I Seriously Can't Make This Stuff Up

I was coloring on the couch the other day with Peanut.  I had my bare feet propped up on the ottoman and next thing I know....

my toes became a crayon holder.

Funny to see how their little minds work, isn't it? 

Easter Projects!

Confession:  I am much more of a mom that would rather not deal with the mess and hassle challenge of letting my dear, sweet 2 1/2 year "help" in the process of all things kitchen related. 

That said, I baked some cookies this weekend for the Peanut to decorate and we dyed eggs this morning.

Somebody hold me.  
 
My attitude about such things needs much improving and I know that.  I am working on it.  Really.

I do, on occasion, let the Peanut "help" as I am making things in the kitchen, but it is not something that comes naturally or willingly.   Our kitchen is tiny, so there is not a lot of room--counter space, specifically--even if she is only 34 pounds.  Sugar cookies take lots of counter space.  What I did was mix and bake the cookies during her nap, then they were all cooled off and ready to decorate when her nap was over.  Actually, it was after her nap and dinner and a trip to the store, because we had to head out to get some powdered sugar (I didn't have enough on hand.  See? I do make some exceptions--like for special occasions.)

I constantly have to remind myself that this is why I chose to be a stay at home mom...so I can do fun things with Peanut and enjoy all the milestones....no matter how big....and no matter how insignificant some things may seem at the time.  I didn't decide to be a stay at home mom so I could have a clean house and menu plan and watch all episodes of Rachael Ray.  These hands on activities are the things Peanut so enjoys and I need to indulge her every chance I have.  I remind myself that the eggs and cookies don't have to look perfect.  Each year we do this she will get "better" and each year her style and personality will show through a little more.  

 

I am such a black and white person.  When I think to myself, I should let Peanut help in decorating the cookies or dye eggs--I can let her help.  But that doesn't mean she needs to participate in the whole shebang.  Meaning, I don't have to let her help decorate all three dozen cookies.  I can let her help decorate a few and know that a few more will be eaten in between said decorating.  And that is plenty.  She will still have her fun--lots--and she will get her fill--no pun intended!  (I just decorated the rest after she went to bed.)

 

In the egg decorating free style event, we did just 10 9 eggs (one cracked during boiling) and I did let her participate in all egg dyeing.  I am not a complete ogre.  The only reason I did so few eggs was that while I love egg salad sandwiches, I didn't want to be eating them for the next week and a half.  And honestly I only have two hands and with six cups of dye on the table and a very curious little girl--well, that's the only explanation needed, isn't it? 

 

Yes, we do need to discuss the rules of "double dipping."


She had a wonderful time and she loves to tell me all about it. 

And that is why I need to let go of my hesitations. 

Sugar Scrub: Easy Homemade Exfoliant

This is so stinking easy you'll cry.  Well, you may not cry, but you know what I mean.  My really good friend's sister went to massage therapy school and this was a recipe she got in one of her classes.  We were lucky enough to have it passed on to us!  It is works so good on all of your skin, but it is especially nice for those poor little feet that are about to be tortured by flip flops for the next six months. 

The original recipe does call for hibiscus powder, which I am told you can find at a health food store.  The first time I made this my Whole Foods didn't carry a "powder" but they did have dried hibiscus flowers which I threw in my food processor and processed as finely as I could.  It does work and it makes the scrub a beautiful pink color, however it does make quite a mess in the shower, so user be warned.  For me--I have enough to do and would rather not have to add a daily shower scrubbing to my routine--so I opted out of the hibiscus powder/flowers this time around. 

This also makes a thoughtful and inexpensive gift when packaged up in it's own little container.  Think half pint canning jar with a pretty little description tag tied on with raffia.  So cute!

Sugar Scrub

3/4 cup table sugar
almond oil
1/2 teaspoon essential oil (like lavender or orange or grapefruit or....)

