I feel ditched.

You know how Mr. A and I started this great tradition last year (yah, I know one year doesn't make a tradition but then, maybe it does...) of having a martini a day, for the 12 days leading up to Christmas? And you know how we were totally trying to figure out what to do this year? I did some research and I had settled on some really great 'Old fashioned' type cocktails. I WAS EXCITED. I made a list and everything. Really people, this is something I feel passionate about and I was researching it and EVERYTHING. This is the list:

1. Hot Buttered Rum

2. Brandy Alexander

3. Old fashioned (makes sense considering the list)

4. Bloody Mary

5. Tom Collins

6. Whiskey Sour

7. Rusty Nail

8. Singapore Sling

9. Gimlet

10. Rob Roy

11. Gin Fizz

12. Kir Royale (cause that's just classy)

Honorable mentions go to: The Mai Tai, A Manhattan and the always classic, Martini - shaken, not stirred.

Great list right?! I mean, that's impressive. But here's the thing, I haven't had one, NOT ONE, drink off this list. It's the 14th, I'm a good two days into this thing and NOTHING. You know how hard it's going to be for me to catch up? And if I skip tonight as well? (I have no spiced rum and I have to go in order...) I'm not all together sure if I can do it. I might have to combine a few days... or maybe just do it all in one? Decisions, decisions...

12 days of Christmas

Get your thinking caps on! The Twelve Days of Christmas are fast approaching (like, tomorrow people) and I've yet to come up with a theme. I'm feeling the stress. What should we focus on this year? Something fruity? Something fun? Traditional?

Comments (nice ones please 'tis the season and all) are welcome and appreciated!

Finally, the stairs...

Dear Martha, Thank you for your fun and creative ideas. Where would I be without you?

What the wood looks like when it's sanded and stained. The 'stuff' in the corner is filler. I wouldn't do this normally but my initial reaction when I took off the carpet was to paint the stair. After a bit of labour I saw the wood, grew interested and decided to keep it bare. The house is divided as to whether we should keep it this way or cover it up using some other method.

And here they are in all their glory. Before they were carpeted in a REALLY ugly pink/beige carpet... shagalishous. This carpet is still hanging out in 2 bedrooms and the master on-suite. Oh, yah, it's awesome.

Take a deep breathe. They aren't done, again, a trend... I'm all about consistency. I have a bit of filling to do on the sides and the poly needs to be applied but I have to say, I LOVE them. They are rustic and imperfect. In fact, it looks as though someone with virtually NO home improvement experience tried to create something out of nothing and possibly failed miserably. And it's hard work. Don't suddenly rip up the carpet of your house and think this is easy. It will take you LONG hours, tons of sandpaper and a scrape or two (by scrape I mean huge chunks of skin missing from your hand). It was sooo much freakin' fun though. I'd love for them to be over and done with but putting poly on stairs takes an awful long time - there's the whole drying thing and the whole getting motivated thing...

And Christmas fast approaches....

The stairs still don't have the poly on them. But how can I even think of that when Little Drummer Boy is playing. Enjoy. This boy is 16 years old (or so the article said) and extremely talented. Little 8 pound baby Jesus would be smiling in his manger.

A work in progress.

I'm working on the stairs.... and the upstairs flooring... and the molding... Pictures will follow soon!

Grab a pillow and cover your eyes.

The things that go 'bump' in the night have nothing on these guys. ;) I was thinking of this as the daunting task of fall cleaning is at hand. It's a might bit overwhelming. I also think it's time for a bit more shrubbery in the garden.

The Hockey Sweater (Le Chandail De Hockey) HD

It's that time of year again. The above is based on a famous Canadian book. It was one of the first books my son received when he was born. I suspect most Canadian children own this book. It explains our culture on sooo many levels. Enjoy - and giggle...

Other things.

Spent some time on Pinterest again. Here's what I'm coveting right now - tomorrow is a new day.

1. This poster is fabulous; as is this one.

2. A recipe for Butterbeer. It is NOT for children. I wonder if this is what J.K. Rowling was thinking... and if it is it makes me LOVE England soooo much more. Note: This blog has a recipe for Cream Biscuits and Sausage Gravy on September 12th. They look quite appealing.

