J-J-JER-KY

The other weekend we hit the farmers market and purchased various cuts of grass-fed organic beef from a local farm. The piece I was most excited about was this roast. After cooking, it was bone dry and resembled Jerky more than the succulent roast I had envisioned. UGH! I'm not very good with roasts. It looked so bad, we opted to leave it on the stove and go out for sushi.


The thought of throwing it out really bothered me. I knew no one in our family would willing eat it. So... I turned it into Picadillo. I've never made it before, but this was so good! We wrapped it with tortillas, but it could also be served over rice.


There are hundreds of recipes for Picadillo out there. I made a Cuban version, but used shredded beef instead of the ground beef most recipes called for.

Picadillo
Chop and saute in a bit of oil
-1 onion
-1 green bell pepper
- 6 cloves of garlic
Add meat (1.5 lbs) and cook, drain fat if needed
Add
-Pimientos ( I used 2oz jar)
-1/2 cup raisins
-2 T capers
-2-3 bay leaves
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
-tomato paste ( I used half of a small can)
-1/2 tsp cumin
-1/2 tsp oregano
salt & pepper
Cook for about 25-30 minutes. Sooooo good! Serious comfort food for these cold winter days.

While I cooked, Bella kept me company by rolling around on the kitchen floor. She thought this was hilarious! I can't tell you how many times I nearly stepped on her.

Copy Cat

I find it absolutely adorable that Bella toddles around and copies just about everything we do. She especially likes to imitate Noah. Here Noah is sitting at his favorite winter spot, directly in front of the heating vent. Often times Bella will do whatever he is doing, and plop down right next to him. Scooching her bottom as close to Noah as possible.

My Mind

I think I'm losing it... REALLY losing it. Yesterday several things happened to make me believe this is true.

• I went to the library with the kiddos, and when I got home my front door was slightly open. Did I forget to lock it?? Did someone break in? To be safe I asked a neighbor to check it out with me. No intruders, nothing missing, I must have just forgotten to close and lock the door. Scary! I also left the back door unlocked. I have never done this before.
• We decided to go out for pizza to celebrate Jaime's vacation. On the way home, ( I was driving) I took my cutoff, then forgot which way to turn. The road forks, and I blanked out and really REALLY couldn't remember which way to go. I went the wrong way, of course. I have driven this same route hundreds of times in the past two years. Very weird.
• After putting the little ones to bed, I ventured into the kitchen to keep Jaime company while he washed dishes. He gave me a strange look and asked me why I put my cell phone in the sink. It was under the dishes, and he nearly soaked it. I don't even remember putting it there. Phew, my lucky day that it didn't get washed. It is only about a month old after all.

Later that night, say midnight-ish, I decided to work on Bella's sweater that I am knitting. This is my first 'real' project. It has been slow going, very slow! I've worked so so hard. Somehow I dropped a stitch, or two or three. My mother showed me how to fix this while she was visiting, but every time I tried, it only got worse. No sweat... RIGHT? I'll just rip out several rows, then continue on. This didn't work either, I just can't seem to get my needle on the same row, without continually dropping more stitches... GRRR. I think I'll start over...again.

See??? OH the heartache. I should have just gone to bed, then all would be well.

One thing at a time

My house is spotless. Tubs have been scrubbed, toilets are sparkling. Floors have been swept and mopped. Rooms have been de-cluttered and organized. Gifts have been made. Bills are paid...

Okay, back to reality...
Christmas is right around the corner, and Jaime is working crazy hours as Santa's helper (wink, wink). Bella has been sick and fussy for longer than I care to remember. Every night Jaime injures himself stepping on some left out teeny tiny toy. Laundry is piling up, and so are the dishes. The walls are caving in with clutter...okay, okay, I think you get the picture.

In the midst of all this chaos, I've decided to teach myself to knit. I've wanted to learn just about FOREVER! Hey, there are some relaxation benefits involved in knowing how to turn a blind eye. I've always dreamed of knitting little baby/toddler sweaters and caps. I had better hurry, Bella is growing fast.

I found a great teaching book, Knitting Workbook by Debbie Bliss, at my library. After several hours of practice, I finally got the Garter Stitch to cooperate with me. The term 'Cast On', is no longer a mystery.

