We got together with a few friends this weekend, to celebrate Cory's 27th.
The newlyweds...
Spin those stix, sista
Get a little saw-blade in ya...
I love you darling!Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Happy Birthday Cory!
The newlyweds...Spin those stix, sistaGet a little saw-blade in ya...I love you darling!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Domestic Goddess Tip-Week #8
I love my CrockPot! I may not have an "unhealthy obsession with my CrockPot" like Stephanie at A Year of CrockPotting. But I love it just the same!
Our air conditioner recently went out, and we spent a few days in the blistering Summertime heat of central Kentucky. I was looking for ways to cool down the house (or rather not heat it up) and one of the things I thought I could do, was use my CrockPot instead of my oven or stove top.
So I flipped through Stephanie's site, trying to find a recipe that would suit my picky eating, my two-year-old, and well... Cory really eats anything, so it was just Moose and I to please. We tried a few things, but I absolutely loved the Sloppy Joes recipe. And Ariel, it is SUPER EASY!
Sloppy Joes in the CrockPot
h/t: edited a bit from A Year of CrockPotting
1 pound lean ground meat
1 packet of McCormick sloppy joe mix
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of white vinegar
I used extra lean hamburger, but (Stacy!) you could use ground turkey or ground chicken for this.
Mix the raw meat with the sloppy joe mix and the tomato paste. Add the 1/4 cup of water and the 1/4 cup vinegar, and stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-5. I cooked it on high for four hours, and since I was home when I cooked it, I stirred it once or twice.
The meat is done when it is crumbly and fully cooked. Serve with hamburger buns, or on top of rice. We ate this with microwaved mac & cheese and peas. The next time I make this, I would toast the buns so that they would be a little stiffer for the sloppiness of the Joe;) We also like our Joes with a slice of cheese on top.
Our air conditioner recently went out, and we spent a few days in the blistering Summertime heat of central Kentucky. I was looking for ways to cool down the house (or rather not heat it up) and one of the things I thought I could do, was use my CrockPot instead of my oven or stove top.
So I flipped through Stephanie's site, trying to find a recipe that would suit my picky eating, my two-year-old, and well... Cory really eats anything, so it was just Moose and I to please. We tried a few things, but I absolutely loved the Sloppy Joes recipe. And Ariel, it is SUPER EASY!
Sloppy Joes in the CrockPot
h/t: edited a bit from A Year of CrockPotting
1 pound lean ground meat
1 packet of McCormick sloppy joe mix
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of white vinegar
I used extra lean hamburger, but (Stacy!) you could use ground turkey or ground chicken for this.
Mix the raw meat with the sloppy joe mix and the tomato paste. Add the 1/4 cup of water and the 1/4 cup vinegar, and stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-5. I cooked it on high for four hours, and since I was home when I cooked it, I stirred it once or twice.
The meat is done when it is crumbly and fully cooked. Serve with hamburger buns, or on top of rice. We ate this with microwaved mac & cheese and peas. The next time I make this, I would toast the buns so that they would be a little stiffer for the sloppiness of the Joe;) We also like our Joes with a slice of cheese on top.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Picture Post!
Oh the glee. He is such a boy.
To prove I was here this past week. I had a comment from a friend that I was never in any pictures. Um, that is because I'm taking them!
Scout is enjoying her single-dog-dom.
Saturday Stacy and I tagged along on Boy's Nite, which started at BW3s, and ended up at our house. A good time was had by all. Even Scout.
Sunday we went out to the farm for some picnicing and sweating.
It was an exhausting day!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Domestic Goddess Tip-Week #7
I wanted to share one tip that works really well for me. It is casseroles. I love a good casserole, I am so picky however, it takes me a long time to find a good one. And even then, I often cut out or substitute ingredients.
I ran across the recipe below, when I was looking for a chicken recipe, to make something new. The first time I made it, I made it in one large dish, we ate it, and put the left-overs in the fridge. The second time I made it, I thought ahead enough to dump it into two smaller casserole dishes, cook one, and freeze the other. I can tell you, there is nothing quite like coming home, popping something frozen into the oven and forgetting about it for an hour, only to have a delish hot meal in an hour or so.
