Down and Derby …

This past weekend was the Pinewood Derby for RedDog’s Cub Scout Pack.  The night before the Hubby did one last round of calibrations, even going to the extreme of taping a line down our coffee table and making a ramp out of it to test The Car for straightness. He’s serious about the Derby.

RedDog was excited to see all the boys cars with their various designs and paint jobs.

The Derby was also a chance for RedDog to hang out with his best bud. They are glued at the hip and are even in the same class at school this year. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that he has a bestie.

Owlie boy was VERY MUCH into the race.  He watched RedDog’s car with rapt attention. He also got to race his own car in the open heat at the end of the Derby. It lost every time, but he didn’t know that and didn’t care.

This boy, on the other hand, did not lose a single heat. His car won the entire Derby and was voted Most Unique as well. I’m so glad we were all there to cheer him on. He worked very hard on his car and we’re so proud of him!

I love this RedDog boy. That is all.

Pinned & Produced: Asian Slaw

I pinned this salad right before Jennie Doezie came for Christmas. I’ve now had it four times since then. Four times in a month. It’s that good.

I took this salad to a baby shower last week with hopes that some leftovers might come home for me to share with my Hubby. No such luck.  Some ladies almost licked the bowl clean.

I’m not going to try to take the credit for it’s deliciousness. I told all the ladies at the shower that I found the salad on Pinterest. To which they all replied, “What’s Pinterest?” Um ...

The original post can be found on a blog called Once Upon a Chef.  Check it out for step by step photos and directions. I only took one photo of all the ingredients in the bowl before I added the dressing because it’s so colorful and happy.

When I made this last week I altered the recipe just slightly by adding store bought broccoli slaw instead of coleslaw. I felt like the coleslaw was a little too soggy last time I made the salad. The broccoli slaw held up great though.  Also, I held off adding my dressing until right before the shower started. The flavors were still wonderful, but everything was less drippy and soggy. I must have soggy salad issues. Other slight changes: low sodium soy sauce and regular rice wine vinegar – because that’s what I had.

Look at all the veggies in this salad! Peppers, carrots, edemame, broccoli slaw {hiding at the bottom}! Oh man, now I’m salivating.

Try this salad.  Your husband will love it. You will love it too. If you have non-picky kids, they will scarf it down. And you can thank me later.

For the Dressing
¼ cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter

½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced

For the Slaw
4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw (or broccoli slaw)
2 cups prepared shredded carrots (or grated in food processor)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced into bite size pieces
1 cup pre-cooked, shelled edamame (available fresh or frozen)
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
½ cup chopped salted peanuts (you can also leave them whole)
½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in medium bowl. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well. Let sit at least 10 minutes so vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt but go by your own taste). Serve cold.

Determined Frustration {or Frustrated Determination?} …

That look on his face. Lips pushed together and out. Eyes focused.  He saw the snow outside. He wanted to be out there. He was determined to find a way.

He pushed the stool up to the window. He figured out how to unlock the window. But he wasn’t clever enough to understand that he’d have to lift the heavy window to get it open and then a mesh screen would be his next obstacle.

I sat for quite some time watching him try to do it by himself. It didn’t take too long before he was so frustrated he was crying. When I finally asked him what was wrong he pled with me, “Pwease momma, I go out da snow?”

“Sure thing,” I said. I bundled him up and out he went.

He had a sweet big brother who was willing to help him down the steep and slippery parts.

How many times have I stood at the window, seeing exactly where I wanted to be, but frustrated because no matter how I tried I couldn’t get there by myself.

Failure number one: thinking I can do it by myself.

One of the great tests of this life is whether or not we will lean on our Heavenly Father for help. He waits patiently for us to come to Him. Sometimes He even has to watch us cry in frustration. He wants to help us. We need only ask.

He puts people in our lives to help us get through the steep and slippery parts.  People who also want us to succeed. They are here to help us.