Speaking of growing babies, Bella has just about grown out of her Rumpsters. Yes we are still using cloth, it's been great! It took a while to get used to, but well worth the effort.


Ottobre has a pattern for sewing diapers. HMMM, wonder if I should give it a go? They also have a pattern to knit wool diaper covers. I haven't successfully used cloth diapers at night. They have always leaked, but perhaps with a wool cover, that problem could be solved! The best part??? The wool cover is simple to knit, well, it looks simple anyhow. Its a garter stitch with ribbing around the edge.

The rest of things around here will get done, slowly, one thing at a time. There's no rush, the mess will wait... for me... for eternity.

Have a relaxing weekend everyone!

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

We had snow, real snow! Soft and white flakes falling from the sky. It lasted for half a day, then the weather warmed slightly. Snow flakes turn to rain drops. It was so beautiful, I love the snow.

Weekend Happenings

The weather was beautiful this weekend! The sun was out, the sky was blue... wait, is this normal for this time of year? We've had a sunny autumn. Cold, very cold, but at least it hasn't been raining.

There has been lots of outside play. Walks, bike rides, eating rocks & flowers and tantrums. Yes, the tantrums get very intense when it is time to pack it up and go home.

Noah and the wild one. Yes, she is actually laughing!

A bushel of apples from our local farmers market. They smell so great! I've been threatened, I had better use every last one of them or else!

New pants for Bella. These were so fun to put together! Too bad it is too cold out to wear them. The material came from my Freecycle scrap bag, except the flower trim. Time to scrape together some cash and head to the fabric store for some warm material.

Long Overdue

About 8 years ago, or maybe it's been a little longer, I thought it would be so wonderful to sew my own clothes. I went out and bought a sewing machine. Then I set it up on my kitchen table and just stared at it. How hard could it be???

With a lot of help, and many grueling hours of sewing, I had finally put together four crappy looking curtains, each a different size. I was still determined, so I set to work creating a pattern for a skirt, then began sewing it. It was coming together, but one side was longer than the other, and the back didn't stay curved to my body, it stuck WAY out. Oh Well, I thought, no one is looking that closely at me anyhow. I pressed on... just to discover I was pregnant. Phew, I now I had an excuse not to finish. It wouldn't fit for long anyhow. I carefully put everything away.

Every time we move, de-clutter, or whenever I'm looking through old things for memories sake, I carefully pop the blue lid to a Rubbermaid container and peer in at my old sewing machine. Then I stick my hand in and feel the samples of the material I purchased...8 years ago. I've wanted to give it another try for so long, but have been afraid of failure. I have let so many years go by, so many of them wasted, paralyzed by fear. I recently received a bag of scrap fabric from freecyle, and decided to give it another go. Suddenly I didn't care about failing. What's the big deal anyway? I made two tiny items. Too small to actually use, but they have given me enough confidence to try to make Bella a pair of pants.

tiny pair of pants, maybe for a future doll?

small bag

Photos

A few Thanksgiving photos


Noah helping to make butterhorn rolls


Jaime cooked a wonderful Turkey!


Everyone is starved and ready to eat


Bella loved the cranberries most of all. I almost didn't make them because I don't care for them... usually, but these were delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This will be our first Thanksgiving without any extended family. We are so excited!! Don't get me wrong, we LOVE sharing this holiday with family, but since they are all in far away places, it will be our first time cooking the entire meal at our home, in our oven, just for the four of us. What better opportunity to try out some new recipes? On our menu this year:
-Turkey
-Mashed Potatoes
-Red Cabbage
-Butterhorn Rolls
-Cranberries
-Green Bean something or other, not quite sure yet
-Apple Pie

I will not miss Chinese takeout with my in laws, but I will miss their company. I also will miss my mothers cooking, because her cooking is unmatched in my book! My food just never tastes as good. I hope everyone has a safe and yummy day!

A Peek

A few of my favorite blogs have recently posted what their daily schedules look like, and because I know you're just dying to know, I thought I'd share mine. Okay, maybe you're not dying to know, but it's good fun to peek at someone else's routine.

