Buttermilk Pancakes with Butter Syrup

All I can say is yum.  Yum. Yum. Yum.  It's just too bad that I don't have a picture of the finished product...oh that's right, it's because we inhaled the finished product!  ;)

BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

via Becky Higgins, via Martha Stewart
[ Makes nine 6-inch pancakes-or 12 4-inch ones in my case ]

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 c. buttermilk

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees (on my electric cooktop lowish-medium). Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees (for keeping the finished pancakes warm). Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

Says Martha’s people: “The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter.”

And the tasty syrup (or yellow syrup as my children call it)

BUTTER SYRUP

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 stick butter

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda


Melt together whipping cream, butter and sugar over low heat. Slowly increase heat until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Add vanilla & baking soda. (Be careful on this part, because the baking soda makes it foam up to almost overflowing within seconds if you don't remove from heat quickly.  I had to make a break for the sink to catch the overflow!) Turn off heat while whisking continually until ready to serve.

Reviews:
"These are the best pancakes I've ever eaten."

"Oh Mom, can you make these pancakes again and again and again?!"
*silent chewing* This is the highest compliment from our picky, squirmy little eater.

When a Man Loves a Woman

He will move a tree (twice) to center it up *just* right...so that his woman won't drive herself crazy thinking about how the tree is slightly off-center every time she looks out the window.

Thankfully, my man's fully aware and has accepted the fact that I've got issues. :)

This tree is a baby Royal Poinciana...we hope one day it will be fully grown and gloriously red like this one in full bloom :

What's for dinner?

Toes? 

 Camille enjoyed her first ever taste of babyfood tonight.  She loved it!  She is our first babe to willingly drink milk out of a bottle- and tonight-our first to lick her lips and reach for more baby food on the first try.  As daddy suggested, maybe she inherited grandpa's appetite along with those adorable dimples!

With each baby those "recommendations" at the pediatrician change.  These days, they do not recommend cereal as baby's first food.  First up for baby girl...pears!  Millie ate about one tablespoon (total) and started shivering after several bites to let us know she'd had enough. 

Big sister jumped right in with bib and a ready scooper. She's been waiting for this moment for like...five and a half months! ;)

 

Wonderfully Made

Hannah Reece has always been REAL sweet on her daddy.  For a while, she couldn't even spare a kiss for me!  "No kisses for you, Momma, only for Daddy"

Well, lately...all that has changed.  ;)  Now she is momma's girl.   I'm getting so many hugs and kisses I've got a few extras to share with her Daddy, too! 

Hannah Reece will start preschool in just a few weeks, sniffle sniffle.  Lately, when she gives me big squeezes I say..."you better not go to preschool...I might miss you way too much!"  To which she usually replies, "momma, I have to go to school, yes-I'm going!" accompanied by more giggles and kisses. 

Today, during our little hug time I said, "could you just stop growing, girl? You are growing up WAY too fast!  I need you to stay little forever and ever." To which she replied "Momma, I can't help it....Jesus is making me grow!  :)  He is making me healthy and strong and when I get bigger I can be a Mom just like YOU."   Yes, sweet girl, and you are fearfully and WONDERFULLY made!  I love you, Hannah Reece!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14 NIV

Happy Baby

Our Miss Millie is one happy girl.  She rarely cries...and when she does it's usually for one of three reasons-hungry, sleepy or poopy.   In this season of upheaval...this gift of an easy-going baby is a demonstration of God's grace to us!  ;)    At five months and three weeks old Camille:

