Classic Redesign

Moved...

2011-01-12T19:17:00.001-05:00

Hi...

I'm starting fresh at a new blog...

www.yellowbirddaybook.blogspot.com

Join me?

Menu of the Week

2010-08-03T14:28:00.000-04:00

This week I have declared "Pantry Week". So, we are going to eat from the pantry and figure out some creative ways to use all the "stuff" before it goes bad.

Since I don't know what I'm going to make each day, I figured I'll just do a post each day.

Yesterday I had a variation of the Sausage Zucchini Pasta. We had sausage, but I didn't thaw it out. We also didn't have an onion. So, I made the recipe without both of those, but added in more Italian seasonings, some garlic powder, and some onion powder. Turned out yummy!

Tonight I'm making homemade pizza (recipe to come). I did have to go to the store for some cheese (Thanks for watching Ava, Sarah!), but other than that I have everything else. Using up some of that flour I have in the pantry.

What is your go-to pantry meal?

#132

2010-08-03T13:20:00.001-04:00

Today is the primary elections in Michigan. As you can see, I was number 132. That makes me sad, as I was expecting the number of people to of voted before me a lot more.

So if you haven't voted yet today, you still have a few more hours to go make your voice heard. As the great Tip O'Neill said "All politics is local".

Round and Round She Goes...

2010-07-30T15:43:00.000-04:00

Have a wonderful weekend!

I need an intervention!

2010-07-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

The first step is admitting you need help, right?

2 months or so ago my husband finally gave me the green light to redecorate our bedroom. I had been dreaming about this day for 6 years! You see, we have really ugly wallpaper up there, really ugly. And blue carpet. Yes, blue.

So, what happens when I get the green light? I immediately buy new pillow shams, which I am now regretting. Then I ordered some fabric swatches. Which I love. Last week when my Mom was here, she helped me pick out a color (Sharkey Gray by Martha) to match my choices.

Then I hung them on the wall and started to worry that it was going to be too dark up there. You see, we live in a bungalow, so not much natural light since we only have 2 windows on each side of the room and no windows on the other 2 walls.

So, back to Home Depot I went. This is what I came home with:

Not pictured are the other 50 chips I have accumulated over the past months.

So, last night Rob sat down with me and we chose Toasted Cashew by Behr. So, there you have it. Our room will be Toasted Cashew...maybe.

So Handsome

2010-07-29T14:41:00.000-04:00

Blake has crazy hair, just like his sister. Crazy hair on boys is not as accepted as it is on girls, so he was getting frequent haircuts, which was getting expensive.

Rob cuts his own hair, so he had all the equipment. He took him in the bathroom and slowly cut his hair. He did so good! Doesn't he look so handsome?

Finding His Way

2010-07-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

Being a little brother isn't easy. You always have big sister looking over your shoulder, telling you what do, what not to do, and where to go.

Secretly he loves it, even though he may throw her attitude once in a while. He is finding is way though, starting to play with toys that she doesn't like, like trains and trucks.

Although I do stumble across scenes like these at least once a day.

What's for dinner?

2010-07-27T05:22:00.003-04:00

I'm going to try to post our weekly dinners. I know that planning dinner each week can be a chore, so hopefully this can help out a little bit.

In the winter I plan out two weeks of meals, do one big shopping trip the first week and a smaller one the second week to fill in the gaps.

In the summer, we are lucky enough to have a farmers market right downtown in Dearborn, so I've only been planning a week ahead seeing what is in season at the market and also what we can harvest from our garden.

From my previous post, you saw that we already have zucchini, so this week is heavy on zucchini.

Sausage Zucchini Pasta
Homemade Pizza
Roast Beef Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries
Beef Stir Fry, recipe here.
Chicken Delight with mashed sweet potatoes.
Chicken Ciabatta Sandwiches, Romaine lettuce salad
Steak, Vegetable (depending what is at the market), and fried zucchini

Sausage Zucchini Pasta
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. sausage (I use sweet Italian sausage)
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 Large Zucchini or 2 small, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 T. tomato paste
1 t. Italian Herb mixture
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Pour 1 T. of extra virgin olive oil into a saute pan. Over med-high heat add the sausage (casing removed) and break into small bite size pieces as you are cooking. Cook until no longer pink.

Set aside to drain the grease.

In the same saute pan add 1 T. of extra virgin olive oil, diced red onion and garlic. Saute until onion is clear (around 3-4 minutes).

At this point I remove the onions and garlic and run it through my mini food processor. If my daughter sees an onion in her food she won't eat it. If this doesn't apply to you, then skip this step.

Add sausage back to the pan. Add zucchini, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste (I use the paste that comes in a tube so nothing is wasted), and Italian seasonings.

Let simmer until you pasta is done. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and serve.

For the pasta I have used all different kinds, it really depends what I have in the pantry. On this day, we had rotini.

And just to keep it honest, this is what happens to my house while I'm making these meals.

Gardening

2010-07-26T20:21:00.000-04:00

Our garden is really started to grow! All these summer storms and going to give us a lot of veggies to enjoy!

My Grandpa sent me up his old harvest buckets, so the kids were able to use them to bring in the first harvest. I remember using those same buckets.

Our out of control zucchini plant.

Harvesting.

The kids are really into the garden this year, and as you can see, happy as clams to finally get some veggies.

Stay tuned for my zucchini recipes. I had to find a lot last year because we had 2 plants that were just as big as our one this year. It was insane the amount of zucchini we had. We couldn't even give it all away!

Grand Haven, Day 7 & 8

2010-07-26T19:56:00.000-04:00

I don't have a lot of pictures from these last few days. On Friday we woke up, ate, and headed to the beach. After some fun in the sun, we stopped at Butch's again. It was just as good as the first time. So worth it.

After nap, we got ready and headed back out to Fricano's. YUMMY! Blake was not cooperating this night. He was tired from our long week of beach, sun, and staying up late.

We had planned on staying up late and watching the Musical Fountain. Rob took one for the team and stayed behind with a sleeping Blake.

We walked over and were able to find a seat on the bleachers. A few minutes later and it started.

Those pictures do not do it justice. It's beautiful and the music selections that night were wonderful.

The next morning we woke up, packed up, and headed home.

We had a great time in Grand Haven and I can't wait to go back!

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6

Grand Haven, Day 6

2010-07-24T14:37:00.001-04:00

Day 6 started out cloudy and rainy! We were not going to let this bring us down though because this day was also our 7 year anniversary!

Here we are 7 years ago:

We had a lovely wedding in Maui, Hawaii. It was the happiest day of my life up to that point.

Since it was raining, I decided to make my famous pancakes one more time. They were gobbled up by my hungry family. At this point it was really raining, so we pulled out the puzzles and toys and settled in for a morning inside.

My great husband decided that since there was a spa right across the street, I should make an appointment for a facial. I called and lucky for me, someone had cancelled that morning! Yeah!

We had lunch, put the kids to nap, and I headed over to Be Medical Spa for my first facial. I highly recommend both!

