Reflection on a Year

I'm contemplating time tonight. I have been trapped in a Facebook black hole for part of this evening, digging up memories that I had buried for the past year. A year. I can't believe how long a year can feel. The past year for me has felt like the longest one of my life. Last summer, on July 19, Alex had not yet been fired (I believe it came the next day..), we had a whole different group of friends that has since scattered, I was half way done with my pregnancy, and we didn't have even an inkling of what our lives would look like merely a month later.

That bump!

Prepping a house to sell is a lot of work!

When I think about my life now, my friends, our church, my son...I am overwhelmed. Last summer I did not even know that life could be this sweet. That I would have friendships with people, with women, who I admire so deeply, trust so innately, relate to so immediately. I didn't know Alex would find work at a place where we feel accepted, appreciated, loved and where we feel so much respect for the leadership. I didn't know I would live in the most beautiful, small town with a tight knit community, that is a couple hours from my family. I didn't know how magical motherhood was, how much Emmett would change everything. I didn't know how special it would be to see my parents become grandparents. To see Alex become a dad.

I have never been as fulfilled with a deep sense of joy as I am at this stage of life. I want to remember this. I want this post to be a record of this time, because I know it won't last forever. I know I'm on a mountain right now, and that the valley will come. I want to look back at this when life feels like it's crumbling, when I go through a hard time, and remember how much God loves me and provides for every need, even ones I am unaware of.

A year ago, life crumbled. It was only because of that crumbling that God rebuilt my life and blessed me with a peace that seemed impossible in the midst of the destruction. I lost so many things that at the time seemed good, just to discover that God had great waiting. God had a place for us where we fit. Not where we had to pretend to be something else, or hide our beliefs or force ourselves to connect with certain people. He gave us a place where we are not alone. We are surrounded by friends who inspire us and help us grow and embrace us and share in our beliefs. Our son is loved by these wonderful people who we've only known for a handful of months. We are loved.

This is a thank you. It's a thank God. I am so undeserving and He gives us so much. I am unworthy and He has filled me up.

Time is doing that pesky thing where it speeds by and crawls at the same time. This year has been so full of change, it has felt so long, simply because everything about my life seems to be different than a year ago. But, of course, it also feels like it passed in the blink of an eye. I remember sitting in my empty house in Kansas about 11 months ago, sobbing a guttural cry because of everything that we had lost. I cried so deeply I would lose my voice. I felt so betrayed, so unloved, so hurt by people we had invested in for over a year. I felt this huge weight of injustice. I felt like I never wanted to go back to a church, like I couldn't trust anyone, like I didn't want to. I remember being so scared of passing the stress of my life to Emmett, growing in me. I remember hating the people that treated us like we were disposable. I felt devastated that we were having to "regress" in our adult lives. Live off of the charity of my family, enter into parenthood with uncertainties.

How could I, in one year, go from this valley to this summit? Only God. I am in awe of the change. Of the opportunities he presented us with. The friends, the jobs, the beauty of Big Bear. This place is healing and He brought us here, just like He does with so many of the people who end up in this small forest town. Last year I lived in a holler, and now I'm on a mountain and that is no coincidence. All I can do is praise.

|| Posted by Kate ||

Happy Five Months, Baby Boy.

Dear Emmett,

You are five months old today. You weigh more than double your birth weight. You have grown so big, so fast! I look at you now and forget what it was like to have a new born. Your old clothes seem comically small, like they are for a doll. I can't believe that some of the outfits you wear are size 6-9 months! (It's because you're so tall, of course). You can do so much these days! You laugh and smile almost on demand, you recognize your name, you know your Mommy and Daddy. You are so smart already!

Emmett...Ode to an Easy Baby

Dearest Emmett,

Thank you. I can't say thank you enough for what an amazing baby you are. Ever since you were born, you have given me at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Granted, for most of those nights those 7 hours were split into 2-3 chunks, but that's nothing to scoff at! You have been so generous to grant me so much rest and I thank you profusely.

