Kansas and the Wild West!

We had such a fun cowboy day!  We tried to venture out to the library as early as we could, which means of course that we left at about 10:45.  :)  We picked up all of our cowboy and western books that we had on reserve and picked out a few more western books (they are every where and so easy to find!) from the shelves.  After feasting on some cow shaped macaroni and cheese (Horizon has new organic mac and cheese and it was 50 cents/box this week at Kroger!), I put Owen down for a nap, started Maryn on some finger knitting (very cool, fun and addictive), and Josiah and I started making the bread for bierocks.  He is my little chef now.  I think it has to do with age three.  Three year olds seem to be immensely more helpful than the overconfident five year olds.

So we had fun today making bierocks.  Josiah loved kneading the dough, and Maryn, Josiah and Owen loved helping to fill and fold them up.  We packed them up in bandannas for our big cattle drive to the railroad.  When we got to the "railroad" and opened up our "lunches," Josiah pulled a carrot out of each pocket.  I shouted, "JOSIAH!"  And Maryn came to his defense, "Mom, he was out on the range all day.  He needed to have some food!"  It was pretty cute.  :)

Samson was a horse or a Texas Longhorn all day.  I had a hard time explaining outlaws and some other things about the West, so after dinner we watched "The Shakiest Gun in the West" starring Don Knotts.  I don't think I can recommend it for homeschooling families.......but it was okay, and covered some of the things "Westerns" have, but in a more family friendly manner...sorta.  :)

We read about Dodge City, KS.  We had to kind of talk about saloons, alcohol, and gambling...which was weird, because I wasn't sure how to describe these things to a little kid.  Ha!  Maybe I'll teach her some gambling tomorrow...it'd tie right into our Seminole lessons from last week :)
(Our Florida Meal #2 was Indian Fry Bread Tacos)

Here's a list of books we read:

Home on the Range (and we listened to some Roy Rogers)
If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa books
Cowboys and the Wild West, Staton
Chuck's Band
Every Cowgirl Loves a Rodeo
Kids Learn America!  Bringing Geography to Life...

Here's our bierocks recipe:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/bierocks

We're also having some chili this week, of course. ;-)

Our Florida Meal #1 Recipes

(See post below as well, for photos.  We served this with grilled garlic lime shrimp)

Sauteed Corn, Spinach, Bacon and Scallions

4 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch strips
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 4 ears of corn)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (optional)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 scallions both white and light green parts, sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves

1.  Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 4-6 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tsp. of the fat from the skillet (save it for something later!).

2.  Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat.  Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally until tender (about 2 minutes).  Add the corn the red bell pepper and red pepper flakes, if using.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring often, until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes.  Crumble the bacon and add it along with the scallions and the spinach, 2 cups at a time.  Stir until the spinach leaves have wilted and combined with the corn, about 1 minutes. 

Key Lime and Cream Cheese Pie
(recipe from Carolyn Hewitt)

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Soften cream cheese. Whip with condensed milk until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Fold in (gently) Cool Whip and Lime Juice; blend well.  Pour into crust, smooth.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight. 

Eat Food! And Enjoy It!

Making baked oatmeal bars (recipe below)

Self feeding at its finest

Bath time might be happening around here three times a day!

Baked Oatmeal Bars

Day One
Combine in glass or ceramic bowl:
           3 cups rolled oats (or combination of oats and buckwheat)
           1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
           3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
           3/4 cup filtered water
           5/8-1 cup sucanat
           1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cover and let sit for 12-124 hours in a warm place (a cupboard above the fridge, on top of the oven, or in a microwave).

