Life...

... gets in the way.  No, actually, work gets in the way of the fun stuff.

Where does the time go?

It is Good to Live in the Pacific Northwest

The beautiful Whatcom Falls

Vicki and her best friend Sarah, playing with some caterpillars with the falls as the backdrop.

Looking across the top of the falls

That is a very big tree!  Vicki wouldn't hug it with Sarah.  She was worried about bugs.

I really like these pretty.... whatever they are.

The falls again.

Darin and Samm with the falls behind them.

A pretty little something (Mostly Wordless Wednesday)

Lexi asked me quite awhile back to crochet her an infinity scarf.  I don't get to spend much time crocheting anymore, so it took me almost 3 months, but I finally got it done.

My photography skills don't do the color justice.  It is a beautiful light lavender.  *sigh*

Even less color showing here....  =(

It is the Bellfower Infinity Scarf from Naturally Caron.  However, for this one I didn't Caron yarn.  Sorry Caron.  Next time!!

Even my Jazzy likes it!

Well, Jazzy tolerates it at least. 

Lettuce Wraps

Shall I make these ones....





or these ones.....


Or....


Or, most likely, I will just use these as a guideline and make it up as I go!!

Yummm!

Truth

Enough said.

Dinner via Pinterest

I haven't touched my blog in a very long time.  I sure miss it.  I just find that working nearly full-time, running a household, and trying have time with the family just doesn't leave me with the time or energy to blog much.  But, while I planning dinner tonight, I thought I would share my menu and dust off my blog and breath a little life back into tonight.

Tonight, we are having an Asian inspired dinner.

Ahh, Pinterest... you are an endless source of inspiration.

Click the pictures below to follow the link to my pins, then onto the source.

Starting with these delectable morsels...

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

To be served with some yummy fried rice.  I don't actually follow a recipe for my fried rice, so it ends up different every time.  But this one is very close....

Market Vegetable Fried Rice

I am going to cheat a little here...  I do not make pot stickers from scratch, but one day I will tackle them and may very well use this recipe....

Wolfgang Puck's Potstickers

 Mmm... now I'm hungry!!

Why Hello There!!

It's been so long and I miss my blog.   Darn life keeps getting in the way of blogging time!  =)

I thought today, I would share some completely random and unrelated things that are swirling about in my head. 

• It's a big day here in our household.  First day of school!  Samm-samm is a Junior this year!  It doesn't seem possible that she could be old enough to be a Junior, but indeed she is.   Miss V is in third grade.  Third!  I was tearing up as I walked her down the "big kid" wing of her shcool this morning.  She told me to save it for when I got home!  Love that girl!

• Samm-samm is taking her driver's test today.  Seriously!  Somebody please stop my kids from growing any older!  *sigh*

•  This morning, while I was still gently nursing some coffee into my system, Miss V looks at me and says, "You're hair is so crazy this morning, Mom.  It's so crazy, you look kind of like a zombie!"    ...  ha...  a zombie...   ......................Twerp!

• Had a DTap shot this morning.  My arm hurts.  *pout*

• I have a lump in my breast.  While my doctor is not too concerned I will be going for a diagnostic mammogram, ASAP.  Mmhmm.  Stupid lump!

• Otherwise, he gave a clean bill of health! 

• I am aching to get back into some belly dance classes.  I really feel like even if I am practicing regularly, I won't actually progress and get better without the instruction, guidance and input of more experienced dancers.  

• My arm hurts.  

• I don't want to go for a mammogram.  =(

Wordless Wednesday 7-24-12

The view from our room at Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood, OR

Mt Jefferson peaking up through the clouds

The view from our room at 5:30am the next morning

My view of the peak of Mt Hood while drinking my morning coffee. 

Another mile up the mountain, looking back down.

Had the opportunity to stay at Timberline Lodge, elevation 6000, on Mt. Hood last week.  

The views left me absolutely in awe of creation.
The whole experience just left me feeling blessed beyond belief! 

Wordless Wednesday 7-4-12

Mt Rushmore, SD

Happy Independence Day!!!!

 

How Time Flies!

I have started working outside the home again.  Part-time, yet it feels like full-time when it comes to having time for things like crafting and blogging.  *le sigh*

Last week, I was blessed to have my in-laws come to stay with us for several days.  Darin, Victoria and I decided to take them to Leavenworth, WA via the scenic Cascade Mountain Highway.  Oh how I love a road trip! 

Here we are the Diablo Lake lookout.  Check out my hair.  That was some serious awesomeness!

Darin, Victoria and I walked out onto Diablo Dam, while Grandpa and Grandma chose to enjoy the scenery from the solid ground.  The causeways were open, so it made for some beautiful photos.  

