Stacey J. Photoblog

Moved

2011-01-30T06:54:00.000-08:00

Alright..... though I have spent many years here, it was time to move.

I have started a new site at

http://www.juststaceyj.com/

Come on over. Be sure to change bookmarks and readers and subscriptions!

Tiny

2011-01-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Song: Song Bird, Eva Cassidy

The Denver Stock Show

2011-01-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

Song: Grandpa, The Judds

Artwork above by some sweet little child I didn't get the name of as the crowd was too large.

More information on the Denver Stock Show here.

The First

2011-01-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

Song: Viva La Vita, Cold Play (A Little Cold Play for a Cold Day)

je t'aime

2011-01-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

Song: Sweet Lorraine, Something's Got to Give Soundtrack

Book: My Life in France. You can buy it on Amazon.

Vitality Tally

2011-01-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Song: My Life, Billy Joel

He turned 5

2011-01-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

January 5

2011-01-06T07:51:00.001-08:00

Pomegranate Ice Cream

2011-01-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

Song: Luck be a Lady, Frank Sinatra

Here's where to buy the Cuisin Art Ice Cream Maker
Here's the link to the recipe for Pomegranate/ Cranberry Liqueur

La Dolce Far Niente

2011-01-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

Song: La Vita e Bella

I couldn't find the version of this that I love by Noa, but this will suffice.

You can order the One Line a Day books from Amazon, though they are on back order right now.

One Last Project: Bottle Snowman Milk

2010-12-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

Song: Frosty the Snowman, Perry Como

Rudolph

2010-12-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

He was rudolph in his school sing along today!
Song: Rudolph

A Couple I've Been Waiting On

2010-12-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting to post these for a little while....until all cards were distributed. I also happen to know that mom now has a 24x36 canvas of the top picture hanging. YAY!

Song: Christmas is for Children: Glen Campbell

Shortbread Cookies from an Old Friend

2010-12-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate and Cranberry Liqueur

2010-12-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

Bath Fizzies

2010-12-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Orginal recipe can be found here.
Citric Acid looks like this.
You can buy silicone ice trays here.

Babysitting and Gumdrop Waffle Cone Trees

2010-12-19T05:18:00.000-08:00

Song: Oh Tannenbaum, Vince Guaraldi Trio
This album was given to me long ago, and it's my absolute favorite. Followed closely
by the Nutcracker Suit.

Cookie Makers

2010-12-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

A Party with a Little Cranberry Streussal Cake

2010-12-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Twine Wrapped Ornaments

2010-12-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

Song: Christmas Time is Here

Candy Cane Fudge

2010-12-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

The Letter to the North Pth

2010-12-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

Song: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

The Silver Tree Forest

2010-11-30T15:41:00.000-08:00

Song: The Pretenders, 2000 Miles (It's Christmas Time)

Log Snow People

2010-11-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

My Newest Favorite
Song: Winter Wonderland, Jason Mraz

The Ugly Tree

2010-11-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

We went to get the trees above Laramie, off Sande Road, in case anyone was wondering where to find such awesome trees.

Week of Thanks: Day 5

2010-11-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

Sugared Cranberries

2010-11-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Sweet Paul

Song: Sugar, The Archies

A Couple Recipes from Thanksgiving: Cranberry Avocado Salsa

2010-11-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Martha Stewart's app for the itouch.

Week of Thanks: Day 4

2010-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Week of Thanks: Day 3

2010-11-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

Week of Thanks: Day 2

2010-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

A Week of Thanks

2010-11-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

Granola with Added Cranberries for the Season

2010-11-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

Song: The Cranberries, Dreams

Roller Skating Child

2010-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

There were some things I did as a kid that I really want to share with my little boy. Ok... there are A LOT of things that I did as a kid that I want him to experience, but I think I not only want him to experience them, but I want him to enjoy them. Laugh while we're doing them. Remember them.

I roller skated almost as much as I rode a bike when I was a kid. I was one of those children at the roller skating rink involved in all the games they play. I would race around all the kids and fling myself backward and forward and upside down. (OK, I don't remember being upside down) My parents used to skate with us. For those who know my dad's size...it was pretty amazing to see him on skates, and skate well at that.

So I took my kiddo. On a Friday night to the rink. I was completely surprised. I thought it would be empty. Deserted. But, just the opposite. It was jam packed! The two brothers in the below pictures.... they weren't as excited to skate as I was. But me... I jumped right in there, flung myself backward and took my little boy's hand and led him around the rink. Over and over. By the end he was actually pushing his feet instead of flailing. And he was standing in the middle under the disco ball dancing.

Now I know these aren't the most fantastic, beautiful photos.... but they are my everyday life. I was to preserve that.

Song: Roller Skating Child, The Beach Boys

2010-11-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

Rugs and Rags

2010-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I started this blog was to not only keep friends, family and strangers up on how big my kiddo is growing, how big other kiddos are growing and the world around me, but to share ideas and little projects that keep me busy. The little projects have been few and far between lately. Life gets in the way sometimes. However, I take a couple months off from my all consuming "hobby" and get to play for a few weeks. So, in the wake of holidays, (they are very very close) I wanted to get some gifts in the works.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have always loved buying gifts, but I have more so loved making gifts. I've been wanting to try these for a long time now, but had no idea really where to start, so Monday night, I jumped right in. I tore some sheets up and crocheted them into a rug. Really....not that hard as long as you know the basics of crocheting. It's like making a GINORMOUS potholder....but instead you now have a rag rug!

As most of you know, I love making things out of recycled stuff. Old sheets are a perfect thing to make things out of. I found this video and then followed it to the site to get better directions. But basically all I did was make a double chain stitch for 6 stitches and then go around over and over again, adding a stitch here and there to keep it from curling up. ....and in case you couldn't find your way around here are the basic instructions to make it!

2010-11-09T20:19:00.001-08:00

Explorers

2010-11-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes this is how I see him moving. He's a blur. Time is a blur. I have faint images and not so clear pictures. I can remember the colors and the smells.

But most of the time.... He's one of those kids that makes you pay attention. His questions are specific and thoughtful. Sometimes he has a hard time finding the right words he needs... but he gets his point across, and a lot of the time I see our time together clear as day.

