We made it.
Our crazy, busy, insane, way too busy month is over.
Last night was the last of VBS.
And now I have a full year to try & convince everyone to never do it again. :)
I don't think I will be successful.
But I can dream can't I?
Wednesday was The Little Man's birthday.
The big 5.
I can't believe he is growing up so fast.
Sigh.
He got a whole arsenal of Nerf guns & extra ammo.
And a Scooby cake of course.
It was a good birthday for a 5 year old.
Today was a good day for a mommy.
I started out picking a bunch of cukes from my garden.
Had a good workout.
Did some shopping in town for a few necessities.
Including some new plates & bowls which we desperately needed.
Came home & froze a flat of strawberrys & half a flat of blackberrys for our morning smoothies.
Made a batch of caramel sauce (yay for extra milk).
Put up 10 quarts of spicy dill pickles.
And even made dinner ;)
Now everybody is getting their baths & we are going to put a movie up on the 'big screen'.
Even thinking about starting school on Monday.
But I don't want to get too carried away...
Blessings.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Home
We made it home from family camp.
We pulled in, I checked on all the animals, started the water in the garden, unloaded the truck, put the first of about 70 loads of wash in the machine, took a shower (Glory~ my feet aren't black for the first time in 4 days) & am now parked on the couch.
We had fun but I am glad to be home. Next year I hope we go to a different campground. This one was dirty, crowded, dirty, expensive, dirty & did I say dirty? ;)
The fishing was great but there was nothing for the little kids.
The creek was too deep & swift for them to swim or wade.
We couldn't even run the dogs off the leash because it was so crowded :(
So I am going to start now & find us the perfect campground for next year.
One with something for young & old.
And no greasy, nasty, gritty, stick-to-everything volcanic dirt. Yuck.
But the fishing was pretty awesome. We ate fresh trout at every meal. Mmmmmm.
The first night there my hubby pulled in a big rainbow trout. Close to 2 foot long & over 2 lbs. Nice!
Over the course of the next 3 days everybody but me (no license) & the 2 year old caught at least 1 fish.
Bummer is I didn't get pics of my 11 or 14 year olds.
But other folks did ~ I just don't have them at this time.
So you'll have to wait it out ;)
But here is what I do have:
The Whopper :)
The Not So Whopper ;)
Daddy Time
Our domicile known as "the traila"
On our way into the Subway Cave.
It was a grubby good time.
Next week in our month of insanity: VBS.
I'll let you know if I survive...
Blessings.
We pulled in, I checked on all the animals, started the water in the garden, unloaded the truck, put the first of about 70 loads of wash in the machine, took a shower (Glory~ my feet aren't black for the first time in 4 days) & am now parked on the couch.
We had fun but I am glad to be home. Next year I hope we go to a different campground. This one was dirty, crowded, dirty, expensive, dirty & did I say dirty? ;)
The fishing was great but there was nothing for the little kids.
The creek was too deep & swift for them to swim or wade.
We couldn't even run the dogs off the leash because it was so crowded :(
So I am going to start now & find us the perfect campground for next year.
One with something for young & old.
And no greasy, nasty, gritty, stick-to-everything volcanic dirt. Yuck.
But the fishing was pretty awesome. We ate fresh trout at every meal. Mmmmmm.
The first night there my hubby pulled in a big rainbow trout. Close to 2 foot long & over 2 lbs. Nice!
Over the course of the next 3 days everybody but me (no license) & the 2 year old caught at least 1 fish.
Bummer is I didn't get pics of my 11 or 14 year olds.
But other folks did ~ I just don't have them at this time.
So you'll have to wait it out ;)
But here is what I do have:
The Whopper :)
The Not So Whopper ;)
Daddy Time
Our domicile known as "the traila"
On our way into the Subway Cave.
It was a grubby good time.
Next week in our month of insanity: VBS.
I'll let you know if I survive...
Blessings.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Independence Day 2011
Happy 4th of July!
We've had a busy hot weekend.
Tomorrow we are going to a baseball game. Local farm team.
It will be my first semi-professional game.
With fireworks afterward.
Should be fun :)
A few patriotic pics to share:
4th of July toes.
4th of July cake.
4th of July house.
4th of July kids.
God bless America :)
Blessings.
We've had a busy hot weekend.
Tomorrow we are going to a baseball game. Local farm team.
It will be my first semi-professional game.
With fireworks afterward.
Should be fun :)
A few patriotic pics to share:
4th of July toes.
4th of July cake.
4th of July house.
4th of July kids.
God bless America :)
Blessings.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Just for fun...
A few 'kid' pics...
A friend of ours works for a bank & they got boxes & boxes of new computers all packed in these great styrofoam blocks. The blocks are super light, strong & lock together like Legos.
These are only about half of them! I'm thinking we can build an awesome fort with them ;)
My daughters new 4 of July skirt (and notice her 4 of July toes?) :)
Blessings.
A friend of ours works for a bank & they got boxes & boxes of new computers all packed in these great styrofoam blocks. The blocks are super light, strong & lock together like Legos.
