Ryann's Books

I think this is a record for my little Ryann.  For as long as she has been able to hold a book, I have been finding them in her bed.  This morning while making Ryann's bed I found 10.  Yep, 10 books in her bed.  Especially with it still being light outside, it is hard for her to fall asleep, so I'll let her look at books before going to bed.  I guess last night she kept getting more books while I was busy and wasn't looking. 

So proud of her book collection.

I think she was embarrassed that I found them all and wanted to take a picture.



Coconut Chicken Curry and Naan

These are like my other recipes.  Tried a few different ones from the Internet then adjusted it to the way we like.  So adjust them to the way you like.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts- cut into bite size pieces.
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion- diced
1 garlic clove- minced
Saute chicken in olive oil, when almost cooked add onions and garlic. Cook until tender and chicken is browned.
Add:
1 vanilla yogurt-lite (6oz) (I like better than plain)
1 can coconut milk
    or 2 C Silk coconut milk (I like better and lower calories)
2 T curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp sugar- depending on your yogurt and milk, you may not need this.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes to reduce some of the milk.
Serve over rice.  Sprinkle with sweetened coconut.

NAAN (Indian flat bread)

1C hot tap water

1pkg yeast

1/4 C sugar

Dissolve sugar and yeast in water.

Add:

3 T milk

1 egg

2 tsp salt

4-5 C flour- add enough so the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.

I use my kitchenaid to knead for 6-8 minutes.

Depending on the flavor you want.  Gently knead in minced garlic or cheese.  We have tried a few different varieties, but we really like plain the best. 

Let rise.  Punch down, form balls ~ 20?, roll out into circles.

Butter 350 degree griddle, cook each naan for 2-3 minutes each side- once golden and little bubbles form. Add more butter.  Lower calorie- I use non-stick spray and I can't believe it's not butter spray for the tops.

 




Add a salad and you have a delicious meal.

 

Making Easter Memories

 Easter egg hunt @ WVC family fitness center

New "hand-me-down" trampoline

 With all the kids jumping together, Phoenix can't keep up

 So She decided to play on last years Easter fun.

We love being outside.  What better gift to give the family than outdoor play things.

While dying Easter eggs, Phoenix had other ideas.

 Ryann, Blake and Hailee- so proud of their colored eggs

Easter morning- glad Damon leaned in for the picture.

 Cute new Easter outfits for church

 Making their outfits is one of my favorite parts of Easter. 

Let's Celebrate & A New Goal

For some, this may not be a day for celebrating, but for me, it surely is.  I went to the Dr. today for a post-op check up, and my xrays look great.  Better than they have since I first wrecked on my bike.  It has been almost 8 months and I am seriously ready to be healed.  Now I get to do all the physical therapy, again.

Aug. 31, 2010- happy birthday to me



Sept. 7, 2010- 1 week post-op



Mar. 15, 2011- 1 week post-op (second surgery)

April 22, 2011- see the new bone growth under the 2 screws- YEAH!

The last couple of months I have given into my sweet tooth and I think I am ready to "get back on the bike".  Okay, I guess not on "my bike", I'm not allowed yet, but I really need to give up some of the sugar. 

I'll wait until Monday- I can't start right before Easter- Don't be ridiculous. 

I will make a goal, then if I have to report, maybe I'll actually do it this time. 

My goal will be:  1)eat healthy- and normal portions, 2)drink plenty of water, and 3)get some sort of exercise each day.  Then I can reward myself with 1 small treat each day.  This should not be a problem for me- but sadly it is. 

8 months ago I was on my way to a really strong and healthy body.  Now I am not so strong and not so healthy.  I'm soft- I don't want to be soft.  I will get back in shape for the summer.  I just need to remind myself when the treats are in front of me.

Fabric Scraps for Easter

I'm like a little kid waiting for a holiday.   Not that I will be getting anything exciting for myself.  But I am so excited to see my kids in their new Easter outfits.  Last year was probably one of the largest sewing projects I have ever done.  Dresses for all 3 girls, a shirt for Blake, a tie for Damon, and a skirt for myself.

This year because of the many adventures with my bicycle accident, I was not able to go to quite the extent. But I am very excited for this years Easter outfits.  For Christmas this last year I made some "pillow pets" for the kids, which left a bunch of fabric scraps.  Very cute scraps, but not enough to make much. 

Hailee's- Owl, Ryann's- Bunny, Phoenix's- mouse (which she already pulled off 1 eye), Blake's- dog.