Part of that beauty were the rainbows created by the mist.

We also walked across a bridge over a very deep and beautiful gorge.

The photo cannot due justice to just how high the bridge was!

Of course, I paused here and there to enjoy some of the wildflowers.  God's creation is just amazing!!

At the peak of the mountain pass, there was still snow along the roadside.  I made Vicki stand in the snow for a picture.  She was not too impressed with that!

Eventually we made our way to Leavenworth.  For some reason I didn't get any pictures of the town this trip.  However, I have a one I took from a previous trip.

There are so many neat shops in this little Bavarian town!

I could have spent another two days here.

Hopefully, this will not be the only road trip we do this summer.  I love road tripping, and hope to have some more photos to share.  

And here is a smile for the day.  While at a petting zoo, just outside of Leavenworth, Victoria and I spotted this peacock trying so, so hard to impress a peahen.  He strutted, fluttered and followed her around for a good 20 minutes. However, she never even glanced his way.  Oh, I am sure she saw him, I mean, how could you not?!?!  But, she didn't acknowledge him.  Sounds like any bar in any town, America.  HAHA!

So if you have having a bad day or week, just think of this poor guy.

Have a blessed day!

Wordless Wednesday 6-13-12

My daughter likes to read!

Dajaj Ablama (Syrian Chicken Stew)

This chicken stew is ready in under an hour, but tastes like it stewed all day.  Sooo good!

Dajaj Ablama

(Syrian Chicken Stew)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

5 tbsp pine nuts

4 ½ cups chicken stock

Pinch of salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp lemon juice

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

Seen here served with brown basmati rice.

Directions:

Trim chicken breasts of any fat, rinse and pat dry. Cut each breast into 3 pieces and dip them in the flour. Melt butter in a frying pan and brown chicken over moderate heat. Remove chicken from the pan.

Fry the onion in the same pan until golden brown. Remove and fry the pine nuts in the same pan until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper and cinnamon to the pan, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and onions to a large saucepan. Add the stock and cook over moderate heat for about 40 minutes, until tender. Add the lemon juice and cook further for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the fried pine nuts and cilantro.

Life-us Interrupt-us

 Life has been crazy for the last while.  It has been a roller coaster of stress, fun, change, fear, relief, happiness and pretty much every emotion possible.  It has also totally gotten in the way of blogging, crafting and experimenting in the kitchen.  Without recounting every detail of the last couple of months, I will just say, I am grateful to on this side of them, am totally blessed and ready to reacquaint myself with my blog! 

Truffles and Teachers

V and I found a good use for all the paper boxes that we had hanging around.  We put homemade chocolate truffles in them and took them to school for V's teachers as it was Teacher Appreciation Week.    

I love Victoria's school.  I have never met such an amazing collection of truly passionate and caring teachers and support staff.   We are blessed. 

It was so much fun delivering them to her various teachers.   There was Mrs Johnson, her regular teacher; Mr. Woodworth, her music teacher; her P.E. teacher, her computer teacher, the principal, the librarian, the school counselor and one of the para-educators whom Vicki has a bond with.

 I am kicking myself for not taking the camera with me!  

The really cool part was that Victoria would tell her teachers that they were homemade truffles in a homemade box.  I'm not sure which part they were more impressed with.  And when she told them that, yes, she helped make the truffles and yes, she made some of the boxes, she beamed with pride.

Now I suppose I should share my truffle recipe.   Well alright then.  Bend my rubber arm.

Chocolate Truffles

3  cups semi-sweet chocolate chips  

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a heat safe bowl, melt chocolate chips over hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly.   Remove from heat as soon as melted and smooth.  Stir in the vanilla and sweetened condensed milk.  Chill for 2 hours or until mixture is easy to handle.  Shape into 1-inch balls.  

Roll in coconut, sprinkles, cocoa or crushed nuts.

The pictured truffles were made with 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 cups dark chocolate chips and rolled in a cocoa and powdered sugar mixture.

Paper Boxes

Darin recently taught the girls how to make paper boxes.  They used varying weights of paper stock and made origami style boxes without any cuts to the paper.   

I would post a tutorial, but I didn't get to play with them as I was busy in the kitchen.  Maybe I can get him to show me as well and then I can post the tutorial.

 

First Darin and Samm made some, while Victoria and were out one day, then they showed Victoria the next weekend.  We now have many, many boxes.

 I am proud of how well V did with her boxes also.  She was very precise with her folds!

Hers are the smaller brightly colored boxes.

It looks like fun.  I want to make some, too!

I may have to buy some more card stock!