Score.
Chicken Boudine
h/t: inspired by Paula's Home Cooking Show
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 cups grated sharp cheese, your choice, divided
1 (2 1/4-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, soup, broth, and sherry. Add the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, the almonds, mushrooms, and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the (whole) mixture to a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch casserole and top with the remaining cup of cheese. (if you split the recipe, obviously use smaller dishes)
Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
If you choose to freeze a casserole, here are those cooking directions:
Bake covered at 350 degrees F. for approximately 30 minutes. Then bake an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, at 425 degrees F.
Let me know if you make it!
I ran across the recipe below, when I was looking for a chicken recipe, to make something new. The first time I made it, I made it in one large dish, we ate it, and put the left-overs in the fridge. The second time I made it, I thought ahead enough to dump it into two smaller casserole dishes, cook one, and freeze the other. I can tell you, there is nothing quite like coming home, popping something frozen into the oven and forgetting about it for an hour, only to have a delish hot meal in an hour or so.
Score.
Chicken Boudine
h/t: inspired by Paula's Home Cooking Show
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 cups grated sharp cheese, your choice, divided
1 (2 1/4-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, soup, broth, and sherry. Add the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, the almonds, mushrooms, and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the (whole) mixture to a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch casserole and top with the remaining cup of cheese. (if you split the recipe, obviously use smaller dishes)
Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
If you choose to freeze a casserole, here are those cooking directions:
Bake covered at 350 degrees F. for approximately 30 minutes. Then bake an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, at 425 degrees F.
Let me know if you make it!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Picture Post!
*Trying to get back on my posting schedule! Picture Friday is back! Again! Also, those of you with blog readers, check out my new template*
The new tile for the entry way!! We felt the new door needed some new tile to compliment it. So Cory was able to use the left over tile from downstairs to do it.
Please, please notice the Simpsons boxer shorts.
Laying them out.
Filling in the grout.
The cheering party.
And done.
New entranceway? Check. Next project... hmmm.
The new tile for the entry way!! We felt the new door needed some new tile to compliment it. So Cory was able to use the left over tile from downstairs to do it.
Ripping up the old stuff.
Please, please notice the Simpsons boxer shorts.
Laying them out.
Filling in the grout.
The cheering party.
And done.
New entranceway? Check. Next project... hmmm.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Pensacola Beach 2008
We woke up bright and early at 3AM on Saturday morning, and headed out for Pensacola Beach. Moose was wide-eyed for almost an hour while we drove toward the highway. Once we got on, he finally drifted off to sleep.
I actually sat in the back with him, which if you know me, is practically a death sentence. Mainly because of my tendency to get motion sick. I made sure to take Dramamine, and it was not too bad at all. Moose woke up around 6 or 7 AM, and we stopped at got breakfast. He was great, and even went potty in the big boy potty with me holding him up. It was quite a feat, and something I have mastered by the end of the week.
When we got back in the car, we hooked up our portable DVD player, and popped in Cars. That thing is worth it's weight in gold, let me tell you. It held him in rapt attention, and actually? It held my attention too. Not bad at all, man. Seriously.
We finished Cars, stopped and had the picnic lunch I had packed, and headed off. We watched Nemo next, then started The Little Mermaid, when we arrived in Florida. The first sight of the beach and ocean (it is actually the bay, but hey, still cool) is always awe-inspiring. It was about this time that we realized we had printed the wrong directions off of MapQuest. When I searched it, it found a different address and suggested a different destination, I just shrugged and clicked okay, MapQuest wouldn't lie to me, right? Well, it was wrong and we would have ended up in the get-to if I hadn't noticed the trademark three-mile bridge was missing from the directions.
We called my Mom, who was already down there, waiting for us, and got some clarity. Then we headed to the realator to pick up our keys. We met Mimi at the house, and looked around briefly, dumped out stuff on the beds, and promptly put on our suits and headed out to the beach.
We got cleaned up, and headed out for seafood for dinner that night.