Day Two
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 11 x 7 baking dish

Add to oat mixture:
            2 eggs, beaten
            1 teaspoon sea salt
            2 teaspoons baking powder
            Optional:  1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries OR 1-2 tart apples chopped

Pour into greased baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes.  This can be served as is or topped with chopped nuts, ground flaxseed, raw milk, yogurt, etc.

eating

I'm trying some interesting food strategies today to try to get Josiah to eat some veggies.  Now that he can have yogurt and bananas, I decided to try a smoothie idea my BFF Kendra suggested.  I knew Maryn might struggle with this idea but I said it was a special St. Patrick's Day smoothie and she could put in all the ingredients.  I know she likes all the ingredients, so we tasted each one and added it.

a handful of fresh spinach
a glass of ice
a banana
maybe about 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
maybe about 1/4 cup pineapple juice concentrate

Then we blended it in the blender we borrowed from our neighbor, and both kids cried at the noise.  By the end Josiah was laughing, and Maryn was hiding under the covers on the couch.

It came out a nice green color and the texture was pretty decent, a lot like a sort of icy milkshake.  Maryn liked the first few bites.  Josiah was in love from bite number one.  He ended up eating 3 cups of it, and was asking for more.

So for Josiah it was a winner, Maryn not so much.  Although she likes everything in it.  I could have just made her a plate of all the ingredients.  What a weirdo.

Tonight I'm making a baked pasta--I love baked pastas--and I pureed some onions, carrots, green pepper, and even some leftover broccoli to put in it.  Then I cooked it all a bit in a pan with olive oil, basil (fresh basil from Trader Joe's that's actually frozen in cubes, it's genius I swear) and fresh garlic, and simmered that with the pasta sauce we have.  I made a little extra of this extra stuff to put in our next pasta.  The pasta has a whole package of frozen spinach, cottage cheese, egg, mozzarella, etc...in it...I know Maryn will like it.  It seems like I can't win both kids, their tastes are so different.

Honestly if you took all their likes and dislikes, they are almost completely opposite.  But Maryn is a much healthier eater.  She doesn't like french fries.  She isn't that crazy about macaroni and cheese, any sort of smoothie, or spaghetti-os.  She likes salads and nuts and things kids aren't supposed to like.

Josiah is a normal toddler.  He likes all the kid stuff.

Maryn is, and probably always will be, an unusual kind of person.  :)

Valentine's Day

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 "...God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another." 1 John 4:10-11

Maryn is really confused as to why Valentine's Day is lasting so long!  And it's not even here yet.  Here's a pic of two of my sweethearts on their way to a special Daddy Daughter Dance our friend Maggie invited them to at her church.  At the dance, they had a formal picture taken, made a craft (which I still haven't seen), and Maryn even got a white rose.  After dancing and snacking the night away, John took our super tired little girl to Dairy Queen.   

 I really hope there will be more Daddy Daughter dates to come.  They say when a little girl gets older, she will measure every possible suitor by measuring them up to her Daddy.  We pray for Maryn's future spouse (if she ever marries) a lot.  A lot, a lot.  He will have big shoes to fill (and a seriously angry man to deal with if he ever breaks her heart!).

And this little boy.  He is never allowed to date.  Do you know why?  It's because he is so darn cuddly and kissy-faced.  He'll have to always be supervised on dates :)  And he loves pretty women.  He finds them in the store and starts smiling ear to ear if he sees a pretty lady.  He will basically go to any pretty lady, and although he has his favorites, he will hug and kiss on almost anyone.  Mommy is definitely his favorite for now :)

 We had a special Valentine's Dinner last night.  All four of us crowded into the kitchen to make frosted Funfetti Valentine's cookies (thank you Aunt Cathy!) with heart candies on top.  Then we all participated in the making of a rather yummy, simple, and cheap tomato basil soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  It was an adventure.  By the way, this tomato soup was delicious.  I am not a very big soup fan, but it actually got compliments from John and you wouldn't even believe how much Josiah loved it.  I've never seen a toddler enjoy soup so much.  The basil adds a really strong flavor, so I thought the kiddos wouldn't be fond of it, but they were.  I think I'll add a bit more cream next time.  It tasted a lot like the pasta sauce in Carabba's Rigatoni Campagnolo (my favorite dish there).

 John said he was out of his comfort zone all weekend.  He had to dance AND frost cookies.  Then he made the blueberry bread loaf for our Sunday School class's breakfast this morning.  Which is another great recipe (here). It's just a package of Krusteaz Blueberry Muffins with some minor adjustments.  I leave out all the orange stuff because I'm not a fan of anything tasting like oranges besides oranges.

