Dance Partaaaay!

Tonight before supper, Taylor turned on the portable radio and we had a little dance party. She tuned it in to a station first playing Rush, then she changed it to GooGooDolls "Give a little Bit" and said this is one of my fave songs. She was hollering"Dance Partaaay" and we all danced around the living room. Even Jamie was waving his arms and doing his old standby dance move of stomping his feet up and down!

Next "Fat Bottom Girls" by Queen came on and Taylor said "my uncle likes this song, it is a dude song" She then turned her strawberry shortcake hat around backwards and started moving and grooving.

Then she decided it was time for a slow groove and Journey's "Open Arms" came on and she started doing the serious moves. Very interperative motions with a serious but happy face. That girl is so much fun to watch. I never know what she is going to think of next! When I did my open arms move with arms wide open Jamie ran into them and hugged me tight. What a blast!

NC on top!

This was a fun t-shirt that my group at work got one of the guys for his birthday. Granted I did not pick it out nor was it my idea for at work, but I think it is funny. Ofcourse it only comes in one color beautiful "carolina blue".

Recipe of the Week #4

Tuesday is recipe day. Well, something new that I made this weekend is worth sharing. Just a yummy cake from Paula Deen herself. You know the lady from "Savannnahhhh, Jawjaah" on Food Network. She is a true southern cook. I need to do some research as to where the name came from exactly but it sounds like one of Paula's recipe names. I don't know if my version is exactly the one she put out as I have seen several versions of it with basically the same ingredients just different measurements.

Pig Pickin' Cake

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix w/ pudding in the mix
4 eggs
1 can mandarin oranges -- juice too
1/2 cup oil

Icing:
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 medium container light Cool Whip
1 can crushed pineapple -- (20 oz.)

Prepare cake mix with eggs, oranges and oil. Pour into 9x13 or 2-9" round pans.Bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 min. or until done. Cool. Top with icing.

For icing, mix pudding mix with pineapple. Fold in Cool Whip. Frost cooled cake.

In lieu of actual content...

Well as you can see I have not been blogging recently. I just have not been motivated to talk about anything. Can you believe it? So, I borrowed this from http://writekudzu.blogspot.com/

If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
Key West, Fl or maybe Hawaii

What's your favorite article of clothing?
do flip flops count as clothing if not Margaritaville t-shirts

Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
Ummmm....nice thinking about this one


What's the last CD that you bought?
Fisher Price Little People-"Let's Go to the Beach"
Pathetic huh? But I've got to get the kids ready for their parrothead/beach bum lifestyle some how.

Where's your favorite place to be?
The beach on a warm day laying in the sun sipping a cool drink holding hands with James.

Where's your least favorite place to be?
The delivery room.

Strong in mind or strong in body?
Mind over body but body is important too.

What time do you wake in the morning?
5am (okay 5:09 after snooze)

What's your favorite kitchen appliance?
There are some many this is a hard one. Right now probably the new cruisnart popcorn popper. I do love my kitchen aid mixer though.


What makes you really angry?
Being lied too, especially for no reason.


If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
drums

Favorite color?
Coral

Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV?
sports car in a former life, but now with kids SUV

Do you believe in the after life?
yes I believe in heaven and hell

Favorite children's book?
Disney Collection of Stories-including the Brer Rabitt stories

What is your favorite season?
Summer

What's your least favorite household chore?
Mopping/Scrubbing floors

If you could have one super power, what would it be?
stop/start time

If you have a tattoo, what is it?
tattoo free here

Can you juggle?
what do you think?

The one person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to?
My grandmother

What's your favorite day?
Sunday

What's in the trunk of your car?
a baby stroller and some toys

Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
Why a "cheeseburger in paradise" ofcourse

If you are reading this and have a blog, consider yourself tagged. The idea is to copy and paste into your own blog, change the answers, then comment in my blog when you've done so.

Recipe of the Week #3

It is Tuesday again. With so much going on last week, I barely got to cook the things I had planned but one thing I did make was this recipe for Grape Salad. Yes, I said grape. I know it sounds strange and believe me it looks strange too but it is wonderful. Even James loves it for dessert. I found this one on Southern Living message board (originally posted by Soushi) and it had rave reviews. Beth invited us over for dinner to spend time with the new baby Sean and I decided to try this out on them. This was the first time I made it and everyone loved it except for the kids. My too are not big grape fans yet. James wanted me to bring home the leftovers! Luckily, I had saved a batch a home for us. Beth was calling me the next week for the recipe! I think the key to this salad is the addition of the Emerald Brand Flavored Nuts instead of just plain ones.