When I got home, the rain had stopped, the kids were up, and we were hungry!

We got ready and headed downtown to Porto Bello for our anniversary dinner.

The food here is wonderful! We all got some sort of pasta (I can't remember exactly) but we loved each dish and would go back there next time.

After dinner, we felt the need to walk off our large dinner, so headed down the boardwalk.

You'll never guess where we ended up...

I know what you're thinking, ice cream, again?! Yes, ice cream again. I tell you, we are addicted. It's beyond our control.

I will make no apologies for our ice cream consumption. It is delicious!

After that, we really needed a walk, so back to the boarwalk we went.

Another wonderful day and anniversary.

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5

Grand Haven, Day 5

2010-07-24T14:16:00.000-04:00

This day was much like the other days. We started at the beach, I forgot my camera this day, but it was more of the same fun. Sandcastles, water, and lots of sun!

After the beach it was lunch, naps, and showers. We were falling into a routine, a routine that I could get used to very quickly.

After a dinner of grilled steak, corn, and potatoes we headed out for our nightly walk.

Feeling the air off the water was wonderful and I could REALLY get used to taking this walk every night all summer long.

Aren't these houses adorable? I want one...who's buying?

We decided to head on down to Temptations once again for a cone, at this point I think it is safe to say we are addicted to their ice cream.

After our walk the kids settled in with some milk and a snack and Rob and I settled in with some drinks and some snacks. Another wonderful relaxing day in Grand Haven!

Day 1, Day 2, Day3, Day 4

Grand Haven, Day 4

2010-07-07T09:34:00.000-04:00

We started this day with another wonderful breakfast. Rob fixed us homemade biscuits (Grandma Kat's recipe), bacon, and sausage.

I enjoyed some coffee while the kids enjoyed some cartoons.

After breakfast we decided to the Rosy Mound Natural Area. It costs $6 to park, but believe me, it is worth the money. Blake surprised us and walked the .7 miles to Lake Michigan and the .7 miles back to the car. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

We thought after all the walking that morning the kids would be tired and take a nice long nap. Well, not so much.

So, what to do with two cranky kids? Walk along the pier! After our walk we came home and ate hot dogs on the grill with chips.

Plans for a summer concert were thrown aside and we spent the rest of the evening at the beach house.

Grand Haven, Day 3

2010-07-06T14:59:00.001-04:00

Day 3 found us sleeping in again! Well, sleeping in for us anyway. I got up and made everyone my famous pancakes. My family likes them with no fruit, so I made theirs plain and mind with bananas. Yum!

We threw on our suits and headed back to the beach! First order of business, sand castles.

Next, fun in the water with Daddy while Mommy read a magazine! Awww, so nice!

More sand castle building, kite flying, and water play followed. It was very windy this day, so we could go far out in the water. It was still fun though.

Around noon we decided to pack up and head home for lunch. Only we could resist the urge to stop at Butch's Beach Burritos. So, we pulled in and left with 2 burritos and 2 tacos.

Oh goodness! They are so good! We will be going back.

Naps and relaxations followed for all of us.

Dinner was going to be hamburgers on the grill, but I forgot to put out the meat before naps, so we headed to the Kirby Grill on Washington.

We were able to sit outside and enjoy the wonderful breeze.

We had Bacon Cheddar Burger (her), French Dip (him), Pizza (kids). It was all very good.

After, the pier was calling our name so headed to the North Side this night. On the recommendation of a friend we decided to stop at Temptations for some homemade ice cream.

Flavors chosen were:

Orange Sherbet: Rob, Blake
Black Cherry: Andrea
Blue (something): Ava

Halfway through the cones the kids decided that they liked the others flavor better, so they switched.

So, so, so, so good! You have to stop here for ice cream. Have. to. stop.

Feeling very full we decided to walk along the pier. A nice guy took a family photo for us.

At this point it had been a long day so we decided to head home.

Vacation Days One and Two.

Grand Haven, Day 2

2010-07-05T21:41:00.001-04:00

Day 2 was also 4th of July. Our plan for this day was to wake up at our usual time around 7, eat breakfast, and head to the beach around 8 o'clock.

We didn't set alarms because the kids always get up early. This was not the case this day as they didn't get up until 8 o'clock! So, we ate some bagels, threw on our suits, and headed out the door. The beach parking is known to fill up fast on the 4th, so we were hoping that getting there around 8:45 would not be too late.

Lucky for us, there were plenty of spots and the beach was not crowded at all!

We played on the beach, built sand castles, and even buried a little girl.

Of course, we also played in the water.

Around Noon we started to get hungry and the beach was getting crowded, so we headed to our beach house for some lunch and naps.

After naps were finished, we made a wonderful steak dinner with sweet potatoes and corn. Yum!

Since we have never been here in Grand Haven for fireworks we decided to get some ice cream, take a walk on the boardwalk, and check things out.

The kids really enjoyed their ice cream.

The kids enjoyed their ice cream so much that we had to come home and clean up a bit before heading to the boardwalk.

Cleaned up and ready to go we headed out again. We had our eyes set on the lighthouse.

After a long walk we made it to the pier.

We walked all the way to the end of the pier, and then headed back to downtown to find a spot to watch the fireworks. Once we found a spot on the curb we realized that there was still around 2 hours. Blake was not having it.

So, we decided to take a chance and head back to the house to see if we could see them from there.

Luckily, we were able to see them from the sidewalk in front of the house, which made viewing them so much nicer! I didn't take any pictures, I wanted to just enjoy the show. This article talks about the fireworks and has some pictures.

Once the show was over, it was around 11:30, so it was time for bed. Everyone fell asleep quickly.

If you want to read about Day 1, click here.

Grand Haven, Day 1

2010-07-03T21:52:00.001-04:00

We decided that we wanted a relaxing vacation this year, so we chose the Michigan beach town of Grand Haven, booked a house, and hoped for good weather.

We got the kids in the car, the DVD player set up and away we went.

Luckily we only had to stop once and made it in a little over 3 hours. A short stop at Meijer, and we were on our way to our rental home.

Our house (I'll give the address at the end of our stay) is wonderful! So clean, just enough room for us. We love it.

Our first stop was a local pizza place, Fricano's Pizza. I found this by googling "pizza Grand Haven, MI", so we didn't know what to expect.

But, when we got there at 4:45 and people were already lined up for the 5:00 opening, we knew we hit the jackpot.

We walked in to find the menu on our place mat. You can order one thing, thin crust pizza. Your options are cheese, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, anchovies, green peppers. I guess the most popular is the EBA, everything but anchovies. We chose the cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms and it was fantastic. Pizzas are 8 dollars each with 25 cents added on per topping. Not a bad deal!

Cash only!

A hungry, tired boy that wants pizza!

Your eyes do not deceive you! No plastic cups are straws at this pizza joint. Order at your own risk.

We ordered the cheese, pepperoni, and mushroom. Actually we ordered 2 and ate 1.5 of them.

We are already planning on going back on our last night. It was so good!

