They're not all winners...

Well, my first attempt at a recipe using puff pastry dough...let's just say, didn't turn out like I had thought. I figured it would be easy to make some strawberry turnovers for the BBQ we had tonight. I figured wrong. Last night I made the filling, that part was easy. I even took pictures to blog the recipe. Then today, after taking Munchkin to get her first professional haircut, I pulled out the dough and got to work. I guess I tried to fill them too full, but the filling was oozing out of the sides. I sealed and crimped the edges with a fork, refrigerated them as the recipe called for, and then baked for 15 min. I looked in the oven when there was about 6 minutes left to find every single one had burst open and the filling was bubbling out all over the pan. *sigh* I finished baking them and took them out of the oven. They were...uh...not so great looking. BUT....they tasted good!! So, the moral of this story is, I'm not giving up on puff pastry just yet! And I ended up with a ton of the strawberry filling left over (even though I filled the puff pastry too full) so Hubby is making waffles for breakfast, so I can have strawberries on top!! :)

Lost...

As of around 1pm yesterday afternoon, I cannot find my wedding rings.  This is making me very upset.  I've lost plenty of things before, but not something that meant THIS much to me.  And it's the most expensive thing I own to make matters worse.
I know it's in the house somewhere.  I took them off before putting sunscreen on Munchkin before we went to the park yesterday.  I am 90% certain I set them on the kids table next to the couch.  Less than an hour later, I went to put it back on...and I couldn't find it. 

I looked in all the usual places I may take my rings off...the kitchen while cooking, the bathroom while showering, my bedroom, the girls room.  Then I searched under the couch, in the couch, in everyone of Munchkins toy boxes.  Nothing. 

I keep asking her "Did you take mommy's ring?"  She says "Yeah"  So I ask her where she put it, so far she's told me under her bed (not there) and in the light on the ceiling (no, I didn't look, but I'm pretty sure it's not there).

I'm at a loss as to what to do now.  Could someone have swallowed it?  I'm highly doubtful that Squishy could have gotten it down without choking on it and I would have noticed that.  Plus it would have had to have been on the floor first.  Munchkin might have been able to get it down without me noticing, but I would think she'd get an upset tummy or something, plus she hasn't been putting things in her mouth recently.  The only other culprit would have to be the dog.  Now, he's not known for eating things like rings...cat poop, sure, but not rings.  I may have to ask Hubby to check out in the yard though...I guess you never know.

So, for now, I have a very large, fake looking (because it is) "diamond" ring on my finger just because it feels weird not to have something there.  I'm saddened everytime I look at my hand, but I know it's just a thing...it's not like I lost one of my kids or something. 

Still, it sucks.

From the mouths of babes

Kids really do say the dardest things.  It amazes me every day when Munchkin will come up to me and say complete sentences (she's 25 months).  Yesterday, it was "Mom, sit on couch, watch ball and play iPad?" ("ball" is what she calls a program called Word World that she watches every day).  Today she said to me, very matter-of-factly, "Mom, I ready to go moon."  I responded and asked where the moon was.  She then looked out the window and said "Moon not outside."  So we postponed our moon trip for another day.
This girl, knows all her letters by sight and can do a pretty darn good job at singing the ABC's too.  She's counting to 15 (though 14 and 15 sound the same as 13, I still give her credit).  Where did my little baby go??  I guess I still have Squishy, but even she's growing up too fast for my liking.   

Before I know it, both my girls will be in high school and I'll be fighting them on what to wear (or what not to wear) instead of fighting them to take a nap or eat the rest of their vegtables.  While I am excited to see them grow into mature, responsible adults, it still scares the crap out of me to think that I'm responsible for how they turn out (well, half responsible...Hubby isn't getting out of this). 

Am I yelling too much?  Not hugging enough?  Do we need to play together more?  Should I give in and let her watch more TV?  There's just so many choices we have to make for them.  Seems like it would have been easier to just get a goldfish.

*Sigh*

But I know I wouldn't be as happy with a goldfish.  Goldfish can't cuddle or give kisses.  They don't let out a little toot and then look utterly surprised by it. I love my girls more than life itself and I would do absolutely anything to make sure they are happy and safe. 

