Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little?
I did. I had multiple. I could never remember their names though. They changed all the time.
But I have an imaginary friend now, and I'm not that little (and I can remember her name). Her name is AndreaClaire and you can read about her over on Writings from a Nobody.
She's part of The Great Book Challenge, she's doing her own Project 365 and she likes postcards.
So we had an imaginary cup of tea together. Because it just seemed like the right thing to do!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Uh oh...
I found a new paper site full of lovely things to covet.
Maggie over at Foodie Comes Clean is doing a giveaway today of these and these and they are from a company called Meri Meri and I think I'm in trouble. I'd never heard of Meri Meri before and it's probably a good thing or I might have more than two drawers full of fun stationery.
Mmmm...I'm loving this though. Good thing I haven't really jumped on the online shopping band wagon so far. Otherwise, yeah, trouble with a capital T would be an understatement!
Maggie over at Foodie Comes Clean is doing a giveaway today of these and these and they are from a company called Meri Meri and I think I'm in trouble. I'd never heard of Meri Meri before and it's probably a good thing or I might have more than two drawers full of fun stationery.
Mmmm...I'm loving this though. Good thing I haven't really jumped on the online shopping band wagon so far. Otherwise, yeah, trouble with a capital T would be an understatement!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Special treats
Please excuse all the photos. I dusted my camera off and was amazed at the lovely pictures it took compared to my phone. Must stop using the phone for blog pictures.
We were eating lots of granola bars. Too many really. I'm trying to cut back on things like that. I actually have a recipe for banana oat bars (with chocolate chips - SUPER YUMMY) and a recipe from Rebecca for granola bars and I'd much rather we ate homemade goodies than store bought because, well, at least then I have a bit of control over what's in them.
But it's too hot to turn the oven on now. I thought about alternatives, but I don't think my neighbours would appreciate it much if I decided to use a cardboard box oven in the courtyard. They'd probably call the fire department. So, all recipes with oven involvement are on hold for now.
But we had no granola bars for lunch snacks. Heck, other than fruit, which is awesome, we had no lunch snacks. I need a bit of carbohydrate between meals or I get a migraine. Alex is a male, so he just needs carbohydrates. Preferably lots of them.
I looked through my cookbooks and random recipes and found this in my BOOK (the book is the ruler of our house. I keep meaning to write about it and haven't, but I will, soon. If I remember).
I've made them once before, but they didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. I did note my changes on the recipe, so I decided to try them again.
I looked up 10oz of marshmallows and that's 283.5 grams. HUH? I don't have a kitchen scale (hello Christmas list) but even if I did, that's a whacky amount. After I made them the last time, I decided I'd check out the recipe for Rice Krispie Squares and adjusted the marshmallows and butter to be more like that recipe. Well, actually, a bag of marshmallows has about 4 3/4 cups marshmallows, so I used all of the marshmallows and only reduced the butter by 2 tsp, not one Tbsp.
ready...set...
melting marshmallows
more melted
mmmm gooey marshmallows
I felt like the cranberries were there by accident last time, so I almost doubled the dried fruit (I also added apricots this time to give it some more fun colour). I'd add more dried fruit than this if I make them again...the extra marshmallows and butter would let me!
marshmallows ready to go
stirring
I didn't use Martha's big cookie sheet idea this time. They were way too thin (much thinner than in her picture) and fell apart immediately when you picked them up. I used two 8x8 dishes (I thought one might be enough after the mess last time, but no) but next time I'd probably use a 9x13. Then they'd be a bit thicker, but a bit smaller and I think that's good.
It took way longer than an hour to set. It actually didn't really ever set (I don't remember Rice Krispie Squares having this problem) and I ended up putting them in the fridge. I'm not sure if it's because it's SO STINKING HOT or if it's because I used store brand marshmallows. It did this the last time too. And it was hot then. And I used store brand marshmallows.
I think I'll make these again...just maybe not when it's hot out!
