Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Place of Honor

This is our 24 x 36in Honor board that I made using a black picture frame, foam board and fabric (the fabric can be changed out seasonally). I use this as Raine's own personal gallery for all of her creative works and accomplishments. Each night as we empty out her backpack she hands me all of her completed projects / assignments and waits to see which ones will be put up on our special display. The ones that are so painstakingly colored are the ones that she is always so proud of but I make sure to ooh and ah over them all before picking out the masterpieces. This week displays her first spelling test (94% she is so smart), and three other assignments that reflect the season and her creativity...

Corners of My Home - Living Room



Friday, September 26, 2008

Hard at (Home)Work





How To Make Perfect Caramel Apples...

Go to Martha Stewart.com and find a great recipe for Caramel Apples

Ingredients
Makes 6
6 wooden craft sticks
6 small apples, any variety, stems removed
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions
Insert sticks into tops of apples. Prepare an ice-water bath.
Bring cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to pan, and continue to cook until mixture reaches 245 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
Place pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Dip bottom of each apple in caramel. Using a spoon, coat apple halfway to three-quarters of the way up sides. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes (or overnight).


Find the biggest green apples in the land...

Set up your dipping station...

Assemble Ingredients for Caramel...

Wake up the Help...

Conjure up a bubbling brew...


Invite A few friends to come in out of the mists...

Let the little one work her magick...

And Poof you have Caramel...

Adjourn to the assembly room and with a firm grasp of your apple wand "Dip & Twist"...

Hurriedly whisk everything off to your local autumn fair...

Taste your wares...

And call it a day~

Bringing Autumn Home






Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Fall Fare

Pork Chop smothered in Apples (marinated in lemon juice & spices) with an Apple Cider Reduction Sauce

Awakening

I race towards the angry sea as though enchanted by it's wrath,
Breaking through the waves I enter into the oceans of unknown,
And falling into the deep I leave behind the echoes of all that would detour me,
Drifting softly beyond my earthbound fears I remain true to my chosen path,
Coming finally to rest upon the sandy floor, there the quiet does consume me,
I sink into the earth and become one with her core finding myself among her ashes,
It is here in this place within myself that I finally Reawaken...

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Compliments of Rosemary from Our Garden...

Lemon Rosemary Broiled Salmon



Rosemary & Organic Chicken Stock Steamed Brown Rice

Too Cute!!!


Monday, September 15, 2008

Leftover Roasted Chicken

Leftover roasted chicken becomes...
Brocolli & Chicken Alfredo over whole grain angelhair pasta

Crafty Crayons

On Saturday I made jumbo crayons out of some of our old broken ones for a craft project I have coming up next weekend. This is a great project to do with the kids and you can mix up the colors to make crazy tie dye crayons. Here's how to do it...


Start by gathering all the old broken crayons in the house and have the kids peel off all the paper wrappings. Take a muffin pan (or something like it) and spray it with pam. Let the kids add the crayons to each slot.
Heat the oven to 325 and place the pan inside. It should only take a few minute 10 - 12 for all the crayons to melt. Check on it frequently, they should come out looking like this...

Place them on the counter to cool and when almost solid into the freezer for a few minutes. Turn the pan upside down on a towel and wipe off any leftover pam. Hand them over to the kids and let them go to town.

Friday, September 12, 2008

My Beautiful Baby

I love to watch her with her babies. She is so sure of exactly what to do, how to love them and make sure that they have everything they need. I see her mimic the way that I am with her and know that I am doing a good job. That she is well loved and happy within her world and though Tim and I don't always see eye to eye on things we love this little girl as no other parents could...

Self Portrait


Tuesday, September 9, 2008

In the Rain with Raine

What was left of hurricane Gustav moved through our area on Saturday and the weather alternated between hard and soft rains and balmy breezes that were filled with the smell of the ocean. Raine and I decided to go for a 2 1/2 hour hike off the beaten path and just enjoyed being deep in the woods surrounded by a mist. It felt like if we just walked a little further we would come over the top of a sandy dune and see my beloved ocean. We were delighted to find many animals out and about with the same idea. There were 9 bright orange salamanders, one huge millipede, slugs, squirrels, fish, and deer.


We walked up mushroom and moss covered mountainsides, through rocky rivers beds scattered with leaves and wound up on top off a hill with yellow flowers as high as my chin which we then traveled down to get home.

We were soaked from head to toe and enjoying every minute of it. We finished out the the hike with a stop at our neighbors peach tree for a treat. I could not have planned a better day...

Monday, September 8, 2008

Saturday Morning Breakfast

Broccoli, Cheddar, &Turkey Sausage Quiche6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk (1%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cup steamed broccoli,
1 cup cooked turkey breakfast sausage, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

1st Day Update

Update - Raine had a great first day. She said that she made new friends and likes her teacher, and that everyone liked her dress. I was also informed that she ate all of her tuna fish sandwich, yogurt and fruit salad, but the fruity oat bars I made special were awful! That's what I get for trying a new recipe out without a dry run and not bothering to taste it before I put it in her lunch. Oh well, you can't always be the best chef...

1st Day Of School - 1st Grade





Wednesday, September 3, 2008

My First 4-Wheeler Ride

It was Awesome!!!

Corners of My Home - Dining Room / Craft Room

Backyard Window
Craft Closet
Trails Window
White Board / Creations Display