Then we collapsed in a heap in front of the TV. We ended up going to bed at like, 8 PM or something, but Cory and I were exhausted! We had been up since 3 AM! A storm rolled in that evening, and our little house on stilts was obviously made to sway slightly in the wind. I didn't feel it until the next morning, but Cory said he laid awake feeling it.
Sunday day we spent playing on the beach. And Sunday evening we got all dressed up and went out for more seafood, for my aunt's birthday.
The restaurant had a large salt water aquarium, complete with a Nemo and Dori fish.
We spent Monday day out at the beach too.
Here is the crab that Cory caught. I believe it is the one that attacked his foot.
Eating brownie batter, hey, we're on vacation, right?
Tuesday dawned cloudy and a bit rainy, so we headed off to Florida's Gulfarium in Fort Walton.
One of the sea lions was named "Cory" we thought that was pretty amusing.
We headed home to blue skies, and went out on the beach for a few hours.
Thursday we woke up to a beautiful rainbow.
The Blue Angels also made an appearance around 8 AM. Of course, we were already up, but everyone in the other house was still snoozing. Moose really enjoyed the "jeps" and talked about them for the next couple days. They did a few tricks and passbys. It was pretty cool. I got some pictures, but they are too far away to appreciate them. Cory got some video, so I will try and make those web-ready for you to see.
Thursday evening Cory and I headed out for a date night. We ate dinner on the patio at Peg Leg Pete's and then headed over to the boardwalk to buy some souvenirs. I got an awesome hat that I love unconditionally, and a T-shirt and sweatshirt. Cory couldn't find anything he wanted. He has requested some flip-flops with the bottle opener on the bottom, so I guess I will be picking those up for him.
Moose's hair has turned almost white-blond, and even with the sunblock, he has bronzed his skin somehow. Cory sunburned his shoulders at some point and then his stomach later in the week. I had an unfortunate encounter with spray sunblock that affected my ankles and the backs of my legs. This is the second time spray sunblock has screwed me over, so I will never use it again. Overall our sun protection was sufficient, and has never been something I worried about before!
Mimi picked up a Frisbee and a kite which we thoroughly enjoyed on the beach.
Overall we had a wonderful time. I knew this would be different from any vacation I had ever taken, and it was. Everything hinged Moose's happiness instead of my own, and while I am used to that at home, it was different to experience it here. We had a great time, and have been discussing buying a beach house and renovating it, and renting it out to vacationers. White Sands, the condos we typically stay in, are completing their rebuilding, so they would be available for us the next time we come. We have talked about trading off years, doing a family vacation one year, then a home improvement the next and so on. So I think that makes the most sense for us, seeing all the things we have to do with our house.
We talked with the family about coming to Pensacola again in two years, and we have also discussed just me and Moose coming down with my parents next year. We have nothing set in stone yet, abut I would really like to take Moose to Walt Disney World when he is about four or five years old. I have read that this is the best age when everything is really magical, and they are really seeing "Mickey's House" and meeting Pooh and stuff.
So I am tentatively planning a Disney Cruise. I have not done any research yet, but I think we can get an all-inclusive package that will include everything. And if I start saving now, and start paying now, I think I can afford it. Mom is going to talk to her friend Vicki, who just did a Disney Cruise a few years ago, and I am going to talk to Mom's travel agent and get some more info. I'll keep you updated on that front as I know more details!
I actually sat in the back with him, which if you know me, is practically a death sentence. Mainly because of my tendency to get motion sick. I made sure to take Dramamine, and it was not too bad at all. Moose woke up around 6 or 7 AM, and we stopped at got breakfast. He was great, and even went potty in the big boy potty with me holding him up. It was quite a feat, and something I have mastered by the end of the week.
When we got back in the car, we hooked up our portable DVD player, and popped in Cars. That thing is worth it's weight in gold, let me tell you. It held him in rapt attention, and actually? It held my attention too. Not bad at all, man. Seriously.