Oh, was I wrong.  Plenty of scraps to make patchwork skirts.  I decided I didn't want to spend any $ on these skirts so I would have to make up a pattern.  I got each of the girls waist and hip measurements. These skirts need to be able to be pulled over their bums but still fit their waists. 
Take that number then for each additional tier I added about a half.  (Tiers example= a-20", b-30", c-45", d-65", e- 90")  For the height I measured how long I wanted it, then divided it by how many tiers I wanted.  Phoenix- 4 rows, 4", Ryann- 4 rows, 5", Hailee- 5 rows- 5".  Also, depending on how I felt like doing the hem and the waist, my measurements were a little different.  Here are some pictures to explain.

Lay out each of the pieces so you know where they will all lay.  You could use squares, but mine are all different shapes.  Small rectangles, squares, and long rectangles.  Just as long as they are all the same height.

The bottom tier is 2 x's as tall, so I can fold it over in the gather instead of having to hem it.

Sew each layer of pieces together to make the right length of each tier, then gather the top of each tier by baste stitching twice and then gathering to the right length of the bottom of the tier above.

     
                                                                                     

            

     

2 of the skirts I doubled the bottom tier height then folded and sewed it into the gather.  On the third skirt I just did a 1/4 inch hem.  I'm sure whatever you want to do is fine.

For the elastic- you can either make a casing in the top tier, or like the bottom, you can fold it over and sew it into the gather.  Use the waist measurement of elastic and thread it through the casing.  Sew the back, lining up each tier to finish it up.

On my skirt I didn't want to have a seam straight down the back.  I just sewed each tier into a circle, then gathered and sewed them together. I did have to buy the fabric for mine, but of course it was on clearance.

And we're not done yet.  I wanted to make shirts to coordinate with their skirts.  Bought white shirts then cut out the fabric scraps into the right shape.  Ironed on interfacing, then zig-zag stitched them on.

Really these pictures don't give them justice.  I will have to take pictures on Easter morning so you can actually see them on the girls.  For Blake and Damon, they just get the store bought stuff this year.  I would say for not feeling very good or capable with 1 good arm, I think I did pretty good.

Yeah for Easter Outfits!

(added 4/25/11)

Here are the finished projects on the kids.



I made the skirts, appliqued the shirts, and even made the flower bows.

I didn't take a picture of my skirt because it is a little big.  I need to go back and re-do parts of it. 

Plus my hubby wasn't up for having his picture taken for Easter (poor sport).

Olive Garden Copycat

I had a few people request my Olive Garden soup, salad, and bread stick recipes, but just so you know- I am terrible at giving recipes.  I really have nothing against sharing, it's just that I don't really follow recipes, I just add a little of this and a little of that.  So if you really need specific amounts and measurements- you're out of luck.  I have made them all a number of times and adjusted them to what my family likes. So this may just be a baseline and you can make them the way you like.  Enjoy!

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Olive Garden Recipes- copycat
"All you can eat- soup, salad, and bread sticks... anytime"
Bread Sticks-
2 C warm water	Topping- use before and after baking
2T yeast	Melted butter
2T butter	Salt
2T sugar	Garlic powder
1T salt	Oregano
4-5 C flour
In kitchenaid add all ingredients until dough cleans the sides of the bowl.  If it sticks, gradually add more flour.
Knead for 8 minutes.  Let rise.  Punch down- roll into 24 bread sticks.  Add topping, let rise again.
Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes (my oven sucks, so your time may be different?)  Add topping again.
Salad-
1/2 romaine, 1/2 leaf lettuce
Thin slices purple onion
Roma tomato wedges
Olives
Croutons
Grated parmesan cheese
Toss all with Zesty Italian dressing
Zuppa Toscano- (potato sausage soup)
1lb italian sausage- a bit spicy is better for flavor
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion diced
Oregano
Potatoes sliced then halved (D)
Chicken broth- enough to barely cover the potatoes
1/2 and 1/2 or cream
2 C kale or swiss chard- my kids are lame so I leave this out.
Brown sausage, add onions, garlic, oregano.   Add potatoes and enough chicken broth to cover them.
Boil until potatoes are soft, then add kale or swiss chard, then half and half.  Simmer for a few minutes- serve.
Minestrone-
1lb browned hamburger	Season to taste-
Chicken broth	Salt
Tomato juice	Pepper
Carrots- slices	Garlic
Celery- slices	Oregano
Onion- diced	Basil
Can kidney beans	Thyme
Cabbage- chopped	Parsley
Mini pasta- I don't know what it is called- short macaroni noodles?
Zucchini- depends on how much the kids complain.
Brown hamburger- season as you like.  Add everything except zucchini.  Boil until veggies are soft.
Add zucchini last or it will get soggy.  Cook until tender- Serve.

Can I Get A Break?

Ever since we have been married we have had our share of medical bills and then some.  We weren't planning on having kids for a couple of years, but that didn't happen.  Plus our little Hailee decided that when we got pregnant, it still wasn't soon enough.  She was born 6 weeks early and had to stay in the ICU.  So of course with having babies you expect medical bills, but this baby tried to rack up the bills as fast as possible. 

