Christopher taking all the kids is so sweet and helpful! Him and Erik are giving me unrealistically high expectations for the future father of my children!!
Actually, I don't think those are unrealistic expectations. They're just standards. If you want a thoughtful, patient, and hard working parent: you make sure to prioritize those characteristics in finding a partner who has them. Good thing is, those are good to spot in everyday interactions all the time because they manifest in the small things!
@@EyeGlassTrainofMind Exactly! I don’t get why people think Christopher is so,etching out of the ordinary. Plenty of fathers are like this. My brother in law took his kids out every weekend
You can see where Christopher being a good man comes from every time his dad is around. Both are such great men, husbands, and fathers (grandfather). Love seeing them together.
I literally felt like that yesterday during their thanksgiving vlog!! I work with special needs kids and every single time I see that kind of progress I still get teary eyed
Proud of Luke for giving the plantains another chance. A lot of times, when kids don't like something, they refuse to keep eating it before giving it another chance so I'm very impressed that Luke gave it another shot even a third shot before deciding what he thought.
@@nancyfarkas3592 Yup. It's just that I've seen kids flat out refuse to continue eating something they initially don't like and it can take some effort to convince them to try it again. I know it did for me. There have been foods I tried as a kid and hated and it took me years to try it again to find I actually do like it.
@@BeeKee404 my oldest daughter is like this. She has some sensory processing issues, which definitely doesn't help. But if she tries something new and doesn't immediately recognize the flavors and textures she won't try it again.
I can't believe how much Luke's speech has impoved, I keep rewinding to take it in, that he can articulate pretty well now...but like HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???
Lots of hard work on both Luke and his parents' end and regular therapy with positive and explicit feedback, a language and play rich environment, and total communication supports.
Yeah, Luke will be fine! His family are soo social and theres so many of them so he can get lots of attention. People may think larger families has less attention from their parents, which could be true, however, it means more attention because there's more of the,.
I agree with everyone commenting on Luke's progress! He's doing so much better and I'm so impressed with how much the older kids love on Luke and talk to him, which I know contributes to his progress. The Ballinger kids are awesome! 💜💜💜
Lukey is the king of the “yeah” 😍 and he said thank you and Santa so clearly 😭 Duncan’s little personality is so cheeky and hilarious. “Don’t worry, I’m living my life” 😂
Indian here! Yes. Plantains here we call "kaachkola" - "kaach" comes from 'kaacha' which means unripe and 'kola' (kaw-laa) meaning banana. We ususally have it savoury, sometimes we mince it, mix with some binding agents like flour, potato etc and deep-fry it to mimic meatballs, put it in any standard indian curry its super delicious! You can follow the channel called bong eats to see the authentic recipe. They make amazing videos. Also, kudos to Jessica to find out its ethnicity!
Spent some time in Liberia, West Africa while growing up and when plantains were yellow with just a few black spots, we would slice thin, fry in palm oil, and salt them for a great chip. For sweet plantain, we would wait for them to actually get ripe - they LOOK rotten because they turn black, but that is when the fruit gets softer and sweetens. When you wait until the fruit is really ripe, you don't even need sugar. We would slice these thicker (around 1/2" thick) and on the diagonal and fry them in palm oil. They caramelize beautifully and are the best!!!!
Hi Jessica! I’m from Costa Rica, we eat sweet plantains everyday 🤤 Yes, your instinct to sprinkle some salt is good! We do that! You can also eat them with cheese! Just sprinkle it on top and it tastes incredible. If you’re feeling risky, you can also eat them with sour cream! Sounds weird but I promise it´s great. Sweet plantain is a great compliment to any food, specially rice 😋 Glad to see you like them!!
I have to be like everyone else and compliment how far Luke has gotten with his speech! He is getting so good at repeating words and his pronunciation is very clear! Even I, as someone who is formerly hard of hearing and still has auditory processing issues, can understand him very clearly! And it's so cute to see how his sign language is coming along, too. Despite being hard of hearing, my parents never had me learn sign language even though I still have an interest to this day. I've been interested ever since I first watched "Switched at Birth" a few years ago, still a great show! It's so cool that the kids are learning sign language now and you, Christopher and Jessica, are obviously doing a great job with teaching them! EDIT: The Wharf they visited totally reminds me of Granville Island in Vancouver!
Those family excursions to the harbor are going to be a core memory for your kids. Thats something my grandmother would do with us as a special outing. Get take out and watch the boats or go to a train station. It was so special and something i never forget.
Every time I hear Luke talk my heart melts. He’s doing so good! 🥺 It’s a testament to how loving and supporting this family is. These kids are going to change the world!
As a Puerto Rican, my grandma tends to cut the plantains at a slant. Hers are always very carmelized and browned than these as well. Other than that, it looked right to me!