7 am- wake up, nurse, dress, and play with Bella
7:30- make Noah's lunch and breakfast for us
7:45- slowly but surely drag Noah out of bed
8 - eat breakfast
8:30- clean up Bella, and get dressed, help Noah get ready for school
8:45 - take Noah to school
9:15- clean up breakfast stuff & kitchen, play with Bella until nap-time.
10:30 ish- put Bella down for nap, clean house, do laundry, bills, whatever else needs doing. Computer/reading time.
12 ish- Bella wakes, have lunch, clean-up, play with Bella some more (yes, I get to play a lot!), or go for a walk if weather is nice.
2:45- pick Noah up from school.
3:15 - snack for all of us, clean up again, then depending on the day we go grocery shopping, go to gymnastics, the library, a walk/park or stay home and... yes... PLAY!
4:30 or 5 ish - if I'm lucky Bella naps, start dinner while Noah does a few chores. Hang-out/play with Noah
6:45-7pm- Jaime comes home, eat dinner
7:30 - Bathe the kiddos, get them ready for bed. Make sure Noah gets everything ready for school the next day. Read some books, tuck in Noah. Jaime cleans kitchen.
8:15 -Put Bella to bed.
8:30 - shower, get ready for bed.
11ish- bedtime!

Overload

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and I'm starting to worry about the mass quantity of toys that will be coming our way. Our home is filled to the brim with excess toys, the novelty wearing off several minutes after acquiring them. Seriously.

We have a huge box full of toys that will be offered on Freecycle just as soon as I add a few more items. I think we could give three of these boxes and not miss the toys. I often avoid Noah's room, because there is just so much 'stuff' EVERYWHERE! It's no wonder he doesn't play in there very often. A couple of days ago I hosted a playday at our home, and tons of toys that had been put away (out of sight, out of mind) were brought out. Spilling out of his room into the hallway, living room, and downstairs.

We are fortunate enough to have several quality toys. Toys that encourage creative play. Toys that start fascinating conversations. Toys that are made from beautiful natural materials. These are the ones that get the most action. The brightly colored, flashing, singing plastic stuff gets shoved into some corner, rarely making an appearance.

In light of the massive toy recalls, I thought it'd be fun to give a list of a few places that sell 'safe, natural' toys. After all, quality is important, and often times less is more.

• rosiehippo
• palumba
• novanatural
• the wooden wagon
• quiet hours toys
• stump pond toys
• willow toys
• nico and zoe
• a toy garden
• a childs dream
• for small hands
• hearthsong
• magic cabin
• willow tree toys
• blueberry forest toys
• hazelnut kids
• three sisters toys

I'm sure there are many more.
We are saving for a kitchen and playhouse for Bella. Over the years I plan to give accessories as gifts. I hope this helps!

Goliath

Meet Goliath. He is our newest family pet. Despite my firm belief that 'exotic' animals should not be pets, somehow this little guy managed to find his way into my heart. His previous owner has recently become homeless, and could no longer care for him.


Noah really loves him. Now, if only Goliath were the cuddling type.

Beer? BEER!!

Ahem, I mean Root Beer!

Jaime has been brewing beer, real beer, for about 9 years or so. Our local brewing supply store also carriers everything you need to make soda... many different flavors, you could even mix them. Say... Raspberry Cream soda?

Jaime and Noah both love, love, love soda. I refuse to buy it! So this past weekend they took matters into their own hands, and decided to make some. It's surprisingly easy. Even if you don't have a beer setup. There are instructions for using old 2 liter soda bottles, and some yeast. A great science experiment for older children.

First Noah mixed sugar, A LOT of sugar (about 2 cups per gallon) and the root beer extract into water. Stir, stir, stir and occasionally dip your finger in to sneak a taste.


Transfer Root Beer into a clean keg. Oh yeah, and more tasting!


Have dad carry heavy keg into basement, and hook up CO2 tank for carbonation.


After a couple of hours, drink- slurp- gulp....and burp! In that order.

Once carbonated, you can fill reusable bottles and give as gifts. You can buy them at beer stores, or certain beer come bottled in these type of bottles. Grolsch?? I think is one of them. This is what they look like.

The Good Life

Have you ever...

