Past, Present, and the Unknown

My Messed Up Images

2012-01-10T22:14:00.004-05:00

Mandy has been having problems uploading images to her blog, which explains the lack of entries. She's been getting really frustrated with it. I wanted to post this so hopefully the good people at blogspot can figure out what is up. The pictures upload into an email fine, just not to her blog. Maybe she should get with the times and "Try the updated Blogger interface" that I see in the upper left corner of screen.

Here you go blogspotians; this is what I am talking about:

It may look artistic, but I want to show off my beautiful children, not some weird post-production photo editing technique.

P.S. This post was written by Sam, so please excuse his strange humor.

Girl vs. Boy

2011-12-21T17:04:00.002-05:00

Tiny tells us he has a girl hand and a boy hand. The right hand is the girl hand, the left is the boy hand. I have no idea what is could possibly mean. It is good for a laugh though.

Such Fun

2011-12-05T08:42:00.001-05:00

They buried pops, can you find him?

We went to a wonderful birthday party for our 4 year old friend Lillie and we came home with these wonderful treasures.

Poor Kit Kat had a rough go at it for her balloon. She walked out of our friends house and down the drive and her balloon caught on the mailbox. Giant hole, verrrry sad girl, and a 20 minute drive home. Sounds fun, huh?

Well, on the way we stopped at the dollar store and found the exact one and so we got it and Kit was so excited.

We arrived home, had a restful sleep that night, and got up in the morning. Kit's balloon was sad, half way to the ground, and again we had a very sad Kit.

Kind of a sick joke, but she got over it and eventually all the balloons died and peace was restored to Kit's world.

Yum Yum

2011-12-03T08:40:00.001-05:00

Our new friend needed a snack. I am pretty sure he is Sinclaire's friend, because if he were mine he would have not chosen the cucumber.

Love having helpers...

2011-12-02T08:37:00.002-05:00

We are trying out our cookie recipe for my cookie exchange this year. We did chocolate chip orange last year, and I think we are going to do that again. Just with a different recipe, this one has a zesty sugar on top. Yummy!

The Girls Love

2011-11-20T10:43:00.006-05:00

to climb this tree. It makes ma nervous for what is coming, but I guess that is my job.

The Half

2011-11-05T16:05:00.001-04:00

Well I finally did it. I ran a half marathon. My only goal was to not stop ajd I didn't. I ran with my friend Jamie and we finished in 2 hours 32 minutes. I am thinking of doing the mini in May. I might be addicted.

We Love Ice Cream

2011-10-31T15:29:00.000-04:00

We love ice cream. You can't really tell , but Tiny always eats the bottom off the cone before he finishes and it always turns into a big mess. I remember when we had drumsticks when I was little I just couldn't wait for the chocolate at the bottom of the cone. I loved that part. And sometimes my mom would give me hers. It was fantastic.

Loves School

2011-10-30T10:58:00.001-04:00

This was Kit's first school project. She was so excited to show all these pictures to everyone. Then when I asked her if she told her class what they were all about she said no. Oh well, I am glad she was excited. She loves school and has a lot of fun there. She has this one friend that she always says to me, " What is her name, you know the one I play with." Oh, yeah it is Lila. You would think that by two month into this she would remember, but she doesn't. Or maybe she just wants to see if I remember who her friends are.

Summer fun

2011-10-29T10:31:00.002-04:00

I just found these pictures and had to put them up. We loved playing in the mud this summer. with the giant dirt pile it was hard to stay away from. Thanks to our friends for playing with us, again and again.

Field Trip Number 2

2011-10-20T11:27:00.001-04:00

We also got to go on a field trip to a nature center. It was fun they got to pet the turtle, listen to much too long story, and look and a dig site. I love field trips.

Love the Fall

2011-10-19T15:16:00.002-04:00

We went to the apple orchard and had a hay ride. We all got to pick 4 apples each. It was so fun. I love to watch the little people have so much fun and smile. And the apples were so good too. Fresh from the tree and oh so yummy. I think Tiny and Kit had eaten two each by the time we got home. Sinclaire was very sad to have to go to school and miss it, but I guess that is what happens when we grow up.