Also Puerto Rican here! 🙌🏽 My mom makes them that exact same way every morning for last 40 yrs of my life... The more ripe they are, the more burnt and caramelized they look, the better it tastes👌🏽😋
I just want to say thank you Balinger Family, I struggle with severe anxiety and sometimes even RUclips videos can be too overwhelming, but I am always able to enjoy your videos. They are not anxiety producing, but still interesting enough to not be boring.
Kyra this family is full of so much love I to suffer from anxiety and every time they post I never want it to end !! It really makes your heart smile ❤😊 such beautiful people raising incredibly sweet children God Bless you Honey I pray peace and blessing for you...Camille
I think it's so sweet and thoughtful that Chris took the kids so Jessica could have some time alone to work on Christmas stuff. I think it would be really cool if you took the kids to the Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki exhibit in LA as a Christmas gift. I think they would really enjoy it. I hope you are doing well and I hope you have a wonderful day.
I LOVE when Christopher sings what did we learn today at the end. Like LOVE it. 😆 Makes me so happy for some reason. They model such good respect for one another in their family. That is what we tried (try) to always do and I don't why EVERYONE does not do that in their home?! People always commented on how nice, thoughtful & well behaved our 4 girls were. Because they were shown respect, understanding & patience at home. It was rare anyone had a tantrum or melt down as we talked through big feelings and explained our reasoning, giving them a chance to sway our decisions with well thought out counter points from a young age. Love how Jessica handled Luke trying plantains. These are the kind of people who should have a RUclips channel! (Our girls are 15, 20, 25 & 29.)
I knew i loved when Chris' "what did we learn today" and realized i love it even more than i thought, when it made me teary today. So grateful to get Vlogmas again. ♥️♥️
I have SOOOOOO missed the 'let's talk about what we've learned today' at the end of the vlogs. Honestly wish it was an every vlog thing and not just vlogmas. But it does keep it special to limit it. Christopher and Erik definitely provide fantastic examples. May we all have men as great as them one day!
I don't think you should feel guilty for loving the time on your own! We all know you love your children very much, but a little time in a quiet room on your own is something most people enjoy at least from time to time!! So happy it's working out for you!
wow lukes speech is really coming along!! my niece was slow to talk too but all of the sudden all he trapped words just exploded lol and i don't think teddy ever cries!! such a good baby
I got so happy to hear Luke say yeah. And I weirdly got really happy to hear you mention plantains. I'm from Puerto Rico and grew up eating plantains. Not sure how to traslates the names, but Tostones and Mofongo are my favorite meals with plantains. As for fried plantains, typically we cook them when the plantain is yellow so they're more sweet.
Lol that water seemed to come out of no where. Oh my gosh when Jessica got so excited about finding the perfect gift for the kids my heart just melted. I realize that no family is perfect but this family is close. They're so loving and respectful to each other and you can tell it's on and off camera. This channel is my "feel good" channel. Such a nice family!
This is so sweet. Men are often portrayed in commercials & TV shows as incapable, but my husband and Christopher are two shining examples of what many family men are! Glad you got some time to yourself Jessica. So so needed for Mamas!
Luke’s ability to talk has improved leaps and bounds! He’s so stinkin’ cute! (Again, where do I put in my application to be an honorary Ballinger?!) I can cook! Also, I like Tieks and tea, if that gets me in with Jessica!
Yes! Ripe plantains are good with nothing at all on them. Just plain plantain in a pan of oil. Alternately, you can sprinkle them with cinnamon or brown sugar. So yummy. 😋
Luke’s speech is doing amazing! I’m gobsmacked everytime I hear him speak .my sons autistic and speech delayed (now 9) so I know the joy every word is and I feel it everytime Luke speaks, it’s such a joy!!!
I absolutely love seeing everyone interact with Luke. You both are so good with special needs and a child that needs more from a parent. To home school your kids and have a child with extra needs and then an infant. Kudos to you both.
I'm from Puerto Rico and our food is riddled with plantainsss! They're my favorite food. You can look up delicious Puerto Rican plantain recipes like Tostones, Amarillitos, MOFONGO
Hiii....I'm from Colombia and plantains are a MUST-HAVE "side dish" at lunch (which is the main/biggest meal of the day here)! You can have them in many ways: you can stuff them with cheese and bake them, you can do patacon pisa'o which is like a fritter (you fried them twice) and they are all nice and crunchy, you can simply do tajadas which are pan fried long slices, you can do what you are doing right now orrrr if you get a green one you can grate it (like you would cheese) and then smash them together into somewhat of a ball and deep-fry them which ends up looking like little spiders which is why they are called arañitas (little spiders). Plantains are a true staple in Colombian cusine (as I'm sure it is in many parts of south & central america). I'm from the center of colombia BUT in the coastal regions they have them much more often, for breakfast and dinner as well, it's like what rice if east-asian countries !! ❤love your videos, as always.