3. I've collected wine corks for quite awhile now and as you might imagine, I have quite a few. Last year I put a bunch of them in the garden for a natural mulch. It seems to have worked. Of course, that was a year ago and I was wondering as to what I should do with the 'new' corks. I think I should do make one of these! A little hot glue, some cardboard?

4. I thought about sending this to one of the boys in the mail. They love getting mail - it makes me feel special too... how about you?

5. I'm waiting for one of my readers to have a baby again. I giggled. I know you will too!

6. I tried to do this. The first year it worked wonderfully. I used beans and peas and they twirled and climbed and covered the sticks. The kids loved it.... well, the neighbor kid loved it. This year everything died. The sticks are starting to fall down and all in all, it just looks like a mess. Maybe next year...

7. I want to walk into anyone of these little houses and have a glass of wine with Mr. A. The one with the candles and the little table is my favorite.

8. Potato Chip Cookies. I'm DOOMED!

Some Things I Found Today.

Never one to shy away from hours of Internet surfing, I've happened upon a few sites that I am now particularly fond of.

The first is an up and coming designer, Catalina Rozo. Check out the Market Grown bags. How great would it be to have one of those for the market here in Worthington? Alas, the bags are only sold by the farmers in Alachua County, FL. Maybe one of my creative friends will think of a way to whip one of these up right here. I tag you!

I originally found the bags on the dieline. The first blog entry that I read was for a label created for 337 - wine... You just have to be on board for anything that has to do with wine. The blog is more about package design but I judge a book by it's cover and that's probably why I enjoyed this so much.

Taking another step back and it brings us to House8810. I'm all in a dizzy over their retro 70's look; especially, but not limited to, these awesome Days of the Week Towels. How cute! It's a great place to look if you need a little something, something, for a new house that you may be considering... ;)

AND THEN, I came across pinterest. It's a website dedicated to keeping whatever you're interested in. And the bonus: you can check out what everyone else has found. There are some wonderful, wonderful ideas. It's just amazing. And when you click on a picture it will take you somewhere else. LOVE IT. I could spend days (and probably will) just going through everyones posts.

You thought your day was going to be empty. You're welcome. I'm off to go find some of that 337 and stare at pictures. Something tells me I'm going to have to sell something in order to afford the wine and the stuff in the pictures....

Jacques Pepin

Jacques Pepin and his friends are pure genius. In 1965 they decided to hold 'The grandest picnic of all time". Lucky for me, some chefs in the Columbus area decided to recreate that picnic and sold the idea at a silent auction. How wonderful that a friend of mine invited Mr.A. and I to attend?!

So last night we rode a little bus out to a local farm with a dozen others and had one of the best meals I've ever had. As you walked off the bus there on a white linen table cloth, was a galvanized bucket filled with ice and bottles of wine. Lovely. And less than 20 minutes later an appetizer of walleye and coleslaw (not your average, everyday green cabbage variety) miraculously appeared in your hand. REALLY!

After that we were asked to walk down a path to the farmers field... Yes, this sounds a little "Children of the Corn"ish but there, amidst tall stalks of sunflowers and a wonderfully orange setting sun was another long table also covered in a white linen table cloth. On top stood elegant wine goblets, rustic breads and cheeses that would make your mouth water. Every bottle of wine was different. All 7 courses were different. The dessert of local ice cream and crushed cookies was AMAZING. It took all of 3 hours to arrive, eat and leave. I was almost convinced I was in Provence. Almost... I'm pretty sure we're going to try to recreate this for our 15th anniversary. That's only 3 years away.... any chance you're free?

Where did the time go?

It seems to me that I've spent the whole summer sitting around like this little gopher. My words are more like, "S., S!, S!, Hey, E., E!, E.! Why is no one listening to me?" But all in all I get how that little guy is feeling.

And now that I have no voice left and I'm just starting to get into a groove with the kids, school is starting. Not just yet. Next week. Soon enough. I should have more time to accomplish all those tasks that I've been putting off and maybe even post something here every now and again.

I haven't started on the stairs yet let alone the bathrooms and the hallways... I have started applying around for employment. Nothing yet. Try to think positive thoughts for me and if you know someone, who knows someone, have them give me a ring!

Almost time.

The days of summer are fast approaching. While I always love having the kids home full-time (I truly appreciate it sometime in July or near the end of August...) I have to admit I'm going to miss my one-on-one time with Mr.E. Next year he's off to school full time and I have to decide how I'm going to fill those days. Yes, there's always laundry, dishes and looking after the dog but I'm pretty sure that will only take up a day.