*The one thing that drives me nuts about Martha Stewart's recipes is that none of them come with any kind of nutritional information...I found a calculator here, but if you know of a better one, I'd love to hear about it!
We were eating lots of granola bars. Too many really. I'm trying to cut back on things like that. I actually have a recipe for banana oat bars (with chocolate chips - SUPER YUMMY) and a recipe from Rebecca for granola bars and I'd much rather we ate homemade goodies than store bought because, well, at least then I have a bit of control over what's in them.
But it's too hot to turn the oven on now. I thought about alternatives, but I don't think my neighbours would appreciate it much if I decided to use a cardboard box oven in the courtyard. They'd probably call the fire department. So, all recipes with oven involvement are on hold for now.
But we had no granola bars for lunch snacks. Heck, other than fruit, which is awesome, we had no lunch snacks. I need a bit of carbohydrate between meals or I get a migraine. Alex is a male, so he just needs carbohydrates. Preferably lots of them.
I looked through my cookbooks and random recipes and found this in my BOOK (the book is the ruler of our house. I keep meaning to write about it and haven't, but I will, soon. If I remember).
I've made them once before, but they didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. I did note my changes on the recipe, so I decided to try them again.
I looked up 10oz of marshmallows and that's 283.5 grams. HUH? I don't have a kitchen scale (hello Christmas list) but even if I did, that's a whacky amount. After I made them the last time, I decided I'd check out the recipe for Rice Krispie Squares and adjusted the marshmallows and butter to be more like that recipe. Well, actually, a bag of marshmallows has about 4 3/4 cups marshmallows, so I used all of the marshmallows and only reduced the butter by 2 tsp, not one Tbsp.
ready...set...
melting marshmallows
more melted
mmmm gooey marshmallowsI felt like the cranberries were there by accident last time, so I almost doubled the dried fruit (I also added apricots this time to give it some more fun colour). I'd add more dried fruit than this if I make them again...the extra marshmallows and butter would let me!
marshmallows ready to go
stirringI didn't use Martha's big cookie sheet idea this time. They were way too thin (much thinner than in her picture) and fell apart immediately when you picked them up. I used two 8x8 dishes (I thought one might be enough after the mess last time, but no) but next time I'd probably use a 9x13. Then they'd be a bit thicker, but a bit smaller and I think that's good.
It took way longer than an hour to set. It actually didn't really ever set (I don't remember Rice Krispie Squares having this problem) and I ended up putting them in the fridge. I'm not sure if it's because it's SO STINKING HOT or if it's because I used store brand marshmallows. It did this the last time too. And it was hot then. And I used store brand marshmallows.
I think I'll make these again...just maybe not when it's hot out!
*The one thing that drives me nuts about Martha Stewart's recipes is that none of them come with any kind of nutritional information...I found a calculator here, but if you know of a better one, I'd love to hear about it!
Monday, August 16, 2010
TOOOOOOOO HOT!
The heat and humidity are killing us. No one is sleeping. I have not had bags like this since I was, oh, I can't remember. Maybe right after J was born. We're all shiny all the time.
While I LOVE fall, normally I will take my fill of summer. I like summer too. I just love fall. But right now, I'd just like fall to arrive. And not the nice kind of fall that I like, but the cold wet fall that will make this heat GO AWAY!
It was 19 this morning at 7:00 when I turned the computer on. I'm not sure what the humidity is, but I feel gross.
UGH.
That's all.
While I LOVE fall, normally I will take my fill of summer. I like summer too. I just love fall. But right now, I'd just like fall to arrive. And not the nice kind of fall that I like, but the cold wet fall that will make this heat GO AWAY!
It was 19 this morning at 7:00 when I turned the computer on. I'm not sure what the humidity is, but I feel gross.
UGH.
That's all.
Friday, August 13, 2010
But they don't have oatmeal!
