk mixture into egg yolks.  Then add egg yolks back to the milk mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil and cook several more minutes, until mixture is thick, continuing to stir.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. 

 

Pour into baked pie crust.  If desired, top with meringue and bake. 

 

Otherwise, chill in the refrigerator for several hours.  Enjoy plain or top with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream!

 

~Rachel

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Contentment

I love the book of Philippians.  No matter how many times I read it, I never cease to be both encouraged and challenged by Paul's words to the church in Philippi. 

Recently I have been studying Philippians, and the other day, I came across a passage in chapter 4 that always amazes me.  In verses 11 through 13, Paul says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (NIV) 

Contentment is something I really struggle with.  I have a wonderful life...a great husband, son, & family, a roof over my head, food to eat, clothes to wear, a good job, wonderful friends, a strong church family...I could go on and on!  But I still find things to complain about, and at times I really can't say that I am content.

What's really incredible about this passage is that Paul was writing these words from prison!  More than likely he was hungry, alone, cold, and mistreated.  Yet he was able to say that he was content!  If I can't be content in the wonderful life I have, I seriously doubt I would have been conent in those circumstances. 

So what was Paul's "secret" he refers to in this passage?  While I obviously can't sit down and ask Paul exactly what he was talking about, I think he shares several pieces of his secret throughout the book of Philippians:

Relying on God's strength

Immediately following the passage I quoted earlier, Paul writes, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13, NIV)  The more I've thought about it, I really believe it's impossible for human beings to be completely content.  It's against our nature.  There's always going to be something to be unhappy about. 

That's where God comes in. 

 

In Matthew 19:26, Jesus tells us "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)  In Ephesians 1:19-20, Paul writes, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him.  This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms." (NLT) 

Wow!  As Christians, we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead living in us!  I don't know about you, but I certainly don't take advantage of that power nearly as much as I should.  Instead of thinking about contentment as something I need to master on my own, I should start asking God every day to work through his Holy Spirit to make me more content.

Living as a citizen of heaven

In Philippians 1:27, Paul says "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ." (NLT).  In Romans 12:2, he writes, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." (NLT)  As Christians, we shouldn't want to be like the world.  We shouldn't want everything the world has or value what it values.  That is a huge struggle for me!  Without even meaning to, I'm constantly comparing myself and what I have to those around me and what they have.  A friend of mine shared this quote on Facebook awhile back, and I loved it:

 

When we moved into our first house a little over three years ago, it felt huge!  I remember thinking "We'll never be able to fill up these closets."  Ha!  Lately, I find myself going into other people's homes an thinking "I wish I had those granite countertops!" or "If only I had the money to hire a decorator."  Jake and I just recently had a conversation about eventally moving to a bigger home.  We both  agreed that our house is fine right now, but when we have another kid, we will need something with more space. 

 

Need?  Not so much...

 

In reality, our house is perfectly adequate for a family much bigger than ours!  As a matter of fact, we could live in it for the rest of our lives and still be much better off than the vast majority of the world.  

 

As much as I hate to admit it, I sometimes get caught up in the American ideals of "bigger and better" and "keeping up with the Jonses."  But comparing myself to those around me robs me of joy and contentment and distracts me from what I really should be focused on: living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

 

Having an attitude of gratitude

Throughout Philippians, Paul is constantly expressing his thankfulness and joy.  In chapter one, he says "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy." (Phil. 1:3-4, NLT).  In chapter three, he says, "Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord." (Phil. 3:1, NLT).  Finally in chapter four, he instructs us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by payer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil. 4:6).

 

In the midst of imprisonment and persecution, Paul was rejoicing and thanking God.  No matter how bad things in life seem, we can always find something to be grateful for.  And I really think that when we focus on the many blessings God has given us, the problems in our lives seem much less significant.

 

With the start of November and the upcoming Thankgiving holiday, I think a lot of people are trying to be more mindful of their blessings.  I know I really want to take time this month to be thankful of all the good things in my life-both big and small.  My family, friends, and country...the changing leaves, the blue sky, and the cooler weather...the clean water I have to drink every day...the heat that keeps my house warm...and on and on and on.  This year I hope to make Thanksgiving a holiday that's not just about eating and getting together with family, but a time for true reflection and thankfulness. 

 

And not just Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.  When I really stop and think about all that I have, I really am a much more joyful and content person.

 

 

Well, I hope this post has encouraged and challenged you.  I know I have certainly stepped on my own toes! :)  Like I said, contentment is really something I constantly struggle with, and I am nowhere near where I would like to be in that area of my life.  But I hope and pray that through his transforming power, God will mold me into a more grateful, joyful, and content citizen of heaven. 

 

~Rachel