Place sugar in mixing bowl and stir in oil to desired consistency--I added enough oil until mine was about the consistency/thickness of jam--approximately 1/4 cup?.   Once desired consistency, stir in essential oil.  Store in airtight container.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday 
We Are THAT Family's Works For Me Wednesday 

Menu Plan Monday

It's so crazy that we are celebrating things the second time around here. As in this will be our second Easter in SmallTown. It just goes by so, so fast!  Creating new traditions is becoming easier as well, so I am very thankful for that.

For this week, I am cooking a whole chicken and then incorporting the leftover meat throughout the rest of the weeks meals.  So it makes for a frugal and fairly easy week!  It will also free up some time to work on fun Easter activities with the Peanut, so I am pretty excited!

Sunday-Roast Chicken, mashed potatoes, green salad with basil pesto ranch dressing

Monday-Chicken Pad Thai

Tuesday-Chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce, green salad

Wednesday-Nachos

Thursday-Baked potato bar with chili, cheese, broccoli, sour cream, green onions, bacon

Friday-Pizza night (what's new?) with homemade crust and sauce, green salad

Saturday-Leftovers

For other great menu ideas, visit the Organizing Junkie.

Tried It & Loved It: Mocha Banana Muffins

I've shared with you our love for muffins around here.  When I came across this recipe, I thought it sounded so good, I tried them out the next morning and they didn't disappoint. We've already had these several times.  I did adapt them a little (of course!) for how we cook in our household and they were very well received!  I was also concerned about the coffee (caffeine) being in them with Peanut and she didn't seem to have any more energy than normal, so if you are worried, it shouldn't be a problem.

Mocha Banana Muffins ~ adapted from the Happy Housewife 

2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup strong black coffee
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup rapadura or light brown sugar
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup  cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts chopped (optional)
1 cup coconut (optional)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

 Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners and set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, buttermilk, coconut oil, coffee, bananas, vanilla extract and sugar.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and mix in the wet with the dry, stirring until batter is just moistened.  Mix in additional add ins if using.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Makes approximately 18 muffins. 

Silly Me

About two months ago, I starting having this pain behind my left eye.  I had had this pain before, however it had come and gone and only ever lasted a couple of days at the most.  I would also go months at a time before it returned.  However this time, it wasn't going away.  In fact, is was getting worse.  I knew I needed to go see a doctor, but I really didn't want to.

You see, I am very much like my friends mom (she's actually Hubs and my matchmaker too if you don't remember).  I remember her saying awhile back that she was waiting for the "big one."  As in she just knows that she is going to get cancer or have a heart attack or suffer through some other type of serious health condition.  I am that way too--don't get me wrong, I am not a hypochondriac--I don't go see the doctor for every little thing.  I actually avoid the doctor as much as I can.  In fact, I joked that when I was pregnant with Peanut that I had been to the doctor more (prenatal visits, etc.) in that nine months than I probably had been during the last 10 or 15 years.  That's truly not an exaggeration.

However, several members of my family have very serious health concerns and although I have been healthy as a horse (aside from colds and normal stuff like that) I have a hard time believing I am going to get away Scott free.  Does that make any sense?   Plus, I have this irrational fear of me dying young and not being able to see the Peanut grow up.  I didn't really want to know what this eye issue was about, because I just knew I had this huge, incurable tumor that was putting pressure on my eye and I only had six months to live.

Worry, much?  

So I finally broke down (in tears, no less) and told the Hubby all about it.  The pain, the fears, everything. And he just sat there and looked at me.  Then he smiled at me and said, "A brain tumor?  Honey, have you thought about getting your eyes checked?  I mean, you ARE getting older."

Did he really just say that?  Isn't that on the top ten list of things to never say to the woman you are married to? 

I looked at him with snot tears running down my face and said, "Gosh, that never even crossed my mind."  And it really hadn't.

The next day I called and made an appointment with the eye doctor and about two weeks ago I had my eyes checked.  The doctor's nurse started with just a manual eye check.  She covered my left eye and had me read the smallest print I could manage with my right eye.  Read the smallest line with no hesitation.  Then she covered my right eye and asked me to do the same thing with my left eye.  Whoa.  All my fears suddenly went away--I could not even read the smallest line and I struggled to read the line above that.  Turns out my vision is certainly not what it once was.  Hubs was right, I am getting older--not that I didn't already know that, of course.  I just didn't want him telling me so. 

