Friday, February 27, 2009

National Geographic Little Kids

Granmom and PaPaw have been gifting the National Geographic magazine to our family for years. This year they added something special, National Geographic Little Kids. The first magazine arrived just in time to help me out with Elizabeth's second doctor visit for her bilateral ear infection. It was great. She really enjoyed reading it with me.

It's only about 1/3 the size of the other magazine...just the right size for the little ones.
Photobucket

Elizabeth was looking through it again yesterday and discovered this.
Photobucket

She and Abigail made the jello together yesterday afternoon. (with a little help from mom) And with a Wilkins twist the little girls had jello with lunch today. (Don't worry there's plenty left for Abigail.)
Photobucket

Hearts are nice but dinosaurs are coooooool.
Photobucket

First we cut....
Photobucket

Photobucket

Then we decorate...
Photobucket

MMMMMMM sprinkles
Photobucket

It's part of a nutritious lunch.
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Carrot and Leek Soup with Sour Cream and Cumin

This is one of those left over posts from when Granmom and PaPaw were here in November. Granmom brought this recipe, along with most of the ingredients to make it, with her from the local paper in Corvallis. She and Abigail made the soup together...and it was really, really good.

The pictures come to you courtesy of Abigail....

Let's get started.
Photobucket

Photobucket

The next afternoon...
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket


We had ours with cheese toast. It really was wonderful. If my memory serves me, we had it two days in a row...yummy!

2T olive oil
2lbs good quality carrots (make sure they’re sweet and flavorful)
2 large leeks, white and pale portions only, chopped
1T chopped fresh garlic
2-3t ground cumin
1t ground coriander
1t dried crushed red pepper flakes
6c chicken or vegetable broth
1c sour cream
1-3t honey, if necessary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2T fresh lime juice
2t grated lime zest
2T minced fresh cilantro

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots and leeks and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leeks are softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for about 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes, and then pour in the broth. Bring the mix to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the carrots are very tender, about 40 to 40 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly. Puree the soup with a hand blender or in a food processor or blender (you’ll have to work in batches if you don’t have a hand blender). Let the soup cool and then whisk in the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of the honey, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 24.
When ready to serve, stir in the lime juice and lime zest. Adjust seasonings, adding additional salt and pepper if desired, then gently reheat and garnish with cilantro.

(This recipe came from the local paper in Corvallis, Oregon by Jan Roberts-Dominguez. Jan is a Corvallis, Oregon food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her through the Gazette-Times at PO Box 368 Corvallis, Oregon 97339, by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com or find more recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com )

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Spring has sprung...

Ask me how I know...really go ahead. Last night I was relaxing in front of the TV after getting the girls off to bed. I hear the cat door open, it was my darling Korduroy.

Isn't he handsome.
Photobucket

He has, on several occasions, brought me "gifts" now and then. Lizards, chipmunks, moles, and more birds than I should probably admit. But last night my darling Kord brought me this...
Photobucket

So you can get his size in perspective...
Photobucket

It was like a game of hot potato in our kitchen. Brian came in (because I was screaming "He's got something!") Brian identified the "gift", picked it up and handed it to me. I dropped it in the sink. Brian plugged the sink to keep it from falling down the disposal. All the while Master Korduroy was bouncing off the walls trying to share in all the "fun".

We got the poor guy settled down in a Styrofoam cooler with some towels, cotton balls and a cut up paper towel tube to hide in. I love my cat...but ugh, enough is enough. I wish my mighty hunter would lose interest in this whole "gifting" project of his. I sat back down, big mistake.

And then there were two.
Photobucket

My wonderful husband ran off to the "Wal-Marts" to get some puppy milk replacement for the little guys.

And they ate.
Photobucket

Milk moustache.
Photobucket

So cute!
Photobucket

Then they slept.
Photobucket

For those of you who didn't know, there is a squirrel, bunny, and perhaps other small wildlife rescue right here in Enterprise. If you have a "bad cat" like I do, when they "gift" you these little guys you can call Jennifer at 334-894-5305.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Monday, February 16, 2009

Fort Rucker Polar Bear

OK, I know Valentines was a couple of days ago but I couldn't resist. The Ft. Rucker polar bear has been around for years. He was originally located near the Military Police headquarters. They would take care of his seasonal paint jobs...then they moved and he was left behind. He stayed in the same location for years and his paint jobs were done by the Warrant Officer Candidates. Well last year someone got in in their head to move him into a field where he has his own sign board and gets his own tree at Christmas. I don't have any idea who is in charge of his paint jobs anymore but I drove by on Valentines Day and had to snap a pic of this....

Photobucket

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentines Day!

Our girls love the holidays that come with morning surprises. Except for when there is a tree involved we put gifts around the dining room table. They come down all giddy to see what mom and dad have done this time.....

Ahhhh the happiness.
Photobucket

She woke with the same fever she had yesterday...but you wouldn't know it.
Photobucket

I was gonna hide these...but I just couldn't do it to my chocolate obsessed family. Thanks Grammy, they are WONDERFUL!
Photobucket

After all the excitement of the morning treats I made oven pancakes, or German Pancakes as I know them from Farm Wife Recipes They were wonderful!

Photobucket

Add strawberries and powdered sugar and it was Valentine heaven....
Photobucket

Friday, February 13, 2009

Rosie Marianna Stella

We adopted our wonderful Shelby from the Doberman Pinscher Rescue at North Florida in November 2007. I was so moved by the efforts of Judy Davis (she runs the rescue) that I wanted to help. I began volunteering. Our first foster dog came to us in March 2008. She came to us as "Rosie" because of her wonderful disposition in spite of the circumstances she'd left behind. We picked her up in Marianna, Florida. The girls thought Marianna would be a great name for her...so we gave her a new name. After five months and quite the battle in rescue, Marianna was adopted. Her new forever home was in Mount Dora, Florida. Her new mom added one more name to the list and Rosie Marianna Stella was born.

I got a call last week. It was bad news. Rosie Marianna Stella had passed away. This post is in her memory. I am including her story as written by her mom in Mount Dora Florida.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Monday, February 9, 2009

Horray for home improvements

After working on the Wade porch a few weeks ago my own porch really got to irritating me so this weekend I took matters into my own hands. Brian cut every single board for this little project of mine and offered advice and tips when needed. Mrs. Megan even helped out while the kidlets were at school today...I neglected to get any before pics but you'll get the idea.

Yeah, I tore it up. The horizontal boards 2' up on the bottom were the first step. Note the ugly brown board in the window....major improvement to that later on.
Photobucket

OK, you can't really tell but the screen has been attached to those horizontal boards and cut off. Ready to install the pine!
Photobucket

Pine installed. Notice the sun is going down. This was an all day affair.
Photobucket

Right back to it the next morning. A few more boards from Brian and some help from Mrs. Megan and it was done. Then it was time to paint.
Photobucket

The ugly brown board in the window that I mentioned earlier...that was a slap together cat door so we could ditch the litter box. Ugly, yes, but it served it's purpose. Now it serves it's purpose without the ugly...
Photobucket

They even got an update on the exterior cat door. OOOHHHH pretty! (Thanks honey!) It took some special cuts from hubby.
Photobucket

Yay! Another home improvement project bites the dust!
Photobucket

And our outdoor eating area is ready for spring...
Photobucket

Wednesday, February 4, 2009