He and I are walkers. We walk often. Especially lately. I can't make myself stay inside and he's getting to the age where TV (Noggin) is very very interesting and he doesn't want to miss his "shows" (Dino Dan)....so being the "mean" mom I am, he HAS to go with me. 90% of the time.....he loves it. We stayed out last night until dark. Exploring. We love exploring. It's the time I have with him that I'm not as distracted. The only "techie" device I carry is my camera....which sometimes is even too much for him.

Song: This is the Time, Billy Joel

Tiny Dancer

2010-11-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

She walks lightly on her toes. Is light as a feather when you pick her up for a hug. When I found out she was starting dance lessons I was ecstatic because dancing, ballerina style, just seemed so natural to her right now. I get to see her often, but I don't photograph her often. So we made a special date downtown. I've been wanting to do this for ages and it turned out perfectly.

Song: Tiny Dancer, Elton John

Another Newbie

2010-11-04T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have been photographing this little guy since before he could sit up... and now....he's 3!!!! He runs and talks and has full conversations and he and I went out to play and just had a blast. Just he and I. We played in the tall grass and hid from each other and made faces at each other. It was awesome. He was awesome.

But there was another reason for my visit......

He has a little brother!!!!! Brand spanking new. And you know... I normally would never ever take a week old baby outside at the end of October, but I did. Because it was BEAUTIFUL and perfect and so was he!!

Welcome to the world little one!!!!

Song: Jack Johnson, Better Together

All In The Family

2010-11-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

She has grown an incredible amount since the last time I saw her. She walks and talks and is in general pretty adorable!

And so are her cousins!!!! They were all on the go, but I managed to catch them a little bit!!!

The Costume

2010-10-31T19:55:00.000-07:00

Does it surprise anyone that this is his costume?

Those Leaves, those leaves...

2010-10-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

There is a line in a movie that says "it pisses God off if you're walking in a field and you don't notice the color purple" , which is just a brash way of saying, be aware of the beauty around you. I have been noticing the am-az-ing colors the last few weeks. This week the wind blew like a tornado for 4 days. most of the leaves were blown away, but driving around, I found more. Lots more. So I took my son out for a snack and quit shot with these leaves. They were too beautiful not to capture in some way.

Finally here!!!

2010-10-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting on the arrival of a couple babies the last few weeks and now, finally they are here. A lot of people ask about a little girl I've photographed often, Little Miss Sunshine...well this is her cousin!!! This little man was not your typical newborn...at least this day he wasn't. Normally, kinda like puppies, newborns eat sleep, poop, sleep. This one missed the sleep part. He was wide eyed an bushy tailed and probably not very appreciative of me torturing him like I did with my camera. He probably went to sleep the second I left. Welcome to the world little wiggly man! I'm so happy to have you here finally!

Hallows Eve

2010-10-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

Even though there were countless things going on in town last night for the little ones, we decided to stay in and make our very own special Hallows Eve Dinner. I'm really enjoying the time with my family right now and I wanted to make something super special for last night. We went all out. It was completely AWESOME. We set up tables in the front porch for both the adults (all 4 of us) and one special one for the kiddos. We strung lights across the top and had candles everywhere. There were spooky gourds and pumpkins glowing.

We had spider web cake.

We drank out of pumpkin glasses.I just cut pieces of black duct tape so at the end of the evening we just peeled it off and had my stemware in tact. We colored the milk orange for the little ones.

I made little treat sacks for the little ones. All two of them.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball: Just made with my favorite cheese ball recipe. Added a little food coloring and cut out pieces of green pepper for the face.

Got little decals for all the bottles. This is really ugly BBQ sauce that went with the goblin and troll legs we had (they were suppose to be bat wings, but the coloring was more green so we changed the name)

Little Marshmallow Witches provided by my good friend.

Hot Dog Mummies.

And Finger Poppers. (these were my favorite of the entire meal!)

Song: Monster Mash

There is actually a whole playlist of Halloween songs in there.

Toys

2010-10-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

There was a movie this summer that some of you moms probably went to see. One where a little boy is leaving to college and his toys are trying to figure what to do with their lives after he's gone. I was one of those moms completely sobbing through a good portion of that movie. I felt so bad for those old toys...because I could picture my son's dinosaurs talking to each other after he leaves for college, wondering why they don't get organized any more according to their size, or smashed together. Or raggedy Elmo, with his sad little broken eye sleeping all alone. But that time won't come for a long long long while. In the mean time....I'm going to catch the moments. The ones where he's not looking. The ones where he's caught up in make believe. Oh how I wish we could all visit that world more often... kids get to go to the greatest places sometimes.

The Pumpkins

2010-10-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

Compared to other years we didn't work quite as hard on our pumpkins. But compared to other years we were all sitting on the couch watching the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown at 7:00 after already being done. As a family. Bliss. We weren't scurrying around until 11:00 trying to finish them because we were all exhausted. This is new for all of us. And we all love it!

If you missed the others from years past: You can find them here, here and here. My pumpkin picture taking skills haven't really improved in 4 years (though we've been carving pumpkins since WAY WAY before my little man came around... but finding documentation digitally is hard!)

S

2010-10-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

It was 80 degrees in the middle of October when we has the S meal. It was the most fantastic day there could have been. It was unbelievably beautiful. We spend the entire day outside, except to cook, which took very little time (thank goodness!)

For the S meal we had:

Shrimp Scampi

Salmon (baked)

Squash (Yellow, from the garden)

Snow Peas

and Snakes on a Stick (which I didn't get a picture of, but basically, bread twisted on a skewer and dipped in cinnamon and sugar)

The shrimp scampi I think was the best I've ever made. It turned out so unbelievably fantastic and I didn't even do that much for it.

For the sauce (I didn't measure, I just threw it in)

Butter
Lemon Juice
White Wine (I think I just used the Cabernet that I had here)
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Dried herbs
and when it was done I added a little Parmesan cheese.

Viola... fantastic food.

The Squash was just sauteed in olive oil and added a little salt.