Also, I gotta say, you're not much of a crier. You cry, but only when you need something specific. And it's always either a burp, hunger, or a poop that you're working out. And once in a while you're a little overstimulated. But really, that's it! You also tend to fuss for a while before the actual crying starts, which lets me try to figure out what it is you need before you have actual baby tears running down your face. Those tears are heartbreaking, baby. Also (and you get this from me) you turn beet red. Which is cute, except for the screaming and sweating. Which, again, happens so rarely that I can't even start to complain!

Life as a Pastor's Wife...Again

A few weeks ago, Alex was hired as the Youth Pastor at Community Church of Big Bear. With that comes so much joy and excitement, and also reminders of our life before. Before we were so hurt by a church that I didn't know how I would step foot in one again. Before we lost our home, our friends, our security, our dreams. It is bittersweet to be so reminded of the ministry we had in Kansas. This new life in Big Bear has taken the sting and pain that we've been living with since last summer, and even before, and transforming it. God is taking our story of pain and proving to us that He was in it, and that He has so much more than that for us. Our dreams there were small, and He wanted bigger. Our idea of joy was paltry compared to what we are now experiencing, and this new joy is nothing compared to what He has in store for us.

The past 6 months have been so full of change and uncertainty. And that hasn't completely gone away, but I have been seeing God answer prayers that I didn't even have the words to pray. We are being healed at this church in Big Bear. Alex is experiencing affirmation that is so new and foreign to him that he almost can't believe it. We have already been embraced into new friendships with people who are genuine and transparent, the kind of people that I hope I am. We have met an amazing group of youth kids who in so many ways remind us of the kids in Kansas that we loved and still love, but who are also fiercely unique and lovable.

What Works

Now that we've had our little Emmett for almost 2 months, I'm feeling a bit more confident as his mother. We have our routine down, I can interpret his cries, I know when he's about to have a big poop, and we share so many sweet moments throughout every day. He has the sweetest smile and he recognizes my voice and my smell, and it's magical to be his mommy.

I have had some help along the way, and no, I'm not talking about my parents or Alex (although their help is INVALUABLE and I would be lost without them!). I'm talking about baby merch! There are SO many things on the market for moms and their new babies, and it was quite a process shifting though all the options and finding what I wanted... And that was only step one! It matters much more what Emmett wants and what makes him comfortable and happy, and learning that was another process of it's own. So here is my review on the top baby items we have, what works for me and for him, and what I would recommend to new moms everywhere!

1. Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Platinum Edition Cradle 'n Swing : This nifty swing is a lifesaver for Emmett's daytime naps. He LOVES the gentle rocking and the mobile and blue light he looks up at, and most of all the sweet baby songs that I can play at different volumes. I even like listening to the cheesy baby songs. When they're on, I can hum along (I've listened to them hundreds of times now) and they make me feel like there's a baby in the house. (Weird, but I like it). Most of all, this cute swing plugs in. It's on so much that I would go through TONS of batteries if it didn't have an AC adapter. That was the number one thing I was looking for in a swing, and I'm so glad I did. Finally, we've had a few blow-outs (poop everywhere, for those of you who aren't parents) and the fabric lamb that Emmett sits in comes out super easy and is machine washable. This is a must. I would definitely recommend this swing and I'm so grateful to my "aunt" Lisa for giving me this at my baby shower!

Dad's Famous Baked Beans

This recipe (which is so easy, it can barely be called a recipe), comes from my dad. When he was in his early 20's, he worked at Deloitte as an auditor. While at a company pot luck (of a business he was auditing), he was first introduced to this recipe for baked beans. He enjoyed them so much, he asked for the recipe and started making them himself. Years later, he was working as the CFO for Calply, and brought these beans to a potluck. They were lauded by all as Doug's famous beans, until a woman that had been recently hired claimed them as her own recipe! (In good humor, of course). It just so happened that the woman who made them years before and gave the recipe to my dad had been hired by Calply and was at the potluck! What a small world. 

Without further ado, my dad's famous baked bean recipe ;) - 

Brown 1 lb of ground beef and add a chopped red onion. 

Add 3 cans of Bush's Baked Beans (we use Maple Cured Bacon flavored and Original).