Any Takers??

2011-10-18T14:07:00.001-04:00

Sinclaire and Kit are wrapping presents for people and Sinclaire just came up to me and said, "We are going to give grandpa a dirty tissue." Too funny.

Tiny

2011-10-10T11:32:00.000-04:00

So typical of him.

Green and Pink

2011-09-28T17:56:00.003-04:00

Sam's sister had a baby in July and I made her this little blanket. I love green and pink and it turned out so cute. I just love it. Since I finished this I have made quite a few other things so I will have to get some pictures on here soon.

Buffafly??

2011-09-26T12:05:00.001-04:00

Tiny has this little Tinkerbell toy that he loves and instead of calling her a butterfly he calls her a buffafly. It is so fun to listen to him learn to talk. And way better than screaming.

Free Gifts

2011-09-22T12:05:00.002-04:00

I saw this on someone's blog and I thought it sounded like a fun idea. If you would like to play along send me a comment.

Rules:

1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).

2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.

3. You must have a blog.

4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.

Leave me your email address and I will contact you.

Fun Times

2011-09-14T13:40:00.002-04:00

I never thought I would like running, but the trick is running with a friend. I love it. It is social hour and I am doing something I would never do by myself. Thanks Jamie for the fun times.

Still Running

2011-09-10T15:12:00.002-04:00

This week I logged 27 miles. That is the most I have ever run in a week. I hit a huge mile stone and went 10.5 miles today. And I got new shoes. Gray and pink, my girls love them.

Happy Birthday Sinclaire

2011-09-10T12:22:00.002-04:00

Sinclaire turned 6. She had a wonderful birthday and it was so fun. We were a bit busy, but we managed. I started the day with a 10 mile run and then rushed home to set out the garage sale. We finally got started and it was pretty steady. Sinclaire and Kit had a little brownie and lemonade stand. After awhile I was worried that they were going to make more than I was. They loved it and Sinclaire would ask everyone that came if they wanted to buy something. It was so cute. Well, by then end the three big toys finally sold, I made 87 bucks and the girls made 35. Yep, 35 bucks, I couldn't believe it. We split it even steven and they were happy.

Then grandma and grandpa came. We had colorful sorbet and chick and lamb cupcakes. Presents were a hit and a good time was had by all. We love birthdays at our house. It is always so fun.

Running, Running, Running

2011-09-01T10:25:00.003-04:00

My pictures seem to not be loading right, so I am going to have to do boring no picture posts for awhile. It has been happening for about 2 weeks and I thought it would be better by now. I have picked up a temporary hobby-running. I really hadn't planned on it, but my friend asked me to run with her and I said sure. We are planning to run the monumental race in Indy in November. It is 13.1 miles and I am glad I am finally going to do it.

New Faucet

2011-08-24T09:10:00.006-04:00

Due to the amount of grass seed we will need to plant in a few weeks we decided to install a faucet in the middle of the yard. Plus I don't want to carry buckets to the garden forever from the house. It is a long way. So we started on Saturday and finished on Monday and I am so glad it is done. It feels so good to finish a big project. And the girls think it is cool.

Free Stuff II

2011-08-23T09:05:00.000-04:00

I forgot some really exciting news. A week ago we got a new range. For free. It is such a deal. You might be wondering how this is possible. Well, we are doing a test/survey type deal. So we will have this one for three months and then they will switch it for a different one and we will have that one for three months. Either way they both will be much better than the one I had so it really is a great blessing to be able to participate. I just have to check some boxes each time i use it and do a few interviews. Not bad for this new beauty.

Melty Beads

2011-08-18T10:24:00.001-04:00

Have you ever felt like you have made a few too many of these things?

School Starts For My Baby

2011-08-18T10:14:00.006-04:00

Yep, it is time. Sinclaire started kindergarten yesterday. She was so excited and a bit nervous. It is hard to believe that i have a little person riding the bus.

After school yesterday she said the bus was her favorite thing about the day. She also got to color two pictures, play on the playground, and i am sure numerous other things that she forgot.

