Friday, September 24, 2010

{please excuse my little fit of frustration}

{please excuse my little fit of frustration}
this is me right now! Boooo!
  1. Blogger changed the pic uploading process & now i cant upload my pix the way i know how. i haven't figured out how to post pix of all the fun stuff we have been up to lately yet. like pirate week photos, plant & garden study & baking (attempts!).
  2. cant upload my Friday Flowers that i love so much. oh the cursed blessings of technology!
  3. my life aka my Blackberry is definitely on it's last & final leg. the tracking ball & all the teeny components fell out on the bottom of my purse (has been replaced a few times). i keep sticking it back in & try to use it, but it just wont cooperate. I've been in denial & holding on but it's been janky for waaay too long. poor thing wants to die & already looks like it did a few times, but i LOVE my BB & don't want to let it go. plus my service provider doesn't carry this exact phone anymore...& i LOVE THIS EXACT PHONE!!! 
  4. i have an irritating little cold, not too bad, just enough that is stealing my energy to get things done. coffee is not helping & i REALLY need to get stuff done. exciting opportunities are opening up for me & i need to be functional right now DANG IT! (luckily i found some educational videos for the girls...i may nap alot today)
  5. out of cold meds...store is 30 minutes away!
  6. along with the cold i have a sun allergy rash all over my face. constant itching makes me look like a dog with fleas.
  7. found snake number 3. second in two weeks. interestingly they have all been different kinds, but the same size & age. a dear friend told me that snakes mean blessings & i love that. snakes are cool & everything,  i just don't like that they are so close to our personal space. the other evil rat snake was right in front of the classroom door that leads out to the garage. my girls use that door ALL day long barefooted & it seems it is always wide open. this new specimen is sitting here on my counter for observation & identification. good snake...let it go (away from my house somewhere). dangerous snake...pass it onto my neighbor (for the safety of my family & my sanity). so far this one is really sweet...but i wont name it...although someone did suggest Petunia & i REALLY like that name...NO STOP IT!

Friday, September 17, 2010

friday flowers

friday flowers ::
{a sneak peak from my garden zinnias & blackeyed susans}

so cheery. so lovely.

five hours later & the girlies & I resurrected our garden beds for the cool season. just in time for our plant unit. don't worry...took lots of pix!

redeeming last nights DELCIOUS dinner

fresh & healthy breakfast to make up for last nights dinner
breakfast :: sliced strawberries, peaches & pluots w/ vanilla yogurt & cream of wheat
dinner :: {healthier] DORITOS PIE!!!!

OK let me redeem myself for last nights dinner by showing today's healthy breakfast first :)

sliced strawberries, peaches & pluots. i always slice up the ones you wouldn't choose out the fruit bowl first (the ones with soft spots, shrivels on the skin, etc...) which are a little riper, tend to be sweeter so there is no need to add any sweetener...but not as fresh & pretty looking.

served with organic low fat vanilla yogurt sprinkled with wheat germ & hot bowl of cream of wheat. NOW please remember what a good mother i am!

LOTS of healthiness to make up for THIS BAD BOY ::

DORITOS PIE!!!!
BUUUUT  a healthier version of it.

Thursday is the big girls on-campus workshop day, one of 1's & His soccer practice nights & Bible study night so it calls for EASY din & this was it. this season the weather here begins cold in the morning, warm & sunny during the day & ends cold at night. so last night really called for something warm & cozy
 {MY FAVE WEATHER!!!}

healthier DORITOS PIE
{again let me say I'm not good with recipes, i cook everything to taste, but I'll try to make it clear & easy. need something clarified...just ask}

1. in oil brown meat (i used canola & turkey) enough according to your size family. for the 5 of us (with left overs) i used about 1lb. with onion, bell pepper, & taco seasoning. 
{if you use beef you may want to drain fat so it doesn't come out too greasy. with turkey i keep some of the fat & add a little water when adding the taco seasoning to help soak up the flavor}
2. after it is browned, add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, green canned ortega chilies, can of corn & beans
{*i used kidneys, but i do love black beans. the beans are a money saving tip to help the amount of the dish go a little farther. *this time i did not have stewed tomatoes so i used a can of tomato paste instead...we liked it better b/c it was a little sweeter & we don't like big chunks of tomatoes.}
3.crush Doritos or any kind of seasoned nacho chips on the bottom of your baking dish. i used a 9x13 glass baking dish.
4. top chips with meat
5. then sour cream
(*i used plain yogurt...see HEALTHY!!!)
6. top that with cheese
7. next sprinkle sliced olives & cilantro on top & a few crushed chips if you like.
(*instead of on top, i crushed a few extra & put them on the plate first then topped with the casserole for a little crunch.)
8. bake covered @ 350 degrees for about 45 mins
(can bake uncovered for the last 10 mins if you want the top browned)
9. let set for about 10 mins.

*serve with scallion onions, salsa, avocados, guacamole, more fresh cilantro, radishes, chilies...OH & of course a nice healthy bed of salad greens ;)
*good filling dish for football parties, potlucks & leftovers
ENJOY!!!!