After dinner we headed back to the house, got changed into our swim suits and headed to the beach. I forgot my camera, but Blake loved the water. LOVED IT. Ava kept busy looking for shells, her new obsession.

After an hour, we headed back to the house, had some popcorn, and put the kids to bed.

Little Brother

2010-07-03T06:51:00.000-04:00

Around here a little brother is good for dressing up, serving tea, playing chase, hugging, and laughing until you fall to the floor.

He thinks he's the lucky one, but really she's the lucky one. She was blessed with a brother who adores her and does most things on command for her. But don't be fooled, he is pretty lucky himself. She loves him and plays with him when he really is getting on her last nerve.

In reality, I guess I'm the lucky one...

4th of July BBQ Outfit

2010-07-02T18:34:00.000-04:00

I think this would make a wonderful weekend outfit and especially for those 4th of July parties this weekend.

Dress- JCrew

Necklace- Kenton Beadworks via Etsy

Shoes - La Canadienne, Lizzy via Zappos

Earrings - lailee via Etsy

Easy Summer Supper

2010-07-02T18:03:00.000-04:00

Looking for an easy summer supper that won't heat up your house? Check out my post on Real Moms Cooking here.

Organizing

2010-06-11T08:57:00.000-04:00

Lately my life has felt out of control. This winter was hard on me and I feel like I'm coming out of a fog. A fog that has left my house a disaster area. I mean, it's bad. Clutter, junk, and things I don't like everywhere I look.

I've spent the last few weeks cleaning, organizing, putting things on ebay, giving things away on freecycle, and selling things on craigslist.

Overall, the main floor is done. I still have the coat closet and the medicine cabinet to go. The upstairs (our bedroom) is on it's way. I bought a new desk (here), put a curb find table in for our TV stand, repurposed a book shelf for my husband's things, and am working on a paint color.

This weekend: the basement. It's LONG overdue. I would post of a picture, but I think I would die of embarrassment. Maybe I'll do an "after".

If you need some ideas to just start your organizing, check out this article on Apartment Therapy. You can read it here.

Clueless

2010-05-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

I know nothing about soccer. Well, not nothing. I know David Beckham plays soccer. I know you can't use your hands, and I know you must score goals to win.

Where is all this soccer talk coming from you ask? Well, my daughter is playing soccer. Her first organized sport.

Before the season started she had 2 practices. They were hilarious. A group of fifteen 3 and four year olds running around. It was great.

The first game was last week, and well, Ava had no clue what was going on. Jogging around, and around, and around.

So, tonight before the game we practiced. Knowing what I know about soccer (see above), I told her to run, watch the ball, and kick it hard at the goal.

My girl, the soccer star!

If...

2010-05-05T21:27:00.000-04:00

If I had $198 dollars (plus shipping) laying around I would buy this dress. I already have shoes that would look great with it!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T04:54:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter blog friends. I hope today you find yourself happy and surrounded by family and friends.

We don't travel for Easter, so it will just be the 4 of us at our bungalow enjoying a traditional dinner of deviled eggs, ham, sweet potatoes, corn, and pie.

Coloring or Dyeing?

2010-03-31T14:32:00.000-04:00

Which do you do? Do you color eggs or dye eggs? Rob and I both say "coloring" but Ava says "dyeing". I guess that is what her teachers say at preschool. Either way, we did just that on Sunday.

Blake was super excited since last year he had no clue what was even happening. We each choose our colors. Ava, pink. Blake, green. Rob, orange. Andrea, purple. Thomas, aka Moosie, yellow. Ty, Blue.

Ava is so grown up now that she could drop her egg in by herself, but Blake required a little help.

When we finished, we did the fancy glitter. I don't recommend it. It's messy and your eggs loose some of their color.

The kids were not happy that we were done.

But, it wasn't anything that a carrot shaped sugar cookie couldn't fix.

And so it begins...

2010-03-31T14:20:00.000-04:00

I'm a little hesitant to say that Spring has Sprung here in Michigan. You just never know until mid-May if Spring is really here or if Mother Nature is just teasing us.

Today starts the beginning of 5 days of warm weather. We celebrated by playing outside. I hope you are somewhere warm playing outside too.

On the Windowsill

2010-03-26T02:32:00.000-04:00

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2010-03-25T07:24:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we took the kids for the yearly visit to the Easter bunny. When Ava was Blake's age, we have not bunny picture because she refused to even go near him. In fact, she screamed so loud it bounced off the mall ceiling and echoed through the mall.

This year though, she was very excited. She has been talking about waking up to eggs in her backyard for a week now. So, when we get up to the front of the line she starts in on him about the eggs...

You can see, that Blake did not like the bunny and couldn't get off his lap fast enough.

After we had pretzels from Auntie Annie's and all was well.

See

2010-03-22T06:48:00.001-04:00

I got new glasses, that I must wear every day. Not sure how I feel about that. I do think they are cute though.

Yes, again.

2010-03-20T22:12:00.000-04:00

Image: http://icanhascheezburger.com/

I've decided to stop living in my head again and start blogging at regular intervals. Winter is hard on me. The endless cold, the grey days, staying inside ALL THE TIME.

The last week has been wonderful and sunny, so here I am...again.

South

2010-02-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

We are in Southern Illinois visiting my family. I only brought our "light" coats and am now regretting this because there is an inch or so of snow on the ground. Boo!

I'm hoping that it warms up so we can go outside. I brought my "big" camera to take some pictures of the kids outside at my Grandpa's farm...not sure if that is going to happen now.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Stay warm!

2010-02-05T15:58:00.001-05:00

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2010-02-04T21:17:00.000-05:00

Craving something sweet? Maybe want some chocolate? Check out my recipe here.

What does he know anyway?

2010-02-02T09:49:00.001-05:00

Punxsutawney Phil emerged today and saw his shadow. In a show of unity, Wiarton Willie (the Canadian version of Phil), and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Samalso saw their shadows. That means six more ~~long~~ weeks of winter.

But really, what does a groundhog know anyway? I'm hoping Mother Nature will put them all in their place and provide an early Spring. A girl can dream, right?

Homemade Valentine Cards

2010-02-02T05:11:00.001-05:00

This year Ava has 2 Valentine parties to attend. One is at school, and one is at a pizza place with love, Pizza Papalis, downtown with our Moms' Group.

For her school party I had bought Valentine cards on clearance last year. I had Pooh, Princess, and Hello Kitty. She chose princess. You would think this would be easy peasy lemon squeezy...but you'd be wrong! You see, Ava knows how to write her name now, which means that I can no longer write her name on anything. She must do it herself. Do you know how big a 3 year old writes their name? BIG.

So this means that she would write a letter, I'd check it. Then she would write another letter, nope too big, erase, start over. Thankfully she only has 12 others in her class.

For the Moms' Group party, I wasn't going to go through that again, because there will be a lot more kids. So, I set out to make my own.

I started with some scrapbooking paper that I had in my stash. I then cut it to 3 inches by 4 inches.

Next I used my Valentine stamps/pads from my teacher days to make this design.