Kit is now dying to go to school. Which is funny because until yesterday she was saying that she just wanted to stay home with me.

New Hobby For Tiny

2011-08-04T20:25:00.001-04:00

Tiny just keeps carrying books around everywhere. And wanting to sleep with them. It is so bizarre. His favorite are The Berenstain Bears. Maybe this is a sign, and I can hope he always loves to read.

Jungle Jim's

2011-08-01T16:08:00.005-04:00

A week ago today we went to Cincinnati to visit Jungle Jim's, a store that has everything you could want. And to see my friend Gillian.

Sinclaire at the entry of the store. It is like a little zoo. They loved it.

Pigs feet. It is the first thing they wanted to see.

Duck feet, why?

Duck heads, even a bigger why.

This was the potty. Red lined seat and everything. Not really, they had port-a-potty doors instead of real doors for the potty's. Very cleaver I thought.

The biggest pez I have ever seen.

A dancing Elvis animal. They loved it.

The trip comes to an end and they thought it was great. If I am ever in the neighborhood again I will go. They had this candy that I had when I was little called Zotz. It fizzes out both ends when you put it in your mouth. I love them. I gave one to Tiny and it was so fun to watch his face. You could tell he was very unsure about what was going on in his mouth. And it started foaming too. I just love him. I have great kids.

Then we went to spend the day with Gillian and Oran and Lucy. They all played together so well and it was so fun to talk to Gillian. I miss living by her and being able to craft with her. I had a wonderful day. It is always nice to catch up with old friends.

Dry Ice

2011-07-29T16:04:00.002-04:00

Grandpa brought us a new toy to play with last week. The kids loved it and thought it was great. I love to watch them discover new things. I think Tiny wished it was a foaming drink.

More Pics

2011-07-26T15:49:00.003-04:00

Here are some more pictures from when my sister came to visit last week.

What a great time.

Lunch

2011-07-22T13:43:00.003-04:00

I thought lunch was fascinating today after I got everything on the plate.

What a great strip meal.

Cousin Fun

2011-07-20T13:28:00.001-04:00

Our cousins came to play and we had a great time. Some innocent kiddie pool fun turned into playing in the pot of dirt. What silly girls. We also played at a spray pad and just had a good time. Sarah and I sewed and sewed and sewed. I made some really great progress on the three baby quilts I have made. I am trying to learn how to machine quilt and they are my Guinea pigs. When I am done I will have to show you.

Gross

2011-07-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

Ummm....Tiny just sat down and picked a crumb from his foot and ate it. Tasty!

Free Stuff

2011-06-27T16:05:00.004-04:00

We love our yard, but it is a bit soggy in the rainy season. So dirt was on our list of things to buy in the future. Well I didn't think we would be getting it anytime soon, but last week Grandma's neighbor was have a pool dug and the guy was nice enough to dump in in our yard. We have two downfalls, but we did get free dirt. We have to spread it ourselves and we got some pretty big ruts in the yard. It will take a long time and we have to spend extra time to fix the ruts, but as I said it is FREE dirt. Hopefully we can get some guys to help us and a lot can be done soon. I moved 10 wheelbarrow loads today and it was so hot. I love free stuff.

And yes there is a rainbow in my yard from my fertilizer job. No one informed me that it would make my grass different colors so I wan't very careful. Next time I will be.

Hats, Hats, Hats

2011-06-23T15:58:00.002-04:00

It was hat day at our house.

This is the best we could come up with.

I Just Couldn't Resist.

2011-06-20T15:48:00.002-04:00

2011-06-17T13:16:00.001-04:00

What a handsome man.

Happy Birthday

2011-06-15T13:07:00.000-04:00

It was Kit's birthday and we had a great time. She wanted a ladybug cake and we did rainbow cupcakes also to make sure we had enough since our cousins are here. Kit is our little peacemaker and loves to help me cook. Her favorite food is homemade pepperoni pizza. She loves loves loves babies and should probably still take a nap but she doesn't. She is dying to go to school and be just like her big sister. Happy Birthday Kit, we love you.

Crazy

2011-06-13T07:56:00.000-04:00

Classic!