These are only about half of them! I'm thinking we can build an awesome fort with them ;)
My daughters new 4 of July skirt (and notice her 4 of July toes?) :)
Blessings.
Knee high by the 4th of July
Did you ever hear the expression that corn should be "knee high by the 4 of July"?
Well. I think ours is going to make it. :)
We have literally been watching the corn grow.
We leave early each morning for swimming lessons & when we come home in the afternoon the corn is noticeably taller.
Way cool.
The popcorn
The sweet corn
Pumpkin blossoms
Cucumber blossoms
Green bean blossoms
Atrichokes
'maters
Spinach & herbs
Blackberries
Peaches
So how does your garden grow?
Blessings.
Well. I think ours is going to make it. :)
We have literally been watching the corn grow.
We leave early each morning for swimming lessons & when we come home in the afternoon the corn is noticeably taller.
Way cool.
The popcorn
The sweet corn
Pumpkin blossoms
Cucumber blossoms
Green bean blossoms
Atrichokes
'maters
Spinach & herbs
Blackberries
Peaches
So how does your garden grow?
Blessings.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Cake Mix & other evils
For years I made cakes with a box mix.
I tried & tried to find a recipe for a 'scratch' cake but they were always just not right.
Too dry or too flat or too tough or too tasteless.
I couldn't get that magic fluffy moist combo like I could get from a box.
It was a bone of contention...
And then I found it. A simple, white cake recipe that is fluffy & moist & yum-my.
It also extremely adaptable.
Replace 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of baking cocoa & you have a divine chocolate cake.
You can bake it in layers, in a tube, in a 9 x13 or as cupcakes.
We use this recipe to make our rainbow cake each year.
Okay.
Now I had the cake but what about the frosting?
Again I tried multiple recipes, asked people what their favorite was, again & again...nothin'.
Then it happened.
I was finally able to pry the secret family recipe for pumpkin roll away from my MIL.
And there within that little gem was my frosting answer.
The creamcheese filling for the pumpkin roll ~with just the slightest bit of tweaking~ was the perfect frosting.
And once again~ sub a little of the powdered sugar (did you know you can make your own? easy peasy) for baking cocoa & Voila! Delicious,creamy chocolate frosting.
It has been many moons since a made a box mix cake or used canned frosting.
They still have their place in extreme circumstances~ like you are at someone elses house & do not have your recipe with you... that sort of thing...
But a good homemade cake in which you can pronounce all of the ingredients & stuff your face with it's yummy goodness is a wonderful thing.
White Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350* Grease & flour your pan.
Cream together sugar & butter. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour & baking powder ~add to creamed mixture & beat well. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 30-40 minutes. For cupcakes 20-25. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
( I got this off the internet somewhere several years ago.)
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
2 tbsp softened butter
1 tbsp vanilla
Powdered sugar
Blend ingredients together. Add powdered sugar until desired consistancy is is achieved.
Blessings.
I tried & tried to find a recipe for a 'scratch' cake but they were always just not right.
Too dry or too flat or too tough or too tasteless.
I couldn't get that magic fluffy moist combo like I could get from a box.
It was a bone of contention...
And then I found it. A simple, white cake recipe that is fluffy & moist & yum-my.
It also extremely adaptable.
Replace 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of baking cocoa & you have a divine chocolate cake.
You can bake it in layers, in a tube, in a 9 x13 or as cupcakes.
We use this recipe to make our rainbow cake each year.
Okay.
Now I had the cake but what about the frosting?
Again I tried multiple recipes, asked people what their favorite was, again & again...nothin'.
Then it happened.
I was finally able to pry the secret family recipe for pumpkin roll away from my MIL.
And there within that little gem was my frosting answer.
The creamcheese filling for the pumpkin roll ~with just the slightest bit of tweaking~ was the perfect frosting.
And once again~ sub a little of the powdered sugar (did you know you can make your own? easy peasy) for baking cocoa & Voila! Delicious,creamy chocolate frosting.
It has been many moons since a made a box mix cake or used canned frosting.
They still have their place in extreme circumstances~ like you are at someone elses house & do not have your recipe with you... that sort of thing...
But a good homemade cake in which you can pronounce all of the ingredients & stuff your face with it's yummy goodness is a wonderful thing.
White Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350* Grease & flour your pan.
Cream together sugar & butter. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour & baking powder ~add to creamed mixture & beat well. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 30-40 minutes. For cupcakes 20-25. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
( I got this off the internet somewhere several years ago.)
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
2 tbsp softened butter
1 tbsp vanilla
Powdered sugar
Blend ingredients together. Add powdered sugar until desired consistancy is is achieved.
Blessings.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
You're in the Army now...
The little boys each bought an Austrian army beret at the Army Surplus store yesterday
They are drafting them younger & younger these days...
The Little Man lost his first tooth this week
He's too young! Can I glue it back in?
Blessings.
They are drafting them younger & younger these days...
The Little Man lost his first tooth this week
He's too young! Can I glue it back in?
Blessings.
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