July 22, 2011

The last few days Joshua has been fussy...and fussy is an understatement! Oh my, it seems like has cried for 3 days straight! He is cutting his top two front teeth. He's already cut his front bottom and his eye teeth. I just pray that they pop through soon!

Cameron is so silly! He's been cracking us up lately! Last Sunday on the way home from Anchorage after dropping Amanda off he fluffed (our nice polite way of saying farted!). He denied it and then said "mom, it didn't smell like my normal fluffs". If that wasn't funny enough a little while later I started smelling something again and asked if he had fluffed again...he responded with "mom, I just couldn't help myself". Today, he came out of the bathroom after taking care of #2 business...Cole walked through the steps with him.."Cameron did you wipe?" "yes." "did you flush?" "yes." did you wash your hands?" blank look and a little blush..."Cameron go ahead and go back in to the bathroom and wash your hands." Cameron shrugs his shoulders and starts walking that direction and mumbles under his breath "whatever, dad". He did go in and wash his hands. He just has the funniest little attitude for a 4 year old.

Cole is doing exceptional. he loves his job, he loves Alaska and he's just happy as a clam.

I have been keeping busy with sewing...I finished my first tote bag with out a pattern last weekend. It was so fun to work through each step and figure out what to do and where to go next. I have started my second one as well as a new quilt. I love having a sewing machine out where I can sit down and sew for a few minutes here or there. I have also been reading quite a bit lately. I finished Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky earlier this week. I am on the second book of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. Once I'm done with that I will move on to the third and final book in that series. I have several book in my to be read pile...I'm looking forward to some good read later this summer. Next week we will be headed to Homer. Cole has to stay here as he can't get the time off right now to go with us. But his parents fly in on Wednesday with his sister Mandi and her clan. We will meet them in Anchorage and then spend the week with them. I'm looking forward to a mini vacation. Cameron is looking forward to having cousins to play with. Cole is looking forward to a quiet house.

Overall we are all happy and healthy. We are loving the long days and find that on the long sunny days we savor every moment!

Recipes: Meatballs

Meatballs are one of my "go-to" meals. They are so easy, my family loves them, and they re-heat amazingly! My sister-in-law turned me onto them 4 or 5 years ago. She used to go through food phases where she would make something over and over again until she was tired of it and then move onto something else. This was one of those meals she made twice a week for several weeks...they are good but not that good. I throw them together about once a month. I serve them with rice but my mother-in-law serves them with mashed potatoes. Last night we had meatballs, rice and corn on the cob, Joshua devoured his meal eating 1 1/2 meatballs a very small helping of rice and a scoop of corn. Cole says "mmmm, this is good", Cameron ate his corn and rice...sometimes I swear that kid must be a self made vegetarian!

Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp minced onion

1 tbsp italian seasoning (if it's a name brand...if it's not then only use 1/2 tbsp)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground mustard powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl...and mix with your hands!!!!

Form meat into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min. While baking mix sauce. Spoon over meatballs and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Goodbye, again!

Just after my birthday (June 30) Cole started dropping hints about a surprise birthday present. On July 4th he made it known that on Sunday July 10th my present would be ready and he would have to go into Anchorage to pick it up. I hate surprises...I am a control FREAK and I have to have a plan...I am so not spontaneous and Surprises ARE NOT MY THING!

Pretty soon I caught on though and I was able to figure out my big surprise....My sister was coming to visit!

We drove into Anchorage on Sunday after Sacrament meeting at church. She was to arrive at 3pm and Cameron had NO idea! It was so fun waiting for her and having him guess who might walk down the hallway towards us.

It has been so much fun having Amanda here. We have had so mush time to just sit and talk. The boys have enjoyed having another set of hands to play with and I've sure enjoyed another set of hands to help while Cole is at work. As I was nursing Joshua to sleep this evening I was brought to tears...I miss my family. I don't want to take Amanda to the airport tomorrow. I want to keep her. I don't want to say goodbye again!

I have been blessed with visitors...Emily was here for a week in June and Amanda was able to come for a week as well. Cole's sister Shannon was able to come and visit at the end of May and his sister Mandi will be in Homer in just over a week. Cole's mom and dad will also be in Homer then as well. I am looking forward to a visit from my mom before winter. It's so nice to have visitors...BUT it makes everything so hard again for a few days.

Anyhow. Amanda, thank you for coming to see us...we have loved having you here. I will cherish the time we've had and can't wait to see you again (hopefully in November!!!). You are such a great aunt, sister, wife and mommy. We love you!

Harry Potter?

I am a reader. I LOVE to read. I love to escape reality and drown my sorrows in a good book. When I read, I let everything go. I catch myself reading late, LATE into the night and waking the next morning with what I call a reading hangover. But, I have a confession.....

I haven't read the Harry Potter series. I know, I know! Seeing all of the posts in the blogging world and on facebook about the last movie debuting last night and how the Harry Potter world has come to an end makes me wonder if I am missing something. Were they that good? (no, I haven't watched the movies either!)

So, I have decided that after I finish my current series...I will start Harry Potter! I am excited to see what all the excitement is about.