Sicko

2011-06-07T15:46:00.002-04:00

Being sick is never fun, but having a sick kiddo is even worse I think. Sinclaire has been sick since Sunday and it does not seem to be getting better. I have been able to work on my crafting a bit, so I guess it is not all bad. Maybe by the end of it I will have lots of goodies to show for it.

More Bags

2011-06-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

This is the first batch of bags I made for my mom, and I have since made her 14 more. She just loves them and they are so fun to make. She loves to make children happy and she is giving all the little girls at church these little bags.

The Stash

2011-06-03T07:56:00.002-04:00

I love the day I get out the tub of hand me downs and garage sale stash and my girls think we just won the lottery. I think we had about 15 new outfits in the tub. The only thing I really need is pj's for Sinclaire and Tiny.

New Dress

2011-06-02T07:31:00.002-04:00

My mother has been buying me some great fabric to make little bags with. This geranium one was among the goodies. Not my favorite, but I figured I could practice making a dress with it and if I messed up the loss was not great. But Kit loves it and it turned out great. And I even think the fabric is cute in dress form. Thanks mom.

Best $1 I Ever Spent.

2011-06-01T07:50:00.001-04:00

I stayed with Jenny for her birthday and we did a lot of garage sales. I picked up a gallon size bag of dinos and bugs for a buck. The girls played with them for about 3 hours. Even if they never play with them again, it was totally worth it.

Gardening time

2011-05-30T07:42:00.000-04:00

I love the garden. And my kids do to. Sam tilled the big one in back and the S, J, and K and I worked in the front one. We have had lots of lettuce thanks to Kara's plant donation. The peas are looking quite nice I think the broccoli should do well. Everything else was planted a bit late, so we will have to wait and see on those. I do have three tomatoes with flowers on them so it shouldn't be long. I love to be outside when the weather is nice and I am grateful I have a big yard so that my little ones can run and play.

Big Helper

2011-05-29T20:14:00.001-04:00

Kit was helping me with Tiny's cake decorating.

What a great help she was too.

Made in China??

2011-05-25T14:05:00.004-04:00

We got some small plastic bugs and dinosaurs and such at a garage sale and so I had the girls wash them before they played with them. Some of them were made of a soft material and got a bit messy. So I told them they were made of different stuff and maybe they weren't made to get wet. So Sinclaire mentioned that maybe they were made in China. Thanks mom! Ever since I told the girls that Oma won't buy lip gloss made in China they think that everything is made there.

New Mom

2011-05-23T07:36:00.000-04:00

The girls decided Pops should be mom for the day and so they covered him in paper and he walked around like this for part of the morning. They have some pretty crazy ideas.

End of the Year Party

2011-05-14T11:25:00.000-04:00

After the party my kids got in the pool for the first time this summer.

Sinclaire had an end of the year party for the girls in her class. A good time was had by all. We fished, made pizza, popped balloons, and had a good time. There are some crazy girls in that class. The favorite game was trying to get the marbles out of the pool with your toes. They just loved it.

Happy Birthday Tiny

2011-05-13T10:47:00.005-04:00

We had such a great time on Tiny's birthday. Two is such a fun age and he loved opening his gifts. Mom and pop got him an aqua doodle mat and grandma got him lots of cute clothes and some trucks. He loves them, but I really can't tell who likes them more the girls or him. His cake turned out great and it was so fun to make. The girls helped and had such fun. I can't believe he is two. He is such a great little boy and so fun and cuddly. He has begun to say a lot of new words and he really likes to say that everything is yucky. Such a sweet boy.

VIsitors

2011-05-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

We have a couple of ducks that like to visit. Lots of times they will swim in the little pool or if the sand box is filled with water they will stop and get a drink. The girls love to feed them bread.

Granola

2011-05-06T09:04:00.003-04:00

I love granola and I have not made it since we moved. But, I did this morning and it is so good. So good that I am going to share the recipe.

3 cups oats

1 1/2 cups nuts(i like cashews, almonds, and pecans chopped and mixed)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 t salt

1 T vanilla

1/2-3/4 cup oil

Mix oats, nuts, salt, and sugar. Add rest and mix. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. You can add whatever you want, if you add dry fruit add it after you bake it.