The next step involved name writing. I'll admit, I didn't know if this was going to be enough room for my girl to write her 3 letter name. I can't even imagine the size cards I'll have to use when Blake can write his name. He has 2 extra letters!

She did a great job though, and we had just enough room. On grocery day I had bought heart stickers at Walmart for $5.00. We used those for the front of the card.

She loved writing her name and picking out which stickers go on which card. We broke this up into 2 days. She did half the cards on Sunday and half the cards on Monday.

What do you do for Valentine cards? Store bought or homemade?

Sew Crazy

2010-02-01T05:57:00.002-05:00

Whew! What a weekend! Both of my kids were sick with colds, so we stayed in the entire weekend. That means that I got a lot of sewing time in and Rob got a lot of hide-and-seek time in...

Friday we watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I thought it was alright. The beginning was very slow, but the ending was so sweet. I'm glad I saw it, but probably wouldn't watch it again.

On Saturday I went to my new favorite store, JoAnn Fabric and bought a few patterns (McCalls were 1.99!). I chose one that said "Easy". Well, this pattern was anything but easy. The directions were so hard to follow. But, I read through them and decided to go for it. I measured myself (scary!) and found my size. I cut, marked, and pressed. I got the bottom sewed together, tried it on, and it was about 3 sizes too small. This was around 9 at night. I then searched the internet for about 3 hours and found a few skirts that I could make, but no information on why my skirt turned out too small. Being the OCD person I am, I had to finish the skirt, so I came up with a way to do it with no pattern and finished around 1 am. Do you sew? Any idea why this didn't turn out? I checked my seams and they are the 5/8 that the pattern calls for...also rechecked my measurements, and still the same.

Sunday, more JoAnn Fabric! I bought some more fabric, elastic (for my new skirts), and some ribbon. I put in the zipper on my skirt I started last night (which is still a bit small), started a lazy days skirt for Ava, and washed and pressed fabric for a 20-minute skirt for myself.

I also tried out 3 new recipes for my other blog, Real Moms Cooking. I posted about the Pasta Puttanesca last night here. Try it, let me know what you think! I also made Taco Boats and Baguette French Toast. I'm posting about those later this week.

We also started our homemade Valentine's for our Mom's group Valentine pizza party. I'll post about them tomorrow.

Of course thrown in there was cleaning and laundry. I'm lucky that my husband took care of the kids all weekend so I could get my sanity back. I know I'm very lucky.

How was your weekend?

Big Boy

2010-01-29T06:18:00.002-05:00

Blake is turning into a big boy right before my eyes. He now likes to sit at the table to eat his snack. *Sigh* Where has the time gone?

Have a great weekend!

Sew Darn Cute

2010-01-28T14:06:00.004-05:00

I'm back. I promise for real this time. I've really missed blogging and have no really good excuse except poor time management. What else is new, right?

Anyway, last time I was at JoAnn Fabric I picked up the book Sew Darn Cute. I didn't really have time to look at it in the store because Blake was screaming his lungs out and I thought we were going to get kicked out of the place. So, I grabbed it and ran to the check-out counter.

I was very lucky because it has 30 great projects that a beginner like me can sew. The first project I made were these.

Aren't they cute? They are super, super simple. All you need is a letter template, Heat'n'Bond Lite, and some fabric.

I also made some cute onesies for a friend that just had a baby girl last Wednesday. I'm so excited to give them to her tomorrow.

Other than that, it's the same old, same old around here.

It's a 2 blog life for me...

2010-01-21T19:38:00.003-05:00

Have you missed me? If so, you can catch up with some of my recipes on Real Moms Cooking.

Adjusting to the 2 blog lifestyle has been more difficult than I thought. It's kind of like when you have a 2nd child. You don't want the oldest child to feel any less important, but the youngest child needs so much attention at the beginning.

Anyway, I've been snapping away here, but really our lives are quite mundane at the moment. The weather has been very cold and windy, so that means hardly any outside life.

Don't worry though, I have some things up my sleeve.

See you soon with a real post.

Next time on...

2010-01-19T06:29:00.002-05:00

Sur-viv-or.

I've watched Survivor since season one. I've only skipped one season and I'm not even sure why I skipped it.

I have a plan, a strategy if you will, to win it all. I'm totally type a, bossy, cranky when I don't eat, and dry heave at the thought of eating gross things. BUT, I am (somewhat) athletic and good at making and keeping relationships.

I also get very determined when someone says I *can't* do something and my husband feels I could not last out there in the wild (and so does my Mom!). So, I would have to prove them wrong.

I think the absolute worst part of the entire process would be being away from my kids and my husband. I would miss a lot in those 40ish days (I'm winning remember?)!

I always talk about sending in a video and have never done it. I'm thinking I really should this time. Any ideas?

Would you ever do Survivor?

New Design

2010-01-18T14:07:00.004-05:00

I'm so happy with my new blog design! The lovely Jackie from Memories by Design helped me come up with my new layout and I just love it.

Check her out here.

Let me know what you think!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2010-01-18T12:09:00.002-05:00

Today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. A wonderful man who had the courage and conviction to stand up for what he knew was right. A man who against all odds, changed the course of history in our country. A man who loved the lord and cherished his family.

My favorite line from his famous "I have a Dream" speech is:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

What's yours?

Haiti Relief

2010-01-18T10:53:00.003-05:00

Anyone else feeling as helpless as me when it comes to the people in Haiti? Such a terrible situation on top of living condtions that weren't that great in the first place.

If you want to donate some money, may I suggest Doctors Without Borders? It is a great organization that does such wonderful things all around the world. You can donate here.

There is also Craft Hope. Another great organization. Check them out here and the etsy shop here.

Real Moms Cooking

2010-01-17T21:44:00.002-05:00

Recently a friend of mine was posting on Facebook all the wonderful things she has been making. They range from candy to soups and they all look so wonderful. I casually mentioned that we should start a blog together and guess what, she thought it was a great idea!

So, I'll still post recipes here, but most of them will be on our blog, Real Moms Cooking. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Recap

2010-01-14T10:13:00.003-05:00

Hi! Remember me? I'm the bad blogger that hasn't blogged since last year. I'm sorry blog friends.

We had a great Christmas. We stayed in Michigan this year, and although we really missed our family, we didn't miss the 8 hour drive.

New Years was also fun. At the last minute we decided to head over to our great friends' house and we had a great time.

Of course, I got sick again between Christmas and New Years and now I am sick again with a sinus headache. This time of year is not good to me.

I also broke down and went to the doctor to talk about my sleeping issues. She prescribed me some Ambien to take a few times a week, so at least I'm sleeping a few days instead of none.

I'm also working with a web designer to update the blog. So, I hope you will stick around. I'm getting back into the blog "groove" after reading some very inspiring posts around the blog world.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:40:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas my blogger friends! I hope you are having a wonderful morning with your loved ones.

My Christmas Tradition

2009-12-22T10:08:00.007-05:00

Apparently my Christmas tradition is to dye my hair a shade of brown.