God is continually opening the doors for me in my life that I cannot open. And he is continually putting people in my life to help me get to where I want to be.

And each time I reach that point where wanting and being become the same, I feel like a child embarking in the freshly fallen snow.  So many possibilities. So much joy. So much awareness of all that is good around me. A clean slate ready for me to leave my footprints.

Just ask Him. He will help you, too.

Food With Thought …

Occasionally I get the chance to cook a meal for another family whose mom is out of commission due to a new baby or illness in the home. I’ve done it enough now to have a little routine down.  Here’s how I make it easy on me and hopefully tasty for them:

1. Keep the menu simple.  I have a picky eater at my house. I know what it’s like when someone else brings us a meal that my children aren’t used to. They get all weird and unsure and suddenly their appetites disappear. So when I cook meals for other families, I make “normal food” instead of trying to get all gourmet up in their faces. My rule of thumb: NO WEIRD INGREDIENTS!

2. Check for food allergies. I don’t need to be responsible for sending someone to the ER! A simple phone call will let me know if I need to leave any ingredients out or on the side.

3. Use throwaway containers. I long ago abandoned sending my own dishes to another’s home.  Who wants to wash, and then remember return all those dishes? Not me! I stock up on foil pans from Costco or Gladware from Target and let the mom know she can keep it all or toss it out when she’s done.

4. Make it healthy. Sometimes when mom’s out of commission, healthy eating goes out the window too.  I try to include fresh fruit, a big salad, a main dish {lasagna this time}, a loaf of bread or rolls and of course, a special treat for after dinner. I buy some of these items prepared like bread or take & bake cookies and try to make the rest from scratch because I think kids miss ‘home cooking’ when mom is otherwise engaged.

5. Have recipes at the ready. I keep a mental list of main dish recipes for taking a meal in to other families – homemade spaghetti sauce, lasagna, chicken & rice casserole, chicken enchiladas. These are the old standbys. They’re yummy, easy to prepare and normal {see Number 1}.

6. Give Mom options. When arranging to deliver the meal, I give the mom a few options – would she like me to bring it hot and ready to eat at a specific time or would she rather bake the main dish herself so she can determine the best time for her family. Basically I want to know what is going to make her life easier.

7. Always double it.  If I’m cooking dinner for one family, I might as well make it for my own too.  I just turn the kitchen into a meal production plant and get ‘er done – two of everything. It’s one of the only times I have dinner ready for my family by the middle of the afternoon, which is really awesome. Then my kitchen looks like this, which is not as awesome. But dinner is on the table for a mom in need, so it’s all good. {Yes, I used scissors to cut the lasagna noodles which were too big for the pan!}

So that’s how I do it.  What’s your go to meal for a friend in need?

PS. I didn’t write this post to say “Hey, look at me, I make dinners for other people because I’m so service oriented and awesome like that.” I wrote it to say “Hey, making dinner for someone else can be easy if you get a routine down and just do it!”

PPS. Let’s play I Spy. Do you see the toothbrush?

When Life is a Cake Wreck …

The Hubby requested “a cake with strawberries” for his birthday. I should have taken the easy way out – angel food, whipped cream and strawberries on top. Instead I turned to Pinterest and found a lovely number that made my tastebuds jump for joy. It had fresh strawberries, Greek yogurt, lemon zest and butter.  Yeah. I had to do it.

It’s from a blog called A Spicy Perspective and look at how beautiful it is when Sommer makes it:

{Image via A Spicy Perspective}

And this is what it looks like when I make it for my Hubby:

“Grease and flour the pan” should have been bolded, underlined and emphatically promoted.  Oh, I did grease and flour it.  But apparently it was not enough.

The good news is the cake was so tasty we all licked our plates clean and declared the recipe a major keeper. That sad news is it looked like dung, which was totally on par for a day I spent much of yelling at my kids and feeling frustrated.

