Kids Will Be Kids

Pumpkin and Princess had the chance to play outside between daycare and supper this evening.  They sure did seem to have quite a bit of fun.  We started off cleaning up part of the flower bed by the front of the house.  We filled up a whole wheel barrel of leaves, dead plants, and sticks.  When I say "we", I really mean "me."  Pumpkin put in three or four sticks and Princess put in one handful of leaves.  They played on the front steps and ran around the shag bark hickory trees while I worked.  Once we filled up the wheel barrel, we moved it next to the garage for daddy to empty later.

Then we really had some fun.  We played on the little slide that my mom had bought the kids about two years ago.  Then Princess trampled some of my spring flowers in the bed next to the garage, much to my disbelief.  Then the play changed to tapping the bark of the maple tree with sticks.  My kids LOVE to play with sticks.  Princess commonly has a stick in each hand.  They are nature's play toys and very easy to find this time of the year.  I was able to get a few shots in with the camera before it was time to head inside with the pizza that daddy brought home.  

It was a great evening!

Spring Excursion

Today I had the chance to wander along the trails 

at a local nature center and through my own yard.  

Look what I found today along the trails!
 

Hepatica Blooms

Bloodroot Bloom

Moss Sporophytes

Dutchman's Breeches Foliage

Prairie Sky

Look what I found today in my yard!

Flowering Maple

Flowering Shrub

Canada Goose On The Pond

Algae And Tree Reflections On The Pond

Check back for more fun nature photos!

The Comfort of Cooking

Chicken, Cheese & Spinach Manicotti

I've been cooking up a storm lately.  Cooking be a great stress reliever and new recipes can make life more exciting!  It can be a very rewarding "me" time, which can transport me temporarily into another world where children and stress usual are suppressed.  My favorite cooking sites right now are Kraft Foods and All Recipes.

The anticipation of the new recipe is exhilarating.  Is it going to be great or a flop?  Should we invite a guest to join in tasting the new dish?  What modifications do I need to make to prevent an allergic reaction?  Did I read the labels correctly at the store?  How can I tweak it for the next time?  So many questions and so many recipes to try.

Since we periodically get half a cow from the family business, we have quite a few unusual cuts in our freezer that I have been experimenting on how to cook.  I have also been try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the menu in an effort to eat healthier. 

In the past week, I have prepared the following new recipes: Swedish Meatballs, Slow Cooker BBQ Short Ribs, McCormick Stuffed French Toast, and Chicken, Cheese & Spinach Manicotti.  All of the recipes have turned out great and are all on my list to make again. 

Upcoming recipes in the next month include:  Slow Cooker Short Rib Stroganoff, Beef Tongue (step 1 of the recipe), Rustic Chocolate-Cinnamon Bread Pudding (I love bread pudding and this sound fabulous), and quite a few more.  

I'm looking forward to my next new recipe adventure later the week.   No telling which new recipe I'll try next, but I'm hoping that it will be quite tasty!

Wetland Adventure

Pumpkin and Daddy during a family walk on March 12, 2011

This evening we took a family adventure to a local wetland.  We parked the family car in a nearby gravel parking lot.  The sun was shining and cool breeze filled the air.  We all put our hoods up on our jackets ready for our adventure.  Daddy and pumpkin took the lead down the winding gravel trail to the observation mound.  Princess and mommy followed the boys.  Last year's prairie grass rustled in the breeze.  Canada geese could be heard in the distance calling out to their friends.  

This time of the year is a great time to see migrating waterfowl passing through.  Daddy loves to watch and identify the migrants.  The kids played on the rock wall on top of the observation mound as daddy gazed into the wetland.  Pumpkin was having fun standing on the rock wall and jumping at the low spot (about one foot down).  Princess was more demanding and had daddy lift and lower her from the wall.  We forgot to bring binoculars and the camera along, so daddy was unable to identify the smaller waterfowl and I was unable to take photographs.

After about 20 minutes, because of the cool breeze, we headed back to the car.  Neither child wanted to leave, but I was able to coax pumpkin and he followed me down the path.  He walked along the wall as far as it would take him.  Then he would stop each time he reached a ledge and waited for someone's hand to help him down to the next level.  Princess of course, followed pumpkin until we reached the end of the wall.  Then princess wanted to return to the top of the mound and walk down the wall again.  Pumpkin on the other hand, skipped, jumped, tromped, walked, and ran back to the car with mommy.  We of course made it back to the car first, so we hid behind the car and pumpkin would jump very high (with mommy's help) to see where daddy and princess were.  With much kicking and scream on princess's part daddy eventually returned to the car with our precious little girl.  

Thus ends our wetland outing.  Next time we will remember to bring the binoculars and the camera.  We will also need to remember to have a treat waiting in the car to coax the children when it is time to go.

Signs of Spring Abound

Yay for spring! 

The amaryllis in our kitchen is blooming and 

I began to  wonder what other plants are 

ready for spring’s arrival.  So, I took a 

short stroll near the house while 

pumpkin and princess napped.

Irises blades are starting to peak out from the earth.

Tulip leaves are starting to unfurl.

Tree buds are becoming more showy.

Canada geese are pairing up and 

meandering through the yard.

I think this would be a great year to have a 

photographic journal of the changes taking place, 

so stay tuned for more!