This was a great vlog!!! I loved the dual perspective of Jessica at home and Christopher with all the kids! I also loved how excited the kids were to see their grandpa, Jessica was to find the perfect gift, and Christopher was to have a sleeping baby. I also thought those burritos were comically large. My favorite bunch of toots! 🥰
We have a similar type of plantain here the the PH called saba, it can be eaten raw but what we usually do is like what you've done but the difference is we cooked it as a whole and put in on a stick and called it "Bananaque". The other one is called "Turon" where we wrap the plantain in spring roll wrapper (add sugar and jackfruit before we roll it) and then fry it. ♥️
Sweet plantains , slice then long wise and fry and use them as “lasagna noddles” make (pastelon or piñon) with ground beef and shredded cheese. You can add green beans also !! Delicious!! We use it alot in our Puerto Rican dishes
What did we learn today? We learned that shopping on Black Friday without any deals is just shopping, on a Friday, the day after thanksgiving. 😂 I loved the last segment with your guitar! Such a funny bit, big toot!
Luke is improving in his speaking so much!! He does a great job of mimicking sounds and words and he’s very clearly saying a bunch of things! His sign is awesome! My husband is fluent in sign language and loves seeing Luke sign! I also can’t get over how much little Teddy reminds me of baby Parker!
I love that the two of you are such good parents together and on your own! Hands on parents of either gender are amazing parents. I live that you are the biggest toot too.
Allow the plantains to ripen more (turning brown) to make them sweet. Unripened for savory. Jake would enjoy making savory because you smash them after you cook them for a little bit and then put them back into the oil to cook more.
I adore your family. Your children will feel so proud of themselves and of you as their parents when they revisit past vlogs. You guys are awesome. Lots of love, Tracey (N.East of Scotland) xx
can anyone else hear the improvement in luke’s speech? i swear, i’m every video they post, luke surprises me more and more when he speaks and i LOVE it 😍
I am from the Dominican Republic and plantains are a must-have you eat them all the time there . It is a staple especially in Hispanic households. You can boil them and you can also Mash them to make what is called mangu that’s really tasty with fried cheese and fried salami. There is also something called Mofongo which is absolutely amazing. and there’s already plantains that look like they’re yellow so yellow plantains are already sweet. You gotta try regular fried plantains too! So many variations LOL. I’m glad you like the plantains
Hi! Puerto rican here! For sweet plantains, we usually wait for the green plantain to turn yellow and softer, maybe even a little black and spotty. You slice them at an angle (as you would carrots) about 1/4 to 1/2 inch each and then fry them in butter or oil (butter ins my favorite). No sugar needed! They turn crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and they are just perfect. Of course, this is the way they're made here but enjoy them anyway you like!
I'm dominican and a self proclaimed plantain expert! There's also yellow plantains which are sweet and that's what we use to make sweet plantains dishes whichyou can also just fry like you did. Typically the green ones are made for savory dishes but if you wait a bit they will turn yellow. You can also make mangu with green plantains which is like mashed potatoes but with plantains. You can also make tostones. There's lots of recipes online.
I love how Bailey, Jacob, and Parker are genuinely excited and filled with joy at watching their younger siblings having fun exploring and discovering things.
In México we put lechera on plantains or dulce de leche and other people eat them with sour cream with a little bit of salt. It sounds weird but is actually pretty good
What a fun day all around! Loved all of the Rue footage! I’m already done like 90% of my Christmas shopping because I have to mail so many gifts. I should be getting your package out in a week or so! And Rook may have picked a gift out for Rue….
I love how right off the bat Luke screams 😂 I love them all so much 🥺 And so excited to see a post this morning! Duncan: Don’t worry, I’m living my life 😂
Ya'll I just can't enough of your beautiful children Christopher you are such a kind amazing Daddy what a fun day !!🛳⛴🚤⛵⚓ Jessica I'm so glad you had some alone time for yourself so so excited for Blogmass videos from my favorite family daily YAY!! Love y'all so much..🤶🎅🌲☃️
You can fry the plantains and sprinkle cheese and ground beef. Another recipe is to mash them with garlic butter. I'm from Puerto Rico and we love plantains in all our recipes!
hey! my parents are from ghana, africa and they love plantains. we normally cook them without sugar and just plain. we fry them and then season them with peppers and stuff after we usually eat them with black beans! if you look up ghanaian beans or like kinda any kinda recipe on how to cook beans you’d love them. you can also look up how to cook plantains ghanaian style if u want a step by step recipe. hope u make them and enjoy them❤️❤️
Those plantains look delicious. I would put a sprinkle of cinnamon on them. My sister hand knit stocking for my husband and I when we got married, then made one for each child as they were born, but theirs were different yarn that made them less stretchy. So now my kids always say they want our stocking and not their own!!