In 2006, I did what you should never do, dyed my hair on the 22nd of December on my own! I hated this color.

In 2007, I forgot about my Christmas tradition. Oops!

In 2008, I was trying to be thrifty and decided to dye my hair darker. I think it was the combo of a darker color and a haircut I didn't like that made me wear my hair in a pony tail until I dyed it back blonde.
And here we are in 2009. This year, unlike past years I thought about coloring my hair for a few months. I really like it. I love my haircut and the darker shade works well with it I think.

She put a few highlights in and I think that makes a big difference.

What do you do with your hair? Keep it the same or change, change, change?

Recipe: Crock-pot Pulled Pork

2009-12-22T06:58:00.002-05:00

This is the easiest recipe you will find. You'll need:

2lbs. of pork (butt, shoulder, loin)

12 oz. Root Beer (I buy the cheapest I can find)

BBQ Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays, Original)

Buns

Crock-pot

Place the pork in the crock-pot. Poor root beer over the pork. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. When pork is done, empty root beer. Shred with a fork (it should shred very easily). Place pork back in crock-pot and add BBQ sauce. (I like it to be moist, but not overly wet. You can always add more to your sandwich.) Heat on low for 1/2 hour more. Serve.

Easy-Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2009-12-21T21:43:00.005-05:00

How was your weekend? Ours was busy, which was good.

It looked like this around here on Friday.

This was not good.

On Saturday, I finally got my haircut! It had been a very long 9 weeks. It seems my Christmas tradition is to change my hair color. I didn't realize it, but the last 3 years I have dyed my hair dark at Christmas. Maybe that needs to be a post of it's own! Anyway, Christine did an awesome job and I love my new DARK, SHORT haircut!

I made pulled pork in the crock-pot and it was so delicious (recipe tomorrow)!

On Sunday, our friends invited us to open gym/Christmas party at Mill's Gymnastics. The kids had a blast!

They explored the gym.

Ate pizza. Met Santa (again). And again, Ava asked for a blue rocket ship, Buzz Lightyear, and little girl cupcakes. Blake asked why his parents torture him by placing him on Santa's lap.

Have a great weekend!

2009-12-18T13:50:00.003-05:00

One year ago this weekend Blake learned how to roll over! What a fast year it has been! Have a great weekend!

Jeans, again...

2009-12-18T06:21:00.002-05:00

Image: Gap

I wrote this post about jeans and why they don't fit me.

I had mostly just given up and bought a few belts and that was that. Well, last weekend we went shopping and I tried out my old favorites, Gap: Long and Lean. They fit great, I mean perfect(only they were 3 inches too long)! But, of course, they didn't have a petite. So, when I checked out they gave me a card for free shipping. I went home, ordered them, and they arrived yesterday.

When I tried them on, guess, what...they didn't fit! They were so tight! The same pair that I tried on at the store, only now they were too small. I know I didn't gain 10 lbs. in a week! I'm so frustrated! Why can't they make sizing standard?

I'm about ready to give up on jeans. I love them, they are so versatile, and are really a stable in my Momma uniform. But, really, enough is enough. Why is it impossible to find a reasonable priced jean that fits in the waist, thighs, and length? Why? Why? WHY!

So, fashionable ladies out there, I have a question for you. Is it possible to live in a colder climate and not wear jeans? Am I crazy here?

Blogiversary!

2009-12-17T10:09:00.005-05:00

I almost forgot that today is my blogiversary! I've been blogging for 1 year now!

I started this blog as a fashion blog, but quickly found out that I don't know enough about fashion and don't take enough risks to write one of those. Then I tried out a few styles of blogs that I liked to read, and they just didn't feel like me at all. Then I took a blog break because winter is gray and I was depressed, then I found my groove. I feel like I've finally figured out the direction of this blog and I'm really enjoying myself. I know that I have a few loyal readers (comments are welcome!) and that makes me happy, but at this point, it has been really great to just get things out of my brain!

In the past I have "lived like a hermit in my own head", much to the dismay of my husband. But, with this blog, I've been able to let a few things out and that has made me feel great!

After all the twists and turns I would like to thank you for sticking with me!!

Yesterday

2009-12-17T06:23:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a day. It started when I woke up late. Those days are never good.

The day started with Blake having a candy cane for breakfast.

Ava decided to take every piece of play food out of her kitchen and spread it around the house.

I tried to clean, but cleaning with two kids is like eating chocolate on a diet. You know you shouldn't do it, but some days it just has to be done.

And, then when I was just about fed up I went to tell Ava that the toys must be cleaned up, NOW, I find her like this.

Then I laughed.

I relaxed after this, made a good dinner, and enjoyed some Top Chef with my husband. Sometimes it takes a little girl in a sleeping mask to put it all in prospective.

My Own Tent!

2009-12-16T07:07:00.001-05:00

Since we aren't going to Illinois for Christmas, my sister sent her gifts up for the kids. I thought they were wrapped, so I opened the box right in front of them. Guess what? They weren't wrapped!

So, the kids got their gift early. Thanks Ang!

Blake got this cool towel/dress-up/swim cover-up Tigger. He loves it, especially since his sister has a lot of cool dress-up that she won't share.

Ava's gift was a Princess sleeping bag, she was so excited! I pulled out her tent, and this is how she is taking her naps now.

I asked her if she wanted to sleep at night in her tent, and she wasn't in to it. Anyway, thanks again

Flashy

2009-12-15T09:44:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, we went to see Santa and to Build a Bear Workshop.

Santa wasn't scheduled to open until 11:00, but when we got there at 10:45, the line was already long. So, since we had already gotten Ava hyped about it, there was no way we weren't seeing Santa. So, we got in line and waited.

Ava was very excited and told Santa what she wanted, a Buzz Lightyear and a Blue Rocket.Santa told her he would see what he could do. Then it was time to put Blake on his lap. Blake sat there stunned for a moment, then started the Blake whine. The "huh, huh, huh, huh.... while reaching for me. Here is our picture, not bad.

Then we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop. Last Christmas, my Mother-in-Law got him a gift card to Build-A-Bear, but since we hardly ever go to this mall (and last time I forgot the card), we have had it for almost a year.

Blake, with help from Ava, picked out a dog. Ava picked out the Holly, Christmas Moose. When we asked her what she wanted to name her moose, she said, "Her name is Holly." in that "DUH" voice. Then we asked her what Blake's dog should be named and without skipping a beat, she said, "FLASHY!". I have no idea where that name came from...

Blake had a good time running around the store,

and Ava had a good job "fluffing" both Holly and Flashy.
Then she gave Holly a bath and picked out an outfit for her, a coat and hat. We were also going to get Flashy an outfit, until Ava informed me that dogs don't wear clothes. Duh!
Blake does really like Flashy though. He likes to give him kisses.

On a side note, I'm feeling really overwhelmed. We usually travel for Christmas, so no worries about shipping gifts. Why I didn't buy all my gifts online, I'll never know, but buying and then shipping is stressing me out!

TGIF!

