My Garden Makes Me Smile

Aubrey's Recital

Aubrey coming in to the recital venue, a nice cake congratulating all the kids.

Some o the family that came out to support her!

Aubrey doing a perfect Scooby Doo!

Aubrey with Ms. Elly.

My Hooch is Starting to Smell

... and this is a good thing! I wish this blog had smell-o-vision! My sourdough starter has a nice sour smell and has developed the frothy bubbly layer. I am going to leave it out today and then move it to the refrigerator tonight!

I am also doing some container gardening this year - the idea of a big in ground garden is overwhelming! So why not do seeds in small pots on the deck??

My mixed lettuce salad container:

My cilantro, lavender, basil!

Sourdough Starter

In the past 16 months or so I have been on a mission to make bread, bagels, soft pretzels, etc from scratch - no machine.

I have been successful so far. And now the "final frontier" dun dun dun. SOURDOUGH! For some reason it has seemed like such a big thing to tackle. You have to make a starter, you have to think about it weeks in advance. And then I actually started reading up on it. I read my Betty Crocker cookbook, web sites etc. All say the same thing. One cup of flour and one cup of water to make your "pet"... then just feed it, care for it, let it grow. Well, 2 lovely children prove I can do that, right?

So 48 hours in, here is what I have:

Apparently Baby Barbie and duckie wanted to swim at the "pool".

By Mother's Day I hope to provide the sourdough rolls or bread for brunch with the family, will keep you posted!

PSA

This is a Public Service Announcement.

If your 5 year old and your 3 year old are racing to see who can get their PJ's on fastest, and the 5 year old wins and rubs it in your 3 year olds face AND the 3 year old is over tired from a very busy weekend, the result will be a FULL ON melt down.

Melt Down will include high pitched screaming which you and your husband will immediately think means someone is mortally injured and you will both jump and SPRINT to the stairs.

At that point your heart will be racing and you will be winded from the scare. You will want to grab your 3 year old and hug her to you - even though she is screaming - just because she didn't crash down the stairs.

But the screaming - the intense, unbelievable, wracking sobs, screaming - will be so involved that your child will loose her ability to hold in her urine. This will soak both you and the screaming child in said urine.

You will drop your child on the floor and walk away. Calmly walk away. Your husband can handle bedtime. You must cancel any plans you had, change your clothes, get into your own bed, knit and veg in front of the TV.

Please be sure to communicate this to all those that could be affected.

Good Luck and God Speed.

Rock Star Soft Pretzels

Today the girls and I made these:

1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 dash salt
1 1/2 cups 110 degree water

Combine 4 ingredients above, let sit for at least 5 minutes.

4 cups bread flour

Stir flour into above mixture and KNEAD for 5 minutes!

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour

Divide dough into 8-12 equal-size pieces; roll each piece into a rope; shape each rope into whatever you want!

1 Tbls. baking soda
1/4 cup warm water

In a shallow dish, stir baking soda into warm water; dip shapes into mixture; lay coated pretzel onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 550 degree oven for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

When pretzels come out of the oven you have lots of choices!

Today, we mixed a melted 1/2 stick butter with some honey, and for half of our pretzels we brushed the honey butter on the pretzels and then sprinkled cinnamon sugar.

For the other half, we used 1/2 stick of butter melted, and then kosher salt.

Enjoy :)

I usually freeze half of what we bake, then when we are in the mood pop one into the microwave for 30-45 seconds and they are perfect!

Easter Egg Hunt 2010

At Grandy and Grandad's

Trying my hand at ruffles

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

One spoiled dog.

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In Flight

My Drive In

Last minute I grabbed my camera as I left the house this morning, and at the end of our road, I took these:

I made heart garland for the girls!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Bread!

We got the girls initials, hearts to freeze for Valentines Day, C and S for Super Bowl!

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35

How I spent my 35th birthday:

1. Took a personal day from work
2. Kept the girls home
3. Put a TO DIE FOR pot roast in the crock pot
4. Made a Cinnamon Coffee Cake
5. Put the craft table cloth on, pulled out paper, scissors, glue sticks, stickers, foam shapes, play dough...
6. Let the girls go to town with no regard to what it would take to clean up.
7. Snuggled and watched Playhouse Disney
8. Answered a few work emails and calls
9. The girls did my hair - 4 big flower clips
10. The girls did my make-up (eye shadow on the forehead is SEXAY), and THEIRS... not sure Molly's face will be the same after all the lipstick she put on
11. Hubby came home, I curled up with my Kindle and read a book
12. Hubby put dinner and dessert together and cleaned up
13. Hubby put the girls to bed.
    
14. Watched Inglorious Basterds.... 1st half anyway. Too long, snow was putting me to sleep
15. Went to bed!

And got TONS of lovely facebook wishes!

Such a great day.

Make Up

The girls did my make up and hair and theirs!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Pot roast!

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Snow Plan

I am kind of excited to be snowed in for a few days!

I have the following planned:

• To Die for Pot Roast ok, did this, but used 1/2 c red wine vinegar in lieu of water, and added onions, red potatoes, carrotts -UNBELIEVABLE!
  