Josiah loves his dinosaurs I just brought out of toy rotation.  He growls and roars and growls, and smacks them into each other, and throws them and pounds them and they just kill and eat each other all day.

They each got a couple more gifts for Valentine's Day.  Josiah got Cars (the movie...he LOVES anything with Cars on it), and Maryn got two new little princess dolls.  Valentine's Day turned into a big deal!  :)

The best sweet potato casserole recipe!

Per John's request, we are making his mama's sweet potatoes this Christmas.  And we're having a ham!  That's right, we've gone traditional.  Here's the recipe.  Try it.  Trust me.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Laura McKinney’s recipe)

2 40 oz. cans of cooked sweet potatoes, mashed (or 4 ½ cups fresh cooked and mashed sweet potatoes)

¾ cup white sugar

3 eggs lightly beaten

6 T. butter, softened

¾ cup milk

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

¾ cup coconut

Butter a 13 x 9 in. pan.  Preheat oven to 350.  Mix above ingredients.  Then make the topping:

Topping:

½ cup flour

1 ½ cup brown sugar

6 T. butter, softened

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 cup coconut

Mix with fork until crumbly and sprinkle over potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

I really loved this idea.  I'm not a big slow cooker fan, and neither is John, but these recipes seem very good, easy, and cheap.  The idea is to make as many meals as possible in a day (nap time!) and then put them in a Ziploc, freeze, and pop them into a Crock Pot during the M-A-D dinner rush.  The witching hour.  I truly know the meaning of that phrase now that my hubby often gets home at about 5:00.

This is a great idea for new Mommies, for people expecting to be laid up for a while, etc.  We didn't enjoy the freezer meals we made before.  Nothing seemed to reheat correctly and the preparation was intense.  This seems like it would be much easier.  I'll let you know if we try it!

Cooking With Two

I needed some brownies today.

 So despite the fact that both my children were grouchy, tired and sick, we made brownies.

 Maryn is such a helper...and Josiah is such a little taste tester.

 Maybe he's more than a just a taste tester..,

We had to cancel Preschool Monday because I had some weird type of stomach issues, which I think were mostly caused by tater tot casserole.  Apparently, a person my size should not eat half a pan of that stuff.  Especially if that person is lactose intolerant!  Lesson learned.

I was very sad because I had prepared our house and my lesson plan for the day.  A neighbor took Maryn for the entire morning, Josiah slept (he was up all night, too, screaming and screaming), and I did stuff on the computer (facebook...a sick person's best friend).

Anyway, when Maryn got home, I was feeling so much better so we did Preschool Monday, just the three of us.  What a sweet time it was, too.  Maryn was just READY to go.  She patterned (yay!) and counted (yay!) and wrote letters all by herself!  This girl is amazing me.  She just LOVES to school.  I don't know where she gets it!  ;-)

We also did a LOT of painting.  We have been watching some paint mixing videos on YouTube since she is so intrigued by it, so we used some of the things we learned about paint mixing to create some beautiful paintings.

She did apple prints with the apples we picked from the orchard.

She did a big painting using "contrasting colors" for a purple and yellow flower, and she painted some scenery around it.  A bear eating an ice cream cone, the flower is in the middle, and a lemonade stand.  We pulled a fork through the paint to add some "texture."  She said, "That's some NICE texture, Mommy!"  :)

She also painted a giraffe.  With huge green WHISKERS.  lol.

Yes, so we went to Joe Huber's Family Farm and Orchard in Starlight, Indiana on Saturday morning with a group of friends.  I can't believe we didn't get a big group picture.

So there's John chasing Maryn, and you see Avery right there in the middle.  Her daddy was just behind her, chasing her as well.  The kids just loved running through that orchard.  We picked Red Delicious and Golden Delicious Apples.  When we got home, we made apple walnut muffins.  Muffins are too much work from scratch, in my opinion.  I don't care for muffins, but this recipe was actually pretty good.  I've discovered the secret to a good muffin recipe is cream cheese and extra sugar.  I didn't bother doing the streusel topping on the muffins either because I was just plain worn out.