Here in Costa Rica we put them in a tray and put a little sugar, cinnamon and then we topped it off with mozzarella and then they go in the oven until the cheese is golden and melty. Another one is putting them in the grill whole, with the peel on and cook them in there when the fire is very low and when the done we topped them with sour cream or “natilla” as we called it. The other one really good is chopped them in half in the longer side, you caramelized it with a little sugar a cinnamon, just like you did and too it off with fresh cheese o sour cream again. When they’re on the sweeter side they are great just fried, without anything on and when they are very green you can make patacones or tostones, which are amaaazing. Anyway, hope this helps, enjoyyyy
my mom has 5 grandchildren and she could never take them alone somewhere let alone A BOAT she’d just be full of anxiety and showing it. way to go christopher!!!!
Hi Jess! I´m from Mexico, i live in a state called Tabasco, plantains here are so common to eat, is traditional to eat them, we usually eat plantains with a traditional cheese on top of it, but the truth is that with any kind pf cheese tastes SO good, you can also , fried them and while they´re on the pan you smashed them a little bit, and finally you add a little bit of salt when they´re done and thats the ways you eat it in a salty way
Christopher taking all the kids is so sweet and helpful! Him and Erik are giving me unrealistically high expectations for the future father of my children!!
Actually, I don't think those are unrealistic expectations. They're just standards. If you want a thoughtful, patient, and hard working parent: you make sure to prioritize those characteristics in finding a partner who has them. Good thing is, those are good to spot in everyday interactions all the time because they manifest in the small things!
@@EyeGlassTrainofMind Exactly! I don’t get why people think Christopher is so,etching out of the ordinary. Plenty of fathers are like this. My brother in law took his kids out every weekend
@@nancyfarkas3592 i think its just you don’t see this that often online so it seems like a high quality
i mean they're real people so not all hope is lost >:)
@@laurendalton4865 exactly
You can see where Christopher being a good man comes from every time his dad is around. Both are such great men, husbands, and fathers (grandfather). Love seeing them together.
I don't know why im feeling so emotional today but like Luke's talking getting better and better made me want to cry im so proud of him!!
I literally felt like that yesterday during their thanksgiving vlog!! I work with special needs kids and every single time I see that kind of progress I still get teary eyed
he's a very smart boy who likes to be par with siblings
Luke is so hardworking and Chris and Jess are amazing in giving him all the resources he needs! They’re an amazing family :)
Same! I was getting teary eyed seeing how much better he’s getting at speaking
I noticed and loved that too!
Proud of Luke for giving the plantains another chance. A lot of times, when kids don't like something, they refuse to keep eating it before giving it another chance so I'm very impressed that Luke gave it another shot even a third shot before deciding what he thought.
they taught their kids well
It takes kids multiples tries before they will like something. It’s common for toddlers
@@nancyfarkas3592 Yup. It's just that I've seen kids flat out refuse to continue eating something they initially don't like and it can take some effort to convince them to try it again. I know it did for me. There have been foods I tried as a kid and hated and it took me years to try it again to find I actually do like it.
@@BeeKee404 my oldest daughter is like this. She has some sensory processing issues, which definitely doesn't help. But if she tries something new and doesn't immediately recognize the flavors and textures she won't try it again.
he's such a sweet boy
"im just living my life" - duncan. Had me cackling. Such a great sense of humor already 😂 lol
hahaha 😂 Duncan is a natural meme king
time
Time stamp?
I can't believe how much Luke's speech has impoved, I keep rewinding to take it in, that he can articulate pretty well now...but like HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???
Lots of hard work on both Luke and his parents' end and regular therapy with positive and explicit feedback, a language and play rich environment, and total communication supports.
Yeah, Luke will be fine! His family are soo social and theres so many of them so he can get lots of attention. People may think larger families has less attention from their parents, which could be true, however, it means more attention because there's more of the,.
I agree with everyone commenting on Luke's progress! He's doing so much better and I'm so impressed with how much the older kids love on Luke and talk to him, which I know contributes to his progress. The Ballinger kids are awesome! 💜💜💜
Lukey is the king of the “yeah” 😍 and he said thank you and Santa so clearly 😭
Duncan’s little personality is so cheeky and hilarious. “Don’t worry, I’m living my life” 😂
Jessica, you could top those plantains with a little powdered sugar, chopped & toasted nuts, granola, or as is. They're delicious!
I was thinking shaved coconut sounded good too
Also, chocolate sauce doesn’t hurt either.
Nah, sautéed spicy shrimp with red peppers and onions.....sweet plantains pair well with savory....try it
@@lunagrace8717 i agree
Indian here! Yes. Plantains here we call "kaachkola" - "kaach" comes from 'kaacha' which means unripe and 'kola' (kaw-laa) meaning banana.