• has settled into a little schedule-which has been slightly interrupted by big brother's school schedule recently.  She naps 2-3 times a day: 8ish, 11ish and 4ish.
• sleeps from 7pm-7am, waking once to nurse around 5am-even when she wakes up more often, I can't wait to go see that sweet little face smiling up at me  :)
• is usually covered in drool...she's teething (no chompers just yet!)
• searches the ground for Charly when we walk in the front door...and giggles when she spots her  :) she gets so excited when Charly walks by and kisses her toes. (yuck!)
• is immensly entertained by her brother and sister...maybe that's why she's so happy all of the time....constant entertainment!  
• gives big slobby open mouth kisses (my favorite!) and snuggy hugs 
• chatters loudly and with inflection...so opinionated...she'll fit right in  ;)
• finally found her thumb this month after 4 long months of searching
• nurses about every 3ish hours
• still happy at doctor visits (for now!) 
• scrunches her nose up when she grins  :)
• has a favorite plaything...her feet 
• is starting to endure the carseat without too many tears :)
• is a petite little thing, she wears size 3-6 months in clothing.  Brother and sister were well into 6-9 months clothing at this age.
• is content to sit in the bouncy seat or highchair for about 25 minutes while I clean up the kitchen or fold  a load of laundry....this is so helpful!  Trying to sit up on herown when reclined in the bouncy seat, so I think we'll have to retire that piece of baby gear soon.
• is super sweet on Daddy.
• learned to flip from tummy to back and back to side
• soothes herself to sleep
• enjoys hanging in the pool with Daddy 
• has a case of stranger anxiety and frets when momma's out of sight
• flashes those big blue peepers and gummy smile...melts me every time!

Worn out from all of that wild jumping ;)

Millie Grace...sweet, sweet face

memory makin'

A big first grader,

this energetic *almost* four year old,

one fuzzy-headed angel baby,

our dern mutt....er, I mean beloved lizard-wranglin' pet,

and many, many house projects

are filling our days....and nights...

time to hang on and enjoy the ride!  :)

Never Say Never

I know I shouldn't say this...but I never want to move again!!! There, I said it.  It's off my chest and lost into blog cyberspace oblivion...I feel so much better now.

We (Dan and I) have moved MANY times.  (I think I've mentioned that before.) But a move with 3 very young children and a puppy?  Yeeeaaah. 

Also to add to the mix, we arrived at the new house...realizing that the floors were much less desirable than we originally thought.  (read: very nasty)  Our plan was to remove all of the tile and carpet towards the end of the summer when traveling was finished, etc.  To sum it up...my amazing man of a husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law tackled the job of removing carpet and lots and lots of tile in less than TWO DAYS.  They are amazing. And now we have a very dusty slab-ish floor.  Patience. 

Sooo we are extending our time at Grandma and Grandpa's house until they kick us out the floors are finished or the dust is contained...whichever comes first.  :)

I have so many wonderfully sweet pictures to share...but for now, those will have to wait. 

The last few weeks have been filled with goodbyes, hellos, tears and laughs. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to say goodbye to our friends in Charlotte.  We made a last minute decision for the kiddos and I to fly to Florida with Dan's mom early...on the day of Graham's Kindergarten graduation.  I was a teary mess!  That evening as I tucked the kiddos into bed together here at Grandma and Grandpa's house, we all just cried.  God provided lasting friendships for us and our children there in North Carolina...in such a short time.  I'm so grateful for technology and travel so that we can keep in touch.

Dan's maternal grandfather passed away almost two weeks ago...he was Dan's hero and a pillar of faith.  What a blessing to be able to enjoy the impact of his legacy of faith...even as he has gone on to heaven.  Dan is so grateful that he and Hannah Reece were able to spend time with him several weeks ago...those memories are so precious now.

It has been fun to spend more time with family and reconnect with old friends here.  Mercy, it is HOT in these parts!  We've been keeping cool in the pool.  :)

In baby news...little Miss Camille erupted into her first giggles...she's so ticklish!  :)

Oh, and I can't forget, Mom and I and the kiddos drove to Tampa to meet up with my sweet friend Amy and her four adorable kiddos.  Amy and I go WAY back...we were in the baby nursery at church together!  What a sweet time.  That's all for now...hopefully we'll have our computer set up soon so that I can post pics!