It's been a week. You know, one of those weeks. Not that anything particularly bad happened, but it's been a long, trying, difficult week.
And because it's Friday and the week is almost over and we get start from scratch on Monday, well, I decided I *NEEDED* a fancy coffee from the local-seattle-based-soccer-mom-mega-coffee-shop.
There was a long line up. But I didn't care. Behind me there was a group of ladies from a clinic of some sort - doctor, dentist, I'm not sure, but they were all wearing scrubs.
I ordered and moved over to the side to wait for my drink and I heard one of the ladies order. She asked for some kind of coffee and oatmeal.
But there was no oatmeal.
This proved to be a minutes long dilemma for this lady. She turned to one of her co-workers and said "I don't know what I'm going to do. I need to eat and I really don't want a pastry or a cookie."
It was all I could do to keep from laughing.
You see, this particular location of the local-seattle-based-soccer-mom-mega-coffee-shop happened to be located in one fully-functioning, completely open for business, fully-stocked GROCERY STORE.
And because it's Friday and the week is almost over and we get start from scratch on Monday, well, I decided I *NEEDED* a fancy coffee from the local-seattle-based-soccer-mom-mega-coffee-shop.
There was a long line up. But I didn't care. Behind me there was a group of ladies from a clinic of some sort - doctor, dentist, I'm not sure, but they were all wearing scrubs.
I ordered and moved over to the side to wait for my drink and I heard one of the ladies order. She asked for some kind of coffee and oatmeal.
But there was no oatmeal.
This proved to be a minutes long dilemma for this lady. She turned to one of her co-workers and said "I don't know what I'm going to do. I need to eat and I really don't want a pastry or a cookie."
It was all I could do to keep from laughing.
You see, this particular location of the local-seattle-based-soccer-mom-mega-coffee-shop happened to be located in one fully-functioning, completely open for business, fully-stocked GROCERY STORE.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Cool food for the summer
Besides getting dinner on the table within a millisecond of walking in the door from work, my biggest challenge right now is coming up with interesting meals that don't repeat too often and don't make the house hot.
Yeah.
Not so easy.
So, we do have a BBQ, but there are a few problems with that. Our balcony is small and home to the BBQ, a few random stools and a double Phil and Ted's stroller. To use the BBQ, the stroller needs to move. I have a toddler who loves to be on the balcony with you, but the balcony is small and the BBQ is hot. Generally pre-dinner time means Alex is in the shower getting ready for work and I'm hopping back and forth over the kitchen gate constantly while wrangling a toddler. A toddler who would love nothing more than to have Mommy stop cooking and Daddy stop showering and play with her. Also, our balcony faces due WEST. That means, at dinner time it's stifling and in direct sunlight. NOT CONDUCIVE to a BBQ!
So, the BBQ gets used rarely.
So, what to make. On Friday I was tired. I was hungry. We had company coming for the weekend (but staying elsewhere). UGH.
But Martha saved the day. We ended up making a modified version of her Southwestern Chicken Wraps.
We made a few changes. I don't eat sour cream (more about that and the rest of my crazy diet on Get Fit Chicks), but I wanted something to spread on my wrap so it wouldn't be dry. Instead of avocado slices, I made some guacamole. Because there were onions in the guacamole, we omitted the red onions (I might use them next time anyway because they would give it another little touch of colour - no tomatoes in mine. see aforementioned crazy diet). Those who eat sour cream spread guacamole on their wraps and then put the sour cream sauce on top.
MMMmmmm...these were good! J isn't a big fan of sandwiches or wraps these days, but I had some mini pitas in the freezer for her from when we had pita tacos last, so she got a compartment plate with chunks of chicken and avocado as well as some beans. She often eats everything separately, but when she saw that Auntie Tati, who came for dinner, had a wrap, she stuffed her pita full and ate it that way too!
I don't have a picture of the finished product because they were eaten so quickly there wasn't a chance. This also made a good lunch for Alex to take to work - another challenge we're working on. LUNCHES.