• Cajun Chicken Pasta -
  
• Rice Krispie Treats - with added M&M's cut into hearts and put on lollipop sticks
• make and freeze some smoothie snacks (did these, but added handful of spinach (can't taste), and no honey.
• Bacon and Cheese Muffins - to freeze
• Bathtup Paints
• Cookie Dough! - M&M cookies and Oatmeal Crispies (freezing some, cooking some)
• On top of all that we have a feast of super bowl CRAP food ready to go! Wings, Nachos, Sausage Dip, Spinach Dip...
  

I am also considering introducing the girls to The Princess Bride... nothing scarier than Scooby Doo has, right?

What are you doing?

Such a pretty snow!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Meal Plan Week 3

Apparently I am having issues emailing to blogger, and just noticed that, oops.

So this week's plan:
Monday - Crock Pot Meat Sauce (going to brown beef and onion together, throw it in crockpot with jar of sauce and red wine).
Tuesday - 20-40 Garlic Clove Crock Pot Chicken
Wednesday - Pizza Night
Thursday - Lasagna (I have one in the freezer, if we have enough stuff for leftovers, won't take it out)
Friday - Out with the family
Saturday - Steaks and Smashers or Date Night
Sunday - Lots of junk food for super bowl! Nachos, Dips, Wings!

Crazy weather!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Meal Plan

Well, don't currently have one, whoops. So let's go with this:

Tonight - Chicken, Smashers, salad
Mon- Leftovers
Tues - Spaghetti and Salad
Wed - Pizza
Thurs - Soup and Sandwiches
Fri - Steak and Wilted Spinach
Sat - I need a night out!

Met my mom and sister to see a movie today, "It's Complicated"... was so fun!!

Otherwise, fairly lazy weekend for me.

Window being moved 4 inches to the left.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Snowflake!

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Pretty princesses

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Great big shower!

Doug is standing in the new shower.  It is big.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

We have pipes!

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Tulips!

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Meal Plan Week 2

We enjoyed a "quiet" weekend, if by quiet you count having a contractor at your house, cleaning EVERY single thing out of a 500 square foot space, going out to dinner, having family at the house for the game, swim lessons... well you get the point.

Sunday: Lasagna and Pull Apart Garlic Bread
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Pizza
Thursday: Crockpot Chicken
Friday: Soup and Sandwiches (and leftovers)
Saturday: TBD!
Sunday: Pork Tenderloin

For snack this afternoon I made a "gazpacho" dip and served it with crackers, yummy!
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped cucumber (less than half a cucumber)
1/2 cup chopped yellow or green pepper (yellow pepper is prettier) (about half a large pepper needed)
1/4 cup red onion chopped
1/4 cup fat free italian dressing (I used Kraft)

Mix above, put in fridge for at least a half an hour for flavors to blend.

Serve with the mini stone ground wheat crackers (got the recipe on the box).

Happy Entry into the third full week of January!

What are you eating this week?

Aftermath of swim lessons.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Nice dinner out.

And my husband has to ruin the moment.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Warm enough for a nice walk.

I guess this picture doesn't do the weather justice! Outside, walking along the water with NO coat! LOVELY!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Last thing I want to do

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Sailors take warning

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Start of day 2 of master suite!

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Max

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Bacon wrapped crackers

What every playoff party needs!

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Mermaid movie snuggles

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2010

It's my blog and I will do what I want to, do what I want to, you would blog too if it happened to you... do do do do DO.

So I started posting a random picture from my phone that I took that day... which I will probably continue because I find it interesting.

I was also thinking of posting my meal plan each week, with links to recipes I am using. Have no idea how long that will last :)

Tons of small goals in my head and some bigger resolutions. Put together this together and posted it on the fridge and in my work notebook.
Meal Plan for Next Week:
Sunday - Doug asked to be in charge and is doing a Pork Loin.
For the Football game I am making this for the first time: Holiday Bacon Crackers along with a Sausage Cheese Dip my husband adores.

Monday: Chicken and Broccoli Bowls
Tuesday: Chicken Tacos (chicken breasts in small crock pot with tack seasoning, tomatoes, and beans)
Wednesday: Pizza Night
Thursday: Leftover Night
Friday: Leftover/Soup and Sandwich Night
Saturday: NA!
Sunday: Pulled Pork

What are you eating?

Note: Idea for putting words over a black and white picture came from this lady

Another snowy morning.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Family game night!

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Frills & Flowers

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What I am living on today

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Sickie McSickerson

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Purple PJ brigade

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Playing Nicely

The girls are playing in the destroyed office, waiting for Nana to come take them to a movie!

NYE with Cousins

Something Doesn't Add Up

Spent yesterday and today cleaning out junk, 6 bags of trash from organizing and consolidating book shelves, toy bins, and office stuff.

And yet everywhere I look, it appears this house is in a continuing state of chaos.

A shoe here, a toy there, a random empty wrapping paper near the window, a dog toy here, here, here, and here, outdoor cushions that I have no idea what to do with sitting in front of the fireplace...

This is the sound of my head exploding, "@)#$)(@*#)$(*#"