Frankly, heading back to the workforce scares the crud out of me. I haven't been part of it all for 8 years. That's a long time people. And not only that, I'm in a new country where a TON of people are looking for work and probably slightly more qualified than I, for any job. Granted, I would do awesome in a negotiations setting or with the bomb squad but how many positions for that could there be? Another thing, my CANADIAN degree is in Geo-Anthropology. That's up there with Psych majors and Philosophy - no offense to either of those... Crud.

So, here I sit, wondering about something that's not going to happen for months. Maybe longer if I don't settle for a career in the food services industry (ie. McDonald's - not that there's anything wrong with that either - Dear McDonald's people, please hire me). And I have to make up a resume. Man, this could take years....

Is it Summer where you are?

I was lucky enough to be able to wear my sunglasses. It's about 80 degrees, the sun is shining and there's a breeze just cool enough to keep things wonderful. The kids are playing out in the field behind the house. They've finished their slushes (pineapple juice, limeade and lemonade blended with crushed ice) and they're happy as can be.
The pitcher of Sangria is chilling in the fridge. I've already had a glass (or two) with some of the crushed lemonade and some blueberries- just to keep things interesting.
A light lunch; cheesy dip with fresh herbs from the garden, perfectly ripe cherries, yummy whole wheat crackers from Trader Joe's and an exquisite italian salami. Perfect for enjoying the Oasis on this beautiful day. I'm sure summer must be here. Hoping it's there for you too.

Ultimate Dog Tease

This is a HUGE hit in our house.

Dammmmittt.

• Thank you to my friend Stacy for getting me addicted to saying that. It's great except when I'm at the school carnival and I forget and I say it out loud instead of in my head. Nothing like teaching a bunch of 1st graders a new word.
• I made the mistake of stepping on the scale today. Dammmiittt! I knew I was gaining weight. My stomach was bigger than my jeans and my shirts weren't fitting properly. Apparently my diet of frou frou coffee and McDonald's chocolate milkshakes was working against me! Who knew? Anyway, I've decided it's time to get serious. I'm just going to accept the new weight and live with it. Yah, you heard me right. I'm officially 30 pounds heavier than I was before I had kids. But that was 10 years ago and I ain't no spring chicken. I like food. I eat (fairly) right. I exercise. So screw it. If I want to eat M&M's then I'm going to eat M&M's and I'm not going to feel guilt about it.
• I just had a birthday. I think not only getting older, I'm also getting wiser. I'm getting more relaxed and dammmiiittt I'm happier!
• I made a big bunch of granola today. I also happened upon puffed Kamut. I added it to the granola. It tastes freakin' fantastic. See? I totally eat healthy.
• The garden is in full swing. The Iris's are blooming, the peas are a couple of inches long and so are the squash. I had my first drink on The Oasis with my friend Ser. We got a little red as well. It was fabulous.
• We're making our summer plans. I'd like it to include a lot of beer, sitting around with my friends and swimming at the pool. So far, so good. What about you?

Favourite Places

The living room corner where you'll find me every night from 8-11 pm. The pictures aren't straight (they never are) and the kids jump on the couch (when I'm not looking) and I have more magazines than any one person needs.

These are the pictures I bought a couple of weeks ago. I purchased the frames from Target and Mr. A hung them up... It was a miracle. The mirror on the wall was one I was given by my uncle. A neighbour of his was going to throw it out! It was a very burnished gold but I had some handy dandy silver paint and a little kids paint brush. Now it's practically perfect for the space (meaning: it was free!).

The King Size bed! Yahoo. The bedroom is almost done. I'd like to rip up the rug and as you can tell I need a bedskirt. No one likes to look at a box spring... Remember I sleep here and I don't have a degree in photography (I have a little Kodak) so the pictures not perfect and neither is the room. I actually use the Jergens every night(and morning - keep moisturized!) and I always have to have a water glass (or two) beside my bed. I don't iron my sheets 'cause the kids jump on them too. I don't like things matchy-matchy either - just simple. I'm like that...

