Mummies...

 

String Cheese

Sliced Black Olives

Green Onion

Pizza Sauce

English Muffins

 

350, Till the cheese melts.

Lemon Loaf....yumm

Recipe Share: Starbucks Lemon Loaf

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup oil
• zest of one lemon
• Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

On and poppin'

Yesterday was horrible!!  Everett is cutting teeth, Luke doesn't listen to me at all, and Matt is getting sick so he wanted to take a nap(atleast he slept with the baby).  All I wanted to do yesterday is go to Hobby Lobby and get stuff for my project (fabric flowers).  I have decided that I need a get away.  I love doing crafts lately and cooking and even grocery shopping, and running mainly because children are not apart of that.  It makes me feel horrible that lately I can't wait for nap time or pre-school just so I can sit down and watch what I want or clean without holding a baby, or fear of burning a baby cause he reaches for every hot pan.  Lately, Luke is just so frustrating, and I can't stand it.  I have no idea what to do with him.  I try to involve him in whatever is going on, I do nice things for him, I cater to his every whim and woe, and still he treats me like dirt.  But yeah now that I got that rant out of the way, WOOOSA!!  Today Mat has school so I will be heading to the gym at 7:30ish to weigh myself. I am going to run there and then run around the long way home so it should be around a 2.5 mile run.  I didn't get to do anything I want to do yester day besides my project and a special snack for the boys after school because by then I was drained.  Today though I am as on and poppin as I am going to get.

Two hour nap...

Fall!!!

I love fall!!  I have little fall traditions for the family....it's soo fun, this will be Everett's first fall.  My husband and I are like children, this is our favorite time of the year!! 

Things I love about fall with my family...

1.Leaves!!!  We love to snatch the neighbors leaves (they don't mind) and pile them up and have Luke jump in them.  He likes to throw them in the air just to watch them fall back down.  I like to wait till my husband is coming outside and throw leaves in his face.

2. Candles!!  I love fall smelling candles!!!  What is that?  Any candle that smells like cinnamon, coffee, nutmeg, vanilla, or a warm blanket.  This year we are going to make our own candles for our pumpkins.  Just thought it might me fun...it's easy enough.

3. Green Bluff!!!  Green Bluff is this little farming community where I live that has u-pick pretty much all year round.  It's where we go for pumpkins every year.  They have mini train rides for kids, pony rides, and corn mazes.  It's soo much fun and this will be Everett's first year out there.

4. Pumpkins!!  Every year we get together my family, Uncle Seth and his family and carve pumpkins.  I roast pumpkin seeds and make apple cider.  We watch It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown and other kid friendly Halloween movies.

5. Winter wear!!  I love sweaters and hats and all of it.  Everett is the cutest baby, but add a hat and OMG, I just wanna eat him up!!  I always buy the kids cute hats and gloves that usually match (one year Luke had the cutest dinosaur hat and gloves) and every year my husband accuses me of de-manning the boys.  I only get so many years of cuteness before they won't wear it.

6. Heaters!!  I love the smell when the heater kicks on.  That's when you know it's fall.

What do you love about fall?

Tomorrow kicks off my self improvment mission!!

The best Pan Roasted Chicken EVER!!!

 

Ingredients

• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 3 1/2-pound chicken, giblets removed
• 1 teaspoon peanut or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened, divided
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Mash garlic and salt into a paste in a small bowl, using the back of a spoon. Stir in pepper and thyme.
3. With a sharp knife, remove any excess fat from chicken. Dry the inside with a paper towel. With your fingers, loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs to make pockets, being careful not to tear the skin. Rub the garlic mixture over the breast and thigh meat.
4. Heat oil and 1 teaspoon butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning often, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board; tent with foil.
6. Meanwhile, mash the remaining 1 teaspoon butter and flour in a small bowl until a paste forms. Place the pan (use caution, the handle will be hot) over medium-high heat. Add broth and bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Gradually whisk in the butter-flour paste a few bits at a time, until the gravy thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, allowing any fat to rise to the top. Skim off the fat with a spoon. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy. Garnish with parsley, if desired

Found at Eating Well


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I will be doing this when I got back home!!

Handkerchief Flowers...

1. Cut out circles (I cut out 2 each of 3 sizes)

2. Fold one circle in half, right sides touching. Sew a few stitches. Now fold the other say, right side touching and sew a few stitches.

3. Your flower should look something like this. The closer in you stitch the ruffle-ier the flower.

4. Repeat with the rest of your circles.

Now all you do is stack the circles in size order (small ones on top) and hand stitch them together. Once they feel secure, add the pearls.

 

 Full tutorial at...

Through a four year olds eyes....

My son, Luke, is four and a hand full.  Everyday he tests me and my husband.  Our patience and nerve is challenged at every turn.  He is a great child don't get me wrong but, holy crap.  Does he have to repeat everything twenty times?  Does he have to yell to be heard  all the time?  Does he have to wake up his brother every time he sleeps?  He just makes me crazy sometimes.  I just feel like it can't all be on him (the annoyance and the insubordination), like it's my fault cause he just needs more attention.  But I also feel like maybe he is just testing me, cause all of the little friends he has that are his age are acting the same way.  Perhaps there is some odd astral alignment that is causing four year olds to loose their dang minds but they need to find them cause I'm seriously loosing mine.  I know that they are only this old for so long and that this is just a phase and I hate to say it but I hope Luke's kids do the same thing to him.