Random, happy things

1) Blogging- It's so therapeutic. It's even more therapeutic to read friends blogs and laugh so hard. I've always been a journal keeper and this is another way to document and remember moments (without scrapbooking:))!!




2) My garden - Thanks to my gardener mom who sent me (another) gardening book for my birthday. Curtis put together the boxes for me and it is so exciting to go outside each day and see what has come up. I have 24 squares total with tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, onions, some different flowers, beets, potatoes, broccoli,beans, and some herbs. Ethan and Eli both have their own squares, Eli planted pumpkins and Ethan planted some apple seeds he has been saving all winter from apples that we ate. They are actually coming up. We had to put up a fence because of all the deer and critters around here.The last square is a compost pile. I think stuff is growing there too but it grosses me out so I haven't pulled anything up to see.



3) The Nutrimill - We got a check a few months ago from the moving co. reimbursing us for everything that had been broken in the move. Even after I whined and complained that money can't replace my special memories with whatever object broke (maybe it was because of all the whining???) Curtis gave me the entire check to do with as I pleased. So I bought the nutrimill and I am amazed that a machine so small can take a grain of wheat and pulverize it into fine, fine flour. The biggest hit with the kids is German pancakes.
Jonah having "a little taste" of flour


German Pancakes


6 TBSP butter
6 eggs
1 c. flour
1 c. milk
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 450. Put the butter in a 9x13 pan and put in the oven while you mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt (I use a mixer). When butter is melted, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Bake for 18 minutes until edges are puffy and brown. Slice and serve with syrup, jam, or fresh fruit.

Yogurt Syrup
I found this on a blog while I was blog hopping and it is so yummy. It's almost caramel-y. I should probably give credit to someone but I can't remember the blog name only that they also had a recipe for Cafe Rio sweet pork salad that was really good.

1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. plain yogurt (I used vanilla yogurt)
1/2 c. butter
3 TBSP corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine first 4 ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes while whisking. Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla, and mix well(the baking soda will foam up so use a large sauce pan). I kept the leftover syrup in the fridge and then just warmed it up in the microwave.

Dad's Day

Curtis got to :) speak in church on Father's Day this year, and last year, and I'm pretty sure two years before that one, too. I think it's because it's obvious what a fabulous dad he is. Despite being up early to work on his talk, I think it turned out to be a great day.

Sandbox: love it or hate it??

One of the great things about this overpriced and overtaxed house is the playground that was put in by the Younger's (previous owners whose name still graces the front door knock plate thingy). It's a rainbow or something- an expensive, big playground that has provided hours and hours of entertainment. The only improvement that needed to be made was with the sandbox. There was a tiny little sand table in the corner that was way too small and definitely not dirty enough. White sand? Never heard of it.

Curtis, being the amazing and sweet daddy that he is, cleaned out a spot in the playground and built me my DREAM SANDBOX. Actually this is the second one that he has created. It even has the cheap dirty sand that makes me feel so warm inside. The kind that gets dumped on the driveway and you have to move it yourself. That's what I'm talking about.


I love everything about the sandbox... except the sand that ends up in the house. It's so dirty and gritty that even after I sweep it I can still feel it when I walk around in the kitchen. I would usually just wipe it up but getting down to the floor level is no small task for me these days.

So I mostly love the sandbox with just a teeny bit of hate.