The Salmon was baked in butter and spices and fresh basil. (baked is about the only way I can eat it anymore...it just tastes better to me with all the stuff on it as Salmon tends to be a little dry)

Oh and thank you big brother and Dad for bringing it to me! I love that I always have fish in my freezer at my fingertips at any time!

R

2010-10-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Back to the Alphabet project that we seem to neglect for weeks at a time, but nearing the end.

R meal was spent on one of the last nights outside under the trees at the picnic table. I always feel a little couped up at the end of the summer because I have to eat inside, as I almost never eat inside if it's nice enough not to.

R night was a great meal. An actual meal that we all put together.

We had:

Ribs

Red Skins

Rice Crispy Treats (Shaped like pumpkins)

Rhubarb Pie

Rolls

And some sort of Raspberry Yogurt that was fantastic

I found the idea for the rice crispy treats a while back, and had intended to make them apples, but the apple phase passed and we were on to pumpkins. They were easy as can be. Just follow the normal recipe for rice crispy treats and add a box of orange jello. Shape into pumpkins. Let set and then add the stems. You can make the leaves our of candy as well, but we don't really eat the candy, so we used real ones that we just picked off.

Rhubarb pie has always been my absolute favorite. My Grandmother in North Dakota used to have one on the counter waiting for me when I would arrive after my long 14 hour drive. I would always have at least one slice before I went to bed. Sometimes two....because she made it just for me and I didn't want to share. Then I would have one for breakfast too. And lunch.

Now there is a secret to our ribs... actually there are a couple. I will only share one as the other, is well, secret.

In order for ribs to be fantastic, at least for me, they need to be tender. A few years back, my husband discovered a way to make them that way and taste absolutely fantastic.
Coffee. Really really dark coffee.
If you bake them in the oven for a a few hours over coffee, the moisture soaks in and "smokes" them. Absolutely fantastic (And I'm not much of a meat eater, but I sure do love these)

The other secret is in the sauce. You'd have to ask my brother in law about that. He's been perfecting it. I have a general idea of what he does as I've made my own BBQ sauce as well, but he made some this summer that is finger licking good.

Somebody's Watching

2010-10-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Song: Somebody's Watching, Mysto and Pizzi

Goul Drool

2010-10-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I used to put a quarter into a little machine and out popped a little round container of this stuff. I remember thinking how strange it smelled. I remember thinking this it was so boyish and disgusting...I loved it., especially around Halloween.

Well I have a boyish little boy who is the ultimate disgustinator (yup..made that up and let's face it, little boys are kind of disgusting, it just comes with the territory) So we decided to make some slime. Or Goul Drool as it was called yesterday. It kept him occupied for most of the afternoon, which was good, because this is pretty much the exact same thing that is running through my sinuses right now. (gross but true)

Goul Drool: Mix 1/2 cup glue and 1 cup of water. Add two or three drops of food coloring.

In a separate glass bowl mix 1/2 teaspoon of borax (found in the laundry detergent isle) with 1/2 cup of water.

Mix the two together and stir frequently. Really, one of the easiest projects out there.

Now.. go get your slime on!

Added Together

2010-10-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Take one beautiful autumn afternoon.

Add t-shirts and shorts

Little bicycles with little horns

Blue skies lacking clouds

Vibrant colors

Long conversations

Long comfortable silences

Tag and cuddling

All of this......equals a perfect day.

reflections

Song: Autumn Leaves, Nat King Cole

Let's Just Pretend

2010-10-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

It was cold this day.

And Raining.

And our noses were red.

And nobody really wanted to be out in the cold very badly.... but we did it anyway.

And surprisingly you can't even tell it was freezing!!

Blazes

2010-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

This fall has been one of the most enjoyable seasons that I can remember. I've spent nearly every evening outside for the past three weeks, watching the colors become more vibrant, blazing stronger and sometimes fall before my eyes. I can't remember a time when I enjoyed it more. I don't know if that is something that comes with age. Becoming more aware of things changing around you....where as, when I was younger, I didn't care to notice...or had more "important" things on my mind. But now, at this point in time...this is what I see.

2010-10-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

I took a picture of my baby when he was about 9 months old. It was dramatic. It was shadowy. It was just like this where he was looking out a window. And it was and still is one of my favorite pictures. And now look at him. He looks like such a little boy. I know I share him a lot... but this is what this place started out to be... a place for me to reminisce about things like this picture every now and again.....because when I blink, he'll be 18. And I hope that I get a picture just like this. Just as dramatic. Just as moving.

Big

2010-10-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

This beautiful couple, aren't they gorgeous?....they have a pretty big family!

And it really is refreshing to see a family that gets along and helps one another and makes sure every one around them is OK. It's also refreshing to see parents completely in love and surrounded by little ones.

Reading Material

2010-10-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

This past year I was asked to contribute recipes and pictures to a little magazine down in Corpus Christi. For the fall issue I decided to go with a theme... apples. Remember, how I said I was surrounded by them at one point in time, well this was why. I was cooking apples everyday in every way. So, since not everyone can see this, I thought I would share these here too. A couple of them, I've already posted, but there are a few others that are really really appetizing and completely easy that I didn't want you all to miss out!

The first and probably my favorite, was apple dressing. I never really ate dressing until about 2 years ago and now I don't think Thanksgiving is complete without it. This is different. It's not applely. I mean, it's not you are tasting just giant chunks of apple...they just bring out the other flavors so well. It's just plain good.

Apple Dressing

8 cups soft bread cubes
1 cup raisins (or less, add to taste)
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup onion -- chopped
1 cup celery -- chopped
3 cloves garlic -- minced
3 cups tart apples -- unpeeled and diced
1/4 cup parsley -- finely chopped
2 teaspoons teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly butter a 2 quart casserole dish. Cover raisins with boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain well then toss them with the bread cubes. In a skillet melt the butter and saute the onions, garlic, and celery for about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir the sauted onions into the bread cube mixture. Add the diced apples, parsley, salt and paprika and stir carefully. Place stuffing mix in the prepared dish. Bake the dressing at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes.

The second recipe is one of the easiest things I have ever made and SERIOUSLY yummy. Plus, the kiddos, really love it. At least mine did...and then as he was carrying it back to put it away....it dropped on the floor. At least I took its portrait before it fell!