This is my husbands night stand (notice the water glass). The basket holds the phone, change from his pocket and a pen. The brown bin underneath holds all his other junk (magazines, magazines, and the other odd articles he might have). The photo above is a copy of our wedding invitation a friend had framed for us when we got married. It's yellowed and looks a bit 'off' but we can't pitch it - you know why...

Groceries.

I'm going to be busy making muffins, breakfast burritos, cookies, granola and a whole lot more. I didn't buy cereal again today. It really does make for a bit more work for me. In fact, I'm not entirely sure why I think not buying cereal makes a big difference. I've obviously got it on the brain and I'm not letting go.

I stuck to my list today - so far so good. Hopefully I've got enough there to keep everyone full and not whining about the lack of granola bars and snacks; by "everyone", I mean me... The total food expenditure for today was $104.34. Without a doubt fresh food is far more expensive than frozen and snack food - and the kids tend to eat more of it. I swear my boys will have the two bags of apples and all those bananas gone by Friday! Drives me nuts.

As a side note: I'm looking for a good Masala Curry Sauce recipe. Anyone out there have one?

Edit: I have since made these muffins from Smitten Kitchen. I haven't tasted them but they look exactly like the picture - so YUM! Also from Smitten Kitchen, these lovely looking peanut butter cookies of which I've already eaten 3. I'm not a big fan (3 and I don't really like them. what if I did?) they're a little dry and bland. I think I'm more partial to the sugar/butter laden ones that stick to the top of your mouth. Lastly, I also whipped up a batch of these chocolate breakfast muffins. TO DIE FOR! And not just for breakfast - especially if you add a little oat bran, flax seeds and walnuts - then they taste just like brownies! For an extra special treat, don't sprinkle with sugar at the end... instead... wait for it... use a sprinkling of coarse sea salt on the top of each. Oh, yes, yes, I did....

Before I forget.

I thought I would post what I plan on making for dinner this week - you know, before I forget... Dinner planning is one of my hardest jobs - really. Making a meal that four different people will like isn't as easy as it sounds. Some days I just stand and stare at my fridge hoping and praying that a meal will just jump out at me. Usually it doesn't and I end up getting all frazzled and falling to pieces. This is my life. It's not pretty.

If I'm lucky (like this week) I make a list of meals I can create from the stuff in my kitchen - sometimes I need help from the grocery store but hopefully, it's very little. Not only does this keep my on budget and/or keep me from becoming clinically insane (sort of) it also helps me use up some of the articles that have been taking up space - articles I buy because I become inspired by a certain recipe (that I later lose and still end up with 3 bottles of tumeric in my cupboard...). Here we go:

Sunday (tonight): Pulled pork on a bun with ranch potatoes and salad.

Monday: BBQ pork buns (meat done!) and garlic steamed broccoli.

Tuesday: Pork with rice and snowpeas and broccoli.

Wednesday: Chickpeas, peas and potatoes in curry sauce served over brown rice.

Thursday: Beef and rice balls in tomato sauce (I add grated veggies to the meatballs).

Friday: Baked fish with potato gratin and corn on the side. This will probably not pass with the kids - life isn't that simple but Mr. A will eat it happily.

Water parks

Water parks never seem like a good idea. EVER! The thought of a bunch of kids running around, falling, maybe even peeing in the pool (maybe?) makes me shutter. I like kids but I'm not a big fan of noise and well, 'bunches' of kids. Yet every time we go to a water park I think life is freakin' awesome. My kids always have a blast. They're worn out by the time we're done and I'm calm, cool and collected. It makes no sense what-so-ever!

So this was how we ended our Spring Break. There's many a water park within easy driving distance from our front door - we chose just one. We stayed the night and made a whole 'family getaway' out of it. We even brought the dog! We ate supper at the bar, swam for hours and finished the evening watching the Blue Jackets on t.v. It turned out to be the perfect ending - and that was an almost exact quote from the little people.

To do lists and other things I don't want to do.