Maryn is actually learning to pose for pictures!

And Josiah!  He's my little pumpkin bear.  I really feel like I now have TWO little kids.  There's no baby in this house any more.  He is a tiny human tornado.  It is unbelievable the mess two children can make together.  I was so behind on everything this week.  It's one thing to be a few days behind on laundry, but it's entirely another to be a few days behind on dishes!  John was gracious enough to get us caught up and our house, tonight, still remains "clean."

Josiah has been teething and SCREAMING.  But I think the worst of it is over and his two cutesy little toofers (incisors) are now poking through the gums.  It's only taken 4 months for them to come in!  The doctor told us at his 9 months appointment they were starting to come.  Sheesh.  He's 13 months old now.

Hugs and kisses from me and my babies (I purposely left John out of that farewell because I know he does not care to hug and kiss everyone)!

What's Cooking

I intend to try this recipe out this weekend for our Sunday School breakfast.

Banana Bread

It's supposed to go in a Bundt pan, and I don't have one of those.  I know I could probably use another type of pan, but it sure does look nice in a Bundt, doesn't it?  I wonder if I could drizzle a glaze over it, if that would be weird.  I'm not a big fruity bread fan myself, and definitely not a glaze or frosting fan either, so what do I know.  I just think it would look pretty.

Here's another recipe our neighbor, Betsy, tells me I must make.  Maybe if I post it here, I'll remember to try it sometime.  John loves this type of thing, especially if we have olive oil and seasonings.  I really should try to remember things like that for his birthday.

Artisan Bread Awesomeness

Gardens, Bread, and My Big Helper

It looks like our sweet neighbors Dennis, Betsy, Gabbi and Nathan will be moving away soon.  Because of that, our other neighbor Elise and I will be taking over Betsy's garden.  Which is really a very foolish idea because I think a garden is far too much work, but I think God is teaching me a lot through it.  And if nothing else, I will learn to appreciate farmers more.  Which I hear about a lot.  There are dozens and dozens of parables, proverbs and stories relating to farming in the Bible.  Now I understand those parables and things a lot more than I ever did before.  Like the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (I sure wish I had some more workers in my garden!  Just a little bit of help makes a huge difference!).

Gardening is also such a good opportunity in our neighborhood to meet our neighbors and share a common hobby.  Many people are here from Bhutan or Nepal and they love to help the silly white ladies.  They do things really different than we do and there's often some serious miscommunication.  This one guy who speaks very little English watered our garden for us today--while I was weeding it--which made for a rather muddy experience.  But he weeded all the broccoli for me so I guess it's forgivable.  

Josiah and I were out in the garden for an hour today.  He is very good out there, just sitting in the wagon eating crackers and playing with toys.  It's 90 degrees here today and that's much cooler than it has been, but even so, our time is limited out there because it's right in the sun and it's very humid.  I wore pants out there today because I was hoping to not be covered with mud today.  Again, a very foolish thing.  I was so stinky and sweaty, and Josiah was so covered in crackers, that we both got a shower at the same time.  John and Maryn were busy doing our grocery shopping today, so it was just Joe Man and me.  He loved the shower.  It was a lot like the splash park.  :)

In other news, I revamped our bread recipe.  I hadn't made bread in a very long time because for some reason it just started turning out really badly.  I read the back of our Vital Wheat Gluten box the other day and followed the directions to just add "4 teaspoons to every basic bread recipe."  This was a better solution to my other recipe which said to substitute 4 tablespoons of gluten for 4 tablespoons of flour.  That's kind of complicated and that's a lot of gluten, which isn't cheap.  

Anyway, I would like to record the bread recipe here because I'll probably lose it soon.

Homemade Wheat Bread

1 c. hot water

1 T. milk

2 T. honey

2 T. brown sugar

1 t. salt

1 1/2 cups wheat flour

1 1/2 cups white flour

4 teaspoons gluten

2 t. yeast

I just put all these ingredients in the breadmaker.  Maryn loves to help make bread and I find it's great to cook with her during Josiah's morning nap.  The house actually stays cleaner AND we get something yummy out of it.  Josiah loves this bread!  It's a great finger food and probably a little better than giving him Saltines...lol.