Apple Cider Cheese Cake

1 can (10 oz size) apple pie filling
1 graham cracker pie crust (9-inch size)
1 package (8 oz size) cream cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream
4 packages instant spiced cider beverage mix
4 ounces whipped topping (I used homemade...not a big fan of cool whip)
1 crunchy-type granola bar

Spread apple pie filling on bottom of pie crust.
In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream & spiced cider mix until fluffy. Beat in thawed whipped topping. Pour over apple pie filling and refrigerate.
Crush granola bar & sprinkle on top just before serving.

The next two recipes are really for warmer days. At least for me anyway. I don't really love to eat this kind of stuff when it's cold. Don't ask me why, I just don't, at least not very often.

Apple Coleslaw

2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 cups green cabbage
1 small apple, cored and diced
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup Apple juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 cup pistachios

Green Salad with Apple Vinaigrette with sweetened almonds

The sweetened almonds really compliment the more bitter taste of the viaigrette.
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

Makes about 1 cup.

Secret Hiding Spot

2010-10-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

When I got out of the car to meet this family, the oldest little one came running across the way for a GIANT hug. Let me tell you... there is nothing like that in the world. For someone, who I see a couple times a year, to give me a great big hug...fantastic start to the day.

It was cold and windy yesterday morning, but I found a little cove to hide in for a bit. It is now my favorite place to play and it kept us all from being blown away, if only for 20 minutes or so.

Song: Do You Want to Know a Secret, The Beatles

Every Year

2010-10-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

Every year, just about this time, we head down south to the pumpkin patch. It's a family owed place. There are no gimmicks. There are no ropes. It's quiet and beautiful. We spend as long as we want there, where ever we want, picking everything we want for a reasonable price. I love it there and as I said before ...it rivals Christmas for me.

The whole time I'm there the Peanut's theme runs through my head, as "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" is absolutely my favorite fall book. And to me the pumpkin patch we visit is the most "sincere."

This year... the fields looked a bit different... full of very tall weeds. I talked to the owner about it, and with the wet spring they were unable to cultivate the way they normally do. They refuse to spray in any way as they are ALL natural (you can pick all kinds of things, besides pumpkins there.) I told her the weeds just made it more of a hunt for the perfect pumpkin.

Black birds are one of the biggest reminders of fall . They crowd the fields. They fly in swarms. They are a reminder the cold is coming.

Song: Peanuts Theme

Extras

2010-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

I will venture to guess...that 80% of the kiddos I have been photographing for the last couple years are now brand new brothers and sisters. This is one of them. Isn't she beautiful!?

Here is the big brother. Seriously adorable and talking like a maniac now!!!

It's All Relative

2010-10-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

Park: Uncle Tevi how old are you?
Uncle Kevin: How old do you think I am?
Park: 13
Uncle Kevin: **laughing**Try again.
Park: 70
Uncle Kevin: Well I do act a lot like those ages, so those are pretty good guesses.

Toil and Trouble

2010-10-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

She one of my babies that through all the years.... smiles are hard to come by. But, I think I finally broke her... just a little. I told her that witches have stinky feet and grow goblins between their toes. Worked like a charm.

I photographed her every year on the same weekend. With her Halloween costume... and she did not disappoint at all this year. Pretty adorable.

Song: Witchy Woman, The Eagles

Blustery

2010-10-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

You would never guess to look at these that there was quite a bit of teeth chattering going on. We, once again, went from a ninety degree afternoon to a twenty degree morning. I was the one with the teeth chattering mostly. The little one here... it took him a lot longer than me to get cold.

He's one of those babies that looks much older than he actually is. It's the hair I think. I have one of those "hair" kiddos too.

Song: Blue October, Blue Sunshine

I Am Lucky to Have Bad Days

2010-10-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Some days are just those kinds of days.
I sucked at today.
and sometimes it's ok to do that.

Once you become a parent, at least for me, my days are normally measured by how well I get on with my kiddo. Some days you wish there was a mute button for them. Some days it is so hard to concentrate on what they are trying to tell you . Some days all you need is two single minutes to have an adult conversation without the interruption of.."mommy. Mommy. MOMMY!" some days are like that. And I don't necessarily think it makes one a bad parent for having those feelings... I think it makes me human.

A little boy died yesterday from being hit with a 900 pound hay bale a few weeks ago. He has been in critical condition. He died of brain injuries. And here I complain about a child talking too much. A child that needs interaction. A kiddo that uses his brain every single second he is awake. I am a lucky mom to not have a day like the mom of the little boy who died probably had today.

So yes, today wasn't perfect, and yes some days are frustrating....but at least I get to lay here and type next to my sleeping child, watch him breath in and out and wonder what he's dreaming about. And tomorrow I will wake up and I will get to listen to him chatter about flinstone vitamins and dinosaur toes. It will be a beautiful day.

As a friend of mine said today: "Just one tough day in an otherwise charmed life." Well said my friend.

Song: Bad Day, Daniel Power

2010-10-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

The "Q" meal was more of a snack than a meal really. Because, lets face it, "Q" foods are pretty limited, and as much as I'm a wild game cooking type of girl (can you hear the sarcasm in my typing?) I didn't really want to cook Quail. Or Quiche. Not really into mixing things, except cheese into my eggs.

So we had
Quesadillas and Queso Cheese Pasta. Just a little mid day treat.

I think quesadillas are pretty self explanatory. I just cook them on the stove top like a grilled cheese sandwich on a super flat square pan. Then make dippers for them.

If you don't have one of these...you should. I've had one for all my life and they come in really handy for pizzas and quesadillas and all kinds of random snacks. It's called an ulu. The Eskimos originally used them (and probably still do) for cutting whale up for food.

The Queso Cheese Pasta was a pretty simple one. I basically used the elote recipe and tripled it. Covered pasta in it, and added veggies and various spices.

For the sauce:
1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup Queso Fresco
2 tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
1-2 tablespoons Lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste.

P

2010-10-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Our letter meals have been fairy simple for the last few letters, basically because it's just that time of year where everyone is running in different directions and it's hard to catch up with things.