We ususally have it savoury, sometimes we mince it, mix with some binding agents like flour, potato etc and deep-fry it to mimic meatballs, put it in any standard indian curry its super delicious! You can follow the channel called bong eats to see the authentic recipe. They make amazing videos.
Also, kudos to Jessica to find out its ethnicity!
Lukey has come SO far in the last year. Squishhhhhh. Can’t wait to see him do advent this year ❤️
He's talking so well too.
@@marilyndekker1541 right! I’m still watching it, marveling at his vocabulary
Spent some time in Liberia, West Africa while growing up and when plantains were yellow with just a few black spots, we would slice thin, fry in palm oil, and salt them for a great chip. For sweet plantain, we would wait for them to actually get ripe - they LOOK rotten because they turn black, but that is when the fruit gets softer and sweetens. When you wait until the fruit is really ripe, you don't even need sugar. We would slice these thicker (around 1/2" thick) and on the diagonal and fry them in palm oil. They caramelize beautifully and are the best!!!!
YES THIS THE COMMENT I WAS LOOKING FOR 😭😭😭
Hi Jessica! I’m from Costa Rica, we eat sweet plantains everyday 🤤 Yes, your instinct to sprinkle some salt is good! We do that! You can also eat them with cheese! Just sprinkle it on top and it tastes incredible. If you’re feeling risky, you can also eat them with sour cream! Sounds weird but I promise it´s great. Sweet plantain is a great compliment to any food, specially rice 😋 Glad to see you like them!!
I've been wanting to try them as I already love bananas lol.
My mind went directly to sour cream when she asked for suggestions!
@@RedRoseSeptember22 haha you should! They don’t taste the same though, they are sweeter than bananas when cooked 😋
I have to be like everyone else and compliment how far Luke has gotten with his speech! He is getting so good at repeating words and his pronunciation is very clear! Even I, as someone who is formerly hard of hearing and still has auditory processing issues, can understand him very clearly! And it's so cute to see how his sign language is coming along, too. Despite being hard of hearing, my parents never had me learn sign language even though I still have an interest to this day. I've been interested ever since I first watched "Switched at Birth" a few years ago, still a great show! It's so cool that the kids are learning sign language now and you, Christopher and Jessica, are obviously doing a great job with teaching them! EDIT: The Wharf they visited totally reminds me of Granville Island in Vancouver!
Those family excursions to the harbor are going to be a core memory for your kids. Thats something my grandmother would do with us as a special outing. Get take out and watch the boats or go to a train station. It was so special and something i never forget.
Every time I hear Luke talk my heart melts. He’s doing so good! 🥺
It’s a testament to how loving and supporting this family is. These kids are going to change the world!
As a Puerto Rican, my grandma tends to cut the plantains at a slant. Hers are always very carmelized and browned than these as well. Other than that, it looked right to me!
My husband is Nicaraguan and we do a biased cut on ours too. We do it savory with crema
Also Puerto Rican here! 🙌🏽 My mom makes them that exact same way every morning for last 40 yrs of my life... The more ripe they are, the more burnt and caramelized they look, the better it tastes👌🏽😋
Yes girl us to i am half Puerto Rican and white and other stuff but I love my Puerto Rican food arroz y habichuelas y carne.
@@vanessabruno7733 yesss girl
@@JustThatLauren because you’re not as Puerto Ricans we need is rice and beans and chicken like on the dot lol
I just want to say thank you Balinger Family, I struggle with severe anxiety and sometimes even RUclips videos can be too overwhelming, but I am always able to enjoy your videos. They are not anxiety producing, but still interesting enough to not be boring.
Kyra this family is full of so much love I to suffer from anxiety and every time they post I never want it to end !! It really makes your heart smile ❤😊 such beautiful people raising incredibly sweet children God Bless you Honey I pray peace and blessing for you...Camille
Christopher able to handle all 6 alone is a testament to how well-mannered and behaved you have raised them to be!
I think it's so sweet and thoughtful that Chris took the kids so Jessica could have some time alone to work on Christmas stuff. I think it would be really cool if you took the kids to the Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki exhibit in LA as a Christmas gift. I think they would really enjoy it. I hope you are doing well and I hope you have a wonderful day.
I LOVE when Christopher sings what did we learn today at the end. Like LOVE it. 😆 Makes me so happy for some reason. They model such good respect for one another in their family. That is what we tried (try) to always do and I don't why EVERYONE does not do that in their home?! People always commented on how nice, thoughtful & well behaved our 4 girls were. Because they were shown respect, understanding & patience at home. It was rare anyone had a tantrum or melt down as we talked through big feelings and explained our reasoning, giving them a chance to sway our decisions with well thought out counter points from a young age. Love how Jessica handled Luke trying plantains. These are the kind of people who should have a RUclips channel! (Our girls are 15, 20, 25 & 29.)