We finished Cars, stopped and had the picnic lunch I had packed, and headed off. We watched Nemo next, then started The Little Mermaid, when we arrived in Florida. The first sight of the beach and ocean (it is actually the bay, but hey, still cool) is always awe-inspiring. It was about this time that we realized we had printed the wrong directions off of MapQuest. When I searched it, it found a different address and suggested a different destination, I just shrugged and clicked okay, MapQuest wouldn't lie to me, right? Well, it was wrong and we would have ended up in the get-to if I hadn't noticed the trademark three-mile bridge was missing from the directions.
We called my Mom, who was already down there, waiting for us, and got some clarity. Then we headed to the realator to pick up our keys. We met Mimi at the house, and looked around briefly, dumped out stuff on the beds, and promptly put on our suits and headed out to the beach.
We got cleaned up, and headed out for seafood for dinner that night.
Then we collapsed in a heap in front of the TV. We ended up going to bed at like, 8 PM or something, but Cory and I were exhausted! We had been up since 3 AM! A storm rolled in that evening, and our little house on stilts was obviously made to sway slightly in the wind. I didn't feel it until the next morning, but Cory said he laid awake feeling it.
Sunday day we spent playing on the beach. And Sunday evening we got all dressed up and went out for more seafood, for my aunt's birthday.
The restaurant had a large salt water aquarium, complete with a Nemo and Dori fish.
We spent Monday day out at the beach too.
Here is the crab that Cory caught. I believe it is the one that attacked his foot.
Eating brownie batter, hey, we're on vacation, right?
Tuesday dawned cloudy and a bit rainy, so we headed off to Florida's Gulfarium in Fort Walton.
One of the sea lions was named "Cory" we thought that was pretty amusing.
We headed home to blue skies, and went out on the beach for a few hours.Thursday we woke up to a beautiful rainbow.
The Blue Angels also made an appearance around 8 AM. Of course, we were already up, but everyone in the other house was still snoozing. Moose really enjoyed the "jeps" and talked about them for the next couple days. They did a few tricks and passbys. It was pretty cool. I got some pictures, but they are too far away to appreciate them. Cory got some video, so I will try and make those web-ready for you to see.Thursday evening Cory and I headed out for a date night. We ate dinner on the patio at Peg Leg Pete's and then headed over to the boardwalk to buy some souvenirs. I got an awesome hat that I love unconditionally, and a T-shirt and sweatshirt. Cory couldn't find anything he wanted. He has requested some flip-flops with the bottle opener on the bottom, so I guess I will be picking those up for him.
Here is Moose after wearing 50 SPF all week!
Moose's hair has turned almost white-blond, and even with the sunblock, he has bronzed his skin somehow. Cory sunburned his shoulders at some point and then his stomach later in the week. I had an unfortunate encounter with spray sunblock that affected my ankles and the backs of my legs. This is the second time spray sunblock has screwed me over, so I will never use it again. Overall our sun protection was sufficient, and has never been something I worried about before!
Mimi picked up a Frisbee and a kite which we thoroughly enjoyed on the beach.
Overall we had a wonderful time. I knew this would be different from any vacation I had ever taken, and it was. Everything hinged Moose's happiness instead of my own, and while I am used to that at home, it was different to experience it here. We had a great time, and have been discussing buying a beach house and renovating it, and renting it out to vacationers. White Sands, the condos we typically stay in, are completing their rebuilding, so they would be available for us the next time we come. We have talked about trading off years, doing a family vacation one year, then a home improvement the next and so on. So I think that makes the most sense for us, seeing all the things we have to do with our house.We talked with the family about coming to Pensacola again in two years, and we have also discussed just me and Moose coming down with my parents next year. We have nothing set in stone yet, abut I would really like to take Moose to Walt Disney World when he is about four or five years old. I have read that this is the best age when everything is really magical, and they are really seeing "Mickey's House" and meeting Pooh and stuff.
So I am tentatively planning a Disney Cruise. I have not done any research yet, but I think we can get an all-inclusive package that will include everything. And if I start saving now, and start paying now, I think I can afford it. Mom is going to talk to her friend Vicki, who just did a Disney Cruise a few years ago, and I am going to talk to Mom's travel agent and get some more info. I'll keep you updated on that front as I know more details!
Pensacola-we'll see you in a few years!
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