June-July

Wow, today has been a busy day. I keep looking at Cole and telling him how I feel like I have done nothing but go, go, go! It's been nice though. Life hasn't been too exciting around here lately. Cole has been keeping busy at work...seems like he leaves the house between 9 and 10 am and doesn't return home till 9 or 10 pm most days. With the one car that gets kinda hard...there was one point this last week when I realized I hadn't left the house in something like 3 continuous days...can't so that! It makes me go crazy...really! I get a nasty headache, lots of anxiety and I can't focus. I am so glad that Cole has finally learned this about me. As soon as he noticed that I was feeling this way he loaded the kids and I in the car and we took off on a little drive. Nothing too exciting but enough to get us out of the house, fresh air and some quality alone time (the boys fell asleep on the drive, just happened to be bed time! and Cole and I were able to catch up on work gossip and the happenings of the kiddos.).

Joshua started walking last week...he spent about a week taking a few steps here and a few steps their. He finally figured it out though and does nothing but walk now! It's so funny to see such a little guy up walking. Cameron was the same way...teeny tiny up walking before he should be! Joshua is 10 months old. It's so hard to believe that we will celebrate his birthday in just a few short weeks!

When we moved we sold his crib and left the playpen....I cam with what could fit inside three suitcases and three boxes...Cole came with what would fit in the car and only what HE needed for the 6-8 weeks we were to be apart! Anyhow, I received a gift card for my birthday from a dear sweet friend in Oregon. With that we bought Joshua a new playpen. The poor kid has been sleeping with Cole and I for the last four months. Tonight is his 3rd night in his new bed and he seems to have adjusted well. I have chosen to not use the "cry it out" method with my kiddos...just a personal choice, but when it came down to getting Joshua in his own bed I had no idea how to do it! With Cameron we had a crib....the sides were higher and it just sat higher off the ground...much easier to go in and rub backs and comfort. Anyhow, I didn't want to fight with Joshua anymore the other night...bedtime fights...I hate them! I told him it was time for bed and that I loved him. I layed him down and then shut the door. It had to have been about 10 minutes later when I realized he was no longer crying. I couldn't believe it. I was literally just getting up to go in and let him know that I was still here, rub his back and sing him a song. The next night, he cried for bout 2 minutes. Tonight, he cried for 30 seconds. Now, we haven't conquered the night waking thing yet...once a night isn't bad for me...I know he's perfectly capable of sleeping through the night. I just haven't fought that fight yet!

Cameron is getting so big! His primary teacher at church had a party for her class today. He received the invite last Sunday and has talked about the party all week. He had so much fun today. They had cheese pizza and root beer floats. They raced around her huge yard and played T-ball! Cameron is too funny! Tonight we were talking about a surprise Cole is planning for me...we were discussing what the surprise might be. I was rattling off ideas and Cameron would tell me how he felt about them...I mentioned that maybe the surprise was a new book, Camerons response was "what book could he possibly get you that you haven't already read, mom?". He talks so grown up. There are times when I look at him and wonder if he is really 4 because most of the time I forget that he is only 4! He acts so much older all the time!

I have spent the last few weeks baking, cooking, gardening, reading, cleaning and being a mommy! I cherish the time I spend with my kids. I am so very grateful for their health, their knowledge and their being! The bed-time fight I was talking about earlier.... is only worth it because of the bedtime snuggles I get!

Pizza Night!

Most of my cooking is tailored to my husband! He loves CARBS...anything white and full and heavy! He loves pasta, bread and potatoes! He's also a man...and most men I know love pizza! I can't afford to feed my man pizza very often. In Oregon our local WinCo sold ready made "homemade" pizza dough....we loved it and made Friday nights pizza night. Cameron loved helping top the pizza and was always so proud. Since moving to Alaska we have had to make our own pizza dough. I've tried a few different recipes and I have finally found "the one"! Thanks to Our Best Bites we have re-instated Friday night as pizza night! We dress our pizza in some marinara sauce right from the jar, a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and then some pepperoni on one half and just cheese on the other side. I pre-bake my dough for about 10 minutes before dressing with topping....seems to help the dough cook through better. Once topped I bake for an additional 10-15 or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly! Be sure to let cool for a few minutes before cutting....this helps to allow things to settle....this way the cheese and yummy toppings don't slide off!

I adapted Our Best Bites bread stick recipe and am using it as a pizza dough!

1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 c. flour

Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger. In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.

Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

once dough has doubled in bulk....remove from bowl and shape into pizza crust. I use a cookie sheet but you could and should use a stone pan if possible. From here you will bake for a few to help dough cook through and then top! Be sure to bake at 425 degrees!

Enjoy!!!

Coffee Cake!

When you ask Cole what his favorite desert is....He'll reply with Coffee Cake! I believe it's the crumble on top that he likes so much....buttery and cinnamon-sugary goodness! I have (we) have been a hunt for the perfect coffee cake recipe. Last week I discovered this recipe over at the pioneer woman. It really is pretty good....better when served warm and isn't so great the next day. I'm sure it could be heated in the microwave and would probably taste great second day...however we don't have one and it isn't so great cold! This makes a HUGE pan though....way too much for two people! And I'll be honest...the batter was my favorite part!

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1-1/2 stick Butter, Softened
• 2 cups Scant Sugar
• 3 cups Flour, Sifted
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 3 whole Egg Whites, Beaten Until Stiff
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1-1/2 stick Butter, Softened
• 3/4 cups Flour
• 1-1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cup Pecans, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don't overbeat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 (or LARGER!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm---delicious!