I knew i loved when Chris' "what did we learn today" and realized i love it even more than i thought, when it made me teary today. So grateful to get Vlogmas again. ♥️♥️
Luke! He’s talking so much and I just wanna cry when I hear him talking. He never fails to make me smile.
I have SOOOOOO missed the 'let's talk about what we've learned today' at the end of the vlogs. Honestly wish it was an every vlog thing and not just vlogmas. But it does keep it special to limit it.
Christopher and Erik definitely provide fantastic examples. May we all have men as great as them one day!
I don't think you should feel guilty for loving the time on your own! We all know you love your children very much, but a little time in a quiet room on your own is something most people enjoy at least from time to time!! So happy it's working out for you!
wow lukes speech is really coming along!! my niece was slow to talk too but all of the sudden all he trapped words just exploded lol and i don't think teddy ever cries!! such a good baby
I'm sure he does cry when he needs something :) they just don't put it on camera.
i’m not sure if “slow” is the best word to use.
@@Corn22 i agree
@@Corn22 oh ugh thanks for catching that! NOT what i meant AT ALL i fixed it. And deeply apologize if i offended anyone!!!!
I got so happy to hear Luke say yeah.
And I weirdly got really happy to hear you mention plantains. I'm from Puerto Rico and grew up eating plantains. Not sure how to traslates the names, but Tostones and Mofongo are my favorite meals with plantains. As for fried plantains, typically we cook them when the plantain is yellow so they're more sweet.
He said "boat" clearly too :D
Okay, but guys, honestly.. how stinking cute is Luke’s shirt?!
Stinking??
I love how much Luke is starting to talk and communicate. He’s getting into his own personality 🥰
Lol that water seemed to come out of no where. Oh my gosh when Jessica got so excited about finding the perfect gift for the kids my heart just melted. I realize that no family is perfect but this family is close. They're so loving and respectful to each other and you can tell it's on and off camera. This channel is my "feel good" channel. Such a nice family!
Luke sounded like a little Minion when he was shouting BANANA & I'm all for it. He's so adorable!!!!❤❤
This is so sweet. Men are often portrayed in commercials & TV shows as incapable, but my husband and Christopher are two shining examples of what many family men are! Glad you got some time to yourself Jessica. So so needed for Mamas!
Seeing how excited Jessica was and then how content the kids were on the boat...ahh what a life. I love your family, the love is so apparent!!
Luke’s ability to talk has improved leaps and bounds! He’s so stinkin’ cute! (Again, where do I put in my application to be an honorary Ballinger?!) I can cook! Also, I like Tieks and tea, if that gets me in with Jessica!
So proud of Luke and his speech progress!! He's so cute! It brought a huge smile to my face seeing him respond to everything
Yes! Ripe plantains are good with nothing at all on them. Just plain plantain in a pan of oil. Alternately, you can sprinkle them with cinnamon or brown sugar. So yummy. 😋
Luke’s speech is doing amazing! I’m gobsmacked everytime I hear him speak .my sons autistic and speech delayed (now 9) so I know the joy every word is and I feel it everytime Luke speaks, it’s such a joy!!!
I absolutely love seeing everyone interact with Luke. You both are so good with special needs and a child that needs more from a parent. To home school your kids and have a child with extra needs and then an infant. Kudos to you both.
Omg Luke is so sweet - and his words are getting so clear. I’m tearing up just watching him say more and please and PLANTAIN ! he’s so good 🥺🥺🥰🥰
Luke is doing so well with his speech! Such a joy to watch your wonderful family! ✨
I'm from Puerto Rico and our food is riddled with plantainsss! They're my favorite food. You can look up delicious Puerto Rican plantain recipes like Tostones, Amarillitos, MOFONGO
Hiii....I'm from Colombia and plantains are a MUST-HAVE "side dish" at lunch (which is the main/biggest meal of the day here)! You can have them in many ways: you can stuff them with cheese and bake them, you can do patacon pisa'o which is like a fritter (you fried them twice) and they are all nice and crunchy, you can simply do tajadas which are pan fried long slices, you can do what you are doing right now orrrr if you get a green one you can grate it (like you would cheese) and then smash them together into somewhat of a ball and deep-fry them which ends up looking like little spiders which is why they are called arañitas (little spiders). Plantains are a true staple in Colombian cusine (as I'm sure it is in many parts of south & central america). I'm from the center of colombia BUT in the coastal regions they have them much more often, for breakfast and dinner as well, it's like what rice if east-asian countries !! ❤love your videos, as always.
You’re making my mouth water! Yum!!
¿De qué parte de Colombia eres? Yo soy de Cali 🥺❤️
@@michellegonzalez9683 de Bucaramanga! Te cuento que juraba que era la única del país en ver a los ballinger jajaja..