Some days are just like that – cake wrecks, train wrecks, big fat meh.  We have high hopes and want things to turn out perfectand lovely. And they just don’t. We may cry over it. We may get angry. Or we can scoop the carnage out of the pan, slap it on the cake and call it good enough.  Luckily we get to wake up and start over again in the morning. And I just happened to do that today with a piece of strawberry cake as my breakfast.

Carry on.

My Frugal Helium …

Yesterday was a double whammy! It was my sweet Hubby’s birthday.  But it was also a teacher workday, so I had all four kids in the house. My plan was to put them all to work to help me make the birthday boy feel extra special. My plan was not their plan.

I did manage to convince Big C and RedDog to help me with one project involving balloons. Buying forty-one helium filled balloons didn’t fit into my current “spend less” lifestyle. Instead, we went to Target, bought a $2.50 bag of balloons, and Big C and I proceeded to blow forty-one of them up while fighting the urge to pass out.

Then in assembly line fashion, we tied ribbons, made tape wads and attached the balloons to the ceiling.  Viola! Instant free helium!



When Owlie awoke from his nap, he was giddy with excitement and kept telling me about the ‘Balloon Show’. It took a moment, but we finally figured out he was referring to the movie UP, which he and RedDog then watched while I cleaned up the messes everywhere from birthday prep.

One of those messes, unfortunately, was the cake. It was bad.  More on that tomorrow. For now, we're going to enjoy our happy, balloony house.

Family Motto 2012 …

Each January the Hubby and I unveil a motto to our children that we hope we can focus on for the year. Near the end of last year I began in earnest to pray, thoughtfully consider and study out what I thought the needs of our family were. When the Hubby and I came together to talk about our ideas for a family motto, we were delighted – and surprised - to find we’d each narrowed it down to the same thing. This is proof to me that God has his hand in the intricate details of our lives!

Last year’s theme, Be At Peace, was born out of a desire for less contention in our home.  I can’t say that there was always peace. I can’t even say that there was peace a majority of the time. But I can say that during times of contention, I was able to ask the kids, “Are you being peaceful?” and at least they’d stop to think about it {before resuming fighting}.

This year our family motto is:

The Hubby and I both have strong convictions about God, Jesus Christ and our church which direct the actions of our every day lives. Our hope is that our children will gain these same convictions for themselves. So this year we are challenging each of them to do an experiment upon the word of God. To take what they read in scripture, learn in church and hear from their parents and spiritual leaders and actually put it to the test to find out for themselves whether or not it is true.

When explaining this motto to the kids, we talked first about scientific experiments and why they are done - to correctly prove or disprove a hypothesis. We then gave them time to think of a specific hypothesis that they would like to prove during our year of experimenting. The Hubby and I also chose hypotheses because we are never to old to gain more understanding of God’s truth.

Just like in a scientific experiment, after doing our experiment during the year, we will come together to discuss the conclusions we’ve reached after thinking about {or analyzing} our results.
We believe that gaining this knowledge of truth on their own will empower our children, guide them throughout their lives and help them to face whatever difficulties may lie ahead for them.

It’s always better when our motto is front and center, so I put together a framed version of our motto using
pages from an old set of scriptures, some Modge Podge and lots of glitter. It’s sitting on our mantle for now.

So here’s to a new motto – one that’s a more about independent desire and study instead of interactions with other family members. I think it might go well {fingers crossed!}.

PS. In case you’re interested, this scripture (Alma 32:27) was the catalyst for our motto.

PPS. Happy Birthday to my Hubby.  I'm really, really glad he was born!

Fantastic for Friday …

Here are five reasons I’m doing a happy dance today:

1.

My computer was returned to me yesterday good as new! I’m going to spend the weekend editing photos and writing, as well as Pinning {have you seen the button on my side bar? You can follow me on Pinterest!}

2.

Exam week is over for my two Middle Schoolers! They’ve worked really hard this week. So have I. It’s no fun studying with teenagers and realizing how much I don’t remember. We’re going out to dinner to celebrate which means NO COOKING DINNER FOR ME!