We continued on the the "P" meal last weekend. we had a few guests, a few of which are picky eaters so I tried to pick things that picky eaters might have liked. I also had someone from far far away (OK, New York, who was a complete stranger to my crazy house) and I didn't want to scare her away with weirdo food either.

So...for P day we had:

Parmesan Chicken

Papaya

Pickles (canned just weeks earlier... they have a little kick)

Baked Parsnips

In the first year I was married, my husband came home from Colorado Springs on a hunting trip with one of his buddies who has an amazing wife that likes to just whip things up for her guests. I love it when she just whips things up. Me, being me, an inexperienced cook 9 years ago, was fascinated with her. My husband paid attention to what she was doing one time and came home to tell me about Parmesan Chicken. It has been a staple in our meal schedule for years now.

You need:
Chicken Breast (as many as you are feeding)
2 eggs
A LOT of grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese.

Dip the chicken breast into the eggs
Smother them in Parmesan cheese
Cook in a hot pan for about 7-10 minutes on each side until golden brown and juices run clear (on medium heat) It's really easy to burn, so be careful!

This ALWAYS smokes up my house so I try to do it out on the grill...unfortunately I was out of propane that day!

For the Roasted Parnips:

Slice them lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil.
Spice them up with whatever you have laying around. This time of year I like to use rosemary, sages, etc...and salt and pepper of course.

O

2010-10-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

I bet you all think I gave up on this little project.....not a chance!
We celebrated O day a couple weeks ago and I'm just now getting to this.

For O day we had:
Onion Soup
Wrapped and Stuffed Olives
Oranges and Orange Juice
Cheesy Orzo
Oreo Cream Pie

You can find the Onion Soup Recipe here....This is something I can eat a whole pot of by myself

You can find the Oreo Cream Pie recipe here...not something I would eat all by myself....because I have to share.

A few years ago I went to a Halloween party and these were being served. First of all... I LOVE OLIVES so of course I ate half of them myself. Secondly, they are super super easy to make.
All you need for this recipe is:
A jar of stuffed green olives (doesn't matter what they are stuffed with, whatever you choose)
A can of crescent rolls.
Butter

Cut the crescent triangles in half. Wrap around Olives. Brush a little butter on top. Cook until golden brown. LOVE these. If you want to be a little fancier, add sesame seeds on top.

We also had Cheesy Orzo (care of Rachel Ray)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cans (14 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth or stock

2 cups orzo pasta (enriched rice may be substituted)

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat a 8 inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. You favorite fresh herbs may also be stirred into the orzo or rice to strengthen the flavor even more.

Very easy side dish.

Song: Oh I Love You So, Preston Smith, Cocktail Soundtrack

Scaring the Crows

2010-10-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

We decided, to add to the festive look around here, to make a scarecrow. I have never in my life made a scarecrow. I had no idea what I was doing. But that didn't stop me. Not knowing what I'm doing doesn't normally stop me from doing things....I can either fail, and move on......or get something great out of it. Regardless, it was time spent with my kiddo and that's what matters most. But, after all was said and done, it wasn't that difficult of a project....and for the most part, it's free.

I used two longer sticks of wood. One for the back, one for the arms. We stuffed the head, shirt and pant s(which were just laying around) with leaves (not stuffing) I used corn stocks from the garden for the "hands" and "feet". I used twine and safety pins to keep everything together. I used a scrap piece of burlap for the face (though most anything will work for that) I went for the faceless kind, as I thought a face would just distract. I put him in a garden for a minute...right before the garden was torn out and now he's in front of the house.

Song: Bari Improv from August Rush

Man's Best Friend

2010-10-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

Before I had a baby... I had another kind of baby.

One with fur.

And four legs.

My puppy. He was my first baby. I will never forget the cold blizzardy night I brought him home.

Now I have more puppies and an actual baby. My house is so full of love.

So when I got the request to take photos of these two beauties, I was pretty excited.

I know exactly what an animal can mean to a person. I know that they love unconditionally. I know that even if you scold them, they will love you seconds later. I know that they can help fill lonely voids sometimes. I know that they look at you with nearly human facial expressions. I know they are the best thing to come home to.

These puppies are bird dogs. Very well trained, trial attending bird dogs. They were amazingly behaved.

Song: Feed Jake, Pirates of the Mississippi

Harvest Time

2010-10-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

The harvest moon has passed, and I haven't done much harvesting. It's time. The garden is done growing. Or better said...we're done watering. We had a great harvest this year. Different, but great. Lettuce, radish, spinach, butternut squash, yellow squash, pumpkin, beans and peas. This was the first year, of 8, that we didn't get tomatoes. They were planted in a shady place, therefore, growing very large plants, but no fruit. Lesson learned. We did however manage to grow giant squash of which we had NO idea what they were .

Later we found out that these squash are Hubbard squash. Still have no idea of what do to with them...so for now they are decoration.

Song: Harvest Moon, Neil Young

Curly Locks

2010-10-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I've seen this little curly sue. I am completely in love with her hair. Especially in the evening when the sun shines through those curly locks.

She brought company this time...a new sister!!!!!!

Orange Colored Sunshine

2010-09-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

There's a Willie Nelson song with the words that say "that's my favorite part....rewind my life on." I love that line. And if I could choose a few days to rewind my life on.... it would be warm fall days, Indian summer if you will, where my feet were covered in leaves and my face was covered in orange colored sunshine. There are too many to count through the years, too many times that I've stopped to just look around me this time of year. In elementary school, in college, after I had a baby... too many times that I stay out until the last ray of sun goes to sleep....I'm packing it away like the squirrels do for the winter, because I know it will be a long time before I get to do this again.

Song: Maria, Willie Nelson

Socks

2010-09-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I can be a very persuasive person. I know this about myself and sometimes I use that persuasiveness to get people to do things they wouldn't normally do. Like wear very very long athletic socks with shorts from 1982.... for a family photo.

There was a method behind my madness though. This little guy has a thing about only wanting to wear athletic clothing. So we went with it. Had fun. We ALL had a ton of fun!!!

And just for fun and mainly because we were walking the back alleys of Cheyenne with a New Yorker, we decided to wrap him in caution tape.