GRAPE SALAD
2 lbs red seedless grapes
2 lbs green seedless grapes. Wash grapes and allow to dry completely.
1 8 oz. pkg. Cream cheese
1 8 oz. Sour cream
½ C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix the above ingredients and put over grapes. Gently toss.
Next add
¼ cup brown sugar
½ chopped pecans ( I recommend Emerald Brand Pecan Pie Flavored Pecans)
Sprinkle over grapes and toss and I like to chill prior to eating.

Can't post one without the other...

So I posted a photo of Taylor on her big first day of preschool last week and I noticed there are no photos of Jamie on the blog so here is from last week also at the playground.

"When one door closes another one opens."

"When one door closes another one opens." Or something like that. It seems last week, this happened to us. Tuesday the door appeared to be closed by someone surprisingly but not completely unexpected, then Wednesday it was opened unexpectedly by someone else. Perhaps the second would not have occurred with out the first. With that thought it is easier to accept the door that closed. I know all of it is a part of God's plan, I just pray we can do our best to follow. Not trying to sound cryptic, just not wanting to be share the personal details.

First Day Of PreSchool. My little baby is growing up. This is her first day at Little Dreamers School where she goes twice a week. She did great just like when she went to bible school. No crying just a happy girl going to school. Here is a link to photos from the exciting day.

Recipe of the Week #2

Hey it has been a week already. It is Tuesday and I actually thought of posting a recipe. I am getting good at keeping up with this blog! So with school starting this week for Taylor, it is time to think about fall (even though it is quite hot and humid still). Here is a favorite at our home for a fall evening or even a rainy day-Mama's Vegetable Beef Soup aka V-8 Beef Soup. It is quick and easy and I make it often throughout the year.

Here is the story. When I was growing up my grandmother put up "soup mixture" when doing her summer canning. It was a combination of veggies and tomatoes that could be used to make a vegetable soup. Beef could be added to the soup or it could be fixed without meat by just adding broth. My mama who does not have a vegetable garden anymore (lives up north with a tiny yard) makes this version that copies the taste of that "soup mixture". When I was overdue with Taylor and could barely eat carrying around that big baby in my belly, darling Mama made this for me so I could get my "veggies". I could not get enough! Now I would have to eat a little bowl at time, then I would come back in about 2 hours and eat another bowl. It was delish and so comforting at the time. Then the following winter when Mama and Don came to visit us at Christmas, she made this again and baby Taylor was just eating table food and loved this! We drained the soup base and just let her eat the veggies and meat with her fingers. This was one of her fave meals for a while that winter too. Maybe, it carried over to her from when I was pregnant!


Mama's Vegetable Beef Soup
1 lb Ground beef of your choice
1-46 oz can of V-8 juice
1 16 oz package of frozen Mixed Veggies (corn,carrot,lima, greenbean blend)
1 Potato (diced) or can sub 1 can diced potato
1 can Beef Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown beef and drain. Combine juice and broth and just almost to a boil. Add veggies and beef. Simmer cook until veggies are tender. Try not to boil soup.Serve with crusty warm bread or saltine crackers.
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JAMBALAYA!

Despite the summer heat, per James request I made a big pot of Jambalaya yesterday morning. Taylor and I were playing and I told her "Mommy has to go cook now." So she says "I'll cook too!" She gets a bowl, a whisk, a nut cracker from the kitchen, some beads and a book called "cooking with the cat in the hat" for her recipe of "cookies with nuts" The beads were the nuts. She played I mean "cooked" on the kitchen floor along side me. She was done long before I was and went to take a nap.

I was still cooking away. After frying the chicken, chopping everything and cooking it. I was too hot and bothered to want any! All that hard work and it had to wait until dinner! I told James he was cooking lunch on the grill. He made hamburgers which are turning into a Sunday afternoon tradition. This is the third Sunday we have had them in a row for a late afternoon lunch. These were the best so far. Yum! Practice does make perfect with grilling and cooking (sometimes).

"Happy but sick"

" I am happy but sick today Mommy" said Taylor earlier to me. She has gotten a cold that came on yesterday and is hitting her pretty hard today, but instead of laying around being pitiful she is making the best of things. Poor brother has been sick too. He had his 15 month booster shots this week and is suffering the side effects. These have been the worst side effects he has ever had from shots. Now he has also come down with the cold from Taylor. I just hope Mommy and Daddy are not next.

Those children are both so sweet. They try to be happy and play and shrug off the sickness when you know they feel bad. I just have to be careful not to let them overdo it especially playing outside. This weekend was finally a good one for that. Not too hot just right.

Popcorn Party!