Sadly, now that she is 8, she is still having some of the same issues from when she was little.  Food gets caught in her esophagus, not allowing anything to pass.  Sometimes it is only for a few minutes, other times it may be caught for a few days.  Poor thing, but she really is a good sport about it.  Even with a number of different tests and procedures, she still makes the best of the situation. 

So then we decide to add to our bills by having a few more kids, yes we knew they were each going to cost.  But with the "worst insurance in the world", we would just have to make the best of it.  Thank goodness for refinancing and tax returns or we would be sank.  Even with all the bills, we wouldn't trade our kiddies for the world.

After a handful of random sicknesses over the years, we decided that really things weren't so bad.  I wanted to participate in a few races, but knew that we couldn't justify spending money that needed to go toward our family budget.  So, I started a fund raiser.  I made extra lunches for the guys at Damon's work and did some mending for some friends and neighbors.  Perfect- made enough money to register for 3 different races.

As most of you already know, the last race didn't go as planned.  At 30 miles I was cut off and wrecked my bicycle.  Actually my bike didn't have too much damage, I did.  After surgery and a bit of time, I felt like things were going good.  NOPE- I didn't heal.  At six months I had to have surgery again.  Now a month after that surgery, I feel like I'm healing pretty good.  (I guess we'll see when I see the Dr. in a couple weeks.)  But to add to my recovery, I got a cold sore- probably from the stress of not being able to take care of my family.  Then I got a sinus infection with a cough.  Now I have strep throat.  Yes, I am complaining.  Sadly my little Hailee has strep too, and I want to be able to take care of her.  Really I just want to be back to normal.  I want to go for a bike ride on a sunny afternoon, I want to walk around the neighborhood with the kids, I want to run, swim and lift weights...  I really just need a break from all this sickness and pain.  And I guess I would like a break from all the medical bills that go along with it.

Spring Cleaning

I love moving.  I am a little jealous of my brother and his family, they moved this last weekend.  Okay maybe I wouldn't like the move itself.  Moving is hard work, but you get to go through all your junk and decided which of your junk gets to make the cut.  I think if I were to move right now, I would have a sale.  Put price tags on everything, and start fresh.  Do we really need furniture anyway?  When Damon and I moved from our first apartment to our second apartment, our living room furniture consisted of 2 camp chairs and a cooler as our end table (which had all been give to us for our wedding).  Okay maybe I wouldn't sell everything- I really like my living room furniture, but I do think we all need a little de-junking now and then.  I guess that is why we have spring cleaning.

The last six months have been bad for the cleanliness of our house.  Ever since I wrecked on my bike, I have barely been able to keep up with the regular chores (with the help of some great friends and neighbors), but the deep cleaning has definitely been pushed to the back burner.  So I called in the experts, my sister-in-laws, Rose and Denise.  This week is spring break for them so they didn't have their regular school schedules.  They so willingly came, clean, and rearranged my junk.  These ladies are amazing.  We took down the crib, moved all the other beds into different rooms, cleaned out closets and even washed the walls and baseboards before putting the furniture back.  Bonus: all the kids are so excited they have a different bed to sleep in.  Now all I have to do is go through and sort all the leftovers, but the best part is that they made is so convenient to do so.  I already went through the little girls clothes, putting away the too little ones and pulling out the next sizes.  Also, I sorted all my fabric and sewing stuff.  I have to say I love spring cleaning. 

After sorting the fabric totes I decided to take a break and check on my napping girls...

I guess it will take a little while for Phoenix to get used to her new bed.  Oh well, at least she's napping. 

Counting Sheep

I think I have ruined my internal clock the last few weeks.  I have been watching a ton of movies, which makes me sleepy, so I nap.  Not such a bad thing, I'm taking it easy, right?  Well when it makes it so I can't sleep at night, it's a problem.

Last night was one of these nights.  I fall asleep at 10:30pm as usual, but then at 12:30am, I am awake again.  I get up, get a drink, take a potty break, and climb back in bed.  An hour later, I am still "trying" to fall asleep.  Finally I stop trying and give in to thinking.  Not about anything in particular, but then I start thinking about counting sheep.  Where on earth did that idea come from?  Did shepherds fall asleep regularly while counting their sheep?  Who ever knows please share.  I should ask Damon, he always knows the answer to every random question.  Anyway.... so I'm "thinking" and decided I really need to sleep.  I roll over and see this:

Yep- The Serta Sheep.  I guess Damon was trying to save time.  After showering at night, get dressed in your work clothes, so you don't have to get dressed in the morning. 

I need to get a Serta mattress so I won't be waking up to these guys anymore.