Song: I've Got No Time, Them Socks

Blue Eyed Babies

2010-09-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

A while ago I talked about a problem I had....backing away. These are a prime example of that. But there is a reason. My favorite favorite part of these little girls are their eyes. They both have the most amazing color of blue bright eyes that just glimmer when photographed. It's hard to back up from that. Of course, they have blue eyes, but I almost always like their pictures in black and white. I know. I don't understand me either.

And.....they even look good covered up!

Song: Blue Eyes Blue, Eric Clapton

Bark

2010-09-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

I have an area in the house where I wanted some close ups of birch bark. (It's not my area, but I still deem it my job to decorate in such areas) so while we were out this summer in the mountains, I grabbed a few of these. I was in an area where a lot of the bark had fallen off the trees... so, I picked it up and brought it home with hopes I would find something to do with it.

So I finally did this week. During the fall, I've gotten away from decorating with all the cutsie figurines, knicknacks etc and such for the holidays....I bring the outside in, I like to use as much from nature as I can. It seems more real. More modern. More...me. The grown up me. This is what I did with the bark and I filled it with pine cones from the front yard that I little one likes to go and collect for me. And since I normally have those filled with candles, I surrounded it by candles to show it off.

Sometimes

2010-09-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes....it's more fun to watch them from afar. Give them a little direction, but let them be themselves. Sometimes, those photos are my favorites

But...I also like to engage...

And get these!

A Cold One

2010-09-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

We woke up on Saturday morning to weather that was 40 degrees colder than the day before. Of course no one was ready for that.....and I think this is how we all felt.

But then it got better...because we found the first tree of the season to throw leaves in our hair!

Appleness

2010-09-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

For a couple weeks I've had a kitchen full of apples, and I have been wanting to make apple butter for a while now, so yesterday I took the time to get it done. Surprisingly, it was very very simple and I should have made it much sooner. It was one of those things that you think it is going to be a big long drawn out process (which I just haven't had the spare time for) but it wasn't.

4 c. sugar (I only used 2 cups)

8 c. cooked apples (didn't have eight cups after the apples had cooked)
1/2 c. white vinegar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Wash. peel and slice apples thin. Pack into crock pot until full. Add only enough water to keep from sticking to the bottom. Cook all day, covered on low; that night, add 4 cups of sugar to 8 cups of cooked apples (adjust sugar is less than 8 cups). Add 1/2 cup white vinegar; stir well and cook all night, covered on low. The next morning, add spices. Cook, uncovered, on high for 3 hours, then fill jars and seal.

The process does take a long time, but you just have to let it sit in a crock pot..AND your house smells amazing for two days. TWO days of yummy appleness.

Song: Right Down the Line, Gerry Rafferty.
(I have a playlist of songs that I only listen to in the fall, I'm not really sure why, but this is on it. One of my favorites .......I say that about a lot of music don't I?)

Traveling

2010-09-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

There is a little girl that I've been wanting my little boy to meet for a few years now. Ever since the first time I photographed her, I have found it quite amazing.... she's the girl version of my son. Last week I took him with me on a little road trip south to take some pictures at her new home. Just as I suspected, they hit it off right away. They chatted like they were old friends. They both are very very verbal and speak and use words that aren't typical of 4 year olds. I'm sooooo happy they got to play!

Just Us

2010-09-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's been just he and I this week, and it's been uneventful. But we love just being together. It's been good. He even told me I was the bestest cook in all of Cheyenne...he said this as he was slurping Ramen Noodles. (not much cooking this week either!)

Song: Happy Together, The Turtles

Ghost Town

2010-09-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

My travels this past weekend led me to have a couple of adventurous shoots. This one was in a little ghost town outside of Thermopolis, a mining town, Geebo (not sure if I'm spelling that right, couldn't find info on it) When we pulled up there were others there that did NOT want us there. Paintballers. They stood just feet from us while I shot... I felt like a target and the thing that I shoot was no match for them. So we stayed for just a little bit, and then moved on, though I think I could have stayed there for hours.

Song: Ghost Town, Cheap Trick

The Hike

2010-09-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Most of the time I'm the one getting the looks from people about where I'm hauling them to and making them walk through and wondering what in the world is going on in my mind. This time...it was me doing that. I stood there in my flip flops staring up a mountain of shale rock that we were going to climb with a two year old and a dog and camera gear. We made it though. It was hot!! We were all sweating profusely. (This was the same day that I froze my booty off at the river in the morning, love Wyoming weather!) I think we managed to get a few good ones!!

Song: Don't Fence Me In, David Byrne

Night at the Museum (Ok it was day)

2010-09-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

You know sometimes, when you are out walking with dogs, or outside in the country with them and they see a rabbit......they kind of loose their brain and go berserk. Well... the Dinosaur Museum is like that for my kiddo. He walks in and kind of goes berserk. Looses his brain and is so overstimulated that he doesn't know how to control himself! It's all very very very exciting for him. I went with him this time (he goes every time we're on that side of the state.)

I want to say thank you to the Wyoming Dinosaur Museum for treating my baby like the king of all things dinosaur while we were there. He was watching one of the paleontologist work and she came over to the window with a sign that read "Do you want a REAL dinosaur bone to take home?".....he about went into convulsions. He came home with an arm load of dino gear. Couldn't be happier!

They Believe in Me

2010-09-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've been photographing this family for a few years now. I love that when I walk into their house there are 4 giant prints of their kids hanging in the entry way. I love that I helped put those there. I know now that they trust me and even though I have them in crazy crazy places....they still walk away thinking that I got some awesome photos!

For instance...the below photos, well, they were taken in a covered parking area, in between two cars. It had started raining on us and we took cover there. So instead of just standing there, we took family pictures! I love them!

Song: I Believe, Chris Isaak

My Ever Present Past

2010-09-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

I had a boyfriend in 7th grade. I spent a good share of my time on the phone with him. (that's mainly what 7th grade relationships used to consist of right?) My dad had to install an hour glass next to the phone and when it ran out of sand I had to drag myself out of the closet I had locked myself into (isn't that where all 7th graders talked on the phone before cell phones were invented?) and regrettably hang up. (before that though, there were a lot of "you hang up, no you hang ups...etc"...... typical seventh grade phone etiquette.)