A Blade of Grass

Grass is a pretty resilient life form.  You can just let it go and let it be free to be itself.  Or you can keep it trimmed and manicured.  You can even dig it up and move it around.  Yep, grass can take a lot of abuse and bound back just as strong.

Life is like a blade of grass.  You never know what will happen next, but we usually rebound back just as strong.  We can dig ourselves up and reinvent ourselves.  We can trim and manicure ourselves to our own tastes.  We can even say to heck with it and throw caution to the wind to be ourselves.

It is amazing that such a often overlooked monocot can provide such insight to the human race. 

The Magic of New Underwear and New Socks

There is just something magical about a package of new underwear and new socks.  They have the power to create happiness, joy, and awe.  They are inspiring and just "new."  It is amazing to see the magical change that they create over both children and adults alike.

Yesterday, grandma and I took pumpkin and princess shopping for a new package of underwear and a new package of socks.  We started with princess.  Even though she is not potty trained yet, I believe it is just around the horizon.  So we went down the toddler isle and I picked two packages for her to choose from.  One package had a variety of colorful, practical underwear and the other package had a variety of Hello Kitty underwear.  Any idea which one she choose?  Well, Hello Kitty of course.  She was so proud of that new bundle of underwear she held in her hands.  She would pull open the plastic snap, then try to close it.  If she needed help, she would say "fix it."  She held on to that package until it was time to check out.

Since she is also starting to outgrow her socks, we also picked up a new package of white and colored bobbie socks.  Speaking of bobbie socks, there is a really nice retired lady that I know that makes a fabulous beaded fringed around new bobbie socks for her church bazaar during the winter months.  Princess has one pair that she had received as a gift from this wonderful lady and absolutely loves them.  So I bought a package of bobbie socks the next size up and  I have a package of the beads at home.  I just need to get some crochet thread, then I am hoping that I will get a chance to learn how to make princess some beaded socks soon.

After we found princess her spoils, we turned to pumpkin. The variety of underwear for preschoolers is so more mind boggling than for toddlers.  Pumpkin had at least 10 different packages of underwear to choose from.  There was Shrek, Batman, Spiderman, Star Wars, Super Hero Squad, Justice League, Lego inspired, CARS, just to name a few.  Pumpkin thought for a little while on his choice.  I thought for sure that he would pick Spiderman, CARS, or the Super Hero Squad.  But he decided to choose a new package of characters that had yet to enter our house . . . . . Batman.  He also enjoyed holding his new package of underwear until it was time to leave the store.

Our last stop was to get pumpkin a new pair of socks.  Thankful with a boy, there is definitely less variety when it comes to socks and he does not seem to have a preference on this.  So it was as easy as finding the right size and tossing it into the cart.

It was a really interesting and inspiring shopping trip.  Usually, we have other items to purchase in mind, but this time it was just magical underwear and magical socks.  So with much dismay to pumpkin, not a single toy was purchased.  Princess did manage to get a frilly little white Easter-like bonnet that was in the dollar bin and Pumpkin came home with a Justice League t-shirt (which not quite what he wanted, but it made do).  He had his heart set on a Lightening McQueen (CARS) umbrella, but I did not think it practical and the odds that an umbrella would last more than a few times especially in the hands of a child are always slim.  Thus ends our shopping adventures for this weekend.

Spring Is In The Air

It is March 1st and that means that spring is right around the corner. Spring is the most wonderful time of the year, when everything is fresh and new!  I am looking forward to so many things this spring.

I am looking forward to the spring flowers:
Native: Toothwort, Spring Beauties, Bloodroot, Hepatica, Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Mayapples, Spiderwort, Violets, Wild Ginger, Trout Lily, Trillium, Dutchman's Breeches, Larkspur, Phlox, Bluebells, Columbine, and Solomon's Seal.

Garden: Crocuses, Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinth, and Irises.

Hyacinth

I am looking forward to the trees budding out

Red Maple Buds

I am looking forward to the spring foods:

Rhubarb, asparagus, and strawberries.

Grandma has one of the best strawberry pie recipes.  Don't let the sugar-free part deter you, it is the most wonderful strawberry pie that I have ever eaten.  Definitely a keeper!!! 

Grandma’s Sugar Free Strawberry Pie

Ingredients
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 (4 serving) package Jell-O sugar free strawberry gelatin
1 (4 serving) package Jell-O sugar free vanilla cook-serve pudding mix
3/4 cup Diet Mountain Dew
1 (6oz) Keebler shortbread piecrust
1/2 cup Cool Whip Lite

Directions
In a medium bowl, mash 2 cups strawberries. In a medium saucepan combine, dry gelatin, dry pudding mix, Diet Mountain Dew, and mashed strawberries. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 cups sliced strawberries. Mix gently to combine. Spoon hot mixture into piecrust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into 8 servings. When serving top each piece with 1 Tbsp Cool Whip Lite.

I am looking forward to seeing baby animals:
Geese, birds, and deer (as long as they do not eat my irises)

White-tailed deer fawn

Most of all, I am looking forward to the warm weather and sunshine!  Which will lead to the whole family spending more time outside going on walks, playing in the yard, strolling around the pond, and going to the park.

Spring here I come!!!!