This sort of turned into a rambling, but as I was sitting here playing on the floor with Squishy, it just got me thinking about how quickly the grow and how much I think we all wish they would stay little forever.  :)

Strawberry Rhubarb pie

As strawberry season is coming to and end, I can't help but reminisce about when I was a kid and how every summer my grandma would take my brothers and me to a local farm to pick strawberries.  We always ended up with red stained fingers from eating more than a few while picking.  This last weekend we went on our third outing to get more berries. 
I'm so glad I get to do this with my girls now.  Squishy just sat in the wagon and chewed on whatever she could get her hands on, but Munchkin was stomping around the field, picking and eating the delicious red berries.  I wish I had gotten a picture, but her face was stained red to the point she looked like a vampire who fed on ripe strawberries.  She also kept stealing berries Hubby and I had already picked, so it seemed to take us a little longer to fill up the flat we had...something I'm sure my grandma went through with us as well.  :)

Matilda the pig and Munchkin at the farm

After we got home, we talked about what to do with all the berries we had.  I decided on a pie since I had also picked up some rhubarb at the farm.  This was something else my grandma used to make every year, along with rhubarb bread, which might be my next endeavor.

I read a couple of recipes, along with the comments and decided that most pies were turning out too runny for people, so I tried to think of a way to thicken the filling (without cooking, because that's just more work for me to do).  At the store, I found some minute tapioca that could be used in fruit pies and decided to give that a shot, plus I think that's what my grandma used in her pies. 

I made the pie dough from scratch, but forgot to take pictures (sorry, I'm still getting used to this whole blogging thing).  Hubby found a simple butter dough recipe and just told me what to do, so I don't have a link, but I'll put the recipe up later.

As for the pie, here we go:

Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, zest and juice of orange, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix in a large bowl and pour out into crust.

You can't see it, but I used my grandma's pie dish, I thought
it was fitting :)

Dot the top of the filling with the butter. (forgot a picture of this step, but it's pretty self explanitory) Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with sugar.  Cut 4 slits in the top, to allow the steam to escape while baking.

Cover the outer edge with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling and the crust is golden brown.  I also removed the foil for the last 10 min to make sure it got cooked all the way through.

Ta-da!  I think Grandma would be proud! :)

 We haven't tried the pie yet, so I can't say how good it taste, but I'll update later once we try it.  I think we'll have some after dinner tonight.


Here's the actual recipe:

2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh

2 1/2 cups washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)

3/4 cups sugar

4 tablespoons minute tapioca

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons butter, cubed small

For the top of the crust:

1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water

 sugar (for sprinkling)

While I was making this pie, Hubby was keeping Squishy entertained (Munchkin was in bed already) and I said that I needed to take pictures so I could blog it and he said he wanted me to blog him too (his words, not mine) since he was helping with the baby...so, here you go, hunny...

Hubby and Squshy  (this is why I usually can't bake without
someone to watch the baby)

Breakfast Bacon, Egg and Cheese Wreath

Saturday mornings are usually the days when we get to have "real" breakfasts since everyone is home.  During the week, Munchkin and I just have cereal or oatmeal, but on the weekends either Hubby or I can make a real meal for all of us.  Today, I decided to try a recipe I found here.  Mine didn't quite turn out like hers did (at least they didn't look the same).

So here it is:

Bacon, Egg and cheese breakfast wreath

1 can of crescents 8count
5 large eggs
1 cup of shredded cheese ( I used cheddar and Italian blend because that's what we had in the fridge)
8 slices of fully cooked bacon

Preheat oven to 375.
Cook the bacon and scramble the eggs and set aside.

Mmmm....bacon goodness

This is what happens when you turn your back
on a 2 year old and a carton of eggs

Place the crescents in a star formation on parchment paper lined cookie sheet (I didn't have any parchment and I think I needed to put the crescents a little closer together next time)

Lay the bacon strips out on the crescents and sprinkle a ring of cheese.

Add the eggs on top, then some more cheese.  Fold over the crescents and press the tips together (mine didn't quite meet up, so I pressed them down as best I could)

Place into preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crescents are golden brown.

We were all very hungry by this point, well not Munchkin because she was eating already.  You see, she loves eggs, bacon and cheese but apparently not when you put them all together.  So, I made extra eggs, she had one slice of bacon and a banana (or two, actually).  But Hubby and I were anxiously waiting for the timer to ding.

Mine got a little stuck because I didn't have parchment
paper and I forgot to grease the pan

So, Saturday breakfast was a success...there's only two slices left (and there's only the two of us eating!) Not too shabby for the first attempt.

To cosleep or not to cosleep...that is the question...