3.

I’m going to spend this afternoon crafting with my friend and eating delicious lunch. Friends and food = happy me.

4.

I ran at the gym last night without hating it. American Idol may have played some part in it, but seriously, that is a breakthrough for me.

5.

Hannie B. is learning to play Clair de Lune {by Debussy} on the piano. This is the song that was playing when I saw pictures of my sister for the first time. I cry every time I hear it.  And now my daughter is going to know how to play it. Sigh.

Around Here ...

My computer isn't back yet so all preplanned blog posts are on hold. Here's what's happening around here in the meantime ...

Somebody was given a new toy from kind neighbors who were cleaning out their garage. It is now the means of transportation for stuffed animals, snacks, tools and the boy himself if he's feeling like an emporer.

RedDog is busy sanding his first ever Pinewood Derby car. It is going to be slick.

I'm doing great on my healthy eating and exercise goal. I love having fresh fruit in the house.  This week it just happens to all be green!

I'm busy crafting.  There are just too many cool projects one can do with old book pages!

We've gotten out the Star Wars toys this week after a long hiatus.  All three of my boys are completely enamored - even the 14 year old!

It is official, I am a glitter addict of the highest order. This little glitter alphabet set has sent my heart all a flutter! What can't I glitter?

What's going on at your house?

Thoughts On A Cruelty of Motherhood …

Waaa ...

That is the sound of me crying because no one warned me that being a mom is really hard.

And I'm not even talking about the exhausting day in and day out of taking care of little people, big people, meals, laundry, housework, managing schoolwork, extracurricular schedules, disrespect, talking back, sibling rivalry, self esteem issues, friend drama, illness, or lack of sleep. Because all of that stuff is hard. But I can do it.

I'm crying today because one of the hardest parts for me about being a mom is that I can't catch time in my hands.  It is going by too fast for me to comprehend. This photo is an example of a moment I can't believe has already passed me by.  My daughter is doing her own hair. Cue sobbing Samantha now {I know it's weird, but I really did shed tears}.

Last week Hannie B. came to me to tell me she wasn't going to wear her cutesy hair ties any more and I could give them to a friend's daughter. Out came the sparkly flower hair ties.  No more pigtails for Hannie B. 

I think I feel a little more sadness about my girl because she is my only girl. I've still got lots more boy left in my house. But she's the only frilly, pink sort I've got. And now she doesn't need me to brush, dry or flat iron her hair anymore. She even looks cute when she does her own hair.  I'm pretty sure I didn't look cute when doing my own hair until I was in my third year of college. There are days now that my hair is questionable.

My girl is not little anymore. Well, she's petite for sure, but she's wearing mascara. She's painting her nails every other day. And she's making my heart break.

All the ribbons, bows and barrettes have gone to live with another girl. A little girl.

These children wrap their lives around my heart. They warm it and make it swell and grow and love in ways I never knew possible. Then without warning they start cutting the strings. The shock of it is something I'll never get used to. This, my friends, is one of the great cruelties of motherhood.

Quick & Easy: Gift For “Old” People …

My amazingly talented, totally narcassistic, rockstar-hair wearing Photobro turned the big 4-0 last week.  I had to do something to let him know I was thinking about him, but really it was about letting him know he is now ancient. I can do that because I have exactly one year and twenty-one days until I turn forty. Then forty will, of course, become the new young and I will embrace it gracefully.

For now, I hopped over to HomeGoods {heaven help my "spend less" soul} and found two jars for $2.99 each. They had to be streamlined and somewhat masculine for my stylistically snooty bro. I then filled them with forty lollipops and forty gumballs respectively and attached my self-made labels - "40 Blows" for the gumballs and "40 Sucks" for the lollys.  A little black and gray ribbon was the finishing touch to mourn the passing of his youth.

It put a smile on the old guy's face and made him laugh heartily.