• waited months for a book from your local library? Then stay up all night to try to finish reading it?
• woke up to happy, laughing children, just to discover your head hurts so bad you feel that you are going blind in one eye?
• tried to cook breakfast, but are so slow that your 5yr old takes over and it tastes delicious? (He even spread my popover with butter and jelly)
• been surprised by husband with a thoughtful gift? NO special occasion?
• had almost everything turn out just the way you hoped?

That's kinda what my day has been like. Wonderful!
Check out these cute little chocolates! Aren't they adorable? Yes... I'm still a choc-aholic, guess I always will be.

Happy Birthday Bella

Today we celebrated Bella's first birthday! It truly is amazing how fast time passes, and how much our lives have changed in a single year. She has brought so much joy to our little family.

Bella is not yet walking, but I think we're getting close. Also, her teeth are finally starting to come in... ALL. AT. ONCE. Yes, poor babe. Her first two came in about 3 weeks ago, her top two about 3 days ago, and her gums are swollen, promising to reveal more teeth very soon. She hasn't been eating too much, but that didn't stop her from digging into some birthday chocolate cream pie.

Happy Birthday Bella!

Farm Tour

This past weekend we headed up North for the 9th annual Skagit Valley Farm Tour. Skagit Valley is about 1.5 hours North of Seattle, and absolutely beautiful. There were a total of 16 operating farms to visit, including Alpaca farms, a Shellfish Farm, and a Creamery, just to name a few. Being that we had a very late start... call it lack of better planning... we only visited two. Which was plenty! We met a young Highland Heifer, her hair felt almost human-like. Then we were able to taste Highland Beef, which was very lean and tasty. It felt rather strange to stand in a barn, petting a young heifer, while chewing on one of her ancestors.

Higland Cattle

Noah was able to pet baby farm animals, hold 5 day old chicks, come nose to nose with a goat, and chase free range hens all over the farm. Those hens were relieved to see Noah climb back into our car. We were able to see Free Range Chickens, Free Range Turkeys, and a slew of other farm animals and activities. Despite the cold, wet day, it was educational and fun. Before we left we purchased some eggs, sausage, and a chuck roast. YUM!

Free Range Hens

BANG-BANG

I WANT to go outside, really I do. I will bang on this old, leaking, single-pane glass window until my mother gets the point. Hopefully it will break, then I'll have an easy escape route. Even Noah cheers me on. I don't care if it is cold and wet out there, besides, I like to squish my hands in the dirt. Cat-poop?? Well, it's just like dirt to me. I love to catch bugs, and let them crawl on me, but for some strange reason, they don't crawl so well after I've tenderly lifted them out of the dirt. Oh yeah, there are some tasty treats out there too... rocks, leaves, grass, and many other small not yet identified objects. Sometimes I'm so quick, mom has no chance of prying the delicious yumminess from my lips. OHHH, how I long to be outside!

Nifty Trick

This is so totally cool! If I were the neat, organized person that I have been raised to be, I would have planned this out a little better and taken a before/after photo for you to see... but this is no time to dwaddle on my short-comings.
Okay, on to this totally fabulous trick my favorite Tea gal clued me in on.
Did you know that you can clean/remove the old tea stains from your white mugs? Maybe you already know this...

Pour in a little vinegar, and scrub-a dub-dub. TA-DA!!! White again. Who knew?? I surely didn't!

In Preparation

The weather is cooling, and Autumn is just around the corner! September 23 to be exact.

This year we've had to do more prepping for Fall than previous years. Both kids need warm clothes. After so many years in Hawaii, it always amazing me how much stuff we need to prepare for cool, wet weather. Jackets, warm clothes, shoes, socks, undies... etc. Phew, this is quite a challenge for a mother who does not like to shop!

Our house will hopefully be a little cozier this winter too. We will have the windows replaced and the chimney cleaned to be able to enjoy a nice warm fire! To be honest, I'm afraid of the fireplace, worried I might burn the house down. But... we've always dreamed of owning a home with a fireplace. Now we have two, so we are going to start using them.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year for baking. The smells and warmth of home baked goods warm our spirits and our home! Here is a picture of the baked Italian plums from our tree. I used a Danish sweet yeast dough recipe, which was a little dry, but still very good. Something so simple and plain, but very tasty!