• The stairs still look like this. There's more dust bunnies in the corners, piles of kids crap on the second stair and maybe a dint or two from Mr.E throwing a ball up and down "cause it goes faster now" but basically, I've done nothing.
• I still have to caulk in all the gaps on the fireplace room floor. Yep, it's been a year. I also have to prime and paint the molding. Whatever...
• I'd like to make pillow covers for the pillows that came with the green couches we bought. I HATE the pillows but for some reason I also think it's ludicrous to throw them out and just go buy new ones. Me and my stupid reasoning make absolutely no sense at all. None.
• I collected old maps from neighbours and friends in the fall in hopes that I would paint the downstairs bathroom and cover one wall with the maps. Haven't done it yet. Fall is long gone. Stupid fall.
• It's spring here. That's a good thing (though not if you're the bathroom). The sun is shining and the birds are singing and I'm reminded that I really need to get my butthogs out to the garden and clean up all the leaves and 'stuff' because plants are starting to grow. I have one tulip that has actually bloomed. I think it's a little premature but who am I?
• Our garage door decided it no longer wants to be attached to the garage. Add that to "The list of things that need to be fixed" (the basement leaking might be at the top but really, it's such a long list it really is hard to tell which is more important). This isn't necessarily on my 'to do' list but it's on someone's - I think it's safe to assume it's on mine I suppose.
• I have to do laundry. I hate doing laundry. I think I might just be feeling a bit whiny. Maybe just a little? Darn it. I'm going to get a glass of wine now. Did you read all the way to this? Wow. Go make your own list. Pffflllt.

Mornings.

I turn on the kettle. Put the tea bags into pot. It's missing a lid - for a few years now. I'll find a new one eventually but not a new pot. I love my little Brown Betty.

I'll have a scoop (or a cup) of date square - made with garbanzo flour and flax seed and a mixture of fruit, not just dates...

Then I'll probably have one of these muffins - tropical (almonds, coconut and dates). So yummy. I'm all about the carbs.

Spring is up and shining brightly (today) even if the temperatures haven't yet warmed up enough for me to put away my winter jacket. I love staring at the flowers while drinking my tea. It's calming especially when it sounds like the Indianapolis 500 is happening behind me...

These guys are usually hanging out in the fruit tree. Can you see the squirrel? He saw me! And he was taunting Putty. It's an ongoing game that they play.

Balloons and Streamers.

Happy Birthday Auntie Jane.

and while I'm at it; Happy Birthday to you too Mrs. Woods.

Soup.

Homemade Beef broth (you may substitute whatever you regularly use). Bring to a boil. Add a bunch of stuff. For instance all of or a combination of: celery, carrots, onions, garlic, edamame, bok choy or other cabbage, corn, bamboo shoots (eww), or water chestnuts. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the veggies are blanched.
Crunch up some Ramen noodles (yes, the ones you get for $0.75 at the grocery store) in a bowl or several bowls. Two packs easily feeds 4 of us. Leave the seasonings out. I pitch them but if you use them for another purpose or really want to have all that sodium in your soup then add them. Cover with a plate and let sit for 3 minutes.

As in the movie 'Ponyo', I usually take these to the table and tell everyone to close their eyes. Once their eyes are closed I add 'specials' like ham, cooked egg, chopped green onions, bacon or crunchy noodles. Everyone in my family LOVES this. I do too.

Helping out

A neat science experiment for the kids. It's as simple as putting whipping cream in an air tight container and shaking it. Shake, shake, shake (you want to say, "your booty" don't you?) Before you know it - BUTTER! We added a little sea salt at the end. And on a fresh bun it tastes fantastic.

Thank you Mrs. C for the idea!

Getting Ready.

It's Spring Vacation here. I should be somewhere warm with a swim up bar and sand stuck in unmentionable places. But I am not. I'm trying to make the most of 'spring' in Ohio. Rain, snow, clouds, more rain... you get it....

I am so truly blessed to receive the King Arthur Flour catalogue in the mail (there might be a hint of sarcasm there) and low and behold they had a recipe for a lovely Spring Sweet Bread. What better way to start of the warm bathing suit weather than with sweet bread? It's divine with a cup of tea, lemon curd and a good book. So make a loaf or two and curl up. We've got sunshine today!

Note: the King Arthur version calls for a few things that I had to make substitutions for...

1. Buttery Sweet Dough Flavour = 1 tsp. vanilla, grated orange rind, a splash of real orange juice (from an actual orange). I'm sure it's nothing like the real thing but it tasted great just the same.

2. Tropical Fruit Blend = a cup of chopped candied fruits I had leftover from Christmas. I actually thought I was going to make a fruitcake this year. Oh how I make myself chuckle...

3. The topping = It calls for an awful big amount of sugar and flour here - and more butter. I made less, probably half of what they call for, and still had plenty.

