Tuesday, December 27, 2011
picture this...
I had some pictures from school and such I was going to post here, but the computer seems to have eaten them. So until then, here's some Christmas photos. Enjoy! These are from Friday, December 23, at my grandmother's house. I'm going to post Christmas Eve pictures in a separate post. :)
Monday, December 26, 2011
nothing to say...
I've not updated in so long that it feels like I should have something monumental to say in order to break the silence. I don't, really. I just figured the only way to start blogging again is just to start. End the writer's block by just writing something.
We've had a good Advent season and a lovely Christmas. Some highlights were doing an Advent devotional and singing sacred Christmas songs with the girls, attending a Hanukkah workshop, having Nelson's parents visit (that's still going on), a family dinner with my parents, aunt and uncle, and grandmother on Christmas Eve eve, the Christmas Eve service at church, and Christmas Eve dinner with my parents.
We watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special more than once, and Sarah fell in love with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." We used my hymnal to sing songs together during our school devotional time, and one night she pulled it out on her own to sing songs. She went with the children during our Christmas Eve service but later regretted it when she heard we had sung her favorite one.
I do have pictures to post later; right now it's a bit late in the evening and I need to clean the kitchen. I do plan to update more regularly from now on though. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to post a few pictures of our holiday fun, plus a few other photos that have been hanging out on the camera forever.
I signed up for a free "blogging class" that I found, so hopefully I'll be able to improve things around here and at my other blog. We''ll see.
Until next, I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Now that we are in the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, I wish you ladies dancing and lords a-leaping and all that jazz. ;) I also wish you a happy New Year! I'm working on my goals for 2012 and breaking them down into weekly tasks, so I'll be posting more about that later.
We've had a good Advent season and a lovely Christmas. Some highlights were doing an Advent devotional and singing sacred Christmas songs with the girls, attending a Hanukkah workshop, having Nelson's parents visit (that's still going on), a family dinner with my parents, aunt and uncle, and grandmother on Christmas Eve eve, the Christmas Eve service at church, and Christmas Eve dinner with my parents.
We watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special more than once, and Sarah fell in love with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." We used my hymnal to sing songs together during our school devotional time, and one night she pulled it out on her own to sing songs. She went with the children during our Christmas Eve service but later regretted it when she heard we had sung her favorite one.
I do have pictures to post later; right now it's a bit late in the evening and I need to clean the kitchen. I do plan to update more regularly from now on though. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to post a few pictures of our holiday fun, plus a few other photos that have been hanging out on the camera forever.
I signed up for a free "blogging class" that I found, so hopefully I'll be able to improve things around here and at my other blog. We''ll see.
Until next, I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Now that we are in the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, I wish you ladies dancing and lords a-leaping and all that jazz. ;) I also wish you a happy New Year! I'm working on my goals for 2012 and breaking them down into weekly tasks, so I'll be posting more about that later.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Natalie says
Posts using this title used to chronicle Natalie's growing vocabulary. Making a list of words would be ridiculous at this point. Go get a dictionary; those are the words she can say. ;) Still, it makes a good title for this post, which is just about the funny things she's said today.
It started when she asked to use the bathroom earlier today. As she sat on the potty, she proudly proclaimed, "I got the pee out of my bottom!"
Later, we were watching an episode of Good Eats. Alton was cooking with lobster. At first, the lobsters kind of freaked her out. Strange, since she and Sarah love to visit the lobster tank at the grocery store. Later on, however, she announced, "I like lobsters! Lobsters are good eats!" Maybe one day she'll actually get to taste lobster and find out if that's actually true. :)
It started when she asked to use the bathroom earlier today. As she sat on the potty, she proudly proclaimed, "I got the pee out of my bottom!"
Later, we were watching an episode of Good Eats. Alton was cooking with lobster. At first, the lobsters kind of freaked her out. Strange, since she and Sarah love to visit the lobster tank at the grocery store. Later on, however, she announced, "I like lobsters! Lobsters are good eats!" Maybe one day she'll actually get to taste lobster and find out if that's actually true. :)
Thursday, November 3, 2011
more pictures (halloween)
In addition to trick-or-treating on the night of Halloween itself, Sarah and Natalie got to don their costumes and attend a "fall festival" at a local church on Wednesday, October 26. Most of these pictures are from that rather than Halloween itself. The costumes are the same though, so it all works out. :)
To avoid any possible confusion, Natalie is Snow White, and Sarah is Tinkerbell. And look--Natalie finally figured out how to smile for the camera! Also, check out Sarah's missing teeth.
Bonus pictures: my co-teacher at our homeschool co-op gifted us with a Winnie the Pooh costume the day after Halloween. Natalie is in love with it. She won't get dressed today; she just wants to wear Pooh. It's too big for her, but that doesn't keep her from being enamored with it.
Happy belated Halloween!
To avoid any possible confusion, Natalie is Snow White, and Sarah is Tinkerbell. And look--Natalie finally figured out how to smile for the camera! Also, check out Sarah's missing teeth.
