Summer Joys

so many joyful moments...does it really have to end?

A Day at the Park

Fun Photos

I'm really diggin' the fresh produce and foods....so glad the market is running every week again!  And I'll be done with school at the end of the week.  So exciting!  Here's what's going on in my kitchen:

Homemade Falafels, tzatziki, and spelt wrap.  The lettuce was from our garden!

She loves boots.

Yes, they can spin together!  And that floor is a goner!  As soon as the new floor is in, I'll post pictures.

Strawberries from market, cream from the local dairy, and homemade shortbreads....YUM! (The sausages were from the market too!)

ALL but one cabinet is painted now.  Isn't it a lovely blue?  It makes our kitchen seem so much happier!

I sent these out to all of my students.  I created the seed packet in Word, printed and cut them out.  The post office took them too! :-)  If I can figure out how to post them, I will.

Yummy!  These little delicacies are lemon cupcakes, with lemon curd inside, and a lovely buttercream on top!

Well, that's it for now!  I'll see you all more this summer! :-)

What's for Dinner?

Mmm...I love food!  I've always cooked my family healthy, real food, but I've been trying to cook cheaper healthy foods.  So, I've been cooking a lot of beans! Steve loves them, and the kids generally eat them too.  I just cook mine up in a crock pot.  I throw a few cups of dry beans in, put at least 3 cups of water for each cup of beans and turn it on high for the day.  You have to keep an eye on it until you can see how your crock pot cooks them so the beans don't dry out.  But I make a huge batch and freeze them so they are readily available.  I buy organic beans for about a $1 per lb (remember, they cook up to about 3x their volume!)....if that's not cheap food, I don't know what is!  Also, besides beans, my new favorite love is quinoa...I'll have to post a recipe for delicious quinoa cakes!

Mmm..fajitas!  I pinned the tortilla recipe if you are interested.  They came out so soft!  you can freeze them too, so make a big batch for another meal.  The fajita mixture contains whatever veg I have (this time I had cauliflower, carrots, kale, and spicy peppers), rice, black beans, and then a special sauce that has some lemon, hot sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, oil, and I'm sure something else that I'm forgetting!  Sprinkle with some cheese and you're ready to eat!  

quinoa cakes, my new comfort food!

Are you hungry for REAL food yet?

Jack's Birthday....and other fine things

So, I was working on a new blog post of my old account, and did you know blogger has a limit to how much you can post on your account (boooo)?! That makes me pretty upset because I think of my blog as my journal to share with everyone.  I figured out if I create a new google account I could invite myself as a blogger on my own blog....haha, that sounded very confusin!

Well, anywho, here we are. I was planning on updating you with Jack's birthday party:

Are these cupcakes not adorable?! I worked pretty hard on them. I tried to make them go with my "camping" theme. I'm especially proud of the camp fires. I thought they actually looked like fire. 

Pretty much all of Stephen's family was able to make it. They seemed to enjoy hanging out with each other.

Lindsay got hooked into playing soccer with Olivia.

Marshmallow face....momma was not happy!

Get. me. away. from. HIM!!!

Jack's little buddy loved the chickens!

Weeeelll.....here is a few more things to keep you updated!

Jack's first portrait.  This is Grandmummie.  He actually gave her eyes and hair....and a third leg?

This is Pap Pap....

Halloween Parade!

She was helping me clean.  Too bad Blogger wouldn't post my pictures the right way. :(

Stephen and I went to Troegs for our anniversary.  Mmmmm...

Hahahha....I loved that ginger beer!

Someone gave us tickets to Hershey in the Dark.  So much fun!  But, oh so cold!

Went hiking on one of the last warm days in November.  Stephen had Jack calling for Uncle Bubba.

Rhea at the park.  She loved going UP that slide!

His own concotion.  I gave him peas and craisins seperately...he combined them and ate every bite!

Homemade fingerpaints!

Momma and Jack date at the Green Room.  I had pretty much the BEST salad I've ever tasted!

Rhea's new hat.  I'll have to try to get a better picture!

Her prefered hat!  She wears her bike helmet nearly everyday....hahaha

Well, that's it for now.  Stephen is going to be posting his world famous yogurt recipe on here soon, so stay tuned!