I find great joy in life by helping the aged and decrepit to find happiness occasionally. Mission accomplished. {But he might have to remove his dentures to eat either one- the geezer.}

Photographing Teenagers …

In a new-to-me development, Big C has reached the state in his teenagedom where he doesn't want me to take a single picture of him.  This shot was all I was able to get at the bowling alley a few weeks ago. He kept covering his cute face with his hand.

I resorted to covert photography on the way home in the car.  Seriously, I had the camera under my arm and just snapped away hoping one shot would turn out and he wouldn't notice I was taking his picture.

How am I going to document my teenager and all his awesomeness if he won't let me take his picture?

Today I have everybody home for the Martin Luther King Jr holiday and I'm wearing my mean mom hat by making them work, study and be together.

I miss my computer. I hope it's doing alright in Texas. Maybe it will bring me back some barbeque.

Any advice on photographing teenagers would be greatly appreciated!

Are You A Player?

Of games, that is.

We are. But we're a bit competitive. And it's always better when the entire family can get involved.

We got a game for Christmas that even Owlie could play. It's called HeadBanz and as you can see, everyone get's to wear a headband with a card in it.  The object, of course, is to guess what you are through a series of yes or no questions.

In this round, the Hubby was a toaster. I think I might have been a turkey.  And my Owlie boy was an icecream cone, which he enjoyed immensely. I love that he's looking right at the camera. 

The only person who wasn't participating this night? Jennie Doezie! But she graciously caught our entire family in a moment of peace and pure fun.

Speaking of peace, remember our Family Motto for last year was "Be At Peace"? Well, we've unveiled our new family motto for the year.  I'll have more to share on that next week when my computer is back and I can download the photos. It was well recieved. And maybe it will be more well implemented than "Be At Peace." Which was a failure on many levels.

But family game night was fun. :)  Have a happy weekend!

Questionable Fashion …

So I have this coat.

It kind of resembles the carpet bag of a favorite nanny whose name rhymes with Harry Boppins. 

I'm pretty sure it's handmade - of some kind of polyester and short pile carpet.

I got it at a thrift store in Denver for a whopping eight dollars because the fabric reminded me of something one would see on a couch or comforter from Anthropologie {although then it wouldn't be polyester - it would be silk, or silk lined with 24 Karat Gold thread and cost a mere $200.}

Every time I wear this coat, complete strangers stop me to comment on how much they love it and ask me where I got it. Moms at the baseball game.  A lady in the grocery store.  Women at a restaurant.

Here I am in "The Coat" along side the beautiful Jennie Doezie.  This picture was taken just one minute after two women stopped me to tell me how much they loved my coat.

Here's the thing.  I can't decide if I like the coat or if it is the MOST HIDEOUS thing I've ever seen and worn.  Do people like it because it is an absolute monstrosity? Do they like it because it is really, really different?  I'm really having a hard time here.  Also, is it weird that I don't want to tell people I got it at a thrift store because they might think I'm creepy?

Please, weigh in.

PS. Blogged this from the Hubby's work computer.  If it looks weird, sorry.

Three Photos I Love …

I hardly picked up my camera over the Christmas break.  I was too busy enjoying it to photograph it.

Luckily, our friend awesome Jennie was here.  She caught the moments I was savoring.  Here are three of my favorite pictures as viewed from her camera:

My sweet RedDog, the first one to sit down to Christmas Eve dinner. I love his little body in that big chair, all lit up from the glow of candles. What a sweet boy he is.  We hosted 24 people that night and I was running around the three different dining rooms to make sure all was in order. So glad Jennie thought to capture my boy in this moment.



Our family at the Washington DC Temple.  We go every year as a family to see the beautiful lights and the nativities displayed from all over the world.  This is the first year (in nine) that we have had only light jackets on. No bundling up. No gloves and chattering teeth.  Look at Big C who's as tall as me. My family is getting so big. I can't stand it.



