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Showing posts from September, 2014

Our Frozen Party for Princess Alice

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This weekend we finally got around to celebrating Alice's 6th birthday with a party! To save on costs, we did it at our house and she picked, no surprise, a Frozen theme. She was also very selective and decided to only three gals, as she didn't want it to get "too crazy." And Leah was allowed one friend to include at the party. We played a few games, painted a craft and ran around in princess dresses for the two-hour soiree. We had planned to screen the Frozen movie for the last bit of it, but ran out of time. As for the cake, I made a Devil's Food Chocolate Cake that turned out AWESOME, but, as usual, the chocolate icing didn't work out. It never quiet hardened, so it was more a liquid-y ganache that I poured over the cake 10 minutes before I served it. WILL I EVER FIGURE OUT ICING?!?!? The Table, Almost Ready for Friends! The Craft All Ready for Creative Kindergarteners! And Benny Hiding Under the Table A fun time was had by all,

Feeding My Wanderlust

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A few weeks ago I was talking to my Mom about Under the Tuscan Sun . She was just finishing the book and was shocked that it wasn't at all like the movie. In fact, one of the main reasons she avoided the book was because of her dislike of Diane Lane who plays the main character in the movie. (Which is kinda weird, but ok.) Wanderlust Book! If you haven't read it, there are very few similarities from the book to the movie. Southerner Frances Meyers moves to Italy with her beloved husband Ed! (A Minnesotan, by the way.) And they work on the house together! And it's more of a beautiful travel diary than a story about a depressed single women who just broke up with James Franco! Seriously, it's like someone skimmed the book and created a new main character. Anyway, it got me thinking that I haven't read a good travel book in a long time. I love those travelogue that are so well-written, they just take you someplace and you feel like you've been there. You

First Away Game

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We had our first away game for Leah's travel soccer team. We were really excited about seeing a new field and "driving far" to the game. The head coach had to run to another game, so I was left in charge for most of the match. No problem, of course, and we won! Although I don't mind playing head coach, it IS more fun to be the assistant coach at a game. I can sit with the players and point out strategy and ideas instead of managing the field. And this group of girls are just awesome. Also, having played soccer all through my youth, there's something that hits me at my core when stepping on a new field on a sunny weekend morning. A feeling like familiarity, belonging ... or home. Don't you love September?! Happy soccer mom! That's My Girl!

Quilting is Hard

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Got through my second quilt, trying some different patchwork patterns and edge strategy. So, yeah I learned a lot more but still not there yet. For me, this is the best way to learn. Just keep sewing and trying.  Apologies to the family member who ends up with this attempt. I'll improve. 

My Spooky Mantel

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As I've mentioned before, Halloween is one of the only holidays I decorate for, so I like to go a little nuts with it. Especially because Halloween is also the time we have annual big bash. This year, I started with the mantel in the family room. And it makes me happy. Scary! 

This Week's Fruity Lunches

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More shots of my lunch boxes this week, since I'm now putting together lunch for me and Leah! Leah on Top. She Never Liked Pears, But Will Eat the Pear Granola Muffin With Chocolate Chips! My Lunch on Thursday Had Lots of Fruit! Nothing to Preserve This Week. I Ate it All!

So Long Office Lunchroom

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My office has gone ahead and replaced their awesome full-service cafeteria -- once resplendent with a salad bar and grill -- with an automated 7-11 store. Yes, I now have kiosks with processed foods and meals made in a factory at my convenience, all day long. And no one works the kiosks, so I would just punch in my food choices and pay the machine. We went from real people making real food, to machines. Is this the future? Sure, I get that it's going to save the company money. The office population is small and I'm sure couldn't justify having a kitchen staff of five. But I will miss my salad bar. And the yummy turkey burger I got on soccer practice days -- when extra protein was needed. Not to mention the real milk for my coffee and the real utensils for my yogurt and lunch. In response, my mornings will now include a lunch packed for Mom, as well as Leah. Because this girl doesn't eat processed food (or as little of it that I can get away with -- I mean, try

Smelliest Car on the Block

After Leah's soccer game yesterday, I let her and Alice play at the playground for awhile. There was a tire swing and maybe too much time was spent on it. Spinning and spinning and laughing. Because on the way home from playground time, Leah threw up in my car. Two blocks from the house. All over the door and her seat. Puke everywhere. She was very sorry, the poor dear. I spent about an hour scrubbing and Fabreezing. But the car still smells like vomit. The whole way to work and the whole way home today. Hours later, I still smell it. I'm just thankful it's been so cold, because once the car heats up on a warm, sunny day ... I'll have baked vomit. Parenthood is great.

First Time Disasters

Halloween will be here before I know it, and Leah decided last year to be a witch this year. So, we've been hatching a plan together for a costume that includes a long black skirt and some creepy accessories. More on that later. This weekend I wanted to get the skirt started. So I started some research on patterns and watched some how-to videos to get started. The first time I sew anything from a set of instructions, it's a total disaster. It's not like a recipe in the kitchen when you have some confidence you'll get an edible product at the end. I will either cut the fabric wrong or sew the wrong sides together. I have to rip out seams or start over again a few times. That's how it goes. Knowing this, I decided to make a prototype. With some spare mermaid fabric, I measured Alice and started making her a play skirt. It didn't go well. I measured the fabric, cut wrong, measured again, cut again, had to doctor two panels together, sewed once, sewed again

Lazy Gardener

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Seriously, I threw around some dirt in the garden, dropped in some seeds and checked on water conditions occasionally. I might have weeded the garden four times all year. And STILL this was Sunday morning's pickings.... Salad Anyone? So anyone who thinks they need to have an agriculture degree to grow veggies in their background is seriously nuts. 

Happy Homemaker Monday

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Today was a busy-in-the-kitchen day. I'm being a happy homemaker! There was instant oatmeal to make -- because that stuff in the packet is just a waste of money. Oats are cheep, folks. Eat them.  Then, I pickled a few of the cucumbers from the garden -- for MY FIRST CANNING project. Ever!  Messy Start! Turned in this... Pickles! Which, Honestly, I Don't Like .... But Dave Does! Then, it was jammin' time. I can't eat all the fruit we get weekly from the CSA. So, for my first food-in-jar project I made apricot and rosemary jam.  Let's just say it was a big learning experience. But overall, wasn't as hard as I thought.  Yummy Apricots and Fresh Rosemary Turned into this... Pretty Jars - Ready for Toast or Roast Chicken! Last, homemade cereal bars to pack in lunches and pre-soccer-practice snack bags. They're my go-to recipe that I'm just starting to master from Alana's cookbook.  I had planned to make spelt

Sunday Morning Planning

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Nothing better than some cookbooks, coffee and pad of paper to list out my goals for the day. Though, I think Benny has a better plan for the day ... Sundays are just the best, amiright? Related posts: All the cookbook posts What I learned about menu planning