Thursday, September 16, 2010

busy


busy doing this kind of stuff. no exciting pics. just busy living &  caring for the lives we live. woman stuff. mom stuff. family stuff. kind of nice actually. tootles ~ mama

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

BUBBLE GUM SCIENCE

BUBBLE GUM SCIENCE 
Grammy bought the girls this bubble gum making kit & today we felt like trying it out for science
after preparation (although we did not use many of the items the instructions called for), following instructions, observing changes of state in matter by heating & cooling (solid to liquid then back to a stickier & somewhat solid glob), combining compounds to form a mixture, a ton of KNEADING! binding molecules, trouble shooting (think we over did the corn syrup, needs more flavor, etc)... this sticky little gum like blob still needed some tweaking & finishing touches
kneading was very hard work!
testing & trying to find the correct consistency...too hard...add hot water
after a few taste test we found a good formula
FINALLY! our own Watermelon Wham handmade gum. alot of work BUT FUN! the flavor of the final gum product didnt last very long, so the next batch we may try adding more flavor.

Monday, September 6, 2010

chickies

the little chickie girls are starting to roost. it is such a good laugh to sit & watch them learn. we sat for a long time laughing & giggling as they fell over & slid around trying to balance. i took TONS of cute pics...but i think it's one of those things only a mother can love...so i'll spare you.


Little Acorn & Fluffy Cheeks are top students in the advanced roosting class
{notice anything new? BIG GIRL FEATHERS!}


practice making perfect


we helped them out by adding a stick. that's where we find them most of the time now. all lined up side by side & sitting pretty.

*these stinky little chicks had to leave the classroom & are outdoors now. POOCHIE! the girls will be charting their progress & doing a chicken lapbook to share soon.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

{Friday Flowers}...on Saturday


{Friday Flowers}...on Saturday
3's bright backyard lantanas
sunny yellow lantanas from my backyard

3 flew in through the door waving her clenched fist in the air. "MOM! I have flowers" she yelled. grabbed some vases, filled them with water, slammed them on the counter where she wanted them, then yelled "i want them here for dinner!" in less than 2 minutes she brought joy to the dinner table & was back out the door.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

she's gone {urban} country

(gotta hurry! somehow this posted while i was still putting it together!)
this book is so me! i love mixing old & new. mixing my sleek & shiny urban side with my durable & comfy country side. stainless steel & concrete with linen & wood. this book sums me up. accessories that mean something, not just knick knacks. utilitarian,classic, funky, sturdy, light, fresh, clean & uncluttered...that's were I'm headed.

...i can explain!

SO...GUESS WHAT?
yup. i know i said we wouldn't...BUT let me explain.
  1. I'm very very wishy washy.
  2. they were so stinkin'cute. look at that face!
  3.  i have been wanting chickens for over 15 years. i over thought it & made up all kinds of excuses not to do it : they're gross & poopie, the bird flu, what to do with them when they stop laying, etc...BUT with the girls pet sitting we've been enjoying tons of fresh eggs & what a difference. the superior quality. { i must say we don't even like eggs so much, they taste & smell gross, we tolerate them at best.} BUT we do think they are a necessary superfood & we do eat them. that being said i HATE paying for less fresh inferior quality store bought eggs especially now that we are used to the bright orange nutrient rich yolks.  our chickies are organically fed, when they grow they will be free ranged & pastured. in addition to the joys of chicken hood, by spring we will be enjoying the amazing benefits of free range organic farm eggs from our own backyard. more than anything i LOVE feeding my family freshness grown from home. having chickens has brought us one step closer to self sustainability & officially turned us into Brownsugar Farms.
  4. everyone has been telling us (ALREADY) we need a replacement for Little Miss Daisy to help us cope with our loss. were not ready for another doggy. Thus the chickies came as a timely distraction. their little joyful chirpies are such a happy sound & they are surprisingly quite cuddly. & EASY! they are keeping us company in the classroom & our spirits up. we are even thinking of doing the whole 4-H thing as a school project.
meet Little Acorn, Paddock, Fluffy Cheeks & Georgia. we decided to start off with just 4
Araucanas are beautiful birds & are called eastereggers because they lay a variety of egg colors such as blue, green, pink & yellow
the  Barred Rock chickies will be black & white and lay brown eggs
told you they were snuggly
oh & this book finally convinced me to do it. even if you aren't considering chickies, this book may persuade you. so CUTE & obviously this mama is a sucker for cute!!!

* sadly us city girls are trying to come to terms with the fact that  living in the country comes with its own threats & blessings. we cant avoid them & have to try to not live in constant fear. the chickies are our means to sustainability, nutritiously superior fresh eggs & food for our family. we love our pets & value each life. everyone keeps telling us we have to view our chickies as egg producers only, not pets & to be prepared because they have many natural predators.  that part we struggle with, never really had to looked at anything that way...I'm having a hard time even eating chicken anymore. the girls close the classroom door when we do. it's heartbreaking for mamas to lose any of their babies. alas...
                                                                    wish us luck!!!