Nearly 20 years later, on a brisk September morning, I found myself standing next to a river, with a handful of stones, handing them to a little boy who was patiently waiting for Thomas the Train to appear on the tracks across the way. We chatted about all kinds of things. He belongs to my 7th grade boyfriend and his beautiful wife (whom I spent a lot of track time with in high school, and whom I was soooo jealous of her hurdle form, it was always so much better than mine as was her hair (and still is!)!!) They have two gorgeous children and make a wonderful family! I love the twists and turns and circles life makes.

Life is beautiful
Life is surreal.
And I love it!
And I hope I get to have many many more days like this.

I also hope I get to make fun of my son's phone etiquette in the 7th grade...

She was giving me "that look"....

Apples

2010-09-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

We've been working with apples a lot lately. Had a couple projects in the works (but more on those later) so I thought it would be really fun to take Park to an apple orchard to go pick apples. I found one that wasn't too far away. They were a "pick by reservation only" place and I graveled to get them to allow us to come on a holiday weekend to pick a few apples, explaing that this is the one and only weekend I can come between now and the end of October and how I would really really really love to see it. Not only did we get to pick apples...but we had the whole place to our selves. The farm animals. The picnic areas. The quiet. It was completely serene and beautiful. They are not a huge place yet as far as apple picking goes, but they have planted enough trees in the last few year to make it an awesome operation...when the trees get a little bigger.

We brought home mostly Macintosh apples. We ate them while we were there as well.... as there is just something about eating a freshly picked apple from the tree that makes it taste so much better!

Song: Apple Orchard, The You Brush Your Hair

Fields of Gold

2010-09-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

This time of year there is always a special glow in the evening. This is one of the reasons this is my favorite time of year. That glow. I like to drag people out into big fields. And I know they are thinking to themselves "this woman must be crazy. ...that field is just dead ugly grass that hasn't been mowed or watered." However, that dead ugly grass that hasn't been watered, reflects the sun and emits the most beautiful light that God can make. Especially in the early evening. The only bad part of all this dead grass... allergies. Since I turned 30, among other things, I developed REALLY BAD allergies in the fall. Mainly in my eyes. 80% of the time I look like I'm crying.

These beautiful people came all the way from Greely. They had never met me. But boy did we have fun! And they brought along with them a little girl with SO much hair. She's only two and look at that hair!!

Song: Fields of Gold, Sting

He Always Sings Raggy Music

2010-09-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. I have to admit, that the first football game of the season is really a fun one. I'm not really a football person. My husband has been trying to change that for 10 years to no avail. However, I do like the social aspect of the game. I love to see the same peple that I see every single year. I love that this game brings us all together. I love that we've watched each other grow. Watched each other have children. Watched each other live life and then a few times a year, in the mist of all our craziness, we get to stop and catch up.

These are a couple of our people. I love them and I am happy to see them. I wish it could be more often!

Song: Ragtime Cowboy... by the Chipmunks

She Can Chew Gum Now

2010-09-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

She turned 4 yesterday and I got to spend the evening with her. She had a major party earlier so we celebrated under the twinkle lights in my back yard last night, which marked probably the last night time outdoor meal of the season. It was a perfect evening.

Wide Open Spaces

2010-09-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

I have one issue with my photography that I constantly struggle with....backing up. I shoot with a prime lens which basicallly means that my feet do the zooming, not the lens, therefore getting clear crisp pictures. I like tight shots. But sometimes when I do back up, I get magical shots. Like the one below. They are so happy, and I'm just an observer of it.

I love it when I get to catch that!

This family is from down south. I wanted them to be able to look back on these pictures and say... "this is what is was like living on the prairie, in the wide open spaces. I hope I was able to do that for them.

Song: Wide Open Spaces, Dixie Chicks

A Lot of Boys and a Couple Girls

2010-09-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

I found out today that it's their birthday today.

These two vivacious, silly, adorable boys.

But these boys... they have an adorable family as well.

First of all... their mom and dad are just gorgeous!

Their sister is beautiful.

Their big brother... pretty cute too, er um, he's an awesome dude.

And welll, I have to be honest, the older kiddos were SOOO good with the little ones. It's very very apparent that they all love each other. Not once did they argue. They played. They each helped one another. They all smiled!

Happy Birthday Boys and to the rest the family, I hope to see you all again!!!

Song: When I Grow Up, The Beach Boys

So Long

2010-08-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

Where did it go? It was just a wink ago and it was May. A blink was all it took this year...a blink and a warm breeze and there it went.

I know it's not technically the end of summer until later next month, but the first day of September always has signified the beginning of fall for me.....or maybe the beginning of Indian Summer, if we are lucky. It's the time of year when I want to watch all the brat pack movies because they are all about school and starting school. There is a line, talking of the love of fall that says "I would buy you a bouquet of sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address" ... I love that line. I want to use a thermos and a lunch box for all meals. I'm sure I will get over this happiness faze when the frost hits for weeks on end, and even then I'm mostly fine, until it snows....but until then I will bask in it.

Song: Goodbye Summer, India Arie (One of my favorites!)

N

2010-08-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

We moved on to the letter "N" this past weekend. It was a super super simple meal with absolutely no actual cooking involved, with the exception of making the salsa earlier in the day. But we ate it in the middle of a hot summer day, before we proceeded to go about our fun activities for the afternoon.

For N we had:

Nachos (with homemade salsa, you can find the base recipe here)

Nectarines

Spiced Nuts (today it was chili lime and cracked pepper almonds)

Newtons

and then later in the day we had Nuttella Lattes and Hot Chocolate

I had never tried Nutella before. I didn't know what it was all about, but as soon as I found a latte idea using it, I was all over it. Nutella is basically hazelnut flavored chocolate. And the commercial with the woman spreading it on the toast, now really grosses me out. But, I'm not really into chocolate toast. Neither is my kiddo. In fact, he really despises chocolate....unless it's hot chocolate, which even then, some days he won't tolerate either.

To make the Latte:

Mix a tablespoon of Nutella with about a half a cup of coffee.