I had reading glasses from about ten years ago, which was the last time I saw the eye doctor--yes, I know.  I never wore my glasses as I didn't feel they made any difference.  This time I got a new prescription and I got my new lenses a few days ago and I have been wearing my glasses.  And guess what?  No more eye pain. It's like it never even happened.

And please ignore those crows feet that marching across my face.

I AM getting older you know. 

The Big Crayons

Our sweet neighbor called me late last week and asked if Peanut could come over to play.  She had purchased some sidewalk chalk for Peanut to have fun with and so after Peanut's nap, we went and knocked on their door.  Peanut was very excited for the "big crayons," and was eager to have our neighbor draw some pictures for her.

Peanut did dabble a little in drawing herself, but thought it was much more fun to watch us big girls.  

I tried very hard to not be that mom and not panic as Peanut proceeded to lay down in the middle of the driveway.  She was quickly covered in chalk.  But I figured hey, it's only chalk, it will wash out no problem.

However.

Just a few days before the chalk event, our landlord had a tree service cut down a tree that was right over our driveway.  (It had been planted right next to a concrete wall and the wall was starting to crack.  Also, last summer, Hubs told me not to we chose not to park underneath where the tree was to avoid sap drippings on our vehicles.  Yuck.)   Anyhow, the tree was cut down last week--great entertainment for Peanut by the way--and at the end of the day, not only was there chalk on Peanut's clothes, but sap as well.  Only I didn't know that until after the clothes came out of the wash.  So I googled it--did you know that hand sanitizer works great for getting sap out of fabric?  It does--although not perfect, it does a good job saving clothes I thought were ruined forevermore.

Good to know though, right?

And Peanut still had a great time.  I am sure we will be getting a lot more entertainment in the weeks years to come with many more big crayons {sidewalk chalk}. 

Lentil Soup with Ham

This is an easy and inexpensive dish to make.  Plus if you have a really nice mom who sends you home with a big chunk of ham and a ham bone, well then, it's even less expensive to make.  ;)  That said, I had a ham bone and some ham in my freezer that needed to be used and with Easter coming up, I wanted to make sure to get use up all our ham so I can justify snagging some on sale this week or next. 

This soup is so yummy and is definitely one of my comfort foods.  It also reminds me of when I first started staying at home with the Peanut and I thought that the only thing we were going to be able to afford to eat was things like beans and rice.  Although we don't have an unlimited grocery budget, I have been able to make a variety of dishes and still stay within budget.  However, some things are just so good you just keep coming back to them. 

Lentil Soup with Ham

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
Pepper, to taste
1 ham bone
1 cup cooked, diced ham

In a dutch oven over medium heat, saute onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil.  Cook until softened, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add in salt, lentils, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, coriander, and cumin.  Stir to combine and add in ham bone. Bring just to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer until beans are cooked through, about one hour.  Ladle out about 5 cups of soup in a separate bowl and puree with a stick blender or use a standard blender or food processor and blend until completely pureed.  Remove ham bone from dutch oven and pour pureed soup back in.  Stir to combine.  Cut off any meat left on ham bone and add in additional cooked ham.  Once heated through, season with pepper (and additional salt if needed) to taste. 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday 

Menu Plan Monday

Last week I worked on using up some stuff in the freezer and for this week, well, I am still working on using up some stuff in the freezer....I guess had a little bit more in there than even I realized!  So for this week,

Sunday-Cheese and Chili Arepas with Eggs and Chorizo  (mmmm....thought this sounded so good!)

Monday-Stuffed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies

Tuesday-Macaroni and Cheese with Ham, steamed veggies

Wednesday-Spicy fish tacos, Spanish Rice, green salad with ranch dressing

Thursday-Pan fried pork chops, rosemary potatoes, green salad

Friday-Leftovers

Saturday-Leftovers


For other great menu plans, visit the Organizing Junkie.