Daddy hit the jackpot. He found a new popcorn popper, the Cuisinart CPM-800 Popcorn Maker. It was delivered yesterday afternoon before he left for work, so we had a "popcorn party". It was so much fun for Taylor to watch the kernels pop up. Jamie who has not eaten popcorn much before (it is a choking hazard) loved the fresh popped stuff. After he knocked over the big bowl, I gave him a small plastic one with just a few bites. He politely carried his empty bowl to me and raised it up to ask for more. He was so darling, I gave him some more. Then when he finished those bites, he promptly marched back into the kitchen again patiently holding up empty bowl. Now it would be nice if I can get him to say please, but for the little guy who usually just cries and points or grabs this was a big step for my little guy. Daddy loves this popcorn and may never go back to the microwave again! We think we may incorporate this new "gadget" into a tradtion of "movie night" each week. I am not sure if the kids are too young to start this yet or not.

On another note, poor Jamie is suffering some after affects of his 15 month booster shot. His little thigh is swollen and red and he has been running a slight fever. Although, he has been sleeping more since the shot (2.5 naps yesterday and went to bed early the night before), he is still being a happy baby not too fussy. Luckily, no more shots until he is 4! Yippee.

Lessons Learned

Well, my little girl is growing up faster each day. Yesterday, she had two learning experiences with dealing with other children. These are things that I can not teach her she has to learn from life and experience herself.

The first occurred at bible school. Another child squirted her purposely in the face with water while they were painting. The teacher saw it but could not stop it in time. Taylor started crying ofcourse and was consoled by the teacher. Then she went on painting.

The second occurred when her neighborhoof friend came over to play last night at our home. They were playing happily when somehow they had a spill and bumped heads pretty hard. Both burst out crying and sobbing. At first did not know how the other one would act. Taylor said "Will my friend still play with me? with such heartbroken eyes. Then they were so happy to hug each other and took off running to play again.

I know I can't control everything that happens to her which I have been able to control a lot thus far, but I do want only want the best for her. The best also means learning these valuable and sometimes painful life lessons.

Cooking with Taylor

Yesterday, my big girl went off to another round of bible school. This one is themed science/cookery camp and the goal is to learn about god's miracles and do some fun experiements. It seems she is a girl after my own heart in both the science and the cooking!

She came home with four projects yesterday and was so proud of them. The little cake she made/decorated was actually good tasting. She shared it with me and Jamie for our afternoon snack along with a glass of milk. I blinked and Jamie had scarfed his down!

Yesterday afternoon, she was "doing imagination" as she says and was pretending to be "Miss Taylor" the teacher. She was conducting her class for cooking and arts and crafts. It was so sweet to watch.

So, now that she is a professional cook (so to speak) I asked her if she wanted to help me in the kitchen again. So far she has done well helping me with the few things we have made together. We took the Duncan Hines Dark Fudge Brownie mix and followed the recipe on the side for cookie sandwiches. You make the mix and do a drop cookie instead of a brownie. Then after the cookies have cooled you slather on Vanilla Frosting on one side of each cookie and slap them together to make a sandwich. The sandwiches are very rich and one is enough for anyone. Oh those cookies taste so good even without the frosting. I had never thought of making chocolate cookies that way but they were so good. They reminded me of cookies at the mall that we sometimes get. Taylor did a great job and was so cute in her "barbie" apron.

Paula's Aprons

"Hey Y'all" As Paula Deen says. How you seen the new aprons that Paula has for sale in the food network store. I can't decide which one I like better the "put some south in your mouth" or "southern belles ring louder" one. Usually, I go for pretty aprons but then I hate it when I wear them and really cook which means getting them splatter or splashed with something. I guess that is better than getting my pretty dress, pearls, and high heels are messed up! LOL.

Recipe of the week

OK so this is this first one. You got to start somewhere right.

Here is the story. James and I went for a romantic dinner on one our Friday night date nights to a little Italian Place in downtown Raleigh called Mama Lia. This place was great. It was dark and romantic. The best thing was when you came in everyone got complimentary brushetta and a glass of champagne. That is mine kind of place. After eating and loving the brushetta there, we sought it out at other restaurants. This is the version we like the best and it happens to be the one like Mama Lia's.

This is a tried and true favorite. Especially good now with those fresh tomatoes.

Easy Brushetta
2 large or 3 roma tomatoes (diced)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
1 TBS of Parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 loaf of crusty bread sliced into 1 inch slices or Panetti or bagel chips

Marinate tomatoes, garlic, olive oil,salt, vinegar, and parsley on counter for one hour. If using bread spoon onto slices let sit for 5-10minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of slices and broil in oven and cheese melts (less than 5 minutes). If using the toasts just let them soak a minute or so before serving. I like to add just a dash of sea salt to each one to pick up the tomato flavor.