2009-12-11T05:35:00.003-05:00

Yesterday

2009-12-10T07:02:00.002-05:00

It was really windy yesterday. Really windy. As I was sitting on the couch during nap time (don't you love nap time?) the door blew open. Yes, that's right. Our door (not the screen door) blew open! I'm sure I looked like Blake (above) when it happened.

For a split second I expected someone to jump out and get me, then I saw there was no one there. My heart really did skip a beat!

Then we went out to eat for dinner and Blake made me laugh because it was so windy that he was squinting his eyes and turning his head and it was just so cute.

Then Ava made me so proud because when the waitress asked if we were ready to order or drinks, she pointed at the menu and said, "I'd like the red drink please."

When she came back to get our order Ava said "I'd like the chicken nuggets, please." She is growing up so fast. I'm so proud.

Then during dinner my husband helped talk me though a troubling relationship I have right now. He really put things into perspective for me, and for that I felt lucky.

So, let me recap:

Scared, Entertained, Proud, Lucky.

It was a good day.

My Own House!

2009-12-09T07:47:00.001-05:00

My parents were here this past weekend and we had a lot of fun with them.

One of the fun things we did was make a Gingerbread House. This year I bought the Wilton kitfrom Jo-Ann Fabrics. I'll be honest, I wasn't impressed. Most of the pieces were crooked and had to be trimmed and it didn't come with a good "display" to sit it on.

Either way, Ava had a blast putting it together and decorating with her Mimi and Papa. I put the house together in the afternoon and we decorated that evening. I would recommend putting it together and letting it dry overnight.

I let her do whatever she wanted. I applied all the frosting and she did the rest.

She's really concentrating here.

Getting some input from Mimi and Papa.

Very proud.

As Ava would say "Da Dawww!"

Little Feet

2009-12-08T07:40:00.003-05:00

What kind of ornaments do you hang on your tree? Is it a tree that is perfectly styled with matching ornaments, is it a live tree that is sparsely decorated to show off the beautifulness that is a live tree, or is it a sentimental tree with homemade ornaments that you have bought throughout the years?

I always thought I wanted a designer tree. One that looked perfect and was perfectly matching. Then I had the opportunity to put up my own tree and I went with the homemade tree. I just love pulling out the ornaments each year and thinking about where I bought them, or who made them for me.

My favorite ornaments on my tree are my babies baby feet ornaments.

Ava was 7.5 months old on her first Christmas. This is her 7.5 month old foot.

Blake was 3.5 months old on his first Christmas, and this is his 3.5 month old foot.

Looking at them just makes me smile. Maybe I should leave them out year round.

Oh Christmas Tree...

2009-12-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

Last year we bought a new tree. Our old tree was small, sparse, and had a few broken limbs. Some were broken by our cat, Thomas aka Moosie, and some were broken by our daughter, aka Ava. I really love our new tree, but it is quiet large for our small house. When we bought it we thought we would only be in this house for one more Christmas (last year), but thanks to the housing market, we are still here in our little bungalow.

(Because of little hands, there are no ornaments on the bottom of the tree.)

Anyway....decorating this year was a lot of fun. Ava helped me with the garland and the candy canes. I put on the ornaments, and Rob put the bow on the top. Poor Blake, he was already in bed, but he can help next year.

Here are some of our ornaments:

(An ornament bought in Hawaii right after we got married.)

(A small mailbox, to keep secret letters to Santa. Made by my Aunt in the early 80's)

(Go Dawgs!)

Namaste

2009-12-04T07:06:00.001-05:00

Have a relaxing weekend.

Our Thanksgiving

2009-12-02T19:41:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were able to host my Mother-In-Law and Father-In-Law this year and I really enjoyed it.

I had ambitious sewing plans, and in the end, I think I got just enough done. I made the napkins and the runner. I bought the table cloth. I think it all turned out great!

Ava helped me set up the table...

I made the wheat bread, deviled eggs, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie bites, cranberry/orange cake, and the green bean casserole. My husband made the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, and turkey.

While enjoying some appetizers, Ava also enjoyed some "kid wine". I think she almost drank the entire bottle that day. She loves her some "kid wine".

Blake couldn't wait for dinner, and let's be honest here, he probably wouldn't have ate much anyway. So, he ate his favorite meal, Mac'N'Cheese. And for that, I'm sure he was very THANKFUL.

This was our first official Turkey, and Rob did a great job!

He was very proud.

After dinner, we enjoyed some family time...

and even got a family picture!

It was a wonderful day.

Today

2009-12-01T22:35:00.003-05:00

Today was hectic. Ava went to preschool, I took Blake to get his 2nd flu shot, then we went shopping for Christmas present wrapping supplies, then we went and picked up Ava. Lunch. Naps (for the kids). Wrapping presents (I'm done with everything I have bought so far!). Crazy time (with a little cleaning). Dinner. Grocery Shopping. Sewing.

I still haven't uploaded my Thanksgiving pictures (sorry).Tomorrow, okay?

Among all of this chaos I did realize what I really want for Christmas. I want a sewing room for myself and a play room for my kids. Too much?

K-RAZY!

2009-11-30T07:13:00.001-05:00

Hi folks. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful time with my in-laws visiting. It's always fun to watch the kids get spoiled by their Mimi and Papa.

Starting today, our lives become a bit crazy for the next 2 weeks. I'm going to try to keep up with my postings, but I can't promise anything. My parents arrive on Wednesday, so I hope to get some posts lined up before then.

I hope to give you the Thanksgiving run-down tomorrow though.

Good Luck!

2009-11-27T12:25:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone found some great deals today! Enjoy the weekend!

From my family...

2009-11-26T15:21:00.002-05:00

to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

No time to bake a pie?

2009-11-25T12:07:00.004-05:00

(image: Bakerella.com)

How are you feeling on this Thanksgiving eve? If you are like me, you have been baking all morning!

Since we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house, I've been baking away all week. Today, instead of making a traditional pumpkin pie, I made Pumpkin Pie Bites. I found them at Bakerella and thought it was such a cool idea!

I found that they needed to be baked them for 16 minutes, so keep an eye on them. I, of course, had to try one and they are delicious. I plan on serving them with a little bowl of whipped cream on the side.

Hope this helps with that last minute baking!

Sweet Potatoes & Pears

2009-11-25T07:13:00.002-05:00

Looking for a new sweet potato recipe? Well, I have a very sweet one for you to try.

You'll need:

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 pears

2 TBS Butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. allspice

1/8 c. milk

Peel and cube your sweet potatoes. But them in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Peel and cube the pears. While the potatoes are boiling, melt the butter in a small pot. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Cover and let simmer until the pears are very soft.
Drain the water from the tender sweet potatoes and smash partially with a fork. Add in pear mixture and continue to smash with a fork until you reach your desired consistency.
At this point, you can add in milk if needed. Enjoy!

Bench Redesign

2009-11-24T07:59:00.001-05:00

Since we are hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, I knew that we needed more seating. Our table only has four chairs, so we needed at least 2 more.