Anyway, after the bread maker makes the dough, I pull it out and put it in a greased pan, let it rise for about 10 minutes and pop it in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, then I cover it with foil for an additional 10 minutes, roughly.  Because if I don't cover it, the crust just gets too dark.  

I'm so excited that Maryn really knows what  ingredients go into different recipes and she even remembers some of the steps.  I was about to put in the yeast today and she reminded me, "I have to make a hole!"  And I had completely forgotten to let her make a hole in the flour to pour the yeast into.  She also whisked our scrambled eggs together all by herself today, ground all the pepper, and she has been folding all her and Josiah's laundry.  I really do put the clothes into their drawers how she folds them, too.  So in case you ever visit us, just know that's why their drawers are a little, um, exciting.  

What a fun, sweet, smart girl Maryn is!  She is a great blessing to me.  And Josiah is such a fun, sweet, smart little guy as well.  He is a great blessing to me, too.  I am so grateful for them.  Mmmmmh...I smell bread baking.  Time to get back in the kitchen!

Post-Pregnancy Diet and Exercise: Day Something or Other

I know you all are just dying to know how this fitness thing is going.  So here's a little info.

Diet:  I have been having some fun trying some new recipes that aren't too healthy (not like rabbit food healthy, that is) but are a lot better than what we have been eating.  I think this health food craze of late is kind of discouraging because now, eating healthier is not enough.  Now it's as though you have to be completely sugar free or gluten free or white flour free or whatever.  So even as I write, "We're eating a lot healthier," I know I open myself up for heavy criticism because, compared to so many people I know, we're not eating that healthy.  But, comparisons aside, here are some changes we made.

Eating more chicken instead of beef (or lean ground beef)
Using olive oil instead of vegetable oil or butter
Eating whole wheat bread, pasta and a yummy homemade wheat pizza crust
Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes) and sneaking in some color and variety in our meals (red peppers, red onions, zucchini, spinach)

Wow, I know that's not really a big deal.  But our diet has been based on CHEAP for the last year and a half, so these changes are big for us, even though this is how we used to eat all the time.  We didn't even buy tater tots this week.  :-(

Here's a recipe we liked where I used homemade whole wheat pizza crust:  Barbecue Chicken Pizza
It was really good and different from our regular menu.  Use Gouda cheese only if you want your pizza to cost over $10 :)

Exercise:  Well this is the area that has been lacking.  I have taken a few days off here and there, which is good.  If I set out to do it every single day, I figure I'll do it at least four times a week, which is reasonable.  I am honestly just tired.  And sore.  But when I crouch on the floor to have a tea party with my two year old daughter, my baby in my arms, I know that I need to do this not just for me, but for them.  I feel more comfortable and sure of myself now when I am dancing with Maryn and tossing her around, and I can only imagine what Josiah will do for my fitness levels in years to come.  I'm pretty sure he's going to weigh 30 pounds before Maryn does and he is a mover and a shaker (well, mostly a KICKER, a flailer, and a wailer).

So yes, I am honestly just tired.  And sore.  And old.  Everything on me hurts sometimes and the next day other things hurt worse than others, and I get heartburn after eating pepperoni, and my joints are hurting, and my head hurts, and my eyes are blurry and my hair is going gray.  All the more reason to exercise.  I keep wanting to call my younger friends and plead with them to have children as soon as possible.  It makes so much more sense...but I resist.  I resist. 

I'm going to go take a nap. 

Bread Machine Discoveries

I liked the pitas so much and found that putting them in the oven and all that wasn't so hard as long as the bread machine did the kneading for me.  What mother with young children can knead dough for ten minutes straight?  Or be certain not to let the bread rise for too long?  So I found on the Happy Housewife blog that she makes most of her bread this way--just makes the dough in the machine and then cooks the bread in the oven.  Genius!  I was thinking that would help the bread cook a little more evenly, not get so crusty, and not have such an odd shape.  I also tried using some gluten in the dough.  And--oh my word--the results were fantastic!  This bread is seriously SO good.  And I did it!  I did it!  I did it!