@@julianachaparro5840 Pensaba exactamente lo mismo 😂
This was a great vlog!!! I loved the dual perspective of Jessica at home and Christopher with all the kids! I also loved how excited the kids were to see their grandpa, Jessica was to find the perfect gift, and Christopher was to have a sleeping baby. I also thought those burritos were comically large. My favorite bunch of toots! 🥰
The looks Duncan gives with his eyes🤣 freaking adorable
We have a similar type of plantain here the the PH called saba, it can be eaten raw but what we usually do is like what you've done but the difference is we cooked it as a whole and put in on a stick and called it "Bananaque". The other one is called "Turon" where we wrap the plantain in spring roll wrapper (add sugar and jackfruit before we roll it) and then fry it. ♥️
Sweet plantains , slice then long wise and fry and use them as “lasagna noddles” make (pastelon or piñon) with ground beef and shredded cheese. You can add green beans also !! Delicious!! We use it alot in our Puerto Rican dishes
I was searching for something to watch while doing my makeup for my date with my boyfriend. So excited you posted!❤️
Luke's speaking has gotten really good! I'm proud of him and this whole family
What did we learn today? We learned that shopping on Black Friday without any deals is just shopping, on a Friday, the day after thanksgiving. 😂 I loved the last segment with your guitar! Such a funny bit, big toot!
Luke is improving in his speaking so much!! He does a great job of mimicking sounds and words and he’s very clearly saying a bunch of things! His sign is awesome! My husband is fluent in sign language and loves seeing Luke sign! I also can’t get over how much little Teddy reminds me of baby Parker!
Chris spending the day with his kids and dad, so presious xx
I love that the two of you are such good parents together and on your own! Hands on parents of either gender are amazing parents. I live that you are the biggest toot too.
First a gigantic banana and then a stocking you can probably fit in Luke! What a special gift from your grandma ♥️
I'm loving all of the Jessica vlog clips lately! I love listening to her talk!
Allow the plantains to ripen more (turning brown) to make them sweet. Unripened for savory. Jake would enjoy making savory because you smash them after you cook them for a little bit and then put them back into the oil to cook more.
Tip for the fried plantains - fry it like you did, THEN smash them! Once smashed, fry again and mix with the seasoning. *Chefs kiss*
The kids speak so politely to each other it’s making my eyes water🥺
Luke saying bird and boat so clearly! Amazing. Good job Lukey!!!!!
I loved seeing the older kids helping the younger ones. So wholesome
I adore your family. Your children will feel so proud of themselves and of you as their parents when they revisit past vlogs.
You guys are awesome.
Lots of love,
Tracey (N.East of Scotland) xx
Luke, wow! His talking is really coming right along. I definitely think it has so much to do with his wonderful family.
Luke is just the cutest kid ever, he’s doing so good with his speech ❤️
I just wanted to say how good Luke is talking in this video. His speech is coming along amazing! Happy holidays to all of ur family ❤️
All of your children are absolutely adorable!!💗
Plantains are a big part of Puerto Rican cuisine. 🇵🇷 So happy to see you make them and enjoy them!
Yes! I grew up in Miami and miss them so much! I also love Yuca with lots of garlic!
can anyone else hear the improvement in luke’s speech? i swear, i’m every video they post, luke surprises me more and more when he speaks and i LOVE it 😍
I haven’t watched a video in a few weeks with life being busy. But it is awsome to watch Luke be able to communicate and form words
Luke's speech is improving each and every vlog!! It's amazing to witness!! Love you all!!
I am from the Dominican Republic and plantains are a must-have you eat them all the time there . It is a staple especially in Hispanic households. You can boil them and you can also Mash them to make what is called mangu that’s really tasty with fried cheese and fried salami. There is also something called Mofongo which is absolutely amazing. and there’s already plantains that look like they’re yellow so yellow plantains are already sweet. You gotta try regular fried plantains too! So many variations LOL. I’m glad you like the plantains
Mangu con tres golpessss
@@iluvzurara2 asi es jijiji
Hi! Puerto rican here! For sweet plantains, we usually wait for the green plantain to turn yellow and softer, maybe even a little black and spotty. You slice them at an angle (as you would carrots) about 1/4 to 1/2 inch each and then fry them in butter or oil (butter ins my favorite). No sugar needed! They turn crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and they are just perfect. Of course, this is the way they're made here but enjoy them anyway you like!
I'm dominican and a self proclaimed plantain expert! There's also yellow plantains which are sweet and that's what we use to make sweet plantains dishes whichyou can also just fry like you did. Typically the green ones are made for savory dishes but if you wait a bit they will turn yellow. You can also make mangu with green plantains which is like mashed potatoes but with plantains. You can also make tostones. There's lots of recipes online.