Sausage Braid Recipe

As an adolescent in the Homet household, we were witness to a lot of hostessing. Monthly, my mom would host "Stamp Camp" at our house, and a party of around 8-12 women would come over on a Saturday morning to make the cards and crafts my mom had prepared and snack on some pretty classy breakfast treats. These breakfasts were one of the perks to having a mom who was a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. (Other perks included having access to TONS of craft supplies for school projects, passing out pretty bomb Valentine's Day cards to friends at school, and having the skills needed to be a professional card critic.) 

Jim, Laney and I (and probably dad too), would sneak into the kitchen on Stamp Camp mornings after the women had eaten and, like vultures, fill up our plastic tupperware plates with berries, Costco croissants, Bisquick coffee cake, and on especially wonderful Saturdays, slices of this sausage braid. 

It's creamy and full of meat and flavor and it goes fast. Here's a shot of it baking (and oozing...yum). 

I always double this recipe, so the following measurements will make 2 rolls. 

DIY Decorated Porcelain To-Go Mugs

This Christmas, I decided to make as many gifts for friends and family as I possibly could. I wanted to give out personal and special gifts, and since I was extremely pregnant, I spent lots of time crafting!

These to-go mugs were super easy and fun to make. I first designed the images either on my computer or on a scratch paper. Then I traced them onto the mugs using graphite paper. (There were a few mugs I did without prepping, but for most I needed to). 

Christmas 2014

This post is similar to my Thanksgiving 2014 post, except for the one HUGE difference! Baby Emmett was here to celebrate with us! Most of these photos feature him... here's a little peek at our extremely special Christmas of 2014. 

Aunt Laney got to meet Emmett! She fell in love pretty instantly. 

Homet Christmas Morning Quiche Recipe

One of my all time favorite foods is Quiche Lorraine. Egg, bacon, onion, cheese, pie crust...what's not to love? Growing up, it was our Christmas morning breakfast every year. Once a year is not nearly enough, however. Since I got married and started my own family, we've had quiche quite a few times. I even started making my own crusts, and I've gotta say, they're pretty delicious. 

I won't lie and say this is easy or quick to make. The steps are simple, but there are a lot of them and it takes a while to make a quiche. It is SO worth it, though. My tip would be to make 2 or 3 quiches at once because they heat up so well and one just isn't enough! (I mean, look at that. Just look at it.) I am listing the measurements for one quiche, so you'll have to do your own multiplying. 

Emmett's Birth Story

Disclaimer: This post is super long. I am writing it all out so that I can remember all of the precious details of Emmett's birth, so just get ready for an in-depth story!

Emmett's journey into the world was not what I expected. Isn't that what you hear from every mom? When does it ever go exactly as anticipated? When does anything?

I'm so glad he came into the world his way...even if labor took 3 times longer than I thought it would. Even though I had to resort to taking medications that I was trying so hard not to take. Even though the pain was indescribable (and immediately forgettable).

December 8th came and went, and my hope that he would come on his due date proved false. Every day that week was agonizing, emotionally more than physically (although I was the size of a whale and every little thing took a ton of effort). I wanted him to be out so badly! I wanted to meet him, I wanted to be done being pregnant, I wanted to avoid being induced, I wanted his birthday not too close to Christmas. But that's a lot about me, and I figured out quickly that Emmett's entrance was, and should be, all about him.

My family made dollar bets about what day Emmett would show up. One by one, each day we had bet on passed by. The latest day that was predicted was by Jim, and was December 13. As that day came to a close, Alex and I felt so discouraged. Almost a week late and still no baby. Around 11pm we got in bed and prayed. It had been a while since we've prayed out loud together and I was feeling so down, I let Alex take the reins. He prayed that Emmett would be born soon. On God's timing, but soon. He prayed that I wouldn't have to be induced. He prayed that we would be healthy and safe. He prayed that we could meet our little one.