And because I bought a rotisserie chicken, I did this as soon as dinner was over:
And we had yummy chicken soup for a few nights - I used the leftover beans and added some chopped peppers, corn and Tabasco and it was yummy! It was wet and cool this weekend, so soup was a welcome meal!
Yeah.
Not so easy.
So, we do have a BBQ, but there are a few problems with that. Our balcony is small and home to the BBQ, a few random stools and a double Phil and Ted's stroller. To use the BBQ, the stroller needs to move. I have a toddler who loves to be on the balcony with you, but the balcony is small and the BBQ is hot. Generally pre-dinner time means Alex is in the shower getting ready for work and I'm hopping back and forth over the kitchen gate constantly while wrangling a toddler. A toddler who would love nothing more than to have Mommy stop cooking and Daddy stop showering and play with her. Also, our balcony faces due WEST. That means, at dinner time it's stifling and in direct sunlight. NOT CONDUCIVE to a BBQ!
So, the BBQ gets used rarely.
So, what to make. On Friday I was tired. I was hungry. We had company coming for the weekend (but staying elsewhere). UGH.
But Martha saved the day. We ended up making a modified version of her Southwestern Chicken Wraps.
We made a few changes. I don't eat sour cream (more about that and the rest of my crazy diet on Get Fit Chicks), but I wanted something to spread on my wrap so it wouldn't be dry. Instead of avocado slices, I made some guacamole. Because there were onions in the guacamole, we omitted the red onions (I might use them next time anyway because they would give it another little touch of colour - no tomatoes in mine. see aforementioned crazy diet). Those who eat sour cream spread guacamole on their wraps and then put the sour cream sauce on top.
MMMmmmm...these were good! J isn't a big fan of sandwiches or wraps these days, but I had some mini pitas in the freezer for her from when we had pita tacos last, so she got a compartment plate with chunks of chicken and avocado as well as some beans. She often eats everything separately, but when she saw that Auntie Tati, who came for dinner, had a wrap, she stuffed her pita full and ate it that way too!
I don't have a picture of the finished product because they were eaten so quickly there wasn't a chance. This also made a good lunch for Alex to take to work - another challenge we're working on. LUNCHES.
And because I bought a rotisserie chicken, I did this as soon as dinner was over:
And we had yummy chicken soup for a few nights - I used the leftover beans and added some chopped peppers, corn and Tabasco and it was yummy! It was wet and cool this weekend, so soup was a welcome meal!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Understanding privacy and private time
We have been working on privacy and private times and knocking on closed doors and waiting for an answer with J. Apparently she has learned a little too well.
This morning she locked me on the balcony and when I told her to go get Daddy, she did. She stood patiently at the bedroom door and banged away. When she finally looked at me, I motioned for her to go in and apparently she did the same thing on the bathroom door.
She opened the bathroom door once and said no no no and Alex asked her to wait because he was having a private time. So she closed the door, but she kept knocking.
Finally Alex wondered what all the noice was about (I was also banging on the sliding door) and why I was letting J pummel the doors and he came out...10 minutes locked on the balcony...what a way to start the morning!
Lesson learned: J understands private time. She can also lock the sliding door. I will not be going on the balcony when J is around without propping it open from now on!
This morning she locked me on the balcony and when I told her to go get Daddy, she did. She stood patiently at the bedroom door and banged away. When she finally looked at me, I motioned for her to go in and apparently she did the same thing on the bathroom door.
She opened the bathroom door once and said no no no and Alex asked her to wait because he was having a private time. So she closed the door, but she kept knocking.
Finally Alex wondered what all the noice was about (I was also banging on the sliding door) and why I was letting J pummel the doors and he came out...10 minutes locked on the balcony...what a way to start the morning!
Lesson learned: J understands private time. She can also lock the sliding door. I will not be going on the balcony when J is around without propping it open from now on!
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