Awe little Luke. So sweet. I'd have cried too it's ok.
I love how Bailey, Jacob, and Parker are genuinely excited and filled with joy at watching their younger siblings having fun exploring and discovering things.
In México we put lechera on plantains or dulce de leche and other people eat them with sour cream with a little bit of salt. It sounds weird but is actually pretty good
Love them with sour cream and queso fresco (I don't know if there is that type of cheese in America)
@@nabel6499 ooh girl yes there is queso fresco in America and it is so so good
Por fin alguien de Mexico... No hay como unos machos con lechera.. Y si son del carrito de los camotes... Es aun mejor jajajjaa
omg Duncan's comment: "Don't worry, I'm living my life" had me cracking up!!! He's such an entertainer lol
Luke's speech seems to have come on all of a sudden! It's so amazing to hear him talking 😊
What a fun day all around! Loved all of the Rue footage! I’m already done like 90% of my Christmas shopping because I have to mail so many gifts. I should be getting your package out in a week or so! And Rook may have picked a gift out for Rue….
Parker saying he doesn’t want anything for Christmas 🥺🥰 He’s such a sweet, selfless kid.
I love how Luke now says and signs his words at the same time
Yay! Excited to find out what the perfect present is.
can we talk about how well luke is doing with his speech? seriously so impressive to hear him saying words so clearly!
Your family brings me so much Joy!!😊
Luke never ceases to amaze me. I swear his speech gets more and more impressive every day
I love how right off the bat Luke screams 😂 I love them all so much 🥺 And so excited to see a post this morning!
Duncan: Don’t worry, I’m living my life
😂
jessica being so excited i can’t even fathom she’s such a wonderful mom 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺😍
Luke is doing so well with his speech and all the kids are rockstars with wearing their masks! They are all doing so great!
Happy New Year 🎉❄️🎉⛄ Duncan.. just for u kiddo.
26:34
😎 That smile 😊
Now I can totally see where Luke gets that strength of expression
Plantains...saute with a little bit sugar and dip in sour cream....yummmmm
Ya'll I just can't enough of your beautiful children Christopher you are such a kind amazing Daddy what a fun day !!🛳⛴🚤⛵⚓ Jessica I'm so glad you had some alone time for yourself so so excited for Blogmass videos from my favorite family daily YAY!! Love y'all so much..🤶🎅🌲☃️
You can fry the plantains and sprinkle cheese and ground beef. Another recipe is to mash them with garlic butter. I'm from Puerto Rico and we love plantains in all our recipes!
Can I just say Christopher is a super hero for taking all the kids for the day! You two are such an amazing pair together! Super parents!
Awww that stocking is precious and so sweet of her to make those!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I love watching all the kids.. but Luke!!!! Sooo cute 🥰
hey! my parents are from ghana, africa and they love plantains. we normally cook them without sugar and just plain. we fry them and then season them with peppers and stuff after we usually eat them with black beans! if you look up ghanaian beans or like kinda any kinda recipe on how to cook beans you’d love them. you can also look up how to cook plantains ghanaian style if u want a step by step recipe. hope u make them and enjoy them❤️❤️
Oh, that’s interesting! Thank you for sharing :)
that sounds delicious!
Those plantains look delicious. I would put a sprinkle of cinnamon on them. My sister hand knit stocking for my husband and I when we got married, then made one for each child as they were born, but theirs were different yarn that made them less stretchy. So now my kids always say they want our stocking and not their own!!
Here in Costa Rica we put them in a tray and put a little sugar, cinnamon and then we topped it off with mozzarella and then they go in the oven until the cheese is golden and melty. Another one is putting them in the grill whole, with the peel on and cook them in there when the fire is very low and when the done we topped them with sour cream or “natilla” as we called it. The other one really good is chopped them in half in the longer side, you caramelized it with a little sugar a cinnamon, just like you did and too it off with fresh cheese o sour cream again. When they’re on the sweeter side they are great just fried, without anything on and when they are very green you can make patacones or tostones, which are amaaazing. Anyway, hope this helps, enjoyyyy
I’m so impressed with Luke’s progress! He’s talking and learning so many new words!
😂 Your dad's t-shirts are always hilarious and describe him perfectly! He's "full" of dad jokes!!
my mom has 5 grandchildren and she could never take them alone somewhere let alone A BOAT she’d just be full of anxiety and showing it. way to go christopher!!!!
Hi Jess! I´m from Mexico, i live in a state called Tabasco, plantains here are so common to eat, is traditional to eat them, we usually eat plantains with a traditional cheese on top of it, but the truth is that with any kind pf cheese tastes SO good, you can also , fried them and while they´re on the pan you smashed them a little bit, and finally you add a little bit of salt when they´re done and thats the ways you eat it in a salty way