Play Time

2011-05-04T09:42:00.002-04:00

What fun we have. They made a little bridge with Kit's mattress and had a great time. Made me a bit nervous, but they were just fine.

Grandma's Birthday

2011-05-01T11:08:00.001-04:00

Kit helped make grandma's cake for her birthday. It was so yummy. Chocolate raspberry with lots and lots of heavy whipping cream. Yummy!

Gamma Seals

2011-05-01T09:05:00.002-04:00

I love new toys, especially unexpected ones. We finally got our gamma seals and buckets for our food storage. And to our surprise the seals came with a giant sticker on them. They played all morning with them and it was wonderful.

Tortillas

2011-04-29T09:01:00.002-04:00

We made tortillas today and they were so tasty. I love these things and the kids love to help make them. I am so glad they like to help me cook, I hope that means when they are older they will still love it. Probably not, but I hope so. And if Kit looked different if is because she too has to have glasses. She was so excited. These were the first ones she tried on and that was it. Sinclaire got new ones too, but instead of pink she got to the purple and red.

Easter Egg Decorating

2011-04-25T15:39:00.002-04:00

I got to go to Sinclaire's school and decorate eggs with her last Thursday. It was so fun. They all had eyes and a face, but by the time we got home some had fallen off. The longer we sat there the more stickers and marks the eggs. Thanks for the fun party Sinclaire.

So Funny

2011-04-22T09:09:00.001-04:00

Sinclaire told me that her belly was full so she should stop eating. Then she told me her eyes told her they wanted to watch a movie so she should do that. Nice try.

Outdoor fun

2011-04-21T08:52:00.002-04:00

We got out before the weather got chilly and had a good time. And we have some asparagus. It is still pretty tiny, but hopefully next year they will be even better.

Wow

2011-04-16T18:28:00.004-04:00

Sew, I love these bags. How cheesy is that. But I made a few more than I really needed and sew I will have some for whenever. And I am going to make some for my mom, sew more of these puppies will be coming.

Not everyday you can say.....

2011-04-13T18:32:00.002-04:00

I CUT DOWN A TREE.

It was right in the fence row so it had to come down.

My lovely audience.

Weapon of choice.

It's "leaning"

Sorry neighbor, I really tried to fall it to my side, but it just didn't workout.

Sew, Sew, Sew

2011-04-11T15:47:00.004-04:00

I have been sewing up a storm. I made this bag a month or so ago and I love it. I like the binding that makes the handles and it really is a great shaped bag.

This one I made for church. I needed a separate one for my class. It was crazy trying to fit everything in one.

I made these for the girls and one for C's birthday. They have their initials and they love to carry their scriptures to church in them.

I made this for the library. I never seem to be able to fit all the goodies in the bag when we go to the library. It is a great size for lots of stuff and if stands up by itself.

And this one I made for my mother-in-law. I have two more to make, but I have a feeling I will make a few more than that. They are so cute and take no time at all to make.

I think I should have enough bags for awhile, don't you.

Homemade Bagels

2011-04-08T15:34:00.004-04:00

I have wanted to make bagels for awhile. So we found recipe that only takes an hour and made them for Family Home Evening a few weeks ago. They turned out really good and the girls had a great time. We left some plain and made some with Asiago cheese. I think we are going to try the overnight ones soon and I will let you know how they compare.

Gum Chewing

2011-04-04T15:28:00.001-04:00

Tiny has a new trick, can you see it in there?

He really does pretty good with it and chews it for awhile

and I haven't found it anywhere yet.

So I guess it is a success!!

He certainly is not a baby anymore.

Another Happy Birthday

2011-04-01T15:40:00.000-04:00

We went to a friends birthday party and had a great time. Her birthday is the same as mine and my girls loved it. I think they thought they were C's only friends. I don't think they let anyone else sit by her. Oh well, I am sure a great time was had by all. We made her a bag and got her some glitter glue. I think Tiny found a new friend though. She is awfully cute, a bit young though, don't you think?