We started to fall asleep. After a couple minutes, at 11:30, I woke up with some cramp-like pains. I didn't admit to myself at first that they were contractions, I didn't want to get my hopes up. Alex started timing the pains, and after about an hour and a half they were 5 minutes apart and lasting for a minute. We woke up my mom, who's room is 15 feet away. (My dad was up in NorCal, but he got a call later on). I was moved downstairs to labor, and most of the next couple hours are a blur because I was so exhausted! We got zero sleep that night. Around 2:30, we let my doula, Betsy, know that labor had been consistent and contractions were getting stronger. She came over to observe and support. She told me to let myself melt into the pain. When a contraction would hit, I would breathe in and out very slowly and moan gently. I let every muscle in my body relax so much that I felt like I was just melting away. This technique helped me so much, and I continued to do it once we got to the hospital.

Emmett Douglas Jackson

Emmett Douglas Jackson is here!! I am obsessed. He is amazing. I've put our Christmas card/birth announcements below, we sent out two different ones. When I was designing them I just could not decide between the two, so we went with both! I had so much fun taking these photos and putting the announcements together! I've got to say, I have a pretty great model. 

If you're looking for some more details about little Emmett, click here for his birth story!

|| Posted by Kate ||

The Best Caramel Corn You've Ever Had

We made this popcorn 4 times this holiday season and it was absolutely delicious. It was buttery, fresh, sweet with a twinge of salt, and crunchy like caramel corn should be. We gave some away, ate a bunch ourselves, and definitely came up with a new Christmas tradition with this caramel corn! 

Combine 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup light corn syrup in a saucepan. Let it come to a boil for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda. Stir together and pour over freshly popped popcorn (about 6 quarts). Mix thoroughly in a large bowl to evenly spread caramel. 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, spread popcorn out and bake for 1 hour, stirring popcorn every 15 minutes. 

Let cool completely and enjoy! (Easy, right?)

Holiday Cardamom Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Christmas is a time for sharing. And gift giving. And love. So, with love, let me give you a wonderful gift by sharing the recipe for my absolute favorite holiday cookies (which aren't necessarily 'holiday' at all, I make them all year!). 

These cookies are easy, delicious and surprising. It is a basic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe that replaces the cinnamon with cardamom, and let me tell you! The difference is both subtle and obvious. There is something decidedly unique when you take a bite out of one of these, yet they are familiar and homey. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1 stick plus 6 tbsp softened butter, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar to mixing bowl. 

Beat in mixer until creamy.

New Christmas Traditions

The weekend after Thanksgiving, the Homet clan decided to start a new Christmas tradition. We went over to Lakewood to Jim and Nadine's house (the same house I lived in after college..ah memories) and set up a little bonfire in the backyard. We also projected It's A Wonderful Life on their garage door and snacked on caramel corn, pizza and hot chocolate. After our Kansas winter last year, it felt crazy that we could be sitting outside at nighttime in November! California all the way. 

Here's some photos from our outdoor movie night. I can't wait to do it again next year with little Emmett walking around! 

Homemade Egg Noodles Recipe

Well, Thanksgiving is over and I don't know about you, but we had a ton of leftovers this year. I guess that's what happens when you make two large turkeys for 8 people. Anyway, this year we decided to turn some of our leftover turkeys and (forgive me for saying this) turkey carcasses into some broth! After boiling the bones and innards for a few hours in a huge pot of water, we strained and cooled the broth. Now it was ready for soup! We added turkey pieces, carrots, onions, celery, salt and pepper, and these homemade egg noodles. What a delicious Thanksgiving twist on chicken noodle soup.

These noodles are so easy to make, and are big and doughy in the soup, like a kind of dumpling. They can be frozen and used later, or use them immediately! 

Start by mixing 2 and a half cups of flour with a pinch of salt. Place in a bowl and create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in 1/2 cup of milk, 2 eggs and 1 tbsp of melted butter. Mix together with your hands until the ingredients come together. Place on a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. 

Place dough in a small bowl and cover with a cloth. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. 

Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Don't leave it too thick or the noodles will be too big when cooked. 

Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving was extra special. Alex and I are back at my parents' home, my sister flew in from Northern California, my grandpa was over and Jim and Nadine shared the day with us. I'm also just about 39 weeks pregnant! After our pie baking on Wednesday night, I was absolutely exhausted! It's hard being on your (swollen) feet all day when you're the size of a small whale. 