Then steam your milk and add it to the mix and top with froth.

Sprinkle with nutmeg. Simple as can be!

Song: Na Na Na Na, Steam

Lady Bug

2010-08-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

She's two.

She kind of tootles around exploring all kinds of things.

She's easy going.

She's soft spoken.

She always has "an idea" of what we should do.

She loves lady bugs and it shows.

She's getting big...and it's fun to watch!

Song: Ladybug Picnic

Families

2010-08-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Over the years since I've lived here I've met and become friends with so many great people. Some, I've known for longer than others. Then they get married. Then they have babies. Then they introduce me to their siblings and I get to become friends with them as well....and pretty soon, I get to know the whole family! I love that. I love that about my little area that I live in!

This is one of those families. See all these beautiful smiling, cheek pinching faces?...I've gotten to know them over the years. I look forward to seeing them.

And now I know where they all came from!!!!

Song: Getting to Know You, James Taylor

Choke Cherries

2010-08-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

This past month while eating outside at my picnic table (almost all meals are eaten outside during the summer, as I want to soak up every single second of warmth that I possibly can as I know it will come to and end all too soon for me.) I looked up and saw these. After asking around, I discovered I had my own little chokecherry stash right in my back yard. So, of course I had to make something out of them. I'm not a huge jelly eater (I like it, I just don't think of it as often as I should) My son and husband eat waffles on the weekends, it's their thing (I don't love big breakfasts) so I made them some awesome chokecherry syrup!

Also, on our little 4 mile hike we came across a GIANT patch of chokecherries and I had 3 men and one little boy filling plastic bags and water bottles full of berries....and I made more syrup. The thing about chokecherries that I love... they are free. And to make syrup, not all that much more. Water and sugar. That's it!

CHOKECHERRY SYRUP

7 cups chokecherry juice (or however many cups you have)
6 cups sugar (Nearly equal amounts)

Wash cherries and drain well. Place in 8-10 quart kettle and add enough water to completely cover the cherries. Boil until tender, about 15 to 30 minutes. Strain through a cloth jelly bag or fruit press. Combine sugar and measured juice and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 20 to 25 minutes. Pour into hot sterile jars and seal.

You can add liquid pectin to make jelly. Follow instructions in pectin package.

Song: Sugar Sugar

Two

2010-08-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

These two are a couple of tag teamers. I love seeing them I love seeing what they are doing. What stages they are in, and how they work together.

One cracks up all the time.

The other.... serious sal.

And I know, it's just when they are with me. I know that they simultaneously smile. I just have a hard time catching that!!!

This is the look I get.

Exactly at the same time I'm getting this look from the other.

But regardless of their looks, I love watching them grow!

Mmmm Mmmmm

2010-08-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

Getting back to the Alphabet
We had our "M" dinner the other night. Seems like our dinners are getting a little less elaborate, but that's Ok...we're still working together and we're still practicing writing and that's what counts!

For M Dinner we had
Manicotti
Muffins (Homemade and fantastic!!!)
Mango Ice Cream (Also homemade... see the blackberry ice cream recipe and just use mangos instead!)
Milk

FOR THE MUFFINS: (From Tasty Kitchen)

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour

¾ cups Sugar

½ teaspoons Salt

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

⅓ cups Vegetable Oil

1 whole Egg

⅓ cups Milk

1 cup Blueberries

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:

½ cups Sugar

⅓ cups Flour

¼ cups Butter (or Earth Balance) (I thought this was too much..I kept having to add flour to it to make it crumbly. Maybe start with a little less and then go from there!)

1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2. To make the muffins, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1-cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with the flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3. To make crumb topping: Mix together sugar, cup flour, butter, and cinnamon. Mix with a fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

When I was in college I had a very limited array of recipes I cooked and ate. I worked at a little place, not far from where I lived, waiting tables. It was one of those smokey places with bright sunshine coming in and all the regulars wore worn out cowboy hats and dirty boots, were perched on their chairs at 6am and knew your name along with any other detail of your life you were willing to share. I didn't share a lot, but sure did like a good share of their stories. Of course I knew what they ate. In the back though, was a different scene. My cooks (I called them mine, because if you didn't get along with cooks, your life was miserable!) were completely different than myself. If you know me, you know that I'm kind of on the "preppy" side... in a weird way. The cooks.....were not. They were tattooed and pierced and had long hair. I got along with them immediately, and they got along with me and we had a great time together for those three years. Well, like I said I didn't cook a lot. So, one day I was complaining a bit about that and one of the cooks handed me this recipe. I've been making it regularly ever since, and it's dear and precious to me, because it was one of the first things I learned how to cook for myself and like.

Manicotti
10 Manicotti noodles
1/3 of a container of Chive and Onion Cream Cheese (I've not found a way not to buy the whole thing, I've also tried different kinds and it's never as good)
1 large bag of mozzarella cheese
1/3 of a jar of marinara sauce (or whatever tomato based sauce you like, I like the garlic basil kinds)

Cook noodles according to the directions. Drain.

Grease cooking pan. Stuff noodles on each end with mozzarella cheese and the cream cheese in the middle. Sometimes, it helps just to cut them open and fold the noodle back over the top.

Spread a layer of marinara over the top. Spread a layer of cheese over the top of that. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

When's the last time you listened to this?

Song: Mmmmmm Mmmmmm, Crash Test Dummies

Country Boy From the City

2010-08-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get together with this little guy for over a year now. Seems like something has always been getting in the way... you know like blizzards and rain and you know, everything that gets in the way of things. He's from down south and I was so excited to finally meet him and his mom!

But I also I got a bonus.......

I got to meet his awesome older cousin (I know they look like brother and sister, don't they!)

They both photograph amazingly and I was so happy the rain stayed away for just a little bit while we got these done. Just a little bit was all we asked for. (We were completely surrounded by rain clouds!)

Song: Thank God I'm a Country Boy, John Denver

Three Musketeers

2010-08-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

The three Musketeers came to visit last week for some pictures. They have a gotten so big since the last time I saw them. The littlest was still a baby and now she's walking and kinda babbling a little bit. It's remarkable how time flies past and kids grow without even realizing it!