Just Funny.

This is what we do for giggles around here. Putty gets an almost empty jar of peanut butter and we proceed to laugh and laugh and laugh as he chases the container around the house. He finally settles in his bed - guarding the much loved jar. He growled at E for getting a little too close to the jar. E though it was hilarious and snapped the picture anyway. Putty can do no wrong in his eyes- the eyes of a six year old - *sigh*

The dog is happy and so are we.

Shopping Extravaganza

This trip was a mild $73.94. Don't get excited... it gets worse...

I then remembered that I forgot to get olive oil (yes, there's some sort of oxymoron thing going in there). $19.74 later I have olive oil ($2.29) and a few other items I probably didn't need.... darn it. Not only that, but later I remembered that I had forgotten to buy Parmesan cheese and went to Trader Joe's to get some (again). Trader Joe's is like crack to me. CRACK! Yah, so $26.26 later (tater tots, scones, fondue, chicken bouillon, cheese, tortellini, ravioli and olives - extra large) I walked out of TJ's. Double darn. So, if you were keeping track or had a calculator handy, you'd realize that this weeks total- which started at a mere $73.94 - is now $119.94.

The boys are on break next week so I'm hoping aside from a gallon of milk and a bag of apples I won't have any other reason to spend money on food. Famous last words....

This weeks menu:

Monday: Pasta with broccoli, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and zucchini served with bread and cheese. Thank goodness for bread and cheese...

Tuesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tater tots and yogurt. (see Mondays reference to cheese and bread)

Wednesday: Rice with tofu, baby corn, carrots, edamame and egg.

Thursday: Meatloaf with potatoes and squash.

Friday: Nachos - beef with green chilies, the leftover rice from Wednesday, carrots and onion. Cheese on top. Fresh salsa (tomatoes and onions chopped with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice). Plain yogurt.

Saturday: Roast chicken and orzo with olives and shredded cheese and tomatoes.

Sunday: Chicken tortellini soup.

So when should I expect you?

Just another Day.

I've spent the whole day (most of it anyway) organizing and rearranging and spring cleaning. I'm tired. I'm sick of it already and it looks like I've done nothing. I've finally put some of those writing things up that I bought 4 years ago, when I lived in Colorado. Yah, now you can find them everywhere and they cost 1/3 of what I paid. Darn it. I could have been the first on the wagon but instead I was the last. Happens all the time. I dusted my bedroom - which was kinda gross... ick.... lots and lots of dust... ewww....

What started all this cleaning - the sun? the fact that it's Saturday? an "I'm done with all this clutter" attitude? No. I was online the other day and happened upon Etsy. I've been on Etsy many times but often I get so overwhelmed with everything and I usually end up logging off. This time however, through some sort of maneuvering I happened upon a page by Happy Life Prints. I love their little prints. Simply Adorable!
I bought this one and another that says, "You make me happy when skies are grey". One day I may even frame them (frame not included) and put them on the wall. One day...

Restful

A little 7 minute break in your day. Happy Friday.

The Stairs - an Ongoing Saga...

They started out looking like this.

Then I got out my handy dandy tools and they started to look like this...

Now they look like this - dust bunnies and all... yah, next time I should sweep them before I take the pictures, sorry. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do when I've finished sanding them. Google 'painted stairs' and see how many interesting things are out there - painting, wallpaper, letters, numbers, rugs, etc. And yet, so little time.

Nutella, Guinness and Cheesy Potatoes.

Groceries are a headache. As with most chores, it takes longer than you think and is not nearly as gratifying as eating chocolate and watching bad television. Yet, it must be done as the little ones get hungry and start complaining about the utter lack of food in the house. The total today was $101.89. I don't think I need to rush out and purchase anything else so I think this is it for the week. I'm going to make bread this evening and gingerbread men this afternoon (thank you Jan Brett!). I've been informed that all anyone really wants for lunch is a sandwich. So you'll notice Nutella (for E's banana & nutella wraps), Muenster cheese and ham (for Mr. A and S's wraps with lettuce and tomatoes). And what's for me? See those Shandy's in the back? ALLLLLL MINNNEEE! Mr. A gave up beer for Lent (ha ha ha)!
Though when you put Guinness in cake it doesn't count. That's what I've been told and who am I to argue? This was out dessert for St. Patty's day. The recipe can be found here and here, in case you want the original or just want to read Nigella's food porn. Seriously, if ever you need a fix this lady has it wrapped up.
And St. Patty's is never complete without some sort of potato concoction. This one is boiled, then baked, potatoes topped with tomatoes, ham, bacon, onions, Irish cheese and plain yogurt. TO DIE FOR! I could eat a big ass bowl of this and still come away wanting more. There's just something about potatoes and cheese that makes me want to melt (there's a pun there somewhere). Throw on some bacon and it's heaven! Oh, and in case you doubted it, I did have myself a Guinness on Thursday. How could you not?