This picture of me with my Owlie boy makes me want to burst. This little fellow is my partner in crime. He and I are serious buddies and we're going to be tight for life. He wanted to see the lights with me and no one else. I didn't mind at all. I just love him in his bear hat.



Thanks Jennie, for being our photographer. So happy to have captured these memories.

My computer has been sent off to the doctor for a week.  It is very ill.  I am typing this from the floor of the piano room with my old laptop plugged into the wall for internet connection.  After being wireless for so long, it feels very foreign.  Please bear with me during the next week while I muddle through at a much slower pace.  Maybe that means the boxes of Christmas decor stacked high in the basement will be put away?

Pinned & Produced: A Book Page Wreath …

As I mentioned recently, I’ve been having a slight love affair with Pinterest for the past few months.  It’s such a fantastic place for a creative brain to dwell!  But I had to decide early on that I would be fairly selective in what I ‘pinned’, otherwise it could just become another way for me to feel like I accomplish nothing I set out to do.

With that in mind, I selected a few Christmas gifts to make from ideas I’d found on Pinterest.  I talked about the gift I made for the Hubby here.  For my friend Ronalin, I tackled something I’ve been eyeing for a while on various blogs– a book page wreath.

Don’t let this project fool you! I actually  had almost all of the materials on hand: an old book, a glue gun, glitter, cardstock and my faux graphic design skills. All I needed to purchase was a styrofoam wreath form. The key to this project is completing phases over time. I think in all it took me three hours.

Here’s how I did it:

First I tore the cover off the book to make it easier to rip out pages. Then I used my paper cutter to make strips to cover the wreath form.  And I completely forgot to take a picture of that step.

Next I folded and stapled about fifty of the book pages into a flat(ish) cylinder, like this:



I folded an additional sixteen pages into cone shapes and stapled them at the bottom like this:

 

Once I had two big piles of folded and stapled pages, I began gluing them to the wreath form.  The first two layers were the flat{ish) pages:



The third layer was the cone shaped pages:



Clearly I needed something to hide that unsightly middle section, so I fashioned two more book pages into fancy little accordion folded ring and glued that on the wreath like so:



I wanted some additional layering and texture, so I added a ring of vintage tissue streamer which I’d gathered on my sewing machine. I topped that layer with a monogram of the letter M for my friend’s last name which I made on my computer. It seemed a little plain, so I dressed up the edges with a little glitter (see here for instructions).

The finished product turned out great! I don’t think this photo does it justice.  Maybe I need to sneak over and get a shot of it on the wall at her house.



Since I’m trying to spend less this year, I’ve decided I will make things I find on Pinterest that I’ve already got the supplies for.  It should be fun and keep my creative mind busy so it doesn’t spend money.

PS. Angela was so kind to give me the strawberry syrup recipe. I’ve added it to the bottom of that post from last week.

Quick & Easy: Tween Gift

Hannie B. had a birthday party to go to on Saturday. It was a photo scavenger hunt. At the MALL. I cried a little before I sent her out the door.  Nothing says 'verge of teenagedom' like the Mall.  And nothing says tweenage gift like glittery nail polish and an iTunes card.

Hannie picked out the shades of polish and I promised to help her wrap it up cute - because presentation really is everything and how boring is a regular old gift bag? Here's what we did in four easy steps:

1. Upcycle a wooden box a Christmas toy came in and add some hot pink paper shred.
2. Add the gift.
3. Slip it into a cello bag. {I hereby proclaim my love of cello bags. Again.}
4. Tie it with some obnoxious purple glittered zebra ribbon and a big tag designed by Hannie herself.

So, for $15, we ended up with a sassy, cute and affordable gift for a tween. Would your 12 year-old love it? For a few other gift wrapping ideas, read here and here.

PS. It only took me all weekend to figure out how to center the title on this silly blog! But I did it and a happy dance definitely ensued.

PPS. Did anyone else watch Downton Abbey last night?  The Hubby laughed at me because I watched all of the Season One episodes last night before the new season started and then almost cried when the first episode was over.  How do I love a show so much?