Happy Birthday To Me

2011-03-31T15:17:00.000-04:00

That's right it is my birthday, not just anyone, my golden one. So I turned 31 on the 31st and I asked for 31 presents. I got 12 packs of gum and 5 spatulas among others, a pair of pj pants and a bread book(which sam has read more than i have). We had brownie sundaes for dessert that were so yummy. I had two friends who stopped by and brought my treats too.

Last night we went to grandma's house for dinner and cake. She got four flavors to try from The Cheesecake Factory: red velvet, peanut butter cup, white chocolate raspberry, and oreo. Oh how I love the white chocolate raspberry, it is so good.

Thanks for all my treats and gifts. I love my birthday it is so fun.

Another Disaster

2011-03-30T08:52:00.000-04:00

I was just trying to get a picture of him in his mess of frosted mini wheats, but

then I realized he was pinching his finger.

What a great sad face he has!!

Power Toys

2011-03-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

New toys are wonderful, aren't they.

Disaster

2011-03-26T08:30:00.001-04:00

We came downstairs to find Tiny making a mess with his banana.

We can't leave him for a second without some sort of mess being made.

What a disaster he is. I always wait until the last possible time to let my children use spoons because it is such a mess. So here is Tiny doing a great job with the spoon and mashed potatoes.

Garden Time

2011-03-25T08:19:00.002-04:00

On Monday we planted our first seeds. We put in broccoli, peas, and lettuce. We also picked rocks out of the garden and cleaned up from the fall. A great time was had by all, and the weather was so nice that day. I have three great little helpers who love this kind of work in the spring time. Now come the summer they wont want to help anymore so I have to get it while I can.

Scrapbooking

2011-03-24T14:13:00.002-04:00

Sinclaire and I stayed home from church a few weeks ago and worked on Kit Kat's ABC scrapbook. We had a really great time and here it is about 4 weeks later and we are almost done with the whole book. I just need to finish the words and them we can post some of the pages. It was really fun and I am glad to have another project under my belt.

Movie Night

2011-03-19T08:42:00.000-04:00

We had movie night last night with some friends little girls that are my girls ages. They had a great time eating popcorn and watching the movie. Babe was the movie of choice and though it didn't hold their attention well we still had fun.

Random Pictures

2011-03-18T09:27:00.000-04:00

I think this girl can sleep anywhere

Vet Girl

2011-03-17T08:10:00.003-04:00

Sinclaire had occupation day a school and got to dress up like what she wanted to be when she grew up. Well, she always wanted to be a teacher when she grows up, but when I told her that teachers wear normal clothes she changed her mind to a vet. So she picked the most obnoxious fabric I have to make scrubs and went to school dressed like a vet. I thought she was pretty cute though.

Finally

2011-03-14T17:17:00.002-04:00

I finally changed the curtains in my bathroom. I was just being lazy and they left some there and so I took my sweet time. Well, I finally did it and it is so much better. The old ones were dark brown and the light never got through. The new ones are a camel color and if there is light outside it comes in through the light colored cloth. Finally, I shouldn't wait so long for stuff like this.

Tee Hee

2011-03-09T20:01:00.001-05:00

Last night Kit asked me who her babies were going to be and I thought it was so cute. Then it got a bit scary and she asked who their pops would be. I told her I didn't know so she decided that Tiny would do.

Good Food

2011-03-08T18:51:00.004-05:00

Tonight for dinner we tried something new: Meat Loaf

Ok, it was just a new recipe from a friend and it was great.

1 pound ground beef

1 box stuffing

1 cup water

Mix and bake. It was so quick and easy and Sam, Tiny, and I loved it. The girls not so much, but hey maybe they will come around. I had some whole milk to use so for dessert we had chocolate pudding. It was the best pudding I think I have had. The blog went on and on about how good it was, but usually it turns out to be just like everything else I make, but this was good. I used 4 oz. of 60% Ghirardelli chocolate and a couple of handfuls of dark chips.