Well, last night went a little better with Squishy sleeping.  The last few nights, she has been wide awake until at least 11pm.  Usually she falls asleep while nursing around 9 or 10 and then goes to bed in our room whenever we go to bed.  The fact that she's 6 months old and still sleeping with us (both in her bassinet and in bed with me) has got me thinking. 

Today, I was reading some responses to a question about how your little one does or doesn't sleep through the night that was posted on The Leaky B@@b Facebook page.  Most everyone who said their child, didn't matter the age...from 2 months to 2 yrs...wasn't sleeping through the night consistently ALSO said they cosleep or bedshare.  There's obviously a correlation here. 

Now with my oldest, Munchkin, I had her sleeping in her own crib in her room by 3 months old because I went back to work.  She was sleeping through the night, or at least able to put herself back to sleep if she woke up, a lot quicker than Squishy.  Munchkin was also bottle fed from 4 weeks on, where as Squishy is still only breastfed (not by my choice, the stubborn girl refuses bottles).

Her still sleeping with us isn't entirely a bad thing.  Yes, I do think if she was in another room she and I would both get more sleep, but on the other hand it's the convenience that keeps her there.  At 2am when she wakes up, I can just reach over and pick her up to feed her without even getting out of bed (go ahead and call that lazy, but after 6 months of getting woken up several times a night, you'd be doing the same thing).  And if she wakes up anytime after 6am, I can just put her in bed with me and nurse while laying down so we can both go back to sleep, just like we did this morning.

So, it's just all got me thinking...can I sacrifice my comfort of being able to stay in bed in order to possibly not have to get up at all eventually?  How will putting her in her crib affect Munchkin's sleep, since they'd be sharing a room?  Do I really want to risk having both of them wake up every time Squishy is hungry? 
 

It's a good thing these kiddos are cute...they sure make things difficult. :)

Decisions...decisions...

When I decided to start this blog, I really didn't know what I was going to write about.  Quite honestly, I still don't.  I think I really just want to share my experiences with others, who may find it helpful or interesting or perhaps just something to read while their waiting at the Dr's office.  One way or another I just wanted to write. 

Today, after a very long, sleepless night being up with Squishy (not her real name, obviously), my 6 month old daughter, I'm trying to be productive mostly to keep myself awake because falling asleep on the couch while you have a 2yr old awake, is not something I would recommend.  So I decided to figure out something for dinner tonight.  The weather is finally getting warm, which makes me happy, but it also makes turning on the oven pretty much the worst idea ever. 

I also don't have access to a vehicle when my husband is at work so I needed to make sure that I had all the ingredients here.  Plus going on outings with a 6 month old and a 2 yr old is not something I do on my own very much out of pure terror of losing my mind (or worse, one of the kids). 
So, I searched through my Pinterest boards (http://pinterest.com/sbird24/ if you're interested) and found a recipe I've tried before with much success: Crock pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken.  Delicious and easy. 

I checked the ingredients list:
Chicken - check (it's frozen, which I think makes it more moist)
Pineapple - check
BBQ sauce - check (no, it's not the one in the original recipe, but I like to try new things)
I also add a chopped up green pepper - check

All you have to do it dump it all in a crock pot (yes, mine is very old...it was handed down to me by my grandmother who I was very close with so while I would LOVE a new, bigger one I can't bring myself to get rid of this one)

Cook it on high for 2-3 hours or on low 4-6 hours. I prefer to cook it on low, it seems like when I cook things on high they tend to get dried out, though it could also be because my crock pot is so old. Shred the chicken and make sure it all gets coated in the sauce.  Serve over rice. Even my hubby who isn't a big fan of white meat thought it was delish.


Well, as my first attempt at a real blog, I hope someone found this interesting.  :)  More to come I'm sure!

6 months

Today, my youngest daughter turned 6 months old.  I realized this as I was thinking about her check up coming up later this week.  I really don't know what happened to the last 6 months...it doesn't seem possible that it's been that long since I had to have a c-section in order to meet our newest addition.  Every day, I love being blessed to be able to stay home and watch both of my girls grow.  They amaze me with how smart, funny and just plain awesome they are. 
Sure, it's been difficult at times, a test of patience for sure, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  My girls make me realize just how lucky I am.  My life could have gone down a whole different path if I had let it, but instead I fought to be where I am today and I'm so glad I did. 
I couldn't imagine my life without them and now thanks to this blog, I can document my life and theirs. And hopefully ward off any chance of insanity being alone with a toddler and an infant for most of the time.  :)
And now to begin another 6 months...