All Things Supercinski

You can tell that fall is just around the corner or perhaps is already here. Mornings are cool and brisk–Josiah even wears a little jacket and socks for our morning walks which is quite a difference from being drenched with sweat at 8:30 in the morning not so long ago. We here at All Things Supercinski have been enjoying the coolness by taking walks morning and evening, if it isn’t raining. I forgot how much I had missed going on leisurely walks with Thomas–such good times to talk (fairly) undistracted.

It’s funny to think that last year at this time I was starting to get a good baby belly. At our Trunk or Treat, I wore an orange shirt with a pumpkin painted on the belly area where our little pumpkin was cooking. This weekend we headed over to a pumpkin patch and got some cute pictures of Josiah. He seemed to enjoy himself and kept trying to eat either the little pumpkin or hay.

We finally figured out how to put this tunnel toy together that some friends gave us. Josiah loves smashing his face against the window in it, and it is hilarious. Here’s a glimpse, though not quite as good as in person. You should come visit sometime so you can see him in real life.

Check out what this great husband of mine surprised me with on Friday (baby not included):

I’m so excited! Josiah and I have been jogging lately and this stroller makes it so much more enjoyable for both of us. We took it off-roading this weekend at Lick Creek Park and had a great time.

We are officially cloth diaperers now. After many months of thinking about it, discussing it, and just not being sure, a sweet friend let us borrow some of her diapers to decide for ourselves. We loved them, and love the idea of getting to use them for subsequent children, too. We figured that cloth is cheaper to be used for Josiah, and then we won’t have to pay anything for future “kid’s” diapers. I placed our order and we got them in the mail shortly. Our little boy looks so cute in his little diapers!

Perhaps you are thinking that we are ridiculous and that you will never talk to me (Rachel) again because I will be so busy washing diapers. Alas, this is not the case. These diapers, FuzziBunz, are so easy to use. They are pocket diapers, so the insert goes inside and all you do is pull it out and wash them all together. We line dry our diapers, but dry the inserts in the drier for absorbancy reasons. I know what you’re thinking, “what about the poop?” Well, with FuzziBunz, there is no swishing them in the toilet, just shake off into the toilet what comes off, and wash the rest. We think they are great, and if you are interested in ordering some, I received great customer service here.

Our boy is all over the place these days. Josiah is crawling, belly still on the ground, quickly, and everywhere. He has realized that he can go from room to room and does so, remembering the things he can get into in other places not-so-baby-proofed. His favorite things to find are the door stops behind the doors. We’ve had to remove the little rubber stopper on the end (choking hazard), but they still provide him much enjoyment.

He is becoming more fun all of the time. He is learning more how to manipulate his environment like pushing buttons on toys to get music or sounds. We can play a very slow game of chase, crawling-style, around the house. He is also starting to test his boundaries and has proven to be more stubborn and disobedient than we expected at this age.

We have been using some sign language to communicate with Josiah and he started doing his first two signs this month. He signs “fish” when we look at our goldfish and sometimes when he sees animals in his books, and he signed milk a few times. It is not as often, but I am encouraged! Months of using the “milk” sign consistently are paying off. Josiah loves to “talk” as he plays, when he’s upset, you name it. His favorite sounds are “ba ba ba” and “da da” and shrieks. I think I only hear “mmmmaa, mmmmaa” in the middle of the night. Maybe later I can post a video of his talking. That’s all for now! Nap time is over.

My wonderful husband, who listens to me more than I give him credit for, remembered me mentioning a cookbook I wanted, and he surprised me with it for my birthday. I have enjoyed trying new recipes from it and reading many of the cooking tips in it. However, this cookbook is not like your average cookbook. This cookbook was written to help you live more simply and cook better foods for your family, with the purpose of conserving money and resources in order to help the world’s hungry. Hence the title, “More with Less.” The author compiled over 500 recipes from members of the Mennonite community and tested them with “professional home economists”. What resulted is a wonderful assortment of dishes that are tried and true.

What I like most about this cookbook is that none of the recipes call for processed foods, like a can of cream of chicken soup. They use simple ingredients and make hearty, healthy meals. The recipes call for minimal amounts of meat and offer a wide range of vegetarian dishes. At the beginning of each chapter, the author gives tips for incorporating more vegetables, fruits, grains, or eggs/milk/cheese, depending on the chapter.

Our family has attempted to eat more naturally lately, limiting the amount of overly-processed foods we consume, and this cookbook is a great help to me. I have learned how to make my own cream of whatever soups that contain only 6 ingredients, as opposed to the lengthy list on the average can of ready-made. So, if learning to cook this way appeals to you, check out the More With Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre, and you will not be disappointed.

I leave you with a recipe from the cookbook for Vietnamese Fried Rice, but be careful, it’s addicting and your house will smell like an Asian country for a while.

Vietnamese Fried Rice, serves 4
Have 3 cups cooked rice ready (1 cup uncooked, but you have to prepare it)
Heat in large skillet:
3 Tablespoons oil
Add:
1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips (or any other meat, raw or cooked)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Stir fry until meat is tender and hot, about 2 minutes.

Add:
3 cups cooked rice
Stir fry 5 minutes. Add:
1 cup leftover or frozen vegetables (I used peas and carrots)
Stir well. Just before serving add:
2 eggs, beaten
Over medium heat, stir carefully through rice until eggs are cooked.