Pancakes...

Thank you Ms. Robin for the Corn Pancake recipe. I had them for lunch and for dinner - with your salsa and shredded cheese. I am one happy camper! It's Pancake Tuesday at our house. Mardi Gras for the rest of you.... I absolutely love Pancake Tuesday. I eat and eat and practically burst at the seams. It's lovely. I think if everyone ate breakfast for supper at least once or twice a week we'd all be a lot happier. Just sayin'. (Oh, and a hug or two couldn't hurt.)

In case you haven't connected Pancake Tuesday with Lent yet, let me remind you that tomorrow is the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday. The last couple of years I've tried to give up chocolate. It's harder than it sounds. I'm not always successful. I think last year I accidentally popped a truffle into my mouth only to expel it almost at once. It was a sad waste of a truffle. And it's almost impossible to cut chocolate out completely - try going to Starbucks and ordering a coffee without chocolate in it. It was alright when I was in Colorado as my local barista gave up chocolate too and knew exactly what type of Frou-Frou coffee I could have... *sigh* I miss her....

This year I've decided to go a little bit riskier. Take a deep breath. Sit down.... Alright, I've decided to give up coffee all together. I binged today and bought two large coffees. I might make myself a coffee before I go to sleep tonight. I will miss it incredibly. I reckon I'm going to be a might bit of a bi-yach this week. Warning to those who might be living in the same house as me, see me at pick-up, walking innocently on the street, etc. The headaches are going to be awful. I'm really hoping that by next week I'll feel like a new woman. Maybe a mad woman but a new woman just the same. I'm off to brew a cup. Just thinking about it makes me get the shakes. Wish me luck!

The husband and the kids have gone for a walk. Can you tell I was madly typing, trying to get this all done before they got home? Sheesh...

No time for that.

I do realize that it is now Wednesday and I haven't posted my Monday shopping receipt. I apologize. I hang my head in shame (I've been doing that a lot lately). Here's the thing, I didn't take a picture and there might be a few items that I'm not sure I want you to know about (by 'you' I mean the people who 'happen' upon this blog). So, if you must know. If you're chomping on the bit and just can't go another day without knowing how much I spent on things I didn't really need, the total was $73.31. But I did by wine and chips at World Market not 24 hours later and that was 30 bucks. There, that's done, lets move on shall we?

The reason I've been busy is because I'm starting that Spring Cleaning thing. The sun was shining and the birds were twittering and I got my butt off the couch! An amazing thing on its own no? I've also started doing the little things I had put off - getting a lamp for the living room, hanging pictures, vacuuming... One step at a time. I made headway yesterday and aside from a coffee table (highly overrated right?) and the molding that we keep saying we're going to do, I think I've finished with the living room. Today I'm going to tackle the carpet on the stairs. It's an irritating job. It involves removing staples and nails from wood. Blech.

Oh, and the trees are starting to bud here. I woke to a booger nose. You're excited to know that aren't you? Last year was perhaps the worst allergies I've EVER had. I'm not over estimating either. It was HORRIBLE! I even stopped drinking for a while and thought about locking myself in a bubble. I'm going to start with the allergy medicine now in hopes I nip this is the bud (no pun intended). Say a prayer for me.

Dog Bones and Icing.

BRACE YOURSELF!

This morning my son asked me what a Twinkie was. It's true. I hang my head in shame. He probably isn't aware of the names of any of the Hostess group. As a child of the 70's/80's, I feel like I have failed as a parent. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he doesn't know what orange pop (soda) tastes like either. You're disappointed in me aren't you?