Silky Chocolate Pudding- Smitten Kitchen
Adapted from John Scharffenberger, via Wednesday Chef

Serves 6

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used good quality semisweet chocolate chips; use 70% bittersweet if you want more of a dark chocolate kick)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

2. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer (or skip this step if you’re a slacker like me who is absolutely certain that there is nary a lump her puddin’) into a serving bowl or into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour into individual serving dishes.

3. If you like pudding skin, pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dish(es) before refrigerating. If you dislike pudding skin, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (ahem, good luck with that).

Brazilian Bites

2011-03-07T20:16:00.002-05:00

I happened across these little gems the other day and I finally got to make them. It only took a two hour trip to my mom's and then another hour to E&S sales to get the tapioca flour. I know I could get it closer, but it happened to be there, so I snagged some. They were very tasty, I think Kit Kat liked them the most.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/search?updated-max=2011-02-21T00:01:00-07:00&max-results=3

February presents

2011-03-06T20:13:00.003-05:00

It was like Christmas the other day. Sinclaire wrapped a tub full of presents and we all just sat around and opened them up. It was great, too bad there weren't any new surprises in there. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait until my birthday.

New Toy or New Bed?

2011-03-02T13:28:00.002-05:00

Sinclaire's old primary teacher gave her this bed, and we are so glad. Of course it is loads of fun. Play time has taken on a new venue, for now. And the girls love to show whoever comes over their new surprise.

What is black, white, and gray?

2011-02-28T17:00:00.004-05:00

I think I was wearing my favorite outfit today. As I changed my clothes I noticed I had on a white t-shirt, black running pants, and a gray hoodie. What is better than that, and in my three favorite colors. I think I need some color in my life, don't you?

New Brother

2011-02-27T20:57:00.005-05:00

Today Sinclaire was helping me make Kit Kat's One Year Old book and she said, "Do you know what my brother's name is?" And of course I was expecting her to say Tiny, but she said his name was Uchtdorf. And she kept playing and talking about her brother named Uchtdorf. Needless to say, it was pretty funny.

Ummm...I think I am a bit young for him to be my son.

Happy Birthday

2011-02-21T14:08:00.004-05:00

Everyone got their own puppy. Tiny got the tiny one, Sinclaire picked the rainbow one,

Kit got the pink one in the back, and the birthday girl picked

the pink one laying down.

Last week our friend Morgen had a birthday and her favorite color is red, favorite animal is the dog, and candy right now is raisinets. So we did our best and made little fondant puppies, decorated a cupcake for the doghouse, and put a pile of raisinets on top. They turned out very cute even though we didn't get a great picture. Thanks for having a birthday so we could celebrate.

2011-02-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

My kids are such bums. I think they could do this all day.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-15T14:03:00.000-05:00

Sam got me these beautiful flowers, it was the flower at our wedding and so they reminded him of that. I love them, these are mini and just so cute. He also got me airheads and cherry laffytaffy. What more could you ask for?

Snowman number II

2011-02-14T09:35:00.002-05:00

Our snowman melted, so we had to build a different one. This one is Sinclaire size and that is VERY cool for her.

Playing in the snow

2011-02-07T17:14:00.001-05:00

Tiny was loving the swing. I think he would have stayed there all day if I would have let him. I took him out twice and he was pretty upset.

And after he realized we were staying inside he was really upset.

Kit loves to swing too. I think she is just eating snow in this picture, but oh well. I didn't really think I would ever swing my kiddos when there is a sheet of ice covering everything and then 5 inches of snow on top, but it was fun. Sinclaire even made a treasure hunt. She marked a spot with an X and I had to find it. It was pretty tough too.

Our snowman and dinner

2011-02-05T08:16:00.000-05:00

Sinclaire wanted to be the mom for the afternoon and she got dinner ready. This is all we really had after not going to the grocery for about 10 days except for milk. There is three different kinds of meat turkey, beef and bacon. We just wanted to make sure we had a variety.

Sledding

2011-02-05T08:10:00.000-05:00

We got 4.5 -5 inches of snow today and so we went sledding. It was so fun. Even Tiny had fun for about an hour. Our front yard slopes a bit and we had two different runs and just kept going. I think they could have gone for hours, but eventually we had to drag them in. I love playing outside.