I started my search on Craigslist. After a few days of looking, I decided that a bench would work as well as a chair. I called the seller in the morning and in the afternoon, I went and picked up this bench!

It had very ugly, green vinyl on the cushion. The back was also scratched and dented, but I saw the potential.

I chose fabric from Amy Butler. It is called celery/imperial fans from the Nigella collection.
On Saturday night, I reupholstered the seat with the new fabric. On Sunday I cleaned the wood and used wax & wood touch-up to cover the scraps and scratches. And ta-dah, it's a new bench!
What do you think?

Holiday Magic Parade

2009-11-23T07:35:00.002-05:00

How was your weekend?

Ours was fun, but very busy. On Saturday we went to Royal Oak to the Holiday Magic Parade. This is a great parade! It lasted almost an hour and had a variety of floats/people/animals.

While we were waiting for the parade to start, I spotted Jay Towers from Fox 2.

Blake didn't care much that Jay Towers was there, he was excited to see "Sana" though.

Me and my best girl waiting for the parade to start.

One of the best parts of the parade is always the fire trucks. This year, Blake really wanted one of his own!

A variety of participants were watched and clapped for by the K Clan.

Then it as time for the Shriners in their mini cars. These guys were crazy! A few times I feared that my feet were going to be run over or that the cars were going to jump the curb...but my feet were safe as were the parade goers and all was well.

Blake was enjoying a nice cup of coffee as he watched the parade. ;)

And finally, just as Blake was getting ready to eat poor Sara...

the big man arrived!

After the parade we went to a Coney Island and had a great, greasy lunch. It was a great day!

Keep Trying...

2009-11-20T07:25:00.001-05:00

Have a great weekend!

Yoga

2009-11-19T07:15:00.001-05:00

A Yoga studio opened downtown a few years ago. I wanted to go, but never did. Then I got pregnant with Blake, and then, well....you know the excuses.

Last weekend at a Moms Night Out with my Mom's Group I was talking to another Mom and she mentioned that she goes to Yoga once a week at this studio. She invited me along and I accepted!

I brought along a yoga mat, which turns out was too thick, so I borrowed one from the studio. I was in the level 1 and it was 1 hour and 15 minutes long. I really liked it. It was strenuous at points, but also relaxing at others. Very nice.

So, I've decided to go once a week and hopefully begin to feel more flexible and stronger.

Tim Tams

2009-11-18T07:04:00.002-05:00

Photo: NYC Food Guy

Do yourself a favor and go get a box of these delicious cookies. They are chocolate and caramel and made by Pepperidge Farms. Be careful though, you may be tempted to eat the entire box or at least half of it.

I found them at Meijer (on sale this week) and according to this blog they can also be found at Target.

Homemade Bread Day

2009-11-17T10:21:00.008-05:00

Who else is celebrating today?! I don't know about you but I love obscure holidays (can anyone say National Pig Day?). Maybe it is the teacher in me, but I just love them.

Anyway, today, November 17, is National Homemade Bread Day. In honor of this holiday, I'm baking homemade bread for my family. I've made this recipe once before and we gobbled the bread down very quickly.

Homemade Wheat Bread

Description:

A slightly sweet, healthy half-whole-wheat bread

Yield:

1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see additional notes for a 100% whole wheat version)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Instructions:

1. *Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Recipe from Tammy's Recipes.

If you have a great bread recipe that you use or found, please let me know. I love trying out new recipes.

Thinking

2009-11-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

I'm thinking these would look great under the tree. Santa, are you reading this?

Love It!

2009-11-13T07:45:00.001-05:00

Have a great weekend!

It's love!

2009-11-12T07:39:00.001-05:00

My son is in love. Yes, at the ripe old age of 14 months he is love with the play kitchen.

It occupies many minutes of his days. He "boils" things, nukes things in the microwave, and brings me endless "dishes" to try. In fact, you can see in the top photo that he was cooking up the very delicious corn with oranges. Que magnifique!

He really enjoys throwing all the food on the floor, but that's another story for another time.

Can I expect lavish meals served to me in a few years? Delicious desserts? I certainly hope so!

Happy Veterans Day

2009-11-11T12:21:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all the Service Men and Women who have served and currently serve our wonderful Country.

A big thank you goes out to my Dad, a Marine Corps. Veteran who proudly served in Vietnam. Thanks Dad!

Wrong?

2009-11-11T07:35:00.001-05:00

Is it wrong to covet your daughter's clothing?

If so, I'm in big trouble!

I am in love with this top and I want one of my own. Please, Gymboree, make me this shirt in my size!

Shoes!

2009-11-10T07:28:00.001-05:00

I bought these shoes at Target and I love them! In fact, I wore them for a week straight (and gave myself blisters).
So, if you have a few bucks, head over to your nearest Target and get a pair. You won't be sorry!

Indian Summer

2009-11-08T21:15:00.004-05:00

This weekend we had FABULOUS weather. I mean, it was just amazing, 70 degrees in November!

On Saturday we headed to our favorite place, Greenfield Village. Knowing this is our last trip of the season, we just walked around and enjoyed it. I love seeing the Village in the fall, but I can't wait to see it again in the Spring.

On Sunday we just worked around the house and enjoyed the sunshine and warm (er) weather.

I hope you had a great one!

TGIF!

2009-11-06T07:53:00.002-05:00

Our Halloween

2009-11-05T07:05:00.000-05:00

Halloween this year wasn't all I had planned. We were out of town until the 25th and I had big plans of baking/crafting/sewing when we got home. Well, we were bit by the flu bug so all of those things went down the drain.

Thankfully I already had the costumes ready to go. A. told me weeks ago that she wanted to be Minnie Mouse, the PINK Minnie Mouse. So in looking around the web the only cute outfits I could find in her size was the RED Minnie Mouse. So, to Ebay I went. I was able to find this cute costume.

Blake dressed up in Ava's old costume, Eeyore. We love this costume and since Blake doesn't care what he dresses up as this year we went for it!

I even got in the action. Ava asked me to dress up so I pulled these items from my closet and transformed myself into a witch. We had a good time walking the neighborhood getting yummy goodies.

After we had collected all of our candy it was time to pass it out ourselves. Ava had a great time passing out candy and was sad when we ran out.

Hope you had a great one!

Veggie Review: Artichoke

2009-11-04T19:23:00.004-05:00

I've decided that each time I do the shopping for the week/2 weeks that I'm going to try out a new veggie for us. We usually stick to the normal green beans/corn/carrots/peas and to be honest they are getting old.

This week artichokes were on sale. So, I went for it! I like spinach artichoke dip and artichoke hearts in Italian salads. That is my extent of knowledge on the artichoke.

Did you know that there is an entire website dedicated to the artichoke? Well, there is!www.artichoke.org. I also did a recipe search on All Recipes and Google, and here is what I came up with...

COOKING IT:

I decided to boil it. I wanted to steam it, but we don't have a steaming basket and I didn't feel like getting one. Next time maybe. Anyway, I used about 4 inches of water in a big soup pot. I put a splash of lemon juice, a clove of garlic, and a bay leaf in the water and brought it to a boil. While I was waiting for it to boil I cleaned it by holding it under COLD running water. After that I cut off the top of the artichoke (I just looked to see where it started to "fan" out), then I trimmed the leaves and the stem.