Here's some of the preparation the day before Thanksgiving.

Pie Extravaganza

Many factors contributed to the Pie Extravaganza of 2014. First, last year I was taught by a lady at church how to make pie. I didn't actually do much of the baking, I mostly observed, but she showed me methods for making crust from scratch, how to measure very precisely and how to put a crust in a pie dish and pinch the top. It was a long process, but I left feeling more confident about trying to make pies myself. Second, in the past year, I perfected Ree Drummond's Perfect Pie Crust. I have made numerous quiches and a pie or two and this crust recipe is my favorite. Third, I have been trying to get Alex more comfortable in the kitchen, so getting him in on the pie making was the first step toward an extravaganza. And finally, Alex and my competitive natures kicked in when we decided to have a taste off and make these pies Chopped-style. 

He was in charge of the Pecan pie and one Pumpkin pie. I was taking the Dutch Apple and the other Pumpkin pie. The plan was for 4 pies. We ended up with more, but I won't get ahead of myself. 

I began with the crust. I made one batch of this crust, which yields either two large, thicker crusts or three thin smaller crusts. I obviously made the two thick ones. I love a substantial crust. 

You can find a step by step recipe here: Pioneer Woman's blog, but I will include the quick version here:

3 cups All-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups Crisco Vegetable Shortening

1 egg

5 tbsp cold water

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp salt

Combine flour and shortening with a pastry cutter (will take 3-4 minutes). Pour in a beaten egg and combine. Add water, vinegar and salt to mixture. Don't overwork, but blend all ingredients. Split the dough in half, ball up each half and put in separate Ziplock gallon sized bags. Gently pat down into a thick disc and place bags in freezer. Let chill for 20 mins and then roll out.

Cat Lady

I've been practicing photography lately, since I want to be taking some (a bazillion) really good photos of Emmett once he's here. Who better than to be my models than Baby Kitty (full name: Trace) and Cooper?! (Can you tell that I get lonely at the house when Alex is at work? I'm sure that won't last long when I have my hands full with a baby!).

For these and other close ups, I've been practicing with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. This lens lets in a ton of light when the aperture is set to 1.8 and will cause a lot of background blur on a photo. This is definitely the look I'm going for with close-ups, especially of the baby. For wider shots, like the ones in the Christmas decorating post, I used my Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Lens, which does not create the same depth of field as the other lens (so, less blurry backgrounds). I have one other lens that is a super-zoom one, but I rarely use that because I generally am trying to take more close-ups, and I haven't been on a stake-out stalking anyone lately (or, you know, ever). I'm sure I will find a use for that lens someday though!

Just for fun, here are the kitty photos that I thought turned out pretty good. I haven't done any editing of these in iPhoto.. no brightening or adding contrast or changing the saturation or cropping. Nothing! I'm definitely getting excited for my new model, I can't wait to capture every little expression and smile and fat roll of that little man!

DIY Glitter Letter Canvases

When we left Kansas, I was highly encouraged (read: forced) to cut back on my possessions. We had to fit everything in a crate to be shipped, after all! When we arrived in California, I quickly realized that we had a lot more wall-space for frames and art and photos than we had before, and I had just recently trimmed back my wall-art collection. (Not by much, we still had multiple boxes full of frames, but I just love my wall collages!) Our bathroom upstairs had an especially large empty wall, so I rifled through my craft supplies in the garage to see what I could come up with for that space. The result was the following. A super easy, super quick craft that adds just the right feel to our "vintage" (1970's) bathroom, and moderns it up just a bit. 

I started with two large, blank, white canvases. 

I used painter's tape to block out stripes horizontally. I eye'd these and tried to separate each length of tape the same width as the tape, as to create even lines. It's not as hard as you'd think to make these straight. If you start with one end of the canvas, using the edge as a guide, you've got your straight line. And with painter's tape, I would just remove and re-set every time it looked a little off.

I did two canvases, but this project could be done with one or more, and of any size, depending on the space needing to be filled!