Strawberry Heaven …

It’s Friday. I’m five days in on my goal to eat healthier and exercise more. So of course I’ve got delicious food on the brain.

We received a charming gift from some friends this Christmas in the form of a large bottle of homemade Strawberry Lemon sauce to eat with waffles and pancakes.

It is what all the nerdy strawberries aspire to be.  The cool kid strawberries with a twist of tart lemon at the end. Yep, it’s delicious and I want to dump the entire bottle right down my throat.

Instead, I put it on Owlie’s waffles this morning and then when he was done I licked the plate. As in I picked it up to put in the sink to wash and it was suddenly at my face being cleaned by me instead. Owlie giggled. I may have moaned.

Wouldn’t this make a darling Valentine’s gift? I imagine it with a red bow and a heart cut from an old book page. 

I think I’m going to have to hound my friend for the recipe.  Does anyone want me to share it? Or are you worried you might become the next plate licker?

Edited:

Fresh Strawberry Syrup

• 1 pound sliced hulled strawberries fresh or frozen 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup corn syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring strawberries, water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to prevent mixture from boiling over. Add lemon juice. Strain, pressing on solids. Cover and chill syrup. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

* I didn't strain the sauce because I like it thick and don't like to waste any of the strawberry goodness.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Family Togetherness: Reminiscing …

We took the kiddoes bowling over Christmas – a family tradition the Hubby and I have had since we married. It was Owlie’s first time and it was all sorts of awesomeness.

First, they gave him the absolute cutest pair of tiny bowling shoes ever. It was all I could do to restrain myself from walking right out of the bowling alley with them.

Next, the Lee siblings lined up to help the tiny man send his ball down the lane. This resulted in all sorts of techniques that elevated his score to epic proportions. Every time he released the ball he’d turn around and jump up and down saying “I did it!”

I imagine this view of all the colorful balls lined up was a bit like a gumball machine to Owlie. He couldn’t keep his hands off of them! Unfortunately, a smashed finger was going to happen so we had to corral the fellow, which he didn’t love.

He was very patient while waiting for his turn and also quite supportive of the other bowlers, which included our Papa {who has HIS OWN BALL}. Owlie was oblivious to the serious bowling competition occurring between his dad, his oldest brother and his Papa, but I was not and it was hilarious.

In the end he only lasted two thirds of the way through the first game. Then he decided the video games behind our lane were more fun. But I think he’ll definitely bowl again. Which is good, because we do it every Christmas!

Did you do anything unusual over the break?

Gifted & Handmade: A Timeline …

The Hubby and I made a deal for Christmas.  We wouldn’t buy each other gifts because we’d just taken a dreamy {and expensive!} vacation to the Caribbean together.

Neither of us kept our end of the deal.  But I tried. And to my credit, one of the gifts I gave him was handmade and cost me ZERO dollars.

I found the idea on Pinterest. Oh, how I love Pinterest. Please tell me you know about Pinterest. I’ll indoctrinate you if needed. Because I love Pinterest.  I love it so very much.  Umm . . . where was I?

The original link is here. The concept is simple but so, so meaningful. Looking for a birthday gift for your spouse?  Looking for a reason to remind him how special he is?  Wanna make your man feel all gushy and lovey-dovey?  Or just want to remind him of your anniversary?

Here’s what I did:  I designed {in Microsoft Publisher} and framed the most important dates from our lives together – our birthdates, our wedding date and the birthdates of our children. I happened do us the colors from our bedroom because I wanted it to go on the Hubby’s bedside dresser. I incorperated a subtle ombre chevron pattern in the background and then used a frame we had in our “frame stash” in the basement.  The finishing touch was a tag on the gift that read: “The BEST days of my life have been spent with you.”

It was a hit! And I loved doing it, because in all truth, while I was making this gift, I really did think about how all the best things in my life are mine because I married my Hubby.  Handmade and meaningful wins in my book EVERY TIME.