Bonus pictures: my co-teacher at our homeschool co-op gifted us with a Winnie the Pooh costume the day after Halloween. Natalie is in love with it. She won't get dressed today; she just wants to wear Pooh. It's too big for her, but that doesn't keep her from being enamored with it.
Happy belated Halloween!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
a couple of pictures
On Saturday, we ate at Olive Garden with my parents and grandmother then followed up with a visit to the mall. It was a lovely day; Olive Garden is a very rare treat for us. Natalie chattered happily with our server (she even told him he was a "good boy" for bringing her spaghetti). Olive Garden's pumpkin cheesecake is heaven on a plate; I have GOT to learn how to make that. Wow. Sarah loved bungee jumping at the mall.
My dad also visited a photo booth with the girls. It was the kind that "sketches" your picture. This will let some of you who have been asking for pictures see the gap in Sarah's mouth where she has lost two teeth. Enjoy.
P.S. I'm really irritated that spell check is griping about the word "Sarah's". What the heck is up with that?
My dad also visited a photo booth with the girls. It was the kind that "sketches" your picture. This will let some of you who have been asking for pictures see the gap in Sarah's mouth where she has lost two teeth. Enjoy.
P.S. I'm really irritated that spell check is griping about the word "Sarah's". What the heck is up with that?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
culinary success
I have a waffle recipe that I love. It started out as a recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, but I tweaked it and made it even more amazing. :) I have a pumpkin waffle recipe that is also very good. However, I don't make it nearly as often. For one thing, I don't always have pumpkin on hand. The main reason, however, is that the first recipe is an overnight yeast recipe. I mix up the batter the night before and cook the waffles in the morning. The pumpkin waffle recipe is a normal, quick bread-type batter. Frankly, I am not a morning person. I do not have any desire first thing in the morning to be mixing waffle batter. So we usually only have the pumpkin waffles when I am doing breakfast-for-supper.
In an email conversation with my sister-in-law, I got the idea for combing the two recipes. But then a wonderful friend gifted me with a bagful of sweet potatoes. I remembered that Alton Brown (my Food Network hero) did a sweet potato waffle recipe. It too was a quick bread type recipe, but I decided to do my experiment in recipe combining.
It worked! We had sweet potato waffles this morning, and they were GOOD. I am so pleased.
Alton Brown peels and steams his sweet potatoes to get the mash he needs. I simply baked them at 425 until they were soft and the skin came off SO easily; I just pulled and off it came. I really think this is way easier than Brown's method. Plus I love when sweet potatoes bake long enough to caramelize. I cooked up a bunch at once and stowed the orange mash in the fridge; I have plenty left for other recipes.
So here is my sweet potato waffle recipe. I hope you enjoy!
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar (I may have used a little more; I didn't measure very well)
1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
A heavy shake of cinnamon (yeah, I'm terrible at measuring; sorry)
A tiny sprinkle of clove and ground ginger
A slightly heavier shake of allspice (more than the clove and ginger, less than the cinnamon)
I meant to add freshly grated nutmeg, but I forgot. I will do it next time.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup buttermilk (this adds such a depth of flavor; it is fabulous)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potato
Combine your dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then mix the two thoroughly. I did it by hand, but I really recommend an electric mixer. Cover and refrigerate batter overnight. In the morning, remove from the fridge and give it a stir. Cook according to your waffle iron's directions. I got about 10 waffles; your mileage may vary.
This post is linked to The Nourishing Gourmet and The Grocery Cart Challenge.
In an email conversation with my sister-in-law, I got the idea for combing the two recipes. But then a wonderful friend gifted me with a bagful of sweet potatoes. I remembered that Alton Brown (my Food Network hero) did a sweet potato waffle recipe. It too was a quick bread type recipe, but I decided to do my experiment in recipe combining.
It worked! We had sweet potato waffles this morning, and they were GOOD. I am so pleased.
Alton Brown peels and steams his sweet potatoes to get the mash he needs. I simply baked them at 425 until they were soft and the skin came off SO easily; I just pulled and off it came. I really think this is way easier than Brown's method. Plus I love when sweet potatoes bake long enough to caramelize. I cooked up a bunch at once and stowed the orange mash in the fridge; I have plenty left for other recipes.
So here is my sweet potato waffle recipe. I hope you enjoy!
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar (I may have used a little more; I didn't measure very well)
1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
A heavy shake of cinnamon (yeah, I'm terrible at measuring; sorry)
A tiny sprinkle of clove and ground ginger
A slightly heavier shake of allspice (more than the clove and ginger, less than the cinnamon)
I meant to add freshly grated nutmeg, but I forgot. I will do it next time.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup buttermilk (this adds such a depth of flavor; it is fabulous)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potato
Combine your dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then mix the two thoroughly. I did it by hand, but I really recommend an electric mixer. Cover and refrigerate batter overnight. In the morning, remove from the fridge and give it a stir. Cook according to your waffle iron's directions. I got about 10 waffles; your mileage may vary.
This post is linked to The Nourishing Gourmet and The Grocery Cart Challenge.
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