A Little Ditty

I was busy making an apple dessert the other evening for our care group that met this last Sunday. I was peeling and slicing apples when I noticed a strange sight. All of the apples in the bowl had one bite out of each of them. 

This puzzled me. Then I remembered that Dan went to the store for me and picked up some apples. 

We are kinda picky about the apples we like. They have to be firm and tart when you bite into them. Our favorites are Honey Crisps and Granny Smiths. 

Dan had picked up apples, not noticing that they were not our favorite kind. 

We laughed later and talked about the apples not being so tasty. The kids noticed immediately.

When I went to the store I picked up some more Honey Crisp apples and put them in the bowl with the others. 

So my best guess is that one of the kids, looking for the honey crisp apple, bit into each apple until he/her found the right one.  

I haven't asked the kids yet to see who fesses up. I used the apples anyway, cutting out the bite spots. Hilarious!

April 18, 2014

Gray and rainy this morning. Got up early and fixed sausage, egg and cheese English muffins for the guys. I forgot how yummy these are - just four ingredients - cooked patty sausage, egg done like you like, cheese on a toasted English muffin. Anyway, they were headed to church to help put tongue and groove ceiling on the new addition.

The triplets have an Easter egg hunt at a friends house later this afternoon. Trying to decide if I should run to the store and get them rain boots. Would be nice for today and the puddles in the driveway that they love to play in. But they are growing like weeds (Kylie is tallest for now). They are all getting taller it seems like everyday. Hmmm, decisions. 

We will go to church tomorrow to celebrate our risen savior and then back home for a traditional ham dinner. 

May the peace and joy of Christ be yours today!

Happy Easter!

Easter 2014

Winter, Winter Go Away

I'm going crazy. Funny... I can hear most of you say, "But you already did a long time ago". It's April 2 and I'm SICK of being in my house! I'm tired of and bored with everything. I got up this morning and I had to convince myself to complete the bare minimums for the day. I wanted to lay in bed and watch reruns of something and not be bothered. I guess that is what "cabin fever" is all about.

I want to go barefoot. I want to have the sun, hot and glorious on my face. I want to see flowers bloom and watch the grass grow. I want to be out on the boat and hear the water splashing on the sides. I want to go outside without having to bundle up. I want to wear totally indecent clothing. Scratch that, I'm too old. LOL

I want to be done homeschooling. Only 45 more days of school to complete. I think the kids feel the same way, also. We've had such a cold winter that we have spent many days inside.

I'm guessing we have at least another month of "winter" weather. It just snowed a few inches the other day and it's 36 degrees at this moment. As I look out my back window, I see white everywhere.

I love winter and snow, especially. I think I've hit my quota for this season, though. I'm just itchy for a change and I think changing the seasons would do it.

I know, I know, I know. It will come in it's own sweet time. I can't say anything to speed up the process or slow it down, for that matter. But I can be whiny for a bit and feel better for a few seconds. :) Happy spring to you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Since it be St. Patrick's Day I'll be lettin you know that I have a we bit o Irish in me.

We went to the St. Patrick's Day parade here in our town on Saturday. It was a balmy 25 degrees with a quite chilly wind from the north. No bother, though, because by the St. Paddy's Day parade pretty much everyone will do ANYTHING to get out of the house. Cabin fever has set in.

It was quite fun to see everyone out and about and the kids got all jazzed up on the candy thrown out by the parade floats. We collected lots green necklaces and other various things.

Today, St. Paddy's Day, I am fixing beer bread and an Irish Beef Stew for supper.

Irish Beef Stew

1/4 c olive oil
1 1/4 lb stew beef
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 c beef stock
1 c guinness Beer
1 c red wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Bay leaves
1/4 stick butter
3 lbs potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 c. carrots, diced

Heat olive oil and brown stew meat about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Add beef stock, beer, wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer around an hour. Stir occasionally.

While simmering the stew, melt the butter and add vegetables and saute until done and golden, about 20 minutes or so. Add veggies to stew and simmer uncovered about 40 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread.

This is a really tasty stew. Something about the beer gives the broth a wonderful taste. I do not like the taste of beer but it's good in here.

The beer bread recipe I use is from the Creme de Colorado cookbook circa 1987.

Quick and Easy Coors Beer Bread
1/3 c butter
3 c self rising flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 12 oz can Coors beer

Melt butter and pour enough into a 9x5 loaf pan to coat the bottom. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and beer. Spoon dough into loaf pan. Pour remaining butter over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bread is light golden color. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting with a serrated knife.

Serve bread warm with butter and honey. Yum!

I have used regular flour in this because I never have self rising flour in the house. So, if you use regular flour, add 4 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 1/2 tsp salt. It turns out great each time!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

Olaf

We got a new dog today. His name was Oliver but the kids want to name him Olaf  (like the snowman in Frozen). We drove to meet Jill, Dan's sister, in St. Cloud to get him. 

He's about Samson's height but a bit trimmer. He's only ten months old and we think he will grow some more. 

He's a Great Pyrenees and Mareema cross. Never heard of the breed Mareema so we googled it. They look very similar to Pyrenees. Both are livestock guardian dogs. Their cousins are Newfoundlands and St. Bernards. 

He has a great, thick, white coat of fur. He seems to be gentle and loving. 

The kids and Dan are outside with him right now getting to know him. 

Still missing Samson but needing another dog in our lives! 

More Snow

It snowed again last night. Looks so pretty! I thought I would show you how much snow we have by showing you neighbors mailboxes. I know that the plow has helped pile up the snow but it's still deep stuff around here.

I'm loving the white!

There is a mailbox under there somewhere! I pinky swear!!

Our back porch

Our firepit and chairs! LOL

Psalms 52, 8-9

Right there in the middle, while I was reading my Bible, sat a pearl, a winking jewel in Psalms just for me. These verses were there for me to discover on that very day by an all-knowing, all-loving God. I LOVE what is said.

Here are the verses I read that day.

But I am like an olive tree

flourishing in the house of God.

I trust in God's unfailing love

for ever and ever.

I will praise you forever for what you have

done;

in your name I will hope, for your name

is good. 

I will praise you in the presence of your

saints.

Psalms 52 8-9