This blog post has a lot of information, almost all you need to know about making bread and some really great explanations for everything.  Homemade Wheat Bread

How do I do what I do?  Josiah usually takes a nap in the mornings, and Maryn loves to play in the sink.  So while she is playing in the sink, I just throw all the ingredients into the breadmaker.  It does its thing for an hour and a half, then I put the dough into a greased bread pan, pop it in the oven for 30 minutes (I covered it with a foil tent after 20 minutes to keep the crust from getting too brown and crusty), pop it out, let it cool on a rack, and then take it out of the pan after a while, and sliced it when it was all cooled.  Then I ate three pieces.  :)

Making cornbread-in a JIFFY!

I found this idea on The Happy Housewife blog, which is the same place I found the whole wheat bread machine pitas recipe.  Since the pitas were seriously amazing and so easy (a huge hit with Maryn, who does not usually like bread all that much), I am guessing this whole wheat cornbread recipe will be pretty good, too.  I'm a little skeptical since I love Jiffy cornbread so much, but The Happy Housewife insists this is yummy and sweet.

Now here's an idea.  If you mix all the dry ingredients in little plastic baggies, and write the directions on each bag (or type them out once and post them on the insides of your kitchen cabinets so they are easily accessible), making sure you write to add the milk, egg, and oil, and you'll have cornbread in a Jiffy, but healthier than Jiffy cornbread mix.  I'm not sure if this recipe will save you any money though.  Jiffy cornbread mix is so dirt cheap.  But I know a lot of you like to make things whole wheat, so here you go.  Try it!  And please try the pitas too.  Let me know if it works out for you.  The pitas don't have to be made in a bread machine, either.  They can be kneaded by hand or in a mixer the old fashioned way.

Sweet Whole Wheat Cornbread

• 1 cup sifted whole wheat flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil

Mix together whole wheat flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix together until the dry ingredients are “wet.” Scoop into muffin greased cups or pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees. Muffins bake for 20 minutes, bread bakes for about 45 minutes. Cornbread is done when the top is golden yellow.

Hoarders

This show Hoarders is fascinating.  I love the psychology behind these people's hording habits.  It's terribly sad.  And I always clean a lot after watching it. 

I've also been so curious about that show Sister Wives but I refuse to watch it.  I've even considered giving up my beloved Duggars (19 Kids and Counting) because I am so upset with TLC for airing this show.  I hate even seeing commercials for it while I'm watching 19 Kids.  Anyway, I read a good blog of a Christian woman brave enough to watch it, and I encourage you to read the post here.  She says what I'd like to say so well without launching into pure outrage like I would. 

I made a really super yummy and SUPER cheap soup tonight.  I added some extra beans, broth and spices.  Mmmmh it was so yummy.  And some homemade rolls to go with it.  I really like the rolls recipe because it was easy and fun for Maryn to help me.  She "greased" the muffin pan with shortening.  That was fun! 

And now this post shall come to an abrupt end because I am going to bed.   :-)

Cheap, Healthy, Convenient Recipe Ideas

John and I have always limited the amount of meat we eat each week because it cuts down our grocery bill so drastically.  But I have been wanting to incorporate meat into our meals more often.  I never used shredded chicken a lot because our Crock Pot burns things so easily, but I have found that it is just as easy to make on the stove if I let it cook for a long time.  I love doing shredded chicken in large batches because it is something I can start and stop throughout the day if I need to nurse, chase a toddler, etc.

If we start using meat more like a condiment rather than a main course, we can save a ton of money and get some extra protein (and therefore feel more full in a healthy way) in our diets.  Shredded chicken can easily be added to quesadillas, a salad or burrito.  We use shredded chicken for shredded barbecue chicken sandwiches and we use it in this new recipe I LOVE that is so easy and cheap.

White bean and chicken chili

I'll also be using some shredded chicken for a great recipe found here, recommended by Jennifer G.


Chicken ropa vieja

Happy Chickening!

