Fourth Child Blues

When you are a fourth child, you learn to make do with all circumstances....like when all the rooms are full and you need a nap, so you become demoted to the entryway!

Three Years Old

Birthdays are a really big deal in our family. I have tried hard to establish traditions that the children can look forward to year after year on their special day.  I love spending the day affirming the birthday kid and showering them with extra love and treats. Here is Dominic's day in pictures:

The night before the birthday, after the kids go to bed, I transform the kitchen by breaking out the birthday tablecloth and banner.  I also display the cake, or in this case race car cupcakes, and surround them with the birthday presents and kid's favorite candies.  The kids also receive a special birthday balloon, which is attached to the birthday seat of honor!

Dominic's present:  The Little Tikes Grill.  I bought it probably 7 months ago on sale for 24.99.  It was a steal!!

LOVED IT!!

Anxiously awaiting present time!

The traditional birthday pancake.  His is shaped like a 3 since that is what age he turned!

I don't have any pictures, but another part of the day is being able to pick all the meals.  The kids also get a special date.  Dominic chose a McDonald's Happy Meal date.  The two big kids are at VBS all week, so we had an extra special date with daddy and were able to eat Downtown!!  For dinner Dominic decided on tacos!!

CAKE TIME!!!!

Extra special ice-cream treat.  Dominic has severe food allergies (dairy, egg, peanut).  He always begs for ice-cream, but the dairy free kind is SO SO expensive.  Tonight I splurged and he had chocolate almond ice-cream. 

Tuckered out from the long, but fun day!!

                              We love you, Dominic Vianney!!!

The Chronicles of the Dutch Oven

So, if you know my dad, you know that in his garage you can find just about anything you could ever need or want.  And so a few years ago, I raided the garage in hopes of locating some camping gear.  On one of the many shelves of stuff I found a beautiful cast iron dutch oven, patented in 1910.  I imagine this probably belonged to one of my grandmothers. The pan needed a little work, since it had rusted. But, with a lot of scrubbing and a some good old-fashioned cast iron seasoning I restored it to just like new!  Thanks, You Tube, for all the help!! 

So I decided this past weekend I would start to practice using it. I love to cook, but cooking over an open-fire, well it can be a challenge.  So here is my first attempt at open-fire dutch oven cooking.

Homemade Cornbread

Step 1:  Preheat dutch oven on coals.

  
After pan is preheated.  You place cornbread mix (I made mine ahead of time and then just added the wet ingredients) in the lightly greased pan.  Place the pan on top of 10-12 hot coals and then add 10-12 hot coals on top.  Note: only about 6 coals fit on the top of my oven.  Then wait 30 minutes...or at least that is what the recipe I was following said.  The thing about cooking in a dutch oven is checking on your items is difficult since every time you open the lid you expose your food to smoke and ash!

So how did it turn out...

Top looks okay...maybe a little brown

Bottom is completely black...sigh...  next time not so many coals on bottom, and maybe only about 25 minutes or so.

But....the middle and top was perfect consistency and so with a little bread shaving....

We have cornbread!!!

  It wasn't perfect, but it was edible.  Next time I will get it.  Anyone have any good recipes for the dutch oven? 

Camp Pohlmeier

I have not forgotten about blogging. In fact I have a huge list of upcoming posts.  Life has just been busy.  School has been out for a week, and we have been busy readjusting to our new schedule.  In exciting news though, we are camping with our best friends this weekend and with Uncle Erik the following weekend.  So, I am busy busy busy with preparations.  Here is my new favorite tool...my master camping list.  Hoping this saves time in the long run.  Be on the lookout for more tips on camping with tots in the future.  Until then, enjoy my new favorite OCD creation...

Pohlmeier Master Camping List

Feel free to copy and use for your own purposes!!