Ice storm II

2011-02-03T08:05:00.002-05:00

We were a bit disappointed in the second wave of the ice storm, but this is the windshield after the second storm. It really was amazing. I just heated up the van and in about 10-12 minutes id was ready to almost just slide off. Sam stayed home today and we got everything on the list done except one that was a maybe. But we played the game of Life instead and the girls loved it. (And the plumbing in the bathroom sink in finished and working and I am so excited.)

Pile of pitas

2011-02-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

What else to do in the middle of an ice storm than make a pile of pitas. I love these things. This week I used them to make pizza and they were great.

Ice storm I

2011-02-01T08:12:00.002-05:00

This is what I got to do this morning. Scrap inches of ice off of Sam's window. He wasn't going to go, but changed his mind. It really wasn't too bad, we just started the car and waited about 20 minutes. It was pretty thick, you could hardly tell where the windshield wipers were. We are suppose to get more tonight, we will just have to wait and see. We will pretend it is an adventure.

A sink at last

2011-01-29T22:46:00.000-05:00

We have a sink. Finally after about 16 months without we have a sink in the bathroom and we almost have running water. We just have to get an extender for the u pipe and we should be set to go. I am so excited. The whole time it was being installed and would have a problem we would sing a little song that went like this,

"We love $50 sinks because we are poooooor"

We got it as a combo pack from Menard's, maybe not my first pick but for now it will have to do.

Pillow cases, pillow cases, and more pillow cases

2011-01-28T20:40:00.000-05:00

Sinclaire suggested we make everyone a pillow case today and so we did. There are six in the photo, but we made seven. Sam got an extra one and we sent one home with the little boy I watch three days a week, it looked like Tiny's, the one that is yellow with bees on it. The two that match with blue circles and cream ends are for Sam and I . I actually have been wanting to make these for over a year, so I am glad to finally get to do it. Sinclaire helped with the sewing and we had a great time.

Little Cooks

2011-01-28T07:51:00.002-05:00

Aunt Sarah made the girls aprons and hats for Christmas and they loved them. Here we all are in our aprons making bacon for dinner and it was so fun. Thanks Aunt Sarah.

New toys

2011-01-27T08:48:00.001-05:00

Hang a pet?

What kind of sick person would do this???

Bacon Onion Pizza

2011-01-21T14:07:00.001-05:00

I had a friend over for lunch today and made this. I found it on Smitten Kitchen and it is so yummy. You should try it. Today. Why not, it is Friday.

Bacon Onion Pizza

Serves 4 for a light dinner with a salad; can be divided to 8 appetizer portions or 16 tiny party portions

1/2 pound pizza dough
Olive oil, for oiling baking sheets
1/2 cup fromage blanc or ricotta
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon crisps up. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add onion to skillet and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize, an amount of time I forgot to write down but would estimate at 7 to 10 minutes.

Whisk together (or blend together in a food processor, if you want it silky-smooth) fromage blanc and crème fraîche with flour, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out to a rough 8-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, let it rest for 10 minutes, then continue.

Oil two large baking sheets. Transfer two dough rounds to each. Spread the fromage blanc mixture over the rounds to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle with the bacon and onion. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

All about Tiny

2011-01-18T14:08:00.006-05:00

Maybe too many girls in the house?

Yep, not his toothbrush. At least he hasn't turned the water on himself for awhile.

Just lounging around. He is the only one who would cuddle with me and I love it.

Usually that pencil would have been in the outlet, I took it out so

no one would think I was a bad mom.

Oooooh my

2011-01-06T14:45:00.001-05:00

This is Tiny's new trick. It is kind of scary for me.

Boxes, boxes, boxes

2011-01-06T14:34:00.002-05:00

I think my kids would be just fine if all we had were boxes. Come to think about it, I never really remember why these boxes are here in the first place.

Children's Museum

2011-01-05T10:21:00.003-05:00

We went to the Children's Museum before Christmas with some friends and a great time was had by all. I loved the big slide they have there. It is pretty fast, and I felt better after my friend said she was a bit nervous also. But we all made it down in one piece.