Mamaw and Papaw's House

 My little sister, Sara, keeps Maryn very well occupied.  I was Sara's age now when Sara was born, and my brother was two when I was her age.  So she's experiencing a little of what I experienced as a 14 year old.

My Aunt Cathy (who is my mom's sister) and I made these cutie pie cupcakes!  We found a great website complete with VIDEOS!  Get some great ideas for easy but really creative cakes here.

Sunflowers for my Sunflower

I made these cupcakes because I saw my friends Alicia and Kathleen had made them on Facebook. I had all I needed right on the shelf, so I cranked them out in no time. I was proud of myself for being motivated. Aren't they cute?! I can't eat them though because I really do not like frosting much at all. Anyway, if you want to make them it's just an Oreo with yellow piping. I used a leaf tip for the petals, but I think any small tip would do. Alicia and Kat added ladybugs by using black piping and red M&Ms. CUTE.On our walk in the garden, Maryn enjoyed seeing the tall, tall sunflowers. So we had a sunflowery day. This is the best picture I could get. Our camera battery is dying. It looks like she was watching TV here. She has been obsessed with Little Bear lately. It's kind of a nightmare.
In other news, I am looking up information on how to start running again. All I've come up with is this:

1. I think I have osteoarthritis.
2. I therefore need to do a lot of strength training before and during my running regime.
3. I do not plan on running a marathon. If I can get 5 miles in a WEEK I would be very, very happy with myself.
4. I think this pregnancy has been a freaking nightmare because I am so out of shape.
5. If you are not yet pregnant but want to be, please start doing some squats now so that your legs will hold you up when you put on that 30-50 pounds in 9 months or less.

Garden Fairy

Here's our winsome little sprite.

John and Maryn are loading up the wagon here after a hard day's work.
This is our community garden. Each plot is 10 x 15 or 10 x 10.
They are right next to each other, divided by string and wooden posts,
with very small walking spaces in between. The neighborhood
provides a hose that reaches each plot.

Here is a close up of our tomatoes and peppers.
We propped them up the hillbilly way with sticks for now.

We have planted herbs here in our garden, including cilantro, basil, oregano and parsley. I have heard that you should do herbs in raised gardens or in pots, but we had the space so we gave it a go. But we are also planting some herbs on our kitchen window sill.

We also planted cucumbers, green onions, a couple types of lettuce, green peppers, red peppers , some wild flowers, and lots of tomatoes. I hope that if we get lots of tomatoes I can make some sauces to freeze. That won't take up too much freezer space, so we went ahead and planted a lot of those.

I'm not really counting on anything, but I was so proud of our garden today! I am going to try to get over there to check on it first thing in the morning. I think I may be falling in love with her. I'm trying to keep my distance because I know I'm in for a let down. :-/ Ah, attachment issues.

Please, if you have any gardening advice, let me know. Especially about how to stake those tomatoes (stake? Is that the correct word?).


In other news, I have been LOVING chopped salads lately. John spoiled me and let me get butterhead (or Boston) lettuce, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and black olives to make some magnificent salads. Unfortunately, I am the only one in the house really enjoying them. But I've added homemade macaroni and cheese to our menu weekly, and we are loving that. Maryn and I are loving it, anyway. And it makes fantastic leftovers the kiddos love.

Gardening: Day Two

I have about a quarter of our seeds planted, including all our herbs (cilantro, basil, oregano and parsley) and some flowers. I really wanted to make some more rows to plant more, but I just didn't have the energy to build up another row today. It's really tough to keep Maryn busy out there, too. Our garden is surrounded by lots of others, so I can't let her run around. She does well for about an hour, digging and eating the snacks I bring. The problem is she wants to dig where I'm digging (sowing) and she wants to throw her cheese in the neighboring garden. :)

I really want to get out there again soon but I will need John to help me this time. Do you think he'll be up for it this weekend? We shall see.

Today I'm also making chocolate chip cookies, sloppy joes and macaroni and cheese. And we're also going swimming. Maryn looks SO cute in her swimsuit from her Auntie Alicia. I'll try to get a picture on John's phone.