Mar 29, 2009 | Texas, Travel, Uncategorized, United States
Jiggity Jog, we’re home! We had a fun Spring Break in San Antonio. Left last Saturday via Amtrak (2 sleeper cars for my gang) and spent the day on the train to San Antonio. It was fun, and the kids had fun I think riding the rails. I got a bit ill when we finally arrived until I got my “sea legs” or “rail legs” I suppose… The ride back I remembered the Dramamine and have been fine.
We stayed at a great place for families, the
Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa. They had a lazy river and beach for the kids, free bikes to ride on the nature trails, great food… a place that makes it hard to come back to reality!
It was so nice we really didn’t want to get out and do much of anything else, but did manage to see Sea World, the Alamo, Riverwalk, Witte Museum, two movies, the San Antonio Zoo…
The kids loved seeing their cousins (me too!)
We got in last night at 1120 PM. My uncle Jimmy watched the house and pup so well I don’t know if Cole will like us anymore! (Thanks Jimmy!)
Mar 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
“Optimism is an outlook on life such that one maintains a view of the world as a positive place, or one’s personal situation as a positive one. It is the philosophical opposite of pessimism. Optimists generally believe that people and events are inherently good, so that most situations work out in the end for the best.” –from Wikipedia
“Life is Good.
Love is Good.
God is Love.” –Me (sounding like a Bob Marley song or a T-shirt)
My honey was making fun of me the other day for not being aware of a current event that had evidently been plastered all over the news.
“Do you want to be ignorant?” he said while smiling.
“In a way, Yes.” I said.
I made the choice several years ago to surround myself only with happy thoughts. (Think Tinkerbell.)
How?
*Don’t watch the news except for snippets here and there. (I do listen to NPR while driving, and peek at the news on BBC.com or CNN.com once or twice a week. so that I’m not totally ignorant…)
*I try to surround myself with all things positive: music, images, people, etc.
*Try to see the good in every situation.
*Relish every moment.
I DO believe there is more good than bad out there. So, I choose to be ignorant (yet aware) of the dark side. I’m striving to be a better optimist every day.
Mar 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
It is COOOOLLLD again today (and rainy!) And to think that two days ago I started putting up winter clothes because it was in the 80’s! It is 33 outside and BRRR! The weatherman says it might even snow or sleet today. 🙁
A Leafhopper the Kids Found
This past weekend it was gorgeous. We went to Wye Mountain to see the daffodils. They were beautiful. My baby girl turned 12 on Tuesday and she decided she’d like to skip dance and have Max skip Cub Scouts to go to my favorite place, Chuck E Cheese. They had a good time and luckily Tuesdays are not the busiest at CEC so it was actually not too stressful on mom and dad.
THEN: 4th Birthday
NOW: 12th Birthday
Today’s my Aunt Kathy & cousin Chris‘ birthdays. Wishing you both a wonderful year! You are such special people and I love you!
Mar 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
So I told you I would let you know how the menu thing went last week…
Well, I did pretty good. Except we had a change in the Chicken Enchiladas-
the fam wanted soup and grilled cheese and we accommodated, and on the
night for pizza it was a crazy busy day and I was sooo tired- so while at Target I did the unthinkable and got two frozen pizzas (which were truly gross.) What is up with frozen pizza?
I adore pizza. Even bad pizza is usually okay. (Except for those frozen pizzas.) I have a list of the best places to eat pizza that I will try and get on here one day.
It’s so quick and easy to make homemade pizza. My recipe actually came from a Target flier we got in the mail a long time ago, with a few tweaks here and there.
New York Pizza Crust (Makes 2 12” pies)
¼ teaspoon sugar 1 cup warm water 1 envelope (¼ oz.) active dry yeast (I use the quick rising) 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 7 Tablespoons olive oil
If using a pizza stone, set it on lowest rack of oven. Preheat oven to 550 degrees. In a small bowl dissolve sugar in warm water. Add yeast and stir. Let sit 5 minutes or until a layer of frothy bubbles appears.
In food processor (or bowl) combine salt and flour. Add frothy yeast mixture and 2 Tablespoons of oil. Mix until dough is smooth and pliable. Remove dough and knead on a floured surface for about 10 minute.
Oil inside of a bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let dough rise until double in size (30 minutes to 1 hour)
When dough has doubled punch it down and knead 10 times. Form into a ball and cut in half. Roll each half out into a 12” circle.
Transfer each pie to a pan or a peel if using a stone. I dust the bottoms with a bit of cornmeal so they slide better when removing.
Spread tomato sauce (or sauce of choice) on pie, put desired toppings on pizza and top with cheese. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
Bake on lowest rack of oven for 6- minutes or until it looks yummy!
*We love this recipe. I think we make pizza about once a week! It is so fast if you use a stand up mixer or food processor and quick rising yeast. Probably faster than delivery.
Not sure what the menu for this week is yet. I am working on it now and might change if the farmer’s market is open and has something yummy tomorrow!
Mar 5, 2009 | Motherhood, Uncategorized
My boys are very sensitive and a bit morbid at times I think (maybe that’s just a boy thing.) J has started the “I don’t want you to die Mommy” thing and asking about death and dying and God etc. that happens when kids turn four (at least in my experience.) So today, Choo Choo train is truly dead and we had to have a hamster funeral. I expected real tears, but there were none. Max was really sad and made up a little “burying the hamster” song to sing at the service, Jac joined in and it was very touching (except for the almost 12 yr old sister laughing in the background.) Then- “Let’s go jump on the trampoline” could be heard.
Here is the grave they made for his furriness…
Spring is making it’s entrance, and it is a beautiful day (even for a hamster funeral.)