Well, get over it! I've rectified the situation and all is well with the universe. While I didn't go out and buy a bunch of shortening based pastries, I did break out the butter and find myself a delicious little cake that I think you'd agree is a wonderful (if not better) substitute. The cake is super easy and the icing even easier - with time and perseverance. It tastes amazing. Oh, and yes, I cut the cake out into nice little dog bone shapes and filled them with the icing. Cute right?

Boy Crafts.

No pink fuzzy things around here! If you're a boy or have a boy living with or near you than might I recommend you buy Creationary. It's fun for the whole family and you can even drink beer while you play it - not that I would do that but some of you might.

The above photo is one of the 'creations' or as I like to call it "The Subtle Hint my son gave me while playing Creationary". It's the Legoland sign from California. Mr. A didn't even know there was such a thing. How that has escaped him for this long is beside me but I think he might be in denial. Just an FYI they're opening a Legoland in Tampa, FL in October. I wonder if we'll be walking under that sign soon...

Not quite Monday post.

These were some of the bags. I usually line them up on the counter to make me feel good about how many bags there are. You know 'bang for your buck' and all that. This week they didn't all fit on the counter - and that's not just because there's so many other items there (like dishes).... really....
Picture one. Yes, there's more than one this week. My cupboards were pretty bare. I'm really hoping next week is just a milk and egg week but I think we all know better. The kids just won't stop eating! I'm not sure what it is with kids, I mean, I know they're growing and learning and incredibly active but do they really need that much food?
Here's the produce. Look, I even bought the cheap toilet paper this week. There's also no wine or beer or any other type of alcoholic beverages. I may have to rectify that. The box O' wine that I bought last week is gone. In my defense it was only 4 bottles. That's really nothing for a professional like myself.

And now, I just know you're dying of suspense... drumroll.... this weeks grocery bill was a WHOPPING $182.70! I may have to start selling stuff. I'm already out of pears and the apples are almost gone. It's like those kids have never seen food before. Little scavengers.

We bid you Adieu.

We wanted to take you to The True North Strong and Free (ie. Canada) but you came 3 days too late. (To the people in this photo: I don't know you. I didn't ask if you wanted to be in my photo. The fact that you were wearing hockey gear and watching curling made me miss home. Now you will forever be my reminder of what it's like to be in a Canadian bar on a Saturday morning. Thank you.)
So instead we stuck you to a collage of license plates in the shape of the state of Ohio. (Can you find her?)
We used you to record the temperatures - which have since plummeted a whopping 33 degrees! There could be a direct correlation between the two. We may never know...
But then we were nice and we took you to see the seahorses at the Columbus Aquarium. They were sleeping so we had to be very quiet; as if we were hunting rabbits. We wouldn't really hunt rabbits because I suspect you might be a vegetarian.
When we were at the Aquarium we also saw the sharks. They weren't very scary and you didn't have to hold our hands. I think you may just have been trying to be brave.

Now you're in an envelope on your way back to Colorado. We hope you have a good trip and meet other 'flats' along the way. Say an extra special "Hello" to all the kids you'll get to meet when you get where you're going. And if you could, can you please give Ms. A a kiss for us and tell her we were happy she thought about us? We think about her and her family A LOT!

Not-so Wacky Wednesday.

When Mr. E turned 6 (only a month ago - oh, how time flies) we bought 1/2 dozen cupcakes from our new local cupcake store, Blue Frost Cupcakes. Although it pained me greatly to spend $13.00 on 6 cupcakes, I have to say that it was well worth it. They aren't very big but the cake is moist and the icing is delicious. I believe cake is just a 'extra' so it's always wonderful to find an icing that doesn't coat your teeth. You know what I'm talkin' about.
Speaking of coating your teeth, don't you just love gravy? Mmm... soo salty and yummy. In Canada we usually eat our french fries with gravy. Not a big deal just a cultural difference I suppose but one that I've gotten used to and even after being in the states for almost 6 years it's still one I can't get over. My friends love it when I'm in a restaurant and get into a long discussion with the waiter over whether they have gravy to dip my fries into and I sometimes wonder if they think I'm just making this stuff up. Note: sometimes I am... This time I'm not.

So when we went to Ontario a couple of weeks ago we went to our old university hang out, Morty's. I love this place. No doubt about it, they have the best wings EVER. Anyway, on the menu (pictured above) they have gravy listed right next to the french fries! And yes, I ordered them and ate every last bite. It's good gravy.