There is an awesome picture tutorial here. I don't have a picture tutorial because I was trying to concentrate and it was nearly impossible with this at your feet.

Anyway, after the water comes to a rolling boil I stood the artichoke up on the stem and let it boil for about 35-40 until the leaves were very soft.

While it was boiling I made the dip.

DIP:

I used 2/3 parts mayonnaise to 1/3 part pesto with a splash of lemon juice. Next time I think I'll add a little salt. It was yummy like this though.

I had this as our side dish for Salmon Pesto Burgers. I found the recipe for the "burgers" here. I think they went well together because both used pesto and the artichoke was a good balance to the salmon.

It was declared a "keeper" and I look forward to making it again. Tonight Rob said he had been thinking about the artichoke "all morning" and wants me to make it again. I think that speaks for itself!

***Next time I promise to take more pictures.***

Sister,

2009-11-03T07:48:00.001-05:00

I hear you laugh
My heart fills full up
Keep me please

~Dave Matthews

I heard this song last Saturday when the kids were napping and Rob and I were watching a Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds concert on TV.

When he played this song it just made me think of my kids. I have only a few wishes for them when they "grow up".

1. Be Truly Happy

2. Be Couragious

3. Love and let yourself be Loved

4. Be Best Friends with your brother/sister

Too much to wish for? I don't think so...

It's Confirmed!

2009-11-02T20:55:00.005-05:00

I'm a good homekeeper!

I know I've been going on about this but I just had to post this twitter....

MarthaStewart

I AM HAPPY TO TELL ALL OF YOU THAT YOU CHANGE/WASH YOUR SHEETS ON AVERAGE OF ONCE A WEEK. ADMIRABLE AND HEALTHY AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Thank you Martha for making me feel good. I'm a once a weeker!

In other Martha news, I'm well on my way to becoming Martha, Jr. Today for every meal and snack we ate "whole" foods. Yes, that's right (said in my best Martha voice). I made HOMEMADE bread and experimented with a new vegetable. Yes folks, I'm on my way..

It's a good thing.

~Martha Stewart

***I promise not to post anything about Martha for the rest of the week. Pinky swear!***

Coincidence?

2009-11-01T22:36:00.008-05:00

This morning I posted this post about Martha and her changing her sheets every three days (and seriously who does this?). Then this afternoon I checked my twitter and saw this:

MarthaStewart

i have a very very serious question for all of you: HOW OFTEN DO YOU WASH YOUR SHEETS/CHANGE YOUR BED?? i would like lots of answers please**about 12 hours ago from web
Then this:
MarthaStewart

this sheet thing isnt about being rich or poor- i am doing real research in the art of bed making no one should apologize or feel bad**about 1 hour ago from web
Coincidence, (my husband thinks so) I don't think so! ;)
**you can bet I responded!

Pumpkin and Chocolate

2009-11-01T07:57:00.001-05:00

Could it get any better?

I love Martha Stewart. She can be cold, demanding, set totally unattainable goals for the normal housewife, but isn't that part of her appeal? I find her so intriguing.

How in the world does she get all her sheets changed every 3 days? How does she do all these arts/crafts things while running a huge empire? I think we all know the answer to these questions... Help. She has help, a lot of it. I don't have help. I have myself and my husband. So, I read her website, watch her show (sometimes), and gaze at all her items for sale at the store.

I know that one day I'll have time for all her crafts/homekeeping. I also know that at that time my babies will be grown and I'll long for these days of chaos.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the bars.

I found this recipes when I was looking for something "Fall" to bake. Let me tell you, they are WONDERFUL. Yes, they are full of butter, and yes they are not healthy at all, but man, they are good.

I did change one thing, sorry Martha. I only used 1/2 the chocolate chips because I like the pumpkin taste and even then, to me, it was a bit too much chocolate (and I love chocolate).

Super easy. Try them, let me know what you think.

Quote

2009-10-31T07:54:00.000-04:00

You all know that I love quotes. I saw this quote on this blog and thought it was worthy to repost.

Female friends are really special and I'm lucky to have a few very good ones (both in real life and virtual life).

TGIF!

2009-10-30T08:01:00.001-04:00

Around Here

2009-10-29T10:01:00.002-04:00

The year's last, loveliest smile.

~William Cullen Bryant

Eco Cleaners: Baking Soda

2009-10-28T09:13:00.001-04:00

Did you know that you can use baking soda to help clean/unclog your drains? Well, I didn't until yesterday when I stumbled on this little tip while looking for something else.

Here's the scoop!

Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup of hot vinegar. Try heating the vinegar in the microwave before adding it to the drain. Wait 5 minutes before flushing the drain with 2 quarts of hot water. You can repeat this process a few times if it is necessary. If this is the first time you have cleaned your drain in a long time it may be necessary to repeat the baking soda flush a couple of times.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-10-26T07:59:00.004-04:00

We have returned from our wonderful family vacation. My goal this trip was to RELAX and just enjoy myself. If you know me in real life, you know that more often than not I'm a glass half-empty person. I hate that about myself, but it is true. It's one thing I would change about myself.

This trip, I concentrated on the good and let the not so good roll off my back. I'm so glad we were able to spend time together (even though Rob was sick for most of the trip).

Here are some pictures from our adventure.

Have a great one!

2009-10-23T13:44:00.001-04:00

Wednesday

2009-10-21T12:43:00.000-04:00

This is what we do on Wednesdays.

We dust.

Then we dance.

What does your Wednesday look like?

Where in the world...

2009-10-20T13:42:00.000-04:00

are we? Not in Michigan! I'll give you a hint.

Need A Gift Idea?

2009-10-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

If you are in need of a gift for a 3-4 year old child, you need to get this A-SAP! I bought this Little Touch Leap Pad at a Mom-2-Mom sale last winter. It sat around in the basement for a year before it saw any use. When I pulled it out last week, it was a BIG hit. Big.

Do yourself a favor and buy it resale. Ebay has a lot of them up for sale as well as the book.

Have a great Weekend!

2009-10-16T13:33:00.001-04:00

Things that give me a heart attack

2009-10-15T13:26:00.001-04:00

and sends the little boy into a fit of giggles. He's a dare devil. I'm afraid of what's to come in the future. :)

Fun and Cheap

2009-10-13T13:17:00.000-04:00

Looking for a fun, easy, and cheap project to do with your little one? Here is one for you to try. You'll need:

Glue Sticks
Tissue Paper (cut into shapes)
Construction or other heavy weight paper

Prep Work:
Cut the tissue paper into any shape you like. I did squares, nice and easy.

It kept her busy for a good 20 minutes and she was very proud of her art when she was done.

He Fits In!

2009-10-11T13:13:00.003-04:00

It's official. He fits in perfectly. He's going to be a bookworm just like the rest of us. I love it.