Enjoy snuggling in this cooler weather!

Wild Garden

The garden is a serious mess! Things are growing everywhere, including the weeds. It is hard to believe that Fall is just around the corner, and soon the garden will be empty, and the sky will be grey.



Today I finally harvested a few of our beets. They didn't get that big, but we have quite a few of them.



I am able to pick a container full of tomatoes every other day or so. Nothing beats the taste of home grown tomatoes, ripened on the vine. I sure will miss these during the winter.



Jaime picking Italian plums from our tree. He picked an entire bag full, and there are still plenty on the tree!! I hope to make a dessert from my childhood with these.

HELLO!!!

I cannot believe how quickly Bella is growing!

She can crawl, but prefers to scoot around town on her bottom. She pulls herself to a standing position to cruise the furniture, but has trouble getting back to a sitting position once her legs tire. Eating just may be her favorite past time. She eats anything and everything.

Today

Today was an awesome day!

Noah and I got along quite nicely, and worked together to clean up our basement! Then Noah scraped moss off of our back steps, and attempted to mow the lawn. He was so cute! Our push mower is tough to push through thick grass, and he insisted it would be easy if I would only spray WD-40... like Dad always does.

Thank you for your hard work Noah!

I can't believe how big and strong you have become in 5 short years.

Cabbage

We harvested our first Red Cabbage yesterday!! I really didn't think any of them would be eatable. They were/are terribly infested with aphids; but after peeling away the outer leaves, not a bug in site! I quartered it, just to be sure, and again... NO BUGS! Soooo, for dinner we enjoyed one of my favorite dishes... German style cooked Red Cabbage.

Vacation from a Vacation

Have you ever noticed how exhausting a vacation is? After all of the traveling, hiking, playing, swimming, eating...YES, I think I need a vacation from our vacation!

We had such a wonderful trip to Hawaii to visit my in-laws and attend a family reunion.

It's amazing how much change is all around us, yet how much things stay the same. The island of Oahu feels more and more cramped every time we visit. Many of our 'old' favorite eatery's have closed down to make way for a 'new' store. In the last 15yrs, Kmart, Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Home Depot, Circuit City, Best Buy and others have made their way to the islands. With this last trip, I learned that Whole Foods, Target, and Walgreens will also show up soon. The smaller 'Mom and Pop' shops are closing down...they just can't compete. It's scary to watch these gigantic retailers emerging on every corner, every spare piece of land. Yes, they have given the people of Hawaii more choices and competitive pricing... but come on, how much 'stuff' do we really need??

On a lighter note, there is still plenty of beauty all around. We enjoyed the beach almost daily, and did a little hiking. Noah loved being out in nature and exploring. Bella loved sitting on the beach, digging in the sand and occasionally sneaking a rock into her mouth.

We arrived home to cooler weather, a little rain, and a garden that somehow survived my absence. Yippeee!! Our first day home was spent doing laundry, grocery shopping, checking email, sorting snail mail, and unpacking. It's good to be home!

Chocolate Pudding

This is an incredibly easy chocolate pudding recipe from Mollie Katzen found in her Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook.

In medium bowl, mix:
3 Tbs of cornstarch
pinch of salt

In saucepan combine:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbs brown sugar
2 cups milk

Mix constantly on low heat until all chocolate is melted, pour half into cornstarch mix, whisk vigorously until well incorporated, then pour back into saucepan and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. It will thicken and be glossy when ready.

Stir in 1/2 tsp of vanilla and chill.


Ours came out a bit lumpy. Probably a little overcooked and inconsistently stirred, but it tastes really chocolaty!! This will satisfy even the most intense chocolate craving. Be sure to use a good quality chocolate.

Noah enjoyed stirring, watching the milk turn into 'chocolate milk'.

I've even caught him stopping by the frig and trying to poke his little finger in for a taste test! So... I made up the rule of waiting until after dinner, and I broke it. Yeah, I did. Noah went out to play, and I broke my rule. I'm gonna get a ear full later on. UGH!!! Who makes silly rules like saving good sweet deserts until after dinner anyhow??

