Baking Day

I love Saturday's like this, a day we don't have to be anywhere and one where the kids and I can spend the day creating in the kitchen. The first project of the day was dishes from last night~yes, I will admit it, we left the dinner dishes until this morning. Yesterday was a really long day for both Scott and I. I didn't get home from work until after 7 pm and yesterday was supposed to be a day off. Oh well. So the kids and I did teamwork; I washed, Adin dried and the girls put away what the could reach and set the rest on the counter. It worked great and it was fun.

Our first baking project was a new muffin recipe that I received from a friend's blog, This Mom's Cooking. Dareth and I used to work together back in the day at camp and she has this fabulous cooking blog. Our family has used many of her recipes. The star of the morning was her Banana-Carrot Muffins and boy was that good. The kids couldn't wait until they were done. We used shredded carrots from our garden and homemade apple sauce. They are actually very healthy also, which as a mom I like. We then went on to our favorite Pumpkin Muffins that disappear as soon as they are cool. Fortunately today, I will be able to store some of them as the kids ate the Banana-Carrot ones already. I made a double batch - first one done and second in the oven right now.

~ Oh time out ~ Timer is going off. ~

My next project is to uncover a frozen pumpkin or two from our deck (they are buried under a foot or more of snow and ice right now. It may be a challenge) to cut up, clean out and bake for some more frozen pumpkin for these muffins. We are running low in the freezer. I also have been promising a friend that I would get some to her.

Things have been a bit different around here the last couple of weeks as we no longer have a microwave. One morning I put something in to warm up and it started popping and sparking so I thought right away that I had flaked out and put something in there that was mettle. Nope. I was a pretty exciting moment as I unplugged it and ran it downstairs into the garage where then a few days later it went to the dump. The sad think was that we had to pay $15 to get rid of it and back when I bought it, it probably didn't cost much more. I have had that thing since I was a Sophomore in college back in 1995. I'd say it served us well. I am getting used the not having a microwave. We can cook just fine without one, although I think that Scott is getting antsy to get a new one. I also like having more counter space and being able to leave the Bread Machine out on the counter.

Well I best get to the pumpkins and planning supper.

Three Years Ago Today

Oh how time flies! Just 3 short years ago today my twin girls were born. Lizzy at 6 lb 15 oz and Elle at 6 lb 6 oz. They were big for twins, but small in comparison to what I was used to with their brother who was 9 lb 2 oz. They were so beautiful.

Now they are very energetic, beautiful, smart little girls with very different and BIG personalities. Just looking at them renders me speechless and with a smile on my face. This last weekend we had their party and I think they all had fun. Lizzy had been wanting a Batman party and Elle wanted a Fancy Nancy party. At the last minute (just before we frosted the cupcakes) Lizzy changed her mind to a Spider man party. All in all, things worked out just fine.

The weekend before, all of us were out in the woods cutting up downed trees for the wood stove.
Adin and Daddy were cutting and the girls and I were blazing trails with the 4-wheeler and hauling the cut wood to the stove. It crazy the amount of snow still left out here in the woods. The kids had a hard time walking and so did I for that matter. We got about 2 weeks worth of wood cut and hauled.

Snowy Garden Stroll

This morning I decided to take a short stroll in my garden with the fresh snow peacefully coming down again. It was more of a trudge than a stroll as I had to dig the gate open and the snow was deeper then my muck boots and came up past my knees in a lot of places. There was one lone bunny track crossing the pristine snow. Not sure how he got in as I didn't investigate either end of the track. I don't mind him in there now, just as long as he doesn't visit this summer.

Good Morning 2011

Sitting here on this semi quiet morning (only the girls playing in their room - Adin has spent the week at Grandma and Buppa's and is on his way home as we speak), after making home made blueberry muffins for breakfast, I have had some time to think back over this past year and dream of this new year to come. This family has seen some big changes over the last year; me changing jobs, Adin starting school, home ownership & projects, a new OD wood stove and my beautiful garden just to name a few. Our list of projects are by no means done and I don't think that they ever will be and that is OK. The weather has also been different this year than most some bad and some good, over all we can't complain for where we live.

I have mostly (during these last couple of days of not so nice weather) been dreaming about gardening in 2011. Such as what to plant again, what NOT to plant and what new things to add. Gardening season seems like such a long way off as I look out to now maybe a foot of snow (down from almost 3 in some places) that is very ice crusted and rock hard; at least I can plan. This is what I have come up with so far, and I'm sure some of it will change.

Things to keep:
Tomatoes (at least twice as many and more variety -adding Roma's)
Asparagus (praying it over wintered well and shows it's pretty little stalks again)
Sugar snap peas (add more)
Shelling peas (at least 2 or 3 times as many)
Pumpkins (growing out side of the fenced garden on it's south side - they can take over the hill)
Squash (different varieties - undecided and maybe outside with the pumpkins - we'll see.)
Green beans (bush variety did wonderfully)
Cucumbers
Carrots
Potatoes (in garbage cans)
Sweet Potatoes (in large flower pot on deck)
Cilantro
Leaf lettuce (not as much as last year)
Onions (lots more)
Peppers (bell and no heat jalapeno)
I might try spinach again. It was a bust last year.

Things to do away with:
Broccoli
Beets
Peanuts (critters liked these too well)

New items:
Brussels spouts
Head lettuce (Scott loves this stuff)
Wax beans

I am also trying to come up with some other fun veggies to grow. I need to get more adventurous with my cooking. If anyone has any fun suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

This spring and summer I also plan on focusing a lot more on my flower gardens that were severely ignored last year due to long work schedule and me focusing on the veggie garden. I can't wait to dig my hands into the soil, it is such a great stress relief for me. Until then, I will enjoy planning and dreaming.