Cauliflower

Yesterday I finally harvested about half of our Cauliflower. It didn't get as big as the Broccoli, or as big as the supermarket variety, but it doesn't matter. It grew in my backyard! Hurray!!

I thought I would have to toss it into my compost due to a slight bug infestation, but after cutting it into smaller florets, and soaking it, things are eatable and just fine.

Farmers Market

I absolutely love this time of the year. All of my favorite fruits are in season. Berries and cherries, as well as peaches, nectarines and apricots. I think I could live off of fruit alone in these warm and sunny months. Okay, maybe I'll have to throw in some whip cream or ice cream...but that would do it. There is plenty to choose from at our local farmers market. Here is a picture of this weekends yummy treats. Well, what is left of it.
We purchased:
-red & green gooseberries (in the green carton)
-a bag of apricots
-peaches
-rainier cherries (so so so sweet and delicious)
-goat yogurt & chevre

I'm saving some of my gooseberries seeds, and will attempt to grow my own. I've read that they are easy to grow, so we'll see.

I'm not a big fan of goat products... ewww. But, I'm always up for trying something new, or trying something again, just to see if my tastes have changed, which they do all the time. The chevre from a local farmer (Port Madison Farm on Bainbridge) is outstanding! I love it so much that I recently broke down and purchased some at my grocery store in a desperate attempt to satisfy my craving for this rich and creamy cheese. HMMM, not the same... at all! I don't know what it is, but the store bought chevre is just not the same, although it is much cheaper. Soooo, now I just wait for the farmers market on the weekend and indulge myself.

What are some of your favorite summer eats?

New Arrival

Just as I had lost all hope... I discovered a little baby purple cauliflower in the garden.

Soooo EXCITING!!

This is the only one that hasn't been attacked by some type of bug. They're in close quarters, my cauliflower plants, so I'm sure it won't be long until the little buggies find this one too.

Spider Boy

MOM!!! MOM!!!!!!MOOOMMMM!! Come quick, we need your help!

Noah's eyes were alive with excitement, this could only mean one of two things

• he found a salamander
• he found a big spider
  

He led me to an old hollow cement cylinder that we found buried in our yard. He instructed me to look inside. I was nervous... is something going to jump out at me? Bite me? Scare me to death? Deep breath, I can handle this... after all, whatever it is, is much smaller than me, RIGHT??? Right. So I peek inside, and I see a spider. Not huge, but big enough to give me the heeby jeebies.

We need your help Mom! Great, why me??? So I help, trembling all along, ready to flee at any sign of a charging spider. She(yes I think she was a female) was a gentle one. Slowly climbed out of the cylinder, and allowed Noah to pick her up. Whew! Later in the evening, Noah was still playing this spider. I was worried he might smash her... She was crawling all over Noah's arms...I silently hoped she wouldn't bite Noah. She didn't, and we set her free at the end of the day. All ended Well...

My Childhood

Several weeks ago my sister was helping my dad sell off some of his furniture and belongings in preparation for his move back to his home state of Florida. While in the backyard shed, she discovered a box full of books from our childhood. She showed up at my house with this box, and we began to dig through it. Wow, these books really took us back. Noah dived right in and began thumbing through the pages, begging for someone to read him a book. About half of them are in German, so those I cannot read, but we've read through all the English books several times.

One night, after everyone had gone to bed, I couldn't sleep so I decided to look through this box again. I found several 'report cards' from our grade school days in an American school in Germany. Here are a few comments, Grades 1-3.

Grade 1: -Eva is a capable student and shows much potential.
-Eva is making progress, at times she can be a bit rough with other students. I'm sure she'll improve if you speak to her. (YIKES)

Grade 2: -Eva is a very good worker. She takes great pride in her work. (Ahh redemption)

Grade 3:-Eva did not study for Science and did not complete homework. (uh ohhh)

Thinking back, I can remember how much I loved school, at least I loved having friends, and playing on the playground during recess. Class time often felt torturous. Having to sit still, and not being able to talk to my neighbor was tough. So tough that I just couldn't help myself, and often got lectured about talking too much. Is there such a thing? MMMM not in my book. =)